All my muscles gave out, my body going limp in the wake of my intense, cruel release. He caught me, reaching above my head to free the cuffs from the chain that held me aloft. He carried me the short distance to the massive bed and laid me out on the mattress. His fingers rubbed over the goosebumps on myarms before he found the catch at the sides of the cuffs, freeing me with a soft click.
As I rubbed my aching wrists, he unbuckled the cuffs around my ankles and pulled the spreader bar away. He sat on the bed beside me, leaning against the headboard. His hands bracketed my waist, and he guided me onto his lap. I felt his erection pressing into my bottom, but he made no move to have sex with me.
He’d fucked me with his whip instead, forcing me to feel pleasure from the cruel implement that’d caused me pain. It was more perverse than anything I ever could’ve imagined.
My cheeks were hot beneath my tears, shame burning me up inside.
I had no fight left in me when he began to pet me, stroking my hair while he cuddled me close. He kissed my wet cheeks, savoring the taste of my tears.
“It’s okay to cry,” he said, comforting. “You’re so pretty when you do. I’ll always take care of you, Nora.”
Luca had told me the same thing, but he wasn’t here to save me. My longing for my husband was tinged with resentment. I shouldn’t have any soft feelings toward him. He’d kidnapped me and forced me into marriage, just like Dante had done.
My heart twisted. I was so tired of being treated like an object, a pawn.
Or worse, Dante’spet.
Something vibrated beneath me, and Dante pulled his phone from his pocket.
“What?” The irritation that pinched his features morphed into a maniacal grin. “I’m on my way.”
He pressed a quick kiss to my forehead. “I have to go.”
My stomach lurched. Luca must’ve come for me at last. And Dante looked delighted.
He thought he would beat my husband. He was certain of it.
All I could do was pray that he was wrong. Dante was arrogant and cruel; he could’ve miscalculated.
He lifted me up in his arms, and I tensed when he carried me to the large, domed cage in the corner.
“Please don’t put me in there.” I didn’t like tight spaces.
He shushed me. “You’ll be safest in here, little bird.”
He placed me in the cage and slammed the bars in my face, securing them with a padlock. My fingers wrapped around the cool metal, as though I could pry it apart.
“Don’t leave me in here,” I begged.
“Don’t worry, darling. I’ll be back soon.”
He turned and walked out of the awful room, leaving me caged and cold. Ice encased my bones, and I drew my knees up to my chest, hugging them tight.
I didn’t want Dante to come back. The only man I wanted to come for me was Luca, my real husband.
Chapter 17
Luca
The bastard had taken my wife. He would suffer before he died.
Fear for her clawed at my insides, digging in deeper than ever. It’d torn me apart for the day that’d passed since her father had betrayed me and given Nora to my enemy.
Giuseppe would pay for that soon. But my first priority was getting her safely away from the sadistic madman. Cold sweat beaded on the back of my neck at the thought of what he might’ve done to her already, in the time it’d taken me to gather my allies and make our way to his remote estate.
She’s not dead,I reminded myself. He wouldn’t have killed her. She was a valuable hostage.
As long as she was still breathing, I’d heal her from whatever he’d put her through. In the short time I’d been married to her, I’d developed a soft spot for my pretty, spirited wife. The humiliation of Dante stealing my bride chafed at me, but the fear of failing her was equal to it.