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My vision was blurry at first, but I rubbed my eyes and sat up. My stomach roiled at the sudden movement and it took me a moment to accept that the room wasn’t actually spinning. Immediately, my brain recognized that the room wasn’t my own after all and everything came rushing back to me.
I sighed and wondered if my gun would still be sitting where I left it on the back of the toilet when I started my strip tease. Not that it would help since I didn’t have any bullets in it.
Instead, I cautiously glanced around the room to see what my life had been relegated to for the near future.
Satin sheets covered the huge bed. It was similar to what I’d done in my own room at home. The coverlet matched the gray masculine tones of the room’s decor. This wasn’t a king sized bed, it was closer to a king and a half. Plenty of room to play and experiment while taking no chances of falling off during the activities. A lot of fun could be had here.
A large metal frame had rings attached to the poles for easy access to bind someone to keep them from moving. My pulse quickened at the idea of being tied up and stroked into mercy. The idea of returning the favor had my breath hitching.
The sound of someone clearing their throat drew my gaze to the right. Luciano was sitting there in the most comfortable looking chair, a book in his hands, his eyes focused on me.
I let out a deep breath, wondering how I hadn’t known he was there before. It wasn’t like me to overlook that kind of presence. His still form had gone unnoticed when I’d surveyed the room earlier, but something about him hadn’t put me on alert like other men would have. I was lucky I had never missed something like this when clearing buildings of threats or in the presence of someone like him before.
My throat was sore and swallowing was going to be difficult for the next few days. I refrained from stroking my throat and showing my betrothed any weakness.
“You’re awake,” he said and leaned toward me. “It took you long enough.”
I glared at him, “I apologize for being choked byyour father,” I said, sarcastically. “And passing out. I’ll completely notify you when I might have another incident of this nature.”
Luciano narrowed his eyes and his eyebrows pinched, he was not amused with my sarcasm. “He choked you because you showed him absolutely no respect, and you deserved what you got.” He raised an eyebrow at me as he leaned towards me. “You would do well to learn some manners, or you won’t survive here long. I can’t imagine that your father allowed you to speak to him like that.”
Survival was a word I knew well. It was a word I’d been living since the death of my brother because of this cursed family. Being the daughter of a don, of a dangerous man, then taking my own position as the second had kept me alive long enough to survive.
It meant I was always looking over my shoulder. This was hardly any different.
Did I have to like these people? Absolutely not, but did I have to put up with them in order to continue living. Yes, I did. If I found a way to earn their respect, I might even be able to have a life of my own. Who knew, I might even be able to exact my revenge against Angelo? Everything was about survival and biding your time. I’d been conditioned for both.
I studied Luciano, gauging him. The real question was would it be best to be direct? Or should I try to continue our previous conversation as to the expectations for his wife? I might just need to work my way up by proving myself. Again. I wanted to be a partner, an equal. If Luciano would be taking over my father’s position, then I wanted a place beside him. I did it once before, I could do it again.
“Why are you here?” I asked. My voice was still strong even though it was a bit gravelly. I refused to be a weak little girl that would just bend to Luciano’s will. It was also the only thing I could think to ask that wouldn’t offend him. I actually wanted him to like me, respect me. Maybe it would offend him, but he told me he liked my fire, when it was behind closed doors that was.
“To check on my fiancée.” Luciano snorted. “Why else?”
“Thank you,” I said, swallowing an attempt to hide the fact that my voice had been far from genuine.
He shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “I’m trying to understand you.”
“Well, I would prefer it if you didn’t,” I told him truthfully. I didn’t need him to understand me just yet, right then, I wanted even footing as we navigated what the unknown future would look like for us. I needed him to see that I was capable, smart, and strong.
“I’ll get to know every single thought and reaction you have, just like I will know every inch of your body. I am not a good man, but I get the feeling you are not a good woman either.” Luciano didn’t look bothered by this statement in the slightest. “What I do know is that you’re mine.” He declared it with an air of ownership.
His words gave me two very conflicted feelings. One was that being called his was hot as fuck. Because that also meant he was mine, and the underboss in me relished in that ownership. However, the second part of me, the girl that had been raised to shoot her way out of questions didn’t have an answer to or clearly didn’t want to answer, didn't like the possessiveness he was displaying.
“I’m not a thing,” I corrected him. “And I’m definitely not yours, at least yet anyway.”
“I’d like to beg to differ.”
“Let’s agree to disagree.”
A moment of silence passed between us as he eyed me up and down, and I could tell that Luciano was trying to figure out what he wanted to say. He decided to move instead.
Luciano stood, watching me for a reaction as he rounded the bed to stand before me. His eyes raked up and down my body. I was dressed in a T-shirt I didn’t recognize, and I could only assume that was thanks to him. He finally stopped eye-fucking my exposed legs and looked into my eyes.
“Have you ever been with another man?”
The words were a large shock to me. We went from zero to sixty in this conversation. Had he really just asked me that question, and what was I supposed to say in response? I was a twenty-six year-old woman, and I knew the answer he wanted. But was I willing to sacrifice my integrity just to spite him? It might be the only thing I had left in this place.
“Does it matter if I have or haven’t?” It wasn’t an answer to the question he was asking. “Have you ever been with another woman?”
