(Emily's POV)I lazily flipped through the pages of the brochure catalog, where luxury clothes were compiled according to their brand. This is my seventh catalog, after Dolce and Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Burberry, Dior, Channel, and now Gucci. I was done browsing underwear from Calvin Klein, and now he wanted me to pick more than a hundred clothes from these catalogs, which is absurd.Is he planning to build his clothing store? As if I last long here. "Okay! That's it! That would be all." I exclaimed, slouching on the couch.He sighs. "I said more than a hundred, that's only 39.""Are you nuts? I am not going to the runaway and show off the expensive clothes coming from different brands. I just need 10 or 15, why a hundred?""To make use of your wardrobe room." lazily glance at me wearing a sly smile before he returned his focus to his phone. I believe he was playing cards on his iPhone 14, I envy his expensive phone.I miss my Samsung.Rolling my eyes in annoyance, "Do I even

(Emily's POV)Dimitri and I did the same routine for three days. We ate breakfast together like a couple with serious marital problems then he went outside the mansion to manipulate and maim most likely, and I was escorted back to my room.In an effort to earn some freedom and a way out of this nightmare, I behaved as best as my mouth would allow even though I wanted to scream inside.Dimitri, Leila, Cleo, Lucio, Aly, and the woman from the island whom I believe was Cleo's mother, were the only faces I saw day in and out, and was starting to mess with my head. I didn't know when the shift happened, but I began to look forward to breakfast if only to escape the mind-creating boredom.On the third morning. I came to a realization. "I know what you're doing," I announced at the dining table.Dimitri lifted his gaze from the iPhone that was probably glued to his hand. If "Tasty" and "Delicious!" in a deep Candy Crush voice weren't coming from the stupid device, it constantly pinged with t

(Emily's POV)My eyes lifted to meet black ones that didn't hold a sparkle, a toothbrush slipped from my fingers. Cold fear paralyzed me to the spot. I stared at him, chest heaving with the expectation of his vengeance. Regardless of what he had in store for me. I refused to plead for my life. If price sent me to hell, so be it. At least I would leave this world with my dignity intact.Dimitri moved toward me, those expensive boots walking on the fallen door. The clank of metal brought my gaze to his hands, and as I watch him pull his belt from its loops, my heart fell through my stomach.He was going to whip me.Screw dignity.Is that what he called 'soft'?"I'm sorry." the words escaped on the uneven breath."No, your not."Legs carrying me backward, he followed my pullback. The coolness of the stone shower floor met my feet. I was trapped, and he was closing in on me with that lax belt in his grip. I should accept the pain to bring me back to reality; to remember his company was no

(Dimitri's POV)Hands in my pockets, I stood in front of the library window watching the light, in search of the horizon. The old clock chimed at eight in the morning, signaling I got less than three hours of sleep after returning from Rome last night. But as soon as the sun rose, so did I. Old habits die hard.The quiet winter morning remained still when the first ray of light reached the toes of my boots. When light glimmered on a flaxen head of hair, a lash of heat licked through me, slid down to harden in my groin, and stretched my body taut. The rising sun created the perfect illusion of a halo on top of Emily's head before she disappeared behind the trees that outlined my property. For a second. I thought I was so sexually repressed when I was imagining her. God only knows how many times I'd thought about fisting a hand in that hair while she sucked me off. The skirt of a flowery dress slipped into view, and I am sure as f*ck knew my imagination wouldn't come up with floral pa

(Emily's POV)Her perfectly left brows raise in confusion as her emerald eyes with thick extension eyelashes flicker as if I was some alien who's talking in English. Then she scoffed. "What kind of gibberish are you talking about? You? Who looks like an American, a servant of Dimitri?"I rolled my eyes. I wish I was but that's far from the truth. "I am not his servant.""Then, what are you? A guest? Oh please." she chuckles. I don't know why I find it annoying just by hearing her disbelief tone. "You intruder!" She suddenly pulled me harshly to my arm which she never let go of earlier. The more she tightly grabs my arm, the more it is painful for my skin. Her fake nails were digging a hole into my skin."I said I am not. Where are you taking me?"We exit the garden and she still grabs me like I was some sort of a trash bin. Can we just talk this out?"I'll take you to the police for robbi--""Cosa sta succedendo qui, signorina Hert?!" I turned to the owner of that loud grumpy voice,