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And whose fault is that?I re-bury the thought so it doesn’t accidentally come out in a snit.
“There are military instillations that aren’t as heavily guarded as this place. How about if I walk with Paula? I’m sure she’ll report back if I commit some sin.” The last part comes out surlier than intended.
“That’s fine. But you’re asking for a lot for someone who hasn’t spread her legs for me.”
The crass comment is Antonio’s way of slapping me for my surliness, and it stings enough to make me blanch. But I cover the pain with sarcasm.
“I thought that’s what I did last night.”
“I’m quite sure that was for you, not for me. Although, next time, when you’re not being a little manipulator, maybe it will end better for you.”
Really? That’s what you think?
“My mother never said a word against my father unless they were alone. When it was just the two of them, she had carte blanche to speak her mind.”
“If you’re going to complain about last night, save your breath. You got what you asked for. I went to the house with good intentions.”
All good intentions went out the window the day you lured me across the ocean and imprisoned me.
“I’d like us to have the same understanding my parents had. Does that work for you?” I ask sweetly.
“Within reason. What is it you want to say that requires a pass?”
“The Americans have a term they like to use. I’m sure you heard it often when you studied there.”
“The Americans have a lot of terms they like to use. Which one are you referring to?”
“Asshole.” I draw the word out, being playful with my tone. But I’m not playing. I can’t allow all his behavior to go unchecked. If I knew I could escape tomorrow, I could tolerate anything. But I might be here for a long time, and I won’t let him degrade me until I’m completely destroyed.
Antonio doesn’t respond immediately, so it’s impossible to know what he’s thinking. I take a sip of coffee while I wait to see if he’s angry or amused.
“You never told me,Princesa. What do you fantasize about when you stroke your pussy? Tell me.”
I have my answer.He wants to embarrass me. He expects me to call him a pig. But he’s going to get a dose of truth instead.
“For the last six years, I’ve shared a room with a little girl. I worked two jobs and picked up extra shifts when I could. There weren’t many opportunities for self-exploration, especially in the last year. I think you saw to that when you made my life harder than it needed to be. Not everyone lives in a castle with lavish amounts of privacy.”
“Pity.”
It’s an obnoxious reply, but from the tone it’s clear I took some of the wind out of his sails.
“If my lack of sexual experience doesn’t appeal to you, let me go, and find someone who enjoys your filth.”
“I think you enjoy my filth,” he murmurs. “You were aroused last night, soaking wet, and the filthier it got, the more aroused you became. What you need is permission to be a dirty, dirty girl, and a lover who knows how to coax it from you. You need a man who knows how to satisfy needs you don’t even know you have.”
I’ve had a man who knew how to satisfy my needs.It’s on the tip of my tongue, but I don’t say it. It’s not true, and he’ll sense it. But more important, Antonio is not above having Josh murdered.
“Don’t you have an empire to run?”
I can almost picture his smug little smile. “I do. Not now, but at some point we need to discuss the wedding.”
“You were vague when I asked yesterday, but what kind of timeline are you imagining?”
“A few weeks. A month, perhaps. But it’s more than an imagining. It’s a certainty.”
For you, maybe. I won’t be here.
34
