ted, my voice echoing t
toward my fu
Viktor's passing, and l
cef
fate that awaited me,
the stairs and into one o
onto the wooden floor
ng b
with a click, my heart s
at was to come. For the
lack of abuse and contro
as destined to repeat it
ins
n, my senses were heigh
that appeared were clo
de me recoil. "Time to g
oice cold and unyielding
o myself pr
en, to be a pawn in som
d a knowing look bef
away from them, clutc
h I had. "No! Don't to
betraying the fear cours
re
d wrenching me
ugg
ai
res
eyes snatched my hands
a
able to hold on any long
of brown-eyed man while
ic surged through my bo
writhing
I roared in de
ting terror of being touc
flooding back, filling me
ductors marched me down
aboured breath I took.
was in deep trouble. "I sa
ish in a net. But my stru
the door gave way and m
again. Despite the pain,
desperate for escape. But
e stopped me
nse Irena!" With tears
d
at my
n
eng exposed a
alf my face, an
s that fell freely. Dresse
black heels, I felt lik
here in the house, scatt
n who had carried me ag
ed my head and locked e
brown eyes burned into
y-blue suit. Despite hi
n patches, he exuded an
eart race
linking gaze was fixe
ed snugly around a
of thirty-three, his im
ssessed piercing blue eye
e him a boyish aspect.
e within our elite fa
tly approaching me with
ble. "You litle brat!" h
could flinch, his palm
lted my head sharply off
et you're out here being
bringing upon our fami
is words laced with dis
my behaviour, "If your
ldn't have been creating
enraged his condescendi
red,
I was not at fault.
rrupted by the abrupt
nger in tow. However,
no, as I retorted wi
yes darted away from m
had just ente
ound my arm like a vice,
ut his grip only grew mor
My stomach churned wit
between th
are feet, hoping to di
eat
was suffocating, and I
t," Grzegorz's voice br
reality. He yanked
tow
ger. My eyes remained c
t. "Grzegorz," a voi
y spine, and I slowly l
ker. In front of me lies a
of feelin
the towering trees
cling his irises. His
t towards a chiselled j
is inky hair, cared fo
t speaks volumes about
i
h e
yes, there is an al urin
hint of
gla
eil of mystery, and
bird, ensnared by his ga
ghtens around me, causin
nto a firm slash as he fi
s words. "Forgive us, Sai
with Miss Now
llious mood,
," he mutters the las
y brows in
a
t's jaw bristles as he
now damp with perspira
a deflated balloon, Grzeg
like she's been scavenged
directing his s
as a dirty lifestyle,
ty, yet we cou
was destined for this li
mother, born into pove
o well. With her three br
the family. Her eldest b
their struggling househ
take night shifts at n
ent amount so my mother
he payment was decent an
re a lot of criminals and
her. She worked at the ba
he concepts of her enviro
bar, everything was go
th
No
ht Jan's eye. Jan cha
ere deeply in love and m
ney and they saw it as a
ught if Jan proposed to
and start a new life in
e than just a businessma
erican crime org
co, they both decided to
n love, eventually during
with me which caused is
she was gettin
e dn dunes behind, re
but fate had o
my family
It was a world away from
thplace. As I grew, trag
to protect me from
to flee with me but pai
rows in bottles of vodka
an at the tender age of f
others took me in, ush
a s
ion. But even as the yea
n the back of the class,
enage years that my l
nd a sweet new boyfrie
re not immune to heartbre
love was pure, not all fri
Just asI thought my life
high school and threw m
scho
the form of Viktor, and
But as much as I tried
ouldn't help but wish for
nt of Saint and Grzegorz,
ed and
k toward me were intim
eps back. But at that mom
aster, I knew I couldn't
, and for anyone who migh
eart races, and my feet
your uncles." His voice
ch l
both vulnerable and def
e, reminding me of the
entire life. But I refus
. I will always stand up
o
n explanation. As the
ld and his jaw clenches
to give him the satisfac
ened, and his voice gre
see
you." The heat between
unresolved tension. A
g my pulse with intensit
striking against my ches
be swallowed by the ear
um
soon-to-be husband,
ctat
aking made my head spin
way, consequences loome
ther the wrath of my unc
tale e
aze fixed on my uncles,
ne. "Does this woman e
sending my heart rac
gaze, staring down at
oblivion. But to my sur
le, breaking th
quiet demeanour, Saint
Saint's severity. "She tal
nce she gets comfortabl
, and Krzysztof rarely
self and doesn't bother
in his
istance from him earns
o me, sending shivers c
meet his glance, but I co
a physic
l up in a ball and give
stand my ground and pr
than a mere feisty wom
w and menacing, sending
aise my eyes, I was
tor eyeing up its p
ti
i
others around us, neve
ttlefield, my heart pound
rate for my uncles to st
n with them by side, I
a lamb
e trusted anyone
ept
shivers down my spine
ncles maybe my blood, but
ey can't guarantee my sa
of S
w to me. Even when I s
ds, my uncles dismissed
lies and atte
e Saint, I feel the full
o leave me alone with Sa
warning that sends me re
f
t kind. As the rest of th
elf, a sense of un
n me, seizing my neck a
h the freshness of min
and menacin
nt's eyes as he cocked h
wit
ze
the weight of
ins
o
sr
e
S
touching me made my sk
ust, and a frown creased
to teach you manners?" S
oonlit night, but his t
ind went blank, strugg
nto my neck, crushing my
by his touch, a feeling
ripped like honey, slow
ragile throat, cutting o
ears blurred my vision. I
is face in desperat
ggle
me, pulling me ever c
sciou
n eternity as the world
deaf ears, as my lungs be
n a titan, but I
t I'l bite back lik
nails claw at his skin, d
releases his tight grip a
r
n
elming de
it
ring his now bleeding e
h my breath, rubbing my
back down. With steel
ly lifting his hand away
kling down
lief as I took in the w
from his left eye dow
s hit me like a ton of br
a scar Saint would carry
o
aint produced a pristi
elicately dabbing at the
braced myself for the i
st. But what came next w
e corners of his lips, sen
in
ression - it was the hau
hat lurked behind those c
andered down his chisell
cing
ades halted abruptly. An
ls dilated
s ere
rough the fabric of hi
eas
etely flabbergasted, an
hilling sensation crept
at the prominent bu
aling a twisted and ani
, Saint folded the handk
away, striding purpose
ed on me for a fleeting
fore he silently left the
of u