Page 88 of Deadly Vows

He gently places his thumb along my cheek, and I instinctively step back, pulling my face from his grip. And he lets me.

Silence passes between us as he studies me, and I find the will to speak.

“I assume you know who my husband is…and you know what will happen to you if Luca finds out—mmph!”

His hand is over my mouth before I can get my full sentence out, and I cry out in pain as my back collides with the dining table from the force. My heart beats wildly as he looks at me, irritation on his features.

“Say his name again,” he says.

I couldn’t even if I wanted to. His grip around my jaw is tight, only allowing a whimper to escape me.

“I can’t hear you. Say it,” he says.

He smiles when I don’t respond, pressing himself into me as he leans closer, his voice lowering.

“If you ever speak that name in my home again, I will kill you. He is no more. He will never find you. So you had better learn some respect for me before you get yourself killed,” he says.

I don’t know what comes over me as he looks down on me. Maybe it’s his confidence that Luca will never find me. Or maybe it’s his arrogance that I will conform to what he wants so easily. But it gives me the burst of adrenaline I need.

I open my mouth as wide as I can, biting down on a large chunk of his flesh. I bite until I taste blood welling up in my mouth, accompanied by his screams as he rips his hand from myteeth, slapping me hard across the face. My vision blurs, and I feel my nose dripping from the force of his hit. But as soon as I hit the ground, I’m up again.

I sprint from the dining room to the long hallway, ignoring the spinning of the walls as I let my adrenaline fuel me. My pants are loud as I crash into the wall, quickly righting myself. I don’t have time to give my brain time to recover from his hit. I have to get out of here.

Blood rushes over my ears as I pump my legs as fast as they will go in these godforsaken heels, my audible cry of excitement echoing over the walls when I see the double doors straight ahead. As I grab the doorknob, I release another cry of excitement to find it isn’t locked. I fling it open, sprinting outside, my screams already filling the air.

“Help! Someone help…me…” I trail off as my feet sink into the snow. I don’t even feel the cold as I look around, hope draining from my body. My breath comes out in front of me, accompanied by the wild winds, taking away any chance I had of visibility. I am completely surrounded by snow.

My legs give out, and I collapse into the snow, ignoring the chill that creeps its way into the gown, soaking my body. Tears spill from my eyes, leaving a burning trail on my cheeks as someone comes behind me, roughly ripping me up.

“You should not have done that,” my captor hisses as he drags me back into the house. I fight and scream, clawing at his hands around my waist as I look up at the sky.

“Luca!” I screech.

My throat feels raw as I call out to him over and over again. The horrors of this world that I live in—this world that he has shielded me from comes crashing down around me as I am dragged back inside.

Back to my captivity.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Elise

“I can’t hear you, Elise. How many is that?”

I open my mouth, but only a squeak escapes me as I shudder in pain. Each breath that I take adds to my pain more than it relieves me. Running without a proper plan was a mistake. Pissing off a man whose temperament I know nothing about was an even worse one.

I was so far off, thinking what Luca had put me through was cruelty. Compared to this, it was nothing. This man has no restraints since he doesn’t know me. He has used the past hour with my hands bound as he uses a belt with jewels embedded in it to strike me over my back.

I tense when I feel his fingers tracing the welted skin, the burning pain intensifying from the heat he gives off.

“Elise. I’m talking to you,” he murmurs as he steps around, using his finger to lift my chin. “How many is that?”

I sense the mocking in his tone. But I don’t have the strength to stand against it. I cough, blinking tears from my eyes as I whisper.

“I don’t know,” I whimper.

He laughs, releasing my chin as he moves around me again, this time using the belt to trace the welts on my back.

“I’ve known Luca for a long time. He always had the nicest toys. But when he got married and disappeared, it made no sense to any of us. But seeing you here…like this…I think I understand,” he says.

---