housewife or plaything?

Jade

The pain was instant. It started from the base of my skull and spread to my temple, setting into a buzzing noise at the back of my head. I pressed my face into the pillow and groaned. I was never listening to Bella ever again.

Twisting my body under the duvet, I reached for the bottle of aspirin she always made sure to leave on the bedside table. Except—there was nothing. She’d never forgotten to lay it out. Ever.

Maybe she decided to make me hangover soup instead, that had to be it. I relaxed into the bed, only sitting up when I heard the door open. 

“Where’s my aspirin?” The question came out as a whisper, because it hurt to even talk. “This is the last time we’re drinking.”

Bella said nothing.

I finally raised my head, hissing when the lights suddenly came on. I was disoriented for a whole minute because then I realized I was not in my room and the person that had walked in wasn’t Bella.

A middle-aged woman stood in front of me, her gaze landing everywhere but on me. “Good morning. The young master asked me to drop these off.” She placed a bottle of painkillers and a bottle of water on the table. 

“Young master?” I was even more confused. “Where am I?”

“The boss, Mr. Salvatore Domenico. This is his estate.”

Memories that had been tucked into the corner of my mind started to rush in at the mention of his name. There was blood, so much of it, and it made me nauseous. 

“And where is he?”

“The young master went for his morning run. He asked me to get you ready and take you down to the kitchen so you can make his breakfast. Everything has been prepared for you.”

I drank the painkillers first, I needed to process what was happening without feeling like my head was at the verge of exploding. 

“What breakfast?” I took a close look at the clothes in her hands, and to my utmost surprise it was a maid uniform. “And who is that for?” I pointed at the bundle in her hands.

“For you to change into. We must hurry, he’ll be back soon, and he gets mad when his food is not ready after he showers.”

I sat up straighter. “I think you’re getting it all wrong. There’s no way he told me to wear that.” I read the annoyance on her face. “No offense to you, that is.” 

“There’s a bathroom behind that door.” She pointed at the other end of the room. “I’ll be back in five minutes. Please, be ready by then.”

I sat there for a good minute trying to wrap my head around what was happening. Salvatore didn’t expect me to serve him, did he?

Yes, I’d agreed to stand in for my sister, that didn’t mean I’d agreed to a life of servitude under his roof. I was going to give him a piece of my mind. The worst thing he’d do would be to kill me, at least I’d be reunited with my sister. It was not like I had anything else to live for. 

Finally, I got up from the bed and made my way to the shower. My entire body ached in protest from the movement. I stood under the hot water hoping that it’d burn off every part of me that Salvatore had touched.

Still, my mind automatically went to the way his hand had wrapped around my dick. I wasn’t the type to touch myself but, my eyes fell close and my hand cupped the base of my dick before I could process what I was doing.

I had no idea what I was doing, but it felt good all the same. I threw my head back when Salvatore’s hand replaced mine, a moan slipping through my lips. His hot breath was on my neck as he pumped faster, already pushing me to the brink of madness.

I was almost there—heart thudding furiously in my chest—when a loud knock snapped me out just when I was about to climax. 

“Fuck!” I hissed, my balls aching with the need to release. 

There was another loud knock. 

“I’m in the shower!” I yelled back, quickly rinsing off. The person knocked  again. “I said I was coming—” I froze when the door opened with a loud bang. Salvatore walked in, wearing a tanktop and shorts that showed off his calves. 

Holy fuck.

“Did Fransesca not tell you to get my breakfast ready?” His face was blank, sweat dripping down the sides of his face.

“About that…I’m a bit confused. Why am I the one making your breakfast? And what is that uniform you asked me to put on?”

He raised a brow. “What’s there to be confused about? A wife is supposed to make breakfast, and everyone under my care wears the uniform.”

My blood started to boil. “Breakfast I can understand. Wearing a maid’s uniform? That I will not take.” 

“And what makes you think you have a choice. Do you need to be reminded that I own you? It’s annoying already that I had to walk all the way down here to get you.” He looked at my naked body when I moved to grab a towel. “Need help with that?”

I followed his gaze down to the boner I was still sporting. “Can I have my privacy?”

He thought about it for a couple seconds. “No. Get your ass out here and get dressed, I don’t have all day. I still need to introduce you to the rest of the staff. Then you need to start your training.”

My face scrunched up. “What training?” I followed him back into the room, almost breaking down in annoyance when he threw the uniform on me.

“How to run my household of course.”

“What?”

That was the first time I saw him smile since he dropped me off in this strange room. “I’m determined to turn you into the best wife there is. Dante will be so jealous.” There was mischief and amusement in his eyes.

I raised the uniform, disgusted at the lace and the femininity of it. “Anything but this.”

“Put it on.” 

His voice made me shudder. “Please…I can’t wear this.”

A dark gaze settled on his face. He took slow deliberate steps towards me—like a predator stalking his prey.

“Say it again.” His voice was dangerously low.

I risked a look at him, having to strain my neck to meet his gaze. “Please…”

A certain hunger took over his being the moment the word left my lips in a breathy gasp, like he would tear me apart where I stood and bury himself deep within my bones. This was what it felt like to have a glimpse of what true hunger was.

None of my past girlfriends had ever looked at me like they wanted to devour me and become one with the very blood that was running through my veins. And I hated that it made me feel…it made me feel.

“Oh, dear wife. The things that you do to me…” he raised his hand slowly to touch my chin, like he was afraid I’d break. “You almost made me give in. But now I want to see how you look with that apron tied to your waist.” He leaned towards me, his breath hot against my ear. “Let me do the honors.” 

I put out my hands to stop him but he brushed them away with ease. He raised the uniform—it was midnight black and ivory white, its simplicity carrying an almost ceremonial precision. 

Every edge of the garment was traced with white lace, the faint fray of threads catching the light like frost against silk. It was indeed beautiful, but in the hands of Salvatore it was as good as handcuffs.

He unzipped the gown and bent down in front of me. “Raise your leg,” he urged. 

“Sal…”

“Raise your leg.” His words were final.

Stepping into the gown was a different type of humiliation. He helped me put my hands through the arm hole before pulling up the zipper.

“Isn’t this too much for just repaying a debt?” I muttered against my better judgement. I felt his hand on my shoulder freeze, and for some reason I went on. “I understand that you want me to work it off, but having me in a maid’s uniform is downright degrading.”

“You think this is about your father owing a couple thousand dollars?” he barked out a laugh that felt like dragging nails along concrete. “This is nothing compared to what you and your family put me through. You will pay for every pain I felt until there’s no dignity left in you.”

He pushed me towards the door. “Hurry up, I’m starving.”

The hallway was long, dark and cold. I could feel the iceiness in the air bite at my bare thighs. He hadn’t even let me put on any underwear. 

I was wrong for thinking Salvatore was the devil, he was much more cruel than that. But another thought buzzed under that. What had my family done to him? For all I knew I’d met him for the first time in my father’s library. I’d have to find out.

The walk from my room to the main house took a good five minutes which left my legs aching. A feeling of dread settled deep in my stomach when we walked through the main door. My head hung low as all eyes turned to me. 

“Everyone, this is Jade Domenico,” the devil announced. 

The murmuring started immediately. I knew without doubt that they recognized the surname, afterall my familia was part of the elite council that ruled all of Italy. 

“He is required to make all my meals, and will remain on kitchen duty until I say otherwise.” He turned to an old woman whose hair was all grey. “Mathilda, show him the ropes, I’ll be down for breakfast after I shower.”

“Yes, young master.” She bowed her head as he walked past the long line of workers that had come out to greet me. 

I was left there, standing awkwardly to the side as everyone stared at me. Going from a mafia prince to a maid in the blink of an eye was a degradation nothing ever prepared you for.

“Come on, everyone. Go back to work,” Mathilda said, clapping her hands in a gesture to get them moving. She looked at me when everyone had dispersed. “You, come with me. I’ll introduce you to the kitchen staff.”

My head was bent low as I followed her into the kitchen where two younger girls were waiting. The one with blonde hair rushed over to me, seemingly delighted with my presence. 

“I can’t believe I finally get to see you in person,” she giggled, standing in front of me with a bright smile. “My name is Elena, I’m your biggest fan.” She pulled me into a hug before I could blink back my surprise.

“You’re going to smother him.” Mathilda pulled her away. “She assists me with cooking and prepping the ingredients I need. Caterina over there cleans up after we’re done and serves the young master.”

I was too stunned to speak.

Mathilda looked like she wanted to say more but decided against it, going back to the stove. “I was already making his breakfast when the young master gave the instruction to have you make it.”

I shifted uncomfortably, pulling the gown down like it would give me back my decency. “I’ve not done this before.”

Elena was back at my side. “Of course, no one expects a mafia prince to be in the kitchen. I’m not sure how you got—” she cleared her throat. “It doesn’t matter. All you need to do is relax, I’ll do all the work. I really don’t mind, being here with you is enough motivation.”

Caterina sneered. “You’re acting like a crazy fan.”

“That’s not so far from the truth,” Elena replied with a grin. “You can pour his coffee, it’s in the moka pot over there. Ms. Mathilda already made his Cornetto. I’ll cut up the fruits for his dessert.”

“Let him do it.” Mathilda gestured to the strawberries on the kitchen island. “He won’t learn if he does nothing. Young master will be back soon.”

Something about the woman’s voice made me feel like I was being scolded by my mother. I walked over to the plate of fruits and picked up the knife, unsure of how to hold it.

“Be careful so you don’t hurt yourself,” Elena chimed beside me. “By the way, you looked like an angel in the last issue of Bachelor’s playbook.” She touched my cheek. “You’re even finer in person.”

“I…uh…thank you?” I remembered the photoshoot she was talking about. It had happened a couple weeks back, the same day Gracie had broken up with me. Even that life seemed so far away.

“I can help you with the fruit.”

I took a nervous look at Mathilda. “It’s fine, I’ll do it—” the knife slipped, slicing through my index finger like it was the fruit in question. 

“Fuck!” 

I looked up to see it was Salvatore that cursed, he’d been standing in the doorway.

“Did I ask you to cut your fucking finger?” he hissed when he got to me. “What are you even good for?”

That question made my heart sink. Nothing. I was good for nothing—I hadn’t even been able to protect my little sister. Should’ve just died along with her.

“I asked you to make my breakfast not bleed out on my fucking floor.” He raised my finger to his lips.

“What are you doing?” I asked, my heartbeat racing. Did he want to cut out my entire finger like he had done to my father? Panic started to set in.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” he kept his eyes on mine as he put my finger in his mouth before sucking gently. His warm tongue twirled around it, making me all too well aware of the lack of space between us. He finally released it with a pop, my blood a flush red on his lower lip.

“I…don’t…” I was a stuttering mess. 

He looked down at my body, immediately clocking my hardened dick. A lazy smile made its way to his face. “I don’t think you hate me as much as you claim.”