Page 2 of Cage the Storm
“My decision stands. Gio will be married to Luna D’Angelo, and Nicolai will soon be engaged to Bianca Russo.”
Now? Gio’s dead. My father’s dead. And tomorrow, fate places her exactly where she was always meant to be, beside me.
Uncle Marco was the only one who ever fucking saw it. The only one who knew she was always meant to be mine. Too bad he’s dead too; he’d be the only one celebrating with all of us.
Shaking off the past, I bury myself in paperwork. Not the best choice of words, but I’m desperate for the drink I ordered hours ago. When there’s a sudden knock on my door, I angrily get up to answer it. My annoyance dissipates when Barrett walks in carrying a tray of food, my bottle, and a crystal decanter filled with ice. I’m such a callous bastard. He’s only doing his job, and I have no right to reprimand him for being late.
“Thank you, Barrett. I take it your task is complete?” He sets down the tray and, like a gentleman, pours me my first drink. The ice clinks inside the glass when I bring it to my parched lips. The amber liquid goes down smooth as velvet.
It’s a pity I’m celebrating my upcoming nuptials all alone.
“Task complete, sir. Is there anything else you need me to take care of?”
“That will be all for today. Get some rest and thank you for dinner. Goodnight, Barrett.”
“Goodnight, sir. I’ll be here first thing in the morning to help you get ready for the wedding.”
Reminding me that, by this time tomorrow, Luna will be mine in every way. The woman who once belonged to my brother is now bound to me.
CHAPTER TWO
LUNA
Tomorrow I’ll beNicolai’s wife, and being passed around from one brother to the next is a crime all in of itself. Arranged marriages. Who the hell does that anymore? I thought that tradition died years ago.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The Caputo family thinks they own me, but I’m going to prove every damn one of them wrong if it’s the last thing I do on this earth. No one owns me, and now that Giovanni is dead, I’ll burn their whole goddamn empire to the ground. Giovanni might have broken my body, but he didn’t break me. Now? I’ll use every scar he gave me as a map to destroy them.
Piece by piece. Blood for blood.
I’m no one’s damn wife; I’m just a kept prisoner, a breeding ground for the next heir to the Caputo throne. On the rare occasions I can leave the estate, it’s either on the arm of my husband or with security tagging behind. I haven’t had a moment’s peace since stepping inside this godforsaken estate. I was only eighteen years old when everything was stripped away from me. My virginity, my life, my dignity. Three years later, at the ripe old age of twenty-one, nothing’s changed. Unless youcount the fact that as of tomorrow, I’ll have had two husbands in my short life.
The only freedom they allow me? Walking in the gardens and swimming in their damn pool.
Chills suddenly run up and down my spine as I feel his presence long before I see him. Nicolai has no idea what kind of aura surrounds him. I hate how in sync I am with him—how easily he gets under my skin.
Glancing up to his room, I notice he’s not hidden behind the curtains like Gio would have been. Oh no, he’s not spying on me, he’s full frontal, and what a magnificent specimen of a man he truly is. His chiseled jaw and determined gaze penetrate me to my very core. There’s no doubt in my mind, he’s a dark and dangerous man, and I can’t wait to play him like a siren. I’ve seen the way he devours me when I walk into the room, but I wonder if he senses how much I despise him.
I do admire his blatant boldness as he watches me stroll through the garden, as if I didn’t have a care in the world. When in all actuality, my heart’s beating out of my chest! Another glance as I round the corner by the topiary, and my ego deflates when I notice he’s no longer there. Well, that didn’t last as long as I’d hoped, but I won’t lose any sleep over it.
Once I’ve stepped out of the maze, I reluctantly head back to my room. I’m no longer feeling restless, so the fresh air cleared my head. Perhaps tonight I’ll be able to get a good night’s sleep after all. The irony is, when I was getting accustomed to sleeping alone, tomorrow I’ll be sharing Nicolai’s bed.
After showering and brushing out my tangled hair, I ring Sophie. I don’t enjoy disturbing her at this late hour, but I’m famished, and since she hasn’t come by to say goodnight, I’m sure she’s still awake. She doesn’t bother knocking; she just steps inside.
“Do you need me, Luna?”
“I’m sorry to bother you, but I didn’t eat dinner, and I know I won’t be able to sleep if I’m hungry. Would you be a dear and grab me something light from the fridge?”
“Absolutely, and if you need help with your hair when I get back, I’d be glad to assist you.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ll wash it in the morning.”
“As you wish. I’ll be right back.”
Curling up on my chaise, I wait for Sophie to return with my midnight snack. I feel myself drifting off when there’s a knock at my door. Funny, she doesn’t usually knock, but then again, her hands are probably full.
I immediately jump up and fling the door wide open. Much to my surprise, Nicolai stands there holding a charcuterie board. It’s brimming with delectable meats, cheeses, fruits, and crackers. I’m salivating, and it has nothing to do with the man in front of me.
