Forced to Marry the Russian (Nikolai Bratva Brides #2)

Chapter 7 - Zia

Zia had always wanted to get married. She’d always wanted to fill her home with beautiful kids.

But all of those dreams had been with her ex-boyfriend. The man she loved, the man she believed loved her. Not with a monster like Lev Nikolai.

So much had happened in a matter of two days. Her dreams were ripped from her, and she’d been thrown into a life she hadn’t prepared for—a life married to the underboss of the Bratva.

How the hell was she supposed to cope with all of that? It was too much to bear.

She sat on the king-sized bed in the expensively furnished bedroom Lev told her now belonged to her. She peered around, taking in the monochrome décor. It was far more beautiful than where she lived and a lot better than the Airbnb she’d moved into.

Still, she hated it. The very thought of the person who occupied the room across her made her sick to her stomach.

It was all her fault. If she’d been firmer in refusing his help—if she’d not slept with him, none of this would have happened. Lev wouldn’t have gotten this stupid idea of forcing her into a marriage she didn’t want, all in the name of protecting her.

She had to escape his clutches somehow, but how?

Her mind spiraled with thoughts, but she couldn’t think of anything. She wasn’t familiar with the mafia world, but she knew enough to guess he had connections all over the world and that it would be damn easy to find her if she ran away.

A knock on the door reeled her back to the present. “Come in,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The door creaked open, and a young woman around forty walked in. She had curly brown hair, just like Zia, and blue eyes that crinkled as she smiled. She reminded Zia so much of her own mother.

Fuck. Tears welled in her eyes. Her mother had wanted to see her walk down the aisle before she died. Her father didn’t even stay alive long enough to know what her first words were. She’d lost everything, and now she was going to lose herself too.

“What do you want?” she asked the woman, her voice a little harsher than she intended for it to be.

The woman didn’t seem to mind. She just kept smiling. “My name is Polina, child. I’m the housekeeper here.”

Zia felt a tang of guilt for the way she spoke, but fuck guilt. She was being forced to marry a man she didn’t want. It wasn’t the time for her to be considerate of his accomplices. “What are you doing here?”

“The priest is here,” Polina said quietly. “It’s time for you to come downstairs.”

“Really?” Air drained from Zia’s lungs. Everything felt even more real than it did minutes ago, and there was no escaping. She looked at the window, sighing at the fact that there was no way she could jump through Polina to the side and make a run for it. She would be caught before she made it to the road.

She had no choice. She had to marry him.

Flying up to her feet, she gathered the skirt of her gown and trudged out of the room, stomping down the stairs until she was in the foyer.

Polina walked elegantly behind her.

“Where is that pig you called a boss?” she asked angrily. She didn’t care about watching her tone or words. Lev chose to play these stupid games with her, so it would be right for him to expect her anger.

Polina’s brow shot up to her hairline.

Zia knew from Polina’s expression that no one had ever dared to call Lev a pig. But calling him that was nothing compared to who he really was.

“In the garden,” Polina answered, signaling to the white double doors that lead to the garden outside.

Zia marched to the door, flung it open, and walked to Lev, who was waiting for her by the altar.

Despite herself, he looked like a god in the black suit he was wearing. This man was more handsome than any other man she’d seen. His sharp facial features, dark-brown eyes, and muscled body were some things she only saw in magazines.

Lev turned his head as Zia approached, his gaze piercing through her as if he could see every thought churning in her mind. His eyes locked onto hers, a small smirk playing on his lips. The bastard knew exactly how good-looking he was, and Zia despised him even more for it.

There was a flicker of something in his eyes—was it regret? Sorrow? Or just cold indifference?

He extended his hand toward her, a silent invitation for her to stand beside him. Zia hesitated for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest, before reluctantly placing her hand in his. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through her veins, and she quickly pulled away as if burned.

The priest cleared his throat, breaking the tense silence that had settled over the garden. Lev's expression remained unreadable as he turned his attention to the priest.

Zia stood there, feeling like a prisoner being led to the gallows. She glanced around the garden, taking in the elegant decorations. There was no guest at all, which didn’t surprise her. Even a madman like him couldn’t invite guests to a wedding where the bride was attending against her will.

As the priest began his long, boring sermon about how he who finds a wife finds a good thing, her mind drifted back to only a week ago when she’d been happy and hopeful.

She’d made plans with her ex-boyfriend to save up for a vacation, but all along, he’d been… Tears ran down her cheeks, and she didn’t notice until Lev reached out to swipe them away. His touch was annoyingly electric, but it was somehow comforting.

Lev said his vows and slid a ring on her finger. The ring was a beautiful gleaming band of gold, encrusted with a large oval diamond that caught the light and sparkled with each movement. She was certain it must have cost a fortune.

When it reached her turn to say her vows, Zia hesitated. The deal would be sealed the second she said those words and no one would ever come to save her from Lev.

No one would even care if she was dying in his mansion.

“We’re waiting for you, Malyshka ,” Lev drawled. He had a frown on his face as if waiting for her to collect herself was the most exasperating thing he’d ever had to endure.

She cleared her throat, clamped her hands together, and repeated the vows after the priest with a shaking voice.

The words felt like a noose tightening around her neck, sealing her fate in a life she never wanted. As she spoke the vows, each syllable weighed heavily on her soul, trapping her in a web of lies and deceit. Lev's eyes bore into hers, his gaze unwavering as if daring her to defy him.

As the last words of the vows tumbled out of Zia's mouth, a heavy silence descended upon the garden. Lev's eyes bore into hers, trapping her in their intense gaze…

The priest nodded solemnly, pronouncing them husband and wife.

Zia felt a cold shiver run down her spine as Lev leaned in to seal their union with a kiss. She turned her face away at the last moment, his lips grazing her cheek instead. She remembered how it felt kissing him last night, how good and irresistible his lips were when they crashed against hers.

Here she was, thinking Lev was the mad one when she’d lost her mind reminiscing about their past kiss in a moment like this.

She didn’t want to feel that again. She didn’t want to give herself any reason to make up excuses for the shackles called marriage that he was throwing her into.

“Look at me, Malyshka ,” Lev said, his voice a deep, husky baritone.

His hand shot out, gripping her chin firmly and forcing her to meet his eyes. There was a dangerous glint in his gaze, one that drew her in so deep that, for a second, she’d lost herself looking into them.

“You’re mine now, Malyshka ,” he said, looking straight into her eyes. “Mine in every possible way a woman can belong to a man.”

“I am not your property,” she retorted angrily.

She was his wife, but even that was not by choice. The last thing she wanted was for him to reduce her to something far less than what he’d already done. She wouldn’t be his property either, not over her dead body.

“Keep talking back, and I’ll show you all the reasons why you’re mine, Malyshka .” A smug smile quirked his lips, and his eyes darkened. “You agreed to become mine the moment you said those vows, and you cannot escape it. You cannot escape me.”

Lev's words hung heavy in the air, suffocating Zia with their oppressive weight. She felt trapped, her chest tightening with fear and rage at being forced into this unwanted marriage. The way he spoke to her as if she were nothing more than a possession to be owned and controlled sent a chill down her spine.

But deep within her, a spark of defiance ignited. She refused to let Lev break her spirit, no matter how powerful he thought he was. Gathering all the courage she had left, Zia squared her shoulders and met his gaze with steely determination.

“I may be your wife now, Mr. Nikolai,” she began, her voice trembling but firm, “but you will never own me. You forced me into this marriage, but you will never have my heart or my obedience. I am not yours to command or control.”

Lev's eyes flashed with a mixture of surprise and something close to admiration. It was clear that he hadn't expected her to stand up to him like this. His expression hardened, and he took a step closer to her.

“You think you can defy me, Malyshka ?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous. “No one has ever dared to, and even those who did paid for it with their lives.”

Zia's heart pounded in her chest, but she refused to back down. She was no one's possession, and she wouldn't let Lev forget it.

“I am not just anyone, Mr. Nikolai. Like I said before, I am your wife now, and I believe you’re not cruel enough to murder your own wife,” she said, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her veins.

Lev's eyes narrowed, and he seemed to consider her words for a moment. Then, he let out a low laugh.

“You are a beautiful and stubborn creature, Zia,” he said, tracing a finger along her jawline. “You’re more interesting than I’d have ever thought. Let’s see where that smart mouth of yours gets you.”

Leaning toward her, he leveled his lips against hers and kissed her so intensely that her body pressed to melt against his, and her mind turned to a mush.