Her mouth sets in a line and she watches as Eleanora is sat in front of us.
"Now, what do you think I should do to her?" I ask, pacing the room. "She was careless enough to leave the door open, allowing you to escape. She must be punished appropriately for that."
"Don't hurt her," Marzia whispers. "She's done nothing wrong and she's just a teenager. Please, hurt me instead."
"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" I smirk at her, resisting the urge to do just what she's asking. I'm fucking tempted to just make her kneel then and there and force her to suck me off in front of her maid. "No, I don't think I will. I think Eleanora deserves a punishment just as much as you do. You can fight over it with her as much as you want, but it won't change the outcome."
Her bottom lip wobbles at my statement
I approach her maid. I gently tuck Eleanora's hair back, leaning down to speak to her while Marzia watches with a jealous expression.
"You understand you've fucked up here, don't you?" Eleanora nodes wordlessly. "Good, that saves me the trouble of explaining it to you. As your punishment, you will both be without food for the next three days. You are, however, allowed water."
I pull back, smiling widely at Marzia.
She glares at me. "You're a monster."
"And you're a very silly girl if you think that was the extent of my punishment," I deliver the final blow. "I'll give you the mercy of waiting until your ankle heals, but after that, you'll pay for trying to run from me. Don't expect me to be merciful, either."
"Please," she mutters, a half-hearted attempt of changing my mind. "Don't hurt us."
"Oh, silly girl." I approach her and she recoils as I touch her glossy hair, running my hands down its silky length. "You should've thought about all that before you tried to fucking abandon me, Marzia. But it's okay. You'll be taught a lesson, and you'll never, ever leave me again."
Everything for Marzia's punishment is ready, and I am eager to dole it out. I walk up to her bedroom early that morning, replacing Eleanora and throwing the curtains open.
The room is instantly flooded with sunlight and Marzia groans in her luxurious bed, raising her hand to protect her eyes from the daylight.
It's been four days since Marzia's unsuccessful escape attempt. I've given her enough time to recover from her sprained ankle. The swelling went down the second day, and after checking her again the previous evening, the doctor gave her a clean bill of health.
After he left, I felt my captive's eyes following me around the room, knowing I was going to deliver on the rest of her punishment. I revel in the knowledge of what it is while she struggles, knowing it couldn't be good. So now, the day has finally come. Today, I finally get to sink my teeth into Marzia Da Costa.
"Eleanora, you know I hate it when you wake me up like that," she mutters.
I smirk.
When she sees it's me, her face falls. The shiver that goes through her body is visible. "What are you doing here?"
"We've got to work on your greeting skills, bambina," I tell her firmly. "It's the day of your punishment, so I was nice enough to come tell you. And you're being an ungrateful little brat again."
"No, I'm not. Anyone would fight back. I don't want to die," she mutters defensively.
"I've told you, you're not going to die. Just trust me," I demand. "Now come here. Can you stand on your ankle yet?"
"I think so." Carefully, she picks herself up and walks over to where I'm standing. She's still a little wobbly, but for the most part, it seems her injury has healed. "What do you have for me?"
I present her with a pink velvet jewelry box.
Her eyes glitter with excitement that is soon replaced with trepidation, and she watches me with narrowed eyes as I offer her the box. But her curiosity gets the best of her and she takes it in her hands, slowly lifting the lid. When she sees what's inside, she turns her eyes back to mine, venom spilling from her lips. "Is this some kind of joke?"
"No, it's a real present," I tell her, taking the anklet from its box. "It's going right around your ankle ? the non-sprained one, of course ? and it will track your whereabouts at any given moment."
"Why do you have to be so controlling?"
"Because the moment I'm not, you try to run away from me," I hiss. "I turn my head for five seconds, Marzia, and you've already escaped. How am I not going to be controlling when you defy me so openly?" I lean down and clasp the ankle bracelet around her slim leg. "There. I'll feel better now that I know you're safe."