Sobs wrack my body, and I don’t know how long I cry while he holds me. I can’t stop the tears from falling as Marco leads me over to the bed and helps me lie down. I can only pray that Kai is okay, because I don’t think I could bear losing them both.
Soon exhaustion takes me, and I’m swept into sleep.
I jerk awake, not knowing how much time has passed, but it’s night again. I sit up and let out a gasp when I see Marco sitting in a chair next to my bed.
“Am I in some kind of danger?” I ask as I look around the room.
“No, but I enjoy watching you.” A smile pulls at his lips and for the first time, he makes me feel uneasy.
When I try to pull the blanket over myself, I realize my pants are gone and I’m only in a shirt and panties. My head snaps up, and his smile softens.
“I made you more comfortable. It is my job to take care of you.”
Call it women's intuition or whatever you want, but I know something isn’t right here. “Um, thanks,” I say, not meaning it at all.
“We need to talk, Sienna. Things are going to be changing around here, and we need to settle what role you’ll be playing in that.”
“Role? What are you talking about?” My heart starts to race as I try to keep my expression neutral. It’s something I’m not very good at.
“Yes, your role here on the estate. Someone has to take over in your father’s place. He told me if anything happened to him that would be me.” Now I know Marco’s lying. Or at least I think he is.
Dad told me long ago what to do if something ever happened to him. There’s a safe hidden in the tiles of my bathroom that contains everything I need to disappear. There’s a whole new identity there. I even have a bank account set up for me, and I’m the only other person besides him that knows about it.
“Okaaay,” I say slowly, trying to assess what’s going on.
“This can go one of two ways, my little Sienna.” My stomach clenches, and bile climbs my throat. This is going to be bad. “You can be my wife or my mistress.”
Immediately I begin to shake my head. “No.” He’s lost his damn mind.
“No isn't an option. Besides, it’s time you made yourself useful around here.”
“Please don’t do this,” I beg him as my hands tighten in the blanket. “Dad wouldn't want this.”
“Oh sweetheart, yes he would. He told me so.” Now I know he’s full of shit. Everything coming out of his mouth is a lie. “And I was more than willing to make you my wife until you turned yourself into a whore.”
Oh god, he knows about Kai.
“You’re not even going to deny it?” he hisses, leaning forward in his chair. “If you’re still a virgin I’ll make you my wife. If not, I’ll treat you like the whore you’re so desperate to be.”
He stands up and comes over to the bed while I shrink away. He rips the blanket from my grasp and tosses it on the floor. I’m praying someone here is more loyal to my dad than Marco as I do the only thing I can.
Scream.