AmaraI wake up to the smell of Matteo.Itâs warm linen and expensive cologne, but underneath all that, itâs just him. That familiar scent Iâve come to recognize even before I open my eyesâone thatâs clung to me, comforted me, irritated me, consumed me for the past two years. It seeps into my skin the way his love does: all-encompassing, impossible to ignore, and addictive in a way that should probably be illegal.His arm is thrown over my waist, heavy and possessive, like I might slip away in the middle of the night if he doesnât physically hold me down. Not much has changed there. Matteo Dragonetti is still Matteoâstill insufferably bossy, still infuriatingly smug, still the most dangerous man in every room.But somehow, with me⌠heâs also this.Soft.I turn slightly, pressing my face into the crook of his neck. His bare chest rises and falls under my cheek, and the steady beat of his heart is enough to lull me back to sleep if Iâm not careful.Instead, I close my eyes and smile. Itâ
NadyaThe sharp rip of fabric fills the room as Markus makes good on his promise. My dress gives way under his grip, the delicate material tearing apart like itâs nothing. A gasp escapes me as the cool air hits my bare skin, goosebumps rising in its wake.âYouââ I start, my breath hitching as he yanks the remains of my dress off and tosses it to the floor.âI told you,â he murmurs, voice low and full of heat. âGonna spread you out and claim every inch of you. Gonna make sure you never forget who you belong to.âI shudder, his words winding through me like a drug, settling deep in my gut where need burns hot. My nerves havenât disappeared entirelyâthis is still new, still unfamiliar in ways that make my pulse skitterâbut Markus doesnât rush. Heâs careful, even in his dominance, in the way his hands trace my skin like heâs mapping it out, memorizing every inch.He lifts me effortlessly, carrying me from the mirror to the bed like I weigh nothing. The mattress is cool against my heated s
NadyaThe car pulls up to the private jet, sleek and waiting under the soft glow of the tarmac lights. A few of Markusâs men are already there, loading the last of our luggage, making sure everything is in place. None of them look at me. They wouldnât dare. They know who I belong to now.Markus steps out first, then turns to offer me his hand. I take it, letting him help me out of the SUV, and he doesnât let go. He leads me toward the jet, and my pulse quickens when I step inside and he takes me to the private cabin, I see exactly what heâs done.The mirror is massive, taking up nearly the entire wall of the private cabin. Itâs impossible to ignore. My reflection stares back at me, wide-eyed and breathless, my wedding dress still pristine, still perfect. For now.I donât even get a chance to speak before Markus is behind me, his hands slipping around my waist, his lips pressing against the side of my neck.âRemember what I told you, baby?â he murmurs against my skin, his voice thick w
NadyaThe reception is in full swing, filled with laughter, music, and the clinking of crystal glasses, but my body still hums with leftover adrenaline. The shootout lingers in the back of my mind like an unshakable shadow, and no matter how many times I remind myself that we made it out unscathed, my heart refuses to slow completely. Itâs not that I havenât seen violence beforeâhell, I was raised in itâbut something about today rattled me more than I expected. Maybe itâs because I finally had something to lose.I glance down at my wedding band, the cool weight of it resting against my skin like a silent promise. Markus is my husband now. That still feels surreal to even think. I expected this day to feel like a deal, an arrangementâsomething I had no real say in. But it doesnât. Not anymore.I push the memories of the gunfire down as best I can and straighten my shoulders. This is my wedding day. I refuse to let bloodshed be what defines it.Markus hasnât left my side, his hand rest
MarkusI stand at the altar, my hands clasped in front of me, trying to maintain some semblance of control. But the second the doors open and I see herâreally see herâitâs fucking over for me.My heart slams against my ribs, my pulse roaring in my ears as Nadya steps into the aisle, bathed in the soft glow of candlelight. She looks like a dream, a vision wrapped in ivory silk and lace, her golden hair falling in soft waves around her face. I donât take my eyes off her as she walks toward me, each step measured, her shoulders squared despite the nerves I can see in the slight tremble of her fingers. But her eyesâthey donât waver. Those blue depths lock onto mine, holding me there, grounding me in place. How did I ever believe this girl wouldnât become everything? That she wouldnât climb under my skin and settle there, wrapping herself around every thought until sheâs all I fucking think about? From the moment I found her huddled in that room, scared and broken, to the woman standing
NadyaThe night air is cool against my skin as I step onto the small balcony of my bedroom, breathing in the crisp scent of the garden below. The estate is quiet, the sky a deep indigo scattered with stars, and for the first time in weeks, I feel a strange sense of peace settling inside me.Tomorrow, I will be Nadya Dragonetti.I never imagined feeling⌠calm about that. But here I am, standing on the edge of one life and stepping into another, and I donât feel like Iâm suffocating anymore. Things with Markus have improved, slowly but surely. He still gets frustrated too easily, still lets his temper flare before thinking things through. And I still hold back more than I should, scared of exposing too much of myself. But weâre trying. And thatâs more than I thought weâd ever get to.A smile tugs at my lips as I wrap my arms around myself, the silk of my nightgown cool against my skin. A year ago, I wouldnât have believed any of this.The soft creak of my bedroom door snapping shut mak