Devil You Know (The Diavolo Crime Family 2)

“You don’t have a choice, princess. You’re in my world. What I say is law, and I decided you will be here with me indefinitely.” She isn’t just in my world, she is the center of it, and I’ll make certain she knows that.

Taking one more step forward, she pokes at my chest with her index finger. “And what are you going to do? Bend me over a piece of furniture and stake your claim again? Carve your name in my skin, so everyone knows who owns me? Or maybe come on me every single morning to let the rest of the dogs know you’ve marked your territory?”

I lash out and grab her wrist harshly. “Watch your mouth, princess. I’m in a forgiving mood toward you right now because I used you hard, but it won’t last if you keep running your mouth.”

“What can you possibly do to hurt me you haven’t already? I want to go to my room and sleep. Alone.”

She tries to pry her wrist from my hold, but I grip her tighter. “You continually think you have a choice here. I told you to go to my room. If you won’t go there yourself, I’ll carry you up and tie you to my bed.” I lean into her face and whisper my next words. “And I’m not sure if you remember, but I don’t make idle threats. So, what’s it going to be?”

Again, she tries to jerk her wrist from my hand. I let her go, and she stumbles back, rubbing the delicate bone. “I’m not going to lie in your bed and be your sex doll while you plot your next auction to sell me. I’d rather be left alone; at least I can enjoy the time by myself until someone else takes ownership of me.”

“I told you, I’m not selling you. I’m keeping you. You’re mine.”

Her eyes narrow, and her jaw locks tight. “Oh, you’re keeping me,” she grits out. “Like a dog you found in some alley.”

A familiar fucking weight settles in my chest, and I shake my head at her. “Why do you always have to twist everything I say into the worst possible connotation?”

“Because I hate you. And everything you say makes me fucking sick.”

It’s not that I expected her full submission when we returned to the house, but I see now, I’m going to have to reteach her to respect me, or at the very least, fear me enough to not piss me off at every turn. My woman will not humiliate me.

Soo enters from the garage hallway, keeping his eyes averted. He’s the only person in the world who can be in the same room with her naked and survive.

“He’s secure. I thought you’d want to know, and you weren’t answering your text messages.”

I wave at Celia. “It’s because I’m dealing with the princess here who has forgotten how to follow my orders.”

Soo, tactfully, gives me a nod and turns back to the hallway to wait until I’ve finished handling things with her.

I stare down at her, my blood rising. The need to grab her and take her again, shimmering under the surface. “I’m going to give you one last chance. Go up to my room, or I’ll drag you up there myself, and I won’t be gentle about it. That is the choice I’m giving you. A choice you can make.”

Glowering at me like she wants to drive a knife into my chest, she squares her shoulders and stands her ground. I know her pride won’t allow her to bend even as she stares me down naked with her hands shaking, trying her best to cover herself.

I grab her by the throat and drag her to me so her mouth can feel each word I say. “You have no idea what I’ve given up for you. I gave up my chance to get to your father. A revenge I’ve planned for many years… I gave it up so I could find you. And yet, you stand here ungrateful and defiant. I’ll teach you how to act if it kills us both.”

“I didn’t ask you to find me. I was perfectly fine where I was.”

“Is that right? So, Lucas had a knife against your throat for fun?”

I switch my hold to the back of her neck and shove her ahead of me toward the stairs. She stumbles, but I take her arm so she doesn’t fall and lead her up to the bedrooms. It only takes a few minutes to enter my darkened room and march her straight to the bed. When she doesn’t climb on, I easily lift her and toss her onto the bed.

Of course, she doesn’t stay. She shuffles across the bed to the other side and scrambles over the edge to the floor.

I take a moment to watch her and shake my head. “Why do you fight when it’s so easy to just give in?”