Page 46 of Massimo

"Princess." He cups my face, and as he presses a kiss to my forehead, another sob threatens to rip me wide open. "I'm sorry." He sighs against my skin. "I keep fucking up with you. I'm sorry I threatened to destroy something so cherished."

I blink rapidly and bite the inside of my cheek, fighting back tears. Why am I so emotional? Why is it so hard to keep my walls up and hide my feelings from him?

He kisses my forehead again, then backs away. "Take a moment. I'll wait for you outside in the hall. When you're ready, we'll go downstairs for breakfast."

I'm not being caged in this room?

I don't fool myself into thinking I'll be treated like a guest with free rein, but it would be nice not to be stuck in only one or two rooms in this house.

It's a trick.

I study his face, trying to figure out how this will come back to bite me in the ass, but I'm at a loss.

My stomach rumbles, and Massimo smiles.

"I'll wait for you outside, princess."

A shiver courses through me, thinking of what will happen when he finally makes me learn the lesson that I'm sure is coming.

Chapter 20

Nova

Aftermymortificationabouthow I acted—plus, that I had been in such close proximity to Massimo without even brushing my teeth—I brushed said teeth, went to the washroom, and then stared at myself in the mirror once I'd washed my hands. Just in case he has cameras in here, I gave myself a silent pep talk.

Don't fall for his tricks.

Everything either is or could become a test.

He's a monster, just like father.

I keep stumbling on that one. The stories about Massimo are brutal, but to say he's just like my father feels like the world's biggest lie. So, I settle on the reminder that Massimo is a monster. Period.

Going through the vanity drawers, I find one filled with hair products, including hair ties. I grab one and use it to knot my shirt so it isn't so long, then exit the bathroom.

The bedroom door is open, and Massimo is out in the hallway, leaning against the wall, reading something on his phone.

When I step out into the hall, he slips his phone into his pocket and smiles at me.

"Massimo, just a minute," a male voice calls.

I turn to see Gabe walking down the hall toward us.

There's a guard walking with him. He's dressed in field gear more suited for a soldier than a mafioso in a suit. I can see his weapons strapped to him. His hands are hanging loose at his sides, and he isn't reaching forone of his weapons, but my reaction is as if he's about to attack and kill me.

I'm hurdled back to being ten years old, in my father's office, having just watched him beat my mother until she's bleeding on the floor, and he leaned casually against his desk. His hand gripped my neck, forcing me to watch as his guards stepped over her crumpled form. "Begin," my father sneered, his hand tightening on my neck. "And don't you dare close your eyes,princess."

The first blow was a guard kicking my mother in the stomach. The next was a punch to her head. She screamed, trying to protect herself, but it was useless.

"Don't end it too fast, boys." My father chuckled. "Don't want to ruin the finale."

One of the guards pinned my mother's wrist to the floor with his boot and another guard shot her hand. Another one took the machine gun that was strapped to his torso and smashed the butt end into her face.

I whimper and stumble back into the wall. I'm trapped between the triggering reality of the guard walking toward me and the horrifying memory of my mother being beaten while my father forced me to watch.

Massimo is a monster. The guard is here for you, princess, my father's voice hisses in my head.

This is the punishment I was dreading and waiting for. The punishment I had stupidly thought—hoped—wouldn't come at Massimo's hands.

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