Page 20 of Vicious Union

Shutting my bedroom door behind me, I lean against it, breathing heavily and trying to stop myself from crying. I almost cried in front of Emilio. God. I could never live that down. He would mock me forever.

All because he spanked me. Freaking spanked me!

The audacity of that man. The way he thinks he owns me and can boss me around and do whatever he wants to my body. And the fact he thinks I’m an easy slut on top of it all. If I could go out there and slap him in front of everybody, I would. But I don’t want to make my father upset. He wouldn’t understand why I was acting that way, and then I’d have to explain it to him, and then my entire secret life would be exposed.

Stupid, dumb, handsome Emilio.

That bastard has it in for me. He’s determined to make my life a living hell, and we’re not even married yet. What will life be like after we’re married? I shudder at the thought.

I flop down onto my bed and stare at the ceiling, willing my tears to leave me.

The spanking hurt. I can feel it on my ass still. There’s probably going to be bruises there tomorrow.

But I think deep down the reason I want to cry is because … I kind of liked it.

The way Emilio’s large hand touched my ass was electric. It made me want more. Granted, not more spankings but more touch. I want to kiss him again and longer for just a few seconds. I want him to grab me and show me pleasure for the first time.

If Emilio is even capable of that. He’s such a selfish asshole he might be that way in bed, too.

Ugh. I can’t win with him. How am I in the wrong? I just want to get to know him and have some fun in life, but Emilio acts like I’m the second coming of Satan.

Screw that. I’m not going to cry in my bedroom and give him that satisfaction. I’m going to go back out to the party and show him he can’t bother me or control my life.

No one controls my life but me.

When I rejoin the party, I see Emilio talking to some other guests. My eyes land on the rest of his family. At least they’re cool. It’s nice to know I won’t have to deal with problematic family members. There’s just one problematic family member, and I have to marry him.

Emilio doesn’t see me, but I’m going to make him see.

I spot the first cute guy I can find and walk up to him. I don’t know the man’s name, but I’m pretty positive he works with my father. He’s young—younger than Emilio but still older than me.

“Hi,” I say, batting my eyelashes.

He looks me over. “Hi back.”

“I’m Caterina.” I extend my hand, and he takes it gently and kisses the back of it.

“I’m Jack.”

“You work with my dad?”

“I do.”

I flash him a smile. “Great. So, Jack.” I run my hand down his arm. Jack likes it, given how his eyes linger on my breasts. “What do you say we get out of here?”

“I wouldn’t mind that. But aren’t you getting married?”

I shrug. “So? Do you care?”

“Well, I just don’t want Emilio De Luca to murder me. That’s all.”

“Oh, he’s fine. It’s not like we’re going to do anything. How about we just dance. There’s music playing. Someone needs to dance to it.”

“A dance won’t hurt.” He sets his drink down and joins me in the middle of the backyard where a makeshift dancefloor has been set up.

Jack and I don’t dance intimately. There are no hands on my low back or chests touching. But we do hold hands and dance, keeping space between us.

I notice people looking in our direction. My dad doesn’t seem to have an issue with this. He starts clapping his hands and smiling.

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