“But you can!” I shout, swinging my arm out wide. “Don’t you see? It doesn’t matter that Carmine and Carlotta were killed today. I will make Daniella my wife. No judge would dare gainsay me. I will let you have her once a month until she is ripe with child. The baby will have my blood and will legally be mine. When I retire, they will rule. It is the only way.”
Cesare pulls himself to his feet and wipes the blood from his lip. I put a brotherly arm around him. “You will see, all will be well. We’ll start a new empire, you and me.” He remains quiet, and I sigh, letting him know just how put out I am at his attitude. “I’m sorry for hitting you, but you know you shouldn’t speak to me like that. Listen, I happen to be feeling especially magnanimous today, so how about I let you play with one of my whores?” I nudge him in the side, my lips curling into a smirk. “Did I tell you I’m holding The Duke down there?”
Cesare rears back, his eyes growing wide. “You have The Duke? The actual, real-life Duke?”
Stepping over to the bookcase, I retrieve the key and open the hidden door. “She’s right down there.” I nudge him in the side and give him a wink. “And she’s got a nice tight pussy.” I give him a shove toward the door. “Have fun, brother.”
Closing the door behind him, I congratulate myself on a day well done. Not only did I cause some problems for Daniella, but now I have the faces of six more of her team. And she seems especially fond of one. He’ll make her obey nicely when I have a gun to his head. I make a quick phone call and text a photo I took from the video.
Calling a maid in to clean the mess Cesare made, I lean back in my chair with a fresh whiskey, sipping it slowly while keeping my eyes on the maid’s ass as she cleans.
She’s not Daniella, but after watching all those deaths, my cock is hard as stone, and I deserve a release. I’m celebrating, after all.
Chapter 53
The Duke
AssoonasIhear the door open, I hang my head, pretending defeat.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the legend herself.” I ignore the words, refusing to show any surprise that it’s not Vincenzo’s voice.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watch as Cesare Gianelli pushes up against the bars. “I was trying to be nice. It’s not often we have real-life fairy tale characters come to stay.”
I roll my eyes under the cover of my hair. Typical man. Next, he’s going to tell me I’d be prettier if I smile or suggest I thank him for the compliment.
“Aw, now, don’t be like that. Come on and give us a smile. Bet you’re real pretty under all that dirt.”
Annnd, there it is.
I don’t move, don’t react. Not yet.
Cesare fumbles in his pocket, withdrawing a set of keys. In his other hand, he has a chain complete with manacles. I can work with that. He gets down on his haunches in front of me, his eyes dark and cruel, a smirk twisting his features. He reaches out and lifts my hair from my face, and for the first time, I let my eyes meet his.
His first mistake was getting down. I leap at him, and he shouts as I knock him backward, his head hitting the cement floor with a solid thud. Vincenzo had this room soundproofed, so I’m not worried about him hearing us.
Cesare’s second mistake was coming in with something I could use as a weapon. Quickly grabbing the chain, I wrap it around his neck and twist, cutting off his air. He’s already dazed from the fall, so it’s easily done.
His third mistake was underestimating me. I kick him to his feet, forcing him over to the torture area. He must have hit his head harder than I realized because he’s being delightfully accommodating. Pressing his head back against the wall, I notice his pupils are slightly dilated.Good.A shiver of delight rushes down my spine, making my nipples hard and my stomach clench. The anticipation is always the best part.
Unwrapping the chain from around his neck, I force his hands into the manacles and connect them to the iron hooks in the walls. Deciding to give him some time to come out of the daze he’s in, I run my hands over all the tools they so kindly left here for me.
It’s not long before Cesare comes to, the chain rattling against the wall as he curses me. “Fucking bitch! Let me down, or Vincenzo will gut you!”
My shoulders shake with mirth as I look up at him. My fingers run up and down the hacksaw in my hand, lovingly tracing the curves of it. His eyes fly wide when he sees it, and he renews his efforts to break free.
Cesare’s fourth mistake? Coming down here at all.
“Now, now, Cesare. I can’t believe I’m standing in the presence of the legendary Gianelli brother! Of course, you’re no Vincenzo, but I have heard so many incredible things about you. All this screaming and whining is disappointing. I had such higher expectations of you.”
“Fuck you, cunt. I’m going to destroy you. I will fuck every one of your holes until my cum is pouring from you, then I will burn you alive like the witch you are.”
Covering my mouth with my hand doesn’t stop the giggles from pouring out. “Oh, my. I’m quite literally shaking in my boots right now. Or I would be if your brother had allowed me to keep them. No matter. Now, I was going to leave you for Dutch to take care of, but since you’ve handed yourself to me on a silver platter, I’ll just do it myself. I’m sure she won’t mind.”
I walk toward him, swinging my hips, keeping a demure smile resting on my lips. I don’t usually play the part of a demented little girl, but Cesare just seems to draw it out of me. Maybe because he’s a child trafficker. He’s hurt so many innocents, it almost seems fitting for me to behave like one, as if they are using me as their vessel for revenge.
He curses some more, straining against the chains, beads of perspiration running down the side of his face. As I near him, humming a lullaby, his eyes grow impossibly wide as waves of fear pour off him. Fear has a scent, a distinct taste it leaves at the back of your throat. His is particularly rancid, but I enjoy it all the same.
Setting the hacksaw down on a nearby table, I continue to hum different children’s songs, barely paying attention as I reach for the button on his black slacks. Undoing it and pulling down the zip, I yank them and his boxers down his legs.
