Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 39687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Her father got her down the aisle but it was at a slow pace, and during the proceedings, he had to keep hold of her hand as she tried to pull away. In the end, he locked their fingers together so she couldn’t pull away from him.
There were no vows, and when it came time to the “I do’s” she told him no, repeatedly. The priest kept on going, but he was on the family’s payroll. He’d been paid to do as he was told.
They were married, and he kissed her again.
This wasn’t any ordinary marriage. After a couple of pictures at his father’s insistence, there was no party. No way to allow her to escape.
“It’s time, son,” his father said.
Without waiting for any more congratulations, he dragged his bride out of the room and took her upstairs.
“What are you doing? Don’t we have a reception to get to?”
“For you to make more of a spectacle of yourself? Not happening. You should have been a good little docile woman, said the right words, and we wouldn’t have to do this today.” He pushed her into his wing of the house, locking the door to his bedroom and sliding the key into his pocket.
She looked beautiful.
To him, he had never allowed himself to see her as pretty. He’d always viewed Laura as a plain girl, not fit for his attentions.
Staring at her now, with her hair in curls, the length cascading around her with flowers, looking nervous and small in his space, he couldn’t deny a certain beauty to her.
“Show me your non-virgin moves,” he said, removing his jacket and placing it on the back of his chair.
“What?”
“It’s kind of a tradition in our house. I’ve got to let them know I’ve consummated this marriage.”
“I’m not a virgin.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they’re in no doubt as to who you belong to.”
“This is crazy. I don’t have to listen to this or even put up with it.”
“You think you’ve got a choice?”
“I know I’ve got a limited choice here, but I don’t have to do a single thing you say.”
He opened up the cuffs of his shirt and started to work on the buttons. Her gaze darted down his body, and she looked nervous.
She should be.
He had a job to do, and well, he’d never regarded fucking as a job, but someone had to do it and it appeared this fell to him now.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Laura, do you need me to threaten you again? I will if I have to. I’d rather enjoy it just as I enjoy making you do as you’re told.” He put his shirt with his jacket, and her gaze kept falling to his naked chest. He had no problem with her eyes on him.
As he advanced toward her, she took a step back.
“Come on, Laura. Where’s the fire? Show me what another man has made his. Show me what you know.”
She paused, and he moved behind her, flicking the buttons on her dress. They stood in front of the mirror. She was so incredibly pale, and in the dress she looked like she had stepped out of fairy tale.
He worked the buttons open and pushed the dress down her arms, exposing her to him. She wore a corset, and he began to work it open.
She didn’t fight him, and when he’d opened it, she pulled away before lowering it.
His cock hardened at the fire back in her eyes.
He didn’t want to fuck a corpse, and even though he and Laura had never had any attraction to each other, he didn’t want to resort to rape. He knew a lot of men in his world did. The women given to them were nothing more than contracts. They were pieces of property with beating hearts, and by the time their men were done, they were nothing more than shattered souls.
He had no intention of causing that. For years he’d watched each woman die in her own way, not physically, but they all lost a part of themselves. Whenever their husbands were close, they often tensed up, afraid, scared. Rarely did they fight back.
With Laura, he admired her passion, her needs, and he had no problem with allowing her to fight for her freedom. It turned him on, but then, he also knew there was no way for her win. She wasn’t going to get her freedom. Her life belonged to him, and he wasn’t going to let her go.
Opening his belt, he stared into her eyes and dropped his pants. He had nothing to hide, and even as he hated the woman in front of him, he was going to enjoy hearing her beg for the pleasure of his dick.
Chapter Three
Nine years ago
Marcus stood tall and proud. At fifteen years old, he’d already killed five men and showed himself to have the qualities of a true capo. One day, he’d be able to take over from his father and he’d command the respect of the other capos, The Boss, and the Underboss. He would be powerful, and he’d rule his city with an iron fist. He’d show no mercy. In all he’d seen, showing mercy got you killed.