You are mine

_Serafina’s POV_

The door slammed shut, trapping me inside the room… with Dimitri.

The wedding was over. I was finally married to Dimitri Volkov.

If he found out about my true identity, he was going to slit my throat.

“Is this my room?” I asked, looking around.

The walls were lined with dark paintings, a massive chandelier hung above and the bed looked too big for comfort.

I never expected us to sleep in the same room, it was even better this way.

“Take off your veil.” Dimitri’s cold voice came suddenly from behind me and I spun around.

That's right, I somehow managed to keep the veil on till this point.

There was no one here to see my face, save for him.

My real mission starts from here.

I shall play the role of a perfectly meek wife before I end his life.

“I am not one to repeat myself,” Dimitri said, seeing me hesitating.

Slowly, I raised my fingers, reaching for the pin at the back of my head.

Pulling it, I let the veil fall to the floor as I raised my eyes to meet his gaze.

“I am Celestine,” I said softly, “your bride.” I kept my lips parted as I waited for his reaction.

“Take the dress off too.”

My stomach twisted, but still I obeyed.

I instantly reached for the zipper, pulling it down and letting the dress pool at my feet.

It felt good to be finally able to breath but when I looked at Dimitri, it was like my breath was taken away from me.

My heart thudded in my chest as he dragged his gaze over my body. From my eyes to my lips, like he was taking all of me in.

His gaze paused at my chest, and I could have sworn his eyes dilated.

In two steps, Dimitri closed the distance between us. His hand wrapped around my face as he pressed his thumb and fingers into my cheeks, raising my face so I could meet his gaze.

The sudden proximity made me feel dizzy, and my lips parted as I held his gaze.

His thumb lingered at the corner of my mouth, dragging slightly before he spoke.

“Why did you agree to get married to me?” his voice was quiet, too quiet. The type that made you question if this was curiosity or an interrogation.

“My father thought this alliance would be good for our family,” I replied softly, forcing my voice to stay calm.

He hummed, his expression unreadable. “What about you? What do you think?” the question rolled off his tongue, his thumb forcing its way into my mouth.

My breath hitched, but I hid it beneath a small, practiced smile. “I think my opinion doesn’t matter.”

Dimitri tilted his head slightly, studying me. “Smart answer. But it’s not what I asked.”

He was testing me. Every question was a trap, every pause a chance for me to hang myself. I needed to keep my lies believable. He couldn’t know that the real Celestine DeLuca was dead.

So I dropped my gaze, feigning shyness. “I think… I hope I can make you happy, Dimitri.”

Dimitri pressed his thumb against my tongue, bringing it out and dragging the wet finger over my lip.

“Tell me, Celestine,” he said finally after a few moments of silence.

“Did your father tell you what kind of a man I am?”

I hesitated. “He said you are powerful. Respected.”

A faint smirk touched his lips, but his eyes stayed cold. “Respected.” He repeated, like that was a foreign word for him to know.

“That’s not the word they use behind my back.”

He took a step closer, closing the tiny space between us. I do not think he could step any closer than he is now.

“Do you know what they call me?” he asked, his breath fanning my face.

I swallowed hard, shaking my head as I held his gaze.

A lie. I knew all the names he had been called his entire lifetime.

“The demon king.” He said simply. “And they are not wrong.”

My breath caught, but I didn’t look away.

“I have no use for a wife,” he continued, pressing his body against mine. “I don’t need someone to love, or to please. I don’t believe in the fantasy people believe about such emotions.”

He brushed a strand of my hair from my face, his touch deceptively gentle.

“All I need is someone who knows her place. Someone who would submit when I tell her to. Someone I can fuck when I choose…” There was a dramatic pause. “and who won’t mistake it for affection.”

My heartbeat hammered in my chest, I should have felt disgusted. Instead, I felt my skin grow hot under his gaze, anger and something else tangling together.

I forced my chin up, meeting his eyes. “And if I refuse?”

For the first time, a dark gaze crossed his eyes.

“Understand this Celestine. You are mine, only because I allow it. You will stay where I put you, speak when I permit you, and you will submit when I decide to touch you.”

His hand slid to my throat, squeezing gently as he cut off a little bit of my airflow.

But I didn’t still panic… instead, I liked it.

“Do that, and you might survive long enough to see what kind of monster you have married.”

Then he released me, turning away like he had just dismissed a servant.

My body reacted to the lack of warmth, my eyes following his exiting form.

“Sleep, Celestine. Tomorrow, I will decide if you are worth keeping or not,”

I could feel the danger in every word he spoke. If I wasn’t careful, he would take more than just my body. He would take my life and make me thank him for it.