Page 14 of Forced Innocent Bride By the Bratva
The officer inserted the key, and the moment he unlocked the cell, her body stiffened, and her eyes widened slightly. He stepped away, and I slid the bars open and walked inside. She withdrew from me, her jaw tightening as she braced herself, watching my entrance.
Her breath hitched in her throat, and her chest heaved slowly while I closed the distance between us, standing mere inches from her. My hand snapped out and gripped her by the jaw, her body flinching in response to my actions. Her skin was soft beneath my fingers, and her eyes were jerked upward, locking onto mine.
It was silent between us as I studied her features, registering the most minute details of her face in my head. Her striking red hair, rough and unkempt, cascaded down her back like a river of blood, and her piercing green eyes were impossible to ignore. She stood at about 5’8, with an unspoken confidence beneath her fear, a trait that suggested she might not be as fragile as she appeared. Her pale complexion seemed to enhance the vividness of her features, making her a vision of both warmth and defiance.
How could she look so gorgeous even in her present state of disorientation?
“You don’t get to run away from me,moya novesta,” I whispered in her face, my breath against her skin. “Accept your new reality as my wife…in every way of the word.” The slight pause came when I tightened my grip a little harder. My eyes roamed her body, drinking in the sight of her cleavage, curves, and contours.
Her face contorted into a frown, and defiance sparkled in her eyes, yet she said nothing.
Impressed by the shape of her incredible body, my lips curled into a sly grin, and I let go of her jaw, my gaze still locked on hers. Her hand flew to her mouth, fingers rubbing the affected area in a massaging motion. Her eyes blazed with fury, and her chest heaved slowly as she glared at me.
I was drawn to the fire burning in her, and at that moment, I knew that this little game of ours would be more fun than I had initially thought.
I brushed the back of my fingers over her smooth cheek, her skin soft beneath mine. She pulled her face away, as if irritated by my touch, but I didn’t care; I was enjoying tormenting her.
“That’s enough for the day,” I said, taking a step back. “Time to go home.”
I had no plans of letting her slip away again.
Chapter 8 – Scarlett
He’d found me.
After all my attempts to get away from him, he’d still found me.
I sat in the front passenger seat, absently chewing on my nails, my heart hammering in my chest as the imposing gates looming ahead of us parted. The car glided through the serpentine driveway with towering trees on both sides of the road. Manicured lawns and gardens adorned the vast expanse of land as the moon cast its ethereal glow over the compound.
A few minutes into the drive, my gaze fell upon the mansion up ahead, its grandeur striking a discordant note within me. My throat felt dry, and my heart paused for a moment as I drank in the dark aesthetics of this mansion. This was what he called home, a place that looked like a scene right out of a horror movie?
The building’s façade was a masterclass in intimidation, with narrow windows and rows resembling empty eyes that seemed to stare back at me with cold indifference. Lampposts were positioned at strategic points of the expansive space, their dim flickering lights casting eerie shadows over the compound.
Maybe it was my eyes or my own fears getting the better of me, but I swore, the roof—a gothic spire—looked like a fucking living thing, twisting and writhing. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was some creature awakened from an ancient slumber.
And then there were the gargoyles, their stone faces twisted into grotesque grimaces with eyes glowing like lanterns in the night. From their open mouths, water spilled like a fountain, creating a melancholy melody that echoed through the stillness of the silent compound.
I felt a cold shiver run down my spine, and my pulse spiked, my heart racing in my slowly heaving chest. I’d seen a couple of horror movies in my lifetime, and I could swear that this was taken right from one. I was in deeper trouble than I thought, and now I couldn’t help the growing fear inside me.
It was almost like I could sense the evil oozing from the very building itself, the bad aura that seemed to warn me away. I wouldn’t be surprised if this place were haunted by the stray souls of all the men Daniel had sent to an early grave.
The car drew closer, and I caught sight of the entrance: a massive wooden door adorned with iron hinges and a heavy-looking knocker. The creepiest part of the knocker was its serpentine shape, coiled like a giant snake, poised to strike. Nothing spooked me more about this place than that knocker design. Regular mansions had knockers in the shape of a snarling lion’s head. This was a little extreme, and it scared the shit out of me.
Tremors sprinted down my core as Daniel brought the car to a stop beside a fountain. He killed the engine and turned to face me. “We’re here,” he said, an evil smirk playing on his lips.
I watched him open the door and step out into the cold night, hesitating by the giant entrance as if waiting for me to get out of the car. I rubbed my sweaty palms over the fabric of my dirty dress, my jaw tightening in an attempt to gather some courage. With a deep sigh, I opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle, the massive building looming over me.
This was no home for me. No. It was nothing but a prison, one that I was about to be trapped in. I stood by the fountain on my cold feet with quaking knees as my heart continued to pound like a drum. The moment I stepped into that building, there most likely would be no coming back; I’d be accepting my fate if I did that.
Tears stung my eyes, and I looked back at the driveway, which seemed to stretch on forever. There was no way in hell that I was going to escape this place tonight anyway. His men were all over the place, their cars, too—a convoy parked here and there by the entrance. It’d be stupid not to go in at this point. I sniffled, wiped my tears with the back of my hand, and took that bold step forward.
Daniel’s lips curled into a triumphant grin as he watched me walk up to him, my eyes filled with hatred and disdain. “Glare at me all you want. It won’t change anything,” he whispered in my ear as I halted in front of him.
His words pierced my heart like a knife. They also fueled my rage. But he retained his smirk, ignoring the frown on my face as he walked away. Reluctantly, I followed him after taking one last look at the world I was leaving behind.
Inside, my eyebrows jerked up as the stark contrast between the eerie exterior and the opulent interior struck me. The well-lit foyer opened up into a lavish living room enveloped by rich, honey-colored lights from the hanging chandeliers. The scent of polished wood, fine, rich leather, and the faintest hint of cigar wafted through the air, mingling with a delicious aroma from a nearby kitchen. My stomach growled in protest, a gentle reminder that I hadn’t had anything to eat yet—but food was the least of my problems right now.
My gaze wandered over the plush furniture, couches and sofas upholstered in a deep, velvety burgundy that screamed luxury. The walls were adorned with framed paintings and a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf at a corner, crafted from a rich, dark wood. The entire space was decorated to perfection, exuding an air of sophistication and style. Based on my judgment of the mansion from its creepy exterior, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of surprise; Daniel’s taste in luxury was far more elegant than I had expected. Maybe I judged this book by its cover.
