Page 6 of Brutal Don

She took a quick shower and spent an embarrassingly large amount of time checking out Dante’s closet. Cara touched the fabric of his suits, before finding a drawer with clothes she could use. She put on a pair of comfy jogging pants and an oversized shirt. Cara had to tighten the strings so the pants would stop falling down her hips.

Her next stop was the kitchen. She found Dante’s housekeeper there. The woman didn’t seem interested in answering her questions but only pointed to the mug of steaming coffee and plate of food on the kitchen counter.

Cara decided she needed the extra energy if she planned to escape, which was unlikely. Dante told her about his security team but that didn’t mean a girl couldn’t try. Feeling famished, she finished everything on her plate. Fed and caffeinated, she tried opening the front door.

She’d been surprised that Martha, the housekeeper, hadn’t made any move to stop her. The sound of Martha’s vacuum continued running in the background as Cara stared up at the unimpressed face of a large scarred man in a black suit.

Dante looked like he spent some time in the gym but this guy reminded her of those goons in mafia movies. Cara didn’t know much about Dante’s world or the first thing about his associates, but she finally understood she was truly out of her element here.

Cara could see the outline of his gun poking out of his jacket. Fear took her ability to speak for a few seconds. This man would not hesitate to use force to keep her in line. He would only be acting on his boss’s orders.

“Did you need anything, Miss?” he asked.

“No, thank you,” she whispered, shutting the door.

Cara sagged against the wood and shut her eyes for a few moments. The sensation of feeling trapped overwhelmed her for a few seconds.

Cara felt a little unsteady on her feet, nauseous even. While Dante’s apartment was a pretty cage, she couldn’t imagine staying here forever.

Was death her only escape? A second frightening thought superseded the first—would it be so bad to play along with whatever sick and twisted game Dante concocted?

When she woke up in a strange bed, Cara thought Dante’s first move would be to get a taste of his new acquisition. Instead, he spoke to her and acted like a gentleman. Oh, Cara knew what kind of man he was. Cara would never mistake Dante Massimo for anything more than a villain, but what would happen if she allowed herself to be charmed?

Maybe she could finally find out what he wanted and expected of her. Cara could be whatever he wanted until the crucial moment he let his guard down. Then she would do everything in her power to make him regret taking her.

Cara made plans in her head while she settled in the massive living room to watch some TV. Martha worked around her, humming to herself. She wondered if Dante asked Martha to spy on her activities. That wouldn’t surprise her. Dante seemed like a control freak to her.

Martha and she had lunch at noon. Around 3:00 in the afternoon, Scarred Bodyguard entered the apartment and left an elegant black box with a white bow on the dining table.

Cara tentatively approached the package like it had teeth. She plucked the simple white card and read Dante’s handwritten letter out loud:

“I thought of you when I chose this dress. See you tonight at 8. Dante.”

Cara lifted the top half of the box and gasped at the black strapless dress underneath. It was made of two layers, a sheer fabric underneath a silken one. Cara had never touched anything so fine her entire life. Even Martha grunted in approval when she passed Cara.

As Cara fingered the dress she thought of what could possibly happen if Dante returned home only to find her in sweats and a ragged old shirt. Would he get angry and hurt her? No. Cara thought of his cool reaction earlier that morning. It would take more to piss a man like him off. Besides, didn’t she decide she would behave and participate in his playacting?

She did want to see how this dress would look on her. At 7:00 PM sharp, Cara smelled wonderful aromas in the kitchen. Martha was probably preparing dinner. She took another bath, this time in the Jacuzzi just to calm her rising nerves.

Would Dante see right through her act or would he be pleased she was wearing the dress he picked out for her? Cara rested her head against the cool porcelain. Another woman in her shoes wouldn’t think being Dante’s plaything was that bad. Cara would’ve felt more relaxed if she hadn’t dreaded this evening so much. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had a day off like this.

She finished her bath and finally put on the dress. Her jaw dropped. There was no denying Dante had taste and he guessed her measurements correctly. Cara felt like she was looking at a completely different person. Inside the box, Cara also found makeup supplies, so she dolled herself up for Dante and wondered about the possibilities for tonight.

Chapter Four

Dante didn’t know what to expect once he arrived home. There were only two options. Either Cara would follow his instructions or she wouldn’t. Cara would soon learn that disobedience wouldn’t be in her favor.

Dante tried to picture himself in her shoes. One day, she was simply a normal waitress trying to get by, and the next, taken to a black-market auction and purchased by a complete stranger. Pity didn’t stir him. Eat or get eaten—those were the rules of his world—and Dante had always made sure he remained in a position of power. He would settle for nothing less than the top.

“Anything to report?” Dante asked Jon, one of the guards he posted at the front door.

There were always two on standby. Dante took security measures seriously, ever since his father’s assassination. Likewise, he also had two men watch his brother 24/7. He didn’t intend to lose another family member so soon.

“Nothing of much note, sir. Your guest tried to leave earlier this morning but changed her mind after seeing me,” Jon reported. The men he employed were professionals. Dante paid them a hefty salary to keep everything they had seen or heard to themselves.

“I see. Keep up the good work,” Dante said with a dismissive nod.

Jon and the other guard stepped to one side so Dante could use his key. He didn’t expect to find Cara waiting for him in the living room. Dante closed the door behind him. She was a vision, wearing the black dress he had custom-made. It had been a rush order from a popular designer, so the dress didn’t come cheap.

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