Page 34 of The Mafia King's Reign
I could have stripped her myself. Could have carried her to the bed. Could have held her despite her protests until exhaustion and adrenaline crash made her pliant.
Instead, I walked away.
Because she said no.
Because the fear in her eyes was real.
Because breaking her would be a waste of potential. I’ve never taken a woman against her will, and I’m not going to start now. Especially not her. I don’t even know what the fuck I was doing walking into her room so late. I had to know she’d say no.
But standing here taking yet another fucking shower, with my forehead pressed against the tile, cock hard and aching, I know the truth.
I walked away because I wanted her surrender to mean something.
I want her to choose this.
Choose me.
She didn’t choose to be my wife. That choice was mine.
But when I finally take her, when I strip away every last defense and make her feel exactly what she does to me, I don’t want it to be force that keeps her there.
I want it to be her choice. When I ruin her, I want her to want it.
The words echo in my head like a curse.
I turn the water to cold and stand there until my body gets the message.
Until the need dulls to something manageable.
Until I can think clearly again.
Then I dry off, pull on sleep pants, and head to bed.
Alone.
But I pull up the surveillance feed on my phone first.
Just to check.
Valentina is back at the window, arms wrapped around herself, staring out at the darkness.
Not crying... standing. Processing. I watch her for five minutes.
Ten.
Fifteen.
Almost like I’m in the room with her.
Then she moves to the bed, climbs under the covers fully clothed, and turns off the light.
I close the feed and set my phone aside.
Tomorrow, I'll begin the process of transforming her from captive to wife.
Tomorrow, she'll meet my brothers and understand what world she's entered. But tonight... Tonight she gets to keep her pajamas.
Tonight she gets to say no.
