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Before I know it, my back is slammed against the wall. His hand takes possessive hold of my throat, holding me in place and squeezing too tightly.
I’m frozen in place by this sudden attack. And immediately, my frantic heartbeat thrashes in my ears.
My hands go to Gualtiero’s, trying to pry him off my throat. He loosens his grip slightly, but it does little to quieten the panic rushing through my body.
“Watch it, princess,” he hisses in my ear aggressively. “I have very little patience left. Your backside might still end up red if you’re not careful.”
He lets go of his hold on me, and I gasp for air.
Shocked to my core, my body trembles, but he doesn’t seem to notice.
Gualtiero opens the door and ushers me out. “I’ll be another half an hour before we can go. You’re not to leave the roped-off area. Stay out of trouble,” he orders and walks off.
Right away, Alonso and Oriana appear behind me. On shaky legs, I head to the nearby bathroom. I’m going to be sick or pass out. Black dots dance before my eyes and bile rises up my throat. Before I reach the door, Oriana is ahead of me and signals for me to wait.
God, not that again.
I lean against the wall for support and try to steady my breathing. I’m hyperventilating and everything tingles.
Alonso steps closer, concern written all over his face. He takes my arm and leads me to a sitting area a few feet away.
“Bend over and put your head between legs. That will help,” he says, his voice filled with compassion. My breathing slowly evens out, and the nausea subsides. When I come back up, he hands me a bottle of water, and I drink it eagerly.
Tears sting my eyes. I still see Gualtiero’s freezing gaze penetrating me. They’re branded into my memory like a devil’s mark.
Where is the man from the island?
He’s nowhere to be found. Instead, a brutal beast has taken over his body. I can’t reconcile the two.
My heart is breaking all over again. How did I fall for this man?
My hand covers my mouth to stifle a sob trying to escape. But I won’t show such weakness.
With a deep breath in, I stand and walk to the bathroom to splash water on my face. Oriana gives me the okay, and then enters right behind me, waiting by the door. I feel uneasy freshening up while being watched, but I finish up in silence and head back to the bar. I order another chocolatini with triple strength, hoping it will knock me out.
Nobody dares to approach me… I don’t blame them. They probably all saw what happened to Blondie.
The trip home—no… not home—the trip back to Gualtiero’s mansion passes uneventfully.
He’s on the phone the entire time, agitated and shouting. It suits me just fine. Last thing I want is to have him talk to me.
In fact, I want to be as far away from him as possible.
I watch the changing scenery outside, lost in my thoughts. Without waiting for anybody to open my door, I get out as soon as the car pulls up at the front steps and make my way to my bedroom.
I strip out of the dress and get into the shower. Despite it being scalding hot, I feel cold, my bones frozen. I slide to the floor, hugging my legs, and let the hot water rain down on me.
I’m exhausted—physically and mentally.
Gualtiero isn’t in the room when I come out of the bathroom, and I’m grateful for the respite from him.
I wish I could lock the door.
Hopping into bed, I pull up the sheets and close my eyes, willing this day to end.
I had enough.
How am I going to get myself out of this?
