Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 27066 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27066 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
“You’re a disgusting monster,” I say, but I’m not entirely sure I mean it. Who does that? Who does this? “I don’t understand what is happening.” The admission leaving my lips kills me a little bit. I’m a Vitali, for fuck’s sake. I cower to no man; in fact, they cower to me. Why isn’t this one?
“You will give yourself to me, Matilde. I want it all. Your heart will be mine. Your soul will become part of mine. Your body will be mine to pleasure as I see fit. You will take every inch of my cock whenever I demand it. Do you understand me?” I can’t give anything to a monster like him. Unbidden tears fill my eyes, lashing a hot trail down my cheeks as they fall. “You look so pretty when you cry, mo ghrá.” That’s the language I heard in my dreams. Is it Gaelic? “Even your tears will be mine.” His thumbs reach out and catch my tears. He rubs one of his thumbs over my full bottom lip and does the same thing to himself with his other thumb. The salty taste of my tears hits my tongue. I swallow the moan that rises, unwanted and out of place. I tell myself that a sexual reaction to this monster is normal. It’s natural. If Oliva Benson has taught me anything, it’s that it’s normal.
“Why the fuck would I ever do that?” I ask; my ability to curb my attitude is gone. I try to step back and away from him. He can’t touch me again. His presence is overpowering, and that fucking Savauge is fucking with my senses. His hand reaches out and wraps his hand around my throat. He squeezes the air from my lungs. I am powerless to stop him.
“This won’t be a marriage of convenience. I want you in all ways.”
“Marriage?” I ask, confused. I thought he just wanted sex. Marriage is a whole different ball game. Marriage, at least to me, is forever. Can I give forever to this man?
“Yes, Matilde mine, if you don’t marry me, take me into your body, and give me heirs, I will kill your whole entire family.” He loosens his hand but doesn’t remove it entirely. Marry him? Sleep with him? Is that something I can do?
“W-what?” I ask, swallowing thickly. The evil glint in his eye tells me he would do just that. I know that I would do anything for my family, including giving myself to this man.
“I know you aren’t stupid, Matilde. I have your college transcripts. I know you majored in drama. You can do this; it’s very simple. Marry me and fucking mean it, or at least give an award-winning performance acting like you do, or your entire family dies. Do you want that on your conscience when all you have to do is to spread your legs for me every night from now until one of us leaves this Earth?”
“I have questions,” I blurt out, not really believing that I am considering his outrageous demand. Surely he doesn’t have the power to kill over a hundred people in one fell swoop, does he?
“I assumed you’d have some. You may ask them. Would you like something to drink? A Jameson, perhaps?”
“Yes, please.” I mumble meekly. He walks over to his rolling bar cart and pours us each a drink.
“Here you go,” he says, handing me about two fingers of the whiskey. His fingers brush mine, and I feel a bolt of electricity shoot up my arm. It’s nothing but static, right? I’m so confused right now. I don’t understand why he chose me.
“Thank you,” I say, tossing back the amber liquid. The familiar fire quickly lands in my belly. My empty belly. Fuck, I hope this doesn’t go straight to my head. I’m a lightweight, even if I’ve eaten everything not nailed down.
“Another?” he asks.
“No, thank you,” I say, knowing that I need to keep my wits about me.
I plop down in a spacious leather armchair, already knowing I’m going to say yes to this man. He sits down in the chair next to me.
“Go on, ask your questions.”
“Where is Terancio? Did you kill him?” I ask, thinking of the man for the first time since I woke up. Dorian’s eyes darken, making me flinch.
“Is that stupid motherfucker your man?” he spits out. Is he… jealous? I’m so confused. When has a man been jealous about me before? Never. The answer is never. Fatty Matt, as I was known by my classmates until I graduated high school, has never even been kissed, let alone anything else.
“No,” I say quickly. For some reason, one that I can’t identify, it’s important to me that he knows Terancio isn’t mine. He visibly relaxes and unclenches his fists, flattening his palms on his thighs. “He is my bodyguard, though. His wife is pregnant, and I’m just hoping you didn’t kill him for her sake.”