Cherished By the Devil のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 41 - チャプター 50

Yesterday, I had officially started my training with Lanzo; Grey had insisted on it. I hadn't wanted to be anywhere near his second, but then I'd figured that maybe I would find a way to punch him. Of course, that hadn't happened. Instead, he had knocked me down and handed my ass to me more times than I could have counted.Even now, more than twenty-four hours later, as I lay in the bathtub, I was still sore and had more than a few bruises. Still, I had to admit that it felt good. Learning how to kick someone's ass felt good. Not to mention that Lanzo unexpectedly complimented my abilities. He'd said that I had solid basics and that with little practice, I would kick ass.I grinned, recalling that moment, but then my mind instantly drifted to my task, to the role I would have to play at the gala. Grey had told me not to worry about anything… which, of course, made me worry even more. A part of me bitterly reminded that I would endanger myself so that he could find his Princess. The re

POPPYA thick layer of blush lingered on my face for long minutes after Grey and I had finally left the terrace. I needed to use the ladies' room, and seriously considered taking a spare pair of lingerie the next time I went anywhere with Grey. I was standing in front of the mirror, surveying my glossy eyes and swollen lips. There had to be something wrong with me. What we'd done on that terrace had been wild. People had been strolling in that garden. All they'd had to do was look up…A wave of embarrassment flooded me even now as I recalled it. But the thrill it had given me made me seriously question my sanity. Then again, nothing I'd done with Grey was safe, sane, or casual. He constantly pushed me out of my comfort zone, giving me a taste of something feral, primal, and dangerous. And I absolutely loved it.Blowing out a breath, I sprinkled cold water over my reddened cheeks and walked to the door. When I stepped out of the ladies' room, I saw Grey waiting for me in the corridor.

I passed the long hallway wearing a black dress with deep cleavage and long slits exposing my legs nearly up to my buttocks. My hair was partially pinned up and braided, with the back falling in loose waves. My makeup mainly emphasized my red-tinted lips. I couldn't help but feel I resembled an elegantly covered sex doll.I tried to think about it as a role play, as if I were the one who decided to act all naughty in front of the psychopathic Mafia boss. Unfortunately, it did little to soothe my nerves. What remained was the fact that this was important. This dinner, no matter how uncomfortable it was for me, could help prevent a disaster. Shivers coursed down my spine each time I imagined what would have happened if someone like Gaspare Valentino had gotten his hands on that package.Of course, no one knew what kind of information Pietro Sala had gathered there, but the pictures Cory and I had found suggested it might be enough to destroy a lot of Mafia families. It was easy to imagi

POPPYAll my instincts were screaming, telling me that I should flee, and yet I kept walking forward, wearing nothing but a piece of silk and lace to cover my body. I had tried to stay calm and keep my act, but after hearing Grey's words, something within me had broken. The acidic taste of betrayal filled my insides. He had told me to trust him, but how could I do that when he'd just sold me to another man?Abigail had been trying to soothe my nerves for an hour. Like Lanzo, she'd said that this was a part of Grey's plan and that he would never allow Cantore to hurt me, but when I'd asked her about the details, she'd answered that I would know everything soon.I entered the guest room with the bed as the main part of it, and my body officially activated the panic mode. The second the door closed behind me, my heart began to hammer, and my ribcage shrank. A wise woman would have run the hell out of here, and yet a part of me still wanted to believe that some kind of a miracle was about

I had told Poppy that she could get more sleep, but she refused. She had merely taken a shower and gotten dressed before walking back to my office. “I need to know what's going on,” she said, folding her arms across her chest. “I won't let you leave me in the dark anymore.”Lanzo barely contained his laughter. I knew that this situation amused him immensely. Poppy spent more than an hour sitting on the sofa, glaring at me and demanding I tell her everything that was about to happen. I had nothing to hide. I gladly answered all her questions, and I could see her satisfaction when I told her that I wasn't planning on letting Angelo Cantore live too long.Finally, a signal came, and Lanzo rushed out of the mansion to get the package. Poppy and I watched it on my laptop screen. I'd put the computer on the coffee table and sat next to her on the sofa.“This man from Cantore didn't come alone,” she muttered, pointing at the three cars parked outside our gates.“They want to show us they're