Heavy footfalls approached, stepping from the rug that lined the corridor onto the wooden floorboards of the library. I shrank deeper into the shadows and held my breath. I couldn’t let anyone see me like this. I needed another minute to force my serene mask back into place.
“Nora?”
My stomach dropped to the floor. I recognized Alberto’s drunken slur. He must’ve come looking for me and heard the books fall.
Cursing my uncharacteristic clumsiness, I tiptoed farther between the shelves, praying that he would give up and search for me elsewhere. I had to slip back into the safety of the ballroom, where my possessive new husband would ensure that my sick cousin kept his distance.
I hated Luca, but the years of Alberto’s abuse had engrained terror and disgust deep in my psyche. I couldn’t let him find me, especially not when he was so drunk. The fact that he’d dared to touch my thigh beneath the table at my wedding reception told me that he was beyond reason. I wasn’t sure what he would do if he caught me, but it wouldn’t be pleasant.
A floorboard creaked beneath my foot, and I cringed.
“I know you’re in here.” His voice was dark, rumbling with anger. “Where are you, you little slut?”
I reached the end of the row of shelves and dared to peek around the corner. His thick body was an imposing shadow in the doorway, framed by the golden light that flooded the corridor. He was blocking my way out.
I ducked back behind the shelf and drew in quiet, shallow breaths.
His shoes scuffed the floor as he stalked drunkenly toward me. “You let him fuck you, didn’t you?” he spat. “Answer me, Nora!”
I jolted at his booming shout, then pressed myself closer to the shelf. If he kept making this much noise, maybe someone would hear. Maybe Luca would come looking for me.
I shook off the foolish thought. Why wish for one monster to rescue me from another? I would have to get out here on my own. I would save myself.
Alberto stumbled down the aisle, and I took my chance. I rounded the other side and darted toward the door. I made it halfway before my high heel turned beneath me. Fear burst through me, and I cried out as my knees hit the floor. I grabbed at the shelf and pulled myself upright, kicking off the traitorous shoes.
But it was too late. Alberto’s weight slammed into me, and the shelf rocked at my back. Books thundered to the floor, the booming sound clashing with the crack of my cousin’s meaty hand across my cheek. Pain reverberated through my skull, and the shadows darkened to pure black for a few precious seconds.
His hands bracketed my shoulders, thick fingers digging into my upper arms as he shook me. “You’re not a virgin anymore, are you?” he demanded as my teeth rattled. “You fucking whore.You always were a cocktease, and now you’ve let some other man fuck you.”
The library swam around me, but I managed to hiss back, “You’re my cousin, you sick bastard. We’re related by blood. Get your filthy hands off me, pervert.”
Pain lit up my face when he delivered another vicious backhand. “Shut up!” he thundered. “You’re the one who’s always tempted me. This is your fault.” He flipped me around and shoved my aching cheek hard against the books. “You know you’ve always wanted this, and you let another man have you first. You’ll pay for that.”
I writhed, struggling to throw off his weight. He leaned forward, and something hard pressed into my bottom. Bile burned the back of my throat, but his hand clamped over my open mouth to smother my scream before I could release it.
His free hand pawed at my breasts, ripping at the delicate lace on my dress. Tiny pearls popped free, pinging against the hardwood floor as he tore away my modesty. My skin crawled beneath his groping touch, and I twisted in his hold. My eyes burned with furious, terrified tears.
His breath was hot on my cheek when he licked one away and groaned like it was the sweetest thing he’d ever tasted. He reeked of stale beer and sweat, and his palm was slick when he grabbed my breast, fingernails digging into my nipple. I screamed and thrashed, but he held me firm.
It wasn’t the first time he’d grabbed me like this, but he’d never torn away my clothes before. He’d never pressed his erection against me and threatened to rape me.
My blood ran cold, suddenly flash-freezing my skin, which had been flaming hot from the exertion of fighting against him. Alberto wasn’t just threatening me. He ripped at my dress with violent intent, his drunkenness making his efforts fumbling but no less horrific.
A furious snarl rent the air, and Alberto was wrenched away from me. I gasped and whirled, clutching at the shelves behind me for support. Two darker shadows grappled in the dimly lit library. The larger man tackled Alberto to the ground and reared back to land a vicious punch across his jaw.
The light filtering in from the corridor illuminated Luca’s face, twisted with possessive fury. The little breath I’d managed to take in was knocked from my lungs at the sight of his handsome features sharpened by rage—his strong jaw anvil hard and his dark eyes glittering with menace. His huge hands wrapped around my cousin’s throat, and Alberto thrashed beneath him, his heels drumming against the floor as he struggled to breathe.
Luca’s lips peeled back from his teeth, and he growled into my assailant’s purple face, squeezing harder. Alberto writhed and tried to pry his fingers from his throat, but my husband didn’t shift so much as an inch, not even when Alberto landed a wild, weak punch to the side of his head. Luca shook it off and leaned in closer to him, a murderous light in his eyes.
“You touched my wife,” he ground out, the words so gravelly they were barely discernible.
Alberto’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, but no sound came out other than gagging noises. His heels slowed their staccato beat on the floor, and his arms stopped flailing. My cousin was dying.
I said nothing; I simply watched the violence unfold in numb shock. I didn’t cry out to save his miserable life, but I didn’t crave his death, either. All I could do was watch my vicious husband choking the life from him for daring to touch me. Everything seemed surreal, my head spinning from the assault.
Alberto went utterly still, and a pained sound tore from Luca’s chest as he ripped his hand away from my cousin’s throat.Alberto gasped and choked, spluttering as he rolled into a fetal ball.
Alive. Luca had spared him at the last second. I couldn’t process it. I didn’t know what outcome I’d wished for.