“The sons of bitches are going nowhere.”

“Excellent. Get them tied up, and I’ll be there shortly.”

There’s the rattle of a key in a lock, and Christian appears, a wide grin on his face. “You’re awake,” he says. “How are you feeling?”

“Who were you talking about just then?”

“Oh, that. You see, the thing is, your husband and his idiot brothers have decided to come along and demand I hand you over. Killed four of my men before I could stop them.

“Loyal soldiers, with families. They’re evil, that Valentino family. I must hand them over to the high council for judgment for their crimes.”

“Salvatore’s here?”

His face darkens. “You sound happy about that fact.”

I can’t resist smiling. “He loves me.”

“What?” His genteel facade cracks, and his expression sours. “And you love that bastard? How could you possibly want a man like him?”

He storms up to me. “Look at me. How could you want him when you could have me?”

“What are you doing?” I ask as he whips the blankets away and grabs hold of me. “Get off me.”

A sneer forms on his lips, and for the first time, I see the real man behind the polite mask.

“How much do you think he’ll love you when he’s made to watch a film of us two fucking? You’ll love every minute of it.”

He leans in to kiss me.

I bite his lip, tearing out a chunk of flesh.

He roars with anger, grabbing hold of his mouth as blood drips down to the floor.

“You fucking psycho,” he says, yelling for his guards.

Two men come into the room, both armed with guns pointing my way. “Take this fucking cunt to the holding room. Give her some time to think things over.”

The men grab me, ignoring my flailing limbs as they drag me out of the room. “You’ll behave, or I’ll kill your friends,” Christian shouts after me.

I’m taken down a flight of stairs and then another until we reach the basement. I’m shoved into a room with no windows, and the door slams shut, leaving me in total darkness.

I run for the door, trying and failing to get it open. There’s no handle on this side. I give up after a minute, moving back, feeling my way across the space.

I can’t find anything until I bump up against the far wall. It feels like concrete.

I sink to the ground, my back against the wall. I don’t know how long I’m in here, but it’s enough time to run through everything that’s gone wrong in my life to bring me here.

Trapped in the basement of my parent’s house. My mother took me to another country to keep me from this life, but I ended up here anyway, in the hands of an evil man.

I think of the lies Christian told me. All wrapped up as truth. Pretty lies, almost possible to believe. Then I think of Salvatore.

He’s only ever told me the truth. Theuglytruth, but at least I can trust him.

He’s never pretended to be something he isn’t.

He loves me.

I can see why that would infuriate Christian. Why would I want the love of a man that violent?