by Rose Harper
“Don’t really say I can answer that,” she replies, never missing a beat.
“Well, I’ll tell you. I’m head of the family business. Do you know what that entails?”
“No.”
Narrowing my eyes on hers, I crack my neck to the side trying to relieve the tension that’s building. I need a release, and I need one soon. Most usually the little torture session we did today at the warehouse would stave off the bloodlust I feel inside, but ever since hearing Carina speak so freely about how she feels, the need for more blood is almost overwhelming.
“Want to find out?”
“N-Not particularly,” she stammers, showing her first bit of weakness.
“Then I suggest you learn where you fit in this house. You don’t have a voice, so don’t even fucking use it. Not even a goddamn peep. From now on, I want you silent. Always. You don’t have free will, so don’t try to act on any type of whim you may have in that head of yours. You are my property. You will do what I say, when I fucking say it. Is that clear?”
CARINA
I’m so pissed off I see red. Mateo acts like he’s big and mighty, but his soft-spoken words from earlier prove he’s the exact opposite.
“Just so we’re clear,” I say, shaking. “I don’t give a rat’s ass who you are or what you do. I’m not your property, and never will be.”
“Oh, really?” he retorts, chuckling.
“Yes, really. And as lovely as this little gathering has been, I think I’ll go to my room now.”
I make to stand, but heavy hands land on my shoulders, keeping me in my seat. Fingers tighten, the tips of their trying their best to dig under my collar bone. It takes everything inside me to stay quiet, to not show how much it’s affecting me. Tears brim on my lids, but I refrain from blinking, so they don’t break away and slide down my cheek. I cannot show weakness in front of this man.
“You will do well to remember yourself,” a dark, ominous voice says from behind me.
“And who are you?” I ask, clearly having a death wish.
“I’m the person that’s going to enjoy watching your blood flow from your body if you don’t back the fuck down. Now!” he thunders, squeezing tighter.
Glancing across the table, I see Bitch Face smirking in my direction as she wraps a hand around her stomach and rests her elbow on top of her hand before taking a sip from her glass. Her eyes are gleaming with maniacal glee as she watches the men overpower me. It’s clear she gets off on this type of thing, and it’s more apparent she’s the one that belongs here and not me. Her psychotic ass fits in perfectly.
“What the fuck are you looking at?” I blaze, jerking forward, only to be slammed back against my seat.
Licking her lips, she replies with a half-ass shrugging her shoulders. “I’m watching a bitch get put in her place.”
“Camille,” Mateo barks. “If I wanted anything out of you, I’d pull your chain.”
Camille’s smile drops from her lips instantly as she cowers right in front of my eyes. “Yes, sir.”
Turning his attention to me, our eyes meet and hold each other’s gaze. It’s terrifying to think of what could be running through his mind right now. Knowing him, he’s probably thinking of a way to get rid of me—permanently.
A commotion at the dining room door draws our attention from one another as several other men begin to file inside. The first one I spy catches my eye. His dark, almost black eyes, sends shivers of unease down my back. That coupled with the sneer on his face doesn’t make me feel any better.
He’s almost as handsome as Mateo, but with a scar running along the edge of his face, it’s clearly obvious he’s deadlier.
“What do we have here?” he asks.
“Oh, just teaching the new whore a lesson,” Mateo replies, causing my head to snap back toward him.
“I am not a whore.” I try to jump up to my feet, getting a smack to the back of my head for my efforts.
Leaning forward, Mateo smirks. “Could’ve fooled me, gattino. Especially with that display earlier. Now, come here.”
Ripping my gaze away from his, I glance around at all the men surrounding the table watching us. Some are smirking, while others are trying to hide their laughter behind their hand. I hate every goddamn person sitting at this table right now. Even myself.
It’s then my eyes come to rest on Dom standing just behind all the others. As he takes in the scene around us, his eyes flit back toward mine, hardening. “Just couldn’t help yourself, could you, Kitty?”
“Fuck you!” I scream, thrashing.
“Is that an offer?”
I watch him silently with narrowed eyes as multiple servants begin passing out the first course, never once peering in my direction. Every one merely takes their seat, as if seeing Mateo do this sort of thing is natural to them. He may be the leader of this family, but it’s like they treat him as if he’s some sort of god. He isn’t a god, not even close—he’s the fucking devil.
Forceful fingers grab my chin, pulling my eyes and face toward the dark void that is Mateo. His strong voice is deep, slow, and authoritative. “Let’s try this again, shall we.” It wasn’t a question but a statement. “When I say come here, you do as I say or suffer.”
When I don’t respond to him, merely narrow my eyes in hatred, anger, and fury, the strong hands holding me wrap around my arm and jerks me up out of my seat. The abrupt action causes the chair to crash down on the floor as I stumble and almost fall into the man standing behind me. Pushing me toward Mateo, his hands release me as Mateo grabs ahold of my wrist. Jerking harshly, my face ends up inches away from his as he stares into my eyes—the darkness of his pupils dilating until his eyes are almost fully black. Just the sight makes me want to come out to play.
“When I give you an order, you follow it. Understand?” I mutely nod, swallowing hard. “Now, since you want to act like a damn dog that cannot do what I say, then I guess I’ll have to train your ass. Now. Get on your fucking knees and keep that trap shut. If you so much as breathe another word, I’ll gut you here and now and send the pieces back to your parents in a cardboard box.”
Defiance blazes through me at the smugness of his tone and the words falling from his lips. And, goddammit, I hate the fact my stomach has butterflies flapping around furiously. Angry Mateo is hot as fuck. Just the sound of his voice causes that blessed feeling of pleasure to unfurl within my core.
“I said to get on your goddamn knees,” he seethes.
Glancing around us, the men are no longer laughing. They’re peering back at us, watching our battle of wills play out in time. I want with everything inside me to prove them wrong; to defy him where no one has defied him before, but I know from the training my mother did with me that I would just be digging my own grave. I can allow my anger to release itself, but only in the privacy of my room. That’s the only place my true emotions will be safe.
My eyes catch on Dom sitting straight across from scarface—the douche with the dead eyes and a scar running along the side of his head—and he widens his eyes briefly at me as if pleading me just to do what Mateo says. Narrowing mine in challenge, he rolls his eyes, mouthing, “do it.” Like he knows what will happen if Mateo doesn’t get his way. We continue to stare at each other until finally, defeat rests heavily on my shoulders as they sag.
Inhaling deeply, I do as Mateo bids, getting down on my knees right next to his chair. My entire being screams at me not to give in to him, but what other choice do I have? He’ll kill me if I don’t play along to all of this. And I may be in a hellish situation, but I most certainly don’t want to die, or worse, be sent back to my family in any form.
Mateo chuckles from above me, but I keep my eyes resting on the floor. My body is practically vibrating for revenge. Make Mateo feel just as I do right now. But what can I do? There’s a room full of people on his side, and all I have is Dom. Hell, I don’t even think I have him because he’s part of Mateo’s crew.
“Now, was that so hard?” When I
don’t answer, the sharp sting of his hand connecting with the back of my head causes me to shift forward. “Don’t make me ask again.”
“No, sir.” I bite my lip so hard blood wells as my teeth puncture the skin.
Patting my head, Mateo coos, “Only women that listen to my every word get the pleasure of sitting at this table. Remember that, and until you prove yourself, your place is kneeling on the floor next to me.”
I need to remember who I am fast. Then, and only then, I’ll make this son of a bitch pay.
11
CARINA
H ushed voices pull me from my sleep at the foot of the table. I’m still on my knees where Mateo left me. My knees ache. My back hurts. My arms have long sense fallen numb. I’m a right mess, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
I wish I could go upstairs, lounge in a warm Epsom salt bath, and allow the aches and pains to drift away. Lay down on top of my fluffy mattress, with nothing gracing my body, as I sigh in contentment of such heavenly softness. I wish I could have food, which is something Mateo neglected to give at dinner. His reasoning? Bad dogs don’t deserve nice treatment. Fucking asshole.
After everyone ate in front of me, laughed, talked, and had a merry time, Mateo and Camille left to do Devil knows what. They turned the lights out and left me there as punishment for not doing as Mateo instructed me to. The triumphant smile Camille had on her face when they left still pisses me off. I don’t know what I’ve done to her, but she has to get I’m not here by my own doing. Mateo brought me here, tending to me while I was sleeping. If she’s pointing the blame at anyone, it should be him.
Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I peek at the clock on the wall above the stove, noting it’s close to two in the morning. Also noting, someone sounds like they’re having one hell of a time. Who the fuck sounds like they’re having a party at this time of the night? High pitched laughing grates on my frazzled nerves as it floats through the air like a whimsical lullaby. Only, with this serenade, I wish I had something I could bust my eardrums with.
Shifting onto the balls of my feet in a huff, I rub the sleep from my eyes and groan. It’s too late for this shit. I don’t want to be reminded of what I did and why I’m here while everyone else gets to have a good time. I just want to go to my room, close my door and lock it, and just forget about everything.
“Breathe. Just breathe. I have the strength to get through this. I’ve endured much, much worse.” Craning my neck, I wince at the stiffness, before slowly moving my head back and forth to loosen the tension as I watch the twinkling of the stars through the bay window. It’s the same window I came to once I got down here for dinner. It’s the same window that mesmerized me as I peered down at the pond Mateo has in his backyard. It was calming, refreshing.
When another girly laugh sounds out, sandwiched with a deep voice, I roll my eyes and sigh. Jesus Christ, there have to be a dozen bedrooms here. You’d think they would choose one of them to go in—whoever they are. But no, they’re right outside the door making my life more of a hell than it already is.
“Mmm, so big,” a breathy moan whispers through the dining room door. And I think I just lost any need I have to eat. You can clearly tell they’re playing a part they don’t want to play. It’s as fake as the tits on Camille’s chest.
“That right, baby?” the man whispers back, making me roll my eyes. Figures he wouldn’t pick up on something like that. Men were never too smart, to begin with.
A loud thump hits the door, the abrupt noise startling me. Load moans, groans, and so much dirty talk through the door I’m practically on the edge of hurling. Her girlish squeals of delight cause my stomach to roll as I raise my hands to drown out the sound.
I’m not sure who I’m angrier with. Mateo for leaving me down here or if I can even be angry at anyone but myself. I’m the one that pushed too far, thinking Mateo wouldn’t do anything about it. Where I got that idea from, I have no clue. Never having personally met him before, I should have kept my damn mouth shut.
Goddammit, I wish I knew why I am the way I am, when something tells me I was completely different just a few days ago.
Leaning my forehead on the edge of the table, I close my eyes and try to drift off once more. There’s nothing I can do about my situation right now, so I may as well get as much sleep as I can so I can rectify that in the morning—even if I have no clue what I’m going to do. Being nice to Mateo, even cordial, will be trying on my restraint, but it’s something I have to do if I want to make it.
The loud moans coming from across the room only seem to get louder, which frays what little patience I have. “Really?!” I yell. “Have some goddamn decency!”
Throwing my arm over the table, I send a silent “screw you and your porn star moans” in the form of a middle finger toward the door. I drop my arm to the side of my body, sinking deeper into the hardwood floor as I curse my entire life. When the door creaks open and the foyer light beams in, my head snaps toward a person standing on the threshold as my body straightens with difficulty. My stupid hammering heart calms itself once I notice it’s Dom, even though I should be just as scared of him as I am Mateo. He is in Mateo’s presence for a reason.
“Dom?”
He’s wearing gray sweatpants with no top. I can’t help myself as I glance up and down his body, seeing the hard edge of each corded muscle. Damn. Really? It just had to be him fucking that whore against the door, didn’t it? It couldn’t have been Mateo or that Luci person. It had to be the only person in the house that doesn’t look at me with disdain.
He has tattoos that cover almost every inch of skin, excluding his neck and face. His hair has that just fucked look to it that surprisingly doesn’t turn my stomach at the sight. If anything, it makes him look more approachable. Fuck … it makes me hunger to run my fingers through it as he pounds into me.
He steps inside and kicks the door closed behind himself.
“Dom?”
“Sorry,” he mutters sheepishly, running his hands over his long dark hair and pushing it back away from his face. “I forgot you were in here when all that—” He gestures back toward the kitchen. “—started.”
I relax, my arms loosening on the grip they had on my knees. “Why didn’t you stop when you remembered?”
He watches me carefully, scanning my kneeled form and pushing his hands into his pockets. “It’s safe to say I was already balls deep when I remembered. So, sorry about your luck.”
Rolling my eyes, I shake my head and look away from him. Be it for me to think he was anything different than Mateo. As long as there’s pussy in it for them, men like those two don’t care.
“Not surprising,” I mumble, rearranging myself.
He takes a slow step toward the table, dropping down into a chair furthest away from me. “Do you want me to talk to Mateo? I think you’ve had enough punishment for one night. It’s been eight hours.”
As much as I would love to get off this floor, I know it would make me look weak as fuck. And that’s what he’s doing right now. He’s not worried about me. He just wants to see if I’ll crack even more than I already have.
“No.” I shake my head hurriedly. “I’ll just stay here. It really isn’t that bad.”
Lies. It hurts to fucking move, let alone talk. My feet have long since fallen asleep, and every inch of my knees are smarting from the pressure I’ve put on them for the past few hours.
He laughs lightly. “Okay, if that’s what you want.” It isn’t, but I’ll be damned if I tell him any differently.
I nudge my head. “So, who are you anyway? You don’t act like the type of person to stand behind Mateo’s like the rest do. I saw you staring daggers at him before he put me down here, but something tells me you’re important and don’t question his authority. You drift in and out, sort of like an impression on those around you. Plus, we only met briefly earlier.”
“Very insightful, aren’t you?” He cocks his brow.
I blush. “Just a little.”
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“Mateo has been my best friend since before I can remember. Our families are close, and we practically do everything together. Holidays. Birthdays. You name it; we do it. Well, I’m as close to Mateo as he allows.”
I turn toward him slightly. “Really? So, you know him better than anyone?”
“Yes.” He smiles.
“What’s his job?” I ask before I can stop myself.
A sad smile comes over his lips as he settles back into the chair.
“He’s head of the family business.”
“No,” I say, cocking a brow. “What’s his real job?”
“Not touching that one, Kitty.”
“So …” I look around the room. “Is this his house?”
Dom looks at me. “Yeah, whose else would it be?”
“But I mean, he’s young. How?”
Dom tsks at my question. “You can’t trick me with that reverse psychology bullshit.” Glancing over my head, he sighs before slowly getting to his feet. “You should get some sleep. You’re going to need it for what he has planned.”
“What does he have planned?” Anything I can get out of him will help. It doesn’t matter if it’s the smallest bread crumb. Eventually, I’ll get so much information about Mateo that I’ll know him as well as he apparently knows me.
“I don’t know,” he declares somberly.
“You don’t know?” I quip, surprised. If they’re such good friends like he says, you’d think Mateo would tell him what he has planned for me.
Looking back at me as he reaches for the door, he smiles softly. “When it comes to you, the only person that knows what Mateo has planned is Mateo. However, I do have a word of advice.”
“Yes?”
Sighing, he glances out the open door before bringing his attention back to me. “Be prepared for anything.”
