A Deal in Darkness (Dark and Devilish #2)

6

DON'T WORRY BABY

ADRIANA

E nzo carries me through his ridiculously large walk-in closet and into an enormous bathroom. He sets me down on the cold marble top and I hiss, still sore.

“A shower will help you relax.”

I doubt it .

Not when he's going to join me.

I push my hands down, lifting some of the weight off my very sore legs and ass.

He hasn't noticed my fidgeting, walking into the oversized shower and turning it on. There's enough water pouring out of multiple jets to drown a small city, and I watch as he washes himself. The water cascades down his muscular back, dripping from his perfectly formed ass.

The man is beautiful.

A monster, but a beautiful one.

His skin glistens as he rubs his hands over it and the water coats it, catching in the sunlight. It's almost impossible not to stare and I hate the way I can't take my eyes off him.

He turns and walks towards me, carefully picking me up. His arm slips under my leg and he's gentle, surprising me, given everything that happened last night.

Enzo washes me and his hands are soft. He's thorough, kneading away some aches in my muscles as he leaves nothing untouched. He even washes my hair and only when he's satisfied I'm clean and relaxed does he turn the water off.

I'm not relaxed.

I'm not comfortable.

I'm not happy.

But he doesn't seem to care.

I groan as he picks me up again, grabbing a towel as he carries me through his closet and into his bedroom. He strides across the room and heads towards a door directly opposite the one we just came out of.

I lift my head as a burst of adrenaline sends me into panic.

“You're okay.” He laughs and I despise him for mocking me. “This is yours.”

My closet appears to be as large as his, but it has considerably fewer clothes. Its white walls, racks, shelves and drawers look oppressive and intimidating, and I stare dumbfounded as he lowers me into an ottoman.

Enzo opens a drawer and pulls out some sweats, tightening his jaw as he hands them to me.

“I dislike casual attire, but you're sore. This will do today. There's some lingerie in the top drawer.”

I nod, and he turns, leaving me to dress. My fingers tighten around the jersey sweats and my body shakes uncontrollably. I'm not okay. I'm barely hanging on. I'm about to burst into tears and I don't want to give him that. I don't want him to know he's close to breaking me and I slowly make my way to the chest of drawers, surprised to find plain black underwear inside.

I dress quickly and pretend I'm taking my time, snatching moments to myself.

Moments away from him .

There's no escaping Enzo and as much as I want to believe it was all some crazy nightmare, I know it isn't. I saw him with my own eyes and I felt him inside me.

He was hard, but occasionally soft. Filthy but arousing. Painful but pleasurable too.

I'm confused, upset, and dazed. Mostly because my body liked most of what he did. It was new and dangerous, but the danger only made it more exciting. More exhilarating. It was despicable, but part of me loved every disgusting, demeaning thing he said.

But it wasn't what I wanted.

It wasn't how I'd imagined my first time would be.

And now, I don't know what to do. I don't know what to think. I don't know what I'm supposed to feel.

“Don't overthink it,” Enzo says, walking toward me and handing me a hairbrush. He's dressed immaculately in a crisp white shirt tucked into his tailored chinos. “You'll be happier if you accept your life for what it is now. I won't let you go, Adriana. Not when you’re so damn beautiful and your cunt's so fucking perfect.”

I brush my hair over my face, hiding the blush that's spreading across it. It's obvious I'm taking an unnecessarily long time and when I'm finished, I notice Enzo staring at me with that look of his. The one that startled me because he's consumed by lust.

“This way,” he says, marching towards another room.

I follow, slowly, tentatively.

“This is yours, Adriana.”

The bedroom is smaller than his, but perfect. A delicate shade of pale grey with a comfortable bed and an entire wall lined with bookshelves. It's soft but clean, girly in a grown-up way. A perfect space to retreat to.

“You may use it when I'm not here or when I permit you. While it's yours, Adriana, understand that everything in this house is mine and I will enter this room whenever I want.”

So mine, but not mine.

A retreat, but only a partial one.

A safe space he can invade whenever he wants.

“Do you like it?”

I nod and bite my lip, using pain to hold myself together.

“Good. If it isn't to your liking, ask and I will have it changed.” Enzo walks towards me and grabs my upper arm in a gesture that should be comforting. It's not. It's terrifying and I flinch. “You'll be more relaxed once you've learned the rules. Less afraid because you'll understand what I'll tolerate and what I won't.”

I blink, nod and shake my head, utterly repulsed while strangely comforted. At least they’ll be a framework. Some guidance. A despicable, disgusting set of rules to follow, but ones that will keep me safe until I escape this hell.

“We’ll discuss them over breakfast.”

My mouth falls open as Enzo turns, grabbing my hand as he brushes past me. He pulls me behind him, ignoring my protests as he takes me downstairs. Every step makes my thighs scream in pain and any relief I’d got from the shower immediately melts away.

He drags me into the kitchen, pulling out a bar stool and lifting me onto it. I growl and he arches his eyebrow, warning me that my behavior isn’t doing me any favors.

“Coffee?”

“Tea.”

Enzo’s jaw tightens, and he glares, annoyed I’m being difficult.

“Coffee gives me palpitations.”

His face softens, and he grunts, making tea, now he’s certain I’m not testing him. “Any other problems or preferences I should know about?”

I shrug, shake my head and wonder why the hell he’s asking me. Enzo’s shown little regard for my wants and he’s made it clear he won’t abide by them in the future. I’m little more than a possession to him until he decides he’s had enough or something more exciting comes along.

“First rule, you will respect and serve me. In all things. In all ways.” He slides the mug of tea over the white marble countertop. “That means doing what I ask, when I ask, without hesitation.”

I wrap my hands around the mug, staring at the beige liquid and wishing I could drown in it.

“If you are unsure what is being asked of you, ask. You’re learning and I am not unreasonable.”

I scoff and he slurps his coffee viciously.

“You will keep yourself in the way I ask you to, Adriana. Always presentable. Always shaven.” He bangs his mug onto the counter unnecessarily hard to draw my attention. “You will take care of yourself and if you are not well, you will let me know.”

He opens a cupboard, pulls out a plate, and finds a pastry in another cupboard.

“Eat. You need it.”

I drink my tea and pull at the croissant, playing with the flakes. I’m not hungry. Food is the last thing on my mind and the thought of it almost makes me vomit. But when Enzo glares at me, I nibble on a bit to keep his temper at bay and it’s a relief.

Annoyingly, the man is right and I need the food.

“I don’t like liars. You communicate honestly with me. No secrets.”

My mouth opens and I snap it shut, deciding that reminding him I hate that goddamn nickname isn’t a good idea.

“This is your home now. Your things will arrive this afternoon. If you want to leave, you ask my permission, unless we have a standing agreement.” He drinks another mouthful of his coffee. “Like work. We’ll go through those job offers and you can pick one. Today.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

He smiles, and it's almost sad. “You sold your body and soul for it. I'd say it's worth a lot. I want you to have this.”

I don't see why.

It's not like it's of any benefit to him.

Unless I have to take a job. Unless that's needed to fulfil the deal.

My eyes flick to his, and he shakes his head.

“I'm afraid our deal was a job offer, not a job. Take it or leave it, you're still mine. Sorry, baby.”

I sigh and drink my tea, staring at the marble and tracing the pale grey patterns as they cut through the pure white background.

“From now on, I govern everything you do. I own you, Adriana and you'll get only what I give you.”

Enzo's eyes flash with excitement and I know he's imagining all the things he's going to subject me to. He moves towards me, and his sheer size is intimidating. He's so much bigger than me, so much stronger, that I wouldn't stand a chance against him.

“If you want something, ask.”

I finish the croissant and he plays with some of the wet strands of hair cascading down my front.

“From now on, you'll get only what I give you. I decide if that's pleasure. If that's pain. I'll punish you as I see fit and take care of your basic needs. You eat if I ask, drink if I tell you to. And you make yourself available for me to use however I want, whenever I want.”

I shift my weight and start to get up. Enzo grabs me, pushing me back into the seat.

“I didn't give you permission.”

My mouth falls open, forming a small but perfect circle.

“Don't pull faces like that. Not unless you want me to fill that pretty mouth of yours with my cock.”

My teeth click as I snap my mouth shut and Enzo laughs. He runs his knuckles down my cheek and I shudder, loathing the way his touch sets my body on fire.

“Good girl. You may leave.”

I slip away and find myself stuck in the middle of nowhere. The open plan space leaves nowhere to retreat to—and the airy, modern space isn't the clean, comforting retreat I'd wanted. It's oppressive, leaving me nowhere to hide and no space to relax in.

This is Enzo's domain and I'm just another thing caught in it.

The uncomfortable heat of his stare catches my back as he watches me from the kitchen. I'm sure he's amused. Entertained by my predicament and the confusion immobilizing me.

I need some air. I need to breathe. I need to go for a walk and I dart into the cloakroom, putting my trainers on.

“What are you doing, baby?”

I grab the door handle. “Going out.”

He tsks and I freeze. “No, you're not. Remember the rules.”

“I need some air.”

“We're going out this afternoon. You need a proper wardrobe. My assistant will help you on Bond Street. You can get what you need. Or want.”

I close my eyes and dread floods through me. It's another bargain with the devil and I don't want to be further indebted. I don't want things to get worse.

“It doesn't change our arrangement,” Enzo sighs. “But you will look presentable.”

“I need some things.”

He growls and gets up slowly, walking over deliberately as he makes it clear he’s unimpressed. I'm dangerously close to breaking a rule, and his patience is running out.

“I need some toiletries.”

“We'll get them this afternoon. You're not going out.”

I need a reason to leave.

It needs to be a good one too.

Enzo won’t let me leave without one and I can't bear to be trapped here with him. Nowhere feels safe. There's no oxygen. There's no space. Nothing's mine and everything's his.

I close my eyes and scramble through every reason I can think of until the most terrifying thought occupies my consciousness. It's dreadful because it's true and the panic flowing through me is genuine. I'm shaking and the color drains from my face as my reality crashes down on me.

“I need a pharmacy, Enzo.”

His features sharpen as he stares at me, riled as I push back against him. He growls and lowers his head towards me, towering over me and using his height to intimidate me.

“We've been through this, Adriana. If you are sick, you tell me. What is wrong?”

I shake my head, and he grips my arm.

“Tell me, baby.”

“Please, I...”

My lip trembles and my eyes flood with tears as my panic deepens. Enzo could want this. He could use this against me. He might be angry—and it’s far too dangerous to tell him.

“Tell me, or I'll spank it out of you.”

I swallow.

“Now.”

“I'm not...” I look away. “I'm not on the pill. Or any contraception. And we didn't...”

His eyebrow arches.

“I don't want to take the risk. I don't want a baby.”

Enzo laughs and his features soften. He drops his head and kisses my forehead so gently it's almost nice.

“I can't get you pregnant, baby. Although the thought of breeding you is fucking arousing.”

I blush and shake my head, refusing to believe him.

“I'm not lying, Adriana. Demons aren't born, they're made. Unless you're a celestial and you're not. You don't need to worry about an unplanned pregnancy.”

I nod and his lips meet mine, gently taking another kiss from me.

“Be honest with me and you'll be more likely to get what you want,” he says, stroking my hair. “You may go into the garden. I'll keep an eye on you while you're figuring it out.”

I nod and open the door, stopping as I cross the threshold.

“Figure what out?” I ask, looking back over my shoulder.

Enzo laughs and his head rolls back as his easy, confident demeanor floods the space around him. He's undeniably handsome like this, a god among men who rules his domain. He might not have been born, but he was made this way, to tempt mortals with the promise of everything they desire while he lures them to their doom.

“How you feel about my cock, Adriana. You hate that you love it and loathe how you crave more. Don't worry, baby, I'll be fucking you regularly now your pussy belongs to me.”