Page 12 of The Pakhan’s Arranged Bride (West Coast Bratva Pakhans #2)

I can’t believe he is behaving like this.

And I can’t believe he is treating me like some commodity in front of this man.

I know enough about the Bratva world to understand that you treat your allies and your enemies with respect.

Ardalion is the leader of Los Angeles, it’s not uncommon knowledge.

And now Benedikt has just embarrassed me in front of the man.

I’m about to storm away from him when he grabs my arm, digging his fingers into my skin. “We’re leaving,” he growls.

“I’m leaving,” I snap, trying to pull free again, but he’s holding too tightly.

Ardalion snickers and says, “Looks like true love,” then walks away from us. I’m dying inside. This is more embarrassing than I care to admit.

I glance around to see if anyone else is watching, and there are one or two people staring in morbid curiosity.

The embarrassment sinks deeper.

Benedikt, still gripping my arm too tightly, drags me away from the room and out onto the balcony to the left of the bar.

Only once we are outside does he let go of my arm.

“You're such an asshole. How dare you treat me like that in front of everyone?” I snap angrily. “I am not a child. Who the hell do you think you are?” I’m so angry it feels like my heart is going to burst right out of my rib cage as it beats a million miles an hour.

My fists are clenched, and my cheeks are hot as I glare at him.

“I am your fucking husband who just caught you flirting with Ardalion Pushkin,” he growls back at me.

“I was not flirting,” I say, trying to keep my voice down despite the fact that I want to scream at him.

“Do you think I’m fucking blind, Ulyana?”

“I think you’re fucking immature and forgot how to behave like a man,” I snap back.

This conversation is going nowhere and I’m over it. I refuse to deal with him now, in front of everyone, causing a scene, being treated like I’m not even worthy of basic respect.

I shake my head, my eyes burning into him with a look of disgust.

Then I spin on my heel and storm off the balcony, back into the party, to make my way outside to where the cars are parked.

Benedikt realizes what I’m doing and runs after me.

Outside in the parking lot, he snaps at me again. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“I’m calling an Uber and leaving. You can do whatever the fuck you want. I’m done here.” I pull out my phone and scroll to the app to book a ride home. To my horror, Benedikt grabs my phone from me.

“Give that back, you’re behaving like a child,” I say angrily.

“You are not going home on your own. It’s too dangerous,” he snarls, shoving my phone into his jacket pocket.

My rage is building to dangerous levels. I have never had someone treat me with such disrespect, and I want to slap him in the face for it.

“Benedikt, you have three seconds to give me my phone back and let me leave.” I march over to him and hold my hand out, palm up, waiting for my phone.

He snorts. “I’m driving you home.”

“No, go back to your stupid party and your stupid room full of egotistical assholes. You fit in perfectly. The biggest asshole of them all.”

A sneer brushes over his lips, and his eyes darken.

He takes my hand and pulls me deeper into the parking lot, towards his car.

“Let me go,” I shout, trying to pull away.

He turns, lifts me off my feet, and throws me over his shoulder.

I am mortified. I can’t believe he’s doing this. All I can hope is that we are far enough away from the party that no one is actually seeing this happen.

His hand slips over my ass, moving between my legs as he walks, holding me too tightly. My body spikes with heat. It’s anger . It’s anger, not desire.

I groan inwardly, hating the fact that his touch is affecting me in ways I refuse to be affected right now.

Benedikt tugs his car door opens and puts me into the passenger seat. I sit sulking with my arms folded over my chest and my lips pouted.

I am never speaking to him again.

He climbs in and slams the door.

“I can’t believe you did that,” he snaps, starting the car and revving it in anger.

“What did I do?” I shout, not caring if anyone hears us at this point. We’re far from the rest of the crowd now, though, and the chances are slim. I’m struggling to control my anger, and there is something else building beneath the surface, the tension bolting through my body in waves.

“You know what you did, Ulyana.”

I shake my head, turning my face away from Benedikt, staring out of the window and trying to count down from one hundred to stop this building anger. He’s impossible to talk to. I have to stop arguing because it won’t end well.

And his stupid cologne smells so damn good it’s hyping me up as well. And the way his stupid shirt is rolled up over his stupid, perfectly toned arms, thick muscles flexing as he grips the steering wheel too tightly—it’s all too much.

I can’t deal with any of this.

Both of us fall quiet as he drives home.

I can feel the heat emanating off him. His entire aura is one of frustration and rage.

When I glance at him, his jaw is set so firmly that the muscles are feathering across his face.

Why the hell does he have to be so damn good looking?

I hate being attracted to him while I am trying so hard to hate him.

He drives up the long driveway leading to our home and pulls the car to a stop. Before the engine turns off I’m already out. I slam the car door as hard as I can, knowing it’s immature and not caring, and storming towards the house, desperate to get away from him before I try to claw his eyes out.

Behind me, I hear his door slam, too, and his heavy footsteps following me.

I shove the front door open and practically run upstairs to the bedroom. I want to grab my comfortable clothes and sleep in the guest room tonight. I refuse to sleep anywhere near him.

He stands in the doorway, watching me, his eyes like daggers.

“Why Ardalion? Of everyone in that room, why would you flirt with Ardalion?” His voice is low and dangerous.

“I wasn’t flirting, ” I shout in exasperation, kicking my high heels off. With my change of clothes in my hands, and march towards the bedroom door. “Move,” I demand.

“I saw him touch you, Ulyana. Again, you think I’m blind? Do you think I don’t know what men have on their mind when they look at you? And you let Ardalion touch you.”

“Touch me?” I blurt out, staring up at him, ready to challenge his stupid ideas.

His eyes are wild with emotion and suddenly it snaps into place.

He’s jealous.

All of this anger, this overreaction because some asshole was flirting with me— it’s because he’s jealous.

The idea of Benedikt being jealous sends a bolt of desire through me. I try to push it away, but his possessive anger has my skin burning and my heart racing.

This is stupid. I shouldn’t be reacting like this.

His eyes are still locked with mine and I can feel my cheeks heating and my breath catching as my thoughts spin wildly.

My gaze drifts over him. His wide shoulders and broad chest. His perfectly chiseled muscles, pressing against the fitted shirt.

The thick tension of his neck. His shirt, unbuttoned at the top, leaving a glimpse of his collarbone.

I bite my lip, wondering how to handle this.

“Don’t do that,” he growls dangerously, his eyes on my mouth.

“You’re jealous,” I blurt out. “That’s why you dragged me out of there like that. Because you got jealous.”

His eyes flare. He stares at me in silence. He hasn’t denied it.

He hasn’t said anything.

I wait, my eyes burning into his.

“Why would you be this jealous, Benedikt? Our marriage is a business deal. It’s a matter of convenience.” The challenge in my voice is clear. I dare him to explain himself.

Benedikt takes a step closer to me, and my body hums with anticipation.

His eyes narrow, as he lifts his hand and threads it around the side of my face, cupping my cheek and my jaw. He tilts my head back.

I stare at him in silence.

Waiting.

But instead of answering me with words, he leans closer.

My heart beats faster.

His lips crash into mine, his mouth locking over mine as he pushes my lips apart with his.

I moan against his mouth as he kisses me.

His other hand wraps around the other side of my face as he holds me in place.

I wouldn’t have moved anyway. I can’t even remember my name as he pushes his tongue into my mouth and his body presses against mine.

He spins me around and pushes my back against the bedroom wall. I moan again as he pins me beneath him, grabbing my wrists and locking them behind my back with one hand. His other hand around my throat, he uses his thumb to push my jaw up so that he can deepen the kiss.

His scent intoxicates me, pulls me from reality as I fight for self-control.

But there is no control.

I am not the one in control.

My body is screaming a hundred things, but not one of them is for him to stop.

His breath is hot on my lips as he lets his hand drift down my throat, between my breasts, cupping my breast in his hand and letting his thumb brush over my nipple. It hardens instantly beneath his touch.

His other hand releases my wrists and moves down my back, over my ass, his fingers slipping between my legs, cupping my pussy.

I yelp in fright as he picks me up, lifting me and pushing my legs open as he pins me against the wall again, this time with my legs wrapped around his waist and his hand still teasing over my pussy from behind as he holds me.

I arch my ass backwards, desperate to feel more of his touch.

I can’t believe this is happening.

My body wants all of this, everything. I want to feel him in every way possible. I want him to use me as a toy, to take me and make me scream his name.

I have my hands wrapped around his neck, pulling his lips against mine, my fingers threading up into his hair, knotting there, holding on, not willing to let go.

He pulls me away from the wall and turns to carry me towards the bed.

Benedikt throws me onto it. I lie there in shock, staring up at him, my dress hitched up high and my legs bare for him to let his eyes roam over.

He slowly unbuttons his shirt, bit by bit, revealing his perfect muscles. His Adonis belt, the dark hair like a pathway beneath his belly button.

He shrugs his shirt off his shoulders and grabs his belt, yanking free.

He snaps the leather in his hands, and I jump, my eyes shooting wide.

“I told you I was going to have to punish you if you misbehaved, Ulyana,” he growls dangerously.

I can’t believe my eyes.

I shift up the bed, unsure whether I like the idea of where this is going or if it terrifies me.

He grabs my ankle and pulls me down towards him again, flipping me over at the same time. He wraps his fist through my hair and pulls me onto my knees with my back pressing into his front. I can feel his cock against me, rock-hard against my back as he rubs himself over me.

I tilt my head back and let out a sigh of desire. He lets go of my hair and his hand drifts down my neck, over my shoulder, pushing the straps of my dress off my shoulders.

The soft silk slips easily off my body, falling around my waist.

Benedikt cups his hands over my breasts from behind and teases my nipples. I arch my back, pressing myself harder against his cock.

I hear the belt snap again and jump in fright. He grabs my wrists and wraps the leather around them, then he steps onto the bed and drags me to the headboard, tying the belt to it and restraining me in place.

“Benedikt,” I gasp, rolling onto my back and looking up at him, standing over me.

He pulls his pants loose.

My body throbs with lust as he pulls them down, freeing his cock.

It’s massive.

Thick veins pulse over the underside of his shaft as I stare up at him.

He pushes his pants off his solid, thick thighs and kicks them onto the floor.

The look in his eyes is one of wild animalistic desire.