Page 7 of Immoral

I clench my jaw, taking a moment to gather my thoughts. "No. We're in Vegas."

She jerks her head back then winces. She puts her hand on her skull, snapping, "Why are we in Vegas?"

I clasp my arms around her so she can't escape me. "To get married."

She gapes at me. "Are you crazy?"

"Nope."

"You've officially lost the plot!"

"No. I haven't."

She pushes against my chest. "Let me go, Gianni!"

I don't release her. "No. Listen to me. The only way to protect you is to marry you. No one, and I mean no one, will come after my wife."

Anger flares in her expression. "Did you plan this? Did you make sure I ended up on that stage?"

"What? Of course not. I'm going to kill that bastard as soon as I'm confident you're fully protected and safe. Then I'm going after any man who was in that room," I relay.

"Are you crazy? There were hundreds of them!"

I nod. "Yeah. And they all deserve to die."

Tense silence fills the air. She trembles and her lip quivers. "I'm not marrying you."

"Yes, you are," I insist.

There's a knock on the door. The flight attendant calls out, "Mr. Marino. The officiant is here."

"Just a minute," I shout.

Cara shakes her head, grimacing, then yells, "Tell him we don't need him."

I smile, which I'm aware is another bastard move on my part. "Plan stays the same," I call out then lower my voice so only Cara can hear. "You don't think I prepared for your fight? Hmm?"

Her eyes turn to slits. She pushes to get out of my grasp. This time, I let her. She slides off the bed, and I follow her. She jabs my chest. "I'm not marrying you. Over my dead body will I ever be your wife!"

I make a point of letting my eyes trail her naked frame then sniff hard. "That's exactly what you'll be if you don't marry me. Dead."

"Bullshit!" She spins.

I stop her, circle my arm around her waist, and pull her into my body. I fist her hair so she can't avoid me. She gasps. I ignore my growing erection and bark, "You just got drugged, kidnapped, and put up for auction. What do you think any of those men in there would have done to you?"

She closes her eyes. Tears leak out of them and roll off her chin.

I soften my voice. "There's no other choice. Marry me, or you won't last a day before you're back in their possession."

She stays frozen, except for a sharp exhale through her nose.

I put my lips on hers, wrapping the leash connected to her collar around my fist, holding it outward so she can see it. She glares at me as I state, "I'm going outside. There's a dress in the closet for you. You have ten minutes. After that, you'll get married with the blanket around you and this. Take your pick, Cara."

More daggers fly at me from her glaring eyes. She whispers, "You don't own me."

I shouldn't say it. It's only going to make things worse between us. But I'm not a man who likes showing any weakness. If I can exert my power, I do. The sinister smile forming on my lips feels like an adrenaline high. With the hand holding the leash, I curl my finger under her chin. "Is that what you think?"

"Fuck you, Gianni."

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