Taming the Dove

Roman

I stand in the doorway, a dark, profound satisfaction settling deep in my chest as I watch her freeze. I have finally gotten her precisely where I want her. The chase was not nearly as difficult as I anticipated. Her pathetic, coward of a father did not mind giving up his own flesh and blood for a stack of money to clear his debts, and I certainly do not mind taking full, exclusive possession of her.

I can clearly see the raw emotion radiating from her small frame. She is terrified of me. I know it, and she knows it. The fear rolls off her in waves, but I feel no pity. In due time, she will be forced to get used to me. She will adapt to my presence, my touch, and my demands in every conceivable way. She has no other choice. She is officially my little dove, Tessa Mercer.

Just moments ago, I smoothly asked her to follow me upstairs so she could get cleaned up from the filthy ordeal of the night. Instead of obeying my simple command, she bolted into an adjacent guest bathroom. Intrigued by her sudden flight, I quietly followed the harsh, echoing sound of her gagging over the toilet.

Now, I step fully into the doorway and find her leaning over the pristine marble sink, desperately rinsing the sour taste from her mouth. Taking her in under the bright vanity lights, I notice she looks distinctively pale and fragile. Her cheekbones are sharp, and her frame is visibly malnourished. It makes sense that she feels sick, given the squalor she came from.

When she turns and spots my towering frame blocking the only exit, her huge, vivid green eyes instantly fill with a raw, undeniable fear. The sheer terror in her gaze unexpectedly shoots a deeply satisfying, electrifying thrill straight down my spine. I thrive on that look.

"Are you sick?" I ask, my voice thick with intense, predatory curiosity. I keep my gaze locked onto her trembling form.

She swallows hard, shaking as she tries to find her voice. "No," she replies hastily, her words stumbling over one another. "I just over ate too much."

I hum low in my throat. Her shaky voice and pale complexion leave me unconvinced. If she is going to live under my roof and serve my purposes, I refuse to take chances with my new property. I reach into the pocket of my tailored slacks, pull out my sleek phone, and immediately dial Gage.

"Gage," I bark the stern order the second my second-in-command answers the line.

"Yes, boss."

"Bring Nolan to the estate right now. Have him come directly to my quarters." Nolan is my trusted personal doctor, the man who handles my private affairs and treats my men when the hospital is out of the question.

"Understood, boss."

I end the call and slide the device away. Hearing my command, panic flares wild and bright in Tessa's green eyes.

"It's not really necessary to call a doctor," she cries out, taking a frantic step back until her hips hit the vanity. "I just want to get out of here and go home!"

A single, stray tear slips pitifully down her bruised, surprisingly pretty face. The sight of her crying should be annoying, but instead, it draws me in. I take a slow, deliberate step forward into the bathroom. My massive six-foot-seven frame easily towers over her small, trembling figure.

"No, no, Dove. Shhh, don't cry," I coax in a deceptively soft, lethal whisper.

I close the distance between us, raising my large hand. I press my thumb to her cheek, gently and possessively wiping the hot tear away from her smooth, warm skin. She flinches, but I refuse to let her pull away.

"You only get to shed those tears when I fuck and spank you, dove," I state clearly, my tone dropping to a dark, authoritative register. "That's the only time when you're allowed to cry."

She trembles beneath my touch, her breath hitching in her throat. "Who are you?" she asks frantically, desperation bleeding into her voice. "What do you want from me? Please, just let me go. You've already taken so much!"

"Where are my manners?" I say smoothly, stepping back just enough to give her a false sense of space. A chilling smile rests on my lips. "I didn't even formally introduce myself. I'm Roman Volkov."

The moment the infamous, blood-soaked name leaves my mouth, Tessa's face instantly drains of all remaining color. Profound shock and unadulterated disbelief wash over her delicate features. The realization of exactly whose house she is trapped in hits her like a physical blow. Her knees give out.

She abruptly drops directly to the hard bathroom tiles, hitting the floor with a dull thud. She folds in on herself, sobbing brokenly, shattered by the sheer weight of my identity.

"Just let me go, please, sir," she pleads, looking up at me from the cold floor through a blur of tears. "I swear I'll work tirelessly and pay every single cent of the money my father owes you! Please, I'll do anything to pay it back!"

I look down at her pathetic display, feeling nothing but stern, icy indifference. "Tears don't faze me, dove," I state, my voice devoid of any mercy. "It's you I want, Tessa Mercer. Now, get the fuck up."

She remains curled on the floor, refusing to stand. She shakes her head, sobbing harder into her hands. My thin patience snaps in half.

"Just get the fuck up!" I fume, my voice echoing like thunder against the tile walls.

I aggressively reach down, wrapping my large hand around her fragile arm, and yank her small body off the ground with a single, brutal motion. She continues to tremble like a leaf in the wind and weep uncontrollably, rapidly pushing my legendary temper to its breaking limit.

"The fuck, Tessa!" I yell directly in her face, forcing her to look at me. "I already explicitly told you, the only time you'll get to cry is when I fuck you hard on my bed. Now shut the fuck up and follow me like the obedient girl you are supposed to be. Do not test me."

Seeing how terrified she is by my sudden, explosive outburst, I force myself to pause. I take a deep breath, deliberately reigning in my temper. I have already pushed her to the edge of panic; I do not need her passing out before the doctor arrives.

Keeping a brutal, iron grip on her arm, I drag her out of the guest bathroom. We march straight down the hall, my long strides forcing her to stumble to keep up. I drag her directly to my own master bedroom and forcefully push her inside the massive, dark space.

"This is exactly where you'll be staying from now on, Tessa," I strictly inform her as she regains her balance. "You'll find your new clothes waiting in the closet."

Tessa immediately cowers into the furthest corner of the room, pressing her back against the gray wall. She whimpers pitifully, her silver hair clinging to her damp face, and desperately begs me once again. "Please don't do this, sir. I'm very hardworking. I'll pay you the money. Just let me go, please."

Annoyed by the repetitive begging, I step directly in front of her cowering form. I reach out, forcefully placing my large, calloused hands under her chin. I aggressively tilt her tear-streaked face up to meet my intense gaze. She tries to keep her head down, avoiding my eyes, but I hold her firmly in place.

"You'll only see my bad side if you're a bad girl," I murmur softly, leaning in close until my breath fans her trembling lips. "Be a good girl, and you'll enjoy the ride."

She just stands there, shaking, her chest heaving with erratic breaths. Despite the fear and the tears, her flushed face looks far too pretty to ignore. I stare at her smooth cheek, a sudden, overwhelming urge gripping me. I cannot resist it.

I slowly lean in, closing my eyes, and press a remarkably light, lingering kiss directly to her soft cheek.

It is supposed to be just a simple, possessive kiss. Remarkably, this is my actual first real kiss. I never kiss the women I use. I never engage in sweet foreplay. I simply brutally fuck them to get off and throw them out without a second thought.

Yet the very second my lips graze her warm skin, my body reacts with a fierce, undeniable intensity. I instantly feel my thick dick throbbing to life, pressing hard and heavy against my zipper. The surge of lust hits me, raw and demanding.

Tessa Mercer is an intoxicating temptation. I pull back, keeping my hands on her jaw, and look at her stunned, bewildered face. My gaze sweeps over her wide green eyes and parted lips. I silently vow that I am not going to stop until I own and consume all of her.