“Hmm.” Luca lowered himself, his groin making contact with mine. He brought his nose to my hair and sniffed, letting out an appreciative moan. “Roses. I like it.” “Luca…” his name came out as a moan when he nibbled my ear. “Don't hurt Matt, please.” He looked at me with an indescribable look. “And what are you willing to give me in return for sparing your lover's life?” I gaped at him in surprise. He knew? That Matt was my ex boyfriend? “How did you…” He shook his head with a humorless laugh. “You wound me, honey. I know a lot of things. I just choose not to say it.” “I haven't threatened to kill you in your sleep, have I?” I asked, then let out a defeated sigh when he raised a brow in disbelief at me. “Fine. What do you want in return?” He stared down at me for one… two… five seconds and then said, “I'd like to watch you come undone. With my tongue.” ********** Born into a family of generational tradition, Ariadne has a duty to uphold. She has been engaged to part of the society's son Santiago Russo since birth. Never having met or talked to her fiancè, she's accepted her fate that she could never be married to the one her heart wants. On the day of her debut, she is hit with an avalanche of shock when she discovers after an unforseen circumstance that Santiago won't be the one marrying her, but his Uncle, Luca Russo, the infamous, ruthless, billionaire bachelor in New York will be the one she will be tying the knot with. Caught between accepting her new fate or rebelling, Ariadne learns that there's nowhere to escape the beast and the only way to survive is abiding by his rules.
View MoreThe next morning, I woke to the sound of birds chirping outside the window, the soft light filtering through the blinds. I groaned, rubbing her eyes as I tried to shake off the remnants of sleep. The warmth from the car ride was still lingering, but my mind was filled with memories of the previous day. I had managed to get through the dinner with Luca’s family, and despite my initial discomfort, I felt... different. It wasn’t the kind of ease I’d expected, but maybe it was a start.Rolling out of bed, I stretched my arms over my head, letting the cool air of the room settle on my skin. Today was going to be a good day, I could feel it. As I made my way to the bathroom, I caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. My hair was mussed, but aside from that, I looked well rested. My eyes lingered on my reflection a bit longer than usual. A frown crept its way to my face.What was I doing? What had I gotten herself into?I immediately shook the thoughts away, splashing cold water on my fac
I woke up with a start, the coolness of the sheets against my skin sending a shock through my body. Oh, holy… I was naked! Completely naked. My heart raced as my mind scrambled to piece together what had happened.Where was I? How had I ended up here?The last thing I remembered was having fun dancing at my wedding, and then… nothing. Did I do something? And where the hell was Luca?My eyes frantically darted around the unfamiliar room. The walls were dark, luxurious, and ornate. Whose bedroom was this? The luxurious space felt too grand, too personal for me to be here. My pulse quickened, and I froze, a sick feeling crawling up my throat.Oh, my God ! Had I been kidnapped? Or had Luca decided he didn't want me and pimped me out? No. The thought made my stomach twist. There was no way. He couldn’t have. And why couldn’t I remember anything past the wedding. I couldn’t remember… my eyes darted down to the sheets, and I quickly checked the bed. No blood. No sign of anything that would
The D–day arrived faster than I anticipated. One moment, I was picking out a wedding dress with Luca watching me like something to be devoured, and the next, I was standing in front of a mirror, fully dressed in white, and at the mercy of the makeup artists dolling me up. In less than an hour, I would be walking down the aisle to a man I still claimed to despise. The dress fit me perfectly. Lace sleeves graced my arms, delicate embroidery wrapping around my torso before cascading into layers of soft tulle. A veil, sheer and ethereal, was pinned into my hair, completing the picture of the perfect bride. Except I didn’t feel perfect. I felt trapped. A soft knock on the door made me jump slightly. Then my mother entered, eyes misty with emotion. “So, Ari, my dear. You look stunning.” I didn’t bother to reply. Just stared at my reflection, trying to find some semblance of the girl I used to be—the one who had dreams that didn’t involve marrying a billionaire out of duty. She was go
I think I lost my ability to breathe. Or think. Or conjure a word. Or any basic human necessity. Santiago’s words lingered in the air, heavy and catatonic:Tell me something, Ariadne… Do you ever wonder what would’ve happened if you had? If circumstances were changed and I was the one you would be walking down the aisle to meet and vow your undying love to? Tell me.I finally opened my mouth, but still no words came out. What was I even supposed to say to that? I could barely process being forced into marriage with Luca, and now his nephew was throwing this into the mix?“What? Cat got your tongue?” Santiago mused, watching my reaction with amusement.“I—” cleared my throat as I tried to put on a brave face, my mind racing. “I actually don't —”“Oh, don't tell me you've never thought about it. Not even once,” He was towards me as he said those words and I kept staggering back for reasons I didn't know. This guy made me flustered and not in a good way. Seeing my reaction, he smirked.
I stormed up to my room, gripping Luca’s phone like a lifeline. I slammed the door shut behind me and sank onto the bed, my fingers moving swiftly as I dialed my mother’s number. The phone rang twice before she answered. “Mr. Russo?” I exhaled, pressing a hand to my eyes. I suddenly had the urge to cry, but I held back.. “Mom, it's me. Ariadne.” She gasped. “How are you, sweetheart? I’ve been worried.” A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “Worried? Are you really? I was under the impression that you were okay with selling me off to the devil.” My mother sighed. “Ariadne, please let's not throw blame right now.” “Well, what do you expect me to do, Mum? The asshole took my damn phone! He’s a controlling, arrogant asshole, and you just handed me over like I was some kind of bargaining chip.” “Ariadne,” my mother said gently, but firmly. “It’s our tradition. It’s the way things have always been. You knew this would happen.” “I didn't know I would be given out to a ruthless, cold bastar
I didn’t bother to turn around. Even when I knew he was still there, standing at the foot of the bed, staring at me. I could feel his presence, thick like the scent of sex still lingering in the air— evidence of what we'd done, what I'd allowed him to do, but I forced myself to focus on the slow rhythm of my breathing, pretending that what just happened meant nothing. Pretending that I hadn’t just given him a part of myself no other man had ever had before. Luca wasn’t the kind of man who accepted defeat easily. I knew that much. And when he finally spoke, his voice was low, measured, but carrying an undercurrent of something I couldn’t quite place. “You think you can just use me and toss me aside, Principessa?” he said the endearment mockingly. There was amusement in his tone, but it was laced with something darker. Something possessive. I finally turned, raising a brow at him. “I would hardly call what just happened ‘me using you and dumping you.’ It's more of a mistake that wo
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