“Mm, I see. And then what?”
“I didn’t make it. He caught me in the alley. Knocked me down. Hit me. K-Kissed me. T-Touched me.” Nausea rolled through my stomach as I relived the awful encounter. “H-He wanted to r-rape me. He was going to. He-He put his hands on me. He just kept hitting me, telling me he wasn’t supposed to but couldn’t help himself.”
“Did he give you a name?”
I shook my head. “Nothing.”
“Tell me more.”
“There’s not much more to tell. He kept hitting me. I think I passed out from it. Or accepted it. Then I woke up here. That’s it.”
Matteo stared me down. I felt like he was peering into my soul. I let out a shaky breath as he reached forward and twisted one of my curls around his finger.
“You are a beauty,bel fiore,” he murmured.
“W-What does that mean?Bel fiore?”
“Does Lorenzo not speak Italian to you?”
I shook my head. “Not really. He only speaks it to his father when he doesn’t want us to know what he’s saying.”
He let out a soft laugh. “It meanspretty flower.You are a rose, yes?”
“I-I guess.” Cole calling me Rosebud popped into my head.
“Never guess. Always be sure in your answers.”
I stared back at him. While terrifying, there was something else about him I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I’d heard horror stories about him—so many of them.
“My son loves you,” he continued. “Do you love him?”
He was bold with his questions.
“We only tell the truth here,” he continued when I didn’t answer. “Remember that. To be my friend, you must be honest. Liars aren’t treated well under my roof.”
He had a way of threatening by making it sound like a Sunday walk in the park.
“Do you love Alessandro?”
“I-I can’t love him,” I whispered, looking down at my hands.
He reached out and tilted my chin up gently. “I did not ask you what you’re allowed to do. I asked what you feel. Your words will not leave this room. I do not break my promises.”
I said nothing for a moment. He asked again, this time a note in his voice telling me he wouldn’t remain patient for much longer.
“Of course I love him,” I said, my words pouring out. I sounded desperate and terrified. “He’s wonderful, but I can’t change the situation.”
“And if you could, would you?”
“I would,” I admitted, my words tiny.
“In our family, we have traditions,” he said. “The father fucks the bride before the groom.”
I looked at him, my eyes wide and horrified.
“I would not do that to you if you were to marry Alessandro and leave behind Lorenzo.”
I said nothing, not even sure how to address his words. The fact that they did this was sick and disgusting. I wondered if he’d done that to Bianca and Dominic. I’d heard whispers but never asked for clarification on it. The guys also seemed unwilling to discuss anything related to it, probably to protect me.