Chapter 19
19
Leon
T he wedding limo is parked outside, but so is my black sedan, and I’ll be damned if I’m making awkward small talk with Alec and his buddies at some high-society soiree.
I give Roman and Viktor a nod as they leave, then hold open the rear door of my car.
“Get in, Emery.”
Even angry and confused, she looks radiant. Her silk dress shimmers in the winter sun, catching the lights that line the avenue, and I can’t resist staring at her luscious curves as she folds her arms and glares at me with those captivating green eyes.
I fix her with a steely expression of my own, and she wilts under my gaze. “Do as I tell you and get in the car,” I say. “We’re not going to the reception.”
She lifts her eyes to mine, eyes wide. “But we’re expected to?—”
“Your father has some explaining to do, so leave him to it,” I say. “Now get in .”
Her eyes flicker, but she composes herself. Without saying anything else, she climbs into the car.
I get in beside her, tap the glass partition, and the sedan silently pulls away to join the upper midtown traffic.
Emery looks out of the window, breathing heavily. I catch the faintest tremble in her shoulders, which stirs a protective urge.
Her fear is simultaneously thrilling and distressing to me, which says nothing good about my personality, but this is new territory for me, too.
I’ve never wanted anyone as much. Emery’s sweetness and innocence are unknown in my world, and I’m intrigued about what will happen when my darkness stains her pure nature.
I could make her buckle without any effort at all; many bratva men do just that with their women, but it’s not my idea of fun.
Force would be so easy, but it’s the challenge of drawing her in, of turning that defiance into desire, that really drives me.
I want my wife to scream my name in ecstasy, not in fear.
She crosses her legs, and my mouth goes dry at the sight of her full thighs shifting beneath the satin.
I should say something, but I’m stunned into silence; after a week of following her from a distance, having her captive is a triumph, and I’m riding high on that exquisite sense of conquest.
“Where are we going?” Emery asks suddenly, giving me her pretty green eyes. “Will you at least tell me that much?”
“We’re going to my place, Emery,” I say. “You may as well get used to my lifestyle because now it’s yours.”
My Upper East Side penthouse suite is imposing, but I rarely have guests around, so it’s strange to see Emery in my home, moving amongst the minimalist decor like an exotic bird in a sparse, featureless cage.
I watch her pace, her shoulders tight, her movements skittish as she stalks across the room.
The Manhattan skyline stretches out beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, a view most people would kill for, but she’s too stressed out to notice much of anything except the man who barged into her life and stole her away.
“Explain,” she says, whirling to face me. Her eyes are blazing, her cheeks flushed with anger. “This must be some kind of stupid joke. Dante’s going to kill me!”
I lean against the edge of the leather sofa, folding my arms. I know I should tread carefully, maybe ease her into this, but I can’t help the flicker of satisfaction at the sight of her so unguarded, so fierce.
“He wouldn’t risk whispering your name within a thousand miles of my ears, moya zhena ,” I say. “Would you rather have married him?”
The question gives her pause. She knows that saying yes would be an incredible insult to me, not to mention an admission of defeat, but saying no presents different problems.
“You didn’t give me a choice,” she says, a sob escaping her. “You’re no better than he is.”
That stings more than I’d like to admit, but I keep my expression steady. I’ve spent years perfecting the art of hiding what I feel and maintaining control.
“You’re wrong,” I say quietly, keeping my voice level. “I’m nothing like Dante.”
She crosses her arms, raising an eyebrow as if to challenge me. “Then why do I feel like a pawn, Leon? Just one more asset for you to acquire, one more piece in whatever game you’re playing?”
“I didn’t take you from him to control you, Emery. I did it to protect you.”
“Protect me?” She lets out a bitter laugh, her voice dripping with disbelief. “You think tearing me away from the life I know, forcing me into a marriage I never asked for, is protection?”
“Yes,” I say, not even hesitating. “I won’t hurt you, Emery. Never.”
She stares at me, caught off guard by the certainty in my words.
“You’ve been following me, haven’t you?” she whispers. “I thought I was losing my mind.”
I nod, and she buries her face in her hands. “Oh my God. And did you steal my key and let yourself into my apartment?”
“Yeah, that happened.”
Her wild eyes meet mine, a mix of horror and disbelief. “Oh no. After you brought me the ramen?”
“That’s right.” I can’t keep the lusty edge out of my voice and try to add some levity. “Which did you go for in the end, shoyu or miso?”
Emery sinks onto the armchair. “You can’t do things like that to a woman,” she begins, avoiding looking at my face. “It’s not right.”
“I didn’t do it to just any woman,” I say. “I did it to you . And don’t tell me you didn’t want me to stay the other night; I saw it in your eyes. That’s why I came back, just in time to hear you moan my goddamn name.”
She shakes her head. “This is not fair. You’re dangerous.”
“Of course I’m dangerous,” I say. I drop to my knees but don’t let myself reach for her, though my every instinct screams otherwise. “But I would never ask you for anything you don’t want to give, Emery. I’m here to make sure no one else does, either.”
She looks up at me, searching my face as if trying to decipher the truth behind my words. There’s doubt in her eyes; she’s holding on to her anger because it’s safer than trusting me.
But trust isn’t the priority. Not yet. I need her to understand that she’s safe, even if she can’t yet believe it.
“You wanna know a secret?” I ask. She scoffs, but I know I have her attention. “I lay on your bedroom floor and listened to you come.”
Emery gasps before she can stop herself, and heat creeping over her chest. I seize her eyes with mine and kneel up so we’re face to face, my hands on either side of her, gripping the chair’s arms.
“I could have fucked you, couldn’t I?” I murmur. “You wanted it. I heard my name fall from your pretty lips, and I knew. I stole you, yes, but you wanted to belong to me, even if you won’t admit it.”
She’s frozen, but as I watch, she licks her lips, her breath warm between us.
“Tell me Dante never made you feel that way,” I say, trailing my hand over her collarbone and cupping her chin. “I’ll bet he couldn’t make you come like I could, val’kiriya. I’ll ruin you in every way you’ve ever imagined and a few more besides.”
Emery swallows hard. “I–I’m a virgin,” she whispers. “I never let Dante touch me.”
Sweet Jesus Christ and fuck .
This fucking stunning woman should have enjoyed all the sex in the world, but I’m ecstatic that she hasn’t. The things I’m gonna do to her, and it’ll all be new. I don’t deserve that kind of gift.
A tear rolls down Emery’s cheek. “He would have forced me,” she says. “Tonight, after the wedding. He told me so.”
I wish I’d killed Dante. He’ll die for the threat alone. How fucking dare he, the worthless cunt.
I swipe the tear with my thumb. “No real man does that, baby. It’s a low-down, filthy act and the sign of a true degenerate.”
I lean in, brushing my mouth over hers. “I know this isn’t what you wanted,” I whisper. “You’re angry; I get that. But you’re safe here. You’re safe with me.”
Despite everything, she yields to me, my tongue parting her lips.
Untouched. Innocent, new, fresh.
It never crossed my mind that a woman as gorgeous as her could be unsullied, especially when she was due to be married. Dante must have done a number on her if he felt able to threaten her sexually in such a disgusting way.
I would never, but I’m not a saint.
I press my body forward, pushing Emery back into the chair, and the feel of her softness beneath me is incredible.
I grab her waist in both hands, unable to find the will to break away, until I feel her pushing at my chest.
“Don’t,” she gasps, breaking away. “Don’t say I’m safe and then touch me that way. I can’t handle how you’re making me feel.”
I sit back and clench my jaw, struggling to keep control. I wanna peel that dress off and eat her pussy until her screams ring off the walls, but it’s not the right moment.
“Okay,” I say as I stand. “I’m gonna go kick the shit out of my punchbag. It’s been a Hell of a day, and I gotta work it loose.”
I point behind me. “That’s the bedroom. There’s a full closet for you, and Viktor will come by later with the stuff from your apartment.”
I try not to stare as she sits up, but her hard nipples betray her, an all too clear sign of her arousal.
“Wait,” she says. “There’s one room? And one bed ?”
I shrug. “We’re married. This is how it’s gonna be, so the sooner you make your peace with it, the better.”
I leave her with her shock and confused desire. One more second in her presence, and I’ll have to claim her body, honor and decency be damned.
I can be patient. Emery will give in to her desire for me. It’s only a matter of time.