Page 24 of The Devil's Heir

Liliana

Jarek's words echo in my head as my whole body trembles.

He… just… killed… someone… in… cold… blood!

What in the hell did I sign myself up for?

I had tried to look back at the guy tied to the chair, thinking Jarek was just fucking with me, but he pulled me from the room before I could get a good look.

However, I did see the blood splatters all around, confirming that Jarek did, indeed, shoot the guy.

I was practically thrown into the backseat of the car before it pulled away and headed back to the Estate. Jarek wouldn't allow me to put a gap between us, so I sat stiff as a board the entire car ride.

I stare at the large looming mansion before me as we pull up front and allow the chills to take hold. I get an overwhelming feeling that the place holds a lot of secrets; secrets that I don't care to find out if I can help it.

When Jackson opens the door and helps me out, he softly asks, "Are you okay, Liliana?"

I just ignore him as I stare off into the distance.

Jarek grabs hold of my hand once again and pulls me toward the front door, but once we reach it, I wrench my hand from his and tell him, "I want out. You can keep your money, I don't want to have anything to do with the blood that stains it, and I don't want anything to do with you !"

He laughs in my face, grabs my arm, and drags me into the house.

"Oh, pauper, it's too late for that. The moment you let me fuck the virgin out of you; the deal was sealed.

You're here for a year or until my Heir is born.

The only way you can leave earlier than that is if my seed has already taken root and you deliver my child before the year is up. "

I struggle to break free, but it's no use. Jarek bends down and hefts me over his shoulder, slapping my ass when I kick out. "Behave!"

"Fuck you, Jarek! Let me go! You don't need me when you already have a woman here you can fuck." I retort.

"Watch it, pauper. You're earning yourself quite a few punishments, and if you keep it up, you're going to get one that you're not going to like too much; I can guarantee you that!"

He carries me over his shoulder all the way to my room, and when he finally sets me back on my feet, my hand automatically comes up and slaps him across the face. There's enough power behind it that his head whips to the side.

Smiling, he returns his gaze to me and says, "Try that again and—"

My hand lifts on its own accord, cutting off his words, but he catches my wrist before it makes contact again. I try yanking it away, but his impenetrable grip won't allow it.

He tsks and jerks me toward him, entangling his other hand in my hair.

"Have I been wrong about you all this time, pauper?

Are you secretly a masochist? Because let me tell you, if that's the case, I'm more than happy to bring out the sadist in me.

You have no idea of the things I've been craving to do with you ever since high school. "

"You're sick, Jarek Falcon!"

Amusement flashes in his eyes. "Am I? You will soon find out the depraved lengths I'll go to and the humiliation I will dole out if you continue to fight me each step of the way, pauper.

You will never hear me call you Bellezza like Lonzo did, but I will call you my needy little whore and perfect cum sucking slut.

And do you want to know why I will call you those names?

" I only glower at him, but he couldn't care less as he continues answering his own question.

"Because your pretty little cunt will be weeping for me when I do. "

My stomach churns listening to the crude words he's spewing, but my lower parts are more accepting of them as little firebolts streak through my core.

I try to put it out of my head and remind myself that Jarek is the enemy.

If what he says is true, though, and I'm stuck here, how will I ever make it until the end with my dignity intact ?

"You will remain in your room until you either accept your position or until I find a way to ensure you don't run." Jarek's eyes dip to my mouth when I run my tongue across parched lips.

"So, I'm a prisoner now?" I ask breathlessly.

"Only as long as you want me to treat you as one. You must be a good girl if you want your freedom, pauper. Either way, you are the one who will carry my child—no other woman will do. Yes, other women are helpful in tending to my carnal urges, but there's only one worthy enough to bear me an Heir."

My heart thuds rapidly inside my chest as I ask, "Why me?"

Jarek finally lets go of my wrist and raises his hand to caress my cheek. His dark, soulless eyes flicker across my face, studying it for a few seconds before admitting, "Because it's always been you, pauper."

I don't remember Jarek releasing or moving away from me. It isn't until I hear the door click shut, then another click that I come out of the daze and rush to the door. It's locked. I slam my hand against it before turning and sliding down until I'm sitting on the floor.

Tears form, and I let them fall, not caring anymore if anybody sees them. I haven't felt this defeated in so long. Knowing that I did this to myself is what makes it feel so much worse. I knew he was part of the Mafia—what did I expect—a crime family that didn't kill people?

My desperation at wanting a better life for myself blinded me from what I knew to be the truth—Jarek Falcon has always been and will always be a bully. Only now, he's the most dangerous bully there is.

I'm not quite sure what time it is when I wake up, but I remember coming to bed shortly after being locked in my room, crawling under the covers, and crying myself to sleep.

The room is darker now with the fading sun, and when I look around the room to see what it was that woke me, a knock sounds on the door.

It's not like I can go open it, and I'm not in the mood to see anyone, so I ignore it and throw the covers over my head, burrowing back into a cocoon. Unfortunately, my silence doesn't deter the intruder because I hear the lock click, and the door opens .

"Leave me alone," I call out from under the covers.

"I'm sorry, Liliana, but Mr. Falcon gave me strict instructions to make sure you eat," Jackson's voice comes through the layers of covers.

"I'm not hungry, and you can go tell your boss that I said to fuck off."

Jackson chuckles. "I'm not as brave as you are, Liliana. If you want him to know that, you will have to tell him yourself."

I slowly pull the covers down and peek out at the guy.

Jackson's been nothing but kind to me, and I should probably be a little nicer to him.

Pushing myself up, I sit with my back against the headboard and study the man.

Jackson looks to be around our age, and he's good-looking with sandy brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Why do you look so familiar, Jackson? Have we met before?" I ask, my brow furrowing in thought.

"Yes and no," he states, grinning. "We went to school together, but we never talked to each other. I was on the football and track team, so we didn't hang out in the same circle."

I notice the sad look on his face before he discards it and gives me his boyish smile. Even knowing that we went to school together, I still can't place him.

"Yeah, well, Jarek saw to it that I wasn't part of any circle in school." I climb from the bed and walk over to the table where Jackson placed a tray with a covered dish down.

"I'm sorry about that, Liliana. I can't imagine being treated that way." He sighs, then adds, "I'll help in any way I can while you're here, but I don't have any power. What I can offer is my friendship."

I smile softly. "Friendship will be great, Jackson."

"Good. So, does this mean you will eat for me?"

Sighing, my stomach picks this exact time to rumble. Jackson covers his mouth as he chuckles, and my face colors with embarrassment.

"I guess you have your answer. What are we having tonight? It smells delicious."

"Chicken Marsala with mashed potatoes and asparagus on the side. I would have brought you some wine to go with it, but Mr. Falcon made it clear that you are not to have any alcohol while trying to conceive."

"I'm not trying to conceive; he's just trying to knock me up. There's a difference," I remark snidely .

Jackson snickers. "I understand, but that doesn't change the rules, Liliana. I need this job and cannot go behind my boss' back."

"I know, and I wouldn't ask you, too. Water will be fine."

I pull the chair out and sit while Jackson pours water into my glass. A throat clearing at the door draws both our attention. Sasha stands in the doorway in another sheer robe, this one a royal blue.

"Jackson, Master has summoned me to join him for dinner. Do you know whether his bitch aunt will be there, or will it just be the two of us?"

Jackson sighs before answering, "Ms. Carmen will not be at dinner."

"Oh, good. That means Master must want me to be his dessert." Sasha's eyes finally land on me, and I see the mischievous glint shining in them before turning and walking away.

"Don't let her bother you. She's jealous because her Dom has chosen you to carry his Heir instead of her."

"I really don't give a rat's ass about the woman. I can tell she's conniving; if I wanted to, I'd return the favor because I don't like her. I wouldn't care if he's fucking her, but it's the thought of him fucking someone else while he has me. I don't want to catch anything."

"Oh, well, Mr. Falcon uses condoms with his submissive unless she's giving him oral…"

I stare in disbelief at my new friend. "I don't care if he wears ten rubbers when he fucks her—the fact is—he's still fucking her."

"Please, Liliana, don't let it upset you. Just do your job and then you can leave here in a year."

Letting out a long, drawn-out breath, I pick up my fork and start eating. Jackson leaves with the promise that he'll return to get my tray, and then I'm left alone. I'm not sure I like being alone so much because my mind wanders to matters that I would rather not think about.

How am I supposed to give the asshole a kid and then leave that child here knowing what kind of life they will have? Sure, they will be pampered, but look how Jarek turned out. The kid won't be any better.

I try thinking back to our earlier days and even though there were times when Jarek was trying to be nice, it never turned out to be that way.

I know it's the kind of environment the child grows up in, and the fact that Jarek had no qualms about shooting someone in front of me doesn't bode well for his Heir.

Will he force them to watch that horror, too ?

As promised, Jackson returns for my tray, but he doesn't stay long because Jarek walks in not long after Jackson. He chases my new friend away and then holds his hand out to me.

"Come, pauper. It's time for the rest of your punishment…"