He took me. Held my thighs open.
And I wanted it.
I was practically begging him.
To scratch the itch that consumed me, all because I’d been drugged.
I sat up, a groan leaving me, and pulled the blanket tighter around me.
Where were my clothes?
I looked around and located my jeans, sweater, tank top, and bra—and then the memory of Domenico ripping my thong from me answered where that was.
“Grab your clothes,” Domenico said from the door.
I scrambled to pick them up, making sure my blanket was secure around my body. Not that everyone in the room hadn’t already seen me naked, but it was also cold. The second I was at the door, his fingers were wrapped around my arm.
“Don’t try anything,” he warned.
“Or what?”
He didn’t answer me. Instead, he pulled me away from the cage toward a door I’d seen him go into from time to time in the opposite corner of his beloved dark alcove.
My bare feet stung with each unprotected step.
The room was large, barren, but held as much trepidation as the main room. Shackles hung, bolted to the wall. A mattress lay in the center. It was at least covered in clean sheets.
A stool and a lamp were all that remained, except for a large steel tub that sat near the small window.
“What’s this?”
“A shower.” He took my clothes, then ripped the blanket from me.
I expected him to peruse my body, but that cold detachment I’d so often seen was at the forefront. What he was doing was simply another task.
“Get in,” he commanded.
I stepped forward, my eyes surveying the tub and everything connected to it—a hose at the bottom for drainage and a second hose that connected to a pipe with a pull chain and a showerhead.
An ice bath was very much not wanted, and I hesitated to pull the chain. There was a spritz of cold that made me jump before it quickly changed over to warm. The water burned my cool skin, and a loud gasp left me. I didn’t know how they were heating it, but there was only one temperature level, and it was hot.
I let it soak in before picking up the tiny bit of soap that he handed me.
“Am I leaving now?” I asked as I spread the small sliver of soap around my body.
“Why would you ask that?”
“Because this is better than a sponge bath.” I let the water rain down again, loving the scorching burn. “You tasted the goods, so I figured that was it.”
“You’re staying right where you are.” His presence was imposing, and I flinched when he stepped to stand in front of me. “Clean pussy is more enjoyable.” His hand slipped between my legs, and my eyes went wide as I slapped and pushed against him.
“What the hell do you—”
His fingers pressed deeper, and I drew in a hard breath. My fingers clenched against his chest, and I drew in a ragged breath, hating myself each second that I didn’t hate his touch.
“Make sure you clean out here real good.” He leaned down, his lips inches from mine. “I came hard and deep. Wouldn’t want you to get fucked up with my kid, huh?”
I shook my head, my eyes never leaving his. “Wouldn’t happen.”
“Why not?”
“IUD.” Before I’d left my father’s, I’d gotten a birth control implant. I didn’t want to take the risk of getting pregnant.
“Smart stripper.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You know nothing.”
“Mi sorprendi.”
I’d surprised him? “What?”
“Non molte puttane sono bilingui.”
My eyes widened, and I wanted to reach out and slap him. Not many whores are bilingual.
“If you think that’s impressive, you should see the three others I know. My home library is filled with them.”
“You mean your stacks of books that lie strewn about that shithole you call an apartment?”
My stomach sank. He’d been to my home, violated my one and only sanctuary. “It’s a roof over my head that I pay for.”
“Scoprirò I tuoi segreti.”
He wanted my secrets. I’d given too much away.
“Quali segreti?” I pulled on the chain again and he stepped back to avoid the spray, his eyes never leaving mine.
There wasn’t a lot of water, and it wasn’t as good as the shower in my apartment, but it was much better than the limited sponge bath. With only Domenico in the room, there was another level of privacy in the room than in my cage.
He handed me a towel, and I twisted my hair to wring out as much water as I could. The warmth had already been zapped away by the cold air.
Sadly, my newly cleaned skin went right back into my grimy clothes. Still, it was better than the alternative.
At least I knew I wasn’t going anywhere yet.
Domenico stepped in front of me and reached out. I flinched, stepping back, but it wasn’t enough to be out of his reach. However, it wasn’t my arm he was grabbing for. My brow furrowed in confusion as I stared at him. His thumb rested on my jaw and his fingers wrapped around the back of my neck.
His touch did what it always did and sent heat spiraling through me. The drugs were out of my system, so I couldn’t blame the feelings on them.
He pulled me forward, our mouths inches apart, bodies pressed together, and I watched the ice melt in his eyes. His nostrils flared with each hard breath.
Every muscle was frozen, eyes wide as I tried to figure out what he was doing. A split second and his lips were pressed to mine. My lips parted to gasp as the feeling of lightning shot through me. A low growl rumbled in his chest, and his kiss moved from soft to demanding. His thumb parted my jaw more, his tongue brushing against mine.
I was caught between melting into it and kicking him in the balls. So, I compromised. I relished the softness of his lips, the tingling sensation his tongue created, but then I took his bottom lip between my teeth and bit down. Hard.
“Fuck,” he cursed as he stepped back. The fire that burned in his eyes after that was no longer desire, but anger. “Not the best idea, princess.”
I hated when he called me that, a sneer on his lips when he did.
I didn’t back down from his glare. His hand shot out again, but he didn’t take hold of my neck. His fingers dug into my upper arm as he pulled me out of the room and practically tossed me back into the cage.
After slamming the door and locking it, he moved to the rose and pulled another petal. I let out a sigh as I once again tried to comprehend the meaning behind it. Asking its significance would do no good, as there was no way he would ever tell me.
A plate of food awaited me, and I stared at it warily. My gaze moved to Domenico, but he wasn’t looking.
Was that how I’d been drugged? Would it happen again?
I found my socks and slipped them on, then wrapped my blankets completely around me in an attempt to push the chill from my bones.
I ignored the food and sat there, trying to forget the night before. How I behaved, how much I wanted him. Trying to forget the feel of his lips on mine.
I didn’t want that. He took me without my consent. It may have seemed like I wanted it, but that wasn’t me—that was the drugs.
“…ella, get in here,” my father’s voice boomed out, echoing around the walls.