Chapter 2
Isabella
When I wake, the first thing I experience is a sharp pain shooting down my arm. I’ve been lying on it awkwardly. Sitting up, I rotate my shoulder to tease the tension. It takes a moment but, eventually, the pain fades to a dull ache.
The second thing I register is surprise. I thought when Antonio appeared in my bedroom, looking like an avenging angel, that he was going to kill me. It seems, in fact, he’s taken me to his Manhattan townhouse. Though I only shared this room with him for the few short weeks that our marriage was good, I instantly recognize the warm, earthy tones of the décor. The solid wooden bed I’m lying on is so large and imposing, I’m sure it was originally built for a Viking.
The third thing that grips me is a gut-wrenching twinge of regret. I killed a man. I battered Rico with a cast-iron skillet. Even as he lay helpless on the floor, I carried on hitting him. It was horrific, but what choice did I have? The man has been harassing me for months, cornering me in different parts of the house and touching me against my will. Today, I thought he was going to hurt me. If he’d carried out his threats, he couldn’t have risked leaving me alive to tell the tale. I have to remember that if I’m going to cope with the guilt of ending his life. It was him or me.
When I get up from the bed, I realize I’m wearing a black t-shirt that isn’t mine. It’s several sizes too big and falls to the top of my thighs. At some point, Antonio must have undressed me. How do I feel about that? It’s okay, I guess. He’s seen me naked before and I suppose I should be grateful not to be waking up in blood-soaked clothing. That would have freaked me out. I’d probably have fainted again.
The curtains are open, letting light into the room. It’s obviously daytime, but is it still Wednesday or did I sleep through an entire day? I must have been completely out of it if Antonio was able to move me to his house without waking me, so who knows?
Feeling grimy, I decide to go for a shower. When I push open the bathroom door, I’m hit by the familiar scent of Antonio’s body wash. The citrus notes make me think of long walks on a summer day. I shake my head. Ridiculous. As if Antonio and I ever took the time to go for a romantic stroll.
I strip off Antonio’s t-shirt and my panties, then get into the shower cubicle. The water temperature is preset the way my husband likes it so I don’t mess with the dials, just press the button to get the water flowing. It’s a couple of degrees cooler than I’m comfortable with, but I guess it’s invigorating and I need to wake up a bit.
I tilt my face up toward the water and let it stream over me for a minute before turning to wash my hair. It’s a tangled mess and I have to rake my fingers through it to get the worst of the knots out. I know I got blood in it so I don’t dare look at the floor of the shower in case the water running off me is pink. I shampoo thoroughly, rinse and repeat until I’m finally able to convince myself I’m clean.
Switching off the water, I get out of the shower and grab a towel. I dry myself quickly and put my panties and the t-shirt back on. There might still be some of my clothes in the closet in the bedroom, but I can’t bring myself to look. Though Antonio discarded me a year ago, I don’t think I could bear it if he’s wiped away every last trace of my existence.
Leaving my hair to drip dry, I come back out into the bedroom. As I head for the door, intending to track down Antonio and find out what he plans to do with me, I spot a tray by the fireplace. Curious, I go to check it out. There’s a bottle of water on it, along with a ham and tomato sandwich and a chocolate chip cookie.
I assume the food has been left for me, so I make myself comfortable in the armchair and grab the sandwich. While I eat, enjoying how the saltiness of the ham is tempered by the sweetness of the tomato, I wonder why I’m back here in the home I was banished from. A year ago, when I made the biggest mistake of my life by letting Antonio’s enemies into the house, I thought he’d put a bullet in my head. Though I thought I was doing the right thing at the time, I knew he wouldn’t see things that way. I was surprised he let me live. Now that I’ve killed one of his men, I can’t believe he’ll be merciful again. I know how the mob works—an eye for an eye.
Perhaps my estranged husband has different plans for me. There are worse fates than death. He might intend to send me to a whorehouse or sell me to some monster who’d make my life a living hell. Or perhaps I’m being overly dramatic and he’s finally going to give me a chance to explain my side of the story.
There’s only one way to find out what’s going through Antonio’s mind. Taking a quick drink of water and a large bite of the gooey cookie that tastes incredible, I get up and go to the door. I half expect to find it locked, but it isn’t. There’s no guard in the corridor either. As I walk along the passageway and downstairs into the grand entrance hall, I don’t encounter any of Antonio’s men. I feel freer than I have in a long time. For the past year, I’ve had someone dogging my steps whenever I left the sanctuary of my bedroom. A simple walk on the beach became a military operation. This feels, well, nice, until the thought occurs to me it might be a test. If I walk out the front door, will someone drag me back inside and lock me in a cell in the basement? I know there is one. I’ve been held in it before.
It’s better not to risk it. Running from Antonio is not an option. I turn left and walk along the corridor toward the study. The hardwood floor is cold beneath my feet. When I get to the room where Antonio conducts business, I hear someone speaking. The deep, masculine voice is achingly familiar. The tug at my heart tells me I missed Antonio more than I realized. I listen for a moment and conclude he’s the only one speaking. He must be making a phone call.
Indecision grips me. If he’s busy, interrupting him might not be the best idea. Antonio has always been intensely focused on his work. I don’t want to anger him. Looking back along the corridor, I consider whether I should return to the bedroom and wait for him to come to me. No, I’m done with being at the mercy of his whims. I need to be brave and deal with him.
Gathering my courage, I knock on the door. A moment later, it opens and I swear my heart stops beating. Antonio’s impressive frame fills the doorway. He isn’t wearing a jacket and tie for once. The top button of his shirt is open and the sleeves are rolled up to reveal his tanned forearms. His dark brown hair is immaculately styled. With his cellphone pressed to his ear, he looks pissed at my intrusion.
“I’ll talk to you later,” he tells whoever he was speaking to before ending the call.
He looks me up and down, his cool blue eyes raking over my bare legs. “Isabella.”
The way he drags my name over his tongue sends a delicious shiver down my spine.
“Antonio,” I acknowledge him in return. “Am I disturbing you?”
For several long seconds, he doesn’t answer. He just stares at me, an inscrutable expression on his face. “Yes, Isabella, you are.”
Nodding, I turn to leave. A firm hand on my arm stops me. I look down to where Antonio’s touch sears my skin.
“Come into my office. We need to talk.”
He releases my arm and moves back into the room, leaving me to follow. He goes to sit behind the large wooden desk. As I take the seat opposite, Antonio places his cellphone in the desk drawer and locks it. He’s always been paranoid about someone tampering with his phone.
It’s hard not to think back to the last time I was here, facing Antonio’s four brothers as they informed me I was to be sent away. Only Matteo, who I’ve known since elementary school, tried to calm my fears with his sympathetic glances. The others would have happily strangled me on the spot, even Gio, who’s so sweet it’s hard to believe he’s part of the mafia.
“You’ve made a hell of a mess, Isabella.” Antonio’s admonishment drags me back to the present.
“I know, but…”
He holds up a hand to silence me. Will he not even listen to my version of events? Disappointed, I snap my mouth shut.
“You don’t have to say a word. I know Rico threatened you, put his hands on you. I watched the video.”
Hope sweeps through me at the note of regret in his voice. Perhaps he won’t punish me for killing Rico. Then I realize what he said and frown.
“What video?”
“You didn’t think I left you there without surveillance?”
My entire body bristles with indignation. It was bad enough having guards making sure I didn’t go anywhere or see anyone without Antonio’s approval. Now I find out I was being monitored by cameras as well.
“You’ve been watching me?” I knew there were cameras placed discreetly at the front and back doors, but I didn’t realize there were any inside the house.
“Not me personally.” Antonio’s tone is tinged with disdain. Of course, he wouldn’t waste his own time spying on me.
“Then who?”
“Leo and his guys.”
I’m not sure how I feel about that. It’s such a violation of my privacy and I hate the thought of a cocky asshole like Leonardo Volante judging my every move. He’s always been my least favorite of the brothers, although I have to admit he was kind to me when he found me with Rico’s body.
“So, where was your surveillance when that creep was following me around, making lewd suggestions?” I demand. “Is it true you told Rico he could do whatever he liked to me?”
Antonio stiffens, his shoulders pulling back. “I gave him strict instructions to treat you with respect.”
I believe him. You can’t fake the outrage I hear in his voice.
Antonio scowls at me. “You seriously think I gave him free rein to do whatever he wanted to you?”
“I guess not.” Now that I think about it, I never really believed Antonio would permit that. It wasn’t because I imagined for one minute he actually cared about me. Something primal motivates men like Antonio. “I knew you wouldn’t allow another man to touch your property.”
Antonio doesn’t react when I describe myself that way. The arrogant swine actually believes I belong to him, since he put a ring on my finger. I grew up around men like him. Their mindset regarding women is stuck in the Middle Ages.
“If you suspected he was acting against orders, why didn’t you ask one of the other guards for help?” Antonio steeples his fingers as he mulls over his own question.
“They’d stick together, act as if I was being hysterical.”
Antonio nods, apparently realizing I’m right. “Why didn’t you call me?”
Contacting him hadn’t seemed like an option. I doubted he would help, considering he hadn’t spoken to me since the night he was shot.
“Why would I call you, Antonio? It was quite clear you wanted nothing to do with me.”
As he rises from his chair, I grasp the edge of mine, digging my fingers into the dark green leather. What is he doing? He comes around to my side of the desk and leans back against it. He cups my cheek with his hand. It’s a tender gesture, at odds with the dark desire in his eyes.
“Oh, Isabella, where did you get the idea I want nothing to do with you?”
Fuck! His smoldering gaze makes my pulse race. My clit throbs as I imagine his hand trailing lower, exploring my body. I picture him parting my legs and caressing me through the lace of my panties and then pushing a long, thick finger inside me. Just the thought makes me wet.
“Did you eat the snack I left for you?” Antonio asks.
The unexpected question jolts me from the salacious thoughts I was having. “Uh, yes.”
“You don’t feel unwell? Faint?”
Where has this concern for my welfare come from? He’s spent the entire year demonstrating he no longer cares about me. Perhaps he’s worried I’ll pass out before he has the chance to tell me what he intends to do with me.
“No, I feel fine.”
A wicked grin crosses his lips. “Then I want you to stand up, remove your panties, and bend over the desk.”
“What?” The command startles me. “Why?”
“You remember our wedding night?”
I remember it vividly. It would be impossible to forget the night I lost my virginity to the last man I ever expected to find myself married to. Though I’d been around the Volantes since I was a child, Matteo was the one I was friends with. I’d never thought his oldest brother would end up asking for my hand. Not that he actually asked. He summoned my father to a meeting one day and told him he was going to marry me. Since nobody argues with the head of one of the most powerful mob families in North America, my father agreed.
Antonio was the scariest man I’d ever encountered, but our wedding night wasn’t the ordeal I’d anticipated. Despite his gruff demeanor during our brief courtship, he took care of me, ensuring I was ready for him. He’d been so tender I’d deluded myself I was living in some sort of fairytale, despite his ominous warning that he’d spank me if I stepped out of line. I assume that’s the threat he wants me to remember now.
“Of course I do.”
“Then you recall I said your actions would have consequences?”
I snort derisively. “Are you planning to spank me for what happened a year ago, or for defending myself against a man who intended to rape me?”
He actually flinches at the accusing tone of my voice. Antonio sanctions acts of savage violence on a regular basis, but he can’t bear the thought of a woman being taken against her will.
“Neither. Your exile was punishment for your treachery, and I commend you for dealing with Rico so thoroughly.”
Well, that was unexpected. He sounded genuinely proud of me for standing up for myself.
“Oh.” I don’t know what else to say.
“What I’m going to spank you for is dialing 911.”
I still haven’t worked out how Leo Volante interrupted my call, but I have to admit I was relieved when he turned up instead of the police. Though I’ve always feared the man, I knew he would take care of things.
“You can’t punish me for that. I panicked.”
“Panic leads to mistakes. You need to learn to keep a cool head.” He removes his watch and sets it down on the desk. My heart thuds. “A spanking will remind you to remain calm under pressure.”
He’s basically suggesting he can train me to react to situations the way he wants me to through fear of being punished. I’m sure he is capable of programming a person’s behavior, but I’m equally certain I can prevent it from happening.
“And if I refuse?”
He spreads his arms wide. “Then you know where the door is.”
Surprise forces a gasp from my lungs. “I can leave?”
After a year of captivity, that seems too good to be true.
“Of course. Nobody’s forcing you to stay here.” He smiles darkly. “But you may want to consider what lies outside of these four walls.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you leave, you will no longer enjoy the protection my name offers. The Mancini family will come looking for answers. I hope you’re ready for them.”
It’s shitty of him to hold that over me, but I don’t bother to tell him that. Men like Antonio operate in a murky world. He’s used to coercing people into doing whatever he wants. He won’t give a damn if I call him out for being a bastard.
“You know I’m not.” I sigh resignedly. “You really want to spank me?”
Antonio nods. “It will help establish how things are going to be from now on.”
“How will things be from now on?”
Antonio bares his teeth in a feral grin. “You will assume all of your duties as my wife, but you will not be permitted to leave the house or have guests without my approval. You will obey my instructions without question, accept any disciplinary measures I impose, and share my bed. Of course if you ever cross me again, I will not be merciful.” He pauses, giving me a moment to absorb what he’s just said. “So, are you going to do as I asked, or should I call you a cab?”
I can’t prevent myself from releasing a sound of disbelief. He’ll call me a cab? It’s Antonio’s way of letting me know if I reject his terms, I’m truly on my own. He’s not even offering to have me driven somewhere, which is kind of brutal. It’s not as if I have a place to go. My parents haven’t contacted me at all in the past year, so I doubt they’d be waiting with open arms if I left Antonio.
Going out into the world alone isn’t an attractive option, but I’m not sure the prospect of living here with Antonio is any less frightening. Though he said my exile was punishment for betraying him, I can’t believe he would let go of that so easily. Whether he intends to or not, he’ll probably continue to make my life hell for the stupid mistake I made when I let Joey Gallo and his cousin into the house. Yet a part of me wants to resume our marriage. I need to put things right between us without revealing why I opened the door to his enemies that night. It’s a secret I promised to keep and I intend to honor that vow.
“Okay,” I say before I can slip into a spiral of indecision. “I’ll do as you ask.”
A smug smile curves Antonio’s lips. “Good girl.”
He steps to the side to give me room to move. I get up from my seat and slip off my lacy blue panties. A cool breeze whispers across my skin as I bend over the desk, the t-shirt riding up to expose my bare butt. I assume what I think is an appropriate position, with my palms on the desk. Antonio moves behind me and tuts disapprovingly.
“This won’t do, Isabella. Lay your upper body on the desk and stretch your arms up over your head.”
He taps the insides of my ankles with his foot. “And spread your legs wider.”
Ugh! I should have known he would demand a show of supplication. I arrange myself as he asked and try to get comfortable. With my body draped over the desk and my ass presented for punishment, I’m intensely aware of how vulnerable I am right now. I’m putting myself in the hands of a man who has every reason to hate me. But somehow, I’m sure he’s not going to harm me.
“Brace yourself, Bella. This is going to hurt.”
I’m so surprised by him addressing me with a degree of tenderness, I don’t register his warning. His palm cracks down on my bare ass and my mouth falls open. I expected that to hurt. Instead, what I feel is a pleasant warmth spreading across my butt and winding its way between my legs.
Just as the thought enters my head that this is going to be a walk in the park, Antonio dispels that foolish notion. He delivers several sharp smacks, alternating between my left and right buttocks. I have no idea how many times he’s spanked me so far, but each blow is more intense than the last. My flesh warms, and the discomfort builds in tandem with an unexpected surge of arousal. I have to work hard to keep my breathing steady.
Antonio delivers another slap to my already tender flesh, and this time I can’t help but react. I gasp loudly and clench my fists. I want to squeeze my thighs together, but my eagle-eyed husband would notice any movement. It’s better if he doesn’t know the effect he’s having on me. Realizing I’m getting turned on by being spanked might give him ideas.
“How do you feel?” Antonio asks.
“Sore.” I don’t tell him about the internal ache that needs to be soothed.
“Already?” he scoffs. “Such a pity because you’re going to take ten with my belt.”
“What?”
Startled, I rear up from the desk. Antonio catches me, his hands wrapping around my upper arms. He leans in close to whisper in my ear, not because he’s afraid of being overheard, but to be extra menacing. A shudder runs down my spine.
“If you want me to stop, all you have to do is yell taxi.”
My jaw clenches. Antonio can be an evil swine when he wants to be. He’s aware I can’t risk walking away from his protection. With no other option but to comply, I bow my head in defeat.
“Good girl. I knew you’d make the smart choice.”
It’s not the smart choice. It’s the only one I’ve got, and he knows it. Eventually, Rico’s family will wonder if I have information about his death and they’ll come looking for me. Antonio can keep me safe.
“Now, get back in position.”
Antonio lets go of my arms and I lie across the desk once more with my arms stretched out over my head. I push up onto my tiptoes so I can reach the opposite side and curl my fingers around the edge of the desk. Hopefully, having something to hold on to will help me get through this.
My heart rate picks up as I hear Antonio unbuckling his belt and sliding it through the loops of his dress pants. I grit my teeth. How bad is this going to be? His hand made my ass burn. A belt is surely going to hurt more. Gripping the edge of the desk, I suck in a breath and wait for him to begin.