His cool tone and minimal words were typical at this point, but his deep voice still made goosebumps rise on my skin. It was impossible to forget all the things he had ever said to me in that voice—all the flirting, the teasing, the sexy words he’d groaned into my ear when he fucked me. The intense sexual commands he had enjoyed issuing. Commands I had enjoyed following.
Before we’d stopped touching each other. Before I’d learned the truth about him.
“What’s this for?” I asked, gesturing toward the bed.
“That’s what you’ll be wearing tonight,” he said. “We’re leaving in less than an hour. You’ll need to wear your hair up, and minimal makeup. No lipstick.”
I blinked at him.
“Wherever you seem to think we’re going, I can’t,” I said flatly. “I have plans.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You do have plans. With me. We’re going to a fundraiser.”
“What? I never agreed to this,” I sputtered.
“Don’t act like a child,” he said. “This event has been on your calendar for months.”
“What is this fundraiser even for?” I asked. Maybe I could go with Stefan to make a brief appearance and then just sneak out early to meet my friends, as I’d intended.
“It’s a very important, highly publicized event that raises money to fight human trafficking all over the world. KZM is a huge supporter.”
My mouth dropped open. “Is this your idea of a joke?” If so, it was a sick one.
The look on his face told me he was dead serious. “All our executives attend every year.”
“Well then you can attend yourself,” I told him, folding my arms. “I’m not going.”
He didn’t even blink. “It’s not up for discussion. You will get dressed, fix your hair and makeup, and be ready to walk out the door in—” he checked his watch, “—forty minutes.”
“Seriously?” I felt hysterical, caught between a sob and a laugh. “You think I’d actually attend a fundraiser forsex traffickingwith someone who runs an illegal prostitution ring?”
Saying the words out loud to Stefan felt good, defiant and strong—but that lasted all of two seconds before he advanced on me, his green eyes cold and intimidating. I shrank back.
“You will do as I say. You will wear exactly what I tell you to wear, and attend any and all events that I schedule for you,” he commanded. “My father is watching us, so put on a good performance tonight and pretend you’re on the right team. You have no other choice.”
Even though I could feel my knees shaking, I forced myself to meet his gaze. I knew he’d already won. I hated it, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. And when it came to what Konstantin Zoric was capable of, I knew better than to cross the man. As much as I hated this whole situation, I did believe that Stefan truly was trying to keep me safe—and alive.
I just felt so defeated. It had been hard enough to come to terms with who my husband was when I was dealing with it in private. When I could focus on school and friends and pretend that this all wasn’t happening, that I hadn’t been betrayed by my family. Both of my families. But now I had to go out in public with Stefan. With his family. To a sham of a fundraiser like this. It felt like they were rubbing it in my face, and I couldn’t do anything about it.
“Never forget who you are,” he warned, standing so close I could feel his body heat.
It was completely different from how I felt when Gavin was next to me. My friend was warm, comforting, but…right now I could feel Stefan’s anger, his passion, his intensity. It scared me, but it also turned me on. I wish it were different, or that the men in my life were reversed.
“You are my wife,” he reminded me. “You will do your duty. You will fulfill your responsibilities. And you willobey. That is the bargain we made.”
It was. But it was a bargain I never would have agreed to if I had known the truth.
“Forty minutes. No lipstick.”
With that he left the room, slamming the door behind him. I sank down on the bed, my knees no longer able to hold me. Warring emotions flooded through me. Anger, frustration, desire. And desire, both emotional and sexual, that never seemed to stop burning deep inside me.
What would I have done if Stefan had kissed me? Would I have kissed him back?
I didn’t know. I didn’t know myself around him anymore.
I looked at the dress I was expected to wear, running my hands over the silky fabric. Next to the dress was a bag I hadn’t noticed before, from an expensive lingerie shop. He had even chosen what was I supposed to wear underneath the dress. Typical of his controlling nature.
Opening the bag, I found a gorgeous pair of underwear, a web of delicate lace and satin that would be invisible underneath the dress. There was also a backless, adhesive bra with ribbon laces down the middle. It looked like a set of angel’s wings. I had never seen anything like it.
