He captures my wrists, and in one effortless move, he secures them above my head. “You can fight me all you want. But just like those juicy grapes, you belong to me.”
His cock is hard, and every time either of us draws a breath, it grazes my belly, reminding me ofeverythingthe arrangement entails.
I don’t want to have sex with him, especially here, like this—I don’t. But I’d be lying if I said my body wasn’t reacting to his swollen cock. The pulsing between my legs is impossible to ignore.Like last time. And just like last time, my arousal makes me feel ashamed and traitorous. My mother’s memory deserves better. I deserve better.
“You’ll give meeverything. And if you have an ounce of brains in that pretty little head, you’ll learn to like it. I warned you that when I came for you, it would be for more than a kiss.”
“Please,” I beg, knowing it will get me nowhere. But I’m desperate, and I don’t know what else to do. “Please don’t.”
“Don’t what, Daniela? Don’t fuck you against this dirty wall? Don’t lay you across that desk and torment you until everyone in the building hears you beg for my cock?” He brushes his nose against mine. “Maybe you’d like that.”
Without thinking, I spit at him.
He doesn’t flinch, but his words get uglier.
“Did you let your boyfriend, Josh, lick that tight little pussy?Mypussy. He’s lucky I didn’t kill him for touching what’s mine.”
The panic inside me is welling, seconds from exploding all over the room. He must sense it too.
“I’ve never forced a woman to do anything she didn’t want to do—not sexually. But if you continue to push me, you’ll be the first. I’ll redden your ass until you can’t sit for a month, and then I’ll fuck you in ways you can’t even begin to imagine.”
I look him straight in the eye. “You’re a monster.”
“I am. Here’s a little piece of advice for you,Princesa. Don’t poke monsters. Because we’ll devour you without a shred of mercy—and toss your bones into the gutter.”
He releases me, then uses a tissue from the desk to wipe his cheek.
“Cristiano will take you to our home in the valley.” Antonio drops the tissue into the trash, his eyes never leaving mine. “I strongly recommend that you don’t try to run. There are guards all over the property—and the punishment for defying my order will be more than you can bear.”
I’m out of time.He’s not going to let me leave Porto. I need to think of something.
“If you expect me to live here, I need to go back to the US to tie up loose ends and pack my belongings.”
“You have nothing to tie up.” He fingers my blazer. His disgust is palpable. “You need to pack more of this? Cheap clothing from a discount store? Or did you buy this used?”
I feel his sneer in my marrow, but I don’t respond.
“I don’t want that garbage in my house. Everything you need will be provided for you.”
“I’m your prisoner?” My voice wobbles.Stop it, Daniela. Stay strong. Strength is the only thing men like him respect.
“I’ve been gone for six years,” I continue, my head high, “but the D’Sousas have lived in the valley since the beginning. Not everyone has forgotten me. And they certainly haven’t forgotten my family. Holding me captive will just make you more enemies.”
He squares his shoulders, glowering at me.
“My prisoners aren’t given soft, clean beds to sleep in, and warm food to fill their bellies. But holding you captive, even in luxury, only buys me more capital—much more. If I’d keep the D’Sousaprincesaagainst her wishes, there’s no end to what else I might do, if it suits me.”
TheD’Sousa princesa.Fuck him.
But he’s right. Of all the things Antonio needs to stay on top in his rough-and-tumble world, being feared is perhaps the most vital.
I need to come up with something—anything, at this point. Think, Daniela. Think. Remind him how unpleasant this is going to be for him.
“I’m more trouble than I’m worth. The land is the real value.”
“I decide what has value, and what doesn’t. But hear this clearly: Under no circumstances are you going back to the US. Your life is here, by my side. It can be an enviable life or a miserable existence. It’s your choice.”
He takes my hair between his fingers and brings it to his nose before letting go.