Page 17 of Bones

Racing into the house, I fly down the basement stairs to find her still sobbing in the corner, so I quickly open the cage, but she doesn’t respond to me.

“Butterfly.”

She glances at me and covers her mouth, a strangled sob escaping, and she quickly crawls to me and throws herself in my arms, causing me massive amounts of confusion. She hates me, doesn’t she? Athena sobs into my chest, as I return her embrace and hold her close to me. Did her own father do this to her? I promise you, if he did, he’s a dead man. Or am I wrong? Did she call Manny ‘daddy’?

Athena pulls her head back as she calms herself. Her lashes flutter as she lifts her gaze to mine and she whispers, “I don’t like the cage.”

People call me an asshole even though it pisses me off, because it’s true, I am one. Yet, I know after seeing this, the cage is no longer an option, but I will find something she doesn’t like to use to punish her. I won’t have a disobedient wife. In our world, it’s not unknown for our women to be tortured. I’ve seen a woman having a flashback more than once, and I won’t be the cause of it. Not for my own wife. I enjoy her tears, but this was in a way I don’t like. Shit. I care. That was not part of the plan, and I’ll need to be careful to not makeDomenic’s prediction come true. I’ll maintain complete control of her, minus the cage.

Lifting her into my arms, she wraps her arms around my neck as I walk her upstairs to my bedroom, so she can rest before tonight. After laying her on the bed, I go to walk away but she grabs my hand, pulling me to her, so I sit beside her. “Please don’t put me in there anymore.”

I nod. “I’m not going to. We’ll figure out another way to get you to behave.”

Athena smiles softly. “Thank you.”

Arching an eyebrow at her, I ignore how good it feels as she strokes the skull tattoo on my hand. “Don’t thank me. I don’t think you’ll like being chained to the wall either, but I’m guessing you’ve been in a cage before.”

She sighs audibly. “I have. Too many times to count.”

“You need to get some rest, Butterfly. My staff will be here in a few hours to help you get ready for tonight.”

I watch her as she closes her eyes but continues talking. “How many people will be here?”

“Mostly family. My parents, my brothers, and my grandmother. And my sister.”

Her lips part as she falls asleep, and I watch her for far longer than I’d care to admit. She sleeps in the black tank top and shorts I gave her. Long dark hair splayed around her on the pillow, and not a speck of makeup on her face, yet she somehow looks gorgeous. Maybe other women need a made up face but she’s stunning as she is.

I take a seat in the chair while she sleeps, and take care of some messages I need to return because my future wife is gorgeous, but I don’t trust her. There’s very little doubt at some point she’s going to try to get away from me.

I fight the laughter when I spot a text message from my two crazy brothers, Reaper and Psycho, with two pretty blondes. Apparently,these are their dates for the evening. At least one of them won’t survive the night. Psycho is as unhinged as my other brother, but he’s not nearly as predictable.

My buddy Sin texts me about an ongoing issue with an employee I’ve asked about. We own seven casinos in Vegas. Well, I kind of own them, but not really. On paper, Sin owns everything, but it’s my money we’ve used to make the purchases. If they were in the Bonetti name, we’d have feds breathing down our neck pretty quickly. The employees are never allowed to gamble in our casinos, so this asshole entering one in a disguise and then, on top of it, counting cards, won’t be tolerated.

After texting my brother Kage to be sure he’s picking up the rings, I lean back in my chair and watch Athena sleep. She kicks the blankets off, giving me a beautiful view. My gaze travels up and down the length of her body, appreciating every curve. I’m so hard for her but the wait is almost over.Tonight, Butterfly.

CHAPTER TWELVE

ATHENA

I open my eyes to Bones sitting beside me, staring at me.

“You need to take a shower, so you’re ready when my staff arrives. Please remember what I said. I told you I won’t use the cage, but if you upset my mother, I will have no other choice.

Behave, or there will be consequences.”

He rises from the bed and leaves without another word. His threat must have been all he had to say. I fucking hate him. Okay, I don’t really, but I want to. There is no part of me that wants to be married to this man. There’s a knock at the door as I climb out of bed.

“Come in.”

A pretty brunette comes in and closes the door behind her. She holds her finger in front of her mouth, telling me to be quiet, so I do but I’m confused, because I have no idea what’s going on. She’s dressed in a black and white pantsuit, with big brown eyes that stare at me.

“I’m Penelope, Bones is my brother.”

Oh goody. My future sister-in-law. Maybe she’s here to make sure I understand his threats.

She reaches into her expensive looking designer purse and hands me a bottle of pills.

“Tonight after the wedding, put one of these in a drink for him. It’ll knock him out for at least a few hours. Take the elevator to the B2, which is the second basement, take a left, this is a dead spot for the cameras, and run for your life. Don’t look back. Just get out of here.”

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