Valerie
I stepped off the last staircase, and Viktor took a step forward. Almost like he was unconsciously drawn to me. When we were in the same room—it was just us. Nobody else mattered.
But our moment was ruined, like the ashes after a fire, scattered throughout the air.
Valentin stepped in front of Viktor, blocking our path to each other. I stilled, my feet refusing to move as Valentin walked closer, a smirk on his face.
He was dressed up in an expensive three-piece suit, his hair styled nicely and a champagne flute in his hand. My eyes roamed around the room, taking everyone in. They looked like rich businessmen—billionaires. No one would have guessed their reality. The most depraved men to ever live on this earth.
The things they had done—the things they do on a daily basis. Hurting innocent people. Ruining lives. It was all hidden behind a careful, sophisticated mask.
My husband stopped in front of me, his body close to mine. He leaned down and placed a quick, hard kiss on my lips. His arm went around my waist, a band of steel—my body his prisoner.
When his lips released mine, I fought against the urge to wipe at my lips. I stayed still in his arms as he turned to face everyone. My gaze lifted to his lips, watching him speak.
“I would like to present to everyone—my beautiful wife,” he said, a huge smile plastered on his face.
My eyes went to the room again. Some people clapped. Others raised their glass as a toast. There were snickers and smirks. Laughter that I didn’t hear and I was thankful for that.
I didn’t want to hear their degrading laughs and words. Seeing it all was enough for a lifetime.
My gaze finally met Viktor’s again. My heart stumbled just like always, whenever our eyes would meet.
He was there, in the shadows, leaning against the wall, a glass in his hand too. Viktor was dressed very similarly to everyone else.
But for some reason, out of everyone—he looked the most dangerous.
He was dark and brooding. A vicious glare and his lips in a firm straight line. An animal ready to strike. A killer on the loose.
And his eyes were on mine. His whole attention was trained on me.
I saw his gaze moving below, and it stilled on Valentin’s arm around my waist. Even with this distance between us, I saw the way his hand tightened around the fragile glass—something that could easily break under his force.
My attention was snapped away from him when Valentin steered me away. We walked to one of the chairs in the corner, and he pushed me in it.
Fear slithered its way into my body at his glare. “Stay.”
I nodded and folded my hands over my lap, my feet planted firmly on the floor. It was hard not to shake or bounce my legs with nervousness.
Valentin stood beside the chair, a hand on my shoulder as he greeted and chatted with people. The world around me moved and tilted—everyone enjoyed their night as I stayed sitting, trapped yet again.
Around me, men and women danced—waltzing around the room. I watched everything in a daze, my body feeling heavy and my mind numb.
The man who was standing in front me moved away, and I saw Viktor. He was still standing there—where he was before.
Our eyes met again, and he stepped out of the shadows, moving forward stealthily. With each step toward me, I grew nervous.
What was he doing?
He stopped in front of Valentin and me. His gaze never left mine. A waiter passed by him, and Viktor placed his glass on the tray without breaking our eye contact.
Chewing on my lips nervously, I tried to look down, but his intense stare stopped me. It trapped me in place.
It was ironic. I hated being trapped, like how I was in this chair, yet I didn’t mind being trapped by Viktor.
It was something I welcomed with open arms. He could trap me however he wanted, with his eyes, his words, his body—and I would welcome it.
He could be the puppet master, and I his marionette, and still I wouldn’t fight those taut strings.
Viktor smirked, and I trembled in anticipation. This shouldn’t be happening. Not in front of Valentin. If he knew whatever Viktor and I had, we would lose it all.
From everything to nothing.
Just empty broken hearts.
I couldn’t bear the thought of that. My stomach twisted, and I felt sick just imagining being without my Viktor.
My thought was interrupted when I saw Viktor speaking, his unwavering gaze never leaving mine. My eyes widened, and I sucked in a deep silent breath.
“You have a lovely wife there, Valentin.”
My fingers clenched at the soft fabric of my dress. What is he doing?
Valentin’s hand tightened on my shoulder, his fingers digging in my skin almost painfully. I winced, and Viktor’s eyes grew darker, murderous.
But he continued speaking, refusing to act on his anger. A part of me was thankful for that, but another part of me—an irrational part of me—wanted him to fight for me.
“If Ayla was here, I would have asked her for a dance, considering she is my Queen. It would have been an honor,” Viktor said, nodding toward my left. “But since she isn’t…”
Ayla? That Ivanshov woman? The one Valentin always swore at?
But…
Confused, I looked to my left. My breath left me, and I froze.
I hadn’t seen him before, but he had clearly seen me. His hard blue eyes were on me, looking just as dangerous as Viktor’s. His black hair was smoothed back nicely, but a few stubborn dark strands fell over his forehead.
He was big and very tall, his shoulders easily twice mine, and he was probably a foot taller. If I thought Viktor was a big man and dwarfed me, then I was clearly mistaken.
Viktor had a dark aura around him, all the time—and when he was angry, he was vicious. But this man—I could tell he was someone everyone bowed to. This man was deadly.
And without even asking for his name, I already knew who he was.
This was the infamous, the one and only, Alessio Ivanshov.
And he was staring at me, like I was someone under a magnifying glass and he was trying to figure me out.
He was staring right into my soul, and I shivered, shrinking away and pushing myself deeper into the chair, away from him. My heart did several flips in fear, panic now coursing through my body.
I always imagined Alessio as a dangerous man, but with him glaring at me like that, I just wanted to run away.
Quickly averting my gaze, I looked at Viktor instead. My anchor. He would protect me.
He was still staring at me. All thoughts of the dangerous man standing beside me was gone. This time, Viktor extended his hand toward me.
“It is only fair that I ask you for a dance. So, may I have this dance…Mrs. Solonik?”
I flinched, but the burning sensation in the pit of my stomach was only for a moment, because behind his words, I saw what he really wanted to say. I saw it in his eyes.
May I have this dance, my silent myshka?
My lips twitched in a small smile before I quickly hid it. I would give him my smiles later. Right now, we had a little game to play.
My head turned to my right, and I waited for Valentin. For him to give me his permission.
Valentin stared at me through cold eyes, his lips thinned in a straight line. He dragged the silence—the suspense—until he finally nodded. My breath left me a relieved sigh, and I looked back at Viktor. He smirked and raised an eyebrow, waiting.
Slowly, I released my dress from my tight hold and brought my hand up. My fingers had barely touched his palm when Viktor grasped my hand firmly in his. His grip was soft but unyielding.
He pulled me up, and I stumbled into his chest. His other arm went around my waist.
Protective and possessive.
His eyes told me, “Mine.”
My eyes told him, “Yours.”
My heart said, “His.”
Viktor walked us backward, toward the middle of the room. A few people moved out of our path. We finally stopped, and I waited, my heart in my throat and my stomach twisting nervously.
Butterflies.
I had butterflies.
My lips stretched into a smile, and I wanted to laugh freely.
Even in a moment like this, while I could feel my husband’s glare on my back—scorching my skin, I wanted to laugh.
Because I was…happy.
Even for a little moment…I was happy.
With a hand in his, my other on his shoulder and his arm around my waist, Viktor started moving.
My ears were useless—but I didn’t have to hear the music to dance.
I followed Viktor. Every step he took, I followed and matched him.
We were one.
Everything and everyone disappeared, until it was just Viktor and me. Almost like the whole world had darkened and the light was only shining on us.
We moved around the room, lost in each other.
And oh, how beautiful it was.
Tears pricked my eyes, and I quickly blinked them away. Viktor smiled, his arm tightening around my waist before he pulled me closer.
“Don’t cry, Valerie. Your tears are my undoing. They decimate me.”
My smile widened at his words.
I never wanted this to end.
But eventually, just like any happy moment—this ended too.
Our feet stopped, and I tried to catch my breath. Viktor lost his smile, and he gave me a small nod.
I swallowed hard because I knew what this meant.
It was time to go back to my husband.
Viktor gripped my hand and walked me back to where Valentin was waiting. I sat on the chair, refusing to meet his gaze.
Viktor’s grip tightened, and then he let go. My eyes widened, and I pressed my fist against my thighs, my heart racing wildly in my chest.
Viktor walked away, and I released a shuddering breath. Valentin pressed a hand on my shoulder. I felt his hot breath near my ear, and I knew he was speaking to me—but it was useless. I didn’t hear any word.
He released me too and walked away, joining a group of men, talking and laughing.
I stayed still, waiting—confused and lost. Not knowing exactly what to do.
Finally, when I knew everyone’s attention was off me, I opened my palm.
There laid a small, crunched-up paper. The one Viktor had slipped into my palm before letting me go.
I opened the paper, and I was no longer lost anymore.
Because I knew where my place was.
Meet me in the back garden-10 minutes.
My gaze quickly flitted to the corridor that led to the back garden. It was empty. Everyone was in the middle or scattered around the room, chatting or dancing.
My heart thumped, and I waited.
I saw everyone’s attention moving to one spot. My gaze followed, and I winced at the sight.
A maid was bent over a table. Her tray was on the floor, glass broken and scattered everywhere. Her dress was pulled up to her waist, and a man I didn’t recognize mounted her from behind.
Oh God. No.
I wanted to lurch forward and scream.
I wanted to scream and stop him.
I wanted to save her.
Everyone watched.
Nobody did anything.
Tears fell down my cheeks as I stayed seated…I didn’t do anything, either.
I watched as my husband walked around the girl, unbuttoning his pants before gripping the girl’s jaw and bringing her mouth to his waiting cock.
I could taste the bile in my mouth, and I fought against the urge to gag and throw up. Snapping my gaze away, I looked toward the corridor—toward my Viktor.
He was waiting for me.
With everyone’s attention away from me, I quickly got up and walked away. My steps were quick, my dress swishing around my ankles as I tried to meet Viktor before anyone could catch me.
It felt exhilarating. Forbidden…and my heart thumped again.
I walked outside, just a few steps out the door. The cool air caressed my skin, and I breathed it in. After so long—this was…beautiful.
It was the only word I could use.
Beautiful.
This was what freedom felt like.
And then I saw the reason for my freedom.
Viktor walked toward me, and unconsciously, I took a step toward him.
We met in the middle, crashing into each other’s arms.
His lips met mine, softly and then hungrily. As if he was craving me. I kissed him back with the same fervor.
In this moment, I forgot about the depravity that was happening behind us.
I focused on Viktor—on this moment.
We kissed under the moonlight while it cast its glow on us.
Our lips separated, and Viktor smiled. Beautiful.
I laid my head on his chest and just breathed him in. I didn’t know how long we stayed like this, but in the end, he moved away and we had to let go.
We had to go back inside—back to reality.
A final glance and I walked away—back to my husband.
I walked inside to find the girl quickly picking up her tray and the glass shards. They were done with her. My heart ached for her, yet I couldn’t do anything.
I was helpless, just like she was.
Quickly moving to my seat, I sat down and looked at my lap, closing my eyes and wishing I was anywhere but here.
The night went on. Dinner came and went, although I could barely stomach anything.
By the end of the night, I just wanted to go back to my room.
I’d rather be trapped there with Viktor—than here.