Cruel Vows

PAISLEY

Istare mindlessly at the ceiling of this god damn gilded cage, wanting to scream at the top of my lungs, not that anyone will hear me. In less than twenty-four hours, these crazy Italians are going to force me down the aisle to marry a monster.

Despite my many text messages to my brother, he’s yet to answer a single one. Every phone call I make goes to messaging. It’s hard to believe that after everything we’ve been through, Rick is just prepared to let me go so easily.

I also asked Massimo to allow me to visit my brother, but he says he won’t allow me freedom until I have his ring on my finger, as if that cements the fact I belong to him. Once we’re married, he’ll still have to keep me on a leash, as I’ll run the first chance I get.

He’s a cocky, arrogant bastard who doesn’t have any understanding about what consent means. And yet he acts like he has the right just to fuck my throat or lick me to the edge of climax whenever he wants. My thighs clench at the reminder of him “playing” with me last night, as he called it.

Massimo is clearly a sadistic son of a bitch, as he used a vibrator on me while I was shackled on the bed, unable to move. Over and over, he brought me right to the edge of climax, only to deny me every time. And then he slipped the belt in place and left me panting and needy, telling me I have to wait until his cock is inside of me. I shake my head, trying to push the memory out of my mind as the chastity belt becomes more uncomfortable.

A knock comes at the door, which is odd since I can’t open it. “Who is it?” I ask.

“It’s Mia. I wanted to check if you’re decent?”

“Yes, come in.” I sit up on the bed, smoothing down my hair.

Mia appears, giving me a wistful smile. “I thought you might like to get out of this room for an hour or two.”

“That’s against Massimo’s rules.”

“Since it’s your last night as a single lady, I thought it would be good to get you out of this room and have some drinks.” She shakes her head. “I’ve got permission, and you’ll be with me and my bodyguard in the bar downstairs.”

“Bar?” I ask.

Mia nods. “Yes, we have one downstairs.”

Of course they do. These people are richer than God, and it makes me sick. “Sure, I wouldn’t say no to getting out of this room.” I tilt my head. “And Massimo is definitely okay with this?” I don’t really wish to repeat the punishment I received the day I smashed his Rolex. My ass still hasn’t fully recovered from his assault.

She shrugs. “Not exactly, but Father gave me the go ahead. Massimo didn’t even want to go out for his bachelor party.” She walks toward me. “Come on, let’s have some fun.”

Mia is the only person I’ve met who has any decency in this family. Massimo’s brothers are just as arrogant and self-assured as he is, but Mia seems nice. If we’d met under different circumstances, I’m sure we’d be friends even.

“Okay, let me just get into something more appropriate,” I say, glancing down at the pajamas I’m wearing.

“Sure,” she says, sitting down on a seat in the corner as I walk into the walk-in closet.

Massimo has stocked it with a load of expensive dresses and outfits, but I just grab the skirt and blouse I wore when I arrived here. I want nothing from that man.

Once dressed, I return and Mia flashes me a smile. “You look great.”

I raise a brow. “There’s no need to lie. I know I look tatty and under dressed compared to you.”

Mia is wearing a beautiful cream gown that comes out at her waist into a flowing skirt that reaches the floor. It’s stunning.

“Massimo bought you some clothes. You can wear them, you know?”

“I know, but I don’t want to.”

She nods. “I thought as much.”

She leads the way out of my prison and into the corridor where a huge, burly man stands. “Paisley, this is my bodyguard, Sandro.”

“Hi,” I say.

He grunts in response.

“He’s not much of a talker,” she says, chuckling and hooking her arm with mine. “Shall we grab some ice cream too?”

“Sure,” I say, my stomach rumbling at the thought.

All the food they’ve bought me up to now has been delicious, if not a bit pretensions. Ice cream sounds like heaven.

Mia leads me into a huge kitchen dinner, the likes of which you only see in home magazines. The units are expensive looking and dressed in granite tops and the floor is lined in Amalfi marble that practically sparkles. The ceiling is so high and three expansive crystal chandeliers hang from it across the gigantic space.

“Now, this is a kitchen.”

Mia shrugs. “Yeah, it’s pretty nice. Although I’m used to it. I grew up here.” She walks over to the large refrigerator on the back wall and pulls open a door. “We’ve got loads of flavors to choose from. Pick your favorite.” She beckons me over and I grab out a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Triple Caramel Chunk.

“Good choice, but I’m more of a peanut butter gal myself.” She winks and grabs a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Peanut Butter Cup. She laughs suddenly and a little uncontrollably.

“What’s so funny?”

She shakes her head. “Just that you picked Massimo’s flavor.”

My stomach dips as I glance at the delicious ice cream in my hand, suddenly wishing I’d picked another flavor. “Great.”

Mia shrugs. “At least you have ice cream in common. Come on.” She grabs two spoons and then leads me through the kitchen diner, out to the huge ballroom that I came to the night we crashed Mia’s birthday party.

I raise a brow. “Does your dad host a lot of events here?”

She nods. “He does sometimes. Although he prefers the casino.” Her expression turns a little sad. “I think it’s ever since mom was killed. He hates arranging events here, as Mom was always the party planner.”

“I’m sorry. What happened to her?”

“She was murdered.” Mia swallows hard. “I was only six, so I don’t really remember her. I think it was hardest on Massimo, as he was fifteen and sort of become responsible for the four of us.”

“That’s terrible,” I say, my stomach churning. “My mom died when I was six, too.”

Her eyes widen. “Really? What happened?”

I break eye contact with her, as I hate telling people about my mom. “She overdosed. Me and my brother ended up in foster care.”

“That’s shit. Let’s forget about such sad things and get drunk.” She pulls me toward a door and we walk through it into a lavishly decorated, fully equipped bar with a bartender standing behind it.

“This is insane.”

She twirls around. “Pretty crazy, hey?” She walks up to the bar. “Two Mai Tai cocktails, please, Alex.”

He nods. “Coming right up.”

“Sorry, I ordered for you as Alex’s Mai Tai cocktails are the best. Also, I figured since you’re only nineteen, you may not know your drinks.”

I raise a brow. “Well, I’ve been bar tending for over a year, so pretty hot on them.”

“Oh, I didn’t know. I still find that so weird that you can’t drink in Illinois until you’re twenty-one, but you can serve people alcohol.”

“Right, super weird.” I shake my head. “I could make the drinks, but not drink them. Although between us, I did sneak a few drinks when Axel wasn’t looking.”

Mia laughs. “I would do exactly the same.”

“Surely with this bar here you drank before your twenty-first birthday?”

“Of course, my father just didn’t know.”

I laugh and a bit of the tension eases in my shoulders as Alex passes us our Mai Tai cocktails. “I’ve never tried one of these.” I take a sip, eyes widening. “Damn, it is good.”

She smiles. “Right?” She skips to a jukebox in the corner and puts on some music. “Maybe if we get drunk enough, we can dance.”

I raise a brow. “I’m not big on dancing.”

“You’ve probably never been drunk then. Wait and see.”