"And?"
"He's not to be interrupted."
Storming downstairs with Santo hot on my heels, I barge into the study without knocking. The room is empty. I turn to Santo.
"Where is he?"
"The conference room."
I frown. I don't remember seeing a conference room when Lukas gave me a tour of the house.
"Conference room?"
Santo nods. "In the guardhouse." He gestures toward the French doors leading out onto the lawn and beyond it that little horrible gray building that's a real blot on the landscape. I can't help noticing there's a man in a dark suit standing outside the doors.
I march to the glass doors.
"Signora Volante, I cannot let you go out there."
Just how will he stop me? I fling open the door, startling the older man who's stationed there. He reaches for his gun before he sees it's me.
"Put that away," Santo hisses.
While they're momentarily distracted, I take the opportunity to push past the guard. I march briskly toward the guardhouse. Santo jogs after me.
Slinging an arm around my waist, he scoops me off the ground and drops me over his shoulder in a single fluid motion. He turns and strides back toward the house.
"Put me down," I screech.
"Signora, please," he says.
Yelling loudly, I wriggle to free myself. Then he lights a touchpaper to my anger by shushing me. Furious, I open my mouth and scream. That stops him in his tracks. He lowers me to my feet and I straighten my skirt.
"Katya!" Gabriele's voice cuts through the air like a blade. I turn to look as he heads for us, his anger palpable even from a distance.
He stops in front of us, his intense gaze on me.
"Go and wait in the kitchen," he instructs Santo, his tone implacable.
"Yes, Signore."
As Santo hurries away I feel a stab of guilt at landing him on Gabriele's shit list. It's not his fault I threw a tantrum. Gabriele grabs my arm. He steers me back across the terrace and into the house. His grip isn't harsh but there's no escaping it either.
"Gabriele!" I protest.
"Silence!" he commands as he opens the living room door. Releasing my arm, he shoves me inside. "What are you playing at, Katya?"
"I'm not playing at anything. I wanted to speak to you."
"About?"
"This lockdown. It's not fair that I can't even…."
He moves ridiculously fast. Whirling me around, he shoves me forward so I end up bent over the back of a chair. He shovesmy dress up and rips my panties down my legs. I shriek as he spanks my ass, hard.
Before I can react, he does it again and again, his palm landing sharply on my bottom. It stings like hell. I wriggle, trying to get away from him, but he places a hand at the small of my back and effortlessly holds me in place.
"Stop, Gabriele!" I cry out as he continues to spank me.
