⚠️TRIGGER WARNING: Triggering content ahead.⚠️
I studied the corpse on the floor, I wondered what he could have possibly done to deserve death. Yes, in my lifetime, I'd had my close calls with the police... but I'd never watched a person get killed either! What exactly was I getting myself into?
"Pazza stronza!" The man in demin suspenders finally caught up, still clutching his precious ball as he staggered over. "I'll get the hussy out of your hair, Sottocapo, and teach her a lesson. Just you wait..."
I was grabbed by the shoulder, but before I could scream at the man, he went flying, because Dante knocked him into a wall with the back of his fist.
It had happened so fast, I wasn't so sure how to react. The man picked himself from the floor, trying to wipe the blood running down his nose. Dante hadn't moved an inch to land the hit, he hadn't broken a sweat. Despite the commotion, he hadn't looked away from me for a second. Standing in the dimly lit basement, his back to the single bulb hanging from the season, he'd never appeared more frightening... But my heart didn't beat wildly from fear.
"She told you she was family, didn't she? Family deserves the highest respect, don't you think?" He wasn't screaming, and his expression was a controlled neutral mask, but was that humor I heard in his voice? Closing the distance between us, he lifted my chin and gently grazed the bruise there with his thumb. "He hurt you, how would you like him to pay for that?"
I could usually understand men. They were all simple-minded creatures when you came down to it... But for all the life in me, I couldn't figure out what fucked up game Dante Diavolo was on now. Was he pulling my leg, or was he really letting me do what I wanted to his worker? I had no damn idea, and I wasn't willing to find out.
"Do whatever you do to people who piss you off." Standing taller, I leveled him with a cold glare. "You're the reason this happened anyway. If you'd just sent me over, I wouldn't have had to come find you myself."
Dante didn't reply immediately, but stared at me for several seconds too long. Then the strangest thing happened. Dante chuckled.
"Leave us," He gestured to everyone in the room. "and don't disturb till we are done."
Like a rat being chased, the man in suspenders scurried out, and the other men in the room followed closely behind. Soon enough, Dante and I were alone, with the dead body that is, just like yesterday in the stairwell. Just like when he pushed his hand between our bodies and... I cut all lines of that thought. I was here for business, not pleasure.
"I already knew you had guts, but I admit I didn't guess you would come to a criminal on your own to find me." Dropping the gun he'd holding all this time, he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and cleaned the blood off his other hand.
I stubbornly folded my arms across my chest. "We need to talk about yesterday, don't you think?"
Dante completely ignored my question. As usual, he invaded my personal space, standing so close that it became difficult to hold his gaze. "Makes me wonder, are you brave. Or just reckless."
My God, his eyes were so beautiful. Beautiful and unsettling. Taking a deep breath, I said, "Marry me, Dante."
That got him to raise an eyebrow. "Reckless it is, then."
Okay, that was rude.
"You can't deny it after yesterday, you want me, and you can't be happy I'm going to your father. Well, I need to get married, doesn't matter which Diavolo. I choose you." I pressed my body to his, rubbing my breasts against his chest. "Cmon, your dad is old, he doesn't need a wife. He can find someone else to be his mistress."
My heart skipped a beat when his hand grabbed my waist. Leaning in, he brought his lips close to my ear, his warm breath fanning my neck. "You are one interesting woman, Miss Belrose, but you forget to take into account one consideration. I have no desire to marry you."
I wasn't given time to recover from his words before he took a step back. Cold air hit me at the loss of his body warmth.
"My father is intent on acquiring you, so the wedding will go as planned. I suggest you don't try something as silly as this in the future if you want to keep your head. I told you to run, but it seems you didn't listen." Dante's gaze had softened, and if I didn't know better, I would have said he looked like he was pitying me. But it was gone soon enough, replaced by his usual cold stare. "Congratulations on your marriage, Miss Diavolo."
I didn't try to convince Dante to take me as his wife. Nobody understood more than I that there was no safety where you weren't wanted. I knew one thing now, and that was that I could indeed manipulate Dante. He wasn't an ice statue but a man with emotions, though he hid them well, and that would serve me well once I became his stepmother.
Just as he'd said, his father was willing to go on with the wedding despite me leaving halfway through our date. The actual event was no big deal. It was done at a court, with me wearing casual clothes and only guests present my father and Dante. Pietro was a darling as usual, showering me with compliments and reassuring words, so much I began to regret going behind his back to hit on his son. I did feel uncomfortable the times he touched me, though. Never had I been with someone I wasn't actively attracted to, so it was strange to wrap my head around the fact that I would spend the coming years sexually pleasing this man.
Regardless of anything, whether I was reluctant or not, the fact was I'd agreed to this. And I would perform the responsibilities that came with being married. Dinner at the Diavolo Manor was more grand, with too many men being introduced and too many wives trying to warm up to me. I already understood my role in all of this. I stayed silent when I wasn't asked a question, I smiled prettily when I was being spoken to, and I pretended I didn't hear the guests mumbling when I wasn't looking.
"Another one to bite the dust."
"She looks spoiled and arrogant, she won't last."
"Why is she showing off her boobs. So improper."
God, I was glad when dinner ended and they left, but then a new challenge appeared when Pietro began leading him up the stairs. The bedroom was massive, with a demure old-money vibe to it, a quiet reminder that he was far wealthier than anything I was used to. Sucking in a deep breath, I steeled my bones for the night that was to come and turned to my husband.
"So. How would you like this to go?" My voice a sultry purr, I sashayed to Pietro, making sure to exaggerate the swing of my hips. His eyes darkened with lust as I knelt in front of him, my fingers going to his zipper. "Do you like to start with a blowjob, a little foreplay, or would you like to eat me out instead?"
What happened next, I wasn't so sure, but I did feel myself being knocked to the ground, and I did hear the insistent ringing in my ears. Pietro had hit me. He'd punched the side of my head so hard, it took a while for me to stop seeing stars. When my vision finally cleared, I looked up to him, shock on my lips, and was puzzled to see him glowering down. I'd never seen him angry before, and now I had, I decided I much preferred Dante's cold annoyed gaze to this. His nostrils were flared, his eyes were two blue burning flames, and his cheeks were red from fury.
"So arrogant." Pietro huffed as he grabbed me by the hair and lifted me onto the huge king-sized bed.
My instinct was to scoot away, but I wasn't fast or strong enough. He grabbed my legs, pulling me to himself as he savagely tore my clothes till I was wearing nothing. Again, while he unzipped himself, I tried to run away, but he firmly held my ankles between his legs. He was unimaginably strong for a man his age. I was flipped onto my stomach and, without the slightest preparation, penetrated me with a single stroke from behind.
I was in pain. Without proper foreplay or lube, it hurt to be penetrated that deeply that fast. My scalp throbbed from my hair being pulled too hard, and my ears still rang from the punch. My mind went blank, my body going numb as I froze up. It was almost like I was watching from far away, like none of this was happening to me and I was just a passerby.
For how long it lasted, I didn't know, but when it was finally over, Pietro got off my body, grunting as he zipped back his trousers. "When your father came to me for help, such a pathetic man, I only asked for his daughter for one night, but he then offered you to me for marriage. I knew then that you were spoiled. There will be none of that here. You will be disciplined properly from now on and taught to be a proper lady. Do not disappoint me."
I didn't turn to look at him as he left the room. There was no reason to. Neither did I cry, because I wasn't the type to cry when in pain.
As it turned out, sweet Pietro wasn't very sweet after all. I hadn't seen it coming. Honestly, after the flawless act he'd put up this past week, I should have been more shocked, but I wasn't. It made sense, really. He was the head of a family of criminals, murderers, and narcissists. The nastiest garbage known to mankind. Of course, he was just as nasty. Daddy had been right. Those who go after too much do really end up losing it all.