“No,” is my automatic response.
I don’t let anyone in my personal quarters. Not my brother or sister. Not any of the women I’ve fucked. No one but me and occasionally the maids are ever allowed in. It’s my personal retreat, something that is mine and mine alone. I need the space. I need a place where I can pretend the outside world doesn’t matter. If I let her in, then the place will no longer be mine. It will be the place where Nina asked me her question. Where Nina sat, stood, breathed. It will become all about Nina, and I’m not sure I can handle that.
“You’re here to ask me the question that I owe you, right?”
She nods slowly, not sure if that is why she is here or not.
“How about I show you how to shoot properly, and you can ask the question?”
I thought she might enjoy doing something that could lead her closer to being free, but if she’s excited by the idea, she doesn’t show it.
“Give me one second, and I’ll meet you out back in the gardens.”
Her eyes narrow, but she nods as she walks away.
I hurry back inside and change into jeans, a gray shirt, and dark jacket. Then, I run outside to find her sitting on the edge of one of the retaining walls that contains bright red roses.
“You look beautiful,” I say without meaning to when I see her.
Her cheeks blush a little.
I chuckle. “So, me calling you beautiful embarrasses you, but my brother and I fucking you at the same time doesn’t?”
That earns me a grin. “Sex is meaningless; it just feels good. But calling me beautiful means something.”
“What do you think it means?”
She shrugs. “That you think I look beautiful right now. It’s not surprising since I showered for the first time since I came here and am wearing something other than a dirty wedding dress.”
I shake my head. “No, it’s not that. You’ve always been gorgeous, but today, you seem different. You carry yourself with your head held higher. You have an aura around you.”
She blushes again, and I find myself wanting to make her blush again and again.
“Come on, let me show you how to shoot a gun properly, so if you are ever given the chance to shoot me again, you won’t miss.”
She jumps off the ledge. “Hey! That’s not fair. I didn’t miss.”
I smirk. “So, you were aiming to just graze my shoulder? Because it looked like you wanted to kill me.”
“It was just a threat. I wanted to know where we stood. That’s all.”
“Uh-huh,” I say as I lead her to the outdoor shooting range down the hill.
She follows, happily skipping along. I don’t know why she is so happy. Maybe she thinks, if she gets her hand on a gun, she can kill me and finally make her escape. But, whatever it is, it’s contagious. I can’t help but smile at her and how happy she seems today.
“Why are you in such a good mood?”
“It’s a nice day outside, and I get two questions answered by my two new favorite guys.”
“Anyone, I know?”
She cocks her head to the side. “Why are you in such a good mood?”
“Because I get to spend part of it fucking you.”
She laughs. “What makes you think I’m going to let you or Matteo fuck me again? I’m going to ask such good questions that I will be out of here in no time.”
“Because you want to be fucked.”