The Rainbound Decoy
By @john1208
In the middle of dodging a tire iron in a rain-soaked alleyway, Iolla pitches the ultimate deal to the terrifying Arkady Severin: she will carry his fake heir to draw out the assassins hunting him, in exchange for the exact sum needed to buy her emancipation from her abusive warden. Playing the bubbly, scatterbrained girl, Iolla hides a razor-sharp mind, treating her luxurious captivity in Arkady's rain-lashed penthouse as a temporary gig. But the cold transaction blurs when Arkady's icy demeanor fractures. A fake pregnancy wasn't supposed to trigger his obsessive protective instincts. Soon, he is threatening a terrified pastry chef to fire up his closed ovens at two in the morning just to satisfy her craving for spiced honey-cakes, and refusing to let her out of his sight. When rival Magnate Zanech attempts to kidnap the unborn decoy, Arkady's terrifying retaliation proves he isn't just protecting a corporate asset. But as Iolla reaches the end of her term and demands her freedom, she discovers the horrifying truth about her payout. Her emancipation papers are a legal snare, transferring her custody directly to him. Will she escape the golden cage, or let the monster who guards her sleep keep the key?
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