I fist the sheets. “You don’t even have a heart in your chest.”
He stubs out his cigarette in the ashtray. I catch his profile. “Can’t argue with that.”
Then he turns completely to face me. “But since that baby inside you is my victory, and I don’t want it raised in stress, I’ll put your mind at ease.”
His breathing is heavy, a clear sign that he’s angry again. This time, he walks over to his minibar, pours himself a drink, and downs the whole glass in one gulp.
“Emily got beaten like a dog, but she’s still alive. Carlo’s fine, physically. He’s doing so well, in fact, that he’s been waging a proxy war against me for two fucking weeks now. He’s been sending men after me nonstop to mess with my business. He’s stolen two of my shipments and killed three of my most loyal men. He’s using every resource and connection he has to take me down.”
It feels like someone’s hand is squeezing my throat. Carlo is the most dangerous enemy anyone could have.
As if reading my mind, Tony smirks. “Don’t worry. As long as my baby is inside you, nobody, not even the president, can touch you. But once I’ve taken my child from your body, I might let you go back to your husband. He seems to hold a pretty firm place in your heart.”
Bile rises in my throat. “So that’s all I am to you? Just a vessel for your child? A cheap whore?”
He laughs nervously. “Cheap? If it makes you feel any better, you’ve cost me more than all the whores working in America combined.”
That’s it, I’ve had enough. Climbing off the bed, I walk toward the door and let him have a piece of my mind. “Go to hell, Tony.”
I open the door, but his hand slams it shut from behind me. With a swift flick, he pushes me forward with his body, trapping me completely between him and the wooden door.
He lowers his head, his breath grazing my ear. “I’m not done with you yet.”
The smell of smoke and alcohol hits me, making me wince. I brace my hands against the door and push back against him with my hips. His arousal, still hard and prominent, presses against me.
The pressure I exert makes him ease up just enough to give me some space. I turn, tilting my head back to meet his gaze. “What do you want?”
He plants one hand against the door to steady himself and leans closer. His other hand rises, and with his index finger, he strokes my lips, not gently.
“I want to fuck this pretty mouth of yours. Tonight feels like the perfect time to take your lips’ virginity. Besides, you owe me an orgasm from that day in the library.”
I can’t catch a full breath. How can he be so audacious, so shameless, to demand I please him with my mouth after the way he’s spoken to me?
Both my hands press against his chest, shoving him back with all the force I can muster. But I can’t create much distance between us because he doesn’t let me.
“You owe me 26 orgasms,” I spit, my voice harsh and cutting, not really thinking about what that might cost me.
At first, he looks a little confused, but he’s too smart to need more than a moment to process what I’ve just said. I’d just counted the number of times we’ve had sex and claimed I never enjoyed any of them, a blatant lie.
The truth is, this man only needs to look at me with enough intensity to make me lose control. But after everything he’s said tonight, I think he deserves the blow to his pride.
When realization settles on his features, he falls silent, looming over me. Then he steps back, gently pushes me aside, and opens the door. With a polite gesture, he motions for me to leave.
I obey instantly, but as I walk past him, he suddenly grabs my arm and pulls me back toward him. His face is only an inch from mine.
“I don’t stay in anyone’s debt. So don’t worry, I’ll settle the score with you soon,” he murmurs, his voice calm on the surface but burning with fury underneath.
Then he releases me with controlled force, shoving me just enough to send me stumbling out of the room without losing my balance.
As the door slams shut behind me, I hurry to my room. I lean against the closed door, pressing a hand to my chest, where my heart feels like it’s trying to burst out. I can hear the countdown begin, the countdown to whatever Tony is planning to do to make me regret what I said.
I know I won’t escape what’s coming.
Tony Bruni never forgives. And he never forgets.
***
I climb out of the pool and pull on my robe. The only good thing about this enormous penthouse is the pool. I can float there for hours and forget everything.
