Bound To The Devil

Sebastian Vasiliev's POV

He watched her like he always did.

From the shadows.

From the rooftops.

From the sleek black car parked just far enough to not be noticed.

Valarie Ivanov moved like a storm, all sharp purpose and unshaken resolve. Even doing something as simple as having lunch with her brother, she exuded control. Fierce. Untouchable. Divine.

Sebastian had been watching for hours, as he often did. Not because he had to. Not because he had orders.

But because he couldn't help himself.

She had been in his head for too long.

But then, they came.

Mikhail's men.

Like insects crawling out of the rot.

Sebastian leaned forward slightly, gaze sharpening, lips curling in disgust.

There were too many of them.

His grip tightened on the gun resting on his thigh.

Still, he watched.

He had seen her fight before-a goddess of war in motion.

And today was no different.

Valarie moved like a blade, swift and unyielding, fast enough to make grown men hesitate. She dodged, she struck, she sent one of the bastards crumbling with a single, precise shot-perfect.

Sebastian had never seen anything as beautiful.

His obsession twisted tighter in his ribs, suffocating, possessive. His Valarie.

But then-

The man punched her.

Sebastian's world blurred.

For a split second, he didn't move.

Did he just-?

Another hit.

Another.

His vision darkened. His breathing slowed.

He had felt rage before. Controlled it. Used it.

But this-this was something else.

It was cold. It was consuming.

It was murder.

Sebastian exhaled.

He had planned to wait. To see how this unfolded.

But the moment that bastard dared to touch her, to knock her perfect face to the side like she was nothing-

Sebastian lost control.

His gun was in his hand before he even realized it.

One clean shot.

The man's head snapped back, a neat bullet hole in the center of his forehead.

The other men barely had time to react.

Sebastian moved through them like death itself, each shot precise, merciless.

They didn't get to scream.

They didn't get to fight back.

Because they didn't deserve to.

By the time he reached her, only one of Mikhail's men was still breathing.

Sebastian tilted his head, gaze slow and cold as he studied him.

Then, he looked at Valarie.

Her lip was bleeding. Her jaw was bruised.