He never meant for me to marry my betrothed. He was always going to steal her away from me. And one day, I’m going to fucking kill him for it.
I know he’s still out there somewhere - he has to be, because the Scorpion cartel is still running, and there are whispers he’s at the head of it now. What was once the property of the Gunn family has now been usurped by an intruder. An intruder who left me for dead eight years ago.
I feel blood rushing over my knuckles, realizing I’ve dug my nails so deep into my palms I’m bleeding. Cursing, I wipe my palms on my slacks.
Still under the influence of the white powder, I stumble to the windows overlooking our property.
This place if well-hidden, well-guarded and elite as fuck. Nobody comes or leaves without our permission, and nobody knows we’re here. That’s a good thing, because I’m pretty sure Liberato and I have targets on our backs by now. Being the two new cartel leaders in town will do that to you.
Sometimes I find it ironic I’m now doing the exact thing that used to be my worst fear.
When I was still under Xavier’s care, I worried about taking over the cartel, and the morality of it all. But not now. Now, I have no problem putting a bullet into someone’s knees. Or ripping out their goddamn spleen.
Maybe Liberato is right about one thing, though.
This new client... I can’t let her get this attached to me. Because I know he’s right. Our captives falling for their tormentors isn’t anything new, but this one will be different.
I think about the eight years she’s spent with her husband. Years of being a brat, disobeying and disappointing her husband. That won’t fly here. She’ll be broken in soon enough. Maybe I’ll make another bet with Liberato, see how fast I can turn her into a mindless, obedient little slave.
My guess is, it won’t take longer than twenty days.
After all, I’m the best at the job.
The poor little thing won’t even have a choice.
With a smirk on my face, I pour a third bag of powder, this time directly on my tongue. The bitter taste remains as I swallow it down.
Our newest client does not know what’s coming... I will not hold back this time.
And I can’t wait to destroy all her holes.
Chapter 3
RAIN
“Pst. Wake up. Please, wake up.”
I groan, stirring awake from a nightmare that’s got all my muscles cramped up to run.
Too bad that can never happen in real life. I’ll never be able to outrun Xavier.
As the reality of my life sinks in, I try to pull the duvet over my head, but Adelina forces the fabric down, silently slipping a pill into the palm of my hand and offering me a glass of water.
“Please, hurry. We don’t have a lot of time today.”
I know how important this is, so I push myself up on my elbows and quickly swallow the birth control pill. Thank God for Adelina. Without her, I’d be even more fucked than I already am.
“There’s something else,” she whispers, nervously glancing over her shoulder.
“What is it?”
I rub my eyes, stretching. Nothing she’ll tell me will come as a surprise. I’m already used to Xavier’s cruelty that seems to grow more and more messed up with each passing day.
“There are rumors in the house,” she goes on. “Rumors that Signore Gunn will send you to somebody if you disobey again.”
“Send me to who?”
“A man.”
She swallows thickly.
“They call him The Wife Breaker.”
I let out a bitter laugh.
“That sounds silly. And Xavier would never let me leave his side.”
Adelina shakes her head.
“Please, signora, believe me. I’m telling you this so you won’t misbehave again. We’ve all heard stories of this man and they... they aren’t good. I think he’s worse than your husband.”
“Not possible.”
I push my feet off the bed and wince at the pain that rocks my body. Jimenez and Xavier must have bruised me badly yesterday, not that it’s anything new. I’m used to my husband doing anything and everything in his power to hurt me as much as he can, and I’m not surprised he’s left a mark this time. After all, it’s happened before.
“Please listen to me. Please don’t disobey. It’ll end badly for you and-”
The door to my bedroom flies open and Xavier appears in the doorframe. Adelina goes deathly silent and begins tidying up the room. But my husband walks straight up to her, grabbing her arm and forcing her to look at him.
“Leave,” he barks at her, and she throws me a secretive apologetic look before nodding and walking out of the room.
I ignore the scene before me, sitting down in front of the large mirror in my bedroom and brushing through my tangled blonde hair. Xavier walks up behind me, sending shivers down my spine as his hand lands on my right shoulder. Our eyes meet in the mirror, mine wide and hiding too many secrets to count, and his swimming with desire.