TWISTED VOW

THE BED MARRIAGE

CHAPTER 1: THE MARRIAGE BED

The dark leather couch in the private office groaned under their weight.

Elena’s silver wedding dress was torn down the front, silk pinned beneath Lev Volkov’s broad chest. His heavy hands were everywhere—gripping her waist, trailing fire down her thighs, holding her down against the cushions. He smelled like expensive cedarwood, leather, and fresh rain.

Their lips slammed together in a kiss that was less about love and more about total control. Lev bit her bottom lip just hard enough to make her gasp, using the opening to slide his tongue deep into her mouth. Elena’s hands dug into his back, her fingernails clawing through his white dress shirt as she pulled him closer.

"Look at me, Elena," Lev growled, pulling back an inch. His breath was hot against her face. His dark blue eyes were completely wild.

"I don't take orders from you," Elena panted, her chest heaving, her legs wrapping tight around his hips.

A dark grin touched Lev’s lips. He shoved her dress up past her waist, his thick fingers tracing the warm skin between her thighs. Elena gasped out loud, arching her back as his thumb found her most sensitive spot, rubbing in heavy, slow circles until her vision blurred.

"You're my wife now," Lev whispered, dipping his head to mark her neck with his teeth, making her shiver violently. "Your father sold you to pay his debts. You belong to me. Every soft inch of you."

"I don't belong to anyone," Elena snapped back, though her voice hitched as he slid two fingers deep inside her.

She cried out, her fingers tangling in his short, dark hair, pulling him down into another bruised, dirty kiss. She hated him for buying her, but her body was completely on fire for him. She didn't want to submit—she wanted to wreck him just as badly as he was wrecking her.

When Lev reached down to undo his belt, the sudden clack-clack of a heavy handgun being racked broke through the thick heat of the room.

Elena had reached into Lev’s open suit jacket, pulled his backup pistol from his shoulder holster, and pressed the cold steel barrel directly beneath his jawline.

Lev froze. The room went dead silent except for their heavy, ragged breathing.

Lev looked down at the gun pressed against his skin, then up into Elena’s blazing eyes. He didn't look scared. Instead, a slow, filthy smile spread across his face.

"You've got a lot of fight in you, little bird," Lev whispered. His hand came down to grip the barrel of the gun, pushing it harder against his own neck. "Shoot me, or drop the gun and let me finish making you mine."

Elena stared him down, her heart pounding against her ribs. She had been sold off to a monster, but looking into Lev’s eyes, she realized one thing: she wasn't going to be his victim. She was going to be his match.