don't do romance and I don't woo women off their feet. I don't make love. I don't do sweet...I fuck, I blackmail and I kill.”
The danger lurking in his eyes horrified me, and I jerked to free myself from his grip. “L-Let go of me.”
He pulled me closer. “Don't look so terrified. Believe it or not, it’s not in my interest to hurt you, Olivia. Besides, you still have a bit of time to adjust your mind to the sort of man I am before I make you mine.”
“I don't want to be yours,” I whispered in a miserable voice.
He smirked and removed a lock of hair from my face. “That's not what I read.”
“Why are you doing this to me?” I asked in honest confusion.
Something softened in his gaze, but disappeared as quickly as it appeared. “Because I can,” he murmured against my skin, kissing away the damp residue of tears on my face. “Make no mistake, Olivia…I didn't save you to help you. I saved you because I want you. I have always wanted you, piccola. And when I have you, it will be on my terms, not your own.”
“You don't own me.” I fought to keep my voice even. “You can't do this to me.”
He lifted his head, regarding me with undivided interest. “And what's going to stop me?”
I gazed in horror because I had no answer to that question.
“This isn't a fucking movie, tesoro,” he warned quietly. “There is no prince charming coming to your rescue. It’s past time you accept this is your life now because I’m running out of patience. Trust me, Olivia…you do not want things between us to turn ugly.”
“How could it possibly get any uglier than this?” I asked, unaware of my own naivete.
Alessandro chuckled as if I told him a good joke. “So innocent...so fucking naïve,” he said with mocking amusement. “Dio, I can't believe there was a time when I scorned at the idea. You’re going to be the perfect little wife.”
“W-Wife?” I asked, with absolute horror.
“Yes, tesoro...wife. If you're going to spend a lifetime by my side, I might as well make it official.”
I watched him with my mouth wide open as he continued uncovering his intentions.
“I was told your eighteenth birthday is coming up. It would be a wonderful occasion for a wedding, don't you think? We'll get all dressed up...we'll smile, dance and eat some cake. And then, right after the ceremony,” he whispered in my ear, “I'll do what I've been burning to do ever since I set my eyes on you in that restaurant.”
The tip of his tongue ran along the edge of my ear and the touch made me shiver. He leaned above me, and stared into my eyes with a self-satisfactory smirk while I fought not to cry.
“Why the tears, Olivia?” he inquired in a strange voice. “Isn't being married to me exactly what you were fantasizing about?”
Fantasy was one thing, but reality was quite the other. That old saying was creeping at the back of my mind. Be careful what you wish for...
“No.” I whimpered. “Not like this.”
“I told you I don't do hearts and flowers. This is all I am willing to offer,” he said it like he was doing me a favor.
I shook my head in bone-chilling terror. “But why would you want to marry me? You said it yourself,” I choked out, and looked at him pleadingly. “I'm still a baby. I'm only seventeen.”
“But you won't be in just a couple of weeks,” he reminded me.
“You can't force me to marry you,” I retorted with slight uncertainty, because I knew he was powerful enough to make anything happen.
“I have no intention to force you, tesoro,” he interjected softly. “I'll persuade you.”
“There is nothing you could do to persuade me.”
His expression was sprinkled with cruel amusement. “Are you sure?”
I nodded, tasting the sudden dangerous shift in the air.
“Not even your family's welfare could get you to cooperate?” he asked with chilling precision.
I froze. My heart rattled against my ribcage as I stared at him in sheer horror.
“You have a beautiful sister,” he murmured. “I saw her yesterday. What was her name again? Ah, May…she is a real sweetheart, isn't she? I'd hate to see something bad happen to her parents.”
Even though he didn't threaten to hurt May, he was taunting me with her well-being. It was enough for me to lose my composure. I kicked and screamed bloody murder. “She is just a child. Leave her out of this,