All Chapters of The captain’s darkest sin: Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

Bella POVThe draft of the merger contract lay open on the glass desk between us. I stared at the dark ink, my chest tight. Every word on that paper was a life sentence, and my father was sitting across from me, smiling like he had just won a prize."Sign the final approval for the legal team, Bella," my father said, his voice smooth and cold. "We need this wrapped up before the dinner tonight."I didn't pick up the pen. "Father, this isn't a business deal. You are giving Chloe to the Volkov Syndicate. You know what people say about Nikolai Volkov. They call him the Beast of the Ice for a reason. His demon is unstable. He's dangerous.""He is the heir to the largest territory in the north," my father corrected, leaning back in his tall chair. "And Chloe is thrilled. She wants the title. She wants the parties. She wants to be the wife of the syndicate leader.""Chloe is twenty-one!" I stood up, resting my hands on the desk. "She thinks this is a fairytale. She doesn't understand that o

Bella POVI pulled my hand back from Nikolai’s grip so fast my skin stung. My heart was slamming against my ribs, but I squeezed my fingers into a tight fist and tucked my arm behind my back before anyone could notice how hard I was shaking."So," my father said, completely ignoring the thick silence between us as he gestured toward the long glass table in the center of the room. "Let's get down to business. We have a few details to arrange before dinner."We all sat down. Chloe took the seat right beside Nikolai, leaning close to him to whisper something in his ear. Nikolai barely nodded at her, his posture stiff, his eyes fixed entirely on me across the glass. I kept my face blank, opening my folder and spreading the paperwork out in front of me to give my hands something to do."To make sure this merger moves forward without any press problems," Mr. Volkov started, resting his hands on the table, "we need complete control over Nikolai’s public image during this hockey season. The m

Nikolai POVThe metal handle rattled a second time, louder this time, sending a cold spike of panic straight through the air between us.Bella’s hands gripped my shoulders so tight her nails bit into my skin. Her dark eyes were wide, fixed on the lock, every drop of color drained from her face. If Chloe walked in right now—if she saw her sister pinned against the counter with my arms wrapped around her waist and my eyes glowing red—everything we were trying to build would shatter into pieces. The contract, the deal, the protection for her family. All of it would go down the drain."Bella?" Chloe’s voice came through the thick panel again, light and innocent. "Is someone in there with you?"Bella opened her mouth, but her throat locked up. She couldn't speak. She couldn't even breathe.I had to fix this right now.I lifted Bella off the edge of the counter, setting her feet down quietly on the floor. I shoved my red eyes back under control, burying the demon deep inside my chest until