Page 13 of Brutal Bratva Boss

Much like at the club, artistic columns hold up the wrap-around balcony of the second story, and the same artistic feel extends to the railings that line the steps leading to the front door. The front door itself is a masterpiece of dark mahogany accented with a long black handle. Each window is framed with the same shade of wood as the front door, tying in the modern rustic feel.

When the car door opens, no one has to pull me out. Mesmerized by the architecture in front of me, I all but float up the stairs. Inside, the walls are the same shade of grey as the outside, soft in comparison to the wood accents. The bottom floor is an open plan. It boasts an impressive view of the estate out of the folding doors that span the back wall right from the entrance. Kitchen cabinets line the walls to the left, and a large island with seating running along one side is positioned in the middle. To the right, couches form a social area, with a pool table and stairs leading to the second floor behind them. Another relaxed seating area with a glass fireplace is straight ahead, matching the seating on the other side of the open folding doors. The ground floor seems smaller than it looked from the outside, but I suppose the doors on the opposite walls lead to private offices or other closed-off rooms.

Theo allows me to take in my new home for a while, before taking me up to the second floor. He leads me to the area above the kitchen, opening the door to reveal a bright modernly decorated room with a large poster bed in the middle. Off to the side, a hallway of closets led to an ensuite bathroom that could put any penthouse to shame.

“Obviously, I did not have the time to stock your closets,” Theo says as he motions to the empty shelves and railings. “We can head into town tomorrow and do some shopping.”

I stare at him in awe. “This is our room? Where are your clothes?”

Theo tips his head to the side. “My room is down the hall. This is your room.”

“We’re not sharing a room?” With how possessive he seems to be already, I thought he would want me close to him at all times.

Theo regards me for a beat before coming toward me until my breasts brush against his chest. I take a step back, and then another when he advances again until he backs me up against the wall. “Do you want to share a room?” His eyes drop to my mouth. “Share a bed with me again?”

I swallow, shaking my head. “No, I do not want to share a bed with you.”

One side of his mouth tips up. “Then what appears to be the problem?”

“Nothing. Not a thing.”

“Good. It’s late, get some rest.”

And with that he leaves, closing the door behind him.

I wander about the room, finally letting myself relax slightly after the whirlwind of a day I have had. The knee-length dress and heels I have on are getting uncomfortable and I am on the verge of stripping down to my underwear to get into bed when I see some folded clothes on a chair.

The track pants and shirt must be Theo’s. I end up having to knot both at the sides because of how big they are, but they prove comfortable enough. So, I climb into bed, exhausted, and promising myself that tomorrow, I will find a way out of the situation.

I wake up in the middle of the night, my throat dry from thirst and my stomach growling. I sneak out of my room, checking that the coast is clear before creeping down the stairs to the kitchen. The pantry and fridge are well stocked, and I make some cheese and crackers, washing it down with a glass of fruit juice. After, I head back upstairs, still too tired to look for a way out in the dark.

The next morning, I am met with a full spread of breakfast food, and I gorge myself until I feel like I might burst. After enjoying a hot shower, I find my dress from yesterday laid out on the bed, clean and pressed. I endure another uncomfortable car ride with Theo when we head into town, where we stop at every boutique to shop for clothes until his henchmen’s arms are loaded with bags and boxes of all sizes.

A spread of lunch food is waiting for us when we get back, and unlike this morning, Theo actually joins me at the table. We eat in silence, neither of us saying anything until Theo gets up to leave and tells me a seamstress will be by in a few hours to take my measurements.

That night, nightmares of my father finding me and punishing me by taking away my child wake me. Like the previous night, I head downstairs and snack on crackers and cheese, as well as some cold meat left over from lunch. Slightly braver than last night, I explore the ground floor. One of the room’s doors stands open and when I peek inside, I find a small library. Old classics line the shelves and I run my fingers over the worn spines, landing on The Great Gatsby. It was always a favorite of mine. Figuring it will not be missed, I take it with me when I head back upstairs and read a while before drifting off to sleep again.

I wake up to bustling outside my door and sunlight streaming in through the curtains. A knock at my door precedes three unknown women bursting into the room. I am fully prepared to throw down with them when they tell me they are here to get me ready for my wedding. It seems Theo was indeed serious about that part, and the goons standing guard at the door tell me I do not have much say in the matter.

So, I allow myself to be pampered, shocked when the seamstress from yesterday shows up with a stunning white jeweled gown beyond anything I have ever seen. I might not have been allowed to give input of my own, but Theo seems to have enough style to have chosen something I actually like.

Hours later, in the dark of night, I walk down the aisle of a small church where the only familiar face is the man standing next to me who is pronounced my husband after the vows are said. We share a brief kiss, just enough to seal the deal, and the room full of strangers cheer and congratulate my new spouse.

Instead of heading back to the house afterward, we drive to a fancy hotel where Theo collects the keycard for the penthouse suite.

He holds the door open for me so I can enter first, and then closes it behind us before walking over to the bar area. After pouring a drink, he loosens his tie with his free hand and slings it over the back of the chair.

I stand in the middle of the room, shifting my weight between my feet and wringing my hands. I am not sure what happens next. Sure, I know what would happen under normal circumstances, but there is nothing normal about the situation I find myself in. I remind myself that Theo has already had his way with me once, and I will be damned if I let that happen again. He might be the head of a powerful mafia, but he will learn I am not here to bend to his every whim.

His jacket removed, Theo regards me from where he leans against the counter, rolling up his sleeves to expose the ink wrapped around his forearms. When he is done, he folds his arms over his chest and tips his head to the side. His eyes run down the length of my body and back up again. “Come here.”

My lip curls and I take a step back, crossing my arms to match his pose. “I told you before, I am not one of your pets you can order around.”

“Do not make me repeat myself,” Theo warns, his gaze turning stormy.

For a beat, I consider fighting again. Until another thought pops up. I have had very little control over all of our exchanges until now, but perhaps this is my chance to flip the script. I can tell Theo wants me; the heat in his gaze is all the evidence I need. Maybe I can use that to my advantage.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes for a beat. When I open them, I give Theo the sultriest look I can manage. I make a show of slowly removing each of the pins in my hair until it falls in loose waves over my bare shoulders. Not breaking eye contact, I bend down, loosening the straps of the white heels on my feet and placing them together against the wall. To Theo’s credit, he remains mostly still, only shifting to uncross his arms and grip the ends of the counter next to him. The whitening of his knuckles tells me my actions are having the desired effect.

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