The Throne of Hate: A mafia romance (The Romano's Book 2)

by Stella Andrews

  I can’t believe what I’m hearing, he’s rejected me. I feel so hurt I want to curl up in a ball and die from my own misery. I’m not thinking rationally and just see this as yet another rejection and I say tightly, “Then take me back to the mansion. I have a job to do and should be there when Luca wakes up.”

  I make to pull away, but he’s not having it. He pulls me roughly to him and before I know what’s happening, he crushes his lips to mine. For a moment, I just freeze and then his hand wraps around the back of my head and his kiss is brutal, intense and deep. His tongue locks with mine and he growls low in his throat. He pulls me even closer and I kiss him back. I can’t help it because I need this more than I’ve ever needed anything. I shift closer and dare to run my hand under his shirt, desperate to feel his skin against mine, and I moan softly. He pushes me back on the couch and runs his hand under my dress and his fingers linger on my thigh, gently moving upwards and I feel a delicious shiver race through my body. I feel so alive and so turned on, I never knew I could be capable of feeling so desperate. My body is taking over and doing what comes naturally as I grind against him, irritated by the fabric that separates our bodies.

  For a moment I think I’ve got my wish, and then he pulls back and my breath hitches as I see his eyes glittering dangerously. Then he growls, “I want you so badly, but not now, not tonight and only when you’re ready. Be very sure about this because if we go there, there’s no going back.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “If you give yourself to me, I won’t give it back. Be very sure of what you do next because once we step across the line, you’re mine—forever.”

  He sits up and leaves me breathless and desperate for more. I almost consider agreeing to anything he says just to feel his body on mine. But there’s a little voice in my head that approves of everything he just said. It’s the right thing to do, I know that and I suppose at this moment in time, I fall in love a little with the devil that is Dante Romano.

  We make the journey back in silence and as the sun rises, head wearily inside the mansion. The house is quiet, but I know that in just an hours’ time it will be a hive of activity as the staff wake and set about their day. Luca will wake soon and I’m not sure if I can cope with what that means, but I wouldn’t change anything that happened last night. Something shifted in our relationship and has left me with a settled feeling despite what I heard. Dante has delivered a crushing blow in one hand and soothed it away with the other. Billions, can this be true? Am I really to inherit so much and what the hell do I do about it?

  As I head to bed and close the door on another astonishing day, I think about my mom and what she ran from. I wonder if my father was responsible for making her fall so far, and then I think about the Romanos and all that they stand for. Will history repeat itself? Will I fall for the wrong man and allow him to drag me down until I lose sight of reality? Did my mother fall in love with a dangerous man and I’m the same?

  I don’t even change and just shed the dress and curl up in the silk sheets, drawing my knees to my chest. As I fall asleep, the last thing on my mind is Dante Romano. Will he be my ruin, or will he save me?

  When I wake the sun is high in the sky and I look anxiously at the clock by my bed. It’s midday. Oh my god, I’ve slept in.

  Quickly, I drag myself out of bed and into the shower before brushing my teeth and fixing my hair back in a ponytail. There are no clothes laid out for me today, so I pull on my torn jeans and an ACDC t-shirt and head out to find Luca. This is bad. What must they think?

  His bedroom is empty and my heart thumps as I head downstairs, fearful of the reception I’m about to get, but only Dante is waiting for me in the kitchen, looking so amazing I want to run and curl up on his lap.

  His hair is messy and unusually, he’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt and my mouth waters. Wow. The business suit makes him look untouchable, but the casual look sets my heart racing and the desire ripping any reservations I may have to shreds.

  He smirks as he sees me coming and laughs softly. “I see you have learned nothing about dressing appropriately.”

  “Says you.”

  I toss my hair and help myself to coffee. “Where’s Luca, oh and I’m sorry by the way, I must not have set my alarm?”

  “You needed the rest. Nonna’s taken him to visit one of her friends, she has a grandchild around his age, we thought he might benefit from that.”

  “That’s great.” I stare at him in surprise. “And you’re ok about that? I mean, you like him to stay here where you can keep an eye on him?”

  He shrugs. “It was your conversation about friends that struck a chord with me and made me think. Luca needs to mix with kids of his own age, and there aren’t many of those around here. He also needs to mix with his own kind, and nonna’s friend’s husband is an associate of ours. I instructed Marcus to round up some of the guard’s kids and arrange a playdate with each of them. Maybe it’s time we give Luca the childhood he needs, not the one he’s got now. It may help bring him out of himself.”

  His words make my heart swell. He listened. He took what I said on board and acted on it and I didn’t even need to ask.

  My eyes sparkle with happy tears—for Luca. It proves that the man in front of me is human after all, and I sit down beside him and smile. “Thank you.”

  Reaching out, he grabs my hand and laces his fingers with mine. “No, thank you, Isabella, you made me face up to the situation I’m in. I can’t let my fear for him dictate his childhood. He needs to experience things most kids take for granted, and I want him to be happy more than anything. The fact he has several guards along for the ride makes me feel a little better, though.”

  My mouth drops open as he winks and takes a sip of his coffee. For a moment I just stare as if I’m seeing him for the first time. Dante Romano actually winked at me. He is human, after all.

  Then he says softly, “And you, that was quite a shock I dealt you yesterday, what are your thoughts in the cold light of day?”

  “I’m not sure.” Sighing, I slump in my seat and feel the responsibility of my situation weighing me down. “I don’t know what to think anymore. Everything I thought I knew has changed. I never knew my parents were into drugs, honestly, I didn’t. I’m not sure if I fully believe your story yet, but I suppose it makes sense. Little memories came back where I saw them hand envelopes over to people who followed them around. There were the snatched conversations in corners and the fact we moved so much. When I was at my grandmother’s I heard the whispers from the staff. I thought they just believed her lies, but once I saw a photo album that was high on a shelf in the library. It was of my mother and had obviously been put away so nobody could find it. It struck me at the time that she looked different somehow. Beautiful, full of energy and less tired and lined. Her eyes were bright and I was mesmerized. She was so carefree and beautiful. She always was in my eyes, but seeing how she was then against how I remembered her, I saw the hard lines of a life spent on the road. Was that the drugs ravishing a body that was once so vibrant? I kind of think it was, and all those memories came back to haunt me last night. There were also the mood swings that I never really understood. One moment they were loving and carefree and the next tired and irritable. I thought they worried about money, but it went deeper than that. They wore glazed expressions most of the time, and now I can see it may have been the drugs controlling their bodies.”

  What about your grandmother, how do you feel about her now?”

  “The same. I’m sorry Dante but she may have had my best interests at heart but I still hate her. She went about things in the wrong way and made me feel worthless every minute I was in her company. A little kindness goes a long way, and she never showed me any. I was grieving and vulnerable, and she made it a lot worse. I had no one, just Sloane, and then she left and I was bundled off to Eden Manners and took my hatred of her with me. I didn’t have an easy time there either because I never fitted in. The other girls bullied me, which I kind
of expected but not the teachers, they were worse. I never really knew what I did to make them hate me so much, which is why it all came to a head on graduation day.”

  Turning away, I fight the memories that return. I won’t admit to anyone, even myself, how damaged I became by my time at that school. Thinking of Luca being sent off to experience what I did makes my heart physically ache and I turn to Dante and say sincerely, “Please don’t ever send Luca away to school. Promise me you’ll always love him and make everything ok because he needs to feel loved, have lots of friends and be part of something amazing. Please, Dante, promise me that.”

  My breath hitches at the look in his eyes. He seems so lost and vulnerable somehow, and then says in a dull voice, “It appears you also came to another decision last night.”

  For a moment I don’t understand, and I notice how his thumb absentmindedly caresses my hand as he grips on tight. “What do you mean?”

  I genuinely don’t know, and when he looks into my eyes, I see it all. He is broken, lost and angry. It’s a powerful combination and I wait for the storm to break.

  “You’re leaving.”

  I see the pain in his eyes and instinctively reach out, but he stands and moves away.

  “No, Isabella, I won’t let you break me. I can’t let that happen again.”

  Suddenly, it all becomes clear and I remember Luca’s mother and my heart aches for the man before me.

  “Why do you think I’m leaving?”

  “Because you have asked me something that shows you have no intention of sticking around. You will leave Luca and me and begin your life as you should rightly do. I understand, but I don’t have to like it.”

  “Why not?”

  I stand and move across to him and gently touch his arm and as he spins around, the pain in his eyes makes me step back as he hisses, “Because I won’t let you ruin me, Isabella.”

  “But I want you to ruin me, Dante. I want you to show me what ruin feels like in your arms. I want to feel close to you and I want you to show me why I should stay. I have nobody, no family, no friends and it doesn’t look as if it’s going to get any better in my future. Maybe I want to stay, you just have to give me a reason to want to.”

  Chapter 26

  Dante

  It’s all too much. For a man who likes control, I am fast losing it. Isabella has changed everything in just a few days that has taken me years to build. I vowed never to let another woman into my heart. I punished the women at the club for daring to even look at me. I chose women that looked like Ava and I punished them when I couldn’t her. I used my position to torment them and get my kicks that way. They loved every minute of it. Every flick of the whip, every blow from my hand. They screamed when I thrust inside them tearing into their wet slick holes, punishing them for something another woman did. When I punished Isabella, it was Ava I thought of. How could she leave me and take my son with her? How could she punish him out of hatred for me? I locked away any emotion I had and took it out on my enemies. I killed men that betrayed me - my family and I relished the blood dripping from my fingers as I pictured Ava’s leaking from her body when she hit that concrete floor. Then Isabella changed everything and she is leaving, I can’t deal with what that means for me and yet here she is, begging me to give her a reason to stay.

  ‘Make her fall in love with you.’

  Riley’s words have haunted me every minute since they fell from her lips. Love, am I capable of replacing hate with love?

  Isabella watches me with a mixture of fear and desire. There is a yearning in her eyes for something neither of us has had and both want so badly. Can I be the person she needs? I should try at least and not stop trying.

  She licks her lips nervously and I make up my mind. Pulling her roughly toward me, I crush those lips with mine. I demand entry and grip her hair tight, holding her head in place as I unleash the passion. She moans against my lips and I push her against the counter and kick her legs apart. I push against her and she grips my hair tightly and I feel the pain of her nails against my skull. Pleasure and pain, it’s my preferred drug of choice and with a low growl I scoop her into my arms and kiss her hard and deep. Then I pull back and say huskily, “You know what happens next, but I need to know if it’s what you want.”

  She nods nervously and I hesitate before she fixes me with a dark look and says angrily, “Don’t you even think of backing out now.”

  Feeling a huge weight lift from my shoulders, I carry her like a child out of the room and head for mine, intent on only one thing. Making Isabella Grey my woman and giving her every reason to stay. By the time I’ve finished with her, she won’t ever want to leave because there’s too much at stake to fuck this up.

  As soon as I reach my room, I kick the door shut and set her down so she is standing before me, quivering and unsure what to do next. I know she wants this, it’s in her eyes, but she’s afraid with good reason. This will be a first for both of us because I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anyone as much as I do this woman and so I hold back and say firmly, “Take off your clothes.”

  Her eyes open wide and she looks shocked and a little scared. I’m a sick bastard because this is how I love my women and I can’t help that. She looks nervous and I say kindlier, “We’ll do it together.”

  Reaching for my own t-shirt, I pull it over my head and stand before her bare chested and love the way her pupils dilate as she looks at me. She licks her plump lips making me groan and say urgently, “Your turn.”

  She hesitates for a fraction of a second before she does the same, and this time it’s my turn to feel the effects as I take my first look at a body I have dreamed of at night. She’s perfect. She is standing looking awkward in a black lacy bra and I say huskily, “All of it.”

  Her eyes widen and she hesitates a little before unfastening the bra and letting it drop to the ground, her breasts spilling free and bouncing before my eyes. I groan loudly and see a little confidence reach her as she smiles and blinks from under her lashes shyly.

  Quickly, I remove my belt and shrug out of my jeans and this time she follows my lead, standing before me in matching black panties and with a low growl, I rip off my underwear and her eyes widen as she sees how turned on I am right now.

  She looks a little afraid as she stands shaking, and I’m guessing I’m the first man she has ever seen like this.

  Walking toward her, I snarl, “Take it all off.”

  Nervously, she shimmies out of her panties and stands before me like a goddess. My goddess who I will worship until I draw my last breath.

  Sinking to my knees, I wrap my hands around her waist and pull her close, burying my face in her pussy and take a deep breath. She smells sweet and innocent, and it sends me delirious. She gasps as I part her folds and take a long lingering sniff as I breathe in the scent of attraction. Without caring how nervous she must feel right now, I part her folds and lick her front to back and she shivers uncontrollably as she grips my head tightly. Her juices coat my tongue and I groan with pleasure. She tastes so good; I could eat her all day.

  Her clit throbs against my tongue and I carry on, tasting, teasing and making her so wet it will make what happens next easier—on her. I know it will hurt and want to help lessen the pain.

  She gasps as I lick her relentlessly, sucking her clit until she throbs against my mouth. Her breath is fast and I know she’s experiencing feelings she never has before. She will wonder what’s happening as her body takes her close to an edge she’s avoided until now and then as it explodes, she screams loudly as she shatters against my tongue, her arousal like the finest nectar as I lap it up like a dog.

  My own cock is unbearably hard and I almost cum at the feel of her own orgasm, but I need to hold back because the next part will be harder for her to take.

  As soon as she stops shaking, I stand and kiss her deeply, letting her taste how sweet she is and as I sweep her into my arms, I growl, “Are you ready for me, do you want me to make you my woman because you kno
w there’s no going back if you say yes?”

  Her eyes widen and she actually starts panting as she says in a whisper, “I don’t want to go back because there’s nothing worth sticking around for. I want to start again, Dante; I want to start something with you that I never want to end. I don’t want to be alone any more, I need this and I need you.”

  I swear I see heaven as her words wash all the hate and pain away of a past I want to forget. She’s right, it’s the future that’s important now, and I need to make it count for something. As I take Isabella Grey to my bed, I know I need to make this matter because she couldn’t leave now if she wanted to—she’s mine.

  Chapter 27

  Isabella

  I’m falling—hard. I can’t get enough of Dante Romano. He’s cast a spell on me and I’m hooked. I couldn’t stop now if I tried. Nothing else matters but him. Luca. Our future. He needs me; it was obvious when he showed me a side to him; I doubt anyone has ever seen. He is ruined; I am ruined, and together we make something amazing. Two broken souls can make one whole and whatever happens in my future, I want to face it with him beside me. Is this my family, something tells me it is and so I am giving my everything to Dante, he owns my heart and what is more valuable than that?

  He lies me on his huge bed and I don’t even feel embarrassed as he just stands back and stares at me. He rakes in my whole body and I love the way his eyes dilate and his breathing intensifies. I openly stare at a body so damned hot I feel the burn from here and love the way he strokes his hard cock as he stares at me with lust in his eyes. His body is a work of art in more ways than one because it’s not just the ink that graces his skin, it’s the small scars, the rippling muscles and the sheen of sweat that create a masterpiece. His eyes are dark and stormy and his stubble hot and rough. His hair is wild and I swear if god intended on creating the perfect man, he succeeded with the one before me.