Page 11 of Breaking the Annulment

Michalis’s expression darkened. “I don’t ever want to hear you mention his name again. If you were in love with him, you wouldn’t have given yourself to me, and we both know it.”

“I want to be free of this marriage,” she snapped, hugging the sheets tighter around her. “There’s no reason to drag this out in a divorce. That could take years. We still have a court date. We can keep things simple. Civil.”

“Too late for that. You want your precious annulment? Good luck proving we never…consummated.”

Her pulse skipped. Despite the warmth of the room, a chill slid down her spine. “I can claim it never happened.”

His mouth curved in a mirthless smile. “You could try. But if you think I’ll let you waltz into a lawyer’s office and lie, you’ve underestimated me.”

Aurelia glared angrily. “It will be your word against mine.”

“Thank you for letting me know your plans in advance,” he added in a low murmur, stepping closer, “I guess I’ll just have to make sure I’ve left irrefutable evidence behind.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“No one will doubt I’ve been in your bed if there’s a baby in your belly.”

Aurelia’s jaw dropped. The stark ruthlessness in his eyes made her blood run cold—and hot––igniting her temper. “That’s your plan? Don’t be ridiculous,” she sputtered, hating how her voice trembled. “This was a one-time lapse in judgment, not to be repeated.”

Michalis leaned down, bracing a hand on the mattress beside her. “Itwillbe repeated. Often.” he asked quietly. “You said you wanted children. You’re in my world now. It’s time you learn what that means.”

She clutched the sheets like a shield. “Is the big, bad, mafia king threatening me with––” she laughed incredulously, “pregnancy?!”

He smiled darkly. “I’m quite sure I’ll enjoy the process. Whether you do or not is up to you.”

She gasped, outraged. “You’re insane. I don’t want to be in your world. I want a divorce, and you can’t stop me from leaving. If you try, I’ll call the police–– tell them everything I know about you.”

“You will not call the police. Not now. Not ever.” He allowed her a glimpse of the killer inside him, the one who controlled everyone and everything around him, as he spelled out her situation. “Your choices are limited. Fighting with me or fucking––take your pick––butbetrayalis not on the menu.”

Her blood ran cold, then traitorously hot. His threat only served to underscore the dangerous world he lived in, a world that both repelled and drew her in like a moth to a flame. The raw power he exuded cast a seductive spell over her senses, a direct contradiction to the rage building inside her.

For a moment she couldn’t swallow, choking on too many emotions.

He straightened with careful deliberation. “Get some rest. We’ll talk in the morning about your loyalty—both to me, and to this family.”

Without another word, he turned and walked out, leaving Aurelia alone with her chaotic thoughts. Her heart thundered as she realized with a sinking feeling that she truly was at his mercy. For now.

Outside the bedroom,Michalis found two of his men, Ajax and Giorgio, waiting in the hall. Under the soft glow of a wall sconce, he kept his voice low. “Any problems with the shipments from the north?”

Giorgio shook his head. “They’re running late, nothing to worry about yet.”

“Good. Let Jonas take charge of it for now, I think he’s ready.”

Giorgio raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Sure, boss. Any particular reason?”

“Yes. I need you to find out how, exactly, my wife was able to get into the fundraiser without anyone knowing about it. She said she had a ticket. They were QR coded, and when I scanned it again this morning, I got a green light to enter, but when I did a manual crosscheck, I couldn’t find a name attached. How is that possible?”

Both men’s eyes rounded in surprise. Giorgio crossed his arms. “Well, I suppose if someone had access to both the invitations and the master list, they could have green-lighted one without a name. Not that hard.”

This time Ajax interjected. “Sure…not that hard on this side but add that to somehow getting the invitation into Mrs. Giannopoulos’s hands, and we have a serious problem. She’s been outside our radar since she left. Have you asked her how she got the ticket?”

“No.” Michalis rubbed his hand across the scruff across his jaw. “I don’t want her any more involved than she already is, at least not if it isn’t necessary. If we have a traitor, I want him found.”

“You got it. We picked up some chatter. Mafia Româneasca are looking for someone in the area—didn’t mention your wife by name, but we suspect. Maybe there’s a connection?”

Michalis swore under his breath. “I’ll be downstairs shortly for details. Don’t discuss this around my wife. I swore tomyfather she would never know abouthers.”

The men nodded. Ajax risked a glance at the door. “Understood, boss. Should we tighten security?”

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