Page 57 of The Don's Soulmate

"Damn it, Carlotta!" I slam my other fist against the wall, the pain barely registering in the wake of my growing frustration. "It is my business. I won't just stand by while you throw your life away on someone who I’ve seen trying to hurt you every time I’ve seen you with him."

She scoffs, her anger boiling over. "I don't need you deciding what's best for me, Ettore. I'm perfectly capable of making my own decisions!"

"Then tell me," I insist, my eyes locked onto hers, searching for any hint of uncertainty. "Tell me you're not making a mistake, and I'll let you walk away."

Carlotta hesitates, her lips parting as if to speak, but no words escape. The seconds stretch on, and the weight of our shared history presses down on both of us. Her eyes now seethe with a look I've seen in defiant and proud men, but never in a woman.

"I'm still engaged to him,” she spits out finally, her voice trembling with emotion.

Chapter 25

Carlotta

I can't believe the nerve of Ettore, stopping me from leaving and demanding answers from me. “I’m still engaged to him,” I say. A look of horror crosses his face, and I might be mistaken, but he looks angry. I use this moment of distraction to tug my arm out of his grip, but to my horror, he turns to face me, grabs me by the arms, and slams me against the door, caging me in with his arms.

“Vuoi sposare quel Stronzo Ugo Caputo?” -You want to marry that asshole, Ugo Caputo?

I find myself pinned between him and the door, his muscular frame towering over me as he demands answers. My heart kicks up a notch at his proximity, his scent of sandalwood and tobacco enveloping me. I try to pull away but his grip tightens, displaying a dominance that sparks heat low in my belly.

No man has ever cared for me with such fierce protectiveness. I swallow hard, trembling under the intensity of his gaze. "Why do you even care? What right do you have to be concerned about me?"

His cold blue eyes pierce into mine, searching for something I'm not sure I want to give away.

"I don’t fucking know, but I do." His fingers weave through my hair, tangling in the strands, and he pulls back my neck. Then, he whispers, his blue eyes drowning me in him. “I fucking do.”

In this moment, I struggle to maintain my composure, caught between fear and desire. The past and the present collide, tempting me to surrender to him completely like I did in his car that night.

But then, it all rushes back. Just what happened.

A delicious shiver races down my spine at his possessive claim. I struggle to find my voice, shaking my head in denial even as my traitorous body gravitates toward his warmth.

"Ettore, you left me for dead on the side of the road. How can I trust you to protect me now?" I challenge, my voice shaking.

"You weren't in danger, Carlotta. Unless you find a herd of deer dangerous," he smirks, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of mischief and anger.

I can’t believe his audacity. This is who he is - brazen, bold, emboldened by watching me tremble.

"Let me go, Ettore. I'm going to marry another man." I try to wiggle free from his grip, but he pulls me closer, pressing our bodies together. My heart races, and my breath catches in my throat as his chest rises and falls against mine.

Ettore scoffs, the sound harsh and derisive. "Your body knows the truth. It remembers how I fucked you raw in the car, screaming my name as you came all over my cock."

Heat floods my cheeks at the memory, arousal pooling between my thighs. No, I can't give in to these desires. I try again to pull away but Ettore only grips me tighter, pinning me in place with the hard length of his body.

"Let me go," I protest weakly, even as I arch into him.

“You say you’re engaged to Ugo, but the way those sweet lips called my name that night,” he whispers into my ear, his breath hot on my skin. The memory sends a shiver down my spine.

"Shut up, Ettore!" I retort, desperation creeping into my voice. My cheeks flush with embarrassment and anger, but I can't deny the desire that stirs deep inside me. "That was a mistake, and it's in the past now. You have no place in my life anymore." I try to reason with him, to make him understand that I must honor my engagement, even if my body betrays me with its longing for him.

"Is that so?" He smirks, releasing my arm only to grab my waist with his strong hands, pulling me away from the door and forcefully slamming me against the wall. My breath catches in my throat as I feel the cold, hard surface pressing into my back, contrasting with the heat radiating from Ettore's body as he pins me in place. His blue eyes bore into mine, daring me to defy him further.

"Let me go, Ettore," I plead, struggling to maintain my resolve as my heart races and my body aches with desire for him. But part of me knows that it's futile; I am powerless against the magnetic pull between us.

"Tell me, Carlotta," he murmurs, his voice dangerously low, "do you honestly believe you can forget what we shared and be loyal to Ugo? Do you think he can make you feel the way I do?" As he speaks, his hand slides up my thigh, teasing the hem of my dress and igniting a fire within me that threatens to consume us both.

I gasp for air as I try to hold back how I truly feel. He wouldn’t understand. I don’t aim to be loyal to Ugo. I aim to marry him, see the artworks sold and find a safe home lest he burns them all, and escape with the pieces Sofia’s father shall buy for her from his collection, to someday pay her back.

"Stop it," I whisper, finding it harder to keep an eye on my plan." I have made a commitment, and I will honor it. You need to leave me alone." But even as I say the words, I know that I am caught in an impossible situation.

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