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.

Vivienne's POV

I stood in front of the vanity, still wrapped in nothing but a silly robe I hadn't bothered to tie properly. The dim golden lightning in Ronan's bedroom cast a soft glow on my bare thighs as I stared at my reflection, unmoving.

Makeup lay on top of the glossy surface, and with the dresses spread and strewn across the bed, one would think a tornado had just rocked these four walls, but I knew better. I'd tried to pick out something earlier, something that made a statement, something that matched tonight's vibes, but everything I picked was either screaming too much or not enough.

And fun fact, I didn't want to go. At all.

I didn't want to go to some party with leather clad men and hungry eyed women. I didn't want to be anywhere near a place where I was going to have to be all smiles and pretend like I belonged on Ronan's arms.

Because I didn't. I wasn't his queen. I was just a pawn, a part of a deal that I was seriously starting to regret and ...

The sound of the bedroom door swinging open was all it took to pull me back to the present. I didn't even need to turn to figure out who it was. The sound of boots pounding behind me was enough.

I kept my gaze on anything but the mirror. There was a good distance between us, and while that was slightly preferable, I wasn't ready to lock eyes with him yet. Not when I was in nothing but a thin sheet of clothes.

"Why aren't you dressed yet?" his deep commanding voice cut through the silence. "I told you to be ready by seven."

"Because I'm not going." I inhaled sharply, keeping my voice firm. I clenched my hands into fists, just grabbing the hem of my robe.

Even in a million years, I wasn't sure I was ready to be paraded like some trophy, just so Ronan could prove a point.

A wave of silence settled between us, but it was gone in the blink of an eye. The sound of his boots inching closer reached my ears, and I inhaled sharply. My spine stiffened, but I refused to move. I felt him behind me before he even touched me, his heat licking at my skin.

"Not an option, princess." his voice was dark, dripping with amusement. His breath fanned the shell of my ear, and I fought the urge to shiver. " You're my wife now, and that means showing up by my side, no matter how much you pout about it."

"I didn't agree to be some kind of decoration for your little empire." I let out sharply, but all he did was chuckle. "I'm not going."

I had no idea what I was thinking. In all honesty, I didn't even think it through. It was hard enough that Ronan's presence was suffocating, having him behind me and dangerously close too, wasn't something I was sure I could endure.

I turned, wiggling at the right angle and resting against the vanity like it could hold me up for long. In my attempt to escape him, I'd unintentionally placed myself in his line of vision. He must have read my mind, because a sly smirk made its way to his lips immediately.

Shit.

Ronan's gaze raked down the length of my robe, his eyes lingering on the undone fabric and bare skin. His lips quirked in a way I found dangerous but sexy. "And why's that, wife?"

"Because I'm not your trophy." I straightened. "I don't owe anyone who's related to you, a performance tonight."

"This marriage was never just about you and me." He took a slow step forward, before leaning in even closer. He looked like a predator cornering prey, and I hated that I knew which category I fell under. "It's about power. Territory, perception. You walking in on my arm sends a message tonight."

"I don't care about your damned message." I snapped. "Im not going to parade around like some prize."

I moved to step past him, but he was faster. In a matter of seconds, his palm slapped against the wall behind my head, caging me in place.

"You're not going?" his voice dropped to a whisper, but it didn't make the edges any less blunt. His breath kissed my cheek, so close I could almost taste it. "That's cute."

Ronan's gaze dipped, trailing lazily over my lips before flickering back to my eyes. Amusement and something dangerous dances behind his orbs, but I pushed them aside.

"Tell me." He murmured, tilting his head to the side. " Is it that you don't want to go, or you don't trust yourself around me?"

My breath caught in my throat, and my pulse scattered across my skin, but I managed to mask it all.

"You wish." I scoffed in his face. "You're delusional."

He said nothing in response. Instead, he just stared at me, his eyes drinking in every part of me. While he was enjoying every bit of the show, I refused to look at him. My skin was on fire and my insides were starting to turn to mush, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of finding out.

"Move." I blurted out, but not with the vigor I'd imagined.

"No." His response was sharp, and he leaned in closer.

"Tell you what," Ronan said, his mouth ghosting over my ear. " Let's play a game."

"What?" I blinked back in confusion. I wasn't sure which was more confusing, his suggestion or the things his scent was doing to me. He smelled accurately of smoke, whiskey and something fruity. It was a weird combination, so maybe that's why it threatened to override my senses.

"If you can stay still," he whispered. "and not react to what I do next, you can stay here."

"But if you react once," his fingers trailed lightly down the side of my neck, sending a violent shiver through me. "You're mine tonight. In every sense of the word."

"That's ridiculous." My lips parted. "That doesn't...."

"Is it?" His hands slipped into my robe, cutting me short. He brushed the bare skin of my waist so gently, I couldn't help but stutter. "Still want to play, sweetheart?"

"I'm not going anywhere." I clung to the vanity, my fingers clenching against its edges. Like that was going to change anything, I let out through gritted teeth. "I'm not going."

"You'll just have to prove it then."

His fingers trailed lower, slipping under the silk and skimming my thighs.

"Your heart's racing." He added, his voice pure sin and amusement dancing in his words. "You like this?"

"No, I don't." The lie tumbled past my lips faster than I could catch it.

Again, he dipped his head, his lips just barely grazing my collarbone. I jolted in response, a low moan bubbling at the back of my throat, and just like that, I'd lost.

"You flinched." He smiled, triumph shining in his eyes.

"That doesn't count..."

"Yes, it does, princess." He pulled away, just enough to take every inch of his body warmth with him. Without blinking, he grabbed a dress off the bed and it just happened to be the one I'd been avoiding.

It was blood red, and the perfect definition of sin.

"Put this on." He tossed the dress at me. "I'll be back in ten."

"I hate you." I glared at him.

"You'll hate me more when I show you what kind of party it is." His smile widened. "Ten minutes, or I'm dressing you myself."

And with that, he walked out, leaving the door wide open and my heart pounding like war drums in my chest.

I looked down at the dress in question

I was really going to the damn party, and deep down , a part of me already knew I wasn't coming back the same.