Chapter Nine
Roselyn
I t’s been three weeks since I’ve been locked up in this mansion. I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t asked the maid for the time and date.
Devious brought me my food earlier, and I’m betting that he’s waiting for the right time to fuck me, but I’m going to hold on to my virginity as long as I want to. That is one part of me I’m not giving up to him. I will not allow him to use me as his sex toy.
Nero wasn’t lying about me having a rape fantasy, but I’ll never admit it to Devious. Earlier, when the maid came inside to change the sheets and clean my room, I peeked out the door, spotted Max standing across the hall, leaning against the gray wall, and another guard standing next to my door, so I sat back on the bed, watching the maid do her job.
Sighing, I come to the conclusion it’s going to take a lot for me to earn Devious’s trust, and when I do, I’m going to escape. I don’t know how, but I am. I’m not staying in this hellhole.
Once the maid leaves my room, I step out of the shower, wrap a cotton towel around my wet body, and I stand in front of the mirror as I brush my tangled hair. I stare at myself in the mirror because this isn’t the life I envisioned for myself. I can’t take another minute locked up in this mansion, it’s torture. But I won’t give in to being his whore. I can’t give up because this is about who has all of the cards, it’s a power play. He’s trying to break me.
After I finish washing my face and brushing my teeth, I head to the bedroom, look up, and scream at the top of my lungs.
Devious leans against the oak dresser, with his arms folded across his chest, staring at me. He wears an expensive suit that fits his body, and he looks like a powerful CEO of a company, but I know the real truth. People have died at his hands. He’s a monster. He’s a beast. Beastly, that’s what I call him in my head.
I place my palms over my chest. “Beastly, you scared me!”
My cheeks flame as I look down at the hardwood floors, then back at him. I didn’t expect the nickname to slip from my lips.
His eyes zero in on my bare shoulders. “Beastly? Is that what you call me?”
I hold the towel tightly, offering him a fake smile. “In my head. You remind me of a beast.” I clear my throat.
A smile ghosts his lips as he eyes my towel. “Have you thought about what I said?”
“Me acting like your wife.”
He nods, and I inhale his expensive cologne. “No. I pick neither. You’re not taking my virginity.”
He smirks, stalks up to me, stroking the side of my cheek. “Is that a challenge?”
I shrug. “Maybe or maybe not.”
“You’re going to have to pick, Roselyn. I prefer you to act like my wife than my pet. I want to show you something.”
“I thought I couldn’t leave this room.”
“No, it doesn’t make any sense for me to keep you in this room for the rest of your life.”
He places his hand around my neck, squeezing, but not enough to cut off my airway.
“Make no mistake about this, Roselyn Marie Vitali. If you ever try to kill me again, I will kill you then bury you in a shallow grave. Don’t take my kindness for weakness. I usually don’t give second chances.”
He lets me go, and fear wraps around me like a warm blanket. I’m still going to escape him. By using his feelings against him, I’ll make him fall in love with me, and when he does, I’ll betray him. I’m going to play nice for now.
The towel falls to the floor, exposing my naked body, and he eyes me like a piece of meat. I rush to the bed, putting on my clothes. His eyes drop down to my clothing, and arousal grows in the pit of my stomach. I can’t lie, I often wonder how he would feel between my legs, but I have to remind myself that I’m his captive and I’m here to pay a debt that my father owed.
This isn’t a fairy tale where I fall in love with him, where the mafia princess gets her happy ending.
He slides his hands into his dress pants pockets, licking his lips.
To break the tension between us, I say, “Thank you for sparing my life.”
He nods. “Follow me.”
I swallow loudly, and I follow him out of the room, noting that we’re passing different rooms, and a few of the maids, dressed in white, are cleaning them.
We reach a floor-to-ceiling window. Next to it is an elevator, so I step inside next to him, and he taps the Up button. The door whistles as it closes. How much money is Devious is worth? I know he’s a billionaire, he’s my father’s boss, after all.
“How much billions are you worth?” I chew on the end of my thumb nail.
He cocks his eyebrow. “Don’t you mean we ?”
I shake my head, and rock on my heels. “I don’t have any money, Cayden. I’m broke.”
He looks down at me, his demeanor stiff and hard.
The elevator doors slide open, and I look at a room. Different paintings hang on the wall. Lavender hits my nostrils, and I step onto the pale wooden floors.
“We’re worth thirty-eight billion dollars. As long as you’re my wife, you’re rich too. I’ll give you access to my bank accounts, once I know I can trust you not to leave me. You have to earn that, and I’ll make sure to provide you with everything you need.”
I notice there is a lot of art stuff around: oil paints, canvases, stuff to make sculptures, and a few shelves filled with fiction books, and next to them is a colorful beanbag.
“Do you get your billions from your illegal businesses? How come you don’t have any of the Feds coming after you?”
I keep my eyes glued to the paintings on the wall. It’s like he bought the whole damn store.
“I have legal businesses, and I use my illegal money to launder through them, which makes our network over fifteen billion. Plus, I’m protected by the American Gods.”
“What do you own?”
“I own apartment buildings, gas stations, hotels, plus the Feds wouldn’t come after me anyways because they are benefiting from us.” He leans against the wall and slides his fingers into his pockets.
“Oh.” I crinkle my nose. “My father doesn’t tell me what goes on in the mafia.”
“He’s not supposed to.”
“Then why are you telling me?”
“Now, let’s go over the ground rules,” he says, ignoring my question.
I sit on a stool in front of him, and he looks at my mouth, then his crotch. Sick bastard. Probably imagining me sucking his dick. Now I’m imagining it. I feel my cheeks warming.
“You’re not allowed to leave the property. If you need anything, you let Marla know. She will come by to check on you, or you can let the maid know that cleans your room.” He looks around the sunlit room. “Your father told me you love art, so I made this room to be yours. It was supposed to be a wedding present. But, you know, you ruined that night.” He looks at his smartwatch. “I have to go work, I’m late.”
He steps back into the elevator, his eyes not leaving mine as the door closes.
Why would he give me an art room for a wedding present? That was very sweet of him to do this, and maybe he has a heart. Maybe he is sweet. He did spare my life after I tried to kill him.
No, Roselyn, do not fall for his charms. He’s your enemy and he’s holding you captive, and you’re forced to pay a debt your father owed. You’re a business transaction. Nothing more and nothing less. He wants to fuck you, use you like a sex toy and discard you like old shoes. He also killed Tommy, an innocent person. Get out of your head. Stick to the plan and escape this hellhole.