<b>107 </b>
CATERINA
Nighttime is the worst, it’s when the coldness seeps into my bones and the despair causes me to believe Gianni will nevere for me. I try to keep my spirits up, but even I know I was not cut out for this cruel darkness of this world,
Sleep never finds me, and my body is a mass of knots by …
the time e lock disengages. My entire body stiffens, the breath in my lungs stills, and panic bubbles to the surface, giving way to worry which guard I’ll have to face this time.
Will this one decide he doesn’t want to follow Jack’s orders?
The door swings open slowly, and the sound of choked gagging fills the room before I even see a face. I know it’s not one of the guards, and it’s not Jack, but I recognize him immediately.
“It smells like a fucking sewer in here,” Donovan gags, his gaze sweeping the room and stopping once itnds on me. The instant sh of recognition sends a wave of dread ripping across my skin.
Why does it have to be him?
“Is this not the funniest thing in the world? I bet you never guessed you would find yourself in this position?” His cruel cackle rings in my ears. “Wouldn’t it have been easier to be friendly during that dinner? It’s sad how unforgiving the world can be. Look where it got you. Practically marinating in your own shit.”
There’s nothing for me to say, not that I could say anything that would be understandable with the tape over my mouth.
He goes to the window and tests it<b>, </b>cursing quietly when he finds the frame painted shut. “That can’t be safe, but then again, we can’t have you trying to escape, now can we?” When he turns his attention back to me he lets out a snort. “What am I saying? You’re not going anywhere, not like that, at least.”
I want to scream, to let out all my rage, but the best I can do is grumble internally to myself.
Donovan shakes his head, “Not that it matters but you’ll be d to know my father sent me to check up on you and remove your restraints, only if you’ve decided to behave yourself?” Shooting a knowing expression toward the partly open door, he says, “I don’t think he trusts those guys.”
I wouldn’t believe he cared regardless, but the almost giddy tone of his voice tells me everything I need to know. It wouldn’t bother him in the least bit if every single one of them took advantage of me–for all I know, he might watch as they do so. Nausea twists my empty stomach, and it only worsens the closer hees to me.
I try not to recoil, knowing that’s exactly what he wants, but it’s hard not to when your body wants to override your brain. ” Rx,” he murmurs, pretending to be concerned when it’s obvious he’s getting off on my fear. “I’m a friend in all this. Frankly, I think my father took things too far. He’s old school, though, while I believe there’s always a way to work things out peacefully.”
What is the point of this? If he’s trying to sweet–talk me intoplying<b>, </b>it’s not working. Not when I know that every wording out of his mouth is a tant lie.
“Let’s free your arms,” he suggests, wincing in a mockery of sympathy. <b>“</b>I’m sure you can’t <b>be </bfortable.” He shakes his head, “It’s a shame they left you like this all night? These men are savages. I can’t believe they’d let you suffer like this.”
He’s not wrong about that, but I’m not fooled by his charade of sympathy. He doesn’t feel a lick of empathy for me. Part of me wonders if Jack sent him to y the good cop. It’s almost degrading that they’d assume I’m stupid enough to believe that.
To think, this all could’ve been avoided.” He leans over me<b>, </b>crouching, and again my stomach threatens to revolt. This time it’s thanks to the proximity of his crotch to my face. “I apologize for all of this. My father is a bit of a hothead. Not surprising since he doesn’t take well to insults. Gianni made a fool out of him. That kind of thing isn’t so easily forgiven in our world.”
I’m barely paying attention to <b>a </b>word he says since the acidic touch of his hands on my skin is so off–putting. No amount of soap or water will remove the dirtiness of his fingers from my skin.
“Just looking for the topyer of tape,” he murmurs, a false attempt at exining why it’s taking so long. I avert my <b>gaze </b>from
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his crotch and look at <b>the </b>dirty brick out of the corner of my eye. This nightmare can end at any point and time.
You know, now that I think about it, I do have a knife. I guess I could use that instead.” Without rising, he reaches into his <b>back </b>pocket and flicks the knife open, the steel of the deing within inches of my cheek. My heart lurches out <b>of </b>my chest<b>, </b>and I choke on a gasp.Asshole. He gives me a little grin as if to say he knows I’m terrified of him.
Now I’m grateful for the tape covering my mouth, since I’m not sure I could keep my thoughts to myself.This fucking coward.I hope he’s having fun, making sure I know who’s in charge because when this is all over and it’s time for revenge, the only personughing will be me. Gianni would eat him alive if he were here.
But he isn’t here, is he? He still hasn’te. I blink back the stupid tears in my eyes at the thought. Now is not the time to let my fear screw with my head. I don’t know what’s taking so long, but I can’t give up hope.
“There we go. This will only take a second. Try to stay still,” he adds with a snicker. I hope I get to kill him myself; I really do. His father is sick, but this guy is aplete psycho. Who gets off on a helpless woman being tied up, and held against her will? This man, obviously.
I hold my breath when the cold de touches my wrist. He hesitates, as if deciding whether <b>to </b>cut into my skin or not, before choosing to slice through the tape. I don’t dare move for fear of the de slipping–identally or otherwise. He loves this, I know he does. I can tell from the rapid breathing and the telltale twitching in front of my face. He’s actually getting hard, the sick fuck.
Even that doesn’t matter once the tape breaks and my arms are free. Immediately pain zings up my limbs and across my shoulders. I try hard to bite back the groan in my throat, but I can’t help it. It’s a mixture of pain and relief all in one.
“I bet that hurts,” he frowns, perching himself at the edge of the mattress. Even with my arms screaming in pain as blood starts flowing back through them again, instinct forces me to inch away from him until there’s nowhere else to go.
“Don’t be rude. I’m not going to hurt you.” The way his frown deepens, it’s like he’s actually offended.
My arms are in no condition to yank the tape from my mouth–they’re still stiff, with a pins and needles sensation racing up and down them.
“Hmm, I think I like you better this way.” The bastard sighs softly while his eyes rake over my body in a way that makes my skin crawl. I’m fully clothed, and somehow he makes me feel naked. “Gentle, quiet. Submissive. You can’t run your mouth with that tape over it, and you know better than to try to fight back. You have too much to lose now.”
The hint of a smile tugs at the corners of his mouth and makes my veins fill with ice. “It’s a good thing I’m not one of my father’s guards now, isn’t it? I heard them talking out there. Saying there’s nothing stopping them from filling you up with their cum, when they finally get the chance to take your pussy, because you’re already pregnant. Can you believe how disgusting some people are?”
Disgusting like you, yes.
He reaches for me, his hand closing around my ankle. I can’t help but whimper while revulsion makes me flinch. “Rx. I’ll tell them you belong to me and that they’re forbidden to touch you.” Fingers dance up my calf, pausing at my knee. “I’ll just need something from you in return to make it worth the hassle. A small upfront payment, if you want to call it that.”
Revulsion turns to something more profound, hotter, as he begins a slow trip up my thigh. He’s not going to stop. This isn’t just a game. His intentions are clear, yet so are mine. Before I have time to make a n or even deliberately fight back, I pull both legs in, draw them to my chest and kick them out as hard as possible. My feetnd against his chest<b>, </b>the impact hard enough to knock him off bnce but not enough to throw him to the floor.
“You fucking bitch,” he snarls, reaching for me. His fingers wrap around my ankles squeezing to the point of pain. I let out a pififul scream before his fingertips dig deep into my skin, forcing my thighs apart. I want–no, need–to fight. I have to protect my baby. I have to fight back, only I’m helpless. <b>“</b>I try to be nice to you and now see what that gets me. Nothing.” I let out a scream muffled by the tape covering my mouth. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.“What an ungrateful bitch. Maybe that’s been the problem all along. Perhaps you don’t want me to be nice. Maybe you want me to take from you.”
I want to be strong, but <b>I </b>feel myself breaking, parts of my soul splintering.
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<b>“</b><b>Donovan</b>.” A <b>voice </b>echoes through the roont. It’s like magic. The second he hears his father’s voice, he releases me. By <b>now </b>the blood is flowing through my body, and my arms are finally working, at least enough that I can manage to scramble to the back corner of the <b>cot </b>and wedge myself in it.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jack questions angrily “You were told to keep your hands off her.”
“She fucking kicked me.” Of course Donovan ys the victim, pressing a hand to his side like I actually did some damage. I hope
I did.
“Then you shouldn’t have gotten close enough for her to do it,” his father snaps. Before he leaves the room<b>, </b>Donovan shoots me an irritated re. I swear there are a thousand promises of pain in that singr look.
“Until next time.” He grins.
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