Chapter 7 #2
I choked down a maddened laugh that threatened to bubble from my chest. Of course he would hurt me. Or worse, he’d make me experience pleasure again when all I wanted to feel was revulsion. That was far more devastating than a slap to the face.
Luca opened his mouth to say something else, but Alberto stirred with a groan. Luca rounded on him and delivered a vicious kick to his gut.
“Stay down,” my husband growled. “You’re lucky to be alive. Tell anyone about what happened here, and you won’t be. You’ll never see Nora again.”
Alberto spluttered, unable to rise even if he’d wanted to.
Satisfied that the threat was thoroughly dealt with, Luca turned back to me.
“I’m taking you upstairs,” he told me, the hard planes of his handsome face firm with resolve. “You’re hurt. I’m going to carry you.”
I didn’t want him to touch me. I wanted to crawl out of my own filthy skin.
But I didn’t try to fight him when he gathered me up in his strong arms and cradled me against his chest as though I weighed nothing. I closed my eyes against the shame that rolled over me in a searing wave and clutched my torn dress together at the bodice.
“What’s going on?” A stranger’s voice asked. I peeked through lowered lashes and recognized Gabriele, my guard from earlier today and one of the witnesses at our sham wedding.
“Alberto Ricci is in the library,” Luca said, cold and controlled. So unlike the heated, half feral way he’d snarled at my cousin. “Make sure he finds his way onto the street. He’s not welcome in my home.”
Gabriele glanced at me, taking in my torn dress and stinging cheeks, which must be red from where Alberto had slapped me. He seemed to understand the basics of what had happened in the library solely by looking at my disheveled state.
“I’ll take care of it,” he confirmed to Luca.
“Ask Lorenzo to make our excuses to our guests. My bride is unwell.”
Gabriele nodded, and Luca resumed our progress toward the stairs, carrying me up to our bedroom in tense silence. His muscles rippled around me with barely suppressed violence, but he handled me as carefully as though I was made of glass.
We entered the bedroom, and he softly pushed the door shut behind us, like he knew that I would jolt if he made any sudden noises.
He crossed the room to the enormous leather armchair in the corner and sat down with me in his arms. He settled me over his lap, keeping a gentle hold on me.
I realized that my skin was frigid, and I shivered against his warm body.
His big hands ran up and down my arms, soothing away the goosebumps.
“I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again,” he swore, tone low and dark. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there in time to stop him.”
I blinked up at him and found his ochre gaze focused on something I couldn’t see, something far off in the distance. Anger simmered in the depths of his eyes, was apparent in the granite set of his jaw. And there was something like pain in the harsh slash of his mouth.
“You stopped him,” I murmured, unsure why I was drawn to absolve my monstrous husband.
His dark gaze focused on me, roving over my stinging cheeks before dipping down to my ruined dress.
“Not soon enough.” A touch of the growl returned to his voice.
He took a breath and briefly closed his eyes, as though mastering his most feral emotions.
When he opened them again, he appeared calmly controlled, more like the man who had pledged his eternity to me with solemn determination.
“Has Alberto ever done that to you before?” His teeth flashed on my cousin’s name, but otherwise, he remained composed.
I shook my head, distracted from my distress by the puzzle of my mercurial husband. “He’s never taken things that far.”
Luca’s brows drew together. “He’s hurt you before.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes,” I said softly, voice strangely small. I felt very young and far too vulnerable. I hugged my arms around my chest, drawing my ruined dress more tightly around myself.
Luca lifted his hand to my hair, and I barely suppressed the urge to flinch away from his touch. Instead, I sat stiffly as he stroked his long fingers through the brunette locks in a slow, soothing rhythm. He’d petted me like this last night, when he’d taken my virginity so ruthlessly.
My insides squirmed. The tender touch tempted me with comfort, but I could still feel the taint of Alberto’s groping hands on my skin.
“He’ll never breathe the same air as you again,” Luca vowed.
My breath caught. “Are you going to kill him?”
I didn’t know if I wanted to see my cousin murdered. I never wanted him to touch me again, but was I savage enough to wish him dead?
Luca saved me from the internal conflict. “No,” he bit out, but his hand remained gentle in my hair. “I can’t kill him. He’s family now that we’re married. But I’ll make sure he never comes anywhere near you.”
Relief rolled through me in a riptide, strong enough to make my eyes sting. I blinked rapidly to dispel the tears before they could fall.
“It’s okay,” Luca promised softly. “I’ve got you. You’re safe now.”
Yes, I was safe from Alberto. But who would protect me from my husband?
I shivered and pressed closer to his body heat before I could stop myself. He frowned down at me.
“You’re cold. I’ll draw a bath for you.”
“Okay,” I whispered, suddenly exhausted. Yes, I wanted to wash the filth from my skin. And I didn’t want Luca to keep touching me. It was making me want to cry, and I couldn’t risk that. Not in front of him.
He shifted our positions, nestling me in the big chair while he went to pull the duvet off the bed. He tucked it around me and pressed a quick kiss to my forehead.
“I’m not going to let anything bad happen to you,” he pledged, rich brown eyes earnest on mine. “I’ll take care of you, Nora.”
I nodded mutely, unsure what to say. That I was grateful to him for saving me? That I hated him for forcing me into this marriage?
I just wanted to sink into sleep and then wake up from this nightmare.
Mercifully, he left me alone and went to fill the tub.
Within a few minutes, soft floral scents wafted through the bedroom.
He was drawing a bubble bath for me. The tenderness of the act was bizarre and completely incongruous with the man who’d humiliated me with dark pleasure when all I wanted was to hate him with every fiber of my being.
I shuddered and sank deeper into the duvet, but it didn’t chase the chill from my bones. Luca was only in the next room, but I’d never felt more alone.