Page 37 of Tempt Me
“Try it,” I grit back and smash my forehead into his face, causing him to stumble backward. Letting him go with a shove, he stumbles back, falling over the low fountain wall and landing with a splash in the water, the cherub’s mouthful pouring down onto his head.
Reaching for him again, wondering why his men haven’t stopped me yet, I haul him out of the water, sodden, choking, bleeding, and absolutely fuming.
Punching him again, this time, I’m surrounded by men. Vik’s men.
They grab me and pull me off Antonio but then let me go. Bad move. I dive for Antonio again, flattening him and then kicking him in the ribs while he’s down.
Chapter22
Rue
The commotion outside draws me onto the balcony, despite my fears of unlocking the door. Standing there, watching Isaac smash the fuck out of Antonio, lights the fire burning in me for him, igniting it into an inferno of pure, unadulterated lust.
“Enough.”
My dad’s voice cuts through the courtyard like a whip.
For a second, I don’t think Isaac is going to pay attention, but to my surprise, he lets Antonio go and steps back.
Now that is the power I want and will make all of this shit with Antonio worth it to have.
“What is this?”
“He hurt your daughter,” Isaac spits out, looking up to see me standing motionless on the balcony above them.
Briefly, Dad looks up too, and then back to Isaac. “Go back to your post.”
Without another word, Isaac obeys, shoving past Luca, who is in a stand-off with Antonio’s men, but no one is making a move because of my parents’ presence.
Backing away, I grab the handles of the French doors and close them again, twisting the lock as I hear Isaac’s bedroom door open.
He slams it shut with a loud curse.
Every bone in my body screams at me to go to him, but I can’t. Not yet. He is livid, and it sounds like he is punching the wall.
Reaching up, I pull the tiara from my head and drop it lightly in the box, followed by the earrings. Crossing to the closet, I grab an oversized white t-shirt and a pair of cotton panties. Taking them into the bathroom, I place them on the counter and then yank the ring off my finger, letting it drop into the basin with a clatter before it settles over the drain cover, too big to fall down it.
Unzipping my dress, I let it pool at my feet, and I step out of it, seeing the red marks on my arm and around my neck. I bruise like a peach when handled too roughly, and Antonio wasn’t gentle earlier. Removing my shoes, I slip into the panties and pull the tee over my head, brushing out my hair so that it doesn’t look so perfect but rather ruffled and hopefully sexy.
With one last glance in the mirror, I cross over to the interconnecting door and try the handle, wondering if he locked it again.
It opens.
Seeing Isaac slam his fist into the wall again, making a third hole, I gasp. His hand is a complete mess.
“Can we keep this open tonight, please,” I whisper, catching his attention.
He spins, fury on his face, which softens when he sees me. “Of course,” he says, his voice hoarse with emotion.
“Your hand needs looking at,” I say, stepping toward him.
He stands stock-still, so I approach with caution, taking his hand where it is hanging at his side and examining it closely. I’m shocked it’s not broken, but he doesn’t flinch when I touch it.
“Tough guy, hmm?”
He grunts a response.
Drawing my gaze up to his, the heat simmers in the air between us. Knowing I have to stay away from him, I can’t. It’s just not humanly possible not to touch him, to want him.
