Quickly changing into an oversized tee and a pair of shorts, I brace myself on the edge of the sink, breathing deep. I glance down at my left hand, the large engagement ring catching the light with every slight movement. The diamond sparkles, almost mocking me, its brilliance too much to ignore. I turn it slightly, watching the way the light bounces off its facets, feeling the weight of it on my finger. The wedding band, encrusted with diamonds, sits snug against it, like an anchor and a shackle all at once.
You just have to survive this.
But I know he won’t make it easy.
When I return to the bedroom, my thoughts scatter like ashes.
Konstantin’s shirt is gone, revealing a body sculpted with lean muscle, every inch of him hard and defined. His snake tattoos slither up his arms and down his rib cage, a reminder of the power he holds. His black boxer briefs dip low on his hips, and I can’t tear my eyes away.
Of course, he notices.
A smile pulls at his mouth. “Don’t be shy. You can look. You can touch. I’m your husband now, after all.”
“I’d rather not,” I lie, swallowing thickly and walking to the opposite side of the mattress.
“Suit yourself.” He chuckles low in his chest.
His phone is on the nightstand on his side of the bed, and I know there’s no way I can do what I need tonight. He’d wonder why I placed my phone beside his when I have a nightstand on my side.
I slip beneath the covers, trying to ignore how soft the sheets are, how good the bed feels, how much I don’t hate being here. Turning away from him, I force my eyes closed, trying to make myself forgetthat he’s still here.
He flicks off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness just as the mattress dips behind me. Then a heavy, warm arm slides around my waist, and before I can stop him, Konstantin pulls me against his chest. His bare skin brushes my back, lips lowering to the curve of my neck as he kisses me there.
“I know you don’t trust me yet,” he whispers. “But you will.”
The words sink into my skin.
“Goodnight, Mrs. Marinova.”
I lie there, staring at nothing. His breath warms the back of my neck, his hand resting heavy on my stomach.
I should hate this. I should pull away. But I don’t want to.
Because this thing between us, whatever it is, is getting harder to fight. And the longer I stay in this bed, in this house, in his life, the harder it will be to let him go.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
EMILIA
A soft streamof sunlight breaks across my face, warm and golden, coaxing me from the deepest, most peaceful sleep I’ve had in years.
For a second, I forget where I am—wrapped in silk sheets, head sinking into a pillow that smells faintly of his cologne.
And that’s when it hits me. I’ve tied myself to a monster, and this is his castle.
When I glance to my side, the bed is empty. A folded note sits on the pillow next to mine, thick ivory paper with something scrawled in bold handwriting.
Join me for breakfast, Mrs. Marinova.
– K
I stare at the words for a moment, my stomachtightening.
Mrs. Marinova.
It still doesn’t feel real. The ceremony, the kiss, the way he looked at me as if he’d claimed something more than just my name. Like he’d claimedme. My skin tingles at the memory.
My gaze drops to the rings on my finger, their cold brilliance a reminder of the promises made, the ties that bind me to him. It’s strange how something so beautiful can also feel so deadly, each gleam like a warning I can’t escape.
