“Elara,” he says calmly, voice low and dangerous. “I don’t need an attitude tonight.”
I stare at him, my whole body shaking with the effort not to scream. “An attitude?” My voice cracks, sharp and disbelieving. “You paraded me in front of those men like a prizehorse. You made me sit there while you used me to prove a point!”
He doesn’t flinch. “You’re overreacting.”
Something in me snaps. Before I can stop myself, my hand flies up and strikes him across the face. The sound echoes through the room like a gunshot.
For a heartbeat, silence.
Then Roman’s head turns slowly back toward me, his jaw clenched, a red mark blooming across his cheek. His eyes are a storm—dark, burning, unfathomable.
“Don’t,” he warns quietly, “do that again.”
But I can’t stop now. My voice rises, raw and shaking. “You think you can control everything! Even me! I’m not one of your men, Roman. I’m not some bargaining chip you can use to intimidate your enemies. I’m a person!”
He steps closer, every movement deliberate, predatory. “You’re my wife,” he growls, his voice trembling with restraint. “And when someone looks at you like that, when they think they can touch what’s mine—yes, I’ll make sure they understand exactly who you belong to.”
“I don’t belong to anyone!” I shout, tears burning my eyes.
Before I can take another breath, Roman moves. His hand finds my neck, not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to steal the air from my lungs. His eyes blaze down into mine, dark with fury and something far more dangerous—want.
“Roman—”
He doesn’t let me finish. His mouth crashes into mine, rough and consuming. The kiss is a war—anger and hunger tangled together, tongues clashing, breaths stolen. I push at his chest, but my body betrays me, melting against him even as my mind screams no. His grip tightens for a moment, forcing me to feel every ounce of his claim, every ounce of his need.
By the time he pulls away, I’m gasping, my lips swollen, my pulse wild. His breath fans hot against my face.
“You belong to me, Elara. Whether you like it or not.”
For a moment, neither of us speaks. The silence is thick, electric. His hand falls away, and he takes a step back, eyes still burning into mine as if daring me to deny it.
When he finally turns and leaves the room, I’m left standing there, trembling, my heart pounding against my ribs like it’s trying to escape.
I press a hand to my throat, feeling the ghost of his touch, the heat of his kiss still lingering on my lips.
And in the darkness, I admit to myself. I’m not afraid of hating him…. I’m terrified of wanting him this much.
Chapter 16 – Roman
I’m hunched over the desk, scanning layouts and security feeds, calculating exits, patrol rotations, redundancies. My mind never stops, not when it comes to her. The office door opens without knocking, and Luka slips in, a frown etched deep across his face.
“What is it?” I ask.
He folds his arms. “Intel came in. David Chang has mobilized his private network—mercenaries, enforcers, the works. He’s searching for Elara.”
I freeze for a fraction of a second, just long enough for Luka to notice. Dimitri already told me David is sniffing close, but it doesn’t take out the sting in the words whenever I hear it.
“He knows she’s with the Rusnaks,” Luka says. “Not public yet, but he’s aware. And even though no announcement’s been made, he clearly wants her back.”
I lean back in my chair, eyes narrowing. Not a surprise. Yesterday, I took her out in public—our little display—but the network of whispers moves faster than anyone expects. David Chang probably knew Elara was under my protection before the world even saw her beside me.
I rub my temples. “Good. Let him know she’s untouchable.” My fingers drum the desk, restless. “I don’t care if he hires every mercenary in Asia. No one will reach her. Not him, not his enforcers, no one.”
Luka nods, but there’s caution in his eyes. “We need to tighten the perimeter anyway. If he’s serious, this could escalate quickly.”
“Do it,” I say, my voice colder than steel. “I want double the men on rotation, scanners, drones, and shadows on everystreet around the estate. He thinks this is a chess game, but he has no idea the piece he’s dealing with.”
I pause, thinking of her—Elara, defiant, fiery, untouchable in ways even I can’t always control. My chest tightens. Every calculation, every reinforced wall, every surveillance sweep is for her. She’s mine. Only mine. And if David dares step anywhere near her…I’ll make sure he regrets it for the rest of his miserable life.
