Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 127484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
There was a wine glass in front of me, full of amber liquid, and a tall water glass beside it.
“I have come to understand my mistake when I served you wine during our last dinner,” Stone said, taking his own seat. “Rest assured, this is nonalcoholic wine.” He scrunched up his nose. “It does go against my very nature that such a thing exists, but we make sacrifices, don’t we?”
I again did my best not to scowl at him and hurl the nonalcoholic wine in his face.
“Forgive me if I don’t take you at your word.” I picked up the water glass when I realized I hadn’t had a sip of water in hours.
Because of that, I drank greedily and had already taken a large gulp before the burn hit my throat, and I realized it was not water.
I choked the vodka back into the glass, the liquid spilling all over the napkin in front of me and my hands.
Stone had been watching me carefully, hands clasped in front of him. “I suspected you wouldn’t take me at my word,” he shook his head. “Rest assured, Piper, there will be consequences if you don’t trust me in the future.”
I coughed, desperate to get the taste from my mouth, yet unable to find anything at the table for me to wash away the vile taste. Except the wine that Stone assured me wasn’t alcoholic.
My body revolted, reviling the warmth from the small amount of vodka that made it into my system.
I looked at Stone, horrified at the realization of what he had done to me. Just the beginning of the tortures a life with him promised. A bitter taste of my future.
“It’s good for me to gauge how much control you have over your addiction,” he said genially, reaching over to mop the rest of my mess with his own napkin.
“It would’ve served me well to have a wife who fell apart if she happened to be exposed to a bit of wine every now and then,” he continued, belittling my addiction with a handful of words. “I’m sure you’ll taste it on me often enough.” I barely suppressed a shudder at the glint in his eye when he said that.
I was still gaping at him, offended and electrified with fury at this man.
Unbidden, I thought of how instantly Knox swore off alcohol the second he understood my addiction. He didn’t want to cause me even a second of discomfort, didn’t want to consume something that almost destroyed me. Yet Stone delighted in the taste of it on his lips, on forcing it onto mine.
My heart pulsed with pain.
Stone lifted his hand, clicking his fingers. I jumped when the doors opened, and a well-dressed man appeared, holding two steaming plates.
“Giovanni, would you mind getting my betrothed some water and fresh napkins?” he kindly asked as the man—Giovanni, I guessed—nodded once, taking the vodka glass and the sodden napkins away, not even glancing at me as he placed a bowl in front of me.
I stared at the bowl of soup in front of me, crusty bread beside it, and my stomach growled painfully.
My body hungered for his punishment more. This horrible, cruel, entitled man. Seconds passed without either of us speaking, me marinating in outrage that reeked of vodka.
Giovanni returned with what I presumed was water and more napkins.
“Thank you, Giovanni,” Stone said cordially, then the man left.
“It’s not poisoned, I assure you,” Stone informed me when I didn’t do anything but stare at the soup in front of me.
He picked up his spoon and started eating, as if to prove it to me.
Still, I stayed frozen. No fucking way would I sit there and enjoy a meal with him.
“Eat!” he yelled, the unexpected violence in his tone making me jump.
I quickly picked up my spoon with a clatter to obey his command. With Knox, I’d so readily battled him against all of his orders, despite the sheer danger that emanated from him. Yet with Stone, I had genuine fear, knowing the reprimands I would receive would be real and permanent.
I was sure the flavor of the soup was wonderful since it smelled fresh and enticing, but all I could taste was bile. For a while, there were no other sounds in the room but the clink of cutlery against porcelain as we ate our soup.
I didn’t fold first. Any words I had to say to Stone would’ve broken my cover as a slightly willing fiancée. So I waited.
My bowl emptied as I went through the motions of eating. Giovanni came in as if he sensed I was done, sweeping the empty bowl away.
“It might interest you to know,” Stone dabbed at his face with a napkin. “That your sister and one of my younger lieutenants have gone missing.” His jaw twitched, the only sign that this displeased him.