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“You want an heir. So what, Catarina is chopped liver?”
He frowned at her use of the old expression. “She will always be cared for and live comfortably, but I want a son.”
Shakarri couldn’t believe his bias against women. She had seen it before they got married, and he’d even admitted to his personal views on the subject right from the start. At the time, she didn’t care as long as she got what she wanted, and that was an out. She was selfish, and she had to face the consequences. Even with him standing there giving her orders, she didn’t regret her decision. And who knew? Maybe she could find a little satisfaction in the bedroom.
Ezio’s hand went back to her chin, and he gripped it with a firm grasp. For a moment, Shakarri pressed her lips together. By nature she was stubborn. That’s why she refused to land on the street when her own dad had scammed her and left her deep in debt. She had her mother to take care of who was in a hospice. When Shakarri met Ezio, she was working two jobs and exhausted beyond measure. A
t first she didn’t believe him when he said he wanted to make her his.
“Stop that,” he said and ran a thumb over her lips. She unwound a bit, and he lowered his lips to hers. The light kiss swept her defenses, and she shook a little. He had kissed her before, and that was the deciding factor. If she was going to exchange her body for a debt paid, she wanted to enjoy it.
Ezio raised his head and looked into her eyes. His gaze dared her to deny she liked his kiss. She smirked and pressed in closer to get another. He held her off. She blinked at him. “I thought you said…”
He spun her away from him and kissed along the side of her neck. One arm wound around her waist while the other moved to the line of her dress again. She held onto it. He grunted in displeasure.
“You’re not planning to deny me?” He added a question mark to the sentence, but Shakarri heard a declaration. “Let it go.”
There was no turning back now. Tonight was their wedding night. She had to give in, to consummate the marriage, but she didn’t know him that well. Their courtship was three weeks long, and then they had gotten married. Just long enough for Ezio to determine she fit his parameters. When Ezio made a decision, he didn’t expect opposition. Everyone must fall in line with his dictates.
“M-maybe a drink?” she suggested, embarrassed. It wasn’t that she was a novice when it came to intimacy, but all the nerves she’d suffered before today came flooding back. Not to mention how heavy handed he was with the orders. In any other situation, his attitude would have pissed her off so much she would have told him about himself.
He hesitated. “I’d be within my rights to put you on the bed and demonstrate what I want from you.”
Her nails cut into her palms, and she bit her tongue. Shut up, Shakarri. He hasn’t paid off the debt yet. That was the crux of it. To be sure Shakarri cooperated, Ezio had taken over the monstrous monthly payments for her debt. He would take care of it every month so long as she kept her part of the bargain. He had insisted she leave her job, so even if she ran now, she would have no more than the clothes on her back. She could almost hear the black women of the world calling her ten kinds of a fool.
Ezio turned her head and covered her mouth again. His hold tightened as he devoured her mouth. Little by little, Shakarri’s defenses fell until she was putty in his hands. He dragged her around to face him and moved his hands to her hips. With a flick of his wrists, he tossed her onto the bed. She squealed in surprise, and her dress slid so low she was in danger of exposure.
“Ezio!”
He stood above her, looking for all the world like an Italian pirate. She waited for him to come after her and make good his threat. Instead, he spun toward the phone at the side of the bed.
“Clara, white wine for me and Mrs. Sartori.” He glanced at Shakarri. “And something to snack on.”
He disconnected the call, and seconds later someone knocked on the door. So little time had passed since Ezio made the request, she wondered if the staff anticipated the order.
“Come,” Ezio barked, and the door opened. Just as if they were in a fancy hotel, Clara rolled a cart into the room and handed each of them a glass.
“For you, signora.” Her heavy accent made it hard for Shakarri to know exactly what she said, but she assumed it wasn’t something she needed to respond to. She smiled and thanked the cook.
Shakarri took a brief sip of her wine and sighed. She drank a little more, and then slid to the end of the bed to go after the bottle. Before she could reach it, Ezio laid a hand over the opening. The significant look he gave her spoke volumes. Too bad. She couldn’t drink herself into a stupor and tell him to bring it on.
Clara arranged a small plate with a healthy slice of cake on it and handed it to Shakarri. She didn’t repeat the process for Ezio because her husband didn’t like sweets. Shakarri thought that was unnatural. “Ci sarà qualcos'altro?, Signore Ezio?”
With a few swallows, Shakarri drained her glass and set it on the nightstand. She picked off a bite of the cake and suppressed a moan at its goodness. Before meeting Ezio, there were days she didn’t get enough to eat, and sweets had been off the menu for months. They were a luxury she couldn’t afford.
“That will be all.” Ezio dismissed Clara with a twitch of two fingers and turned to Shakarri. He finished his wine and set the glass down. Shakarri stood to her feet and sucked in a deep breath. She let her dress flutter to the floor.
Chapter 2
Shakarri checked the price tag on the blouse her friend thought was cute and cringed. “Good lord, I don’t know why you have me in here, Nay. These clothes are outrageous.”
Her friend laughed. “You can afford it now, remember? You’re rich.”
“Correction. Ezio is rich. I’m just his wife.”
Nay rolled her eyes. “As such you get to legally put your hands in his pockets. He won’t feel it.”
Shakarri pursed her lips and studied her friend. Nay had cut her hair again. She was always hacking it off, something like every other week. This time it was less than an inch long, and she had relaxed what little was left and dyed it a shocking red color. Shakarri never knew what to expect from Nay. That’s why she loved her.
