Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Clara

I knew I wasn't in my own bed the moment I woke up.

And not just because of the heavy body wrapped around me, the hand cupping my breast, or the large, hard rod pressing against my sore bottom. The bed felt different. The pillow felt different. It smelled different.

It smelled like Gio's cologne—spicy, smooth, and very him.

Holding myself absolutely still so as not to wake him, I opened my eyes to take stock of the situation as the events of last night came rushing back. My overconfidence. My distraction. Getting caught. The fear from thinking they were going to off me.

The realization that my fate was so much worse.

Is it, though?

I clamped down on that thought.

Of course, it was. I was going to be forced to marry a man I didn't love. One who did utterly despicable things to me. Things that hurt.

Things that felt really, really good.

I'd abased myself for him.

Gulping, I closed my eyes, doing my best to ignore the way he felt against me, to ignore how his hand on my breast made my lower body hum. Ignore the part of me that wanted to push my hips back against him. My bottom was still sore, inside and out, yet my greedy pussy wanted more.

I can take care of myself. As soon as I get back home.

Which was going to require clothes and an escape plan. I had a feeling we were in the DiNardo manor, which I was fairly familiar with. I even knew where Gio's room was, which I'm sure he didn't realize. But I had no idea who was on guard at this time of day or where.

There was also the matter of getting out of the leather wrapped around my wrists and ankles without waking the man behind me. Blast him. Clearly, he'd foreseen the difficulty of keeping me in place. I couldn't help but feel a little flattered that he took me so seriously. Most men didn't. Most would probably think he'd gone overboard in his attempt to keep me pinned in place.

They'd be wrong.

He'd certainly made this difficult for me.

Hands free first.

My arms and shoulders ached a little from having been kept in place all night. I rolled my shoulders as best I could, ignoring the way the backs brushed against Gio's chest hair. He shifted in his sleep, and I held my breath. To my relief, he rolled away from me onto his back.

His side was still right next to me, but I had a little more room to work. Looking up at my wrists, I started working on getting the right one loose. A little wiggle. A little pull that tightened the leather around my left wrist. Another little wiggle. It was coming free!

I tugged gently at first and then a little harder.

Blast.

Not quite there yet.

"What's your plan for when you work yourself free?" Gio asked, his voice full of amusement.

I froze again.

Damn him. I wondered if he'd been awake when he rolled or if something about my movements had wakened him.

"I figured I'd improvise," I said in a conversational tone. Then I squeaked as he rolled me onto my back. With my hands above my head, the leather still wrapped securely around them, I was utterly helpless as he loomed over me like some dark, heathen god.

His eyes glittered with amusement as he placed my bound ankles on his shoulder, allowing him to bend me in half as he leaned forward over me, trapping me between him and the bed. I squirmed as he pressed his cock against my pussy, which was already slick. Something else I'd been trying to ignore, though it was impossible to now that he was rubbing the tip of his dick through the wet folds. My body hummed to life, eager for more pleasure, despite the way my bottom clenched against being invaded again.

"And now, what's your plan?" he asked. The length of his cock pushed between my thighs, the underside of his shaft rubbing against my swollen, needy pussy, bumping against my clit. Pleasure fizzed through me, and it was all I could do not to whimper as his hands slid up my sides to cup my breasts, thumbs rubbing over my hardening nipples.

"I…"

I didn't know. I didn't have a plan.

Not panic.

That was a plan, right?

He rocked, rubbing his cock through my thighs, along my pussy lips, teasing me with what could be. Lord help me, I wanted him inside me. I wanted him . At least, my body did. Maybe more than just my body, though I wasn't ready to admit it yet.

"Don't worry, babydoll, Daddy's going to make you feel real good," he murmured, his fingers closing around my nipples as he started dragging his cock back and forth. It felt good, but it wasn't what I really wanted. I squirmed in place, panting. He chuckled at my frustration, which made me want to smack him. He opened his mouth to say something, but a sudden pounding on the door made him stop.

"Gio! Gio, let me in! I know she's in there!" Hailey's voice was only slightly muffled by the thick door.

Gio groaned and closed his eyes, his jaw clenching, as though he was gathering his willpower. When he opened his eyes, he glared down at me like it was my fault he'd been interrupted. I glared back.

"Hailey! Help!"

That made him laugh, even as the pounding on his door intensified. I really wanted to kick him, but it was impossible in my current position. The knocking stopped as suddenly as it had started.

"Gio, let her in. She's not going to rest until she talks to Clara." That was Hailey's husband, Jack.

I winced, wondering what Jack had told her. Obviously, enough to have her come running to Gio's room this morning. I just hoped she didn't know what he'd done to me last night. I couldn't bear her knowing, especially not how much I'd enjoyed it.

Shaking his head, Gio pulled away from me, letting my legs drop to the bed before he pulled the sheet up over my body. It didn't nearly replace the warmth of his body, leaving me feeling cold.

"Hey!" I stared at him, aghast. "You have to untie me!" I started wiggling, tugging at the strap around my wrist. He snorted, ignoring me as he grabbed a robe from somewhere—I was too busy trying to escape to pay attention from where. I just saw it as he walked across the floor to open the door. "Don't you dare!"

My shriek was ignored as he opened the door, and Hailey flew in. She came to an immediate halt, staring as her mouth dropped open in shock at the sight of me in the bed, the sheet pulled up over my breasts, hands still bound to the headboard by Gio's belt. It was clear I was naked, even with the sheet, and it didn't help that Gio was strutting around in his plush maroon robe like a bright sign that proclaimed we'd been indecent.

Hailey's husband was right behind her, and his eyebrows rose up on his face as he took in the sight. I blushed red hot, averting my gaze from his. I had a feeling he knew exactly how indecent his cousin had been with me last night.

At least I didn't see Tomas. I wasn't sure I could handle him being there on top of everything else that was happening.

Steeling myself, I gave Hailey my most piteous look.

"Help me!"

Step one: get my hands free.

Step two: convince Hailey to help me escape.

I didn't want to leave her behind, but she seemed to be doing alright for herself for now. I could always watch her from afar if I needed to. At the moment, I needed to save my own skin.

To my surprise, she didn't fly to my side. Instead, she put her hands on her hips and scowled at me.

"You've been stealing from me!"

"I have not!" Though, as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I realized that wasn't technically true. I had been stealing from her family, which was her by proxy. But I didn't truly consider her a DiNardo.

"Gio, why don't you join me out in the hall? We'll give the girls a moment to chat," Jack said, gesturing to his cousin.

Gio shot me a warning look, as if reminding me to be good. My bottom clenched, but I pretended to ignore him, focusing my gaze on Hailey as if I didn't see him.

Huffing, she came over and sat down on the bed beside me, shifting the sheets over my breasts so the fabric rubbed against my hard nipples. A blush heated my cheeks. Thankfully, she didn't seem to notice. She was too preoccupied being annoyed with me.

Still frowning, she looked me over and shook her head.

"I can't believe you've been moonlighting as a thief. And you've been stealing from us!" Her voice remained at a normal volume.

I responded in a whisper, hoping that the men wouldn't be able to hear me. They were right beside the open door, but they were talking to each other in low enough voices that I couldn't make out their words, so hopefully, the reverse would be true.

"I'm sorry, okay? I was mad about them making you marry Jack. But Hailey, you have to help me." I jerked my arms, making the headboard rattle. "Look at what he's done to me!"

Pressing her lips together, Hailey glanced over her shoulder before returning her gaze to me.

"I don't know if I can," she whispered. "Do you understand how much trouble you're in? Jack's father was livid about the thefts. He wanted an example made out of you before he knew it was you. You're lucky Gio was willing to step up to claim you."

"Lucky?" I jerked my hands again in case she'd missed the fact that he'd tied me to his bed.

To my surprise, as her gaze flicked up to my bound wrists, she started to blush.

"If you knew what Jack put me through…" Her mutter trailed off.

My eyes widened. Maybe the cousins were more alike than I'd realized. What things had Jack put Hailey through?

And yet, she said she loved him.

I was brutally confused.

I didn't love Gio, though.

Then again, Hailey certainly hadn't loved Jack on her wedding day. She'd just met him at that point.

Stop it. I'm not marrying Gio.

"Help me," I whispered, tugging on the leather again, ignoring the small pang in my heart at the thought of escape.

"I'm trying to." She stared at me, lips pursed, like she was thinking. Then she shook her head. "I think you have to marry him, Clara. You stole from the Family. If you run now, they'll hunt you, and I don't think they'll let you live."

"So, it's better for me to marry Gio?" I ignored the little flutter in my pussy and the way my heart pattered in my chest at the idea. Part of me was getting way too used to the idea, and I needed to take a step back because it wasn't happening.

"And live and be my cousin-in-law?" She gave me a crooked smile. "Would it really be that bad?" Then her smile faltered, changing her expression into something harder. She didn't look like Hailey anymore, she looked colder, sterner, more like a mafia wife. "Besides, Clara. I told you to stay away from him. Instead, you stole from us and taunted him. One might even say that you made the bed you're currently lying naked in."

Wow. That was cold. And yet, I didn't blame her. In her shoes, I might be saying the same thing.

I had made a series of bad choices, and they'd landed me in a place where I had very little choice.

Something about my expression must have made her take pity on me, though. She sighed and turned her head toward the open door.

"Gio, I'm taking Clara with me to my room to get her decently clothed so she can come to breakfast."

He scowled, clearly unhappy with her statement, and I beamed, but her next statement had our expressions reversing.

"We can talk about your wedding while we eat."