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“I don’t know what the hell is going on?!” I punctuated my yelling with profanities. I fought them even when my arms felt like they were getting yanked out of their sockets. “Sandro won’t stand for this!”

They wrestled me into the study where Gold Tooth shoved me into a chair, took out his gun, and pointed it at me.

“What’s going on, Raffa?” I hated how my voice sounded thin and thready.

“You think I don’t know that Sandro was going to shoot me the other day?”

I narrowed my eyes at Griselda. I fucking hated her. She didn’t say a word, but the gloating on her face told me everything. I had to do damage control.

“Listen to me, Raffa. Whatever Griselda saw, it wasn’t Sandro’s intent. He admitted this to me after I questioned him about why he drew his gun. You know him better than this. Otherwise, the Rossis wouldn’t trust him with important jobs.”

“And has he told you of these important jobs?”

“No. But he has a reputation,” I retorted, trying to regain bravado. “So, what’s this visit about? Are you all afraid to ask Sandro about his intentions that night?”

“This here is our mob doctor.” Raffa made a vague wave and the man in spectacles stepped forward. In his hand was a briefcase.

Confused, but with a sense of growing terror, I said, “I’m not sick.”

“No, you’re not, but he’s going to check if you’ve had sexual intercourse in the past few days.”

“What? And how? Sandro and I used a condom.”

Then I realized my mistake when a cruel smile slashed across Raffa’s face. “Then Sandro is in violation of our agreement because the agreement is to make you pregnant. To breed an heir and join our families. And if there’s no effort toward that goal, then your marriage will be annulled. You will marry Gian and you can forget when you’ll see your family.”

“It may take more than three weeks to get pregnant!” I was on the pill and obviously I hadn’t taken it since captivity.

“But it’s not helping if you use a condom, right?” Griselda put in, while checking her nails. While pretending that what they were doing was not beyond unhinged. She turned to Raffa. “Itold you Sandro won’t touch her. He thinks of her like a sister. And that’s why he’s protective of her.”

“Sandro wasn’t honest about our deal, was he?” Raffa asked.

“The three weeks? He was. Including the agreement to make me pregnant.”

“Three weeks was what he told you, but I can extend it depending on my satisfaction at seeing your father suffer.”

“You sick son of a bitch.”

He leaned in the direction of the mob doc who seemed uncomfortable with the situation. “Maybe you should wash her mouth after this.”

“You know who my father is?” I yelled at the doc. “You touch me against my will, not only will you lose your license, but he will destroy you.”

“Don’t listen to her,” Gold Tooth said, pointing the gun at the doc. “Get it done.”

“You guys are beyond barbaric!” I was still yelling and trying to get out of the chair, but more men were holding me down. There were three of them now. “I already told you we used a condom.”

“I’ll give you a taste of what to expect until you give me proof Sandro is breeding you,” Raffa said.

“You’re insane!” I screamed, and I continued screaming like a wild animal in the fight of its life.

“Remove her pants,” Gold Tooth told one of his soldiers, then leered at me. “Maybe I can have a taste, eh?”

Angry tears finally spilled down my cheeks. This was a nightmare. I flashed backed to when I lost my virginity to Warren. It was nothing compared to this. That time I wanted to lose it and backtracked, but this time I was being touched without consent. Bile rose in my throat.

Hands grabbed at my sweatpants.

“Noooo!” I kicked Gold Tooth and almost got him in the groin. Angered, he drew back to pistol-whip me.

Until half of his head exploded.