I heard the silent, unsaid words. The true meaning behind what he said.
In the end, only one person would be standing and left breathing. And there were only two choices. Alessio or Solonik. My King or my enemy.
And everything depended on how well I played this little fucked-up game.
Chapter 9
Her
I felt his groan against my skin as he pushed inside of me again. My body wasn’t my own as he used me as his toy.
For a brief moment, I fantasized. I replaced the image of Valentin with someone else. Someone who actually cared about me.
Instead of taking me against my will, he was making love to me. I thought of a man who loved me.
Closing my eyes, I imagined someone younger than my husband. I imagined someone handsome. Strong. Beautiful. Someone worthy of my love.
Instead of leaving scars, the man was filling me with hope.
The fingers that were touching me caressed my skin softly.
The lips touching my neck were whispering sweet words.
Each thrust into my body, he was making sweet love to me.
I imagined a future where instead of getting raped, I was being loved. Instead of living in fear, I was carefree and smiling. I imagined it all.
And in my dreams, the handsome man looked very much like the man behind the doors that separated us.
A small glimpse. One look. Our gazes connected and it felt like the world had stilled for a moment.
Then it was gone. The moment broken when I remembered the rules.
But those eyes stayed with me longer. The look he gave me, one which was very different from what I was used to, it stayed with me even after he was gone.
But just like the doors that separated us, we were two worlds apart. Just a far away look that haunted me since then, but a look I had to forget.
Fingers bit into my hips, causing me to hiss in pain. My eyes snapped open to see Valentin glaring down at me. His anger caused my insides to tremble, knowing whatever pain was coming next would be ten times worse.
“When I am fucking you, I want your eyes on me,” he growled, thrusting harder. “Remember who owns you, little girl.”
I will never forget. Not when you remind me every day.
No words. No sounds were made from me. He craved my pain, my tears, he wanted my voice—to hear me scream. But he took that away from me long ago.
He took everything…until I had nothing left. Yet it was never enough for him.
I was owned. Never an equal.
A payment to a debt that couldn’t be repaid.
A sacrifice from my part—I just didn’t realize that this sacrifice would cost me everything. Until it was too late.
Now, I just had to stay alive and bear the pain. I just had to survive. Just breathe. As long as I was breathing, they were safe.
I was just unwilling collateral in this game of war and revenge. A battle I wanted no part of. Just like they said, everything is fair in love and war.
Only difference, this was just war. No love. No emotions. Just bloodshed and pain along the way, until one person was sitting on the mighty throne.
My head snapped to the side, my mind freezing and thoughts scattering as the slap brought me back to the present. I tasted blood on my tongue, and the corner of my lips stung, proof enough that he had hurt me, made me bleed.
His hand wrapped around my neck, his strength undeniable even in his old age. My eyes widened as his fingers tightened around my throat, blocking my air passage. I struggled for air, my vision blurred from the lack of oxygen.
I clawed at his hand, desperate to break free.
I can’t breathe! I screamed in my head.
Seconds passed as he continued to thrust into my body, scarring me inside and out. The hold around my neck only became worse with each hard thrust as he picked up his pace. His release was close and he used me as his toy.
The last thing I saw was his face tightening, his head thrown back in pleasure as he came inside my unwilling body. My vision faded into nothingness.
A black void pit as I fell deeper and deeper into the darkness before hitting the bottom, my body in shambles, broken and bleeding.
A sacrifice. Every day was a sacrifice. I accepted death so they could live.
The next time my eyes opened, my mind felt numb. My body was hurting, sore in all places, and I knew it was marked with my husband’s sadistic pleasure. Just the way he loved it.
I blinked against the sun, showing me that it was morning already. Another daylight in the darkness of my world.
I tried to move, but my throat closed up as pain racked my body, and I trembled, feeling both cold and too hot. One second it felt like I was burning from the inside and then it felt like I had been dumped into freezing water.