Chained Hands (Chained Hearts Duet 1)

When we realized it wasn’t going to happen for us, I started looking for work and found I could work from home. Dillan liked the idea because it meant I could still maintain the house and cook him dinner every night, plus prepare his stupid damn lunch.

Before, I did neither.

I never wanted to be a housewife—it was never my goal in life. Somehow, though, my life structure changed, and for some strange reason I allowed that metamorphosis to happen without even realizing it.

That’s the problem, you see.

I accepted it.

I enabled Dillan to mold me into something I wasn’t with no hesitation.

No uncertainty or doubt.

Why? I trusted him.

It cost a lot to try to fall pregnant—IVF is not cheap. And, eventually, we had to stop.

He resented me for it.

Resented the fact that I was the one who said no more.

But I had to.

I couldn’t keep crying myself to sleep, wondering what was wrong with me and how I couldn’t do the most natural thing in the world. Why my body decided it should not work correctly and bear his child.

Dillan never told me it wasn’t me. He never once eased my worries. He agreed wholeheartedly with my thoughts.

Then, somehow, I lost myself and became the person he wanted. Even that, though, was never enough for him. He started staying out late at night and came home smelling of women’s perfume that sure as shit was not mine.

I’ve been with Dillan for over five years. Three of those were when I lost myself. The other two, I thought he was the one.

Now? Well, now I’m not quite sure what I was thinking.

Dillan Robok is most definitely not the man I love. Pity, it took me being sold for me to see that, but I also don’t want him dead.

So, my decision, for now, is to follow the devil.

Or let the devil destroy everything I know.

Chapter Five

Keir

Quiet.

Timid.

Shy.

Nothing at all like I’m used to.

Women drop to the floor at my feet.

They grovel at my shoes just to have me touch them.

And believe me, my touch is fucking incendiary.

But this one? I’m not sure she was worth the trade.

Yes, she is fucking amazing to look at. It’s one of the only reasons I agreed to take her. Her honey-colored hair, those eyes that look at you as if you can solve a million puzzles in one go and those lips—big, full, soft lips.

While raking my teeth over my mouth, I think about that dress that she was wearing, and how good it felt when I smacked her ass while she was wearing it. She has a full leg of tattoos, which surprised me when Dillan pointed her out. He’s so clean-cut and she’s just so, well, interesting. From her small delicate body that I want to break, tear apart and put back together to those doe eyes that sealed the deal.

I hear her soft footsteps as she enters the room.

My men are gathered around the table as she approaches. She pauses, stops, and her little doe eyes go wide. All six sets of eyes fixate on her, and I watch as she straightens her back and grips the silk of her dress in her hands a little tighter to hold the slit together.

“You bought us a toy. You shouldn’t have.” Roberto licks his lips as he watches her, and all my other men stay silent as they wait for her reaction. She doesn’t move or make a sound. “Why don’t you come and sit next to me, sweetheart? We can eat together.” Roberto taps the chair next to him, and her eyes shoot to me. “Oh, don’t worry about him, I’ll protect you from the big bad wolf.”

Joey chuckles at Roberto’s words and shakes his head. Joey is my younger brother, and he knows me better than anyone on this planet. He also knows no one could protect themselves from me if I want them dead.

Not even him.

“I think I’ll stand, thanks.” She shrugs her shoulders a little higher and places her arms tightly around her body, as if they’re a shield.

“Sit,” I bark at her.

All the chatter dies at my single word, and her eyes find mine before she decides to take a step in my direction. There is only one seat left, and it’s directly between Roberto and Harry. Roberto smiles happily that she has to sit next to him and smirks when she takes quiet steps to round his side of the table. Roberto pulls out her chair, and she reluctantly sits, placing her clasped hands in her lap.

The servers come out to fill our glasses, and the chatter continues as it was before she stepped into the room.

Joey taps the table to gain my attention, and I pull my gaze from her to see a glint in his eyes. “We have to move later, you know this. It’s the only way to keep business going.” I nod at Joey’s words. “Keir …” He says my name, making me turn to face him.