Page 11 of His Wicked Obsession

“Where are we?” I ask again, needing a reprieve from his probing.

“Palermo. In my home. Bria wanted you with her, but Maso and I convinced her that you would need your own space to recover.” As much as I want to be with my sister, he’s right. Regardless of what happened to me in that institution, there is something wrong with me, and I need to be able to figure out how to move forward with this illness without hiding from everyone.

Which brings me to a whole new set of problems. While I don’t have to withhold the agony from my sister, how can I let Donato see it? He’ll be so repulsed.

“Can I have a shower?” I ask, changing the subject again.

“Of course.” Offering a hand, he helps me to my feet and leads me to a closed door on the other side of the room. Pushing it open, I gasp at the beauty laid out before me.

Crossing the threshold, my senses are immediately immersed in a symphony of elegant textures and bright tones that give off a refined luxury vibe.

The cool floor beneath my feet is a canvas of Carrara marble, its white expanse punctuated by delicate veins that meander like whispers of ancient stories. “It’s beautiful,” I whisper, afraid to touch anything for fear of dirtying it.

The walls rise with an ethereal purity, covered in the same pristine marble adorned with subtle veining that seems to dance with the play of light.

At the heart of this sanctuary stands the centerpiece—a freestanding white clawfoot bathtub. Its curvaceous contours invite me to soak for hours with a book and a glass of wine.

Directly above, a chandelier resembling a cascade of crystal dewdrops hangs. Its iridescence illuminates the bathroom, casting a soft glow that dances upon the pristine surfaces.

“It’s ours,” Donato finally says, directing me towards the shower stall. Opening the transparent glass door, he turns the water on, holding his hand under the spray until it’s just right.

“Ours?” He grins as he begins to help me out of the oversized t-shirt I hadn’t realized I was wearing.

“Mmmm.” The sound comes from deep in his throat as my shirt exposes my naked body for his perusal. I should be outraged and embarrassed. No man has ever seen me so vulnerable, but it feels…right.

For Donato to be the first man to see me nude, to rake his hungry eyes across my flesh, admire the dips and curves of my body, I want that. I’ve always struggled with my body image, but with the tight set to his jaw, the growing bulge in his pants, and the heat in his eyes, I don’t think he’s turned off by the roundness in my stomach, the extra flesh on my arms, or the way my thighs jiggle as I rub them together.

“Donato?” I whisper when he doesn’t move or say a word.

“Just admiring the view,” he growls out, making my breath hitch in my throat. “If I’d known-” He pauses and draws the corner of his lip into his mouth, chewing roughly. “You were hiding all this from me, I’d have fucking kidnapped you months ago.”

I laugh a little until I realize he’s serious. Being such a large man, I imagine he’s intimidating to more petite women, but I feel like I was built this way just for him. “Are, uhm, are you…” His penetrating eyes move up my body until they ensnare mine. “Joining me?” I finish lamely.

His lips curve at the sides as he raises a hand to brush the loose hair away from my face. “Yeah, I am.” There’s something in his tone I don’t recognize. “I’m never leaving you again, cara mia.” I don’t mind the sound of that.

Stepping into the shower, I allow the heat to soothe the ache in my muscles and wash away the dirt of the last…I don’t even know how many days. Or was it weeks? Time moved differently while I was drugged.

Astonished, I spin around and clutch Donato’s arms as he closes the shower door behind him. “The voices are gone.” Fear springs forward as I wonder what that means. Was it the drugs that kept them at bay? Something else? Was it all temporary?

CHAPTER 6

Donato

Pulling Bella into my arms, I hold her tightly as she cries silently. “I’ve got you, cara mia. I’ll take care of everything.” Lude and I have kept silent to the others about why she was stolen away to that facility. We’re unsure what they wanted with her, but I aim to find out. Just as soon as I can pull myself away from the lush beauty in my arms.

“Bella?” I say her name softly. She has to know I’ll never judge her. The feelings I harbor for her are unwavering. This woman is mine, and nothing will stop me. “Look at me.”

The anguish reflected on her face is nearly my undoing. “What if they come back?” Holding her tighter, I don’t let her fall when her body collapses at the thought.

“Don’t, don’t think like that. We’ll get you taken care of. Find out what’s really going on, and I swear on my life, nothing will happen to you again.” Her eyes swim in tears before she nods. “Good. Now let me take care of you, yeah?” Another bob.

Reaching for the shampoo Bria picked out for her, I lather it in my hands before brushing my fingers through her thick locks and massaging her scalp. Her gentle moan makes my dick twitch and my heart hammer. Everything about this woman gets my blood boiling with desire.

“Tell me what your future looks like, Bella.” I know what she wants; what I don’t know is when and how many.

Her eyes slowly open as she gazes up at me, her lashes damp with water and her cheeks blushing, probably because my dick is leaking all over the soft skin of her belly. God, her curves, they make my mouth water. I want to kiss, lick, and bite my way across her round hips and the plushness of her stomach. Nibble on her thick thighs before gorging myself on her weeping pussy.

“I don’t know if I can have that anymore.” Her full lips pout.

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