Untamed (Bratva Kings #2)

Chapter 24

EMBER

“It’s me! Ember. Open the door!”

Oh god. It’s Rodion. Of course it is as if Shawn would get past the wall of armed guards downstairs.

I choke back a sob as I open the door to find Rodion frantic and half-mad, his eyes blazing as he pushes past me into the room, a gun in hand.

“What are you—Rodion, you can’t?—”

“Where is he? You screamed. Your heart rate went through the fucking roof. What happened?”

I show him the texts. “He’s lying, baby. It’s a lie, I promise. He can’t be watching you.”

My voice is trembling. “But what if he is?”

Rodion’s gaze grows heated. “I hope he shows his fucking face.”

I should stop him. I should tell him no, that I can’t do this, not now, not when I’m tense and afraid and I?—

I should.

But the second he spins me toward the window, pressing me up against the glass like he can’t stand the space between us, I forget how to breathe.

His hands fist the layers of fabric of my wedding gown, dragging it up slowly—too slowly. I know exactly why he’s doing this.

I’d tie him to a chair, making him watch me ruin you—slow and raw, before I cut out his eyes and left him to bleed out, knowing the last thing he ever saw was me owning you.

Cool air kisses the back of my thighs as he lifts the dress higher. I press my palms flat against the glass to steady myself. It’s frigid, like a sheet of ice, the edges painted with ice crystals, when something colder and harder presses up against my thigh.

“Here’s your wedding gift, little queen. A weapon from your king.”

My heart swells. I can’t think of a better gift than him taking me without apology and handing me agency, all at once.

I might love this man. I think I do.

I can see us in the reflection of the cold glass—him, behind me, dark and possessive, his eyes burning with something untamed and wild. I barely recognize myself, my lips parted.

“You’re shaking, baby,” he whispers, his voice rough against my ear as he grips my thighs hard.

“Rodion…” My breath stutters. It sounds like a plea. I don’t know what I’m asking for.

His teeth graze my shoulder, scraping over my skin before he bites down hard enough to make me squirm.

God.

My forehead drops against the glass with a quiet thud as heat rushes between my legs.

“Don’t hide,” Rodion growls, his hand fluttering over my stomach as he yanks me back so our bodies collide. I love the feel of him at my back. His voice drops lower. “I want him to see exactly how good you look when you’re mine.”

I can still see myself making a video, holding my favorite dark romance book, waving it in front of the camera while I gushed.

And then he fucks her, right in the open, so the enemy can watch everything.

But right now… I open my mouth as a shudder rolls through me.

I don’t pull away.

I can’t.

Because some twisted, broken part of me… wants it too.

I’d bury his body and sleep like a fucking baby, Ember.

Rodion knows exactly what he’s doing.

“Rodion,” I whisper, squeezing my eyes shut as his mouth drifts lower.

“Open your eyes, Ember.” His voice is rough, demanding.

I hesitate a second too long. His teeth sink into my shoulder to punish me. “Eyes on the glass, Ember.”

A desperate sound escapes me as I force myself to obey him. I want to push back, to challenge him, but I’m melting, and I want this escape so badly.

“Good girl,” he whispers, dragging his tongue along the mark he just made.

“You wanted this, didn’t you?”

I can’t answer.

Because… yes.

I did. I do. I want it still.

A part of me needs to push back, needs to fight him. A part of me needs to fight for control and have a little bit… just a little, taken from me.

But the moment his teeth sink into my earlobe, his breath hot against my skin, with the knowledge that if I disobeyed him right now, it would not go over well, and I would probably love whatever he did in response… the outside world floods in, cluttering my thoughts.

Loud. Unforgiving.

The cold glass is a shock against my skin. His teeth drag along my shoulder as if to remind me exactly what he’s capable of, that he’s holding himself back… and exactly who is in control.

I shudder against the glass, my breath fogging the surface in front of me. His grip tightens on my hips, a reminder I’ll feel tomorrow. The wedding gown is bunched around my waist, but he doesn’t care.

Neither do I.

“You’re shaking again, little queen,” he whispers. “You like this, don’t you?”

I nod wordlessly.

I bite my lip hard, trying to hold myself upright when my legs feel like jelly.

His hand trails down my stomach, then lower, teasing just under the hem of lace. I squirm, but he presses me harder.

“Don’t fight it, baby.” His words spread heat across my chest.

“Already so wet,” he murmurs, satisfied. “That’s my girl.”

My god, I love when he says that.

I can hardly breathe. My eyes flutter closed when emotion sweeps over me, but he claps a hand hard across my ass. “Eyes open, Ember. Wide open.”

He pulls my thighs apart, his hand sliding between them, and I hear the telltale whir of a zipper being undone.

I swallow and lick my lips, arching my back because I want him so fucking bad.

I cry out at the first perfect thrust, every nerve in my body alight.

“Louder,” he rasps, his grip on my hips brutal and intense as he pulls me back against him with every hard thrust.

I can’t stop the sound that escapes my lips, a mixture of moans and gasps. I don’t care who hears or sees; I need him.

“You see this?” he growls, his voice low and animalistic, making my need ratchet higher. “ You’re mine. Fucking mine. No one will ever touch you again. No one will take what’s mine.”

His words cut through me, raw and possessive. The tension builds, my need to climax taking over.

“Rodion,” I breathe out.

I claw at the glass, nails scraping along the flat, cold surface, my body trembling as he drives into me.

“Come, little queen. Come for your king.”

Climax tears through me, flooding my body with euphoria. I cry and moan as he growls in my ear, his hot seed spilling into me, hips grinding into mine. I can hardly breathe, my chest heaving. If he didn’t hold me up right now, I’d fall to the floor, boneless.

I meet his gaze in the reflection.

The cold glass wakes me from a fog.

I just let him fuck me against a window where anyone could see, knowing full well that was his intent.

“Stop.” My voice is so low I’m not sure he hears me at first, so I say it again, louder this time. “ Stop .”

“What’s wrong?” He pulls away from me and peers out the glass. “Did you see him?” His voice is laced with concern as he rights my dress and zips himself up. I swallow hard, untangling myself from him, but the miles of fabric make it clumsy and awkward.

“I can’t—this is too much.” I shake my head, stepping back from the window. I can’t stop shaking.

I can’t stop the flood of memories that assault me. It seems the harder I push them away, the harder they attack.

I’m brushing tears from my eyes and shaking my head.

Maybe book boyfriends are safer.

Maybe being alone is safer.

“Ember.” Rodion watches me carefully, his hands hanging loose by his sides.

I can’t look at him. Not now. I can’t.

Because the thoughts claw at my mind with vicious pain.

What if Shawn really is watching?

What if I’ve made a terrible mistake?

What if there is no escape?

I swipe my phone off the nightstand, ignoring Rodion’s look of concern. The messages stare back at me, but there’s another now.

White always suited you

But I preferred you in red.

Rodion steps closer. “What does it say?”

I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“The hell it doesn’t.”

I turn away. “You can’t just fix things by… by claiming me, Rodion.”

A part of me fears I’m pushing him away because I don’t know what to do with all these pent-up fears, and he’s the closest target.

Another part tells me I have to test him; I have to make sure this is real before it all goes up in smoke and vapor.

“That’s not what this is, Ember.”

“I’m not just a prize you can parade around.” I back toward the door. The words hang in the air between us when I remember what he said before.

“Wait. When you first came in here. You said something about my heart rate?” He looks away and clenches his jaw. “Rodion. How do you know that?”

With a frown, he reaches for his phone and shows me. “Biometrics, of course.”

“You check my biometrics ?” It seems like a violation.

“Of course. How else was I supposed to know you were okay when I wasn’t there?” He says it as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Seriously?

I stare, abashed. “What else have you been checking you conveniently decided not to tell me about?”

Rodion smirks, slipping his phone into his jacket pocket. His eyes hold that infuriatingly hot glint, the one that makes it impossible to tell if he’s being playful or deadly serious.

The one that made me fall in love.

“You want the full list now, or should I spread the answers out?” he asks, tapping his chin. Reaching for me, his hand grazes my hip, thumb brushing over the silk of my dress in a way that makes shivers tingle my spine.

“I’m not joking, Rodion.” I’m trying to stay serious, but he makes it hard. My voice is husky, affected.

Leaning in, he kisses my cheek. “Little queen, neither am I.”

Something dangerous simmers beneath the surface. “Let’s see,” he begins. “I know you sleep on your left side when you’re anxious. I know you clench your fists in your sleep when you’ve had a bad dream.” His voice drops lower, his mouth at my ear. “I know you stop breathing, just for a second, when I touch you here.” His hand skims down, pressing lightly against the curve of my waist.

I stop breathing, just for a second.

Heat creeps up my neck. I swallow hard.

“You’ve been watching me that closely?”

He doesn’t answer right away, but his eyes are focused on my lips. I lick them because I love the way it makes him groan.

“You’re mine, Ember. My wife now. Watching you is the least I’ve done.” His eyes grow darker. “And I don’t plan on stopping.”

I know I should say something sharp and witty, but the words seem to catch because a part of me… likes this.

A lot.

That’s the dangerous part, I think.

His hand lingers at my waist as if to remind me how easily he could pull me closer… but doesn’t.

I should remind him I need some space, that I’m still mad, that I’m not some prize to be watched or guarded.

“I know you like it,” he whispers.

Get out of my thoughts.

I turn away, but he reaches for my chin and drags my gaze back to his.

I can’t deny it. I won’t.

Because he’s right.

Somehow, when my eyes meet his… all the anger and fear and worry melt like snow under the blazing sun.

I want to let go.

I want to relish in the freedom of surrender.

How can I give him that and still maintain… me ?

How do I not totally lose myself to him… to us?

My phone buzzes with a text. Rodion takes it straight out of my hand, and we read it together.

“I’ll fucking kill him,” he says in a rush of words.

Shawn

He can never protect you

You can run but I’ll always find you

You fucked me over and you’ll fucking pay for this, you liar

My throat tightens because I know two things…

First, Shawn has signed his death warrant.

Second… this isn’t temporary, and it never was.