Chapter 16
“D o you Valentina Katerina Gregorovich take Logan Hunter as your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do.” My voice cracked. I didn’t even bother to hide it. Fear had slithered its way to my chest and made a nest there.
The ceremony was even quicker than last time. The officiant rushed through our vows like he was being threatened by the goons acting as our witnesses, which he probably was. I had no doubt Logan had anticipated the course of the events and made the officiant wait in the room for our arrival.
“Then by the power-”
“Didn’t I say we were in a hurry.”
“But, sir- ”
“Sign it.” Logan tapped on the marriage certificate laying on the desk in front of us with his gun. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”
The smell of urine filled the room as the officiant took the pen in his shaky hand and inked the bottom of the paper, making the marriage official and legal. When he was done, Logan snapped the pen from his hand and forced it into mine. I hesitated for a second. Logan growled, fisting my hair and bending me over the desk so my cheek was flush with the paper.
“Logan, you’re hurting me.” I cried.
“Sign. It.”
Hastily, I scribbled my name on the line before he followed suit. When it was done, he pulled me against him and planted a bruising kiss against my lips, sticking his tongue so far in my throat it made me gag. My feeble struggles against his grasp only spurred him on more.
“You’re mine.” He roared, biting my lip before turning to the others.
“Your services are no longer needed. Get out!” His voice reverberated on the walls, leaving no room for argument. The officiant got practically thrown out by the goons. As the door slammed shut after them, I stood alone in the room with Logan, with no social armor to protect me from him.
“Take off your clothes.” He growled, loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt.
“What? No.”
“You think I’m joking? Take off your fucking clothes, Valentina, or I will do it for you.”
When I refused, he closed the distance between us in one long stride. In the next second he was on me, wrestling my arms I had raised to block him. He grabbed a hold of my wrist and twisted, causing me to yelp out. At that moment I really wished I had something to stab him with. My lips, neck and jaw felt sore as his attempts to kiss me fell short and he ended up biting me instead.
“Stop it.” I tried knowing full well he wouldn’t.
“I’ve waited long enough. For years you’ve been nothing but a cock tease. It’s time to pay up.”
“Don’t touch me.”
“I can do whatever the fuck I want. You belong to me and I’m going to fuck every hole in your body till you get it in your thick fucking scull that I own you. You’re mine .”
The back of my knees met the edge of the bed, causing me to fall back on the mattress. The air left my lungs as he threw his entire body weight on top of me. Scrambling to get away from him, I kneed him in the groin, which seemed to have no effect on him. It only spurred him on. I punched, kicked and screamed with all my might trying to shake him.
“Please stop! Get off me!”
Using my hips for leverage, I managed to stagger him long enough to make his nose bleed, before he had me pinned under him again. Unaffected by my protest he continued the assault and used his much larger size to his advantage. He dominated the fight and in a matter of minutes, I was trapped. Despite my best efforts to get free, he secured my arms to the headboard with the tie.
“Stop fighting. This will hurt a lot less if you just play along.”
I could feel his fingers digging into my clothes, pulling and ripping them at the seams. Squirming, wiggling and twisting my body I made feeble attempts to shake him. My fight was fizzling out along with my voice, that had become nothing but a pathetic sob.
“Don’t-”
“Bitch! I’m going to put a bullet to your fucking head if you don’t stop fighting.”
The cold metal met my temple, pushing me deeper into the mattress as I recoiled. I swallowed the fractions of my pride and seized the struggle. I was not able to stop the tears from falling, though.
“Now be a good little slut, and let me fuck you like the dirty little whore you are. I hope that bastard didn’t ruin you for me.”
The cool air hit all over my body as he tore off what little was left of my clothes. He dragged his tongue along my exposed skin, making it prickle with goosebumps. I could tell he was pleased with how my body was reacting, as I felt his hard on pressing against my thigh. He massaged my breast briefly before pinching my nipple, painfully twisting and pulling it beyond its limit. I hissed in pain and before I could stop myself, I spat on his face .
“Stupid, bitch.”
Instead of a bullet, he hit me with the blunt handle of the gun in the face. It hurt like a motherfucker and I knew he had broken something. Then he hit me again. And again. The taste of copper filled my mouth. I must have blacked out for a moment, because when I came to, I felt agonizing pain and I was covered in blood. Dazed from the blows and tears clouding my vision, I fell limp on the covers, finally admitting I was too weak to fight him off anymore.
His weight left my body only for a moment. When he returned, he was naked and clammy from sweat. I sobbed silently. Tremors rumbled through my body like a wave. He climbed on top of me, forcing my knees to part. My stomach lurched and I closed my eyes, wishing for death.
Don’t do this. Please. Anything but this.
Death was banging at the door.
No, please please please.
Make it stop. Please.
The booming sound rattled in my head, deafening.
Please make it stop.
Not like this. Stop it.
The noise only got lounder.
Please.
And louder.
No.
Please.
Boom !
Glass shattered, cold air rushed in and the weight on my body disappeared. On instinct I shriveled into a ball trying to shield myself from the freezing air. Somehow I managed to wiggle out of my restraints. Dark figures danced in my vision, moving like a rabid beast. Logan’s gun lay discarded on the mattress and I reached for it, taking aim at the new threat.
One of the dark figures split from the rest. I blinked, reeling in some clarity to my vision. It was too damn cold to focus on anything else but the jittering of my teeth. The gun swayed in my hand, my finger frozen on the trigger. Through the commotion, a deep voice called out to me.
“Katy.”
“D-don’t c-come any c-closer. I’ll s-shoot.”
“Then shoot me, make me bleed, it’s what I deserve. Just let me hold you.”
The soft tone penetrated my defenses, stirring me awake, granting me the soft touch of familiarity. Safety. I didn’t think I’d get to see his face ever again. He was here. He came for me. He saved me.
“I… Oh God. Jax.” A horace cry rattled in my throat as I fell into his arms and sobbed against his shirt. The warmth of his body engulfed me and I clung to him like he was my lifeline, like I was afraid he would disappear. I felt his arms wrapping me in his tight embrace, cradling me to his chest.
“Hush. I’ve got you. I’m here. I’m sorry I was late. You’re safe. He can’t hurt you anymore.” His words lulled my nerves. I felt the sincerity, the raw emotions that he poured into his vows. “It’s over. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise. I will never leave you again. Ever. They will have to take you from my cold dead hands before I let that happen.”
I believed him. Carried in the comfort of his arms, I pressed my ear against his chest, feeling the soothing rhythm of his heart. The beat matched my own. I was not afraid anymore.