Page 83 of Brutal Legacy

“And here, I thought you’d be grateful not to have to marry Jimmy De Luca.” His voice was cold. “My mistake. Shall I see if someone can scoop his brains back into his worthless skull and right the wrong?”

“You could never right the wrongs you’ve done to me,” I accused. “And you think I’d want to be your wife?”

Elio stepped forward then, his chest colliding with mine. “Don’t be confused, Georgia. You’re not my wife.”

I could only stare at him as he leaned forward, getting in my face.

“You’re simply my hostage. It’s just business. De Luca needed to be taken out. I did my job. Renato ordered you to be married into the family, I performed my duty. All of this is just work to me. It’s nothing personal.”

My slap took him off guard, turning his head with the ferocity of it.

“I hate you,” I fumed at him. If I didn’t get furious, I’d cry, and I wasn’t giving this motherfucker the satisfaction.

I raised my hand to hit him again, and this time, quick as a whip, he grabbed my wrist.

“The feeling, Mrs Santori, is entirely mutual. Now, we’re going inside to discuss the rules of your new reality, and I’ll get on with my fucking day. You — my hostage — will do what you’re told. Jimmy wanted a beautiful trophy wife to fuck and show off. I have no such temptation.” His gaze raked me from head to toe. “You have nothing I want, so behave, or your life will get a lot more difficult than it already has.”

His eyes met mine, and I flinched away from his dispassionate expression. Sure, he had to have contacts in, I knew that now,but it wasn’t just the color that was throwing me off. Part of me hadn’t believed he was Elio because the man with those soulless eyes was so far away from the boy I’d loved.

“What happened to you?” I asked in a near whisper.

He became utterly still at my question. “What happened to the boy with the easy laugh, who wrote poetry under the stars?”

He studied me, and I studied him back. I saw the tension in his jaw, and the haunted look in his eyes. His thick, tattooed throat bobbed with a swallow.

“You.” His voice was heavy. “You happened to me — and I’ll never forgive you for it. This conversation is over. I have no interest in dissecting our youth. Bring up our past one more time, I’ll put you across my knee and make you scream. Though, maybe that’s exactly what you’re angling for.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and my mouth dropped open in shock.

“You’re a pig,” I mumbled.

“Maybe, but I’m also your husband. Being married to you and keeping you in line is part of my job, and I am truly talented at my line of work.”

“What’s that? Following orders? Killing people? Torture?” I spit out.

Elio just nodded. “Yes, and so much more. Consider this your only warning not to push me. None of this is personal, and I will employ my experience and skills to make you comply. You are my hostage and you’ll be a picture-perfect one — or suffer the consequences.”

“You’re not just a cold, unfeeling machine… you’re a tyrant.”

He nodded slowly. “Yes, to you, yes, I am. Just think of me as your judge, jury, and executioner. The decider of your fate.”

“You’re drunk on your own power! Does it give you a thrill to make women kowtow to your demands?”

“Not all women. Just you. Now, get your ass inside. I’ve had enough of providing free entertainment for the men today.”

I opened my mouth to protest, because of course, I couldn’t just go down without swinging. But he never gave me the chance. With a heavy sigh, he hoisted me over his shoulder again and started toward the house.

His hand landed hard on my backside when I wriggled in his grip. “There’s something we need to do to make this marriage official.”

He carriedme through the house, and I stopped kicking and screaming, because honestly, it was embarrassing as hell. Everyone was staring at us. I squeezed my eyes shut and longed for the privacy of Elio’s room. I had always hated everybody knowing my business, and this took it to a new level. Shouts rang out in Italian. Congratulations and then much more bawdy comments, all aimed at consummation. The men watching assumed Elio was carrying me to his room to consummate the marriage. They were all animals. I hated every single one.

He set me down just outside his room and unlocked it with a key from his pocket.

I kept stealing glances at the man I now knew for sure had been the one and only man I’d ever loved.

Before, when I’d been trying to find similarities, they had been all I’d seen. Now, all I could see were the differences. His violence and coldness. His hardness.

“No one goes in or comes out, until I say so.” He was speaking to his underling and holding my hand in a grip that would surely leave bruises.

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