RUTHLESS KING

30 THE WORST DAY

Stella
I stare at the calendar on the wall, at the fourteen exes glaring back at me. I
slash another line across today, the somber black ink matching my mood.
How is it possible that I’ve changed so much in such a short period of time?
Instead of counting down the days to my freedom, each X brings me closer
to the expiration date of whatever this thing is between Luca and me.
The mercurial mob boss hasn’t touched me since that day at the pond.
Not even when he’d dragged me to yet another fancy ball. No dancing,
nothing. Dio, I’m dying. He’s like a drug, and I’m a helpless addict. The
connection I feel to this man runs bone deep, and it’s absolutely insane.
How can I be falling for a man I barely know? A man who keeps me
prisoner in his home. A place in which I feel more at home than any of the
shitholes we lived in after Mom.
From the bits of information I’d gathered while eavesdropping, Luca’s
lawyer had managed to remove all evidence of Bo’s public beatdown. A
part of me is pissed. I wanted that bastardo’s humiliation live for all to see.
He is a coward. Any man who takes advantage of a woman is, in my
opinion. What the hell had I seen in that asshole? Oh, right, he’d given me attention and his possessiveness at the time
had made me feel needed, wanted. Not to mention Dad would’ve hated the
idea. Extra bonus. The power Bo held gave him an aura I’d found attractive,
a tiny sliver of the one Luca Valentino possessed.
With Luca, I felt invincible.
Although lately, it was more like invisible. I tried to convince myself it
was only his all-consuming work, but a prickle of dread told me it was
something more. He’d started opening up, breaking his precious rules for
me, and now he was backpedaling. Did he regret all of it?
A sigh parts my lips, and I replace the black sharpie on the nightstand
and force myself out of my bedroom. I walk through the quiet corridor,
admiring the beautiful art. Final exams are in three short weeks, and if I
could only manage to study, I could prepare for my escape when this is
over. Only now, the idea of leaving New York carves up my insides.
“Good morning, Miss Stella.” Magda offers me a smile as I emerge
from the hallway.
“Please don’t call me Miss, Magda.” I slump into the bar stool and lean
on the marble countertop. My cappuccino awaits, the frothy milk shaped
into a heart. The woman is a life saver. How she manages to time the
perfect delivery of my coffee when I don’t even know when I’ll wake up
blows my mind.
“Right, sorry, Stella.” She blushes and hands me a plateful of cannoli.
Two more weeks of this and I’ll be rolling out of Luca’s penthouse. I
stuff the delicious cream filled pastry into my mouth as I mentally curse
myself. There’s a home gym tucked away past Luca’s bedroom, but I
haven’t worked up the desire to use it. Thoughts of the gym remind me of
Caroline and Luca’s membership at La Palestra. With his bullet wound
nearly healed, he’s slowly resumed his workout routine.
Does he see the leggy blonde when he escapes the penthouse for his
pre-dawn workout? A wave of jealousy crashes over me at the thought of his hands on her. Which is insane for multiple reasons… first and foremost,
we’re not together. And secondly, the part I hold on to with every fiber of
my being, she made it clear they’d already fucked and per Luca’s rules, it
was one and done.
But what if he changed his mind?
He’d kissed me… also, against the rules. What if he decided to mess
around with her again?
“Are you okay, M—Stella?” I glance up to find Magda’s curious gaze
heavy on me. She wears a reusable grocery bag on each shoulder as she
regards me. “I have to run some errands, but I can go later if you want to
talk?”
I shake my head. I’ve already relied on the girl enough. I’m sure she’s
tired of hearing me pine about her boss. “No, it’s fine. I’m fine. Go ahead,
Magda.”
“Can I get you anything from Dean & Deluca?”
A good slap in the face. “Nope, I’m good, thanks.”
She nods and hikes the bags further up her shoulders. “I’ll be back soon.
Alberto is downstairs if you need anything.”
I’m shocked I’ll be left with only one guard. Luca must have noticed
how pathetic I’ve become. He’s got me wrapped around his little finger. I
haven’t even attempted an escape since my disastrous first try. Because let’s
be honest, where would I go?
I’m happy here with Luca. Mostly.
How screwed up am I?
I sip on my coffee and scan the front page of The Wall Street Journal.
Luca is weirdly old-school like that. Who gets newspapers delivered
anymore? The black print blurs, and my mind wanders to my father.
Somewhere I’ve forbidden it to go for weeks. But she’s a traitorous little
bitch and starts unearthing dark thoughts. Is he okay? Does he feel even the
slightest bit of guilt for selling me to the Kings? He has no idea I’ve been living it up in the lap of luxury. For all he knows, I could be imprisoned in a
dank dungeon.
Will he have the two grand at the end of the month?
A sick, twisted part of me hopes he doesn’t. Would that buy me more
time with Luca? Ugh. I’m nauseated with myself.
The ding of the elevator sends my hopes soaring. Maybe I should’ve
taken up Magda’s offer to stay. Or better yet, convinced her to let me go
with her. I’m in no state of mind to be alone right now. I drop my coffee and
race across the sprawling space to the foyer.
The elevator doors glide open, and Dante darkens the entryway.
He shakes his head, thick brows twisting as he regards me. “You’re still
here,” he growls.
I wrap my arms across my chest, shielding my nightie from that
intrusive gaze. “What are you doing here? Luca’s not home.”
“Home? Is that what you think the penthouse is to you?” He sneers, and
goosebumps ripple across my flesh. He steps closer, and I take one back.
There’s something about the dark look in his eye that has warning bells
ringing. “Why are you really here, Stella? What is this deal between you
and my brother?”
A trickle of fear wraps around my lungs like a noose. I steel my spine
and force the words out. “You’ll have to ask him.”
Dante grunts and rakes his hand through his dark hair. The mannerism
reminds me of Luca. They have the same wavy, midnight hair and long,
thick fingers but this cold man is nothing like my captor. “I have asked him,
and I get the same damned answer every time. That it’s none of my
business.”
“So maybe you should listen to your boss.” I toss him a sweet smile.
“Puttana,” he mutters under his breath.
“Watch your mouth,” I hiss as the swelling fear transforms to anger. “If
you have an issue with this situation, take it up with your brother. I’m not getting in the middle of your little pissing match.”
His eyes flash and he lunges, fingers curling around my throat. “You
know what I think? I think you’re nothing but Bo’s little whore, and he sent
you to fuck with my brother.”
I whip my head back and forth, the panic returning in full speed. “No
….”
“Everything changed since you showed up, little girl. Luca’s not
thinking straight. He’s got his head so far up his ass, he’s going to ruin
everything. The Triad is coming after us, he lost the deal with the city
commissioner and when I call him out on it, I get the brunt of his wrath.
He’s turning on me, and it’s all because of you. I want to know why,” he
shouts, his hot breath assailing me. His hold tightens, and darkness seeps
into the corners of my vision.
I gasp.
“I’m his brother, and he uses me like a damned punching bag. He
dismisses me like the help. No, worse, he treats his employees ten times
better. And you, you’re like his fucking queen. Why?”
“I don’t know,” I rasp out.
“Tell me the truth! Are you working for the Triad?”
“No!” I hiss. His thumbs dig into my throat, and I can barely gulp in a
breath.
“He says it’s just business between you, but I know there’s more.
You’ve gotten under his skin somehow, and I need you out of his life.” His
free hand travels to my hip. “You can’t possibly be that good of a fuck.” His
fingers slide beneath my nightie and dig into my skin.
“Don’t touch me,” I shriek. I smack my palms to his chest, but it’s like
hitting a wall. A lethal mix of fear and revulsion battle it out in my gut.
“Why not? Maybe if you give me a little taste, I’ll understand what has
Luca so impazzito. Maybe I won’t care anymore if Jianjun puts me ten feet
under after I sample that sweet little cunt.” My chest constricts, unbridled terror closing my airways. Dammit, my
inhaler is in the bedroom. Too far away. “Don’t you dare lay a finger on me,
Dante,” I snarl. “Luca will tear your heart out.”
A rueful chuckle slides out as he presses his body against mine. I’m
trapped against his unyielding form and the couch. “You know, I believe
that. And it makes no fucking sense to me. Do you have any idea how many
women throw themselves at my brother? And sure, he gives in from time to
time. We all have needs, right? But he fucks them and escorts them out. He
doesn’t allow women to get into his head, let alone his heart. But you…
cazzo, I just don’t get it.” His hand moves up my throat and squeezes my
cheeks. Then his mouth descends on mine. His tongue forces its way
between my gritted teeth. I squirm and push against him, but he’s too
damned strong.
His mouth smothers mine, teeth gnashing. I can barely breathe against
the assault. I kick and punch, lashing out with everything I have, but his
hold only tightens. His rigid body is like a cage around my frail one. I’m
completely at his mercy. Nausea oozes up my throat. No, I won’t let this
bastardo have me.
Somehow, I manage to free my leg and jerk it up, and my knee sinks
into his balls. He lets out a curse and releases my lips. I suck in a haggard
breath, pulse pounding.
“You bitch,” Dante roars. “Admit that you’re a spy for Jianjun, or I’m
going to make you pay.” He spins me around and tosses me over the side of
the couch. With my ass up in the air and my face pressed against the
cushion, another wave of terror spikes through my veins.
No. No. No!
“Admit it!” he shouts.
“I’m not a fucking spy,” I mumble, my words swallowed up by the
plush cushion. Through the panic, I barely register a familiar ding. It cuts through the
maddening roar of my heartbeats and ignites a sliver of hope.
“Let go of her now.” A lethal voice slices through the air.