“There’s a price to pay for being a naughty girl,” Thomas said as he towered over me and Stefano. “The price is your body. It’s ours now.”
“Ours,” Stefano growled.
Chapter Two
Hailey
I hadn’t noticed that the driver had still been in the manor until Thomas nodded at him. “My brother and I will take it from here. Go inform all the men on security that we have a new house guest. She is not to leave the premises, and no one is allowed on site without either Stefano’s or my permission. My brother and I will go meet with them soon with more details on our expectations.” He looked down at me and gave me a fiendish smile. “As soon as we go over the ground rules and break our guest in.”
When the front door closed, I adjusted my weight to relieve the pressure on my knees. The small movement was not a good idea, however. Stefano, who still had a handful of my hair in his grasp, jerked me up to a standing position. The sting on my scalp had me crying out, but I didn’t resist in any way.
“First rule,” he said between clenched teeth. “You do nothing without our permission. Nothing at all. I don’t care if you’re uncomfortable, in pain, or just in the mood to do something of your own free will. You won’t do anything without our direct order, or you will suffer the consequences. Naughty girls get punished, and you will soon see just how severely.”
He paused and waited for some type of response from me. I couldn’t talk. I was so terrified that I could only stare and nod. What type of consequences?
“Let me explain in more detail why you’re here,” he began. “Thomas and I have graciously decided to grant you mercy. Of sorts. We believe in paying for your crimes, and that a naughty girl like you can repent rather than just being shot between the eyes. You were a good employee for us once, and we see no reason why you can’t perform a new job duty for us.”
“You want me to have your baby,” I began as Stefano still held my hair firmly at the roots. “And if I say no? If I refuse?”
“A death sentence is not off the table, but you have a chance to remove it by being a good girl rather than a bad girl,” Thomas said.
“We are not men to say no to,” Stefano added. “You’ve worked for us for a long time. You know this. And regardless of what your heart is screaming right now, your intelligent mind has already accepted the fact that you will indeed be pregnant with our baby as soon as possible.”
“Life doesn’t have to be difficult here,” Thomas said. “It can be quite comfortable if you earn the comfort.”
“How do I earn the comfort?” I asked, feeling the first spark of hope since the federal agents stormed through my office doors.
Still holding my hair, Stefano led me to the stairs. “You have two choices every single day. To be a good girl or to be a naughty girl. So, the choice really is up to you. Just as the choice of whether you would betray my brother and me was up to you. You clearly chose wrong, but hopefully when we are done with you, you’ll never make that mistake again.”
“I don’t want to have your baby. Please. There has to be another way.” I tried to turn my head to look at Stefano in desperation but was rewarded with a sharp pull of my hair as he led me up the stairs. “I’ll do anything else you want. I’ll go to the Feds and take the fall. Anything. You don’t really want me to have your baby, do you? But I’ll leave and disappear if you want. I swear that I’ll never betray your family again. Is it money you want? I don’t have much, but I’ll find some more if I have to. I’ll work day and night to pay you whatever sum you want. Please just tell me what I can do.” I stumbled up the stairs to try to keep up with his stride.
In the corner of my eye, I could see Thomas smirk. “Oh, you will pay. You will definitely pay.”
When we reached the landing, I tried not to focus on the way my ears rang and my vision faded in and out as we walked down the long expansive hallway. My head spun as I was trying to process what the brothers were telling me. My life was spared—for now. But they were wanting to have sex with me—both of them—and I was to have their baby. This all seemed so normal to them.
Simple.
A sentence issued for my crime.
“You will soon be the mother of our child. But before that day comes, you’ll need guidance, structure, and a firm hand to teach you right from wrong. We don’t want you to be a naughty girl.” Stefano opened up a bedroom door and shoved me across the threshold as both brothers followed close behind. “Every single day, we will ask you the same question. Have you been a good girl or a naughty girl? We hope you answer correctly.”