“What do you mean families? Lucian works for a security company.” I look over at Theo, leaning against the desk with his arms crossed.
“You really don’t know, do you?” He is looking at me dumbstruck. “Poor naïve woman. Your friend Jayme is part of the mafia in California, the Morellis. Lucian is their top security designer at their front company, West Enterprise. They run almost all of California. They are one of the biggest on that side of the country. But my family is one of the biggest in the entire country.”
“Your family?” I don’t know what to say. Lucian? Part of a crime family. Jayme? It makes no sense. He looks like the picture-perfect rich playboy type, not someone who rules in the underworld. This has got to be a joke.
“Yes, my family. The Blackmores have ruled the underworld of New York for almost 70 years. We have been at war with the Morelli’s just as long. My grandfather remains the leader, and my father is next in line. We are the true blood of my family. My Great-grandfather was the founder.”
“This can’t be real.” How the fuck did I end up in this shit. I was looking to spice up my sex life, not my actual life. Fuck!
“It is real, Cassandra. Another reason you aren’t leaving here. They know what you are to me and will use my love for you against me. Lucian may have been your friend growing up, but I can almost guarantee he was sent back to get close to you and get to me. The Morelli’s are all snakes.”
“You’re wrong. There’s no way he would do that.” I don’t believe him. He doesn’t know Lucian.
“Is he different now?” His question makes me pause. “More muscular, acting differently. Maybe seeming a bit more into you romantically than before?”
“Maybe he worked out a lot in California. And he cares for me like he always has. Nothing’s changed. You’re wrong about all of this.” I turn away to walk to the window. As much as I hate being locked away here, Blackmore Manor has always taken my breath away. The property stretches for miles and miles. For being so close to the city, you would think we were in the middle of nowhere.
“No, Cassandra. I’m not wrong, and you know it.” He comes up behind me and wraps his arms around me. Tucking his head into my neck.
“No!” I shove him away and try to leave, but he is there within a second.
He grabs me from behind by my hair, wrapping it around his fist. I cry out, but I know it is pointless. Everyone here works for him. They don’t give a shit about me. I kick and scream as he pulls me back to the desk, bending me over it.
“Please, no! Theo. Stop.” I scream as I hear his belt zip out of the belt loops. I stare at the photos strewn across the desk. There are so many from the last week; how did I not realize we were being followed? I try to disassociate as I hear his zipper, and his pants hit the floor. “Please don’t do this,” I beg. My tears soaking my face.
“What’s wrong, Cassandra? Am I not good enough now that you have had them?” He knocks my legs apart. I’m shaking as I try to wiggle out of his grasp. He has his hand gripping the nape of my neck, shoving me flat against the desk.
I’m barely able to touch the floor as he positions himself behind me. I can feel his cold fingers dragging up the side of my leg. He moves the robe away, exposing my lower body to him.The thong I am wearing is viciously ripped away. The straps cut into my skin as he pulls.
“Don’t do this! Please. Stop!” I scream, but he only laughs at my pleas.
“You’ve always wanted this, Cassandra. You have always been a needy slut for my cock.” With that sentence, he pushes inside me.
No lube, nothing, just pain. My body spasms from the intrusion. I open my mouth to scream, but nothing comes out. The desk is wet from my tears and spit. This has to be a nightmare; I need to wake up.
He brutally thrusts into me, over and over. My hips and thighs are bruising from the edge of the desk digging in. I can’t tell whether I am screaming or crying or that it is just the ringing in my ears. I go somewhere else, deep in my mind. I try to shut myself down. I can’t breathe, I can’t speak, I can hardly think right now. I just want this to end. My fingers are burning from pain as I claw at the desk, trying to get away from him, but he pins me down harder. Over and over and over again. My body is pressed too tight against the desk; I can’t get a full breath to try to calm myself. I’m panicking.
I see blood on the desk. Am I bleeding? I look at my hands, and one of my nails is pulled back from digging into the desk. It’s not a lot of blood, but it is enough to cause my panic to increase. I kick my legs as best as I can, trying to fight him off. He releases my neck, then grips me by the back of my head, pulling out some hair. He lifts my head slightly and then slams my face against the desk. I feel my lip bust open, tasting the copper running into my mouth. Fuck that hurt.
“Stop fighting me, baby.” I feel sick. “You’re.” Thrust. “Mine.” Thrust.
He grips my hip and neck tighter, pounding into me a few more times before finishing inside. I can feel him dripping downmy leg as he pulls out. I’m going to be sick. I don’t have time to move before I throw up all over his desk, the photos, all his paperwork, ruined.
I lay there in the tears, spit, blood, and now vomit. I can’t move. It feels like I’ve been ripped apart. Theo removes my robe and scoops me up into his arms. I cry out, trying to push away from him. It’s useless, though. This man is built like a brick wall. I am so weak and powerless right now. I give up. I go limp in his arms, sobbing like the pathetic mess that I am. I’m so stupid. I should have ended shit with him at the first sign of abuse. Never. Never give them a second chance. That’s what my mother always said. Oh, if she could see me now.
He brings me into his bathroom and sets me on the counter. The countertop feels cold against my bare ass. Everything down there hurts. He grabs a washcloth, runs it under warm water, and cleans me off. He notices the blood leaking from the corner of my mouth, and he pulls my lip down to inspect it. He rolled his eyes as if I were the one who had caused the damage.
“Go get dressed. We will have breakfast in the dining room.” He pulls me off the counter and slaps my ass to go out the door.
“Yes, Sir,” I mumble as I walk away. I don’t want to incur any more of his wrath.
After cleaning myself up and trying to rid every trace of him from my body, I throw on some leggings and a hoodie he brought over from my apartment. I want to hide as much of myself as possible. I slowly go downstairs to the dining room to find Theo already at the table. He is sitting with my phone in his hand.
“Lucian is looking for you. The man is obsessed. There are like 30 text messages and at least 40 missed calls.” Hope. That’s what I can hold onto now to keep me going. He will find me. He will save me.
I cannot hide my excitement at this news, and Theo notices. He gets up and whips my phone across the room. It hits the wall and shatters, barely missing my head. I try to back away slowly; he terrifies me now. Everything he does and says puts me on high alert. He rushes me, grabbing me by the throat. He lifts me to where my toes are barely touching the ground.
“Why don’t you love me anymore, Cassandra? We used to be happy.”
