Page 89 of Thorns of Death

My muscles tightened. I was going to try and pull them into conversation and delay the inevitable. I was eager for more sex, but suddenly, I was terrified of learning the truth.

“Hopefully you won’t make the boys sleep in the safe room,” I snickered. “They should watch that movieFlowers in the Atticso they know how this shit goes.”

The temperature around me instantly plummeted.

“Isla, you don’t want to test the limits of my patience right now. Don’t think I don’t know what the fuck you were doing.”

The sharpness of his tone pierced my chest. My brother had never used such a tone with me, and truthfully, I hadn’t really done anything drastic to deserve it from my husband.

Unless he understood ASL, my mind whispered.

I shook my head. There was no way he understood it. So I bravely squared my shoulders, and feigned innocence.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” I said, blinking rapidly. Phoenix always said it was hard to resist me when I fluttered my eyelids.

He looked over my head to his family watching us in fascination. It would seem Enrico wasn’t accustomed to being challenged. Well, welcome to your new reality, my dear husband.

“Go now,” he barked. He waited until they were out of sight before burning that gaze into me.

“Are you looking to be punished?”

I gasped in mock horror, bringing my hand to my chest. “Who? Moi?”

Damn, I should have been an actress.

However, by the looks of it, he wasn’t impressed. So maybe an acting career wasn’t a smart choice. He yanked my hand, and I nearly stumbled as he started dragging me up the stairs.

“Slow the fuck down,” I hissed. “I mean, I know you want to drag me to bed since I’m so damn irresistible, but you shouldn’t forget about chivalry.”

That seemed to entertain him—at least a bit—as his steps slowed. “You’re right,amore. I do want to get you to bed. I’ve been waiting hours for you to wrap dinner up. I’ve been eager to get my wife to bed and fuck her senseless.”

“Ahhh, so this is you when you’re sexually frustrated,” I remarked. “Duly noted.” Why did I keep poking at the bear? “Well, you’ll have to get on my schedule for any sexual favors. I prefer to have sex only when I’m in the mood.” I feigned a yawn. “I’m afraid tonight is not the night.”

What was wrong with me? Maybe he was right and I was a glutton for punishment.

The corners of his lips curved up. “You’re my wife. I will fuck you whenever I want until you’re screaming my name and losing that attitude of yours.”

Heat flooded every single cell in my body and my thighs quivered. “That sounds like quite the task, Daddy. Hope you can keep up.”

Jesus, I must have wanted to get fucked more than I thought I did!

“Not to worry, little one,” he purred. “You’ll be begging me to stop before the sun comes up tomorrow.”

“And if it doesn’t? What if it’s a cloudy day?” My voice was too breathless. I didn’t like it. I should sound insulted, instead I sounded horny. Maybe that was better than learning the truth that in my gut I knew already.

“It will be a gloriously long day for both of us, then,” he said, his tone dark and full of sinful promises. “Because I will be buried deep in your tight, greedy cunt.”

Well then. There was that plan.

We made our way up the grandiose marble staircase, and I couldn’t help but note how different the emotions dancing through my veins were. The first night I came here, excitement and adrenaline rushed through me, anticipating a wild night.

Tonight, I climbed the stairs—still turned on—but with dread brewing in the pit of my belly. It warned that I had made one giant mistake. I didn’t account for Enrico telling the truth when he claimed he wasn’t married.

Why oh why didn’t I believe him?

He had caught me in his thorns, and by the dark possession that glimmered in his eyes, I feared he wouldn’t let me go. He watched me like I was his and belonged in his corrupt empire, locked in a gilded cage.

I hadn’t realized that with each step, my feet got heavier and my movements slower. My husband came to a stop halfway up the staircase that led to his—our—bedroom and threw me over his shoulder like some Viking.