Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Gio

Standing at the altar, waiting for my bride, I marveled at how quickly my mother and aunt had brought everything together. The whole family was there. Everyone who was in town, at least. They'd all dropped what they were doing to come see me enter the parson's mousetrap.

Next to me, Jack came to attention as Hailey walked through the doorway at the back of the church. We didn't have much of a wedding party—Jack was my best man; Hailey was Clara's matron-of-honor—but the audience was packed. No one from Clara's side, but my family had filled it in. My mother and father were seated in the front next to my Aunt Serena. An empty chair waited beside hers.

Hailey had let us know that Clara didn't have any family nearby that she knew of, and when asked, Clara had clammed up completely. I got the feeling she had no one she could rely on in the world, which might be why she'd gotten involved in such dangerous antics.

Well, now she had me.

As she reached the end of the aisle, Hailey smiled sweetly at Jack and gave me a hard look before taking her place. I didn't mind. I was glad my babydoll had someone who had been looking out for her before I came along. Besides, Hailey had played her own role in getting Clara here today, so she could glare all she wanted. If she stepped a toe out of line, my cousin would handle it.

The organ swelled, the music shifting, and everyone stood up and turned around.

Clara and my Uncle Lorenzo appeared at the end of the aisle. Tomas loomed like a dark shadow behind them, just in case Clara made a last-minute decision to bolt. I didn't think she would, but better safe than sorry. That was also why my uncle was walking her down the aisle—to ensure she made it there.

If she was still feeling any reluctance, it didn't show in her stride. She glided forward in a silky beaded dress that fit her well, though not perfectly, with her chin held high. A short veil came down over her eyes, though it did nothing to hide them nor the challenge emanating from her as she met my gaze.

Feisty, indeed.

Her bottom was likely still sore from last night, and yet she carried herself like a queen. My queen.

Jack's father handed her off to me.

"If you go through with this, I'm going to make you miserable for the rest of your life," she whispered to me, standing close enough that I would be the only one able to hear. To everyone else, it would likely look like she was whispering something sweet to her groom.

I squeezed her fingers.

"I'm perfectly happy with you giving me a daily reason to punish that sweet little bottom," I murmured back.

The look of shock on her face as I turned her to Father John was perfect. The priest smiled benignly at us. If he'd heard any of our exchange, he didn't show it.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…"

I didn't pay much attention to the ceremony. I was far more invested in watching my bride as we were married. The words didn't matter, other than the ones she uttered— I do.

The feeling of possessiveness that shot through me was as strong as it was unexpected. I hadn't realized I could feel this strongly about a woman. There would be no more sharing. I'd cut a man's dick off if he tried to touch her with it. Even though it wasn't Tomas' fault, even though I'd been the one to give him permission, I was tempted to go and follow through retroactively.

If he was anyone other than the Ghost, our silent assassin, I probably would have. But Uncle Lorenzo would be upset, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to take Tomas out, to be perfectly frank. Though if he tried to touch her again, we'd find out.

He wouldn't. I knew that rationally. It was the irrational part of me that was cursing my impulsive decision the other night.

But I really hadn't thought it would matter.

It was incredible how one tiny statement, uttered by Father John, could change my entire world.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife."

I pulled Clara against me in a swift, possessive motion, my hand on the small of her back as I bent down to claim her lips. They opened in a gasp, and I thrust my tongue into her mouth, claiming it for my own, kissing the breath from her while several of our audience cheered, only to be shushed by their wives.

Chuckling, I pulled away, and she blinked up at me through the veil, seemingly shocked by the kiss. Whether the passion or the way I'd held her or the fact that I'd dared use my tongue in a church…

Well, I planned on using my tongue in far more wicked ways this evening.

"Wife." I turned her toward the crowd, my hand sliding down to give her bottom a little pat. Hailey narrowed her eyes at me, but she and Father John were the only ones who could see it, and the good father wouldn't care. He was used to the DiNardo Family.

Clara stiffened but didn't say anything.

I put my hand on the small of her back, gently moving her down the aisle. First the reception, then the wedding night. I wanted to get to the latter as quickly as possible.

* * *

Clara

Married. I was married.

To Giovanni DiNardo.

My life had taken a sharp left turn from where I'd thought it would be at this point, and I didn't know what to do. Everything still felt surreal, as if it wasn't really happening, yet I knew I was awake. I knew I was now a member of the DiNardo family.

I would never be returning to Mrs. Cunningham's boarding house. That had been made clear to me. My things had already been recovered and moved to Gio's rooms here.

They greeted me like one of the family. The dinner, the toasts. And all through it, Hailey kept a sharp eye on me. Where did her loyalties lie now? I didn't know. And I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I always had a plan, but everything had moved too quickly, and I was floundering.

My only plan was to wait.

Wait. Wait. Wait.

It wasn't a very good plan.

I needed to get out. I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Where do you think you're going?" Gio asked as I started to pull away from him. He'd been glued to my side from the moment the priest had pronounced us man and wife; there was no shaking him. I could only think of one way.

"I need to use the bathroom."

"Very well."

I gritted my teeth as he started moving with me, his hand on the small of my back, guiding me through the crowd.

"I can go to the bathroom by myself!" I snapped at him, trying to keep my voice low despite my rising temper. Gio just smiled benignly at me.

"You could, but I need to keep an eye on my new bride. Can't have you running off on me." He winked at me, but his words were not a joke, and we both knew it.

I would run the second I could, and the more he caged me, the more determined I was. Hailey would be fine. She'd be more than fine. I should have never worried about her so much in the first place, and now I wasn't going to anymore. I needed to save my own skin.

"Are you two sneaking out?" Gio's mother appeared in front of us, making me stiffen. "Lovely, go make me some grandbabies."

My mouth dropped open in horror, but Gio just laughed and bent to kiss his mother's cheek.

"We'll see you tomorrow morning," he replied easily as a heated blush filled my cheeks. Of course, everyone knew what was expected on a wedding night, though I'd been doing my best not to think of it, but did they have to talk about it?

"We'll be right back," I said, countering his statement.

Gio snorted, and his mother laughed airily, waving my words away with her hand.

"Tomorrow," she said firmly, reaching up to take my face in her hands. She gave me a kiss on each cheek, then a smile that did not reach her eyes. "Welcome to the family, Clara." There is no escape.

The words went unsaid, but I heard them anyway. Welcome to the family—because if I wasn't a member of the family, then I was the enemy. My connection to Hailey only went so far; it was my marriage to Gio that was saving my life. And tonight was our wedding night.

He'd already had my mouth, my bottom… my pussy clenched in anticipation.

"We're coming back as soon as I'm done," I said, my voice low as we left the crowded room of people. Anything to put off what came next. The fact that part of my body was eagerly anticipating the event did nothing to reassure me—if anything, it made me more determined to delay the inevitable.

"We are not." Gio's voice was deceptively amiable.

"Yes, we are." The words were barely out of my mouth before he turned in front of me, dipped low, and put his shoulder right in my stomach. "Gio!" I squealed his name as he lifted me up over his shoulder, my head going down at the same time. The press against my bladder made it ache, my legs clamping together in a vain attempt to keep from releasing.

As he started walking down the hall in ground-eating strides, I gasped as I bounced on his shoulder, reaching down to slap his back.

"Gio, stop! I really do have to go!"

He didn't answer other than reaching up to pat my bottom. Red fury crossed my vision. If I peed on him, he would deserve it… but I didn't think I could take the humiliation. Everything inside of me fought against the very idea of doing something so grotesque.

"I'm going to end up peeing on you," I threatened, and it was not an idle threat. Every shift of his shoulder against my lower stomach made it harder to hold back my body's natural needs.

"Then I'll have good reason to punish you," he replied amiably, patting my bottom again. The rat fink.

Gritting my teeth, I closed my eyes, trying to breathe deeply through my nose and think about something else.

Anything else.

Thankfully, as fast as he was walking, it did not take long to reach our chamber, and he took me straight to the bathroom. My bladder was so full, so in need of release, I had my skirt up, panties down, and bottom on the porcelain seat before I realized he had not left the room.

No, my new husband was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame, arms crossed over his chest, watching me.

Heat flooded my cheeks. I pressed my legs together, my insides aching from the effort.

"Get out!"

He smiled at me. It was not a nice smile.

"No."

The heat in my face grew, and I could feel little beads of sweat clinging to my hairline as the effort to hold back the flood when I was already in position was becoming painfully difficult.

"You have to get out. Please." I begged. It hurt my pride, but my bladder hurt more.

Gio's smile grew.

"Sorry, babydoll, but you've already proven you can't be trusted. For all I know, I'll leave the bathroom, and you'll shimmy out the window." He jerked his head upward to a window I hadn't even noticed. "You'll just have to go in front of me."

There was a glint in his eye, one that spoke of possession, of ownership. He might be speaking the truth about not underestimating my abilities again, but that wasn't all this was about. He was enjoying my humiliation, enjoying his power over me.

That was the message.

Nothing was private to me anymore. Everything that was mine was his, including my body, even to this degree.

I whimpered because I couldn't stop it. Couldn't hold it.

Closing my eyes against his smile, I felt a tear trickle down my cheek as I had to release my bladder while he watched, my humiliation complete.