I’ve spent years making sure I would never become this woman.

The daughter traded for territory.
The bride offered for peace.
The sacrifice delivered to a dangerous man and told to make the best of it.

Then my uncle promises me to Luka Karelin.

I have until Christmas to marry a man I barely know, while two families who hate each other pretend one wedding can keep them from killing each other.

Fine.

I’ll plan the wedding. Play the dutiful bride. And quietly figure out how to disappear before any of this becomes permanent.

Luka should make leaving easy.

He’s Bratva. Cold, controlled, and dangerous enough that everyone around him knows exactly where the line is.

I expect demands.
Instead, he gives me space.

He watches me like he wants to devour me.
But he doesn’t touch me.

And I want him to.

The closer we get to Christmas, the harder it becomes to tell where the arrangement ends and everything happening between us begins.

I was prepared to become his bride.

I wasn’t prepared to love him.