Page 7 of Chains of Obsession

A slow, predatory smile spreads across my lips. “You already have.”

Her breath is uneven now, her pulse fluttering beneath the steel. She wants to hate me but her body betrays her. The way her chest rises and falls too quickly, the way her fingers twitch at her side. I smirk keeping my eyes locked on hers. I turn away before I do something reckless, something Iwantto do.

But as I step toward the bathroom, I glance back one last time. She’s still sitting there, still wrapped in chains, and yet—she looks at me like she’s ready to fight. Good. I always win. The silence between us thickens, charged with defiance. Amelia doesn’t move as I step closer, the fire in her eyes burning even as the metal collar gleams at her throat. The cuffs around her wrists keep her hands still, but I see the tension in her fingers—the way she’s resisting the urge to strike, to fight. She wants control. I’ll never let her have it.

Without a word, I kneel before her, reaching for the delicate buttons lining the back of her strapless wedding dress. She stiffens the moment my fingers brush against the lace.

“Don’t,” she whispers, but there’s no strength behind it.

I ignore her as I work each button loose, slow and disciplined, savoring the way her breathing turns uneven. When the last button is undone, I push the dress from her shoulders, letting the fabric slide down her body in a whisper of silk. It pools at her feet, leaving her bare except for the cuffs at her wrists and the collar around her throat. She shivers, but whether it’s from the cool air or the weight of my touch, I don’t know.

I tilt her chin up, forcing her to meet my gaze. “You belong to me now and I take care of what’s mine.”

She doesn’t respond. She just watches me, her throat working as she swallows down whatever words she wants to spit at me.

I pull back the sheets and nod toward the bed. “Lie down.”

She hesitates but her body shows no resistance. “Why?”

A smirk tugs at the corner of my mouth. “Because I said so.”

She glares at me while she moves, settling stiffly onto the mattress. I slip in beside her, pulling the covers over both of us. Her body is warm and tense. She stays as close to the edge of the bed as possible, like she can somehow keep her distance despite the chains binding her to me. I brush a strand of hair from her face, my fingers lingering against her cheek.

“Sleep. Tomorrow, we start something new.”

She exhales sharply, her jaw tightening. “How am I supposed to sleep like this?”

I tug her closer, ignoring her weak attempts at resistance. “You’ll learn.”

Her breath hitches as I wrap a arm around her waist, keeping her pressed against me. She’s rigid at first, every muscle locked in place, but exhaustion wins over time. Eventually, her breathing evens out, her body melting into mine.

I close my eyes, my grip firm, possessive. She doesn’t realize it yet, but this is where she belongs. Where she’s always belonged. No matter how much she fights, I’ll never let her go. She is….. My fiery rose flower, she will cut right through me with her thorns.I will gladly contribute to fuck the hatred out of her but it’s not time yet. I need to catch her off guard and bring these walls down a smidge.

Chapter two

Dangerous Temptation

Amelia

The first thing Inotice when I wake up is the absence of weight. The cold bite of steel around my wrists and throat has been a constant reminder of my captivity, of the fact that Matteo Moretti didn’t just want me—he wanted to own me. The heavy cuffs that bound my movements, were gone. I should feel relieved. I should feelfree.

But as I stretch my arms, rubbing at the raw skin where metal once dug into my flesh, a strange hollowness settles in my chest. My body feels weird about the restriction. I feel… untethered. I hate that I notice its absence. Hate that a part of me feels exposed without it.

I push the thought away, throwing the silk sheets off my body and swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. The room is still bathed in the soft haze of dawn, and despite the luxury of the estate, there’s a chill in the air that seeps into my bones.Or maybe it’s not the cold at all. Maybe it’s something far more dangerous.

I press my palm against my neck where the key collar rests. Last night, after I fell asleep, Matteo had unshackled me from the chains he had so carefully locked around me, yet somehow, I still feel bound to him. A new kind of shackle. An invisible one. One that lingers in the way my body remembers his touch, the way my mind replays the way he looked at me in the darkness, his gaze heavy with possession, with something I don’t want to name. I shake off the thought and rise to my feet, forcing myself to move, so I can reclaim whatever control I have left before I lose myself completely in the gravity of this world.

But even as I tell myself I’m free, I know the truth. The chains may be gone, but Matteo Moretti’s hold on me is going to get stronger. I hate the way his presence fills the room, commanding attention even when he’s silent. I hate the way my pulse quickens every time he’s near. From the moment I agreed—no, was coerced—into this sham of a marriage, Matteo Moretti has made it his mission to assert his dominance over me. But he doesn’t understand who he’s dealing with. I’m not some delicate flower to be pressed between the pages of his mafia fairytale. I’m a storm, and he doesn’t know it yet, but I’ll drown him if he tries to cage me.

The day starts like all the others since I have been forced to live in his gilded prison. The grand estate is eerily quiet, as if the walls are holding their breath. Matteo is already awake, likely handling whatever business a man like him deems important.

That means I have a moment of peace. I make my way to the garden, a sanctuary I’ve claimed as my own. The roses are in full bloom, their vivid reds and whites stand out against the green. I sit on the stone bench, letting the sun warm my skin, but my mind is anything but calm. The memory of last night still lingers. The kiss. His touch. The way he looked at me, as if he could strip me down to my very soul. I shiver despite the warmth of the sun. I can’t let him get to me.

But how can I not? Everything about Matteo Moretti demands attention. His presence is suffocating, his words are like the chains that were fastened around my wrist and ankles. Last night I felt my freedom slip through my fingers like sand. I glance at the roses, their vibrant petals, a cruel mockery of my life now. They’re cultivated, pruned, and displayed for their beauty, but they grow under strict control. The irony isn’t lost on me.

The faint hum of voices carries through the estate, and I’m reminded of the world I’ve been thrust into. A world where loyalty is currency and betrayal is met with blood. Matteo’s world. Even growing up, my father had kept me from what he did for a living, but I wasn’t naïve. I overheard whispers, seen the briefcases exchanged, the bruised knuckles and quiet tension in our home after certain meetings. I’d caught glimpses of this world but never thought I’d be dragged into its depths.

And now, I’m at the heart of it. The Moretti estate is crawling with men who live and die by the code of this life. Each with their place, each with blood on their hands. I saw them last night, watching me with a mix of curiosity and pity, as if I were some rare animal being paraded for their approval. And then there’s Matteo. I clench my fists, my nails digging into my palms. He’s the puppet master who orchestrates every move. He’s ruthless, calculating, and terrifyingly precise. But what unsettles me most is his obsession. He doesn’t just want me; he wants to own me.

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