Page 5 of Deceptive Vows

It feels so strange to hear him call me by that name. That insipid name that always fuels my blood with rage.

However, if he has worse than death in store for me, being called Adriana Alvarez is the least of my worries.

When he turns his smile up a notch, undiluted fear roils within my belly.

“What are you going to do to me?” I choke out, not knowing how I manage to form words.

“Let’s start with you watching me kill your father.”

He’s talking about Raul, but he wouldn’t know that Raul is my monster. He’s the monster who took everything from me. Killing him would be like slaying my demon.

Redemption and justice spark in my soul but are quickly extinguished when I allow reality to school my emotions. No redemption or justice will be sought here when I’m sure this man is just another monster. One powerful enough to take down Raul.

And shit, if he takes me to Raul, that will give me away.

I shake when I think of my death.

He thinks I’m Adriana. When he discovers I’m not, I’m dead.

“Princess, you will watch me kill your father the way he killed my family,” he states, giving me the crux of the problem, but my head is now spinning and bile is rising in my throat. “And then you’ll watch your kingdom fall before your eyes. When I’m done, I plan to fuck you and own your virgin pussy.”

My body stiffens as shock flies through me. Shock fueled by rippling waves of trepidation that hits me over and over again.

While he looks at me like he can’t wait to devour me, my heart pounds harder as I stare at him wordlessly.

What the hell am I going to do?

When he releases me, I fall like a dead weight back to the ground, shaking.

“Bring her out, and the old man, too. Burn the rest of the bodies. Let’s show these people how the Bratva deal with traitors.”

2

Natalia

10 hours earlier…

Knots twist and tangle in my stomach as I look at my reflection in the floor-to-ceiling mirror in Adriana’s dressing room and scan over the beautiful wedding dress I’m wearing.

I’m in this dress again.

Herwedding dress.

Adriana walks around me scanning me from head to toe in deep scrutiny as she looks me over. I keep still and pretend I don’t know what’s wrong.

Even though we’re virtually the same petite size, my hips are curvier and my breasts bigger. Since the fucking dress is supposed to be tailored to fit, it’s more suited to my body than hers. That’s why we’re having problems, and there are going to be more problems that won’t get fixed in time.

Herwedding is now a week away, yet she wants me to do the fitting with the seamstress again so she can go on a date. Not with her fiancé. Oh no. This is with some new guy she met in a club last week.

The dress is beautiful and not just the most gorgeous dress I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s the most beautifuleverythingI’ve ever seen. I’m sure any woman would love to be in my shoes. Just the chance to try it on would entice anybody.

Anybody who isn’t me.

Every time Adriana makes me put it on, it feels like an anchor to my hell and the omen of the darkness and death that await me once she says ‘I do.’

I think she knows how I feel about wearing her dress, and outside of the convenience of having me here, she does shit like this to taunt me.

Once she gets married, I’ll be sold. Owned by someone else.