Page 22 of Forgive Me, Father

Nico’s gaze flickered from Philip to me.“Walk.”

I didn’t like his tone.He grabbed my bag, and I followed him quickly to the elevator.

Inside, it was silent.I didn’t know if I should speak or not.Nico wasn’t.

“I just?—”

“Save it for him.It’s not me you need to explain your disappearance to.”

He was cold, and I didn’t like it, not one bit.For the first time, fear crept in, my mother’s warning echoing through my mind like a drumbeat:The Pontisellos have the power to destroy us all.

The elevator doors slid open.Alfonso wasn’t there.I took the first step out, and a hand suddenly grasped my elbow in a tight grip.He pushed me against the wall, and pain seared down the back of my head and along my spine.

His other hand curled around my throat as he growled at me.His eyes were wild as he ordered Nico in Italian.He sang like a little bird as Alfonso started to squeeze tighter.I struggled to breathe.

I could see the rage dancing in his green eyes.They were turning darker by the second.

I couldn’t even apologize.Stars started playing at the edges of my vision.As he snarled, Nico finally finished with his report.

“I’m only going to say this once,piccola fuggitiva.You better listen.”He squeezed tighter.“I’m a very possessive man, and I do not share.”

I tried to kick him, but my attempts were effortless.

“You will never wake up again and decide to go for a stroll without telling Nico or me, do you hear?”

I nodded.

“I don’t share,” he growled and then pushed his lips onto mine and his body tighter against me.I could feel his hard shaft as I tried to take in a breath, but he kept on kissing me with a frightening roughness.

This guy was going to kill me.

He stopped, and I fell to the ground, crouching as I tried to take a breath.Alfonso left me there as he walked away.Tears rolled down my cheeks.

Never in a million years did I imagine my husband would ever do this to me.

After a moment, a hand appeared in front of me.I looked up, it was Nico.His eyes were gentle, filled with something unspoken, something that told me he didn’t approve of the way Alfonso had just acted.

“I promise, if you obey him, submit to him, this business deal will be a pleasure.Please do not disobey him again,” he begged.

I didn’t nod.It wasn’t in me to obey, to submit.I was his wife, not his fucking dog.If he touched me like that ever again, I would slice his fucking throat.

NINE

THE LITTLE RUNAWAY

Nico enteredthe room later that afternoon.He put the consummation robe on the chair.I hadn’t seen my abuser yet, and for some reason, my body didn’t want him like that anymore.I was still teary and looked away so that Nico didn’t see.

“You know how this world is, Camilla.Your mother has taught you well.”

“He didn’t have to do it that way,” I managed to say.

“How else are you going to learn?”

“By simply telling me not to do it again, Nico.As easy as that.”

“Well, the way he grew up, the women in his life didn’t always listen when someone told them nicely.His way, you won’t do that again.Get ready, take a bath, do what you need to do.They are coming tonight, and you will consummate this wedding, bind your contract.The doctor will be here around three to check if you are still intact.”

I shook my head as he left.

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