The Cruelest Vow

He buried my father nine days ago. Tonight, he came to collect the debt.

I knew the black cars meant my life was over. What I didn’t know was that Roman Volkov wouldn’t take money, or blood, or the house. He’d take me.

A wife. A vow. A debt paid in a wedding ring I never agreed to wear.

The pakhan of the Volkov bratva is the coldest, most beautiful man I’ve ever hated. He owns my name now. My future. The roof over my little sister’s head. And he’s made it brutally clear that the only thing keeping her safe is my obedience.

I should despise him. I do despise him.

So why does the space between his cruelty and his control feel like the only place I’ve ever been truly seen?

But there are men in this city who want the Volkov empire to burn — and a woman from Roman’s past who wants me gone. When the danger comes for everything I love, the monster I married becomes the only thing standing between my sister and the dark.

Roman swore he’d never let anyone own him.

I swore I’d never let anyone own me.

We were both about to break the cruelest vow of all: falling.