31
Dante
I want to scream at Nicole. The anger flows through me and burns like an inferno.
What the hell is wrong with her?
Why would she pretend to take her medicine? After all I’ve done to protect her, and she still believes I’m the monster.
That’s not to say I’m a saint.
I’m not. I’ve killed men.
But I even have a line that I wouldn’t cross and that’s hurting an innocent woman—especially one that’s pregnant with my child.
Does she not realize that I don’t intend to hurt her? I’m keeping her here for her protection.
Her father was willing to poison her, torture her, and sell her in a bid to marry any man for the right price.
There’s a baby growing inside of her.
My baby.
I shift onto my side and rest my hand over her abdomen. She barely appears to be showing, but she also hasn’t eaten much since she’s arrived.
I need to do better.
If that means forcing her to eat, so be it. Whatever it takes to make sure my son or daughter is healthy. Even if Nikki hates me for it, what other choice is there?
A heavy silence falls over the room before I finally push myself off the mattress and pull my clothes back on. My men don’t need to see my bare ass or anything else, even if we did leave the door wide open.
Good.
Let them know she’s mine.
She’s off-limits to any man who so much as looks at her.
I’ll kill him.
My men know better than to betray me. But it didn’t stop me from claiming her with the door wide open for any of my men to witness.
“Get dressed,” I command.
Nikki doesn’t move from the bed. Her hair is fanned out across the silken white sheets. She looks angelic.
She’s anything but an angel. Her father is Gino DeLuca.
And yet, I let her into my home. I protected her. Ravaged her.
The appreciation I get is null.
Void.
Nothing.
“Get up!” I’m tired of her ignoring me. I’m the fucking king of this castle and the family. She will listen to me. Obey me. And do as I command.
Her breath catches in her throat, and she climbs out of bed, bringing the sheets with her. Like I didn’t just see and mark every ounce of her naked flesh.