Page 55 of Corrupting Lily

“Fuck. Remind me never to get married if this is the shit you have to go through,” Holly moans, just as a knock at the door draws our attention.

Matteo stands at the door when Holly opens it, his eyes not daring to drift lower than mine.

“It’s time, Mrs. Sante.” His use of my new title makes Holly smile as she looks at me and winks.

“Just call me Lily, Matteo.” He doesn’t respond but instead holds his hand out for me to proceed.

“Nero is looking for you. Stay here.” Holly's face morphs, a kaleidoscope of emotions flitting across her features before landing on anger.

I wave at her, giving her a sympathetic look before I am herded down the corridor and back up to the top deck.

Dominico waits at the back, a small boat bobbing in the waves by the swim platform.

“One last trip,” Dominico says, taking my hand and leading me to the small boat.

He climbs in first before holding his hand out to me. I take it and stumble forward when my footing slips, only to be caught in strong, steadying arms.

“I’ve got you,il mio fiorellino. There's no escaping me now,” he jokes as he sits down. A man in uniform climbs aboard, and then we are off, the small speedboat taking us a short distance to land. I only notice as we get nearer, thanks to the clear sky, moon, and stars lighting our way.

When we arrive at the beach, Dominico climbs out and holds his hand out for me to take. When I do, I am propelled forward and scooped up, his arms cradling me in that familiar position I didn’t realize I missed until now.

“Where are we?” I ask, as the boat behind us disappears until it is just him and me.

“My island.” His island? Of course, this man owns an island. This is surely a new level of wealth.

He leads us down a narrow path toward a light that grows brighter as we approach. My mouth hangs open as I behold an island paradise. It’s a massive bungalow with a straw roof and two hammocks draped from nearby trees. We walk toward the entrance, where he stops just before the threshold. When I look up at him, he is gazing at me.

“This will not be the last door I carry you through as Lily Sante, but it is the first. Know that whatever happens from here on out, I will not hurt you. I look after what is mine. And you are now officially mine, Mrs. Sante. But I am also yours.”

“I love you,il mio fiorellino.”

I can see he won’t wait. His expectation for me to return those sentiments isn’t even present. He doesn’t push me to acknowledge it. He doesn’t force me to admit it or say it out loud. This is probably why I whisper for him to stop just before he moves.

“I—” His eyes remain locked with mine while my cheeks blaze red.

Be brave, Lily. He waits patiently for me to lower that last wall. His words and actions deliver the final blow against my defenses as they crumble.

“I love you, Dominico.”

Chapter 34

Dominico

She asked for a moment, but it has turned into minutes. Luckily for her, I am a patient man. Look at what waiting patiently for her to verbalize her feelings has brought me. Three words I didn’t know I needed until now. Three words that burrowed into my black heart and settled there, neither dying nor fading away, but occupying the space alongside everything else. I’d never felt anything like it. She loved me even though I was a bad fucking man. The worst of the worst.

And so, I would wait for her. Now. In the future. Forever. I know her past. The physical examination at the hospital was not only conducted on the outside. Along with broken bones indicating a history of physical abuse, there were clear signs of sexual abuse. Just thinking about it reignites a rage at a level I last felt when I saw my father trying to force himself on my mother. Atomic. Nuclear. So, I push those thoughts aside. She will be afraid if she sees them, especially since this is our wedding night. But they were stored, waiting for the right time. The time when I would get my revenge for all that was done to her.

It would start as soon as we returned home. Plans were already in motion, especially now that Lily carried my name. It changed everything.

I top up my drink and light a cigar before stripping down and entering the hot tub. My muscles are tense. Lily has a way of making me feel this way. One muscle, in particular, is especially tight, as thoughts of her saying ‘I do’ hours ago float through my mind. She was mine. In name. And my ring on her finger looked so fucking perfect. As perfect as my hand around her neck does.

My cock twitches, and I palm it, closing my eyes as I give it a long, leisurely stroke while thoughts of my little flower float through my mind.

I don’t bother stopping when I sense her nearby, her gaze on me almost tangible.

She clears her throat, and I open my eyes, staring at her directly as I stroke my cock.

She is blushing, but her gaze is not on my face. Instead, she observes the movements of my hand and the large gulp she takes as she shifts uncomfortably, indicating to me that she enjoys the view.

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