Against my better judgment, I turn to peer at Violetta over my shoulder to study her reaction to him. All she does is roll her eyes and I inwardly grin. She’s not looking to him for help or comfort, which eases some of the tension in my muscles.
The very idea of her seeking out Benito for either of those things makes me want to whip her ass again.
Once Violetta passes me and enters the bedroom, I shut the door and lock it, the mechanism eliciting a succinct click that has her twitching. To disarm her somewhat, I take a casual stance and lean against the wall. From the way she watches me it’s obvious I haven’t fooled her a bit.
“I consider myself a patient man, all things considered,” I say, “and I’m willing to overlook some of your insubordinate behavior, but running away from me isn’t one of them. You had no idea how many men were patrolling the grounds and it wouldn’t take but one of them to hurt you. Do you care nothing about your life or are you not as intelligent as I first believed?”
Violetta sets her jaw and purses her lips.
I incline my head. “Very well.”
I’m on her before she can suck in a breath to yell.
With one hand gripping her throat, I push her back until I’ve got her trapped against the thick bedpost. Then I sweep my foot to knock hers to the side, widening her stance. My downward strike lands at the apex of her spread thighs. A light slapping noise mixes with Violetta’s breathless shriek and I tighten my grip on her cunt.
She balls a fist and takes a swing at me. I almost don’t intercept the hit because of my amazement. This woman is no match for me in any capacity, yet she has the courage to stand up for herself. I’d love to fuck her while that raw emotion races through her body.
I’m quick to subdue Violetta by gathering her hands behind her back and pinning them there with mine. Then I click my tongue in admonishment. “You were warned earlier but decided not to listen, so there’s no one to blame except yourself. Now, let’s try this again. Tell me why you ran.”
Violetta’s tiny huff causes her nostrils to flare and it wreaks havoc with my anger. I enjoy seeing her quiet defiance, but she has to learn to trust me enough to listen when I tell her to do something.
After securing a fist around the hair at the nape of her neck, I tug on the strands, forcing her head back. Pain streaks through her colorful eyes, like a gem when the light hits it just so. Violetta doesn’t cry out and the only sound in the room is her labored breathing.
“I was upset,” she says.
“Why?”
When I don’t receive an answer, I lean into her, letting her feel the weight and size of my body. Her breasts press into me and her thighs cradle my hard cock as though welcoming me. She might be petite, but she fits me perfectly.
And I’d fit perfectly inside her.
“I…” Violetta swallows deep and then exhales, releasing some of the fight within her. “Who am I?”
Her inquiry perplexes me, but I wait for her to explain. If I don’t give her time to think, then she won’t be able to verbally process anything and I want to understand her. The workings of her mind are a mystery to me and I’ve taken up the challenge of trying to solve the riddle that is Violetta. But I can’t do that without clues.
“Who is Violetta?” she asks. Her voice is filled with apprehension and the urge to soothe her is strong, but I suppress it. “Carina’s little sister, that’s who.”
I nod slowly, still not not understanding her line of thinking. However, that acknowledgement seems to encourage her because she starts up again.
“I’ve never been without her. All my life it’s been just the two of us. We decided to take our fate into our hands and planned for a way to get her free.”
Violetta’s tone is airy, whimsical like she’s far away or relieving a memory. I may not see the images in her mind, but I’m with her, hanging on her every word, absorbing every cadence, inhaling every breath. This woman has me enthralled with the mere sound of her voice. It’s a hard-won prize that I’m unwilling to share with anyone, no matter how insane that comes across.
“And she did get free,” I say.
“She did, but not before—”
“Before?”
Violetta closes her eyes and shakes her head. “I can’t tell you without revealing her secret.”
This moment is pivotal. I can sense it as strongly as I would if a gun were pressed against my temple. Violetta is close to opening up and if I push too hard, she could withdraw inside herself. And it could be so deep within her mind that I’ll never find her again.
That isn’t something too devastating for me to contemplate or allow.
I release her hands and run my palms up her arms, over her shoulders, and further up until I’m holding the sides of her neck. “I respect your sister and I can only truthfully say that about a handful of women. You are also included in that small circle,ribelle. Trust me when I tell you that no matter what you say about Carina, I won’t look at her differently. Do you know why?”
“No.” The word falls from Violetta’s mouth like a question, one she really wants to know the answer to.
