Page 29 of Hunted Vengeance

“Leave,” Adriano snaps before he walks directly back out of the room.

Colette stands still, the door still wide open. I watch as something shifts inside of her. Her shoulders slump as she reaches out and quietly closes the door before she walks over to the closet and bends down. I watch as she takes out a suitcase. She carries it over to the bed and slams it down.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I growl as I move away from the shadows.

“Packing like my father said.”

Closing the distance between us, I don’t stop until I’m behind her. I slide one of my arms around the front of her robe and untie the belt. It falls open, and she freezes. Touching my lips to the side of her neck, I suck on the delicate skin there as I slide my hand up the center of her chest, my fingers curling around one of her breasts.

Her body doesn’t melt against mine as it did just a few moments ago. She is deflated. Almost as if she’s completely given up on everything. If she had any hope when I came into this bedroom, it’s gone now.

“Colette,” I rasp against her neck. “Tell me what is going through your head.”

She slowly turns in my arms, tilting her head back slightly. She looks up into my eyes, but I can tell she’s hiding herself from me. Cupping her cheek, I slide my thumb across her bottom lip.

“I’m packing my bag. When my father tells me to do something, I do it.”

“No questions asked?”

She shakes her head once. “You don’t ask Adriano Bellucci questions. He gives you an order, and you do it. No questions asked.”

My lips twitch into a smirk, but I don’t feel like this is funny at all. Instead, I am convinced this can’t be fucking real. This man truly believes that he has power over everything and everyone in the world. I almost let him do that shit to me, too. Un-fucking-believable. I hate myself for it instantly.

What a goddamn pussy I am.

“Or what, Colette?” I ask, choosing my words wisely.

I know that if I come on too strong, I’ll scare her. She is behaving like a scared animal, and I know it has less to do with me and more to do with that piece of shit that just walked in here and acted like he was in charge of the goddamn world.

“I try not to find out,” she whispers.

Sliding my hands around the back of her neck, I curl my fingers, probably harder than I should, and give her a single shake. Her eyes slowly lift to meet mine, and I swear to fuck, she appears haunted.

“Colette,” I snap.

She lets out a heavy sigh, her gaze sliding away from mine and to the side. She doesn’t want to answer me. If I were her, I might not either, especially to someone like me. I’m ready to burn this whole fucking house down.

And even after this is done, I still might, because fuck Adriano Bellucci.

Fuck him right in the goddamn ass.

“Does he hurt you?” I demand.

She shakes her head. “He doesn’t, but only because I don’t defy him.”

I press my lips together and shake my head. I am trying hard as fuck not to throw her out the window myself and then fireman-carry her back to the hotel. In fact, I still might do it anyway, just because I can and because I know she’ll be safe with me.

“Baby, I’m trying really hard not to storm through this house and start throwing shit all over the place.”

Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I run my teeth back and forth a few times as I wait for her response. I’m about to completely lose my fucking shit on this whole situation if she doesn’t start talking soon… and fast.

“It doesn’t matter, Merrick. My father has made this deal. I’m living in my father’s home. I follow his rules, or I face his punishments.”

I grip the back of her neck even tighter. I know my fingers are grasping her too firmly, but I don’t care. I need her to be right here with me and not lost somewhere inside of her head.

“Does. He. Hurt. You?” I demand.

She slides her tongue across her bottom lip, and I want that. I want to suck that lip into my mouth, bite it—taste it. But more importantly, I want to know if this motherfucker has been hurting my wife.

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