Page 95 of Of Murder and Matrimony

“Damnit,” Dante groaned. “Fuck work. I’m coming home as soon as my next meeting is done. You’d better have Martina make some sandwiches for us because I’m not letting you out of bed until morning once I have you.”

I did a little victory dance. “I’ll make sure I’m ready.”

“I love you, wife,” he crooned.

“Love you, too.”

He ended the call, and I tossed the phone down. I still had at least fifteen minutes for a quick shower before Diego returned. Humming a tune, I climbed into the shower and soaped my hair, rinsing the suds and working conditioner through the ends. When my hair was clean, I peeled my suit down, bunching it at my waist as I used the jasmine body wash. Dante made sure it was stocked in the pool area.

I closed my eyes, imagining Dante’s hands on me as I brushed my soapy fingers across my breasts, lingering on my hardened nipples. Hopefully, his meeting wouldn’t take long. I was tempted to come before he got home and see if he’d notice.

I grinned at my mischievous thoughts, opening my eyes to reach for the bath gel again and shrieking as a form loomed outside the glass enclosure. Ettore braced his hands on the shower door, watching me. I covered my breasts, and he opened the door, stepping inside with me, wearing only black swim trunks that did nothing to hide the erection tenting the fabric. Water sprayed his bare, toned chest. He blocked the only way out, so I shrunk back against the wall, wishing I had my knife.

“I have to admit, I didn’t expect to see you so soon,” he slurred, suggesting he’d been drinking. “Or at all. It’s convenient for me, I suppose.”

“Why?” I hoped it was like the movies, where you could keep somebody talking until there was an opportunity to escape.

Ettore’s jaw ticked, and he sneered at me like he wanted to fuck me and kill me at the same time. There was no hint of frailty left, no cane to assist him in walking. No, he was once again the dangerous Don of the Neretti mafia, and his presence terrified me to the core.

“You’re a beautiful woman, Olesya.” He took another step into the shower, and I inched toward the door. A shadow of something that resembled a smile crossed his face, but it was hungry, his eyes a fraction too wide. “I watched you grow up. Watched as you came back to us, as my son tried to bring you to heel. Instead, you seduced him and planted dangerous ideas in his head.”

He spoke in generalities I didn’t understand. “I haven’t put any ideas in his head.”

“Bullshit!” Ettore exploded, slamming his hand against the tiles. I flinched back, fully aware of the damage he could do to me. “He never crossed me before you. That’s when I realized you’re smarter than you seem.”

I couldn’t tell whether that was a compliment or an insult, but I didn’t want either.

“You deserve a man with power who can guide you,” he continued his illogical rant. “My son can’t handle you. But I can.”

My breath caught as I realized the direction his rant was taking. The hot shower did nothing to counter the chill that ran through my body.

“We could make beautiful babies, and Dante would never need to know.” The words made me nauseous. Ettore was utterly unhinged. “Think of it. You could have your revenge for him taking you from your life. I’ll give you my protection. I’d even let you practice medicine.”

“I’m married to Dante,” I said thinly. How drunk was the man that he was spouting such insane ideas? I slid my feet further toward the shower door. Another couple of feet, and I might be able to make a run for it.

“It can be our little secret,” Ettore purred, his smile lecherous as he raked his gaze down my body. “You come to my bed when he’s working, and he’ll never be the wiser.”

“Never,” I vowed, taking another small sidestep. “I’ll tell Dante if you try to touch me.”

Ettore’s face contorted with rage, and he was on me before I could draw another breath, wrapping his hand around my throat and slamming my back against the tile. Pain lanced through the back of my skull, and I saw stars.

“Careful,” he chastised, water pushing his hair into tentacle-like tendrils across his forehead and running down his jaw. “I can always arrange an unfortunate accident should you become a problem. I’m still the Don, and my family will bend to my will, just as you will eventually.”

“Please.” I clawed at his arm, trying to loosen his grip as I struggled to breathe. “Dante would never—”

Ettore cut my words off as he pressed his hand into my larynx painfully. “I could even remove your precious husband if he becomes an obstacle. Say, if you were to tell him about my offer. I could easily replace my heir with a baby in your belly.”

He ripped my arms away from my body, squeezing my throat tighter when I fought him until I was hovering on the edge of consciousness, too weak to lift my arms. I wondered how much time had passed and hoped Diego would return quickly.

Ettore’s hand closed around my bare breast, his fingers digging into my soft flesh until a wordless cry left my lips. I watched his soulless eyes as I fought to stay conscious. Just as I thought the blackness would claim me, Ettore relaxed his hold long enough for me to breathe and regain blood flow.

It wasn’t enough. He constricted my throat again and fondled my other breast, pinching my nipple until I whimpered.

“Such a pretty sound,” he praised sinisterly, wedging his knee between my legs to support some of my weight when my legs tried to give out. I could smell the alcohol as he leaned in, rubbing his nose across my cheek. “I bet you’re beautiful when broken.”

I sucked my stomach in when his hand trailed down, but there was no escaping his wandering touch. He cupped me between my legs possessively.

Another quick release of my throat for a breath.

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