Page 21 of Caruso
“Your stepfather.”
The word hangs between us as I struggle for air, and his fist clenches as he hisses, “I’ll help you with your request, but in return, I have one of my own.”
My throat dries as I sense a request I may not be able to honor, and my voice shakes as I whisper, “What request?”
“You allow me to take you home for a visit.”
Sweat slides down my spine, drenching me in fear, revulsion and distaste grows in my heart as I picture Matteo anywhere near the man who terrifies the shit out of me. The thought of just seeing him again chokes the air from my lungs, and I suddenly realize that four years feels like four minutes as my insecurities come back with a vengeance.
He weakened my spirit through years of mental and physical abuse, and my mind screams in terror, forcing me to stay seated when all I want to do is run.
Matteo leans forward, his expression dark and ominous, and he growls, “Do you trust me, Taylor?”
I shake my head. “No.”
A faint smile edges his lips. “Good answer. Your instincts are right. Never trust a man who runs a crime syndicate. They didn’t get there by playing nice.
He taps his fingers on his desk and speaks in a measured, businesslike tone.
“Here is the offer on the table. Your job has changed. Your new one is as my apprentice. I will tutor you in surviving my world, facing your fears and building your strength. In return, you place your trust in me. Never question me, talk back or refuse my requests. You are mine to control, and in return, you live here and enjoy my protection and a salary of one hundred thousand dollars per week.”
I stare at him in shock as he leans forward and whispers, “You will give me your soul, and I mean every single part of you. Do you agree to my demands?”
My mind spins as I contemplate his offer. It sounds too good to be true for a woman who has lived in the gutter for far too long already.
His eyes burn a trail deep into my soul and sets it on fire.
“How long?”
The words burn on my tongue as I attempt to make sense of what’s happening, and he shrugs.
“For as long as I deem fit. One week, one month, one year or one lifetime, you see, Taylor–”
He grins, but it has no humor in it, just the satisfaction of someone who knows my answer before I do.
“I will take your fear and turn it around. Build you up with the promise that I can tear you down just as easily. I’m guessing you don’t have many offers on the table after this one, and so I would advise you to think long and hard about it. However, when the devil claims your soul, it may burn, and you must be prepared for that. I will turn your world inside out and demand things of you many women would consider impossible. You know what I am; now it’s my turn to discover what you are made of.”
His eyes gleam in the warm glow of light, and I shift on the edge of my seat as his words dance around my mind, challenging me to accept a deal with the devil.
Live here.
With him.
Face my fears, of which there are many. Onehundred thousand dollars a week. Hell, two weeks would be enough to set me up for life. How bad can it be?
I would be a fool to refuse him.
You are a fool if you accept.
My inner voice berates me while my heart shivers with glee.
Be his for as long as he wants me. Surely that’s better than fielding the advances of the down and outs who usually hit on me.
Call me foolish, call me stupid, but I made up my mind the second he asked.
“I accept your offer.”
The air stills between us as my voice grinds against common decency because I’m not a fool. I’m aware of what this deal will mean. He wants the whole of me, and yet what he doesn’t realize yet is that I came here for the whole of him. The Caruso brothers are my last hope because I am down to my last card. I need them to rid me of the cancer in my life, and as soon as I heard of their unusual brand of justice, I made it my mission to orchestrate a meeting, and even I never realized that killing a man would be all it took.
