Page 40

“No, we will not.” I don’t know if I was biding time or attempting to try to figure out how to get out of this. My mind was still fuzzy, the anger and hurt too much to allow me to think clearly. Plus, I had to admit fear had shifted into utter terror.

We both sipped our drinks, the future of what I would call a twisted alliance in the balance.

He finally exhaled, placing his glass on the small table next to him. “What is your decision, Genevieve? Would you like to plan your brother’s birthday or his funeral?”

“You really are a bastard. One day, I’ll find someone who means something to you and I assure you I’ll be swift in my retaliation.”

“So be it, although you’ll learn very quickly caring about anyone brings nothing but a sentence of death. Does that mean you accept your punishment?”

“Fine. Just get it over with.” Who the hell had the man lost in his life to make him so devoid of humanity?

The way he was looking at me made me flush from anger. “Then undress.”

“What?”

“You heard me. I want to see the marks I create on your porcelain skin.”

“Correction. You’re a sick bastard. When I drive a stake through your heart, I’ll enjoy watching you go straight to hell.”

“Where I belong. Undress.”

The air was ripped from my lungs. How had my life become such a nightmare? I took a deep breath, holding it until I felt lightheaded. There was no way around this. If I could just get through the horror, I’d be able to take some time and think this through. I remembered something my father had once told me when I’d been afraid of something.

“Don’t ever allow fear to keep you from something whether good or bad. Once you face the darkness, you can get through anything.”

My father’s courage that he’d tried to instill in me would be tested. I moved toward the man’s desk, slowly lowering my glass. I kept my back to him while I unfastened the sash keeping my dress together. I closed my eyes and envisioned myself back in New York in my tiny apartment. I’d never felt unsafe in the big city even though there were so many dangers on the streets.

Of course I’d had Emiliano to keep me from harm’s way.

Now he wasn’t here.

I was very much by myself.

I allowed the material to slide to the tile floor, shivering as soon as it did. Standing now in only my thong, heels, and a lace bra, I’d once thought of the look as sexy. Not any longer.

This was disgusting.

When I heard him suck in his breath, I almost fled the room.

You can do this. Think of Marco. Think of your future.

What future did my family really have? Working with a monster would shatter my soul and steal a part of my humanity.

“What now?” I asked without looking at him.

“The rest, please.”

“The rest what?” I snapped my head in his direction. His eyes were now hooded, his lips parted as he held his glass close to his mouth.

He motioned with the hand holding the glass. “Your lingerie. Take it off. But you can leave your heels on if you’d prefer.”

“What the…”

“My house. My rules.”

I blinked back tears, fisting my hands and returning my attention to the window behind his desk. Why had God forsaken me? Why did I need to go through this? The son of a bitch was testing me. He wanted to break me. That wasn’t going to happen.

My hands were shaking as I wrapped my arms around my back, fumbling as I tried to unclasp my bra.