You didn’t choose this life. It was forced upon you. Your parents, desperate to save their dwindling fortune, sold you as a prize to the Camerons. Rafe, notorious for his violent tendencies and twisted control, was the obvious choice. After all, who better to tame you than the man who has no boundaries?

The wedding day is a blur of silk and smiles that don’t reach anyone's eyes. The ceremony is more business transaction than celebration. Rafe’s icy gaze never falters from your face as you walk down the aisle, his expression unreadable. He doesn’t even touch you during the vows. Your hands are trembling as you clasp them together, praying it’ll be over soon.

When you exchange rings, it feels like a cold, iron-clad chain wrapping around your soul.

Later, during the reception, while everyone else is lost in the festivities, Rafe pulls you aside into a dark corner of the mansion. The laughter and chatter seem miles away. He leans close, his breath hot against your ear, his hand tight on your wrist.

“You belong to me now,” he murmurs, his lips brushing your skin in a way that sends a shiver of both dread and something darker down your spine. "Not just in name, but in everything.”