Page 31 of His to Own

Maxim’s eyes narrow but he doesn’t push it. “Most women love to kiss me. You won’t be disappointed, Elena. I promise you that.”

“I… I just can’t.” Deep down, I know it’s because if Maxim kisses me, I’ll let myself care for him. His handsome face. His strangely charming personality. His dark aura that makes me want to draw in closer.

“Oh. I got you this.” He pulls a box out of his pocket and opens it. A ring is nested inside. “I bought it after I knew you would be mine. I was waiting for the right time to give it to you.” He slides it on my finger. “A perfect fit.”

“I didn’t get you a ring,” I whisper.

“We can buy wedding rings another day. But I think we should get out of here before the police come. Nikolai has some cleaning up to do.” He grabs my hand but before we can walk down the aisle, Father steps into our path.

With his own gun raised. Right at Maxim’s head.

“I would be careful,” Maxim warns.

“Why should I be? You just killed one of my men without a second thought. And I know you killed Sergei too.”

“Because Nikolai might kill you otherwise. I’m going to let you in on a little secret, Gregory. He doesn’t like you. No one really does. Even your own daughters hate you. It’s obvious just by looking at them. Do you want to die? Because that will happen if you pull that trigger.”

Mother places her hand on Father’s arm and forces him to lower the gun. “We still have Adriana to think about. Don’t ruin this by dying. Let it go, Gregory.”

“Be quiet,” he snaps at her.

Maxim tugs me down the aisle, past my father who glares at us as we leave.

The moment I step outside, I suck in the crisp spring air. I’m a married woman now. To Maxim Morozov. And everything is in shambles.

“Come with me,” he says, leading me to his car.

“Where are we going?”

“To my house. You’ll live with me now. It’s time you see it.” Maxim is whistling as he opens the car door for me. At least one of us is happy.

I don’t put up a fight when Maxim drives us away from the church. Away from my family that I didn’t get to say goodbye to.

I stare out the window, feeling… I don’t even know. Misery. Happiness. Fear. A strange tingle of excitement? It’s all so much. Too much.

Maxim doesn’t make me talk, for which I’m grateful. We pull into a large circular driveway and all I can do is marvel at the mansion before me. It’s just as large and grand as the home I grew up in but there’s a sense of… peace about this place. No darkness like in my home where my Father lives.

“I think you’ll like it here,” Maxim says as we walk to the front door. “I’m excited to see what our married life is going to be like. Aren’t you?”

“I… don’t know,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around myself.

Maxim places his fingers under my chin and tilts my head up. “I don’t want you miserable for the rest of your life. Just know that.” He opens the door and motions me inside. I blink for a moment before I step into the house.

“Maxim?” A woman’s voice filters through the air. I tense as a woman rounds the corner… completely naked. A young, beautiful woman who’s inside Maxim’s house.

Chapter Five

Elena

The naked woman stops when she sees me. “Who are you?” she demands, crossing her arms. It makes her breasts more prominent, which is only a reminder that Maxim has a naked woman in his house.

After he married me. And brought me here. And killed another man for me.

I wobble on my feet again. The lightheadedness refuses to leave me.

“Sofiya?” Maxim asks. “What are you doing here?”

“You left me in your bed this morning. I was waiting all day for you to return. Who is this?” She nods at me. “And why is she in a wedding dress? Who are you?” she asks me again.