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She narrows her eyes. “I’m not afraid of you.”
I chuckle, lowering my voice and leaning in. “You should be.”
I glance down at her legs to see those goosebumps appear again. I love the way they look on her skin. I love the way I’m able to affect her body with just my words. I don’t even have to touch her to get her all worked up.
“I guess we’re going to your house or something,” she says, rubbing her thighs like she’s cold. I know that’s not the case. She’s just trying to hide the way she feels about me.
“Yes, to my estate. It’s a beautiful place, but you won’t see much of it until morning,” I reply, returning to the bottle of champagne.
“I don’t really want to,” she replies.
I sigh, putting the bottle down and looking at her. I know she’s smart because of the glow she has in her eyes. She’s quick with her words, but I feel like she’s not understanding what I’m trying to communicate to her.
“Do you understand what you’ve agreed to, Sage?” I ask, dispensing with the games.
“I understand that my father made a mess, and now I have to clean it up. I’m supposed to marry you, but I still don’t understand why,” she says.
I nod. “You don’t need to understand everything just yet. Your father’s debts are now your responsibility. Fail to uphold your end of the bargain, and the consequences will be severe.”
“I’m not planning on failing,” she replies, her voice steady. “But don’t expect me to make this easy for you.”
I smile at her attitude. Even in the face of my threats, she’s holding steady. It’s an admirable trait, especially in the Bratva. I know I’ve made a good choice by taking her as my wife. “Good,”I say. “I don’t want it to be easy. I want to see how far you’re willing to go, how strong you really are.”
3
Sage
The limo glides through the night, the city lights gradually giving way to the darkness of the countryside. I sneak glances at Viktor, trying to gauge his mood, but his expression remains unreadable as he drinks the entire bottle of champagne by himself.
I’m marrying a madman. That much is clear. The regret I feel is immense, but there’s no way to turn back now that I’ve committed to it.
As we approach his mansion, the vast estate slowly comes into view, illuminated by soft, golden lights. I can already tell that it’s impressive, though I wouldn’t feed Viktor’s ego by admitting that to him.
Besides, he obviously acquired this wealth through immoral and devious dealings. He ruined my father’s life with his gambling operations, and judging by the towering mansion we’re driving toward, he’s ruined countless others along with it.
Good looks and a touch that gives me goosebumps don’t make up for being evil. Nothing does.
As the limo rolls to a gentle stop, Viktor opens the door, jumping out and extending his hand to help me. “Welcome to your new home,” he says.
I take his hand, still cold from the champagne bottle, and step out of the limo. It feels like a dream, getting out in such a beautiful estate. It would be the perfect evening if the circumstances were different.
As it stands, my beautiful dream is becoming more like a nightmare with every passing hour.
Viktor leads me into his mansion, passing through two towering oak doors with gold lion heads as knockers on the front. Everything here screams opulence, from the intricately carved railings to the jasmine vines that creep up the front of the house.
The sweet floral smell hits me as I walk in after Viktor, but it’s quickly replaced by a crisp linen smell and the faintest hint of smoke. I can smell his cologne drifting behind him as well, and I quicken my pace to be closer to it. I’m drawn to his scent, even if I hate him.
Inside, I quickly become distracted by my surroundings. The marble floors gleam under the chandeliers, and the walls are adorned with old oil paintings. It’s worlds away from anything I’ve ever known, even though my dad is rich.
Well, hewasrich, or so I thought. His prior wealth doesn’t compare to what Viktor has. It’s not even close.
I try not to get too wrapped up in it, but the idea of marrying someone this rich does come as a bit of a relief to me. At leastI won’t be living in a trap house with a junkie who abuses me. Viktor appears to have much more class than that.
But even so, I can’t forget that he’s a dangerous criminal. He’s already admitted to being in the Bratva, and that alone is unforgiveable.
I hold my chin up a little higher as we ascend a marble staircase up to the top floor. I’m winded by the time we reach it, but Viktor doesn’t seem the least bit out of breath. The man has stamina, I’ll give him that much.
“Our room is at the end of the hallway,” he says, looking over his shoulder at me. “Tomorrow, you’ll have a new wardrobe. No offense, but jean shorts don’t tend to fit in our community.”
