6
TATUM
I knew the second I opened my eyes that he was watching me. In fact, I woke up a few times during the night feeling his gaze on my skin, caressing me, teasing me, making me want him in ways I shouldn’t. It was times like these I wished it was possible for me to see him as nothing more than the man who had me kidnapped, ruining my life in the process. Not having this constant whirlpool of mixed emotions cluttering my mind would have made everything so much easier. I desired him, yet hated him at the same time. How is that even possible?
“Did you sleep well?”
I heard the sarcasm in his voice. It felt like a goddamn slap to the face.
“You tell me. You’re the one who sat in the corner and watched me the entire damn night.”
The bed dipped, and I opened my eyes as he took a seat next to me. By looking at him one would never have guessed that he didn’t get any sleep. He looked fresh, handsome, and so wickedly tempting. The scar around his eye just made him so much more intimidating, adding to the alpha dominance that oozed out of him all the damn time. I could see why Vico felt threatened by him. Castello had a way of demanding respect just by entering a room—the way a leader should. All Vico brought with his presence was arrogance and malevolence.
With the back of his hand Castello caressed the side of my face gently. “I am only going to say this once. Don’t make me say it again.”
I sighed and rolled my eyes. “God, I know, okay. Yesterday was the last time. I won’t cut myself again. Your punishment is still torturing my body.”
He smiled and softly tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’m sorry, Tatum.”
Three little words. Three powerful words that made my entire world come to a standstill.
I shifted up and stared at him cautiously. “May I ask what it is you’re sorry for?”
“Everything.”
“Everything covers quite a broad spectrum of things. Care to be more specific?”
He got up and buttoned his suit jacket. “Just, everything. Now get dressed.”
“Get dressed for what?”
He shot his cuffs and straightened his sleeves. “Last night you laid out a choice for me, and I’ve made a decision.”
I got out of bed as he turned around and opened the closet door. He reached inside and pulled out a white dress.
I narrowed my eyes. “What is going on?”
“Last night you told me to decide whether you were my slave or my queen.” He walked closer and softly took my hand in his, placing it on the dress. “And I’ve decided.”
“What did you decide?”
By the smile that spread across his face it was obvious that he saw the shocked expression on mine.
He reached out and dragged his thumb slowly across my lower lip. “Would a man give a two thousand dollar dress to his slave?”
“Two thousand—” I glanced down at the dress. It was a plain white, mini-skirt, high neck dress with a little detail embroidered on the seam. It was plain, yet beautiful. Exactly the kind of dress I’d choose for myself. It’s like I was an open book to him. Like he knew everything about me. Except my need to be able to make my own choices.
He cocked an eyebrow. “As a member of one of the richest families in America you sure look shocked about the value of that dress.”
“Just because I come from a rich family doesn’t mean I like bragging about it by buying expensive things and flaunting it in everyone’s faces.”
Castello stepped closer. “Well, you better start liking it. If you’re going to be the woman at my side, you need to embrace the power that comes with it…and flaunt it in everyone’s faces.” He winked teasingly, and all I could do was stare at him.
Woman at his side? Embrace the power that comes with it? Confused did not begin to cover how I was feeling right at that moment. After what happened yesterday, the way I had angered him, how he punished me, I was sure there was no way I’d ever be more than a prisoner to him. Someone that wasn’t worth more than a few fucks a week. Someone that tore his family apart. But now he had managed to knock the wind right out of me by saying all these things that I had no idea how to interpret.
I cleared my throat. “You said I wasn’t strong enough.”
“I changed my mind.”
“Why?”
He waved his finger in front of my face as to say no. “The first rule, never question me. Ever. My word is law, and you will respect me and every decision I make by never questioning a damn thing. Understood?”
I clutched the dress against my naked chest. “Okay.”
“Second rule.” He walked over to the cabinet and opened the top drawer. “Whenever you step foot out of this bedroom, you will always look your best. Your image is a reflection on me.”
I moved closer, and peeked inside to see the drawer stacked with make-up and beauty products. When he opened the second drawer to reveal underwear and lingerie that weren’t there before, I looked up at him. “Where did all this come from?”
His eyebrows slanted inward. “It’s been less than two minutes and already you’re breaking rule number one.”
“Well I haven’t accepted your offer yet.”
He smirked. “You say that like you have a choice.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, and that cocky grin remained on his face.
“You gave me the choice, little mouse, and I made it. There’s no going back now.”
“What if I don’t want to do it?”
I clutched the dress tighter as Castello started to slowly circle around me, his gaze moving up and down my body.
“You never would have brought it up if it wasn’t something you wanted to do.”
I glanced down to the floor, refusing to look at him. The way my skin tingled, the way every muscle inside my belly started to clench tight, I knew he was staring at me with lust-filled eyes. And once I looked into his eyes, I would crack and do exactly what he wanted me to. But right now, I wanted to at least try to have a clear head. To process what the hell was happening between us.
“Am I no longer your prisoner?” I kept my head down, not looking up at him.
“I answered that question already.”
“You said the answer depended on me.”
“It does. I’m not letting you go, Tatum. Not now, not ever. Do you think I’d kill my own mother, go to war against my own brother if I thought there was even half a chance that I would be able to let you go?”
“It’s hard to know what you’re thinking sometimes.”
His lips pulled up into a cocky grin. “A man never shows his weakness, little mouse.”
I swallowed hard, feeling intimidated under his scrutinizing gaze. “Is that what I am? A weakness?”
He stepped up behind me, and the second I felt his warmth against my bare back, I sucked in a breath. “Is it possible for someone to be your weakness as well as your strength?”
I closed my eyes as his breath moved against the skin of my neck. It’s as if yesterday never happened. As if I hadn’t angered him at all. The way he felt against me, his touch, the way the energy between us sparked with wild fire—it felt like nothing had changed between us…yet it had.
He placed a gentle kiss on my bare shoulder. “Is it possible for one person to be your illness, as well as your cure?”
I shuddered when I felt his hand softly frame my waist. Within a few heartbeats Castello had easily managed to seduce me into silence. All the questions I had swirling around in my head a second ago was gone. The confusion was gone. With a single touch he had possessed my mind, filling it with nothing but thoughts of untamed desires and wicked pleasures. It was like a filthy melody, playing seductively inside my head, urging me to stop trying to figure him out. To just let it be, to succumb and give this man everything he wanted from me.
“Castello, please,” I begged as he slowly dragged his fingertip over my waist.
“Shhh, I know. You need me, and as my queen I will always make sure you have what you need.” His hand dipped between my legs, and leaning back against him was all I could do to keep myself from falling. With a single stroke, he pulled his finger through my slit and I moaned.
His touch managed to cause my body to spin out of control within seconds. My breath hitched as he pushed his finger inside me, his thumb still working that one spot that had me rocking my hips back and forth. I long ago accepted the fact that my mind will never win over my body when it comes to this man. And the truth was, my body wanted him…all the damn time.
“You’re a part of my world now, Tatum.” He brought his other hand up and cupped my breast, pinching my nipple hard. “And I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you not only survive at my side, but thrive.”
His hand moved deeper between my legs, and I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t stop the pleasure from exploding through my body, my legs shaking, my spine quivering as his touch continued, extracting every last of my release. His words, his touch, and the time he had denied me pleasure all came crashing together in one giant wave of euphoria. The relief was indescribable. Being denied the release my body craved for an entire night was torture, yet it made the pleasure so much more powerful.
I felt him smile against my neck. “Feel better?”
My heart was still racing, my breathing shallow. “Much better.”
“Good.” He stepped back and I almost lost my balance. “But that wasn’t what you needed.”
“It wasn’t?” I glanced over my shoulder, my legs still shaking.
“That should get you through the day, but tonight once the lights go out, I’ll give you what you really need.” The sordid promises that swirled around in his dark eyes made me shiver. Instantly all my senses were heightened, my body filled with the anticipation of what Castello would do to me…in the dark.
He straightened his jacket. “Now, get dressed. We have a lot to do today.”
“We?”
He smiled wickedly like he knew something I didn’t. “Yes. We. Now go get dressed.”
I glanced at the dress in my hand, and then back at him. His intense gaze that seemed like it could see straight through to my soul didn’t falter. With every step I took toward the bathroom, I could feel him looking at me. It felt like his gaze seared my skin, as if I could feel his desire for me all the way to the bone. Even from half way across the room with my back turned to him, he had the power to control my body.
I didn’t close the door. I liked knowing that he was watching me. It made me want to spend as much time as possible being naked. Usually when it came to men, I tried my best to hide the scars that marred my body. I saw it as a flaw, a weakness. But it was different with Castello. He was drawn to my scars, drawn to my unexplainable need to experience pain. He made me feel like my scars made me unique rather than crazy. Every minute I spent in that bathroom preparing myself, trying to make myself look as perfect as possible, nerves started to twitch inside my belly.
Ever since Castello had promised to fight this war with Vico with me by his side, I never gave much thought as to what it would entail. I never once wondered what would change, and whether it was something I wanted. From the day I woke up in that tiny room and stared into the eyes of a scarred man that had a remarkable resemblance to my past, I was never given any choice. And last night I was brave—or stupid—enough to toss a choice into his face, to make him choose where my place was in his life. But now that he had made that decision, ultimately leaving me no choice, I wondered if maybe he was right. Am I strong enough? Will I have the strength to prove to Castello that I have what it takes to be his queen?
I pulled my hair up, tying it in a sophisticated looking bun at the back of my neck. It had been weeks since I wore my hair up. Weeks since I wore any kind of make-up, since I’ve looked this presentable. And as I stared at my reflection in the mirror, I caught a glimpse of the woman I was once.
All my life I had been misunderstood, feeling like I never fit in anywhere. My family, my friends—every single person in my life unconsciously made me feel like I just didn’t belong, that I was constantly in the wrong place at the wrong time. The urge to run, to get away followed me whenever I was surrounded by people who supposedly had every right to be in my life. I was an outsider, no matter how pretty I looked.
“I must say, I picked the perfect dress for you.”
I stared at his reflection in the mirror as he stood behind me, leaning against the door, his gaze slowly moving up and down my body.
“Do you think I’d be able to choose my own dress next time?”
His gaze caught mine in the mirror. “Not a chance. I choose what you wear.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ll be the one undressing you later. So my choice will always be based on whether I’d like to take my time getting you out of your clothes, or if I’d rather prefer, quick and easy access to what’s hidden between those legs of yours.”
From the heat I felt on my cheeks, I knew I was flushed. I turned around and watched as he took a few short steps toward me. The way he stared at me, his dark eyes conveying every lust-filled thought had me clenching my thighs at the same time I gripped the edge of the bathroom sink behind me.
He stopped in front of me, his face and lips inches from mine. “There’s just one thing.”
“What thing?” My words came out soft, slow, my body and mind reeling as if under his spell.
Slowly he lifted his hand and reached behind me, his gaze never leaving mine. For those few seconds I lost myself in him. I lost myself in the depths of his eyes, in the energy that always seemed to pulse between us. It was intoxicating.
As he gripped my hair, taking the bun in the palm of his hand, I sucked in a breath. Gently he pulled my hair lose, letting the strands fall around my shoulders and down my back.
He licked his lips. “Rule number four. Always wear your hair down.”
He leaned closer, his nose brushing against mine. I thought for sure he was about to kiss me, and my body had already primed itself for his touch. But then he took my hand and gave a step back.
“It’s time for you to step into my world, little mouse.”
That was the moment I knew that my life was about to change…forever.