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It took nearly all of that, since Benny insisted on her brushing her teeth and washing her face before he let her go to the corner in a unicorn-dotted tank top and purple ruffled panties. In a move so humiliating she wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole, Benny tugged said ruffled panties to her knees once she was in place.
“Everything will be alright, princess,” he assured her, dropping a kiss on the top of her head before leaving her to her fate.
The seconds ticked by into minutes, into what felt like hours before the door to the bedroom opened again. It took every ounce of her willpower not to turn around or pull her panties back up over her bottom.
She startled when, instead of calling for her, Emilio simply picked her up and carried her to the overstuffed armchair and settled her on his lap.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. “I lost my temper, but that’s no excuse for slapping you.”
“No, it isn’t. But once you’ve been punished it will all be behind us. We need to talk first, though.”
More talking. Her stomach did a somersault at the idea that there might be more he hadn’t told her. “About what?”
“Do you have any questions? About what I was telling you earlier?”
“Yes.” Sitting up, she shifted to face him. She needed to look him in the eye when he answered her. “What evidence do you have to back up these claims against Uncle Gio?”
“I thought you might ask that. I have a folder, downstairs in my safe, of meetings Gio had with men who were considered key players in the sex slave business. Each man died a suspicious death within a week of their final meeting with Gio.”
“Who gave you this file?” Ignoring the sickness coating her stomach, she pressed on. “How do you know it’s accurate?”
“I have a... friend within the police department.”
“A cop?” she sneered. “You trusted a cop to tell you the truth?”
“This particular cop has been on my payroll for years. He has no reason to lie to me. In fact, he has very strong incentives to be as honest with me as possible.”
The more she considered it, the more it all made a sick kind of sense. Why would Uncle Gio order hits on prominent men, just because they offended his sensibilities? It wasn’t the kind of move a man in his position would make. Had she been so blinded by her love for him, she hadn’t seen what was right under her nose?
But if she accepted what Emilio was telling her, why had Uncle Gio ordered her to takehimout? Had the favor been for someone in his new line of business, to solidify a deal? Or was it simply that he’d known Emilio wouldn’t stand for the change?
Too many questions, with no clear answers. But there was one question she could get an answer to, right then. “Why do you want to marry me?”
“Ah.” The slightest hint of a smile lifted the corners of his lips. “I’d hoped you’d ask.” He lifted a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, and her heart practically jumped for joy at the gesture. “The more practical reason is, I plan to dismantle Gio’s organization. I don’t condone sex trafficking, and I refuse to sit by and let it happen right under my nose. Once that happens, you’ll need protection, and I can provide that for you.”
“If that happens, I can protect myself. I was raised in this life, I know how to build alliances. Most of the men employed by Uncle Gio would already lay down their lives for mine.”
“Loyalty often follows money. Do you have any clue about the financial side of Gio’s organization?”
“No. But I can learn.”
“Of that, I have no doubt. Just as I have no doubt you could lead the organization with as much success, if not more, than your father before you.”
His obvious faith in her was just one more thing for her to feel guilty over. “I sense a ‘but’ coming.”
“But,” he acknowledged with a nod of his head. “Learning takes time. Time you won’t have. If we’re married, I can make sure those whose loyalty depends on the balance in their bank account stay loyal while we rebuild the organization and you establish yourself.”
It made sense. And in another lifetime, where they didn’t have this secret between them, it would have been easy to agree. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You aren’t asking me. I’m offering. And none of what we’ve discussed so far even touches on the real reason I want to marry you.”
“What is the real reason?”
His smile widened. “I’ve loved you for a long time, Amara Vitali. But you were so young, and I had hoped you’d find your way out of this world. You deserve better than a man like me, but I’m a selfish creature by nature and now that I’ve had a taste of you, I’m not inclined to let you go.”
Guilt warred with the bloom of pleasure at his words. “You love me?”
“Beyond reason, as it would appear. I understand if you don’t feel the same right now, given everything that’s happened. But I hope one day you’ll be able to return my affections.”
