Page 45 of Beautiful Broken Vengeance

“I hate your guts,” I hiss at him as I pull the chain taut.

Another chuckle. “Behave,zhena, I’ll be back soon.”

Wait, it’s not a bluff to make me give in? “Aleksander, please don’t leave me like this,” I plead.

“Use the time I’m gone to think over the reasons why you’re chained to the bed,” he murmurs as he walks away.

As soon as he unchains me from this bed, I’m going to kill him.

* * *

Aleksander

Arriving at our family home, I find my mother anxiously waiting.

“Your wife?” Her eyes are wide as she looks behind me.

“She isn’t feeling well, still recovering from her wounds. I apologize. I didn’t think to ask her before telling you she was coming. I was informed today how wrong I was to assume.” I kiss the cheek she offers me.

Laughing, she waves a finger at me. “Bad boy, just like your father.”

How right she is. I got the idea of chaining Phoenix to the bed from my father handcuffing my mother to his bed when she turned down his proposal of marriage because she’d only known him for a day.

I spot two of my brothers on the back patio smoking. Mother doesn’t allow smoking in the common areas. “I thought I was late. Where’s Milos? He said he would be sleeping here tonight.”

“On his way, he needed to see to something for Celia I think.”

“He went to get Celia?”

“No, she’s here.” Mother gives me a sly smile.

I get the message. “I’ll talk to Damien and Maxim to get them to behave.”

Lunch is a trial. Nothing to do with anyone at the table. I’m glad my brothers are in town. I miss them when they are gone. It’s watching Milos and Celia together. Celia is so happy she’s glowing—Milos too. Envy is something I’ve never felt before, not even as a child. No one has ever had something I wanted, until today.

We’ve barely finished lunch when Milos’s phone rings. The moment he sees the display he goes tense. His eyes meet mine. Something is wrong.

I get into the back of the SUV beside Milos. “What?”

“Manuel Rodriguez is going to kill you.”

Fuck.

* * *

Phoenix

I’m going to kill him the way I should have the first time I met him. His body is going to be cold by this time tomorrow. I yank the chain again. There is no fucking way I can get the cuff off from around my wrist with a broken arm. I’m not getting out of this until Aleksander lets me out.

I sip the pomegranate juice. While the chain allows me into the bathroom, I don’t like the idea of trying to go wearing it.

Sighing, I put everything on the bedside table. This is now hour two of being chained to this bed, and I’ve refused to think of it the way Aleksander ordered me to: Why am I chained up?

Because I said I wouldn’t go with him. I wouldn’t sit down and shut up and present the fake married couple to his family. Milos knows the who and how of Ray’s murder. I have no doubt if Aleksander didn’t know before he married me, then he does now. I’m supposed to sit there and smile and pretend I’m happy to sit down with them…that’s psycho territory. I’ve done stuff I’m not proud of, but only to horrible people, and it was child’s play compared to this.

Isn’t it my own fault for accepting Aleksander? I told myself it was just pretending, that the moment I spotted a way out I would take it… None of what happened last night felt like pretend though.

I filled out the questionnaire. It was easy enough to figure out what my top kinks were. Once or twice I hesitated before answering, except the form said to answer honestly, if I didn’t it could lead to negative experiences.

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