Chapter 11 Allie
ALLIE
The nursery is stunning. Someone painted a beautiful jungle theme on the walls. Cartoonish lions and panthers stare out from shockingly realistic trees. The furniture is all high-end and brand new. Dozens of stuffies are scattered all over, and there’s a massive, gorgeous dollhouse in the corner.
Rosie loses her mind the second she sees it. I try to keep her away, but it’s a losing battle. Eventually, I let her play in there, and when she gets tired, I reluctantly place her down into the crib. I keep telling myself that if she doesn’t like it, I’ll bring her back out.
But she seems content to watch the slowly turning mobile hanging above her pillow until her eyes grow heavy and she drifts off to the sound of the noise machine playing chirping birds and whirring insects.
I feel wrong leaving her in there, but at least there’s a monitor. The camera shows every inch of her room. I keep it close as I sit back out in the living room, drinking good wine and looking out at the moon hanging over the ocean.
This isn’t what I had expected.
Coming here still covered in blood right after my wedding, I assumed this would be like getting thrown into a dungeon. I had one night two years ago with Mass. That told me basically nothing about the guy.
When I saw what he’s capable of, I figured I was finished.
But this is more domestic. It feels almost normal. Which is dangerous, because it’s definitely not.
I’m just not the prisoner I expected.
Although I’m still very much trapped here.
The elevator doors ring and slide open. Nobody ever comes up without permission, and I know it’ll be him the second it makes that noise.
Mass strides into his apartment and glances at me, his body tense and radiating a masculine energy.
He’s intense and big, beautiful and terrifying. I sit up whenever he’s around.
He pours himself a drink and studies me for a moment. “Have you eaten yet?”
I take a second to understand what he’s saying. “I’m fine.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“I ordered down to the kitchen a little while ago.”
He nods like that’s good. “You need to make sure you’re eating. Satya said she was worried.”
“Like I said, I’m fine.”
“Have something now.” He walks to the cabinets. “Did Rosie eat? What is her diet like?”
“Please, stop it. My daughter’s food isn’t your concern.”
“Our daughter.” He brings down a box of crackers. “Have some of these.”
“Quit trying to feed me. I’m fine, honestly.” I can tell he doesn’t like my answer. He takes a moment to glare at me before putting the crackers back. “What am I supposed to do around here all day while you’re out working?”
“Anything you like.”
“Back home, I had family and friends. I could go visit people. I had a phone. I had the internet.”
“You’ll adjust.”
“I’m afraid that’s not true.” I feel like I’m walking a fine line. It’s one thing to complain, but another to become annoying and whiny. I don’t know how he’ll react if I can’t keep myself under control.
Mass gives me a hard look before drifting into the living room. He looks out at the ocean, drink in one hand. “What do you know about the Dragons?”
I take a second to process this abrupt change in conversation.
“Only what my father told me, but that’s not much.
” Mass continues to stare ahead without speaking, so I keep going.
“He said you’re like crime lords, only bigger.
He said there are rules most families follow to keep everyone in line.
Otherwise, law enforcement would be all over us, and nobody could get any work done. He said you’re powerful.”
He nods as if that’s good enough. “All of that is mostly true. But it misses the central reason the Dragons exist. For a very long time, crime families have existed in loose affiliations with each other. Daughters of one Don marry sons of another. Bloodlines mingle. Clans grow, shrink, and grow again. All this intermingling got complicated over the years, and eventually, it became worthwhile to create five judges who could rule over any disputes. Those judges gained vast amounts of power, and eventually, the Dragons were born.” He finishes his wine and cradles the empty glass.
“That was two hundred years ago. I am the twenty-sixth man to hold my position. The transfer of power has never been clean. There’s always a vast amount of blood and treasure involved. ”
“Why are you telling me this?” My heart races as I watch him. Mass is beautiful in the reflected moonlight glow. He turns his stern and distant face toward me, and I wish I could read his emotions. But like always, he’s completely closed.
“My life is a constant battle. I’m not telling you this to complain. I enjoy the struggle. I feed on the pain. But I always have enemies. There are dozens of men who would happily cut my throat and take my place. There is one who could potentially do it.”
My eyes widen. “Someone’s as strong as you?”
“No, he isn’t, but he wants to be. His name is Medved. He was like me once. A young man from a very hard place. That hard place forced him into a sharp edge. Medved has wanted a Dragon position for as long as I can remember, and recently he turned this attention to me.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“So you understand. You are in danger. The moment I took you into my life, I exposed you to threats you will never fully understand. That’s why you’re here in the Fortress.
This is the only place in the world where you’re safe.
That’s why you aren’t allowed to leave. Out there, I can’t guarantee my enemies won’t hurt you. ”
I let that slowly sink in. I knew he lived a dangerous and violent life, but I hadn’t fully connected that back to me.
I’m his wife now, and everyone knows it. Stepping into my dead fiancé’s place at my own wedding in front of dozens of people guaranteed the whole world would hear what happened.
If there’s one thing that constantly surprises me about hardened criminals, it’s how much they love to gossip.
But an even worse realization hits me.
“Rosie’s a target now too.”
He nods slowly. “That’s right.”
“You did that.” My eyes go wide as it rolls over me. “If you hadn’t married me, she’d be back in New York. She’d be safe.” I advance on him. I know it’s foolish, but I’m so angry I can’t think straight.
This selfish bastard put my daughter in danger.
She was fine before. But now she’s trapped on some crazy island with her psychopath biological father, and other vicious monsters want to hurt her just to get at him.
He turns to face me. “She was always in danger.”
“You bastard. You did this.” I ball my hands into fists and grit my teeth. “You could’ve left us alone. Nobody knew. Nobody was ever going to find out.”
“You’re wrong, Allie.”
I don’t hear him. I lash out blindly, swinging my fists at him. I don’t want to hurt him, but I do want to pound on his chest until he understands.
My daughter is more important than anything else in this world.
He catches my wrists and easily turns me. I slam against the glass with a sharp gasp. It’s cold against my back and arms as he pins me there, his monstrous body massive and powerful. I’m like a twig and he’s a hurricane. He could break me with the slightest twitch of his muscles.
His smell washes over me. We’re inches apart. His heat rolls against my skin. His breath is damp on my lips as he leans down into my face like a starving dire wolf.
“I saved our daughter’s life,” he whispers.
“Let go of me.”
“You have no idea what you’re doing, baby.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Dragons don’t get to keep secrets like Rosie. Someone would have put it together eventually, and if she weren’t under my protection, she’d be vulnerable. I took you and our daughter because I had no other choice.”
“Liar. Dragons have plenty of secrets. My father didn’t even know you’re the one who got me pregnant. If you had let me marry Salvatore—”
“And watch my woman and my child live with some weaker fucking man?” He snarls in my face. It’s the first sign of deep emotion he’s shown so far. “I couldn’t stand the thought.”
“This was never about Rosie’s safety.” I struggle to keep myself calm.
A thrumming fills my core. His masculine power is oppressive and addictive.
I remember the night we had together. How good it felt to give myself to him.
The way he filled me, whispered to me, held me down with his massive, strong body, and fucked me until there was nothing left in the world but wanting more.
I haven’t been this close to a man since then.
“What was it about then?”
“You just wanted your little toy back.”
His head tilts. He looks surprised. Then he licks his lips and a darkness settles over his expression. “You think you’re my toy, baby?”
“I’m sure as hell not really your wife.”
“Oh, but you’re wrong. The Five Families all witnessed our vows. You signed the papers. You’re mine, Allie. And if you won’t be my queen, then you’re right, I’ll make you something else.”
His knee slides forward between my legs. I gasp as his thigh roughly pushes against my aching, soaking core. Pleasure fills my spine and I struggle not to moan.
“I’ll scream if you don’t get off me.”
“Go ahead. Scream until your throat bleeds. It won’t make a difference.” He moves closer. I whimper at the sensation. It feels so good and I hate him for it. “You are mine, Allie. You’re my woman. I won’t live without you.”
“Then you’d better work on dying.”
“Clever girl. You think your father is going to help? He’s not a fool. He knows how it benefits him to give you to me. The Families will fall into line too.”
That catches my attention. “Some of them don’t agree with this, do they?”
His jaw works in frustration. “That doesn’t matter.”
Maybe not to him. But to me, it’s everything.
That means there are powerful people out there who might be willing to help me.
Hope blossoms in my chest.
“Let go of me, Mass.”
He doesn’t move. He stays there and I breathe hard, afraid he’ll push this. And what will happen if he does? Can I fight him when my body’s screaming for more?
Relief hits me when he pulls away. I can tell it’s not easy for him. I slump backward, catching my breath. My heart’s beating so hard I feel lightheaded. I want him to come back, bite my lip, pull my hair, and spank me the way he did that night.
Instead, I straighten myself and cross my arms over my chest.
He storms away, muttering to himself in Italian. I can’t hear the words, but they’re not happy. He pours another drink, throws it back, and gives me a hard stare.
“I’m going to bed. I expect you to join me soon.”
“Should I curtsey and call you my lord too?”
“Such a fucking mouth on you. I can’t wait to make it all sloppy and spitty and punish you with my big cock.”
I gasp in shock as he strides off. He disappears around the corner and up the steps, leaving me alone and shell-shocked.
That was too damn close.
I nearly did something stupid.
I can’t cross that line. Even if I’m physically attracted to him, I have to keep some distance between us. Once things blur, I’m not sure what I’m going to do.
I need to control myself for my daughter’s sake.
The elevator suddenly dings. I yelp in surprise as adrenaline floods my system. The doors slide open to reveal a single cart with a dinner tray on top.
The meal I ordered.
I have to take a second to gather myself before I can wheel it inside. The smell is incredible. I was a lot hungrier than I expected. I transfer everything to the table and settle down to eat when I notice a strange piece of paper taped to the top of the half-dome used to keep my plate warm.
Frowning, I gently peel it away. The words are written in black pen. I don’t recognize the handwriting.
Meet me tomorrow in the solarium at noon if you want to get out of here alive.
I have to go over them a few times before they make sense.
Who sent me this note? And does Mass know about it? But no, of course he doesn’t. If he did, there’s no way it would’ve gotten to me.
I quickly crumple it up, soak it in water, and shove it down the garbage disposal. It grinds into a pulp and disappears.
The solarium at noon.
This could be a trap. Mass just got done telling me that he has serious enemies.
But he also told me I have allies.
I don’t want to get tangled in some cryptic game, but I have no other leads and nothing to lose right now.
I force myself to eat while thinking about my terrifying husband and how I need to get out of here before my resolve completely shatters.