Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“I’m looking for clothes. I can’t walk around your house in nothing but one of your shirts.”
“I don’t see why not. I like you in my shirt,” he practically purrs.
“It’s the middle of the day, I can’t walk around like this. Your house is full of people, Antonio.”
“I gave my friend permission to call me Anton.” I frown.
“Okay…” I exhale trying to piece what he’s saying together. “I’m not calling you Anton.”
“I don’t want you to.”
“You’re very confusing this morning,” I grumble with a sigh. It has been a hell of a day and this conversation with Antonio is just too much.
“I like the way you say my name. Especially when I’m buried deep inside of you.”
His voice is softer this time, graveled and full of desire that he doesn’t bother to hide. It sends chills of awareness across my skin and awakens needs inside of me that I’ve tried like hell to bury since I left him. I clear my throat and try to shake out of the spell he has begun weaving on me. I need a clear head here.
“I’m not sure what’s going on here. I mean, we had one night together—”
“It would have been more if you hadn’t run away from me.”
“We had one night,” I stress, “and now you just expect me to marry you.”
“It’s the most logical decision.”
“In what universe is that logical? Are you even listening to yourself?”
“Who hit you, il mio tesoro?”
“I really think we—what?” I squeak.
“Who hit you? It’s a legitimate question.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Answer the question, Lina.”
“My father didn’t like that I escaped and refused to do his bidding. He decided to show me that I really had no choice,” I finally respond, knowing that he won’t give up until I answer. Besides, he probably already knows—especially if he has been talking to my brother.
“I’m going to kill your father. I think you should know that. I want you to get used to the idea so that when it happens, you won’t hold it against me.”
“You can’t kill my father.”
“I can and I will. That’s already been decided. The only thing left is for you to get used to the idea.”
“You want me to get used to the idea that the man who asked me to marry him is going to kill my father?”
“No.”
I shake my head. “You’re crazy.”
“I’m the man you are marrying, and you will get used to it. He doesn’t get to keep living. No one who would sell his daughter into sex trafficking should. You belong to me. I’m going to seek retribution and those are facts that you can’t change. I’m just asking you to come to terms with them.”
“Listen, I don’t have any warm feelings at all about my father. I hate that we share blood, but you can’t kill everyone you dislike.”
“I can.”
“To do that would make you as big of a monster as they are, Antonio.”
“Look at me, Lina. There’s nothing soft about me. I am a monster. I’m the one others have nightmares about it. I’m worse than the boogeyman. I hide in the darkness and seek my retribution when they least expect it. Right now, your father is expecting me to attack. He thinks he’s in control. He has no idea that I know every move he makes and when he lets his guard down, that’s when I’m going to strike.”
“You’ve never been a monster with me.”
“You have it all wrong, il mio tesoro. I am your monster.”
“Is that a distinction that makes everything better?”
“Don’t women love fairytales? Didn’t Beauty get her Beast?”
“Fairytales aren’t real life, Antonio.”
“I can make sure yours is.”
“And you’re just going to marry me? You don’t know me. There should be more to a relationship than sex and that’s all we’ve shared.”
He smiles at my words and shrugs.
“Tell me you haven’t seen arranged marriages? They don’t even get to have sex first. I’d say we’re fine. Regardless. You are going to marry me. I’m not giving you a choice.”
“How is that going to work?”
“I’m hoping you decide not to be difficult, but look around you, Lina. This is my kingdom. I make the rules. If you push me, then I’ll go a different route, but it will be my ring on your finger and my cock buried in you by nightfall tomorrow.”
I blink. I don’t know what to say. He’s managed to leave me speechless. Worse, he’s totally serious. I can see it in his expression.
“You can’t force me to say I do.”
“My friend Niko threatened to pay a priest and have the wedding without a bride. I’d rather not go that route. I want your lips there to claim when it is all said and done.”
“You can’t pay a priest to commit a mortal sin, Antonio.”
“I told you,” he murmurs, stepping closer to me, his hand moving along my neck, his fingers stretching out to gently caress the bruise on my face.