I do my duty silently and give Alexi a wide berth all night. The club is bustling, but I feel completely empty inside as I play the role of smiling hostess. He’s left me be, said nothing when I appeared at seven when the doors opened, after hours of composing myself upstairs.
I have been trying to put back on that face of control. He is doing what he does best it seems, acting like nothing is amiss and nothing prior happened to cause any awkwardness. I wouldn’t expect anything less from him to be honest.
I caught the staff whispering and throwing glances my way and I wonder if they are looking for my bruises from what they think must have been an inevitable beating. I mean I did piss off our lord and master and defied him so ruthlessly. What they don’t know is that it was so much worse than that. He has the mental edge over me, knows how to break me, and uses that to control me much more effectively than violence. I gave him something he can use next
If I thought feeling safe that night at the opera was weird, then right now, after everything today, it’s even weirder that I feel it when he’s standing beside me protectively. One thing I can never doubt him for—he will never let anyone else fuck with me the way he does. ‘‘You’re no fun Lex! Getting me all hot and bothered over a new little morsel of delicious, the hair really does it for me.’’ Santagato picks up a strand of my hair and twirls it around his finger, tugging it from my scalp and pulling my face towards him slightly. I try to stand my ground, but I have no strength in me tonight, and I know better than to be obviously combative with this type of man. Still leaning in close, Alexi yanks it free in a smooth abrupt motion that brings a halt to playfulness.
I am rather taken aback that he feels like he owes me an apology when he really does seem like a guy who never would. I misbehaved and he punished me. It’s not often men like that ever think they did something wrong, even if I think he did.Although his little surprising statement makes me feel remorse about this morning too, the way I acted and you know? Throwing grilled cheese. I bite on my lip and sigh at him. I guess the sex chat is obsolete and doesn’t seem to be included in his apology, even though it’s what started my little tantrum, and I should just be the adult I pretended to be last night and forget we even had sex at all.‘‘I shouldn’t have thrown your food at you, and I apologise for ruining your clothes.’’ It’s genuine anyway, even if I sound stilted and sarcastic when I say it. Those were nice trousers and I doubt cheese grease comes out of expensive fabrics without a lot of effort. He’s playing
He’s right, even I know how this business uses any tiny thing to get the upper hand. It’s all about control. Damaging someone’s armour and sliding in below it to use to their full advantage. ‘’You don’t care about me, so this is all so stupid,’’ I say it meekly, meaning every word and knowing it’s true as he comes around to face me and lean back in his original place, resting a foot on the chair I am sat in and looks down at me. ‘’I don’t trust you, I don’t like you most of the time, but I care, whether I want to or not.’’ He frowns at me, no hint of the panic I feel right now in his emotionless face, and he’s infuriatingly cool about this whole thing. He gets up and wanders off again, listless or restless where normally he is as still as a sta
‘‘Move.’’ Alexi pushes me forward across the parking lot aggressively, still glaring at me from the argument we had on the jet here, and I am still sulking about being dumped in my idea of Stepford Wife hell.I haven’t slept, I look like death and my entourage of cases is being packed into the cars parked waiting for us by Alexi’s black suits. ‘’Stop pushing me, I am walking in four-inch heels and have a maximum speed setting.’’ I snap at him as I get another prod in my spine. He’s been an arsey one since we got on the plane. Moody for him, not that it’s that blatantly obvious as he has one facial setting even on a good day, but it’s in all the little tones and tiny facial changes, veiled mannerisms and the colour of his eyes that you really see what he’s feeling. You have to look really hard and study his face endlessly, otherwise you would miss it at all.I realise it must be somethin
All the blood drains from my body, so I instantly turn cold and my body erupts in goosebumps. ‘‘Your mother?’’ I blink at him timidly, reminded that with him I should always have a level of fear and never forget my station. I should get it tattooed somewhere obvious as I have this insane ability to forget.‘‘Yes, my mother.’’ No elaboration, just a statement and he closes down, which tells me I am getting no more information at all. He lets me go and I automatically rub my upper arm where his cruel grip has left the ache of bruising and just watch him as he walks around the lounge like a pacing lion. He seems more intent on checking our plush surroundings in good old sunny Rich-Ville than arguing this point anymore, and I am too tired for it anyway.His house is gorgeous. Huge and yet strangely devoid of anything Alexi. It’s not like his apartment over the club that reflects his sinister side and masculinity. This s
I try my hardest to play it cool through an excruciating dinner with upper class gangsters. It’s obvious that’s what they are, yet everyone is living the fake normal life out here and it’s all behind closed doors. There are smiles and polite conversation about their monotonously boring lives and over-primped wives as they guzzle down overly priced food and act like they like their present company.We are sat in one of this town’s most prestigious restaurants, surrounded by opulent settings and a sparkling chandelier over my head that is practically blinding us with light. A group of porky men with way too much cologne and wives that have had to be tied into their frocks to hold in the overindulgence. A lot of jewellery on display, so much so the dazzle has given me a headache and the men can’t seem to keep their bulging eyes off my cleavage.Seems Alexi isn’t impressed with my choice of outfit and I did dress to just piss him o
Sliding a possessive arm around my waist, a little tightly and almost frog marches me to the dance floor. He does an up and down look of my dress with obvious disdain and tenses that square jaw of his. ‘‘I hate this fucking dress you look like a hooker.’’ He is all charm tonight isn’t he?‘’Thank you, that’s the look I was going for.’’ I answer smugly as he hauls me into position on the floor and starts dancing me slowly to a very boring piece of classical music, pulling me into his command and almost lifting me off my feet with how tightly I’m held. It’s hardly loving or comfortable and is just an aggressive show of how pissed he is at me.‘’You think I am not tallying all this shit up in my head … for later?’’ He almost growls it with furrowed brows and tone husky as hell as my blood turns to ice in my veins. Heartbeat escalating as weakness waves through me. I thin
‘’Goodnight.’’ I whisper so softly and turn to make an attempt to slide away from him, relieved I am escaping unscathed, and he seems to have forgotten he’s pissed at me, but he catches me by the throat, softly cups it and pins me back to the wall so fast I gasp at the surprise of it.‘’Can’t end a date without a kiss.’’ He smirks at me salaciously, and that’s when I know I’m done for, he knows it too and this was all just meaningless teasing. Prick was playing me all along. He likes my little attempts at turning him down and I hold my breath and will myself to numb this out. Knowing I won’t be able to dodge him.‘’You said it wasn’t a … …’’ Alexi swoops in without warning and locks his mouth to mine. Silencing me and like the stupid weak fool I know I am, I kiss him back. Defeated as my body instantly heats and tingles; that same irrational impulse