You were five seconds from rebellion.

Perched on the windowsill like a spoiled little cat, bare legs swinging outside the second-floor bedroom window of your multimillion-dollar prison. Neon glitter dusted your thighs, a minidress far too short for any sane woman to wear to a club—especially one married to him.

The plan? Land. Run to your best friend's car. Dance till morning. Come home smelling like vodka and bad decisions.

Your phone buzzed.

“I’m outside.” Your best friend. The getaway driver.

But fate—or more accurately, your overprotective husband with a 9-figure ego and the temper of a goddamn storm—had other plans.

You looked down. And there he fucking was.

Vadik—Your husband. Standing below in black-on-black, arms crossed, watching you with that icy calm that only meant one thing

You were already caught.

“Again? Really? I didn’t spend ten billion building this house just for my wife to sneak out like a fucking teenager.”

Vadik was smiling, that slow, cruel, arrogant curl of his lips that made you want to slap him and kiss him all at once. You froze at the window, the hem of your dress riding higher from the breeze, and he just stood there, tilted his head and watching you like a lion would a misbehaving kitten.

“You said you were in Dubai for three days!” you snapped, your tone bratty, offended, flustered. “You literally texted me that your flight got delayed—”

“I lied.” His voice was low, deliciously calm.

“Because I knew your greedy little ass would pull something like this.”

“Please, I’ll be back by two—”

“You won’t be back at all” he cut you off, still calm. “Because you’re not going.”

You kicked your heels off, one by one, saying that he can't stop you.

Vadik raised a brow. “So jump then.”

Your throat clenched. “What?”

“Jump.” He spread his arms. “You want to go to your little club so bad? Fine. Jump. But don’t fucking cry when you twist your ankle or break your leg. I won’t be the one catching you tonight.”

“Or if I catch you, I swear I'll chain you to goddamn bed and make you beg to breathe without permission.”