Page 83 of Sin & Sapphire

32

ANA

I staredat the blank walls that had obviously been quickly emptied. The faint outlines where wall hangings had blocked the light, holes from hastily removed nails, and chipped tiles told me that Valentin and Angelo had prepared this room in haste.

For me.

But why?

Valentin told me he intended to train me, but it wasn’t clear to me what that entailed, other than me getting on my knees for them and letting him hurt me. Sofia Russo, Luca’s sister and my best friend, had hinted that her husbands were into that shit, and I should have done more research instead of teasing her about it.

I’d screamed bloody murder when Valentin left me in here. I wanted to know what was going on with my home, with the loyal army who’d raised me, with my remaining worldly possessions.

Valentin had opened the door and whipped my ass until I screamed with pain, then pinched my jaw and told me to shut the fuck up, or he’d hand me right back over to Tchérnov.

I’d shut up and crawled to the corner and glared at his broad back as he locked me in again.

I sat on the ground, my back against the cool wall, my ass aching with every movement, and pulled my knees up to my chest, thinking through what had happened, trying to figure out why the fuck they’d lock me in this empty room, and coming up with absolutely nothing.

With no way to track time, I spiraled between fear of Valentin’s punishment, fury at being locked away, and a tendril of forbidden curiosity.

What did they intend to do with me?

Hours later,my stomach grumbled, and I was climbing the walls with anxiety and boredom. I’d paced the room dozens and dozens of times, pounded on the doors, and screamed myself hoarse until the lack of nourishment left me dizzy and unable to think.

“I’m fucking hungry!” I shouted at the walls. “And thirsty!”

To my shock, the door swung open, revealing Angelo. He was dressed casually, in dark jeans that didn’t do a damn thing to hide his powerful thighs, and a linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up. The collar was unbuttoned, revealing hints of the ink that covered his chest. My eyes swept up to his jawline, his neatly trimmed beard, salt and pepper, and then his grey eyes, unreadable in the fluorescent light.

A wave of desire swept through me. What? No. I would absolutely not be grateful that he deigned to grace me with his presence. I wouldn’t look at him like all I wanted was for him to tell me he forgave me for running away.

Why did I care so much? Fucking bullshit. I wouldn’t have run away if he hadn’t locked me up and told me he wanted me to be his fucking sex slave.

He carried a tray of food and the smell made my mouth water.

I scrambled to my feet, my back pressed up against the wall, unsure whether to be terrified or to supplicate him and beg for water.

“What the fuck, Angelo?” I snarled. “Why am I locked in here instead of helping you track down the assholes who burned my house down?”

He cocked his head and looked at me, the moment so still, it reminded me vividly of Valentin.

“I have asked you repeatedly to call me sir, pet,” he said, his voice calm and undisturbed.

“Fuck you. Let me out of here.”

He sighed and placed a bottle of water on the floor beside the door before turning heel and exiting.

With the food.

With the fucking food!

I groaned, scrubbing my face with my hands. My goddamned mouth. I had to be smarter about this.

I walked over to the bottle and downed it, ignoring the rivulets that ran down my neck. Water had never tasted so sweet.

An hour later, I regretted my choice. I had to pee so bad.

“Hey, I gotta use the bathroom! I’m gonna piss myself.”

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