Page 36 of Lies like Rubies, Part One

“To get it over with, asshole,” I snapped out, finally. “Do you think this is fun for me?”

He loosened his grip and shoved me down on the bed. My face slammed into the covers, and I grunted at the discomfort. “Stupid Sofia. I said I wanted your tears and your submission. You’ll come whether you like it or not.”

I laughed bitterly as I took deep wheezing breaths, surprised to find myself grateful for the opportunity to breathe. “Every man with a little bit of power turns out exactly the same. What makes you think you’re different from any other man I’ve slept with, you stupid fuck?”

The mattress shook and moved as he sat beside me, stroking my hair in silence, his gentleness more terrifying than his cruelty.

“Slut, I’m like no man you’ve slept with.”

I snorted. No, he was worse, evil, even.

Dante laughed as he tangled his fingers in my hair, massaging my scalp, tempting me to relax into his comforting ministrations. “That sounds like a woman who’s been left unsatisfied one too many times by selfish partners.”

Or a woman who couldn’t please a man, who couldn’t take pleasure in the only thing she was good for. I remained silent rather than continue to expose myself to Dante.

He hummed softly before tightening his fingers in my hair until I gasped in pain. “Or who’s never been satisfied by a partner,” he continued. “Slut, have you ever come while a man drove his cock into that tight, hot pussy of yours?”

I squeezed my eyes shut under the blindfold, my body shivering with humiliation. I’d stupidly exposed my frigidity to him, revealing that I was exactly as icy as I appeared.

“No,” I whispered before I could swallow the word. I took deep, shuddering breaths, regretting having pretended, regretting having asked for his help, regretting every choice in my life that brought me to this humiliating moment, naked and bound on the bed of this Italiandon, quivering with embarrassment.

Except for Lizzie. I could never regret her.

He scratched my scalp gently, calming me like he would a kitten, his touch soothing as I fought to hold on to my anger, my fury. “Maybe you’re a frigid bitch,” he said, his words cutting through my chest like a scythe. “Or maybe you’ve only slept with idiots. I’ve met Sergio Accardi, and I can’t imagine he knows how to use his limp dick to please a woman.”

The mattress moved again as he stood up. “Only one way to find out if you’re the icy cocktease they accuse you of being.” He stroked a finger down my cheek. The tenderness of the gesture contrasted sharply with his treatment of me otherwise. “What a gift you’ve given me, slut.”

I lay there quaking, hurt, and embarrassed. A storm of conflicting emotions roiled in my gut as I waited for his next move. When he freed my wrists, I moaned with relief, stretching my shoulders and working out the tension.

“Roll over,” he commanded. I flopped onto my back, bringing my knees together as they dangled over the foot of the bed.

“No,” he snapped and shoved my legs apart. “I want to see you.”

Even under the blindfold, I closed my eyes. I hid against the embarrassment of exposing myself, knowing his eyes could see every one of my folds, every bit of wet desire, as I lay there splayed open for his inspection.

“Now, foolish slut, too dumb to take her pleasure when it was offered, I want you to make yourself come.”

I froze, tension radiating out of me. He wanted me to do what? I clenched my fingers in the bedsheets as my heart pounded.

I couldn’t possibly.

No.

“Remember, slut, you promised me anything if I would protect your daughter.Anything. Do you want to renege on our deal and let Sergio get his hands on the two of you?”

Dammit, dammit, dammit.

My hands trembled as I slid them across my belly and chest. I cupped my breasts, shaking as I ran my thumbs across my nipples.

“Think of me as you touch yourself,” Dante said. “My tongue swiping over your nipples, sucking them until they’re wet, hard peaks.”

I imagined his dark curls brushing over my chest as his full lips captured a nipple. I pinched one and gasped at the pain before soothing the ache by roughly kneading my breast.

“That’s it, kitten.” His voice was low and raspy as he instructed me. “Think of my teeth digging into the sensitive underside of your breast, then sucking hard, marking you as mine.”

I plucked at my nipples, pinching, pulling, soothing, as his voice worked its hypnotic magic, drawing me into the fantasy.

“Think of my lips tracing a path down your stomach, kissing every inch of your skin as I caress your breasts with my hands.”

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