Three months ago, I almost got hit by a car. The guy behind the wheel was as gorgeous as they come. We got to talking and… well, things got a little carried away, if you know what I mean. But when it was over, we went our separate ways. Except, not quite. The little plus sign on this pregnancy test tells me our story isn't over. But that's a problem for another day. First, I have to go to my sister's engagement party. When I see who she's marrying, my jaw hits the floor.

A wedding is supposed to be the happiest day of a girl's life. For me, it was a nightmare. The man I'm promised to isn't exactly Prince Charming. And the way I ended up on this altar isn't exactly the stuff of fairy tales. You see, my family isn't like yours. My father and brother do... things... that should never see the light of day. Things like wagering me at a poker game to be the wife and baby momma of a dark-eyed devil.

To be fair, I didn’t know he was my boss when I slept with him. I thought he was just the kind stranger offering me a place to stay. But one night in Misha Orlov’s hotel room got me way more than I bargained for.

You know the story where the hero comes in and saves the day, rescuing the heroine right in the nick of time? This isn't that story. Instead of a knight in shining armor, he's a sexy, tatted-up Bratva boss with a reputation for being brutal and fierce. Vasily finds me after I've already been brought to my lowest—broken by cruel men until I barely recognize myself. He doesn't offer me salvation. He offers me protection and revenge. And I gladly take it. Because I don't need a knight in shining armor. I need a villain who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty.

I’ve got debt—yeah, I know, so does everyone else on Planet Earth. But the bills I’m paying keep my dad and my grandma alive. So it’s pretty messed-up for Timofey Viktorov to use them as a threat to keep me under control.

I thought it was just a hookup on an airplane. Let’s be cute and call it a “one-flight-stand.” Or we could be more accurate and call it what it really was: the day that ruined my life.

I walked in on my fiancé sleeping with my maid of honor on the day of our wedding. I did what anyone would do: threw my ring in his face and found somewhere quiet to cry.

One wardrobe malfunction. Two people who don’t belong together. Three awful words: “Be my wife."

My rock bottom is a warm beer in a smelly country bar, an empty wallet, and nowhere to sleep. A few days ago, I made a terrible mistake. I stole something valuable from very bad people. And now they're here, armed to the teeth, about to put me out of my misery. Except they don't. Because an unexpected stranger swoops in out of nowhere and saves me. Anton Ulianov. Six and a half feet of broodiness, arrogant as hell, he's the dictionary definition of "D.A.N.G.E.R." And he takes out my attackers like he's taking out the trash. One thing leads to another, and I end up in his bed.

They thought she was unsuitable as a bride because she was mute. I thought that made her perfect. Silent. Invisible. I could pretend she didn’t even exist.

What would you do if you walked in on your husband cheating? I'll tell you what I did: Ran out the door with nothing but the clothes on my back. A month later, I'm broke, jobless, almost homeless. But then, while filling in as a waitress at a fancy restaurant, I trip and land in the lap of a gorgeous stranger.

Destroying my partner became sweeter when his daughter stepped on stage at a charity auction. But I don’t want her for a month. I’m upping my bid to make her sign for a year. Her strong will, independence, and defiant attitude toward her family indulges my carnal desires and need for revenge.

He’s a ruthless stranger. One I can’t see, only feel, thanks to my friends who make a deal with him on my behalf. No names. No personal details. No face to etch into my mind. Just him, me, and an expensive silk tie. What happens in Vegas is supposed to stay in Vegas. He warns me he’s full of danger. I never see that side of him. All I experience is his Russian accent, delicious scent, and touch that lights me on fire. One incredible night turns into two. Then we go our separate ways. But fate doesn't keep us apart.

Running away from home at 17 wasn't easy. Let's face it, though, nothing before or in the ten years since has ever been easy for me. And I'm doing okay—sorta. I just need to keep scraping by, living under the radar. Staying out of people's way, off people's minds. When a man walks through my open patio door, stepping boldly into my home and my life, I should be scared, frightened, terrified. I must be more broken than I realized because I'm none of those things. I'm intrigued—and I'm wondering if the way to take control of my life is by giving in to him.

It's the first look on my wedding day. I turn...but my husband isn't there. Instead, I see the stranger who ruined my life.