Page 20 of Twisted Cage

Here, in this place, eighteen years ago—my vow changed me. And today, under the threat of a road chosen for her, I’m changing once again.

Cold dread slithers through me and I can do nothing but stare at her. He would never turn her over to a Petrov. His own sister—he couldn’t. But even as I tell myself he wouldn’t, I see the truth in her eyes. She’s not lying. She’s been promised to Petrov and that means Vlad will stop at nothing to get to her.

“Have you seen what they do to their women? They carve them into ugly things for breeding.” Her chin wobbles. “Every scar along their cheek representing each time they tried to run away.”

At the fear in her eyes, something in me begins to crumble. There’s no room for error because for her, the consequences are dire.

“Vlad stopped trying to break me the minute he made the deal. He needs me to hold on to what fire is left in me. Because the sick bastard wants to count over how many times I run by the gaping wounds they dig into my face.”

Molten-hot rage pours through me. Images cascade through my mind of them raping her, beating her, cutting her open, and leaving her to suffer.

I can’t speak. I can’t take another step away from her.

Because now I know why this is so important to her. Time is running short. All we have is right here, right now, before our world closes in on us.

“Some of them only have one. They learn that lesson the first time. Some of them have four or five because their fight-or-flight instincts tell them they can still get out. So, they keep trying. Every act of survival is defiance to them so they carve chunks of flesh from their faces that disfigure them with every mark. That could be me, Kostya. You know I’ll fight. I won’t be able to help myself. It’s been your greatest lesson. And I’ll pay.”

The sunset filters through the stained glass pooling behind her, so different than the day of her baptism. Like her innocence of that day is dying here, under the weight of an uncertain future, or by my hand.

How do I even make that choice?

“With you, I’m not losing something, I’m giving it willingly.” One tear slides down her cheek born of anger, hopelessness, frustration—I don’t know, but I can’t tear my gaze away.

“Because I love you.” Her voice breaks on her declaration of love and I break with it.

In a second I’m on her. Scooping my hand along her ass, I drag her against me. Prying her thighs open wide, I rest my aching cock against the place we were never meant to unite. Or maybe we were. Maybe this whole time, a force so much greater has been marching us straight into this moment.

With my hands buried in her hair, I drag her mouth under mine, but I don’t kiss her. Not until she’s looking up at me.

“He’ll never touch you, do you hear me?” I shake her then, my rage and fear crashing into one, turning me absolutely feral with possession. “Never, Nikoletta.”

Her pleading eyes meet mine as her childhood name dies on my use of her given name. With one look, I’m giving in to everything she wants. And maybe there is no better place to do this than here on this altar where I promised to protect her. The marks on her thighs that brought me shame just moments before are just the beginning. She’s mine, goddamn them all.

Mine.

Diving my fingers between her thighs, I tear the panties away from her, the gasp of shock on her lips echoing through the sacred cathedral.

I don’t know what she hopes for in this moment. If she wants soft words and declarations, she won’t get them. She’s had me on the edge for almost twenty-four hours. I need to feel her around me. I need to swallow her cries. I need every fucking tear that squeezes from those golden eyes.

Mine. All of her. Everything.

As much as I am and will always be hers.

Pinned there against me, I clasp her jaw and devour her as I tear open my belt. She struggles for balance under the assault, propped up on her hands as I bend her back. But she meets me stroke for stroke with that wicked tongue, her chest heaving in time with mine.

With my pants shoved down, my cock free and poised at the heart of her, I run the head along her soaking slit before forcing her to look at me.

“Eyes on me, Nikoletta.”

She gives me a frantic nod as she dives her fingers into my hair, gripping me as though I might disappear. Her nails claw my scalp, her fingers twisting, anchoring me to her.

We have no time for finesse, so I drive into her, stealing a brutal scream torn from deep in her chest.

She clings to me, a mess of gulping sobs as I force myself to stay still, but fuck, the way she’s choking my cock right now is every goddamn thing I never knew I craved.

“That was the worst of it. I promise.” My words are low and calm as I stroke her cheek and she curls into me, seeking my comfort and protection even as I’m the one hurting her.

“I need more. Don’t stop.” She thrusts against me and gasps against my mouth. “Even if it hurts.”

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