“Go where?” I ask.
“To our suite. I booked us one at this hotel. For our wedding night.”
It’s like a cold bucket of water hits me. Our wedding night. Does that mean…
“I won’t touch you tonight if you don’t want me to,” he says, putting me at ease. “Trust me, Irina. I have no desire to rape you. I want you to come to my arms willingly. But it’s still our wedding night.” His tone speaks to no disagreements.
Nikolai takes my hand in his and leads me out of the room as our guests cheer for us. I even hear a few men murmur about ‘the deflowering.’ So they all know I’m a virgin. They all know that Nikolai is going to steal my innocence away.
Maybe not today but someday. The longer I stay married to him, the better the chance becomes. I’m not sure I can do that. I’m not sure how long I can stay married to him.
Can I get away from Nikolai? Do I even want to?
My brain is full of terrified thoughts as Nikolai takes me upstairs and to our suite. It’s beautiful with white and soft brown decorations. It’s calming. Too bad it can’t calm my beating heart.
Nikolai stands behind me. His presence could never be mistaken for anything other than him. I’ve only known him less than twenty-four hours and I already can sense this.
“I want you to be comfortable tonight,” he says. “So I made sure to get you a nightgown to wear. It’s on the bed.”
The nightgown in question is a silky little number that will barely hide my body. “Nikolai…”
“I’ll take off your dress and then you change into it. No objections. I want to take off my wife’s wedding dress on our wedding night. I won’t touch you but give this to me.”
I inhale sharply, ready to deny him… when I think about this. I need to start to trust or I’m going to lose my mind.
So in this moment, I decide to trust Nikolai and say, “Ok.”
Chapter Five
Nikolai
It surprises me a little bit when Irina agrees to let me take off her wedding dress. I thought she would fight it but it seems that she’s deciding to trust me. Good. I worked hard to make her mine. Finding the theater where she was going to be sold off wasn’t easy. The organization that runs it is always changing their location. I could have easily lost her if I hadn’t made it there in time.
But she’s mine now and that’s all I need to focus on.
Irina’s breath hitches as I step right up behind her. I have an effect on her and I like it. Power and status. I’ve had it for a long time now. And yet, there’s something compelling about the power I hold over Irina. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.More intimate. More… important somehow than the power I hold over my men.
I trace my fingers along her back, making her inhale sharply. She’s trembling. “You don’t have to be afraid of me,” I murmur, running my hands along her arms. Goosebumps break out on her skin.
“It’s hard not to be.”
“I understand that. But have I done anything to you to make you afraid of me?” I could easily make Irina afraid if I wanted to. I could easily discipline her. Control her. Make her respect me.
But then she would never love me. And I want Irina’s love. I want her utter devotion.
I will never stand for someone not respecting me so I will do what I have to do if it’s necessary. But for right now, I don’t want to intimidate Irina. I want her trust. And in time, her love.
She hesitates before she says, “No. You haven’t. But I’m still afraid. I don’t even know you.”
“I know.” I don’t show Irina mercy. I am going to take off her wedding dress tonight no matter what. My cock is already hard at the thought of making her mine but I know that won’t happen tonight. Irina is too afraid to let me fuck her. That will come in time. I know it.
I unbutton the back of her dress. She holds the front of it close to her chest but we both know she won’t be able to keep it there forever.
Once all the buttons are opened, I gently push her dress apart to see her bare back. I place my hand on the ridge of her spine. She’s so petite and tiny. I could easily swallow her whole but I want to protect her. I’ve never had this urge before but the moment I saw her picture, I knew I had to be her savior.
No matter what it takes.
“What are you doing?” she whispers.