“You heard the lady,” he growls, all amusement gone. And I suddenly see the darkness that was brimming under his skin earlier. Hewantsto shoot Alfonso. He delights in death and destruction. He’s terrifying and mesmerizing all in one.
Alfonso side-eyes me, his nostrils flaring in fury. “Natalia,cara mia,” he says through gritted teeth as he tries to keep his temper in check. “Tell them that you’re mine.”
“I said, let go of me,” I say again, stronger this time.
His mouth purses into a thin line and he finally lets go of my wrist. Joey gently pulls me to his chest. I go without argument because Alfonso looks like he might go on a killing spree at any moment, and by the hatred pouring from him, I would be his first victim.
“You’re okay,” Joey soothes, his strong arms wrapped around me, holding me to him.
I stay there, wrapped in his embrace, when I know I should shrug out from under his grip. But he smells so good—like cologne and soap. But mostly, I feel relief. Relief that I won’t be marrying Alfonso, a man over twice my age who’s stared at me like I was a piece of meat since I was just a young girl.
I peer out from under Joey’s arm and watch as Dominic and my father shake hands.
Done.
I’m a done deal.
Traded off and passed around to the highest bidder.
I should be infuriated or devastated, and yet I don’t feel anything of the sort. The only thing I feel is the rush of excitement.
Chapter 4.
Dominic
All four of us are sitting in the limousine in silence. Sisco’s knee is bouncing up and down, up and down, up and down. His gaze never leaving Natalia. Joey is leaning back, his arm slung over the back of her chair, a drink in his other hand. And Natalia. She’s staring out the window in silence, like she’s in a daze.
I like her, this one. Meek, amiable. Most mafia women are too damn headstrong for their own good, arguing back and demanding things. Natalia isn’t like that. She knows how to take orders. How to bend to a man’s whim. And better yet, she’s pure, untouched. My dick twitches.
It’s been like steel since I first saw her. And now she is mine. All mine . . . well, allours. She’ll need some time to adjust to that, I think, but I have no doubt that she’ll fit right in.
“Where are we going?” she asks, her soft voice breaking the silence.
“Home,” Joey drolls, taking another sip of his drink.
I watch her bite the inside of her cheek as she tries to hold back her annoyance with Joey’s answer. She wanted more than that. A destination, a place of some sort. Of course, Joey knows this; he’s just tempting her to speak again. Communication will be key to this transaction.
“You’ll see,” Sisco continues, leaning forward in his chair. He wrings his hands out in front of him, and I know he’s refraining from touching her. “You’ll like it.”
“Don’t worry, it’s not some crazed sex dungeon. Our mom and sister live there too, so it’s got a woman’s touch, but you can add to it if you like,” Joey says, watching her carefully.
“Oh,” she says, her wide eyes moving over each one of us like we’re lions in waiting, and then she returns to staring out the window.
Back at the mansion, I trail after Joey and Sisco as they lead Natalia to what will be her room. My hands are in my pockets casually, like I couldn’t give a damn that she’s here. She looks back at me over her shoulder every once in a while, like she’s checking that I’m still there. My brothers are eager to show her various parts of the house and are oblivious to the fact that she’s not really paying attention.
She’s confused as to what’s expected of her.
Who she belongs to.
What is required.
She’ll understand soon enough, though.
“And this is your room,” Sisco says, pushing open her bedroom door.
The room is warm and bright, the opposite of her mood. Sunlight streams in through the windows and splashes across the walls. I know she likes it as soon as she enters. It’s big, with tall ceilings and huge sash windows that look out over our extensive grounds. The bed is vast, and handmade with ornate woodwork around the frame. The room has its own bathroom, with a large bath and walk-in shower.
“We’ve already got your things being packed up and sent here,” Sisco continues.
