Her eyes widen and then bounce around the room as though looking for a way to escape. She glances at the weapons lying on the nightstand, but there’s more apprehension in her gaze than interest. Although, I’m sure she’d be happy to shoot me if given the chance.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
The idea of punishing her excites me, but the fact my cock hardens and has me wanting to fuck her for pleasure is not acceptable. If it doesn’t bring about her suffering, then I won’t do it…
“I’m not being stubborn, sir,” she says, her gaze vacillating between me and the belt in my hands. “I really don’t know. Ask me anything else and I’ll tell you. I swear it.”
I go still, and so does the rise and fall of her chest. Emilia stops breathing whenever she waits for me to respond. It’s one of her tells, along with her lip biting. She may think she’s keeping everything hidden from me, but that’s far from the truth.
“Where would your father keep vital information hidden?” I ask.
She inhales, drawing my gaze to her breasts. I grip the belt until the leather bends in my palms and my knuckles turn white. I’m so focused on repressing the urge to touch her that I stare at her, taking in every detail of her face with great scrutiny. It was not something I paid attention to, since I already had pictures confirming her identity.
Those photos are nothing compared to seeing her in person.
A tiny crease forms on her brow, and she drops her gaze, making it so her lowered eyelids and long lashes keep her eyes hidden from me. The color in her cheeks is slowly returning, and her lips are still swollen, giving them a hue that’s rosier than usual. There wasn’t enough light in her bedroom or in the SUV to see her as clearly as I do right now, and I didn’t pay attention to her in Caruso’s office or in my foyer. I’m drinking her in like I’ve never seen her before.
And like a drink, she’s intoxicating.
“I believe he has a safe in his bedroom,” she says. “If there is anything of interest to be found, it’ll be there.” Emilia raises her head to meet my gaze, giving me an unobstructed view of hers. “My mother used to warn me to never go in there even if it was empty.”
“What else?”
My words come out rough and deep, and I clear my throat to relieve it from the gruffness brought on by arousal. Her eyes are green. It’s a brilliant shade of emerald that’s shining due to the anxiety she’s feeling at my interrogating her. The hue is contrasted greatly with the ebony hair framing her face, which makes her eyes stand out all the more. I can’t believe I didn’t notice prior to this.
She taps her thigh in obvious agitation. “Fact: Most people hide their valuables in places they habitually congregate, which implies he could have other vaults located in his office or the billiard room.”
I shake my head to clear it, and her arched brows rise a fraction, showcasing her worry. Apparently she believes my action implies I don’t find her answer satisfactory, and it’s better for her to assume that than know I was temporarily distracted by her beauty.
“Perhaps. Why didn’t Rossi marry you sooner?” I ask.
Her mouth thins. “What?” At my glower, she averts her gaze. Again. “I mean to say that…my father and he agreed it was best I honor the traditional year of mourning after my mother’s passing. I’m not sure why Rossi waited for another year after that.”
I’ve been curious about the circumstances surrounding Emilia’s engagement to Rossi but never more so than right now. Asking her is pointless, as she won’t reveal anything because she doesn’t seem to know anything. However, it’s imperative I find out. The most likely reason for the marriage is so Rossi and Caruso could become allies, which Emilia’s father already confirmed.
And because she is beautiful.
Did that have anything to do with Rossi’s decision? Caruso may be my enemy, but Rossi is also under the watchful eye of my family, and if he wants Emilia, I could use her as leverage.
“Did Rossi ever talk about fucking you?” I ask.
At hearing the words out loud, they heat my blood almost to its boiling point, which is laughable because I’m the one who wanted to know. But the very idea of Rossi taking her cunt…
That is not an option.
Emilia
Ishake my head so forcefully it causes a few tendrils to slap my cheeks. “No, Rossi didn’t say such things. The only time I spoke to him was at a gala two years ago, and it was only once. My father secured our engagement, but I wasn’t aware of that until tonight, sir.”
What I don’t say is that Rossi disgusted me and I’m glad to be rid of him. However, trading him for another monster is not what I had in mind.
Silence is my only ally unless Maximus demands I speak, and considering the topic, I’m not sure I’ll be able to. Inside my mind there’s a chant, a mantra that starts as a whisper and grows in volume. It’s always been there, and usually it’s so low I can’t hear it past the internal screams, but now it’s begging me to listen.
Submit to survive. Envision an escape. Leave and never look back.
How I wish I were a sparrow so I could fly away or a wolf so I could fight my way to freedom. Instead, I’m nothing more than a timid creature whose inclination is to scurry away and hide. And my husband is undoubtedly a predator, one that could snuff out my life with a single attack.
Maximus’s mouth pulls to the side in contemplation. “I’m sure Rossi did talk about his physical interest in you but obviously not with you present.”
