“One day you will appreciate what I’ve done for you.”
“I highly doubt it,” I retorted. “If I had a gun right now, I’d probably shoot you,” I gritted through clenched teeth. “You were never and will never be my father.” I poked his chest with a finger, realizing my words were wasted on him. “I never want to see you again.”
“Gianna—” he began.
Turning my back on him, I entered the living room, wanting desperately to get away from a situation that was becoming claustrophobic by the second. I had no idea how I could get out of this mess, but I planned to fight it, even if it meant I’d hurt myself in the process. Indoors, I balked to find Mr. Salvatore still there, chatting to Rosana and Leo. His gaze shifted from them to me.
As if he sensed my need to escape, one dark brow arched. I couldn’t look away from those enigmatic grays. They were daring me to make a run for it, taunting me to try and risk the consequence. The thoughts I had of fighting barely seconds ago suddenly fizzled to nothing but hot air escaping on a deep exhale. That man right there was daunting with just a look, I could only imagine the power he unleashed with his actions. Unable to match his stone-faced countenance, I dropped my gaze to the floor, staring at the intricate designs on the Persian rug covering the marble tiles.
“You have the choice of keeping one thing from your home, what will it be?” his question had me looking up.
“One thing?” My brow creased trying to decipher his meaning. “What about my clothes, toiletries?”
“You don’t need them. You will be dressed according to the standards I dictate.” His gaze ran the length of my body, his expression blank.
What the hell.I couldn’t believe the man’s arrogance. Did he honestly expect me to dress the way he wanted? “Then I guess I’ll be living naked,” I muttered without thinking.
“If that’s your wish,” came the terse reply, shocking me.
And for one stupid unchecked moment, I forgot who I was speaking to, forgot his threat about killing his employees, forgot whose home I stood in. “You can’t do this,” I yelled. “You can’t force me into a marriage I don’t want. This is archaic—”
The split-second blur of movement didn’t prepare me for his large hand clamping around my neck. Thick fingers biting into my throat with such force, he had me suspended on the tips of my toes. My eyes bulged. Fear unlike anything I’d ever known zipped through me and fused with the need for air, turned logic into desperation. I clawed at his fingers. His steely glare stilled my movement.
He leaned in, his nose almost touching mine. “Forget all the little cocks you’ve been toying with, girl. You’re in the presence of a man and I don’t fucking play with pussy. I eat it,” he gritted through clenched teeth, emphasizing his point by digging his fingers deeper into my skin. I gasped for air, but he wasn’t interested in releasing me. “I never repeat myself, so listen closely.” His grimace deepened. “Never, ever raise your fucking voice at me.” He jerked me closer still. “There’s nothing in this world I can’t fucking do, and that includes makingyou, my wife. You’re mine to do with as I please. Take. Touch. Torment. All my choice. So, is there anything else, you don’t want?” I didn’t answer, my lungs begging for air, my head ready to shatter as I forced myself not to wimp out. “Thought as much.”
His abrupt release had me stumbling to gain ground and I latched onto his forearm, letting go just as quickly when his gaze dropped to my grip. Shame washed over me for allowing fear to amass since my father spilled his noxious secrets.
“Now,” he sounded impatient. “I’ll repeat myself only because you didn’t hear me the first time. Is there anything you want to keep from your home?”
I suddenly understood my mother’s warning that monsters came in all shapes and sizes. But what she failed to mention, was that they also personified beauty too. Swallowing the threatening tears, I compelled calm into my body, vowing to challenge him once more. Just not now. What would he do? Kill me? At this rate, I was better off dead. I didn’t care if he killed his workers. They weren’t people I knew. Even as the thought left my head, I knew it was something I’d never intentionally allow. I didn’t have it in me to watch another person die because this man dictated, they should.
Shifting my gaze, I caught sight of Julian leaning against the black sedan in the driveway. He was my mother’s trusted bodyguard and the only other person who’d been close to her. If I had to live in this godforsaken place then having someone other than Mr. Salvatore and his minions to talk to, would go a long way to keeping my sanity in check.
Meeting Salvatore’s hard glare once more, I pointed outside. “I want Julian to stay.”
“Very well,” he replied without bothering to look at Julian. “Rosana will show you to your room. There’s an engagement party this evening, be ready at seven.” Again, he walked off as if killing a man in cold blood and threatening a woman to marry him was a normal occurrence.
God help me. Engagement party? Really? This was sounding more bizarre by the second and I almost pinched myself to check if I’d stepped into a twilight zone.
“This is for you.” Leo neared me, holding out a credit card. At my quizzical stare, he added, “our men will accompany you to the boutiques tomorrow. You can get whatever you need.”
How many men did they intend to send with me? “Can’t Julian take me?” I knew the answer as soon as the question left my mouth.
“He can go with, but until Mr. Salvatore trusts him, our men will take you,” he replied, his sneer unmistakable, his impatience even more so. Either the man didn’t like me, or he didn’t appreciate being burdened by my appearance. Thank goodness he wasn’t the boss. Not like Mr. Salvatore deserved any higher esteem. “As his wife, you are required to dress the part, so you will only buy items that are appropriate to his status,” Leo stated his tone pure boredom.
“In other words, a dumbed-down socialite,” I muttered.
“Stop behaving like an insolent brat,” he gritted. I could see he was struggling to hold back his tongue and I smirked.
While I might not be able to behave this juvenile with Mr. Salvatore, nothing stopped me from irking his right-hand man who looked ready to kill me. “I didn’t ask for this,” I scowled.
“I can’t fathom why he’d waste his time with you when there are other more eligible women he can marry. I guess sitting on the throne messes with his head,” Leo’s lips twisted in an ugly grimace.
I couldn’t decide whether his words were filled with hatred or jealousy. Perhaps all wasn’t well in the Castello or perhaps Leo had other intentions over who the Salvatore bride should be. Strangely, that little notion irked something in me.
“The sooner you learn to respect Mr. Salvatore, the sooner you’ll accept this situation isn’t going to change, Gianna,” my father’s hard voice filled the space around me, his annoyance just as profound or maybe he was scared he’d have to give back his millions.
Leo drew in a harsh inhale after a quick nod to my father. “You are only to purchase clothes and personal items. Anything else will be tossed. Understood?” A vision of being strip-searched sprang to mind and I squashed it down with a silent nod. “If you insist on being rebellious, your clothes will be ordered and delivered. You will be forced to wear whatever’s been purchased for you. The choice is yours, girl.”
