Prologue

AUTHOR’S NOTE

If you’re reading this part right now, I want to use this medium to thank you for choosing to read this book, it means a lot to me. Your support is very paramount and I’d appreciate it if you drop comments and votes. Giving feedback makes me feel seen and inspires me to write better chapters.

Note: I promised to tell the story of Guilia and Vladimir, so here it is. It can be read as a stand-alone.

TRIGGERS

This book contains imagery that a few readers might find disconcerting. Things like bullying, strong language, explicit scenes (highly consensual) are strongly present in most chapters.

PROLOGUE

GUILIA

TWO YEARS AGO

The music blasted loudly from the speakers while my feet dragged on wobbly to the last table before the door. Suddenly my eyes were trained on the outline of a man who looked too familiar to be ignored.

His arms were placed comfortably on the fluffy rails of the sofa, his eyes fixed on the strippers who didn't stop twirling their semi-nude bodies around the black metallic pole.

Though my vision was clouded by the intoxicating influence of numerous bottles of vodka I'd gobbled, I could figure out how bored he was by the look of resignation on his face.

But his interest wasn't my business. After how things went with Ariel and Dmitri, I wasn't sure I wanted to be entangled with any of the Mikhailov brothers.

Fortunately, he hadn't noticed me yet, so I trailed on with my unstable steps until a wave of dizziness slammed me and I missed my footing and found myself leaning against his table for support.

His gaze darted from the unclad women to me as I dragged in shallow breaths. "I'm so sorry," I apologized immediately while praying that he wouldn't mock me for being unable to hold down my alcohol.

"Guilia Armando, am I right?" His deep, unfazed voice caressed my skin while I clutched onto the edge of the table that had only a bottle of vodka and half-filled glass for balance.

The excess alcohol I'd doused myself with was getting to me.

My eyes did a quick scan on his inked chest that flexed with a slight movement. How could a man be so appealing yet scary?

"How do you know my name?" I couldn't help but sound slurry even though I'd intended to be sober.

His lips curled into a smirk, his thumb massaging his temples as he crossed his thighs. "I have my ways, buttercup, but let's get down to the real question, why did you have to stumble into me? Have you forgotten who I am?"

His question threw me off balance because I didn't even know how I found myself in front of him. I'd come here to party and get laid, possibly by any hot demon I could find.

And now I'd bumped into his table. He was more than the hot demon I wanted, he was the very blazing devil, and even when my senses screamed that I should run away, my body betrayed me and my feet remained stuck to the ground.

Unlike his annoying brother who made my best friend's life a living hell, he seemed more friendly. His full eyebrows climbed his forehead when my response wasn't forthcoming.

"Umm, I think I made a mistake by coming here. I'll just leave," The words rushed out of my lips and I spun on my heels to leave.

His sharp reflexes caught me off guard as if he had sensed my plans to flee and he pulled me down to himself, the hem of my very short dress riding up to my ass.

Just one move and my thong would be exposed for all the lust-filled drunk men who had been leering at me earlier to see.

"What are you doing?" I croaked, making sure to avoid his intense erotic gaze that sparked strange desires within me.

His hand rested on my hips and I squirmed, his nose grazing my neck. "You want me, Guilia,"

A tight gasp burst out of me while I shuddered. "That's not true. Maybe I'm a bit too drunk, but I don't want you," I lied through my teeth.

"Your eyes speaks differently,"

His smirk switched to a cocky grin, knowing he was right. My heart pounded against my chest as my face flushed with heat. I wanted him just as he'd observed and if he didn't let go of me in the next few seconds, I might just damn the consequences and kiss him.

"I... I have to use the bathroom,"

His grip tightened around my waist and bolts of pleasure vibrated in my core. "Why does that sound like a lie?"

"It's not..."

I was too slow to reply as his lips smothered over mine without a warning, his strong hands pushing me further to him.

My nerves whirled in a frenzy as I tore my lips off his and struggled to break free from him, but how could I when my body wasn't agreeing with my wishes?

He wiggled his brows and ran his tongue over his lips, enjoying how he toyed with my emotions.

"Are you trying to tell me that you dressed this seductively just to go back home without experiencing new things? From the look of things, you want to be fucked, but you're held back by the shackles of your culture. The good news is that you're an adult and no one's gonna know if you don't tell them,"

Alright, enough of the games. It was true... I liked him too much for someone who looked like a player. The plan was to get drunk and laid and Vladimir seemed like the best option.

However, I couldn't ignore the feeling that I'd regret this once the alcohol wore off tomorrow morning.

Fuck it! Raphael was dead already and my father was behind it. I wondered how he'd feel when he discovered that his pretty little daughter wasn't a virgin anymore.

After a long, hard stare, I pressed my lips together and exhaled. "I'm down for it. You fuck me nice and clean and tomorrow we'll pretend like nothing ever happened. What do you say?" I replied very calmly even though nothing was calm about how I felt within.

My palms became clammy with sweat and I lowered my lashes, hoping that he'd refuse so that I'd have a reason to run far away from him, but tonight wasn't that night.

Instead, he chuckled lightly and let go of me, getting to his feet. His hand found its way around my waist and he smirked. "I have a room,”