His hand moved deeper between my legs, and I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t stop the pleasure from exploding through my body, my legs shaking, my spine quivering as his touch continued, extracting every last of my release. His words, his touch, and the time he had denied me pleasure all came crashing together in one giant wave of euphoria. The relief was indescribable. Being denied the release my body craved for an entire night was torture, yet it made the pleasure so much more powerful.
I felt him smile against my neck. “Feel better?”
My heart was still racing, my breathing shallow. “Much better.”
“Good.” He stepped back, and I almost lost my balance. “But that wasn’t what you needed.”
“It wasn’t?” I glanced over my shoulder, my legs still shaking.
“That should get you through the day, but tonight once the lights go out, I’ll give you what you really need.” The sordid promises that swirled around in his dark eyes made me shiver. Instantly all my senses were heightened, my body filled with the anticipation of what Castello would do to me…in the dark.
He straightened his jacket. “Now, get dressed. We have a lot to do today.”
“We?”
He smiled wickedly like he knew something I didn’t. “Yes. We. Now go get dressed.”
I glanced at the dress in my hand and then back at him. His intense gaze that seemed like it could see straight through to my soul didn’t falter. With every step I took toward the bathroom, I could feel him looking at me. It felt like his gaze seared my skin, as if I could feel his desire for me all the way to the bone. Even from half way across the room with my back turned to him, he had the power to control my body.
I didn’t close the door. I liked knowing that he was watching me. It made me want to spend as much time as possible being naked. Usually when it came to men, I tried my best to hide the scars that marred my body. I saw it as a flaw, a weakness. But it was different with Castello. He was drawn to my scars, drawn to my unexplainable need to experience pain. He made me feel like my scars made me unique rather than crazy. Every minute I spent in that bathroom preparing myself, trying to make myself look as perfect as possible, nerves started to twitch inside my belly.
Ever since Castello had promised to fight this war with Vico with me by his side, I never gave much thought as to what it would entail. I never once wondered what would change and whether it was something I wanted. From the day I woke up in that tiny room and stared into the eyes of a scarred man that had a remarkable resemblance to my past, I was never given any choice. And last night I was brave—or stupid—enough to toss a choice into his face, to make him choose where my place was in his life. But now that he had made that decision, ultimately leaving me no choice, I wondered if maybe he was right.Am I strong enough? Will I have the strength to prove to Castello that I have what it takes to be his queen?
I pulled my hair up, tying it in a sophisticated-looking bun at the back of my neck. It had been weeks since I wore my hair up. Weeks since I wore any kind of make-up, since I’d looked this presentable. And as I stared at my reflection in the mirror, I caught a glimpse of the woman I was once.
All my life I had been misunderstood, feeling like I never fit in anywhere. My family, my friends—every single person in my life unconsciously made me feel like I just didn’t belong, that I was constantly in the wrong place at the wrong time. The urge to run, to get away, followed me whenever I was surrounded by people who supposedly had every right to be in my life. I was an outsider, no matter how pretty I looked.
“I must say, I picked the perfect dress for you.”
I stared at his reflection in the mirror as he stood behind me, leaning against the door, his gaze slowly moving up and down my body.
“Do you think I’d be able to choose my own dress next time?”
His gaze caught mine in the mirror. “Not a chance. I choose what you wear.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ll be the one undressing you later. So my choice will always be based on whether I’d like to take my time getting you out of your clothes or if I’d rather prefer, quick and easy access to what’s hidden between those legs of yours.”
From the heat I felt on my cheeks, I knew I was flushed. I turned around and watched as he took a few short steps toward me. The way he stared at me, his dark eyes conveying every lust-filled thought had me clenching my thighs at the same time I gripped the edge of the bathroom sink behind me.
He stopped in front of me, his face and lips inches from mine. “There’s just one thing.”
“What thing?” My words came out soft, slow, my body and mind reeling as if under his spell.
Slowly he lifted his hand and reached behind me, his gaze never leaving mine. For those few seconds, I lost myself in him. I lost myself in the depths of his eyes, in the energy that always seemed to pulse between us. It was intoxicating.
As he gripped my hair, taking the bun in the palm of his hand, I sucked in a breath. Gently he pulled my hair loose, letting the strands fall around my shoulders and down my back.
He licked his lips. “Rule number four. Always wear your hair down.”
He leaned closer, his nose brushing against mine. I thought for sure he was about to kiss me, and my body had already primed itself for his touch. But then he took my hand and gave a step back.
“It’s time for you to step into my world, little mouse.”
That was the moment I knew that my life was about to change…forever.
Chapter 7