“So? That doesn’t mean anything in today’s day and age.”
“It means something in our mafia world. And enough back talk. I saved your life. You should be grateful instead of scolding me.”
“And you should understand what you just did was stupid.” I try to wrench away from him but he doesn’t let me go. Instead, Luca tightens his hold on my arms.
“If you want to act this way, fine. But I’m not going to stand for it.” And in one quick motion, he throws me over his shoulder and carries me into the bedroom. He takes his belt off and wraps it around my wrist, tying it to the bed. “There.” Before I can use my other hand to untie the belt, he grabs a silk tie from the nightstand table and wraps it around my other wrist. “There. Stay here and think about your attitude.”
Luca leaves and I scream after him, kicking and flailing around.
Sofiya was one hundred percent right. I don’t know my husband at all.
Chapter Eleven
Nina
It’s not until hours later, after I’ve stopped fighting and finally gave in, that Luca comes back into the room. I glare at him. He shot Dimitri. And while I have no love for Dimitri, I do care for Katya and I know she’s in pain right now and I have no way of talking to her. I have no way of knowing if Dimitri is all right.
Either way, Luca just started another war and how am I supposed to be ok with any of that?
Without a word, he unties me from the bed. I groan when I lower my arms. They’re achy from being held above my head for so long.
“I know I was angry,” he says. “I’m not normally. But I couldn’t stand by and do nothing while Dimitri kidnapped you. He could have hurt you.”
“I get that,” I say, now that some of the fight has left me. “But you scared me, Luca. I don’t really know who you are. I don’t know what you’re capable of.”
“I know. But now you know. I will fight for the people in my life and you’re one of them. You’re my wife now, Nina. I do care for you.”
His words send a heat through my body, making my heart skip a beat. “Do you care for me because of me? Or just because I’m your wife?”
He sits down beside me on the bed. “You are my wife. Isn’t that enough?”
I can’t answer him because it’s not enough. I want Luca to care for me for me and not just because of what I represent.
“I am sorry I tied you to the bed,” he says. “I only did it to help calm you down. To help discipline you. The way you were acting is not what I want in a wife.”
“But I am who I am, Luca. You can’t force me to be someone I’m not. You want me to bend to your will but maybe you need to think about bending to mine.”
“I have never bent to anyone’s will before and I don’t plan on starting now.”
It’s clear my husband is stubborn. Luca will never change his mind. So how can I ever be truly happy with him? Because I know I have to stand by his side through all of this. I can’t choose Alek or Dimitri. They’re not my husband.
“Is Dimitri alive?” I ask.
“From what I know, yes. He is.”
“So, he’ll only be angrier.”
“Yes. But I can handle Dimitri. I won’t let him hurt you.”
By starting another war. Which could put Alek in danger. It could put Katya in danger. It could put me and Susanna in danger.
Susanna was concerned for me when Dimitri stole me away. I have to let her know that I’m all right.
“I need to call my sister.”
“I already called her a few hours ago and let her know I got you back. I didn’t want her storming over here.”
I sink down onto the bed. “That’s good at least.”
