Rafe tenses at my side, and I tip my head higher in silent protest, addressing the smirking menace on the screen with as much cool indifference as I can gather. “Nico.”
“How I’ve missed that mouth, Elodie. Fuck, have I missed it.” He sighs theatrically, making a point of adjusting himself in his suit pants, and I can feel my cheeks heat at his innuendo. “Whatever shall I do with you, hmm? You’ve beensucha naughty little girl.”
Rafe’s presence gives me the nerve to hold Nico’s amused stare unwaveringly even as I feel sweat bead my brow. My heart rate elevates when Nico’s smirk widens.
“When you disobeyed me to attend that wedding, you had no idea just how much trouble you’d be facing when you inevitably returned.”
RAFE
It’s making sense now.Why Elodie had been alone and unsupervised in Lazise. She’d expressly defied her lover to travel here.
The same lover who’s just referred to her as his little whore.
And she’d been completely unfazed by it, meaning he’s used the term before.
“I told you, Nico.” I can almost hear Elodie’s pulse racing as she stands her ground gloriously, and I can’t help clenching my fists, wanting nothing so badly as to drive one into the face of the smug cunt on the screen. “You don’t understand. Ineededto be there?—”
“It’syouwho doesn’t understand.” Conti slams his fist down on the desk, his face stained red with the force of his rage. “Youneedto be where Itellyou to be, or have you conveniently forgotten the rules of the agreement?”
Her chin stays thrust forward in defiance as she regards him evenly. “How could I forget, Nico? You’ve ensured I witness the reminder of your ownership every day.”
The agreement? His ownership?
Elodie’s shoulder stiffens beside mine, and her eyes flick to my face as I keep mine trained on the grinning bastard before me.
He sits forward with his elbows planted on the desk before him. “You’re showing a lot more sass than I’m used to.” His eyes flicker to me and back to Elodie. “You let thisstronzobetween those pretty thighs, hmm? You let him see what’s mine?”
“That’s enough!” I bark, stepping forward as a red mist of fury descends over my eyes.
“You’ve seen her. She’s whole. Anduntouched.” My eyes narrow, having to speak of her like this. “You have my word as a Caruso?—”
“The word of a filthy Caruso like you meansshit.”
His glare takes on an almost predatorial look when they move back to Elodie.
“I mean, you’re so starved for affection that you’d let anyone inside that warm cunt of yours.”
A growl forms deep in my chest as Elodie frowns, shaking her head. She opens her mouth to speak again. “You can think what you want?—”
“And I knowexactlywhy you came with me willingly four years ago,mia puttana.” His eyes light up in sick delight. “Let’s just say, your secret isn’t so secret anymore…”
Elodie’s demeanor freezes with terror as he smirks savagely. “You’ll remember your place from here on out, oryou know who’ll pay the price…”
He trails off with a grin, his threat hanging in the air between them before he continues.
“Have you given any information on my outfit to the prick on your left?”
Elodie shakes her head emphatically, the back-talk of moments ago disappearing. “I would never. Icouldnever, Nico, even if I wanted to. You made sure I couldn’t understand your conversations.”
Conti is the one who forbade her from learning Italian.
Another piece of the puzzle, and I frown heavily as it all starts to come together.
Forbidding her from learning his language. Calling her his whore. Her reference to his ownership. The ill-concealed anger on his face that night…
She’s not his lover. She’s a toy, to be displayed. Used and played with on a whim.
That’s why she’d referred to him as her boss when he’d called her cell atVista Lagoback in Lazise.
