The reminder of her hits me like a slap. Will I ever see her again? I’m still alive so there must be a reason. But that doesn’t mean that that reason will last forever.
I arch a brow, tilting my head like I’m bored. “Funny you mention my mother. She must not have been too impressed with you if she chose my father. She must have known your dick could never satisfy her.”
One of Aurelio’s men snickers under his breath, but Aurelio’s glare silences him instantly.
“Watch yourself,” Aurelio snarls, stepping closer, his voice dripping venom. “I took her before your father did. Before anyone. Not only did she beg for me, she bled for me.”
My stomach lurches, but I lock eyes with him, unblinking. “If she begged, it was probably for you to get it over with as fast as possible.”
Aurelio’s face darkens, his jaw clenching. He punches the wall behind my head, but I don’t flinch. He wants me to cower, to shrink. Instead, I smile, my camouflage smile with a sharp twist.
With his face in mine, Aurelio spits when he talks. “If you were as good a fuck as your mother, my sweet Catarina, I might be able to understand why my Tommaso is ruining his life for you.” His eyes glitter, mean and amused. “But from the videos I’ve seen, you’re more compliant than creative. But I guess this trait will serve you well in the coming weeks.”
Coming weeks.
I freeze my smile in place like his threats don’t bother me. The thought of him watching me get fucked by Tommy makes bile rise in my throat, but even worse is the idea that Aurelio sees my captivity as a long-term plan. “Weeks? Can you be away from hell that long without it freezing over?”
He laughs, sharp and cruel. “Oh, it won’t be me fucking you,ragazza. Though I’m sure you are craving me inside you, filling you up the way my son does, that’s a line that even I won’t cross.”
My smile flickers for a second. It’s a relief to hear he won’t be raping me, but because it’s a line he won’t cross? Didn’t he fuck Valentina when Vin was dating her at one point? What makes me special?
Aurelio continues. “No, no, no. Remember,ragazza. I told you all those years ago what would happen if you could not end your relationship with my son: my men will take their turns with you.”
I grimace behind my smile and dart a glance at Antonio. His jaw is clenched along with his fists, but I can’t tell if he’s mad at me or at what’s happening to me.
The guard who laughed under his breath takes a step toward me, leering and biting his bottom lip. I bare my teeth at him, my lip twitching. Gone is my camouflage smile. He drops to his knees in front of me and spreads my thighs wide before Aurelio cuffs him on the back of the head.
“You will wait your turn,” Aurelio snarls. Looking around at the other men around him, his gaze falls on Antonio, who is fuming. “Ah, Antonio. You are angry. You know this is in part your fault, don’t you?”
Antonio turns his head slowly to look at him, barely keeping a sneer off his face. “How is this my fault?”
“You allowed your woman to spread her legs for another man, a man she was expressly forbidden. If she had not, she would not be here and neither would we.”
“She’s going to be my wife,” Antonio snarls.
Is he going to defend me? A small shard of hope cuts through the darkness.
Antonio continues. “No one should be touching her but me.”
My hope dies a quick death. Of course. He’s not protecting me. He’s protecting his honor. If he has to marry me, he doesn’t want to be married to a woman who’s been fucked by everyone he works with.
Aurelio watches him for a full minute. The seconds that pass are almost physical objects in the claustrophobic room.
Finally, Aurelio nods sharply. “You made a mistake, BUT. Since my sons have decided to go to war over a stupid little cunt, you will be my second in command one day. Your wife should not be used by your underlings.” Aurelio sweeps his arm through the air in front of him, as if to wipe everyone away. “Everyone out except Antonio.”
The men shuffle out quickly, leaving the three of us alone. Antonio and I glare at each other, and Aurelio chuckles. “Ah, young love. It is difficult, no? But if she is to be your wife, take her. Make her understand who she belongs to. You understand what is at stake, do you not?” Aurelio’s voice turns into a growl.
My body starts to shake in a way I’ve never experienced before. I’m beyond cold, beyond terror. Beyond rage. “When Tommy finds out what you’ve done—”
Aurelio’s hand connects with my cheek before I see it coming. Instantly, my mouth fills with blood.
Aurelio leans close enough that I can see the veins in his eyes. “Do not speak my son’s name,ragazza. Remember your place.” He snaps his fingers at his men without looking away from me. “Tie her. Spread her out.”
His men grab me, pull out the filthy mattress, and kick the chair out from under me. My arms almost pull out of their sockets when the ropes don’t move with me, but Aurelio’s menquickly cut them, replacing them with new ties that leave me spread eagle on the mattress.
One of them sneers at me and places the tip of his knife under the edge of my corset like he’s going to cut through the laces binding it to me, but Antonio stops him.
“MY wife.”
