After the kiss, I finally begin to understand my predicament. The fact that I'm locked alone in a room with the enemy is enough to make papa furious, but the fact that he just had his lips on me terrifies me even more. Once papa finds out about this, I worry about Adrian, because he'll want to fucking kill him.
"I need to get out of here," I mutter. I make a beeline for the door, but before I can get my hand on the handle, he's already standing in front of me, his height and strength imposing. "Please, Adrian. I need to get back to the party before my parents and Vitto notice I'm missing."
"No," he replies, turning me down with a single shake of his head. "What you need to do is be a good girl for me and obey. Understood?"
I feel the shiver down my spine making me want to submit to him. But at the same time, I know I'm not supposed to. The moment word reaches mama and papa - or God forbid, Vitto - both Adrian and I are dead.
"You're going to get me in trouble," I manage to get out. "Please, if you don't care about yourself getting hurt, at least think about me."
"You won't get hurt," Adrian says resolutely. "Not on my watch."
I groan, running my fingers through my hair. Now it's coming undone, and I've had enough of the annoying tight updo. I start tugging at the tendrils of it framing my face, pulling out the bobby pins holding the hairstylist's creation in place. I'm giving up on it, giving up on the perfectly pretty doll my parents want me to be. And this seems to please Adrian, who grins at me as the pins clutter to the floor.
"You look much better with your hair down," he tells me, his voice hoarse with something I don't quite recognize. "Makes it easier for me to do this..."
He approaches me then, his hands finding their way into my hair and tangling in the mess of silky waves.
"Don't, Adrian," I breathe.
"You don't tell me what to do."
He puts me in my place so effortlessly, and it's so very easy to accept it, to bend against his will and give him everything he wants. He pulls me in closer, fingertips exploring my face and traveling over my cheekbones to my lips. I want to submit to him. I want to give into his every whim and desire and show him how good I can be for him. And yet I know I shouldn't. I know I'll have to pay for every little mistake I make with Adrian. My parents will make sure of it.
"I tell you what to do," Adrian finishes. The hardness to his voice scares me as much as it excites me. The shivers travel down my spine as he tugs on my hair mercilessly. "Now are you going to be a good girl for me?"
"What do you want?" I'm trying to be strong and confident, but the words come out in a whisper. "Just tell me what you want and leave me alone."
"I want you, Marzia." He backs me up against the wall and I gasp as the small of my back hits brick. "Haven't you realized that yet? I'm obsessed with you. I want to own you. To control you. To never let you go. So will you be a good girl for me and do as you're told?"
"But my-"
"Fuck your parents," he grinds out. "And fuck Vitto. I'm asking you if you want this, too."
My eyes connect with his, pupils dilated, mouth slightly open as I search for answers in his cold gaze. I find myself nodding despite my best judgement. But this is what I've been waiting for. My ticket out of my oppressive family home. My way of running away from Vitto before he can claim me as his own.
Adrian smirks. "How easily you give in, bambina."
"Are you going to hurt me?" The words slip from my lips before I can stop myself, and I shiver in anticipation of his response.
"Only if you beg for it." He untangles his fingers from my hair, traveling over my lips and down over my chest. "But you have nothing to worry about, Marzia. Your safety is my priority."
Even though they shouldn't, his words make me feel good. Safe. Taken care of. I never thought my parents had my best interest at heart. For them I was just a pawn to move across the chess board however they pleased. But with Adrian, I'm a person. A person with feelings that count.
"Kiss me again," I whisper despite my best judgement. Adrian lowers his mouth against mine. His touch is punishing, the way he steals kisses from my lips dangerous and addictive. Yet I know I can't, won't stop him. I want this too much. I want him to devour me.