There were a number of ways I could have reacted. I could have thrown a fit and trashed the living room. I could have flown into a rage and cursed everyone to shit. I could have broken down in tears and begged to be freed from this ridiculous situation. But who was I kidding? I couldn't do any of those things. Why? Because I was powerless, and that was why I had to go through with this marriage... to gain that power.
So rather than fold, I squared my shoulders, smiled, and pretended it didn't matter one bit that I was being sold off to a man old enough to be my grandfather.
"Oh, you should have said so then, Father. You can't leave me guessing about things like that." Still smiling so wide that my cheeks felt like they were about to tear, I turned to my soon-to-be husband. "In that case, I promise to treat you well," I leaned forward, giving our guests a delicious view of my cleavage. "As long as you promise to do the same."
Pietro fell for it. His gaze fixed on my twin ladies, he smiled, but this time, there was a hidden emotion under it. Maybe amusement? "Trust me, you will be spoiled."
Well, that was good to hear. Now I thought about it, maybe it was a good thing I was getting married to father and not son. It was pretty obvious who liked me better.
"How about we take this conversation to the garden, gentlemen. It's a beautiful spring afternoon, and the flowers are in full bloom." Standing, Father gestured at the double glass doors that led to our home's courtyard.
The Diavolo accepted the invite, and as Pietro stood up, he offered me his arm. Resting my hand in the crook of his arm, I stayed by his side as we all walked out the building. I had to admit, conversation with my fiancé flowed easily. As we strolled, he listened attentively, and for once, I wasn't searching for topics to discuss. I did notice he was actively avoiding revealing much about himself, by always keeping the topics on me. All I could get out of him was that he was a widower, and his wife had died over 2 decades ago. He'd never remarried, and Dante was his only child.
I couldn't help sneaking a glance at the child in question. He sat with my father at a tea table all the way across the garden, both of them deep in conversation. Who could have known? Mr. Never Talks actually talked. But now, I didn't even have his cold intent gaze studying me, and for some reason, that felt like a loss. He was the first person I'd ever met who ignored me. Usually, people either hid their dislike for me, or were straight up hostile from the get-go. Never did they just not acknowledge my existence. Dante Diavolo unsettled me, and I didn't like it.
"Do you enjoy traveling, my dear?" Pietro asked, forcing me to look away from his son, but I did catch the younger Diavolo standing and walking back into the house.
I was able to keep the chat going for about 10 more minutes before I couldn't take it anymore. It seemed the overload of events of the afternoon was finally getting to me. My life had done a double backflip in such a short time. I needed a breath of fresh air.
"I'm sorry, I need about 10 minutes to myself. I'll be right back." I didn't wait for a reply from my fiancé as I rushed towards the glass doors.
As I walked quickly through my home, I cursed myself for leaving my pack of cigarettes in my bedroom. I'd sworn to myself I'd quit a long time ago, but at times like this, a good smoke was the only way to ease the nerves. My foot was already on the first step of the staircase when I slammed into something hard, unflinching, yet so warm.
Up close, Dante Diavolo was even more handsome than should be possible. He had rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows, revealing arms covered in tattoos. A few buttons of his white shirt had come undone, and I gulped at what was obviously a well-toned chest, also covered in tattoos. I forced myself to look up and saw that he was gazing down at me, not a single emotion present in those beautiful eyes. I lost myself in them, wondering the kind of mind that was behind those eyes. Was he secretly a sweetheart under there, or was he just as cruel as he appeared?
Eventually, my gaze fell to his lips, and suddenly, all I could think about was kissing him.
"When you are done, move out of my way."
Dante's deep voice jolted me back to earth. It was unbearably sexy, but at the same time, the menacing edge prevented it from being relaxing. Only then did I realize my body had been pressed to him all this while, and his eyes had narrowed, just a little, to show he was annoyed.
Now, I could move out of his way and apologize for holding him up, but why should I? "It's my home. You step aside." I glared up at him.
I expected him to lash out at me, but never could I have predicted him wrapping his fingers around my neck, not tight enough that I was being choked to death, but enough that I was straining to breathe. His other hand grabbing my waist, he used his body to push me backward, climbing down the staircase and rounding a corner till my back hit a wall. He didn't leave any space between us, my chest pressed against his, and his knee nudging my legs apart till he had a thigh settled in between them.
My personal space was being invaded, I was being violated... So why was I excited?
"You've got a backbone." His voice was as low as a whisper as he brought his lips to my ear. "That'll come in handy if you do succeed in becoming a Diavolo. But you shouldn't play games with me, Principessa. Games get people buried."
"You're the one who has me pinned to a wall, so who's playing games here?" I really should have yelled at him to let me go or screamed for help, but I didn't.
"Do you believe I didn't notice that you enjoy it when I give you attention?" Dante's teeth grazed my earlobe, nipping it before letting go. His mouth then moved lower, somehow immediately finding the sweet spot between my neck and shoulder. I moaned out loud, my fingers instinctively digging into a solid bicep. "Did you think I wouldn't notice you were aroused? We all saw how hard those nipples were, love." His hand left my waist, caressing the side of my breasts before he pushed a thumb under the fabric to stroke my rock-hard bud. "Tell me, are you always this easy to seduce?"
He was mocking me, there was no doubt about that, even without him changing that flat, dry cadence of his. It should have made me furious, but I was too distracted by the many sensations assaulting my nerves.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I did manage to say. "I'm not interested in you at all!"
Never had a bigger lie been told, and Dante proved it to me by going straight for the evidence between my legs. The instant his calloused fingers made contact with my core, I screamed. There was nothing sweet about his touch. It was rough, brutal, just as he was, and I was loving it.
"Explain to me then, what is this?" He growled into my ear.
His experienced fingers found my clit, and I couldn't hold it in any longer. I ran wild, moaning loudly and rocking the thigh between my legs to create more friction there.
"As I thought," Dante's breath was hot beside my throat. "you weren't wearing anything underneath that slutty dress. You're a naughty one, aren't you Principessa?"
Yes. Oh, yes. My climax was close, so close that I was on the verge of tears. Dante wasn't unaffected by this either, as I could feel his hard ridge pressing into my stomach. Whether he realized it or not, he had begun rocking against me, searching for the release we were both chasing. A thought occurred to me. There was no need for this to end here. We could both go to my room, take from each other what we obviously both wanted.
Pushing my hand between our bodies, I grabbed his cock, and was immediately stunned by how big it felt. I squeezed, but before I could get a proper stroke in, he snatched my wrist and slammed my hand into the wall.
What the hell was that far!?
Wincing, I opened my eyes glaring, only to see he'd stepped back, creating distance between us. We no longer touched each other, and he had finally released my neck, allowing me to breathe freely once again.
"You do not touch me unless I give you
my permission. You have done nothing to earn that permission." His voice had gone deeper, his gaze now darker. He didn't look particularly angry, but the way he gazed down at me... Like he was disgusted I'd had the audacity to touch him.
Anger bubbled in me, red hot and out for murder. Yet, I stayed silent.
"Regardless," He said, casually adjusting his sleeves like he'd not just humiliated me. "you did prove more interesting than I'd expected. I will leave you with this one piece of advice." His gaze turned serious. "Run, princess. While you still can."
What did he mean? Who and what would I be running from? Before I could ask, Dante Diavolo left me, my body shaking and my back still pressed to the wall.
What had just happened? I wasn't certain, but I could feel that I was missing something. A new angle to all of this had just appeared, but I didn't know what. Whatever it was, my mind was too much in a whirl to process it. I needed time... Time and space to decide my next move.
After a quick glance at both my sides, I walked over to the nearest window, pushed up the pane, and climbed out.