His home was a prison.
Valentino arched a brow, and all the fight left me. I wasn’t getting out of here, and unless I wanted to threaten his life, he was going to win.
“Don’t even think about it,” he said softly when he saw me eyeing the utensils on the counter. “You won’t like the consequences, and Martha doesn’t want to clean blood off that counter tonight, do you, Martha?”
Martha looked up at him, and I swore there were stars in her eyes. “No, sir, I don’t. It’s hard to get the stains out of the wood.”
My mouth dropped open. What kind of blood did this kind woman clean up? Was it because of something Valentino did?
“That it is, Martha,” he said smoothly, a ghost of a smile on his face before looking at me. “See, Leda? Martha already has enough to do. Now apologize for scaring her.”
What choice did I have? I moved from behind the counter and ignored his hand. “I’m sorry, Martha,” I said as I passed. “For scaring you.”
She didn’t respond, nor did I imagine she would. She was on Valentino’s payroll.
Once outside, Valentino took my elbow and guided me back toward the house. Before I could move another inch, however, he yanked me around until I was facing him.
“You disobeyed me, Leda,” he growled, reaching out for the neckline of the chemise. I yelped at the sound of the material tearing. A gaping hole appeared down the front.
Oh God, what was he going to do?
Valentino wasn’t done. He yanked one side down until a long strip tore from the flimsy material. He grabbed my hands and bound my wrists with satin.
“Please,” I begged, attempting to squirm away.
“It’s too late for begging,” he said harshly as he knotted the material tightly. “You should have thought about the consequences.”
When his hand drifted lower on my body, I gasped, feeling his fingers brush my stomach before he ripped off the lace panties, and tore them in half. Something warm crept across my stomach, interlacing with my fear.
I swallowed against the flood of need coursing through my body.
No. No, I couldn’t want this!
Ishouldn’twant this!
“You will remain silent,” he said, his hand curling around the scrap of panties. “In fact, I’m going to ensure it.”
Before I could say anything, he stuffed my panties in my mouth, tying the torn ends together behind my head. “There,” Valentino replied, grabbing my wrists. “Let’s go home, Leda.”
Chapter 13
Leda
I had never felt so humiliated in my life as when he tugged on my wrists and walked me like a dog. Tears leaked out of my eyes as we yanked me down the road, my nipples puckering in the cool air each time the torn fabric rubbed over them.
This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening.
Valentino was relentless in his walk, not caring that I stumbled a few times on the gravel road leading up to the house. In no time he had me inside, and I was at least grateful that no one was around to see my humiliation as he forced me up the stairs into a different bedroom than the one I had escaped from.
This one was darker in color, from the bedding to the walls, and I knew immediately it was his bedroom that we had come to.
This is it. He’s going to rape me.
My stomach flipped at the thought. My mind imagined his powerful hands pressing me into the bed while his cock filled me up. The warmth of desire rose up and I felt my cheeks flush. Why was I reacting to this?
Valentino let go of my wrists, shut the door hard, and leaned against it.
“You have not obeyed my rules,” he said calmly as he took off his coat. “You have defied me at every turn in the short time you have been here, Leda. Can I anticipate this to be the fight you will continue to put up?”