Chapter 6

Vivienne's POV

“Be my kept woman.”

Draven's words replayed in my head like a broken record as I stared at him in shock. My eyes shifted from the paper in my hand back to his eyes. I let out a sharp scoff, pushing him away. “You've got to be kidding me.”

“The terms are right there. I didn't hide anything,” Draven said, sliding his hands into his pockets. “Unless of course, you don't value your son's life…”

“Shut up!” I barked, cutting him off as I turned toward him fully. “Don't you dare drag my son into whatever this mess is.”

“Mess?” Draven sighed, voice high pitched as he placed his hand on his chest, his face twisted in feigned agony. “All I did was save your son, and this is the thanks I get?”

“Don't get me wrong, Draven,” I began, clearing my throat. “I'm truly grateful for your help with my son. But that doesn't mean I'm going to play by your rules just to boost your damn ego. Look at this,” I said, smacking the paper with my fingers. “This is so ridiculous. Rule one, you're mine; body, soul, and heart. No one else gets to touch you. Rule two, total surveillance; my movements, my contacts, even my phone are subject to your constant monitoring. Rule three, absolute obedience; I am to perform whatever duties you require, whenever you demand them, without question. Rule four, public ownership; I am to appear at your side as your possession whenever called upon, with zero independence. Rule five…”

"That's enough, Vivienne," Draven interrupted, his voice dropping into a dangerous low tone that cut straight through my shouting as he took a step toward me.

He reached out, his long fingers wrapping around the edge of the contract and ripping it out of my hands before throwing it casually onto the desk behind him. "You're making it sound like I'm asking for something unreasonable," he murmured, his dark eyes locking onto mine. "I paid off your debts, I bought out your club contract, and I am funding the medical team currently keeping your son alive. I'm not asking for anything extra, Little Bunny. I am simply claiming what is already mine.”

I chuckled in disbelief. “Yours? You seem to forget that I am a living, breathing, independent human being with valid human rights!”

His lips lifted into an amused smile. “Rights don't count here, Vivienne. Only my rules.”

“I won't succumb to being kept like a corpse,” I retorted, folding my hands over my chest.

“I don't mind,” Draven said, closing the distance between us as his strong scent of sandalwood and leather filled my nostrils.

I panicked, spinning around to get away from him, but Draven moved too fast. Before I could make it toward the door, his hand shot out and grabbed my arm, shoving me hard until my back hit the wall.

"Get away from me!" I yelled, putting my hands up against his chest to push him back.

He didn't move. Instead, Draven stepped directly into my space, trapping me between the cold wall and his body. Before I could attempt another push, he grabbed both of my wrists in one tight grip, lifting them above my head and pinning them flat against the wall with one hand.

"Draven!" I gasped as he stepped even closer, his leg stepping right between mine, locking me into place.

His free hand reached up to my face. His long fingers traced softly along my cheekbone, sliding slowly down to my chin before wrapping gently but firmly around my neck. He didn't choke me, but his hold was possessive and unyielding.

He leaned in close, hovering right beside my ear. I gasped as I felt his tongue flick out, softly licking the sensitive skin right behind my earlobe before breathing his hot air over the damp spot. A violent wave of heat shot straight down to my lower abdomen. My breath hitched, a sharp shiver running through my entire body. I squeezed my eyes shut, hating myself for how fast my heart started hammering against my ribs. My mind was screaming at me to fight, but my skin was burning everywhere his body touched mine.

"You don't get to demand anything from me anymore, Vivienne," Draven growled against my ear, his low voice sending another thrill through my blood. "And don't even try to pretend you don't want this."

He slowly pulled his face away from my ear, hovering just an inch from mine so he could look directly into my eyes. "Do you remember five years ago?" he whispered, his eyes dark with a dangerous intensity. "Do you remember the way you used to scream my name in my bed? You begged me not to stop every single night. You can't stand there and act like you're an innocent little girl after everything that happened between us."

My cheeks flushed bright red as my pulse spiked against my fingertips. Memories of our past came crashing into me all at once. I couldn't bear to look at him, as vivid images of everything danced around my gaze. I swallowed hard, turning my head away to avoid his dark gaze.

"Look at me," Draven commanded, voice cold. His hand shifted from my neck, his thumb and index finger catching my chin in a hard grip and forcing my face to turn towards him in a firm position.

"Don't turn away from me when I'm talking to you," he growled softly, his eyes locking onto mine with absolute authority. "You don't get to play pure and innocent with me, Vivienne. Not after five years of running. Not after what happened that night in the club. Not after begging on your knees for my money. You are mine now, and you can't pretend you're too good for my bed."

I opened my mouth to spit an insult back at him, but before a single word could leave my lips, his hand moved down to my waist. He dug his fingers firmly into my hip, yanking me forward and arching my back until my body was pressed flush against his rigid frame. The sudden, intense contact wiped every thought clean out of my mind. My head spun, a helpless whimper escaping my throat as the heat pooling between my thighs turned into an unbearable ache. My breasts flattened against his hard chest with every fast breath I took, completely betraying my anger.

Draven felt my body surrender to his touch. A cold, possessive smile touched his lips as he lowered his head, his mouth brushing right against mine.

He caught my lower lip between his teeth, biting it softly with enough force to make me gasp before leaning in to whisper against my skin. “You wanted my help, Vivienne. Now you're going to live under my rules.”