Page 19 of Merciless Queen
“I will.”
I needed to turn back around and leave this room, but she would choose to either stay awake and exhaust herself, or fall asleep and confront her demons again. If she screamed like that again, my men would burst into her room and traumatize her even more. It was something I didn't need to worry about when I already had Vincenzo to deal with. This girl would be his demise one way or another.
I looked down at my shirt and frowned. “I normally don’t sleep with clothes on, but I will put on shorts if needed.”
She glanced at me, her gaze lingering on my bare legs for a moment. “It’s okay. I should put some clothes on. The nightgown was suffocating.” She slid out of bed, covering her bare chest with one arm as she scurried to the closet.
I tried to avert my gaze, but my eyes were drawn to the scars that painted her fair skin. She disappeared into the closet before I could really map them out, but they told a story of the life she endured in the hands of Vincenzo Mancini. A few moments later, she emerged in shorts and a tank top—the least amount of clothing I’d seen her in thus far. Her cheeks were still stainedred, with a hint of fear mixed with embarrassment in her warm eyes.
Harlow crawled back into bed, pulling the covers tightly over her exposed body. She looked at me, waiting and inviting me in. We really needed to get her to eat more. She was getting some color back in her face, but she was nothing but skin and bones. Her frail frame was a reminder of how much she’d been through. Vincenzo was a sick bastard. How could he live with himself, knowing he caused this much pain to people? Harlow was broken and languid. I smacked myself internally, the terrified look from when she was in my basement flashing through my mind.
“How are your wrists?”I asked as I pulled the covers back before sliding under them.
She frowned and shrugged. “It’s another scar to add. It’s not the first time my wrists have been slit. This one just wasn’t my choice.” She squeezed her eyes shut, like she regretted the words falling from her lips.
“You look exhausted. Let’s go to sleep.” I reached over and turned the lamp off as I got comfortable next to her. I let her set the tone because I didn’t want to accidentally trigger her.
I felt Harlow tense under me as she got comfortable against me. She said this helped her, but I didn’t want to hurt her any more than I already had. The injury on her wrists was my fault for leaving her down there alone. I never should have believed the words of a rat, especially when I was consumed by rage.
She tensed, her breath hitching as I set my arm down on her side. “Is this okay?”
Harlow nodded, nuzzling herself into my chest like a scared child. “Y-Yes. I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing. I want to make sure you are comfortable.” She nuzzled against me, and I pulled her into me.
Thirty minutes later, her breathing evened out, and she was in a peaceful state. Her body gradually relaxed, and the rhythm of her breathing became steady and serene as the nightmare that had its hold on her dissipated. I traced the scars on her arm, the ridged tissue rough under my touch. I wanted to know the story of what she endured, but it was not my business to know her trauma. It was going to piss me off more and make my rage grow like an inferno.
When Elizabeth woke up from her coma, she was a shell, a scared, broken girl with no one in her life. Her father died a few months after she was taken, and police left it as a cold case since it had surpassed three years since she went missing. Her mom and brother never lost hope, but the police were useless. I was sure the same thing happened with Harlow and her mother. Luca was still trying to find a police report, but without knowing the exact date or her last name, we couldn’t narrow down what the incident was. I was expecting Harlow’s journey to be the same as Elizabeth’s, but this time, Harlow would have someone who experienced her pain to help her. There was one point with Elizabeth when she would stay up for days at a time to prevent herself from having nightmares, but it was deteriorating her mental health even more.
After six months of healing and battling everything alone, she decided to take control back and started training with Spencer. She helped Elizabeth take control back, and one day, Elizabeth asked Spencer to help her enjoy sex again. Spencer was a domme and pansexual, so she agreed to help her. Before Elizabeth was taken, she knew about sex and had multiple partners, so the experience wasn’t stolen from her like it was with Harlow. Spencer helped Elizabeth, and now she was happy with Luca healing each other. Harlow never had a choice. I hoped being free from his grasps would heal her in more ways than one.
I tenderly caressed her dark hair with my hands, listening to her gentle breathing. She sounded content for the first time since waking up in my home, but it was all for naught. Tomorrow, I would inform her of our arrangement. Marrying me wouldn’t be the end of the world, and it would be the only way to keep her safe.
I just had to convince her of that.
CHAPTER 14
Harlow
Serenity filledmy senses when my eyes fluttered open and the sound of soft breathing echoed through my ears. For a moment, I forgot where I was, panic creeping up my spine like icy tendrils before I realized the arms wrapped around me were soft. This woman, the one holding me like she was scared I was going to break, was Caterina Moretti—fearless, vindictive, and merciless leader of the Moretti crime family whose very name made Vincenzo shudder in disdain. She saved me, but she kidnapped me with ill intent. She had every intention of killing me for being Vincenzo’swilling wife.
When Vincenzo spoke of her, it was always laced with malice, his hatred for the woman running deep through his veins. Rumors from the girls included her being dominant, powerful, and ruthless. She was a force of nature, like an unexpected rainfall that turned into a category five hurricane. All I knew was that she led one of the most feared Italian crime families in the country. She dealt with illegal drugs, prostitution, and weapons trade. Did I get taken from one monster just to get trapped with another? What if she decided I was worthless for everything but pleasuring men and forced me to work for her?
The thought spiraled and descended with rapid force, and my breathing became more erratic as my skin burned. My breaths came in quick, faltering gasps, now unable to take a full breath. I refused to go back to that life. Caterina sensed my panic and her grip tightened slightly, but it didn't help the havoc in my chest. Then a sob rattled through my chest, escaping my lips like a pathetic whimper of fear, and she jumped up, her eyes trained on the room, looking for an intruder before she finally looked at me.
“Breathe. No one can hurt you.”
“I-I can’t go back to that l-life. I—If you w-want me to be a whore, j-just kill me.”
She made a face. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I know you sell women. Vincenzo talked about the competition with y-you and you-your whores. I refuse. I don’t want to.”
She grimaced. “I don’t sell women. Not like he does. Elizabeth informed me of what happens in his clubs, and that doesn’t happen at my hotel or my clubs. If someone decides to sleep with someone for money, it is their choice. Sex work is work, but I won’t force anyone to do it. You can choose anything you want to do in this life. No one can hurt you, and I promise I am going to make him pay.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” I muttered under my breath. I took a deep inhale. “I’m sorry. It’s hard believing I am safe when my only use is sex. Why help me when I am worthless?”
She cringed, disgust planted on her face. “That wasn’t sex, and you aren’t worthless. Your choice was stolen from you, just like your life. What did you enjoy before you were taken?”
