Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
An enormous bed dominated the space.
Matteo set me on my feet and turned to close the doors, sliding the bolt lock into place.
Locked in.
On a boat.
Far away from where anyone could hear my screams.
Focu ‘ranni. How the hell did I get myself into this? Oh right, my sister.
I backed up several steps and said, “You’re making a terrible mistake. You need to let me go.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Sure.”
My eyebrows rose. “Really!”
He nodded. “Absolutely. I’ll just let you waltz off this boat in your see-through shirt with your tits on display. No problem.”
It took a second for my chilled brain to register his words.
First, the sarcastic tone.
Then the absurdity of his assurances.
Finally, the bit about my tits.
I looked down. The white lace corset was on display beneath the white linen of my blouse. The damp air and spray from the waves cresting against the dock pilings had rendered it almost translucent. I could even see the dark shadow of my areoles.
With a cry, I crossed my arms over my chest. “How dare you!”
Matteo tilted his head. “How dare I what? Look? Oh yes, I’m sure you’re more accustomed to extracting some form of payment for a peek.”
He pushed away from the door. “So tell me, what is the standard high-class-whore rate sheet? Cash for a peek. Jewels for a taste. Luxury car for a fuck?”
I raised my arm to slap him.
He caught it mid-air. “Slap me again and I’ll slap you back. Understood?”
I gasped. “You’d slap a woman in the face? You brute!”
With his fingers firmly wrapped around my wrist, he wrenched me forward. My hands pressed against his chest as he smirked down at me. “I never said it would be across the face.”
My cheeks warmed at his implication. Averting my gaze, I said through clenched teeth, “Let me off this boat.”
“Fine. You can leave.”
Unbidden, a surge of hope warmed my core. Then reality crystalized it into a rigid block of ice.
My gaze narrowed. “Just like that? You’ll let me leave.”
He brushed a damp curl of hair off my cheek. “Of course. As soon as I’m finished.”
“Finished what?”
Please say talking to me. Please say talking to me. Please say talking to me.
His finger reached under my chin and tilted my head back. In this better light, the painted gold lines which highlighted the contours of his devil half mask stood out in stark relief.
The corner of his mouth lifted as his gaze wandered over my face to land on my mouth. “Finished disciplining you.”
CHAPTER 6
MATTEO
The silver lining to this hot mess of an arranged marriage agreement turned molten and settled in my cock. It was odd not giving a fuck about trying to hide my more feral tastes in the bedroom.
“Take off that stupid disguise.”
She blinked and stood still before me.
I stroked her lower lip with my thumb. “Don’t start the bullshit shy act with me now, Antonia. Drop the skirt.”
Her brow furrowed at my use of her name. Perhaps she didn’t appreciate being referred to by the feminine version of her father’s name. Maybe she was more of a Tia.
That was a concern for later. Now I just wanted to see her naked and tied to my bed.
She took a step back. “This isn’t a disguise. And we … can’t … not until we’re married.”
“Says the woman who offered me her ass in a threesome less than an hour ago.”
Her mouth dropped open. “She did what!”
I cocked my head to the side. “What?”
She shook her head as she gathered the folds of her skirt and took another step back. “I mean, you must have misunderstood me.”
“Some things a man does not misunderstand. Being offered anal is pretty damn near the top.”
Her arm swept behind her to cover her ass as she pushed out her chin. “Well, this time you were mistaken.”
The deep blush coloring her cheeks was an inspired touch. Resisting the temptation, I had to stop myself from falling into her sweetly poisonous virginal honey trap once again.
My chest tightened. Fuck. The sight of her almost going over that dock edge and possibly disappearing beneath the sea's dark depths nearly stopped my heart. The seconds it took me to reach her and pull her back in time were some of the longest of my life.
My jaw clenched as anger replaced fear. By once more exhibiting her careless and irrational attitude, she had again put herself in peril. Whether it was playing with fire by agreeing to trick me on Dante’s yacht or flirting with other men in front of her current lover or acting like a fool at Carnevale, she seemed to lurch from one poor decision to the next.
While the last thing I wanted was this marriage arrangement, it was obviously the best thing for her.
Someone had to take control of her. If not, she wouldn’t make it out of her twenties.