Page 28 of Deceptive Vows (Bound by Vows #3)

Chapter Twenty-Three

THEA

I shouldn’t have let him kiss me or encouraged it to continue, but… even the chill of the door through my clothes couldn’t cool my skin. He’d kissed me as though he were branding me—ruining me for anyone else.

And I was. Completely.

His scent surrounded me, cedar and citrus laced with something darker—masculine, magnetic, addictive. Each breath filled my lungs with his essence, making my head swim. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat thundered against my palm, matching the frantic pace of my own.

“Kiss me… please.”

I had never begged for affection from a man, but it felt as if I couldn’t get enough of him. His touch, his muscled body pressed against mine, the way every movement set my nerves on fire. His taste lingered on my lips, rich and intoxicating, burning and soothing all at once.

Somewhere in the distance, the city hummed, but all I could hear was the rough catch in his breathing when my fingers traced the lines of his tattoo.

His fingers danced across my skin, circled my belly button, and continued the featherlight assault along my waist, leaving tingles in their wake. “Say it again.”

I hesitated. If I said it again, it wouldn’t be the heat of the moment. It would voice every ounce of want I had for him, and he’d know it. I would be welcoming, practically begging for his possession of me.

The word “possession” made my stomach knot. My mother had belonged to men. They’d used her up and then discarded her. I swore I’d never follow that path. But Nazar wasn’t asking to own me. He was offering something else entirely—something terrifying and precious.

He was offering me a partnership. A shelter. A home. Something sure and solid that I could choose for myself. And the scariest part?

I wanted it.

My thoughts fractured into opposing forces. Logic screamed warnings—this man could reduce my carefully constructed defenses to rubble. I’d spent years ensuring no one had that power. The little girl who’d watched her mother destroyed by men whispered that I was making the same mistake.

Yet something deeper pulled against those fears. The way he looked at me, not just with desire, but with understanding. The security I felt in his arms that I’d never found elsewhere. The realization that my walls, built to protect me, had also imprisoned me.

I’d almost convinced myself to step away when the words tumbled out, betraying my resolve. “Please… please kiss me again.”

Warm breath hit my neck as his lips reached my ear and his teeth caught the lobe, pulling on it slightly. “If I kiss you again, you’re mine. All mine.” He straightened and his eyes locked with mine. “When I kiss you this time… I’m claiming you. If you don’t want that, you need to tell me now. ”

I opened my mouth, instinct ready to reject the very concept of belonging to anyone. No man had ever dared suggest he could possess me. I was Thea Kalantzis, not some trophy to be claimed. The words of defiance formed on my tongue, sharp and certain.

As our gazes remained locked, I recognized something I hadn’t expected. This wasn’t about control or dominance. This was vulnerability disguised as strength. He wasn’t demanding surrender—he was offering his own. The realization stilled my protest, the words dissolving before they could escape.

When his mouth covered mine again, everything was different.

This kiss was slower, more deliberate, tender, and filled with sweet demand.

His hand cupped my face, thumb brushing my cheekbone with surprising tenderness.

The contrast of that gentle touch with the hard press of his body against mine made my head spin.

I wanted to sink into him and let the world around us fade away as I slid my hands up his chest and locked my arms behind his neck. When I lifted on my toes, meeting his body with my own, a growl vibrated in his chest.

His hands, which had stayed at my waist, began a deliberate journey upward.

Fingers splayed across my silk-covered back, tracing the curve of my spine with a reverence that belied his obvious hunger.

Each point of contact sparked a new wave of heat that radiated outward, making me arch instinctively into his touch.

Even through the thin fabric, I could feel the slight calluses on his palms, a reminder of the strength contained in those gentle hands.

Just as his touch reached the sensitive spot between my shoulder blades, the unmistakable buzz of my phone shattered the moment.

“Sorry.” Breathless, I fished my phone from my pocket. “It might be Lucas or?—”

The screen showed an unknown number. I frowned, my instincts immediately on alert. Nazar must have sensed the shift in my demeanor because his hand moved to my waist, protective rather than passionate.

I opened the message, and the words on the screen made my blood run cold:

The wedding needs to be real, sealed, public, and legal. Otherwise, Marco finds out just how much you've been lying. You have until Christmas Eve. Say the vows, or watch them suffer .

A picture popped up on the screen. Three girls who couldn’t have been more than ten, bound, looking terrified. Tears stung my eyes as anger burned in my veins.

“What is it?” Nazar asked, his voice sharp with concern.

I turned the phone so he could see the message. His expression darkened as he read, muscles tensing beneath my fingers that came to rest on his chest.

“Someone knows we’re playing Marco.”

“Could be Gabriele. Or Marco, and he’s hiding behind someone.” Nazar handed the phone back to me, his expression grim.

Another text popped up.

These little girls will find themselves offered to the highest bidder unless my demands are met. As long as you cooperate, they’ll remain safe.

The lingering heat from moments ago had evaporated, replaced by the chill of reality. I shivered, suddenly acutely aware of my thin silk pajamas in the night air.

Nazar noticed, immediately draping his arm around my shoulders and guiding me inside. “We need to tell your brothers.”

I nodded, still processing the implications. If the Morettis knew our engagement was fake, our entire plan was compromised. Those women we were trying to rescue and the little girls would remain in danger.

As we stepped inside, Nazar’s hand found mine, squeezing gently. Despite everything, I drew strength from his touch, from his presence beside me.

“We’ll figure this out,” he said quietly, his voice carrying a conviction I desperately wanted to believe.

I looked up at him, at the determination in his eyes, and realized something that should have terrified me—but didn’t. If our wedding had to be real… I wasn’t afraid of that anymore.