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

by Stella Andrews

  “But it’s when he’s not with me that worries me.”

  “In what way?”

  “I don’t know, maybe I’m being stupid but sometimes when he heads off, he doesn’t come back for a couple of days.”

  “That’s not unusual. Lucian does that, it’s just business. In fact, I look forward to it because I know I’m in for a treat when he heads home.”

  She laughs at the confusion on my face and whispers, “The sex is amazing. Lucian is so wired he needs the release. He is so worked up he’s like an animal, an out-of-control animal, and I love it. He does things to me that would make an angel weep but I need it. His dark side. It feeds my passion and together we make a complete circle. Maybe that’s what you sense, Dante is trying to deal with the pressures of what this job does to them. Take Romeo, for instance.”

  I look across and feel fear running through my veins. It’s unusual to find him here relaxing in the sun because increasingly Romeo is more and more absent.

  Riley whispers, “Lucian’s worried about him. He’s out of control and reckless. He appears to have no boundaries and is bringing a certain kind of heat on the family and Lucian’s pissed. Even Lorenzo mentioned he’d heard things when he visited last week. I’m not sure what’s happening there but Romeo is heading for a fall, a bad one because Lucian’s had enough and is close to beating the shit out of his own brother.”

  “Surely not.” I stare at her in horror and she nods grimly. “He thinks it’s the only way, knock some sense into him because he’s a loose cannon aiming at the wrong people.”

  I fall silent because this is a world I can’t wrap my head around. It’s so extreme in every way and yet with me, Dante is kind, loving and well, normal really. Do I want that, normal, I mean? Seeing Riley still dancing with her head in the clouds makes me long for some excitement myself. Where does Dante go for days, and why does he look so haunted when he is here?

  We both look up as Lucian strides toward us and my heart beats a little faster. Dante’s brother is much the same as he is, hard, drop dead gorgeous and dangerous. His eyes are black and swirl with sin and sex and the look he shoots his wife tells me he only has one thing on his mind—her.

  She licks her lips and her eyes darken and she stands, saying as an aside, “I’ll catch you later, Isabella.”

  She meets him halfway and his hand snakes around her waist and he leans in and says something to her that makes her squirm and I watch them head off toward the house.

  Dante drops beside me and sees me watching and smirks. “We won’t see them again for some time, no doubt they will head back to their apartment in town, they seem to prefer it there.”

  I smile, but once again sense things aren’t quite the same for us. Dante never looks at me with that same hunger, that same passion and that same yearning. Our sex life is good, amazing in fact, but I don’t feel as if I have the whole of him.

  I must have grown quiet because he says quickly, “What’s up?”

  Watching Luca run to his grandmother, I say in a whisper, “Dante, we need to talk.”

  He spins around and looks at me long and hard, and I see a steely glint in his eye as he growls, “Come with me.”

  He nods toward Marcus who is rarely out of his sight and as he hurries over, snaps, “Keep watch on Luca, we won’t be long.”

  Marcus nods as Dante grips my hand hard and pulls me after him.

  He appears in a hurry and I struggle to keep up. I’m not sure what I’ll say when we get inside but I need to say something. Whatever it is that’s sitting between us needs to be dealt with before we can move on and it’s happening today.

  Chapter 30

  Dante

  I’m not in a good mood. Spending time with my brothers does that to me because we are three bastards who get off on winding each other up. Romeo has been out of control for months now, and Lucian’s pissed at him. He’s also pissed at me for going against his wishes and keeping the lady beside me, and I feel like beating him to a pulp most of the time. But something’s up with Isabella, I’ve known for weeks now, and it’s scaring the hell out of me. I’ve been so patient, so caring and trying to get her to stay. It worries me that if she sees the bastard in me, she won’t hesitate to leave at the end of the year. If she does, it will kill me and Luca. I’m living with the doubt, the pain and the fear of losing her and added to that, the shit we deal with on a daily basis that sends me wild with adrenalin and scrambles my mind.

  I am battling so hard to keep that side of me from Isabella. I don’t want her to see the killer in me, the violence and the terror I inflict on the people who go against me and my family. The thought of her seeing the filth we crawl through on a daily basis fills me with dread because like it or not, Isabella is a privileged princess who could leave at any time and probably have a better life for it.

  I’m a selfish bastard and want to bind her to me forever, and I can’t face what would happen if she left.

  I take her straight to our room and sit beside her on the bed, pulling her close. “Tell me, my angel, what’s the problem?”

  To my surprise, she pulls back a little and my heart starts pounding. What is this?

  “I’m sorry, Dante, but something’s missing.”

  The blood roars in my head as I say tightly, “What?”

  “You actually, you’re missing.”

  I just stare at her blankly and she laughs nervously. “Do you remember when I tried to escape the first day I got here?”

  “Of course.”

  “Well, I saw a side to you then that I’ve never seen again. You took me to that place, you know, the club and showed me a part of you I never understood. Over the last few months, you’ve been kind, loving and amazing but there are times you don’t come back to me and when you do, you seem distracted.”

  She shifts on her seat and blushes a little and I see the tears forming in her eyes as she says breathlessly, “Do you go there, on those days you don’t come home? Do you visit those women and well, get what you need from them because I’m not sure if I’m enough for you?”

  I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “No, I don’t.”

  I stare at her in shock and she looks down. “Dante.”

  “What is it, Isabella, just tell me?”

  “I want you to show me everything. What you like, what you really like, not the watered-down version you save for me. I don’t want to go through the motions and only see half the picture. I want to see the man I fell in love with, even if it means I’m shocked, disgusted and scared. I want to know the real Dante Romano and I think it should start at that club. I want to know what it gave you, what you needed, because until I understand, I will never good enough.”

  “What the fuck, don’t you see, I’m the one who will never be good enough for you. You are so innocent, so kind, so loving and so beautiful, why would I show you the pit of hell when you belong in heaven? Do you really think a woman who was an inexperienced virgin could ever understand the depravity that exists inside the walls of that club, in my mind, in my brother’s minds, in my family’s mind? We are not worthy of you, Isabella, and if anything, I am protecting you from that because you should never have to see that side of me.”

  “But I want to, Dante. I need to see it all. I don’t want wrapping up in cotton wool. I want to see the dark side as well as the light. Don’t deny me discovering what makes up the man I love because it will come between us, if it hasn’t already.”

  Her words send me wild because I am not happy about this. I feel the blood roaring in my head and know I’m on the edge of insanity. I can’t control myself and reach out and grip her hard around the neck and push her to the bed and then I stare into those smoky gray eyes that are struggling to understand what kind of beast lies beside her at night and growl, “Be careful what you wish for, honey because you may not like what you find. If you want to see it so badly, then let me oblige but don’t blame me when you don’t look at me the same way when you see the madness because I’m no
t sure you’re strong enough to deal with what you’ll find.”

  I release her and she stares at me with blind bravery because she thinks she’s ready to discover who I really am but I can’t bear the thought of seeing her look at me with hate, disgust and fear. In trying to keep Isabella, I may drive her away and that’s what’s scaring me the most. I can’t let that happen.

  For the rest of the afternoon, I think about what I must do. I suppose she’s right in a way, I have been keeping my distance. When we go to work, it’s intense, violent and messes with your mind. It’s a lot to deal with and the club was always the place I would go to bring me back on track. Taking it out on the women there was just what I needed because I had to concentrate on their pleasure first above mine. It enabled me to control the fire, and they loved every minute of it. Control is something I must have because without it I would die. I can’t control Isabella; I know that, which is why when I’m wired and coming down from the violence, I go to my apartment and deal with things myself - alone. I calm down before I go home to my family because I won’t let her see the monster I become. I know Lucian has Riley who gets off on the same things he does. The harder the better, which is why they are perfect for each other. Romeo fucks everything that moves and some that don’t because he’s a hunter that loves nothing more than the chase. He likes other men’s women and daughters, and he likes more than one companion. Lucian is right, Romeo is set on a course of destruction and none of us know what to do about it.

  But me, I have Luca and Isabella and that gives me purpose, but she was right about one thing, I have needs that can’t be ignored because I’m every bit as much a bastard as my brothers and maybe it’s time she did see that side of me.

  Chapter 31

  Isabella

  I’m on edge and have been all day. The thought of what tonight will bring is worrying me, yet feeding the excitement. I want what Riley and Lucian have. I want that closeness, that bond and that passion and I want it with Dante.

  As soon as Luca’s in bed and asleep, we leave nonna to babysitting duties and head off in Dante’s Ferrari. It reminds me of the night he caught me running and I love the bolt of excitement that shoots through me as we set off at quite a pace.

  Dante has closed off from me, gone to a place in his head I’m sure he visits frequently. It makes it all a little more dangerous, more forbidden and more extreme, and I’m keen to see where this evening will take me.

  As expected, we pull up outside the club and my heart thumps as I picture what’s inside.

  With a wicked grin, Dante flips open the glove box and removes the same handcuffs, smirking, “Now, where were we?”

  “Are you seriously kidding me?”

  I stare at him in horror and he nods, his dark eyes flashing. “You asked for this baby, you will take everything I give you tonight because there’s no going back.”

  He snaps them in place and I swallow hard. What have I just agreed to?

  He propels me inside with a cool control that sets me on edge. The atmosphere is of danger, deprivation and sex. It surrounds me as I step inside the walls of sin, and once again my eye is drawn to the naked dancers gyrating on the poles.

  Dante’s hand rests on my ass as he rubs it in slow circles, showing his ownership of me.

  I love it. The thrill, the darkness and the unexpected. He instructed me to wear a red dress that accentuates every curve I possess. I have no underwear, which scares me a little, yet gives me the freedom I love. The high red shoes make me feel invincible and my pink hair is freshly dyed and contrasts against the red in an explosion of color. I feel wicked and sinful, which is precisely why he chose this dress; he has made me feel sexy as hell and I can’t wait to see what that will lead to.

  Drawing me over to the bar, he pulls out a stool and stands beside me and I don’t miss that my dress hitches up revealing a large amount of flesh. It rises high and he runs his fingers up under the dress until I feel myself getting embarrassingly wet. Leaning down, he whispers, “I want you soaked by the time we reach that room. I want the evidence of your arousal staining your dress so every fucker in this place sees how much you want me, how much I control you and how much you are mine.”

  He gently nips at my ear and I groan as he says firmly to the waiter who looks at us with interest, “Two porn star martinis.”

  He laughs as I raise my eyes and then, as the drinks arrive, tosses the shot of prosecco into my glass and says firmly, “Drink this.”

  He holds the glass to my lips and as the pleasant liquid burns a trail through my body, I feel a delicious shiver pass through me. I love this.

  I am fully aware of the looks of interest thrown our way. Men openly stare until one look from Dante has them lowering their eyes. The women openly pant at the sight of him, and I feel so much pride as I feel his attention solely on me. Tonight, I am feeling desirable and wicked and am interested to see what that involves, here in this place of sin.

  The show on the stage drags my attention to it even though it both shocks and repulses me at the same time.

  Women are flaunting every angle of their bodies at the onlookers who throw dollar bills onto the stage. They put on a good show and the noise is deafening. After a while, Dante tugs on my handcuffs and pulls me off the chair and far from feeling embarrassed at people seeing me chained beside him, it makes me feel proud. He is demonstrating that he owns me, I’m his and bound to him. They will wonder if it’s willing on my part, but I’m sure one look at the desire in my eyes gives them their answer. I’m so ready for this.

  He drags me into the next room where the scenes of people having sex play out all around us.

  We stop at the first booth and see a woman sitting on a chair, her legs open and her hands tied behind her back while a naked man flogs her breasts and pussy. She is crying out and begging him for more and I am mesmerized. “Do you like that, baby?”

  I can’t look away and just nod. “I think so.”

  His deep laugh goes right through me because it promises me an experience I may not enjoy. Would I like that, really? Actually, I’m not so sure, it looks painful. It also feels wrong watching something so personal and I feel the blood rush to my head as I see a man beside me stroking his cock through his trousers as he watches. Weird.

  We move on and each scene is more of the same. Things no normal person should ever see. I can’t believe places like this exist and say in a whisper, “How did you find this place?”

  Dante laughs. “I own it.”

  I step back in shock and he grins. “Does that shock you, my little butterfly? Are you surprised that I make money from this? Well, you shouldn’t be because this is one of my more respectable establishments. Maybe you’d like a tour of the more, shall we say, depraved ones?”

  Ok, I know I wanted him to open my eyes, but this is just a step too far and I shake my head quickly. “I’m good thanks.”

  His eyes flash and he leans in and says darkly, “You did ask and I will show you. You will know the part of me you desire the most and you will discover it tonight.”

  My legs shake as I follow him because I know where we’re heading. The dungeon room.

  He unlocks the door again with his key fob and I almost can’t move because I’m shaking so much. Do I really want this, whatever it is because now I’ve unleashed the beast, I don’t think I can stop him?

  As he shuts the door behind him, he once again sits astride the chair and tugs me onto his lap face down across his knee and growls, “Now, where were we?”

  Anticipating the pain, I close my eyes as he inches my dress around my waist, exposing my bare ass to his hand and I start counting back from twenty.

  As the blow strikes, I jump and then the pain hits me hard. Instead of hitting me again, he rubs my ass and massages the flesh before running his finger underneath and stroking my clit. As my body gets used to the pleasure, he strikes again and then repeats the move, leaving me not knowing if I’m in pain, or experiencing the ultimate pleasure. It g
oes on for several more blows and each time I feel the sting of pain, I anticipate the pleasure that builds with every stroke. I find myself loving every minute, even the pain because it means the pleasure will soon follow.

  Then he pulls me around and kisses me with a raw intensity that makes me groan. He twists his tongue with mine and bites down on my lip. Once again, the pain is replaced by the pleasure and I don’t know which one is coming next. It makes my senses ignite as I struggle to keep up and then he stops and sets me on the floor and says huskily, “I’m going to chain you to the wall.”

  My eyes are wide in fear and he laughs darkly. “Do you trust me, Isabella?”

  I know I shouldn’t but I do and I nod as he unlocks the handcuffs and slowly peels my dress from my body, leaving me naked and exposed before him.

  Then he pushes me against the cross on the wall and secures my wrists and ankles in restraints, leaving me open to him.

  I feel on edge as he stands back and stares at my body that is open and bound before him, and he begins to remove his own clothing as I start panting through lust and fear. He soon stands before me like a predator and I see the dark lust in his eyes as he grabs what looks like a whip from the wall beside him.

  “Did you like the pain little butterfly?”

  I’m ashamed to nod and he laughs. “Then let me give you more of it.”

  With a flick of his wrist, the whip curls in the air and I stare in horror as it heads toward my bare chest. As it hits, it feels nothing like I thought it would and just grazes my skin almost in a caress. It feels so good I want more and smile, “That feels nice.”

  “Do you want it harder?”

  Nervously, I nod and as it lands again, I cry out as it grazes my skin and causes me to shiver in anticipation and need.

  It appears that once he starts, Dante can’t stop and soon the sound of the whip cracking fills the room. I can’t believe what’s happening as he flogs me against the wall and no part of my body is left unmarked. When it gets too much, I cry out and he throws it to the ground and stands before me, gazing at me with heavy-lidded eyes. “I’m going to fuck you now and show you what it means to see inside my soul.”