ana'

My husband made me kn

ment seat. I have experienced my father sentence a man t

still fresh from

ok the building. "How useless." He spat. "Girls are a waste of resources. I

e who was busy scrubbing th

still made my

Mikhail's throne room. I looked horrible. My wedding gown wa

gunpowder and expe

hail Volkov. The devil with

like frozen mercury, gleamed under the dim light. His mouth carve

s tailored suit clung to every leth

I could think about was how

I had wished I never existed. The day I came

my chin, forcing me to look up at him. Hi

trat

there was nothing. Just emptiness. The

inside. I don't fee

told me one thi

o one who crossed paths with Mikh

I was h

Living with the devil himself would be easier t

ing my father talk to

less to th

ges are business. Al

rful mafia families. But no one wante

a maid's

I was getting married

, here

ppe

ne

mercy of the most da

rehend. How can something so b

ee how far you can go." I heard him say, and w

ut it wasn't out of fear.

dden in my undergarments

inch. He did

hest. His white shirt bloomed r

in horror. Did I

rs down my spine. He didn'

that," h

trying to stop the bleeding. His bloo

pulled me closer, his wa

licked the blo

stomach." He tapped the spot just below his ribs.

led as I strug

m. "Boss. The Bratva leaders have arrived. They're demanding proof of t

le turned let

ip bruising. "Time to show Mosc

ooking the packed ballroom below his lips

dead mother no

, Moscow's most dangerous criminals looked up. Bratva enforcers, Chechen warlords, even a few

he courtyard, his arm like an iron bar acr

rowd. Someone shouted, "Does s

eet, just enough to break bones if I tried to jump. Not that death would be an

t against my ear. "Wave

wn to grip my hip. I got the message

hand. The crowd erupt

"The wedding gift from coward Nickolas Orlov! T

on a platter!"

as Mikhail's fingers dug into my side where the bru

d before I could sto

coming up to cage me against the railing. "Don't sh

is. The taste of expensive whiskey and cigarettes filled m

wild. Whistling

yes, but I dare n

with something darker than anger. "Now they all know," he murmured, swip

my spine. It wasn't a promise

heers followed us. My legs gave out the moment the ba

led me upright, his grip unforgiving.

orror started when he th