Page 30 of Bound in Obsession
I stare at the steaming plate, my stomach growling loudly now that the food is right in front of me.
I pull it closer, pick up the fork and take my first bite. I eat slowly, savoring the flavors, letting the warmth settle in my belly. For a few minutes, I almost forget where I am.
Not long after I’ve cleaned the plate, the door unlocks again. And my stupid heart does a little flip, then immediately drops when I see it’s only a maid coming to collect the tray. Not Nico.
I quickly shove the disappointment away. I have no idea why I keep thinking he'll come in here, and why I keep feeling disappointed.
She takes the empty dishes with a quiet nod and leaves. The lock clicks back into place.
I get up, walk into the bathroom, and start brushing my teeth. The minty foam fills my mouth as my mind wanders.
I hope my sisters are okay. I still hope Sienna and Domenico have made it far away by now, somewhere safe where they can actually be happy together.
And Papa… I wonder if he’ll meet Nico’s demands. They sounded extreme even from the little I overheard. My father is a man of immense pride. He doesn’t bend. He doesn’t like being strong-armed. Ever.
What happens if he refuses?
Will Nico really do it? Will he cut me up and send my body parts to my father like he threatened? The man is dangerous. I saw that brutality with my own eyes in the basement today. He’s capable of it. I have no doubt.
A shiver runs through me at the thought.
Either way, I’m going to be punished. If I ever get back home, Papa will make sure I pay dearly for getting kidnapped and ruining his precious alliance. But at least his punishments I know. They’re familiar.
I’d rather face my father’s wrath than be carved up and mailed back to him in pieces.
I spit out the toothpaste and rinse my mouth, staring at my tired reflection.
So I hope Papa meets Nico’s terms. Because as much as I hate being here… I want to live.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Nico
The next morning, I run the perimeter of the compound hard, feet pounding against the gravel path. The sun is barely up, mist still clinging to the trees, I'm exhausted, but I push myself faster, trying to sweat her out of my system.
Eleonora.
That stubborn, infuriating brunette I kidnapped is like a persistent bug buzzing around my mind. No matter how fast I run or how hard I push my body, I can’t get her out.
All night I lay in bed knowing she was just one door away. I kept thinking about how close I came to kissing her on the balcony and in my office, how her lips parted, how her breath hitched, how badly I wanted to taste her, bite her, claim that smart mouth.
It would’ve been stupid. Reckless. I know.
I’m supposed to be thinking about how to force Massimo to meet my demands, not about getting between his daughter’s legs.
I round the final bend and slow as I reach the front yard. A group of my men are clustered together, talking in low voices. The second they see me, they break apart quickly.
“What’s going on?” I demand, chest still heaving from the run.
They part, revealing a massive bouquet of deep red roses sitting on the stone steps. Dozens of them.
I stop dead. “What the fuck are those doing here?”
One of my lieutenants, Enzo, steps forward and hands me a small white card. “These arrived this morning, Boss. Came with this.”
I snatch the card and rip it open:
Looking forward to reclaiming what is mine.
