Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
I faked it.
Sniffling loudly, I forced the tears forward, blinking rapidly, and clutched at his shoulders. “You would do that?” I let a single tear fall and whispered a weepy, “You’d do that for me?”
Before he could gauge my reaction, I threw my arms around him and squeezed tightly, hoping to God I was pulling this off. My voice earnest, I sighed into his chest. “I didn’t want to say anything, but the thought of you being away for my birthday…” I pulled back and smiled shakily up at him. “Thank you, Dino. It’s going to be great.”
When his stiff arms loosened, cradling me, I knew I had him. He looked down at me, his brow furrowed crossly. “I would do anything for you, baby.” He pulled me close and vowed, “I love you.”
So New York came, and from Dino’s constant good mood, on a Saturday night at a club called The White Rabbit, I made a fatal error.
I smiled at the bartender when he handed me my drink, tipping my head back and laughing when he winked at me and told Dino he was a lucky man.
Dino responded kindly, left an unnecessarily large tip, took my hand and guided me to the edge of the dance floor. I sipped my cocktail, smiling to myself at how much I’d dreaded this trip. I was actually having fun.
I yawned, and catching it, Dino called the limo driver to meet us out front shortly. When we made our way out and slid into the back, Dino pulled me onto his lap, nibbling at my neck. Being tipsy and overly happy at Dino’s demeanor during this trip, I leaned into his mouth.
Dino called out to the driver, “Privacy,” and without a word, the partition window went up.
Dino kissed his way down my neck, onto my chest, and then swiped his tongue in the valley between my breasts. “Have fun tonight, baby?”
I clutched at his head and moaned, “Oh yes, honey.”
With a swift tug at the neckline of my simple black dress, my breasts were bared, and Dino took a stiff peak into his mouth, sucking with enthusiasm.
My back bowed with the intense pleasure flowing through my body.
“Who is he?” Dino asked quietly, before switching to the other nipple, laving it with his tongue.
Panting, in a haze, I responded, “Who?”
Lifting his head, he muttered, “The bartender. Who is he?”
Blinking slowly, I pulled back to look at my husband. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen him before.”
He smiled before lowering his mouth back to where I needed it. I sighed in appreciation.
A sudden, burning pain radiated through my breast, and I yelped, trying to pull back. But Dino’s arms tightened around me. A second yelp was pulled from me as the pain returned with a vengeance. Frightened, I pushed at my husband’s shoulders. “Dino, stop.”
But he bit me again. Harder.
Gritting my teeth, I swallowed a wail of agony, as I whispered a broken, “But it’s my birthday!”
With a firm hand, he pushed me off his lap and onto the floor of the limo. I landed on my stomach and, with a harsh wheeze, the breath was knocked out of me. I heard the jingling of his belt. The bottom of my dress was harshly lifted over my hips, and my panties pulled down to my knees.
I wasn’t ready for him when he entered me from behind, muttering, “You lying little bitch.”
The pain was unbearable.
With every jolting, dry thrust, hurt plagued me, my stomach rolling, white spots dancing in front of my eyes.
I was going to faint.
Deeper and deeper he went, grunting and mumbling abuse into my ear, until finally—thankfully—darkness embraced me.
The only realization that Dino isn’t tearing my body apart comes in the form of a choked scream escaping me, as I clamber back into the corner of the sofa like a wounded animal. My shaking hands rise up to cover my open mouth, and I pant softly into them, a light sheen of sweat on my forehead. I blink through stinging tears.
I try to swallow through the thickness in my throat. My frightened statement sounds into the silent room, “I hate you.”
Ling and Julius exchange a curious but frowning glance. Ling shrugs discreetly, but I catch it, and suddenly, I’m mortified.
As my cheeks heat, my subconscious laughs.
You’re losing your mind.
My attempt to clear my throat weak, I lift my gaze to meet Julius’s. “If you don’t plan on killing me tonight, is there somewhere I can get some rest?”
It takes him a moment, but he speaks gently. “Upstairs. Second room on the right.”
Upstairs.
My foot hurts like a bitch, and he gives me a room upstairs. Of course he does.
Punishment.
I’m being punished. I understand the message being sent, and I’ll take it on the chin.
Slowly making my way past them both, standing tall, although every second is pure torture on my wounded foot, I carefully take the stairs one at a time, my tender heel aching with every step, but I don’t let them see my pain.