Page 58 of Dare To Free Us
I almost couldn’t control my urge to turn violent. Never once had I wanted to cause Arianna pain. I still didn’t, but in that moment I wanted to grip her slender neck— the one I knew exactly where to bite during her orgasms to make her want to jump out of her skin with pleasure-pain— and squeeze. I felt Arianna’s pulse in my hand as I imagined squeezing until she took it all back. That was when I knew I had to walk away, and stay away.
The very idea of hurting her drowned me in shame. It scared me to know my emotions were no longer under control, and pissed me the fuck off.
After I left I went back to my office driving like a mad man, seething in fury the whole way. Then I stormed into my office and sat at my desk all night trying to make sense of what happened.
At one point two of my best escorts came in offering their comfort by way of sex. Several women that worked for me were completely honest in their desire to get fucked by the Don, thinking it would gain them some kind of perks. I roared at them to get out and promised if they ever made a pass at me again they’d be out on the street.
The only woman I wanted was my wife, but she’d turned on me.
My heart hurt like never before. Arianna was supposed to be the one person who I could always depend on. My purpose for everything I did. And she stabbed me in the back.
The sting from Luca’s betrayal still lingered. He was my best friend, but he had lied to me and made plans that by every rule in our world deserved death. I’d never felt pain like that before. It was enough to make me hate the man I also loved as a brother, more than Dante even.
But Arianna had been a hundred times worse.
We’d talked several times in the past— before we got married— about the risks, short and long term. She always said as long as we had each other we could make it through anything. I guess anything didn’t include a baby.
But maybe it had been partly my fault. I should have been more forceful with my warnings. I’d glossed over and sugar coated things because I didn’t want to all out terrify her. Perhaps I should have told her all the horrible, gory details. She’d seen me delve out violence but told her I would never allow that violence to touch her. A promise I had no right to make.
Now she’d figured that out for herself. Everything she said was true. Things that had always existed and always would in this life. It still didn’t mean that our children would experience every one of them. Maybe if I had been utterly transparent, she could have changed her mind before it got this far.
But I knew that to be a lie. I wouldn’t have let her go. Once I had her hand in mine and her body under me Arianna wasmine. I told her as much that day I took her virginity. I’d never felt so much like a king than when I sank my cock deep between those thighs into her untouched pussy.
I claimed her. Arianna was and always would be mine.
How the hell I was going to calm her mind and get her to understand there was no going back? I had no idea.
It’s what I had been thinking about ever since sending Leo for fresh clothes from the house and coming the penthouse. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been standing at the window when a cough sounded behind me to get my attention.
My head sprung up out of the fog, turning to find Leo standing there with Nico, his arm loaded with my suits. “Put them in my room.”
“Yes, Boss.” Leo turned to leave.
“How did she look?”
He turned casually but couldn't hide the grimace. “She was in bed. Looked like she’d been awake all night crying. Asked where you were.”
I pictured Arianna’s face red and puffy from crying, eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. The image was enough to almost send me sprinting for the door to go to her. But then I remembered the fight and how angry I was at her betrayal. My feet stayed rooted in place.
“What did you tell her?”
“Just what orders I were given. But she noticed the amount of clothes. She knows you don’t plan on coming back tonight.”
It must have shattered her.With a flick of my head I gave him leave to return to his task. Leo turned and continued down the hall.
“Trouble in paradise?” Nico joked, completely unaware he was about to die from the comment.
I walked forward and punched him square in his temple with all my weight behind it. Nico flew back into the couch, the momentum sending him clear over the back to land on the hardwood floor with a flop. I walked around the couch and watched him shake the dizziness from his head.
“When are you going to learn to keep that fucking mouth shut? I don’t give a damn what you think. I don’t give two shits about your opinion when it comes to my marriage. You ever mock my relationship like that again I’ll fucking kill you, Nico.” He knew I meant it.
Nico stared up at me with murder in his eyes. He hated being put in his place— like any other child. After brushing at his suit like somehow I’d tossed him in the dirt instead of onto a floor I could probably eat off of, he climbed to his feet.
“Apologies.Boss.” He ground the words out like they caused him physical pain. Something flashed in his eyes too fast for me to recognize. Then, like a good submissive dog, he turned away.Fucking hothead.
“Now let’s discuss our next move. My uncle said he would send men, they should be here tomorrow.”
“Matteo we are running out of moves. Even with more men, the Irish are becoming less and less helpful. The MC canceled three deliveries for the next week. We have to give them Vasilisa.”