For Better, For Worse: The Serpent's Contract Wife

[18+|MatureContent|DarkRomance]AnastasiaMorrihaslivedafairytalelifeasamafiaprincess,shelteredfromtheworldofbloodandviolence.Buteverythingchangedwhenhersisterwasbrutallymurdered.Twoyearslater,herownfathersellsAnastasiatothesamemanresponsibleforhersister’sdeath.“ZadeSalvero”ThemostfearedandruthlessDonofHightowerCity,infamouslyknownastheSerpent,withasmilethatcanmakeyourskincrawl,andwordsasdeadlyasthepoisonthatrunsthroughhisveins.Onpaper,Anastasiaishisbelovedbride.Yetintruth,she'snothingbuthis“property”.Thisisafateshecan’tescapebecausedaughtersonlyobedientlynodtheirheadsanddoastheyaretold,butnotAnastasia…Sheisacagedspitfirethatwon’tbendeasily.“Youmayhaveboughtme,DonSalvero,butyouhavenoideawhatyou'vebroughtintoyourhome.”“ThenIsupposeI'llenjoyfindingout,Mrs.Salvero.”Anastasiaknewonethingthen...theonlywayshe'dcomeoutofthiswasinabodybag.Notwithoutdragginghimdownwithherfirst.Forbetter,forworse?Oh,please...thisisdeadoralive.Excerpt:Iwhippedmyheadandfoundawallofchest.Liftingmygaze,itbelongedtoZade.Ijerkedaway,butmybackslammedagainstthewallfasterthanIcouldblink.Hecagedmewithhismassiveframe,pointinghisgunbeneathmychin.“Youreallydon'tknowwhentobehave,doyou?”Suddenly,weheardmovement,andwhensomeonecamearoundtoshootatus,Zadepulledthetriggerfirst,andthebodydroppedwithaloudthud.Istruggledtobreakfree,buthishandwrappedaroundmythroat,notinathreateningwaybutwithanintenttosnapmyneck.Iwentutterlystill,mybroadeyesstaringintothosehollowonesofhis.Aviolentshiverranthroughmewhenhisgunmovedalongmyexposedthigh,theheatfromitfeltlikefirelickingacrossmyskin.“Youshould'veruntome,kitten.”“I-I-Ididn'thaveachoice...!”Iraspedwhenthemuzzleofhisgungrazedmypanties.Zadeleanedincloser,murmuringagainstmylips.“Yesyoudid,butyouchosethewrongone.”Hetookmybottomlipbetweenhisteeth,andsomethingheavycrawledupmyspine,somethingIcouldn'tdescribe.“NowI'mgonnateachyouwhathappenswhenyoudefyme.”A/N:Thisisaworkoffiction.Allnames,characters,places,andincidentsareeithertheproductoftheauthor’simaginationorareusedfictitiously.Anyresemblancetoactualpersons,livingordead,orrealeventsispurelycoincidental.