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“Many have tried and failed,” he retorted, and I let out a huff.
“Why do you hate me so much?” I hadn’t meant to ask it, but since it was out, I waited for his answer.
“I don’t hate you, but I do hate everything that you represent.”
My brows furrowed at that. “And that is?”
He took my hand and cupped it between his. “I want you too fucking much.”
“I don’t understand.” Well, I did, but I didn’t.
“Ever since you walked back into my life, all I can do is think about the ways that I want to ruin you. You’d break so beautifully, but then again, you already have for him.”
I didn’t miss the way he referenced his father with such disgust in his tone. His other words echoed in my head, and I knew that he would love to break me. Men like him, and his father, liked their women subservient and submissive. With Stefano, I played that role, and while I could with Nazario too, I knew it was a much deadlier game because he could probably reach parts of me that my friends in Sicily and his father couldn’t.
I’d had everything done to me in the name of revenge. I wore battle scars from those nights, and carried the mental reminders in my head. I’d never taken the kiss of a whip... the cut of a blade... or the psychological warfare others inflicted on me in the name of pleasure. I did get off, but it had never been the intention and rather just an expected result.
“You’re right. I’m already broken,” I finally said. “And we both know who’s responsible for that.”
“You’re fractured, but not truly broken beyond repair. If you continue to play this deadly game, you will be, though.” I didn’t need his warning, and pushing away from the wall, I pulled my robe back together and tied the belt back around me. “Where are you going?” he asked when I stood up.
“I’m not having this conversation with you again. Just because you tickled my clit with your fucking tongue doesn’t mean that I will fall back, so you can do something that you claim to want to do yourself, but have had years to do and haven’t.”
I started walking away, even though I had no idea where I was going. I heard him rise to his feet and seconds later, I was pushed face first against the cold, stone wall. “I’ve been waiting for the right time. There’s a—”
“The right time,” I responded with sarcasm, “Just go on and admit that you’re not man enough to do the job. Afterward, you can step aside and let someone who is do it.”
That earned me a growl, and when Nazario wrapped his hand around my neck, I briefly wondered if I was pushing him too far. The tightening of his fingers around my throat made my panties get wetter. I used to be terrified of things like this, but in working with those that I trusted, I had learned to enjoy it. In fact, I also fucking craved it. Pain was an emotion, and one of the only ones that made me feel alive. Everything in my world revolved around it, so when he slipped his other hand into my panties, I didn’t even flinch.
I also didn’t moan or cry out when he pinched the very clit I mentioned earlier. He rolled it between his fingertips and alternated between squeezing and rubbing it. My knees were growing weak, yet I wouldn’t allow him to see how easily he affected me. Any touch of his was done with the sole purpose of manipulating me into doing what he wanted. I wouldn’t cave. I couldn’t.
And as if on cue, he spoke, “I will put you up somewhere and fuck you to your heart’s content as long as you leave this house tonight. Do not marry my father. Don’t even—”
I used my elbow to muscle my way away from him. I caught him by surprise enough that he released my neck from his grasp and I quickly rubbed out the soreness in it. I was glaring, not that he could see. “I’ll never leave until I’ve done what I’ve come here to do.”
“You’re a goddamned fool,” he cursed, and I glared harder. I didn’t give a damn what he thought about me.
“You want me gone so badly. Why?” I didn’t think he would respond, so I wasn’t holding my breath.
“I need to be the one to take him out. What would it look like for you to do it? The price on your head would be astronomical. You wouldn’t live a day after carrying out your vengeance. Can’t you see that I’m only looking out for—”
“I don’t need you to look out for me. I don’t need your protection or concern. Do I give a damn if I die? No! Just know that I won’t be the first one to succumb.”
I was livid, and physically shaking. Nazario didn’t understand how important this was to me. He couldn’t. From what I had learned about him, there were things that mattered, but friends, family, and women were not on that list.
“Cazzo!” His tone was short and clipped. “Do you think that you’re the only one that he’d scorned?” I went to answer, but he started talking so quickly that I closed my mouth instead. “I once had a heart. A soul, too. I lost it all the last year of school when Stefano took the only thing that mattered to me, and broke her into pieces.”
“I don’t believe you,” I stated. He’d likely say anything to try to appeal to me.
“I loved her, or at least I think that I did. I tried to keep our relationship secret because I knew the type of man that my father was. It wasn’t enough. Her father owed a debt and turned her over to him as repayment. He drugged and raped her, then sent her away where she was later killed by animals even worse than him.”
I gasped, the sound much louder than intended in the enclosed space. “Did you try to help her?”
“How could I? It’d happened before I arrived. The bastard recorded the entire thing and made me watch. The things he does with you... Let’s just say that not everyone else is so willing to submit.”
“D-Donna,” I cried out.
“He’d been in town on business and had his local crew round up a few girls. Stefano likes them young, but bordering on legal. She tried to fight him off, but it’d been too little too late. He was enraged and instead of selling her off to others, he killed her. Dead women can’t talk so his secrets remain safe.”
