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“But I ask for so little.” Just your body and soul. Your cries for mercy. Your total obedience and your life in my hands, forever.
Her fingers reach up to touch the diamonds around her throat. “What is it you do want?”
I put my hands on her shoulders and turn her to face me. “You.”
Confusion flickers in those beautiful eyes, and her lower lip softens. I ache to lean down and nip it with my teeth.
“I’ve heard so many despicable things about you. Who are you really?”
“I’m a businessman. I own hotels. I run casinos.” I stand behind her and point at three gleaming skyscrapers, just visible over the roof of her house. “That one’s mine, and the two on either side, among many others.”
My lips skim the shell of her ear as I talk, and I feel her shiver beneath my fingers.
“That’s only part of the truth, isn’t it?” she whispers.
“Clever girl. Shall I tell you the truth?”
She nods, still looking up at the glimmering buildings.
I slide my arm around her waist and pull her back against my chest. She stiffens and clutches my arm. “I win, at any cost. What I set my mind on, I get, including you, Chiara.”
“I’m not a skyscraper, or my father. I can’t be bought with promises and diamonds.”
My composure cracks at her defiance. If she were looking into my eyes, she’d be backing away in fear right now. I stroke the diamonds around her neck and keep my voice soft. “No? And yet here you are, in my arms, wearing my diamonds.”
“I’ll take them off the second you’re gone and throw them away.”
Heat ripples through my muscles. She’s just crossed the line from naïve to disrespectful. My hand drifts higher, stroking her throat. “You think you’re not in danger in this house because your father’s close by and it’s your birthday. I gave you diamonds. I’m beingnice. You’ve forgotten your manners, Chiara.”
I grip her throat and squeeze. Her eyes fly open and she grabs my wrist with both hands. Her body flails but I have her clenched tight against me.
Trapped.
Teeth bared, I growl in her ear, “I’ll help you remember them. You don’t talk back to me. You don’t treat what I give you like dirt. I can get to you whenever I want. I can hurt you. I can hurt your mother. I can do whatever the fuck I want in this town, and no one, least of all your father, can stop me.”
Chiara gives a strangled whimper, her heels hitting my shins.
“Don’t let that pretty mouth of yours put a bullet in your head.” I watch her as she struggles, her movements becoming more and more frantic. If she has any sense, she’ll only have to hear this once. Finally, I release her and shove her away from me.
Chiara’s hand flies to her throat as she doubles over, gasping for breath. I straighten my jacket and smooth my hair. I think she’s learned her lesson.
“I can be your friend, or your worst nightmare. Happy birthday, Chiara.”
3
Vinicius
I’m standing out by the pool as Salvatore strides past me. “Did you have a nice chat with the birthday—”
He keeps walking with a face like thunder, and growls, “Disrespectful little bitch. I’ll enjoy putting her in her place when the time comes.”
I grin to myself in the darkness. Salvatore has no subtlety. I suppose when diamonds didn’t do the trick, he went straight for threats. Everyone knows you catch more flies with honey.
I saunter around the pool to the sitting room where Chiara is gripping the back of a sofa with a trembling hand and trying to catch her breath. “How was your talk with Salvatore?”
She whirls around, her big eyes opening wide. “What do you mean?”
“You’re shaking.”
