His scorn wounded me. “Yes, love, Tino. Love that makes people care for each other, not hurt each other.”
“Didn’t your father love you? And what did he do to you? Love, too, hurts, Angel. You hurt me, Angel.”
“Leo loved me. He didn’t hurt me.”
“He was going to,” he gritted. “You don’t know the first thing about him or what he’s capable of. One day you’ll know that I saved you from him just like I always have.”
“He can’t be worse than you. Fuck, even my sicko father wasn’t worse than you. At least, they loved me.”
“Fuck their pathetic love.” Both his arms were now wrapping around me tightly, like a snake squeezing a prey. “What I feel for you is beyond any definition,” he said, softer. “No, I don’t love you, Angel. It’s simply not a word that could describe what I feel for you because it’s bigger than anything you or them had ever felt.” He squeezed even tighter, and I could hardly breathe. “Call it love, possession, obsession, sickness, plain psycho shit, call it whatever you want. All you need to know is that it’s true and real and stronger than anything you’ll ever know.”
He let out a long sigh before he pressed a deep kiss on my head. We were both trembling now, locked around each other, inside each other, not just our bodies but our souls, too.
Chapter 49
Tino
The light that had dimmed in her eyes glimmered again when she reconnected with her violin. I’d brought it back with me but decided not to give it to her until she behaved.
She was reluctant to touch it even though she wanted it so badly, just like she did with me. She didn’t want to acknowledge the truth or validate my endless giving for her.
As always, I had to force her to do the right thing. I ordered her to play for me once and twice until she no longer resisted and our private recitals had become part of our routine.
I loved every note, every second of her performance as my eyes worshipped her naked body and my ears savored her beautiful music. She played just for me as I’d always dreamed, and it was everything I’d imagined and more. It was worth every agony in the wait.
When I wasn’t making love to her or I was managing business in my office, she played for herself, willingly. That was when I decided to give her another reward.
I blindfolded her, and she thought I was going for kinky sex and started shaking. “Having sex while being blindfolded can be really fun and hot. We can try it later, but this isn’t my intention now,” I whispered in her ear.
“What do you want then?”
“I have a surprise for you. You’re gonna love it.”
She walked with me silently, and I led her into her old room—she slept in my room now—that I’d rearranged with the surprise I had for her.
I took off the blindfold. “Allora, what do you think?”
Angel squinted in the middle of the room at the shelves that replaced the bed and wardrobe. The desk in the right corner and the piano in the far left.
Her head tilted at me, her jaw hanging low. “What is this?”
“Your library and music room.” I beckoned at the shelves. “I brought all these CDs and books for you when I came back. It’s a vast collection, but they have all your favorites in classical music, practice pieces as well. Also, all your favorite romance reads among hundreds of other books are in there.”
She gasped in surprise, a hint of a smile on her gaping mouth.
“Do you like it?” I asked, hoping she did.
“Like it? Tino, I’m having a Belle moment here.”
“A Belle moment?”
“You know when Beast shows Belle the huge library in his castle? Books to her are like music to me, the one thing she loves the most, and he gives her that. It’s her way of escaping. She’s like finally, a good thing in my eternal imprisonment.”
“So I’m Beast in this moment? The cruel monster that is keeping you as his prisoner?”
Her jaw twisted. “Except you’re no beast.”
I chuckled. “Come here, Angel.”
Slowly, she walked toward me, but she wasn’t hesitant. For the first time since our first night as a couple, she wasn’t reluctant to nestle in my embrace
I held her tight but gently, and then I bent my head to hers and took her lips between mine. Her lips moved with me, a small, shaky move, but I loved it. My desire for her flared so I grabbed her waist and put her on the desk.
“Tino, please.”
“Right. This desk is for studying. I got all your schoolbooks for you here, too. I don’t want you to fall behind. Anything you can’t understand or need help with, I’m right here.”
“School? Really? And you’ll tutor me?”
“Certamente. You need your education.” I turned toward the piano. “That old thing, though, we can use for other purposes.”
She flustered as I carried her and placed her on the piano surface. “I-I thought you didn’t want me to play the piano. How did you get one on the island anyway?”
“That old thing has been here for years, unused. I dusted it out and put it here so we can play together.”
“You play the piano?”
“Used to. Just like with painting, I’d stopped when my wife died.”
“And resumed when I came into your life?”
“Yes. You, my sweet Angel, have revived my passion for so many things I’d forsaken. You brought me back to life, Angel.”
A small smile played with her lips. I started to unbutton my shirt, and the smile vanished. “Can we please not…”
“Why, Angel?”
She blushed. “I started my period this morning.”
“Oh.” Disappointment ran through me.
“I borrowed a tampon from Arancia. You can ask her if you think I’m lying.”
“I don’t need to ask her. I can see for myself. But I know you’re not lying, and that’s not why I’m disappointed.”
“No?”
“You think some blood would stop me? I’ll make love to your beautiful pussy even if it was shooting fire. I’m disappointed you got your period in the first place.” I felt her belly and sighed. “I was hoping…have been praying—”
“Don’t say it, Tino, please. Please!”
“Why, Angel?”
“Because it’s disturbing and scary and sick. Your son was my fiancé. He was gonna be my husband. He still thinks he will be. You want to make me the mother of his sibling?”
“I want to give you everything and have everything with you.”
“But I’m scared to death all the fucking time. You scare me to death, Tino. I’m only eighteen and my life is over. You kidnapped me from my husband. You raped me. You are imprisoning me here indefinitely. How can I want a baby with you?”
“He was never your husband, and I never raped you. I claimed what’s mine!” I banged the piano surface, and she flinched.
I closed my eyes for a moment and sighed. Then I rubbed her arms gently. “Listen, when it comes to me, you have nothing to fear, Angel. Ever,” I vowed. “I’m obsessive to a fault and possessive as fuck, but I’ll always protect and care for you. Every single thought, every goddamned action of mine revolves around you, Angel. You don’t understand how deep you’ve carved yourself inside me. I’m ready to give up anything and everything for you.”