Chapter 8
TIFFANY
The instant the word leaves my lips, he releases my neck, and I take in a deep breath of air, loving the sudden rush to my lungs. My body is limp, almost exhausted, and yet saying her name aligned with my darkest secret isn’t as terrifying in this room for some reason.
“Morgan.” He repeats the name of my biggest fear, and I nod, sensing I just experienced an epic battle that required mere thought, not physicality.
“Why do you fear her?”
“I’d rather not say.”
He says nothing, and I attempt to change the subject.
“Is this where your darkest fears come out to play, Mr. Ravera?”
His sharp intake of breath tells me I’m right, and he snaps, “Joseph. You call me Joseph because what bride refers to her husband as Mr. anything?”
“I’m not marrying you.”
I reaffirm that because there will be no doubt about that.
His amused grin causes my blood to boil as he shrugs. “You have no choice, so live with it.”
“Of course I have a choice. Are you mad?”
I am incandescent with rage, and I jump when he pulls me from the bench and slams me hard against the wall. His arms landing on either side of me, locking me in a dark prison.
“You say Morgan is your biggest fear, little one. Well, say hi to her replacement. I’m not playing a game or messing with your mind. I am your husband whether you like it or not, and there is nothing you can do about that.”
His eyes blaze with fury, and I am so shocked I can only stare at him in horror. As his finger trails down my face, he whispers almost to himself, “It’s appropriate to lay down the rules in the dark recess of my home. This is your life now, Tiffany.”
“But–”
His hand slams against my mouth and his eyes burn with power as he hisses, “I am not my brothers, and I don’t play nice. Tomorrow, we marry, and by the end of the day, we will have attempted to make a child. Only when that child is born will you be free to leave.”
“You want a child.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing, and he shakes his head, making me wonder if he is mentally unstable.
“No, I don’t want a child, but under the terms of your father’s will, you must be with child to unlock yours and your sister’s inheritance. If you fail, so do they, and so, out of duty to them, I’m guessing you will agree.”
“I don’t understand.”
I must be in a parallel universe because my mind is scrambled.
What did he just say?
As my head spins, he whispers against my lips, “Welcome to hell, little nun. The devil’s in charge now and he only accepts deals in return for freedom.”
“You’re not the devil.”
I prod the beast, and his low laugh does little to reassure me.
“Possibly not, but in your world, I’m a close second. But I have a proposition for you to ease your burden and help soften the deal.”
“What proposition?”
My legs are shaking and my throat is dry as he presses me against the wall, the color black all around me, seeping into my very soul.
“I will remove your stepmother from your life and take great pleasure in that. I will be your vengeful demon and wipe her from your memory. I will do that for you because I can and because I have a feeling that is what you want the most.”
“You know nothing about me.”
The fact that he’s right isn’t something I want to admit to, and his eyes power into mine as he whispers huskily, “Your stepmother murdered your father. She terrorized you and your sisters, and she is seeking to steal your inheritance. She has made a deal with a known trafficker to sell you and your sisters as sex slaves on an open market and will pocket millions as her share. Then, when you are ruined, broken, and bleeding, she will end your lives in a malicious, agonizing way, just like she did Rose’s mother, just like she plans to do to yours. ”
I’m shaking, the tears falling like a burst pipe as his words hits me hard in the heart.
My voice shakes as I whisper, “You are not the devil, Joseph, because that title belongs to Morgan Sorcusi, so what makes you think you can outsmart her?”
His hands slip from my neck and curl around my waist, and as he slams my body against his, he whispers against my lips, “Because I am holding the weapon she wants the most. The final nail in her coffin, which she is desperate to destroy. You will break that woman under my guidance, and I will be your armor against her. You will be the perfect revenge, my angel, and I already know you want that more than anything, so I will ask you again, what is your biggest fear now?”
As I stare into the madness, hell opens up to me, beckoning me inside, and my first thought is for the Bible placed by my bed upstairs. Is this my temptation, Morgan’s betrayal? Is retribution really the answer, or would forgiveness work better?
I almost can’t breathe as he holds me flush against his body, my mind scrambled as I struggle to find the answer and with a sag to my shoulders, I give him what he wants.
“Me. My biggest fear is me right now because right now, in this room, you are the devil and I couldn’t be happier about that.”
From nowhere, his lips land on mine in a surprise attack, and as our tongues clash, so do our minds. He is rough, not respectful, hungry and obsessive, and rather than be appalled by that, it is exactly what I need right now.
A low moan escapes from somewhere deep inside me, and it doesn’t even shock me when his hand pushes the dress up around my waist. His fingers pushing my panties aside. I should be horrified, disgusted even, but I am too far gone to care.
It’s as if being in this room absolves you of sin, of life, of humanity.
Murder, death, kill, all blend with passion as he bites my neck, causing me to groan out loud, his finger brushing my clit, causing me to pant.
I’m shocked how bold I am when I push my hand under his shirt, connecting with hard, solid muscle, causing the woman inside me to scream.
For some reason, I want more. This isn’t enough, and now getting naked isn’t so shocking anymore.
He pulls away, his hand dropping from my wet center, and the cool composure returns, the fire effectively doused.
“Then we have a deal, Tiffany. Tomorrow, we wed, fuck, followed by retribution, in that order. But first, I understand dinner is served, so if you will follow me, our business inside this room is concluded.”
I have no words, no smart reply, and no idea what just happened. I am surrounded by darkness, physically and mentally, and as he heads to the door, I find my voice.
“You never told me what goes on inside this room.”
“You won’t allow me to show you. When you are ready to remove your clothes and lie on the wooden bench, let me know and it will be my pleasure.”
He opens the door, and the light invades the darkness, causing me to blink, revealing normality. I really do believe I have been down a rabbit hole, and as I walk into the light, I’m mindful that my life will never be the same again.