Chapter 2 I Had Shattered That Hope

• Todd's POV:
• "Ah, Todd, don't stop!" the woman beneath me moaned, begging me to continue thrusting in and out of her core as her long legs were wrapped around my waist. She was hot, inside and out, and so was I.
• "Ariana, how could you do this?" I entered her, pushing with all my strength. Fury surged through my veins; she had betrayed me and slipped me an aphrodisiac! I should have eliminated her right then and there, but my father had locked the door. I was trapped. I had never been one to remain passive, and since I had a willing partner in front of me, why not channel my frustrations into her? Regardless, I would never consent to marry her, even as I shifted to go deeper.
• After three rounds, the effects of the drug began to wane, and the heat within me diminished considerably, but d*mn it! I didn't want to pull out! She must have slipped me something else!
• Her delicate hand brushed against my arm, and my resolve crumbled instantly. I flipped her over roughly, pouring all my anger into her. She trembled and cried out, "Oh, Todd! Please, slow down ... "
• "Be quiet." I covered her mouth, wanting to keep the moment silent. I wouldn't admit that her moans only fueled my desire to continue.
• Once it was all over, I stepped out onto the balcony to smoke. As the smoke swirled around me, I glanced back at Ariana sprawled on the bed; she was sound asleep, completely worn out. My bite marks were imprinted on her full breasts, and my hands had left bruises on her soft thighs. I had never been this intense with a woman before, not even with Lilith, the one I truly desired to marry.
• Lilith was bold and adventurous, a seductress in bed, and that excited me. Ariana was something else entirely; she was innocent and bashful. No matter where I touched her, her cheeks would flush a deep crimson.
• "D*mn!" I felt my arousal rising again, further infuriating me because I had never seen Ariana as anything more than a child.
• Seven years ago, Ariana lost her father because of my own, and my father had brought her into our household. Back then, she was so small and wouldn't dare meet my gaze, her voice barely a whisper. I had no interest in girls like that—fragile, timid little girls.
• Over the years, I hardly spoke to her. Occasionally, when we exchanged a few words, she seemed cheerful, but her soft voice only irritated me. I had no patience for childishness; I preferred women who were confident, sultry, and mature.
• When did I realize she had matured? Oh, it was on her 20th birthday when she was kidnapped. The abductors attempted to negotiate with us, hoping to trade Ariana's safety for territory, mistakenly believing she was my fiancée. I couldn't fault them; my father and the staff often referred to her that way, although I didn't agree.
• "What do you think we should do?" my father asked.
• "I'll kill them all. I'll bring Ariana back unharmed." A surge of murderous intent filled me; anyone who dared threaten the Lockfords deserved to die.
• My father was pleased with my reaction. He took charge of the negotiations to buy time while I gathered a team to locate Ariana. Unfortunately, the kidnappers caught wind of our plans and evaded my father's trap before I could reach them. They intended to assault Ariana, and I realized it the moment I entered the scene, as I saw the men stripped bare. Ariana's clothes had been torn, despair written all over her face.
• That infuriated me. I had vowed to bring her back unharmed, and I killed everyone there. Surprisingly, Ariana didn't scream; she appeared remarkably calm, which shifted my perception of her, if only slightly. That was the first time I saw her naked. Her skin was tight, her breasts perky, and her bottom was round, looking like an utter beauty.
• I didn't comfort her; I was eager to deal with the mafia known as Crimson Claw, the ones who had taken her. I led my Dark Angel crew to their hideout and forced them to scatter. From that day on, only one mafia remained in Raidind, led by our family's Dark Angel faction.
• After that incident, my reputation soared within Dark Angel, and my father stepped down, but he insisted that I marry Ariana, claiming she possessed connections to some mysterious power that could benefit me.
• "Are you serious? Ariana was nearly assaulted; she won't want to be around a man for a long time." I couldn't help but laugh at that ridiculous notion. My father's idea of some hidden strength behind her was absurd. If there really was something, how could her father have died so violently?
• "No, she's willing to marry you," my father insisted.
• "Oh, hell no!" What was she thinking, wanting to marry me? Besides, why should my marriage be determined by my father? I angrily refused, "I won't marry her! If you believe she has some mysterious power supporting her, then you can marry her yourself!"
• I turned and walked away. But what I didn't expect was that Ariana actually tricked me into taking an aphrodisiac, and then my father locked me and Ariana in a room together ...
• I took another long drag of my cigarette and stubbed it out in the ashtray. I hated being forced into anything, and it only fueled my disdain for Ariana.
• When the door finally clicked open, I left without waiting for Ariana to wake. Eight months later, I returned home with Lilith, trying to make Ariana back off, but she had the audacity to stand her ground. I aimed my gun at her. My aim was true, and as I saw her lower her head, I knew my shot would only graze her scalp, leaving her unhurt. But something unexpected happened.
• She miscarried.
• She bled out and died.
• My two unborn children were gone as well.
• This was all my fault.
• As I gazed at the image my men had sent, my breath hitched in my throat.
• The photo depicted three lifeless figures beneath white sheets—one larger body and two smaller ones, all resting on hospital beds. Today was meant to be the day I welcomed three children into the world, but I had shattered that hope.
• D*mn it!