“If everyone believes I’m dead, why can’t I start over somewhere else with a different name?”
His voice grew a little firmer. “Because you’re mine. Why is that so hard for you to understand? Tony took something from me. And I took something from him. In this world, that makes us somehow even.”
“But I’m not a thing, damn it. I’m a person, a free person with the right to live my own life!”
“You gave up that right the second you stepped into the Bruni estate. You’d better start accepting reality, because I’m done repeating myself. Your body needs a month to heal. I’m giving you one more month to get your mind ready.”
I was confused. “Ready for what?”
He placed both hands on the arms of the chair and slowly rose to his feet, moving until he stood right beside my bed. His large hands settled on either side of my head, leaning in so close our noses were barely an inch apart. Even though his body wasn’t touching mine, I could still feel the weight of him pressing me into the sheets, as if his presence alone was crushing my chest.
His breath, warm and steady, brushed against my skin, sending a wave of shivers down my spine. My chest rose and fell rapidly, betraying my quick, uneven breaths. Then he lifted one hand and placed it firmly on my chest, right over my heart, feeling the wild rhythm pounding beneath my skin.
His voice broke the silence. Rough. Hungry. Primal. “Ready for me to fuck you. Like a man who’s killed his enemy and won his wife. Hard, wild, relentless.”
His hand pressed firmer, anchoring me to the moment as his words dug deeper. “Like a commander who’s taken down a king and claimed his queen. Passionate, hot, victorious.”
My entire body burned with the heat of his words. My eyes were glued to his, trapped in the intensity of his stare. My pulse racing frantically. Then, finally, reluctantly, he broke eye contact, his gaze shifting to the monitor beside the bed. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his warm breath brushing across my face before he straightened up.
“I don’t want you having another panic attack only because I said ‘fuck’.”
He turned and made his way to the door, but right before opening it, he turned back, a faint, wicked smile playing at his lips. “Don’t worry, I know you’re still a virgin. And I’m well aware of your fear of sex. I can’t wait to cure you of that in my own way.”
And with that, he walked out, leaving me alone with my racing heart. I didn’t know what was wrong with me, but instead of fear, his words lit something else inside me, a strange excitement. The dangerous thrill of surrendering to the devil in this story.
TEN
Emily
I sat on the balcony, breathing in the fresh morning air. A dull ache still bothered me with every inhale, but it was worth it. A peaceful day like this had felt like an impossible dream a month ago. Now, I could move around freely and take care of myself again.
My face had healed completely and I was beyond relieved my nose hadn’t broken. The thought of needing surgery or having to live with a crooked nose was far from appealing. Especially now, with no clue what kind of life was waiting for me.
Carlo had made it painfully clear a month ago that he’d never let me go back to the States. He straight-up told me to forget the life I used to have, because everything he’d said about my mom was true. And he had the proof.
He kept his word too. Aside from a few brief encounters, I hadn’t seen him at all this past month.
Since his room was directly across the lush courtyard from mine, my eyes naturally wandered in that direction but shock seized me at the sight.Carlo had Aida pressed up against the glass door of his terrace, fucking her from behind.
I couldn’t make out the details or hear anything from this distance, but their movements were unmistakable. He was taking her like a wild animal, same way the last time I’d seen them together.
He looked the part, too. A beast who used his teeth and claws even in moments of lust.And I had one more month before those same teeth sank into me.
Suddenly, Carlo stopped.I had a feeling that he saw me. He was looking right in my direction, so I darted back into my room. But something was wrong with me. I couldn’t help myself. Curiosity dragged me back toward the curtain.
I peeked through the folds of fabric. Carlo was fucking her again. A few moments later, he spun Aida around, slid his hands beneath her knees, and lifted her. She clung to him, arms around his neck, bouncing wildly as their rhythm turned feverish. A few minutes later, she collapsed against him, burying her face in his neck.
Seconds later, Carlo carelessly dropped her down and walked toward the balcony.He was completely naked, everything swinging free, and he seemed perfectly fine with it. Aida got up too, and I think she went for the door.
I yanked the curtain shut and stumbled back. My heart was pounding fast, and heat flooded through my body, as if I were the one who’d just experienced a sweet explosion.
I collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, eyes squeezed shut in a desperate attempt to calm myself. But I couldn’t. If I were being honest, I wouldn’t mind sleeping with Carlo, as I wouldn’t mind sleeping with Tony. Maybe then I could feel like a normal woman. Even though Carlo was rough, he smelled surprisingly good. My mom used to say if you liked how a man smelled, sleeping with him came easy.
But then again, as much as his scent kind of got to me, his face ruined it. It was weird. When I first saw his picture, I actually thought he looked good. And honestly, if you ignored the scar on his eyebrow, he was still handsome.
The real problem was his shaved head. He did it on purpose, to look intimidating and it worked. I knew it was intentional, because once, when he’d been too busy for a few days, his hair started growing back a little. Even that tiny hint of hair changed everything, making him look less like a beast and more like a man.
I was lost in thought when the door swung open without so much as a knock. I jolted upright and a sharp pain in my side made me wince. Carlo strolled in without invitation, a glass of scotch in hand, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers.
