He restrained me against himself with insolent ease, and continued his gentle caresses despite my continuous protests.
“Shh, there’s no need to get upset. Do as I say, Olivia, and you will find I am a lot easier to deal with than you think.” His light touch spread all over my skin as he proceeded whispering to me. “Don't defy me. Don't antagonize me…be obedient and watch your fucking language.” He cupped my face and made me look at him. His voice was soft, but the warning he uttered was real. “Next time you call me a bastard to my face, you’re going to regret it.”
An undeniable sense of defiance bubbled inside me again, and I glared at him with sheer resentment, daring him to do his worst. It was almost as though I couldn't fathom the man I had fallen in love with all those months ago turned out to be a heartless monster. Unable to resist the need to demonstrate I would fight him tooth and nail, I ignored all of his warnings and mouthed with as much insolence as I could muster. “Bastard.”
The red hot sting that followed next nearly knocked me to the floor. It was the first time Alessandro slapped me. It was the last time I dared to spit an insult to his face.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The Past (5 years prior)
The revelation Alessandro Damiani intended to marry me only deepened my hopelessness and worry. After the incident when he'd hit me, I wasn't invited to share anymore meals with him. Instead, I stayed alone in my room and Henry brought me food in the evenings.
Nobody told me I was being punished for provoking him, but I could work out the reasons behind my increased isolation by myself. I didn't mind. Alessandro's company was the very last thing I craved, and I didn't have any appetite anyway. To Henry Wyatt's surprising dismay, I had spent days eating barely enough to keep a sparrow alive, and I could tell he grew worried, probably concerned he'd be the one to take the blame for my constant physical deterioration. The butler tried talking me into eating, even going as far as attempting to communicate with me in a civil manner, but I had no intention to indulge his requests.
The passive act of defiance lasted a few more days until one afternoon, Alessandro himself appeared in my room with a large plate filled with rich food. Without saying a word, he sat on the edge of my bed and settled the breakfast tray over my legs. The steaming smell of hot food made my stomach turn.
“I'm not hungry,” I said with an absent mind.
“I don't care if you're hungry or not,” he asserted calmly. “You're going to eat.”
I gave him a challenging glare that screamed he could go to hell and turned my head away, restraining myself from saying something I'd regret.
He gazed at me for a few moments, then exhaled, snickering in a mocking manner. “I almost forgot to tell you your cute little sister shared a secret with me when I came to visit,” he said in a conversational tone, and my eyes sprang to his the moment he mentioned May. He smirked with rich satisfaction at locking out a reaction from me with such insolent ease. He then reached into his pocket, pulling out the small red music box that meant the world to me. My eyes widened as he held it in front of me, just at the reach of my hands. “She wanted me to give you this.”
I made a grab for the box, but he snatched it away and secured it back into his pocket. “Not so fast, tesoro. You're going to have to earn it.”
I observed him with caution and a hint of fear.
“Don't worry. It's nothing too onerous. I'm a reasonable man,” he murmured in that rich drawl, and gestured toward the untouched food on my lap. “If you eat everything on this plate, I'll let you listen to it.”
I swallowed, fighting the need to meet his demand. I wanted to have that music box because I craved the feeling that reminded me of home and safety. It was the only thing that had ever represented peace and comfort for me. But you can't let him manipulate you like this.
“No, thanks,” I said in a distant voice. “I'm not hungry.”
“Fine, suit yourself.” Alessandro shrugged and collected the plate from my lap. “I guess, little May is a liar and you don't care about