Ruthless Spring

“To answer your question, I am fine, Winter. I’ve healed and I will heal even further in the next few weeks, but it’s none of your concern.” He assures me.

I watch as he moves away from me, disappearing into the dressing room. He returns with my clothes in his hand.

“Take the dress off,” he says, keeping his tone low and soft.

I close my eyes, knowing the words aren’t a request, they’re a demand.

Just like when Maximo forced himself on me. And Giovanni in his office.

But with Vito, he makes me do it, makes me complicit in this, just like the night in my bedroom. And just like then, I want to listen to him.

I let the dress slide over my frame, picking it up before it hits the ground. I slide my fingers over the fabric before turning and holding it out to Vito. His eyes hold mine, not drifting lower as I’m exposed, wearing nothing but my panties and bra.

“What is this dress for?” I ask once I muster the nerve.

Vito’s lips quirk to the side slightly and he holds out my blouse to me. I take it, pulling it over my head.

“It’s for a party,” he says as he hands me my pants.

I pause, holding the jeans in my hand. “Like the last one?” I inquire, thinking about the last party I’d been at. It happened to be the first time I met Lucia.

“This one is different, it’s more important. There will be a lot of very important people you need to impress.”

“Why?” I ask, my brows furrowing.

His head tilts to the side slightly. “Because you’re a representation of the Costa Family,” he says as if it’s a choice.

“You mean property.”

“Same thing.”'

My skin warms and anger engulfs me, assaulting me before I can stop it, as I clench my fists. Vito is supposed to be different.

He’s supposed to be the one who offers me soft words.

He’s supposed to be the one who checks to make sure I’m okay.

He’s not supposed to call me property.

Winter, you poor poor fool. Here you are again, expecting a cruel man to be something different.

I hold my head high, meeting his eyes. “One implies I’m a part, the other one makes it clear that I’m owned.”

There is a moment of silence as his eyes run over my face and he raises his fingers, rubbing at his chin. He shakes his head after a moment. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“You shouldn’t have.” I snap. “And if you came here to give me another plan B,” which he did the last time we were here. “It’s not necessary. Giovanni only forced his fingers in me, not his dick, and he’s made sure I take my birth control every morning since, so there’s no worries when it is his dick pushing inside of-”

“I know,” Vito cuts me off. The calmness to his words makes it hard to figure out how he feels about this. But it’s clear, my admission isn’t a surprise.

“Of course you do.” I shake my head, my fingernails biting into the palms of my hands.

Vito rubs his chin as he looks at me and it takes a moment for him to speak. “Winter…” The look in his eyes is unclear, but there’s something so soft to it that has me melting… waiting for him to say something to undo the last few minutes.

After a moment, he lets out a sigh and runs a hand through his hair. “Finish getting dressed. We have more things to do.”

He doesn’t offer me anything else as he turns around, heading down the stairs.

I stare at him, hating myself for the sense of betrayal that I feel.