Vivienne's POV

I sucked in a deep breath as I stood at the entrance to the church. I wasn't an overly religious person, but even I knew there was something wrong here.

The entire building looked run down, like it had seen better days. The stained glass windows didn't catch the light, instead,they seemed to block it all out. Litter and overgrown bushes were scattered around, and for a quick moment, I was reminded of my fear of snakes.

What if one was hiding in the bushes, or lurking around, just waiting to strike...

"There's no time." Someone called from behind me, before breezing past me and into the church. "Get in.'

I didn't so much as catch a glimpse of his face, but he was one of Ronan's men. One of the many men that didn't like me.

I sighed. After counting down to ten, I inhaled and exhaled, before forcing my legs to move in the direction of the church.

The inside was nothing like I'd expected. I held no expectations when I'd woken up this morning, but this, this was way below par.

The floor tiles were filthy, and with each step I took, I felt something sticky glue to the bottom of my shoes. The pews looked liked they'd seen better days, and the people sitting on them didn't help matters either.

Ronan's men were scattered around the pews in the church. With how weak the pews looked, I feared they would collapse underneath them.

The lighting inside was nothing to write home about either. It was dingy, and a strange smell filled the air.

If this wasn't a sign that this church was probably run by Ronan or one of his men, then I had no idea what else would suffice.

The priests eyes fell on me, and I hastened my steps. Unlike other brides at their weddings, I didn't have to worry about a flowing wedding gown.

Mine was short, simple and bunched up at the waist. While it wasn't my style, Ronan had picked it and I doubted he would appreciate me bitching over his choice of clothes. That, and the fact that this was a contract marriage.

Nothing more, nothing less.

"You're here." The priest's voice reached my ears. "we can start, if it's okay by you."

The last statement was obviously directed at Ronan, and I would be lying if I said he hadn't caught my eye all this time.

He was the first person my eyes had caught when I walked in. I didn't expect him to dress the part, but neither did I think him showing up in a pair of black pants and a black shirt would turn my insides into mush.

He was gorgeous, and that was a gross understatement.

"Yes priest." Ronan's voice was too commanding , and the priest didn't exactly take it too well. "Let's get this over with."

"Let's start with the vows." I didn't miss how his fingers shook, and the slight break in his voice. "Miss..."

"Vivienne." I let out slowly, and with a small smile.."my name is Vivienne."

"Yes." He nodded.

"I, Vivienne Carter." I started. "Take you, Ronan for better or worse. Though, let's be honest, it'll mostly be worse. Do you?"

A string of laughter followed, and from the corner of my eyes, I watched Ronan's lips lift into a ghost of a smile.

"Yeah sure." Ronan didn't look the least bit bothered, but he still went on. "Ill take her, for as long as she can handle me."

"Perfect." The priest stuttered. I watched him fiddle around his pockets for a while, before he pulled out two rings. "Please exchange rings."

I held Ronan's gaze as he slid the ring onto my finger. The moment his thumb came in contact with my finger, a jolt of electricity rushed through me, but I pushed it to the back of my mind.

"Is that all?" Ronan asked once the ring was on his finger.

"Um.." the priest's face ashened immediately. His gaze jumped around the walls, until they couldn't. "You may kiss the bride now."

It was my turn to pale now. I knew this was just a contract wedding, but I didn't expect this part to be real.

My mind whirred, and I felt my heart drop to the ground. In a moment of weakness, I snuck a glance at my husband.

"Alright." He was in front of me in a second, and before I could react, his lips crashed against mine.

The kiss was nothing like I expected. His lips were soft, but I didn't miss how needy and rough it was. He moved his tongue over my bottom lip, and it took everything in me to stop my toes from curling.

I had no idea how to react or what to do, but before I could, the kiss was broken, pulling me back to reality.

"I now pronounce you, husband and wife."

**********

My heart slammed in my chest as I waited for the results to show. I hadn't wanted to check, but I just knew delaying it would only complicate things for me.

I counted down the seconds that made up two minutes before picking up the test. What I didn't expect, were the two straight lines staring back at me.

The bathroom was dimly lit, but I saw it really clearly.

A wave of panic raked through me, and I found myself holding onto the sink for balance. Fear nipped at my bones and my stomach churned in anxiety.

My fingers trembled, but no matter how hard I blinked, the pink lines just wouldn't disappear.

I was pregnant.

I couldn't believe my eyes. There was no way this was possible. This had to be a sick prank, and at the worst time possible too.

What was I going to do with a baby?

I was already doomed, and now, I had to bring a child into the world?

This was going to change everything as I knew it.

What the hell was I supposed to do now?

Vivienne's POV

I slowly peeled my eyes open, and what I saw next, wasn't what I'd expected at all. I'd woken up to warmth. Solid and steady warmth.

My head swirled a bit, but somehow, whatever I was laying on, served like some sort of cushion I had no idea I needed. From the corner of my eyes, I could make out the feel of something like a leather jacket. I'd always thought them to be uncomfortable, but right now, I could lay all over this one and not want to wake up at all.

For a second, I allowed myself to melt into it, the low hum of the engine lulling me in ans out of sleep. I cozied into my firm but soft backdrop, until I noticed something.

It wasn't just moving, but rising and falling with each breath too.

Wait.

My heart slammed in my chest as my brain caught up.

I wasn't in a bed. I wasn't even in the motel from last night.

I was in a car, and I was lying on Ronan.

Shit.

His shoulder was beneath me, firm and unyielding. Like that wasn't mortifying enough, one of his arms was stretched casually along the back of the seat, his fingers resting just inches away from my neck.

Shit . Shit. Shit.

I froze on the spot, as I forced my mind to come up with a solution as to how I got here.

How the hell did I end up on him?

Memories from yesterday flashed in my mind, and I pressed my eyes shut, just so I could pinpoint the moment where everything went wrong.

Flashbacks of the shabby wedding played in my mind, then the kiss, the shock from the pregnancy test, and me trying to figure out what I was going to do.

I struggled to remember anything after that, but luckily, fate was on my side. Apparently, after I'd talked myself into calming down, I headed straight to our room in the motel we'd booked in, and forced myself to sleep.

My motive behind that was simple. If I wasn't awake by the time Ronan arrived, then I wouldn't have to deal with him.

But I was wrong, very wrong.

Not only had he not woken me up, he'd carried me into his car too.

Oh good Lord.

I sucked in a sharp breath, before jerking away from him and pressing myself against the car door like I'd just been burned.

Ronan didn't even flinch. He didn't tease, neither did he let out his signature smirk, followed by a snarky remark.

Instead, he tilted his head slightly, his unreadable gaze flicking to me in the dim lights of the passing street lamps.

"You comfortable?" That was what he went with to break the silence. His voice was low, too deep and calm, and I didn't miss how it made goosebumps crawl up my skin.

"I. I wasn't." I trailed off, not knowing what else to say. Heat crawled up my neck and cheeks, and I hoped he didn't see it.

"You drool in your sleep you know?" His lips curved up into a small smirk as he spoke.

"No, I do not." I nearly choked. Whatever level of embarrassment I must have felt tripled, and I wanted to disappear. Reluctantly, I found myself wiping at the side of my mouth for proof of what he'd just said.

There wasn't any.

Liar.

"Liar." I huffed.

Ronan didn't so much as respond, but I didn't miss the amusement that shone in his eyes. His shoulder lifted in a lazy shrug, before his grin widened.

He was enjoying this way too much, and at my own detriment too.

"You should have woken me up." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why didn't you?"

"I was going to." He tone was lazy as his gaze flicked to the driver. "Then I thought, nah...let her get comfortable."

Asshole.

He must have read my mind, because he added.

"I didn't touch you though." I could swear he was on the verge of laughing. "If that's what you're afraid of, but I doubt you would mind."

"Liar." I let out again. "If you didn't, how did I end up in the car then? Certainly, I couldn't have walked here myself and...."

"I asked him to carry you." He cut me off, before tilting his head towards the driver.

The driver, who I hadn't even noticed until now, remained silent, his face hidden in the shadows of the car. From his whole demeanor, you could tell he was the type that saw everything, but rarely ever spoke.

Smart. But dangerous.

With a mischievous glint in his eyes, Ronan chortled. "Just say the words, and I'll do it myself next time, princess."

I wanted to respond, but I figured I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he was successfully riling me up. Instead, I decided to calm my racing heart, before talking to him again.

"Where are we?" I asked. A couple of minutes had passed, and I realized I had no idea where we were, neither did I recognize any of the landmarks we'd just passed. "And where are we going?"

"Home." his voice sent a shiver down my spine.

The concept was simple but daunting. It wasn't just any home, it was his home and If I didn't know earlier, this was every indication I needed to know that I was stuck in his own little world.

"You're tense, Valentina." He whistled. "loosen up a bit."

"My name is Vivienne." I scoffed. "You think?"

I had no idea what was going through his mind when he'd asked his question, but it wasn't what he did next.

One minute, there was a plausible distance between us, and the next, he'd cut through it all, just to lean in closer.

My breath hitched as his arm brushed my waist , his scent wrapping around me like a thick blanket. He smelled faintly of smoke, a clean aftershave, and something else I couldn't quite put my finger on. Whatever it was though, he smelled amazing and it made me heady.

"You need to relax, Vivienne." his voice was smooth, coaxing , but laced with something dangerous. I gasped as his fingers drew lazy shapes into my sides.

"What are you doing?" I turned my head to escape him, but all it did was bring us closer. So close that his lips lingered at the base of my ear.

"Testing a theory." He whispered.

"What theory?"

"You like it when I get close." His fingers trailed over my wrist, slow and deliberate, his featherlight touches making my head swirl.

I sucked in a large breath, before pushing my gaze towards the driver.

He didn't even react, neither did he glance in the rearview mirror, and I couldn't help but think he had seen this play out before.

It might have been normal to him, but it wasn't to me.

"Back off." I scowled, shoving his hand away from me. "Touch me again and I'll snap all your fingers into two."

Ronan chuckled, a truly hearty sound, before finally leaning back, but the damage had been done.

He'd made me breathless and he knew it.

"Hey." He let out suddenly. I jerked my head in his direction, and the sight that laid in front of me wasn't one I saw coming. Every trace of amusement was long gone, and had been replaced by a stoic expression so hard, it could break up an iceberg. "Try to run, and see what happens."

I gasped. Fear and anxiety swirled around me, and I found it hard to breathe.

Was he a mind reader now? I had barely thought about it, and yet he was already throwing a warning at me.

"What .."

"Relax, princess." And just like that, it was gone.

I was still reeling from the bombshell he'd just dropped, when he let another loose.

"We're home, princess."

The engine cut off at his words, and the soft click of the doors unlocking reached my ears.

Home. And that was all it took my heart to drop officially.

Vivienne's POV

I stepped out of the car, and froze immediately. This was not what I expected, at all. A huge mansion stood in front of me, covering every inch of natural light from the sky. In fact, the only source of life I was privileged to were the blinding lamps that lit up the corner of the place.

The estate was massive, with dark stone walls wrapped in ivy. Iron gates stood tall behind us, and I didn't miss the security cameras mounted at the entrance to every corner. All around us, men stood guard, their gazes sharp.

I wasn't skilled with guns or any other form of weapon, but I just knew these people could take someone out from even a far distance. Their faces showed it all.

Cold and ruthless.

I'd expected a clubhouse. A rough, gritty rough biker den. But I couldn't be any more wrong.

This wasn't just the home of a simple biker. This was the home of a king. A ruthless biker king who just happened to be my husband now.

As I took in more and more of the massive grounds, well, as far as my eyes could see that is, a slow horrible realization crept up my spine. This wasn't just wealth, this was dangerous wealth.

This kind of wealth didn't come from legitimate businesses, nor a generational inheritance. This was the kind built on blood, secrets , on power plays so ruthless that they don't just break the laws, they rewrote them.

This was Grant's world.

I felt my chest tighten, and something akin to panic clawed at my throat.

Grant's wealth wasn't even this intimidating.

"Problem?" Someone's deep baritone was all it took to knock me back to the present. It took me a while, but I figured it was just Ronan.

"You're..." I muttered, breathless. I reached deep down, but I couldn't find the balls to say what I wanted to.

He was rich, powerful, and not what I thought he was, but I didn't dare let my thoughts out.

"You thought I lived in some rundown shack," I didn't miss the amusement in twinkling in his eyes, and bursting through his voice. "Didn't you?"

I parted my lips to speak, but no words came out. Why? Because he was right. I'd expected something gritty and chaotic . Something that reeked of cigarettes and smoke, with half naked women draped over worn leather couches, while bikers shouted over the road of engines.

But this? This was cold , untouchable and too damn familiar.

The main reason I'd escaped Grant was to get away from the many things he held over my head, but right now, I just might have walked into something much more worse than I originally thought.

While I skirted deeper into my thoughts, I didn't miss Ronan's gaze on me, his eyes digging deep into my skin, like he was desperately searching for a passage into my mind.

"Come on." He let out after what seemed like forever. He gave me a five second head start, but I didn't so much as acknowledge it. Once he realized that, he climbed up the little stairs that led up to his front door.

I counted to ten, inhaled and exhaled a couple of times, before trailing after him.

If I'd thought the outside was massive, then I was wrong. So wrong.

The interiors were just as overwhelming.

The floors were marble, expensive artworks lining the walls. I didn't miss the guards pointed stares as I trailed behind Ronan. With each one we passed, they greeted accordingly.

Ronan and I didn't stop our journey in the living room. We slipped through hallways and corridors, till we arrived at the foot of a double door.

Ronan hadn't opened it yet, but I just knew what was behind it.

A bedroom, but not just any bedroom. Ronan's.

He pushed open the doors with such ease, before strolling inside. Once he was on the other side, he flattened out his palm for me. I gave him a weary look, before breezing past him and for some strange reason, it made him laugh.

At least one of us wasn't feeling miserable in all of this.

His room was nothing like I'd expected either. Pristine white walls surrounded us , bathing us in its surprisingly glittery features. Unlike the other rooms we'd passed, there were no portraits or paintings in here. In fact, his room lacked every bit of personal touch you could think of, and it made me wonder just how many times he'd actually slept in here.

"Whatever you're thinking." His voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "I don't sleep here very often."

He didn't sound the least bit remorseful. Call me crazy, but I could swear he was rather proud about the whole ordeal.

"You should get comfortable." He added, before tossing his jacket onto the couch by the side. It was black with gold studs, and while it screamed luxury, I just knew it was super soft and comfortable.

"I'm fine." I crossed my hands over my bosom. "Just peachy."

"You want a drink?" He offered again, and I fought the urge to scoff. While he waited for my response, I watched him lean back, exuding every bit of casual dominance I'd ever seen.

"I don't want anything to drink." I snapped. "I want to set some rules."

"Rules?" Ronan stilled. I had no idea what had been going through his mind, but I just knew this wasn't a part of it.

"Yes." I nodded once. I held my head high, and even though it was nothing but a facade, I really hoped he wouldn't notice it. "If we're doing this, this whole marriage thing, then we need boundaries."

He watched me for the longest moment, his expression unreadable. Just when I thought he would snap, he shrugged, before adding. "Alright then, let's hear them."

"Fine." I steadied myself. "Rule one; separate bedrooms. We'll both have..."

"Not happening." Ronan snapped, causing me to flinch slightly. I watched him arch an eyebrow, before he continued. "No fucking way."

"Excuse me?" I bit back. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not having my wife sleep in the guest room like a fucking visitor." Something about the way he said the word wife, made my blood boil. It sent a thrill down my spine, and It took everything in me to push down the shiver that threatened to wash over me. "You'll sleep in our room, and on our bed."

Our room. Our bed.

His words didn't hide the one thing Ronan thrived on, possession. It was scary, but I found it incredibly hot at the same time.

"Fine." My voice was nothing short of a low squeak, but I continued anyway. "But no unnecessary touching."

"Define unnecessary." Ronan smirked.

"You know what I mean." I let out through gritted teeth, but all it did was make his lips curved upwards.

"Sure." He hummed. "next?"

"Rule three" I coughed out the words. "In public we'll keep up with appearances. But behind closed doors, we're strangers."

"Is that all, princess?" He tilted his head to the side. "Or should I get you a pen and some paper."

"Last one." My heart hammered in my chest. The mere thought was enough to send me into a coma, but I sucked it up, before spitting out the words. "No falling in love with each other."

I'd gotten married to Grant with nothing but love in my heart. I adored him, but all he did was misuse it. Not only did he do that, he'd replaced my heart with a hollow cavity, one I wasn't looking forward to filling anytime soon. Or forever even.

This was the moment where I'd expected a reaction from Ronan, but I didn't get it. At least, it didn't come immediately.

He didn't react. Instead , his eyes drank me in, his gaze dark and knowing.

Suddenly, he was on his feet, and while I struggled to figure out what was going on, he started walking towards me.

Step by step, he inched closer and closer, while I took two steps back. The air crackled with tension, and just when I thought it was never going to end, my back came in contact with the wall. Cold and obstructive.

I was stuck.

"I have something to add, princess." His voice was low, low enough to send shivers down my spine. "I don't do love. I own you."

"No." I gasped, my breath hitching in my throat. "You don't..."

"My turn." His deep octave had anxiety swirling in the pit of my belly. "Your body belongs to me."

I gasped. I never knew it was this possible for things to go from a zero to a hundred, in just one fucking minute.

"You can have all the little rules you want sweetheart." His tone was low and steady. "But that one, that one's mine."

Without warning, Ronan pulled away from me. The moment he'd put a little bit of distance between us, I missed his signature scent wafting through my nostrils. He'd left me bare, standing flustered, furious and far too aware of the heat swirling in my belly.

Then, almost like nothing had happened, he turned away.

"Get some sleep." Dangerous Ronan was nowhere to be found anymore. In the most casual tone I'd ever heard, he threw in his last words. "We've got a party to attend tomorrow."

"Party?" My stomach dropped. "What kind of party?"

"You'll see." Ronan smirked over his shoulder. Without so much as a glance, he slicked out of the room, leaving me with just one thought.

I'd thought Grant was the devil, but here I was, balls deep in a deal with his master.

Shit, I was doomed.