Page 25 of Deadly Vows

“Don’t tell me the blood is making you uneasy,” he laughs, dropping his saturated shirt to the floor. I release a shaky breath, meeting his eyes.

“My father didn’t raise me around violence,” I say softly.

Luca rolls his eyes, crossing the room to grab hold of me once again. He pulls my dress off, then my panties, leaving me naked to his gaze.

“Well, your father certainly did you no favors raising you so sheltered.” He pulls me under the warm spray with him, the water washing away his sins of the afternoon. I lower my eyes just in time to see the remainder of the blood flow down the drain. Luca turns me around, his chest against my back as his lips descend on my throat. I tense when his fingers trace his name on my side, my body trembling under the warm spray.

“Why are you shaking?” he murmurs against my throat.

“I…” I trail off, not knowing how to tell him his presence alone terrifies me. He laughs, nuzzling my throat deeper.

“Every time I look at you, I get heartbroken all over again. You’re so innocent on the outside. So pure. But you’re not. You tried to kill me, your husband, who saved you when I was ordered to put you in the dirt. Not only did I go against orders for you, but I saved you from your own father, who did not plan on letting you live a month past our wedding.” He releases a breath, pushing away from me, stepping deeper under the water.

I slowly turn back to face him, his naked back to me. I’m silently grateful that I can’t see his face as he speaks to me.

“Why would you do that to me?” Luca balls his hand into a fist against the marble as he continues to speak. “I think about it over and over in my head. If you were anyone else, I would have killed you for pointing a gun at me…But I can’t do that to you.”

My eyes trail over Luca’s naked back. Remnants of old wounds litter his skin as well as markings covering up those wounds. He’s been through hell and probably made every single person pay for that except me. Because with me, he has a twisted perception of what our relationship is. If I was any chance at surviving this marriage, I have to play along with my husband. I can’t be defiant. I have physical reminders of what defiance brings.

I take a small step towards him, the sound drowned out by the running water. My fingers tingle as I hold them out, hoveringover his back. I finally find the strength to gently place my fingers along his skin. He tenses slightly but doesn’t pull away.

“I’m sorry,” I murmur.

Luca remains with his back to me, but I know he hears me. I can only hope that he believes me and that maybe I can find some semblance of peace in this hell that has become my life.

Chapter Eleven

Elise

Control comes in many forms. It comes in the form of power, manipulation, and force. My husband has perfected all forms of control regarding the lives of people around him, including me. He controls everything from the food I eat to what I put on my skin. His obsession with me continues to grow daily, showing no signs of stopping, and it scares me. If I want to survive, I have to learn to acclimate quickly to his personality, or he will smother me alive with it.

“Elise.”

I follow the sound of Luca’s voice to see him standing in the doorway with a garment bag. He has a slight grin on his lips as he takes me in, wearing only my lace bra and panties. His father is hosting a party tonight. I don’t know what it’s for exactly. Luca may see me as his, but he doesn’t trust me enough to share certain information with me.

He approaches, slowly unzipping the garment bag to reveal an elegant gown. The sequins are meticulously placed on the whitefabric, meaning it will be a gown that stands out tonight, no matter the circumstances. It’s a much different gown than the one I have strewn across the bed to put on. Luca doesn’t speak as he holds the dress out to me, silently issuing his command.

He wants me to wear this tonight.

I force a smile as I take it from him, murmuring my thanks. I can still feel his eyes on me as I turn away from his unnerving gaze. As I said, he has mastered control. He is able to command me with gestures and looks, and he knows I won’t protest. I slowly pull the gown out to reveal it in its entirety. It’s a meticulously chosen gown that shows certain parts of my body while covering the scar he left on my side that reads his name.

“I’ll pull the car around. I can’t wait to see how you look in that,” he says as he kisses my throat. I ignore the chill that washes over me from the contact, my body trained to fear him.

“Okay.”

Our home is located hours from the city, and I now understand why. It’s not only difficult to find, but it’s nowhere near Lorenzo Pasquino’s headquarters. This allows Luca to not only conduct business without a threat, but if someone were to find the location of it, they would be dead the moment they set foot on the property line.

Luca and his father have targets on their backs. It’s why they move in silence and distrust anyone outside their family, including me. The private plane ride into the city reminded me once again of the power the Pasquinos hold. They own the city and the people in it. Their reach is immaculate, making me wonder why my father ever thought he could take them out.

The party we arrive at is being held in a public banquet hall. Security is tight, and the large gate to the building requires a passcode to enter the venue.

“Be on your best behavior tonight, Elise. This is my father’s way of welcoming you into the family. Don’t give him any more ammunition on why we should get rid of you,” Luca says as we pull into the circular drive. My ears ring from the meaning of his words. He speaks of my life so casually, as if it truly rests in my hands. But it rests in his. I’m sure his father has spoken to him several times about getting rid of me and finding someone more suitable for their lives. But for some reason, Luca is holding fast to our marriage.

Luca wraps his arm around my waist, holding me close as we enter the elegant venue. The decor is immaculate, with a chandelier lighting up the entry and a massive bouquet in the center. As we enter the double doors, they are pulled open to reveal the ballroom filled with people from the Pasquino family and any allying families. Everyone is dressed in their best attire tonight, mimicking a red carpet event.

Boisterous laughter fills the air, and it doesn’t take long for me to spot Luca’s father. Nor does it take long for him to spot us.

“There is my son and his beautiful wife!” His father crosses the room, his face beaming with pride as he holds his champagne glass high. He is happy to see his son in a way my father never expressed. He doesn’t waste any time pulling Luca in for a hug.

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