With This Ring: To Have and To Hold Duet Book One Read online

  “No.”

  “No?” He smacks again and tears sting my eyes. Then he starts rubbing my butt in lazy circles and my wires must cross because all I should feel is pain. Pain and humiliation and brutal injustice. But his hand on me right now, him holding me like he is, that’s not all I feel.

  “Look at me,” he repeats.

  I do, a tear sliding down the side of my face.

  “What did you think you’d do with a nail file strapped to your thigh like you’re some warrior woman?”

  “What do you expect me to do? Not fight? Not try to defend myself? I was twelve when I started fighting. I don’t know any other way to be. Don’t expect me to roll over for you in a day. It’s not how I’m wired. I know I’m not a warrior woman. I know you’re stronger than me and that you’ll probably beat me every time, but I have to try.”

  “I don’t want to hurt you, Scarlett.”

  “Yeah right, that’s obvious. I fucking hate you.”

  He shakes his head and raises his arm.

  I struggle, wriggle to get free, and that’s when I feel him. Feel his hardness against me. He’s aroused.

  He’s fucking aroused.

  And I have no idea what the fuck is happening here in the backseat of this SUV but it’s not what should be happening. It’s not me hating him.

  I don’t speak. I don’t even breathe. Looking straight ahead at the door handle, I just feel his length and don’t move. I clench my butt cheeks and my fists and try not to panic because it could be worse than a spanking. He could do so much worse and no one would help me.

  “Scarlett?”

  I think he’s been saying something but all I hear is my name. I don’t answer. I can’t.

  “Hey,” he says, leaning his face down a little.

  I shake my head, trying to muffle a sniffle.

  “Christ,” he mutters and in the next moment, he frees my legs, and hauls me upright. He lifts me onto his lap, keeping my wrists trapped behind me.

  I lean my face down to wipe away tears on his shirt. Stupid fucking tears.

  Fuck.

  He just spanked me. He just saw my bare ass, spanked it and he got hard doing it. He’s still hard and I can’t even begin to process what I’m feeling.

  I wipe my nose on his shoulder too because he deserves it. “Let me go,” I say, not looking at him. It’s not fully out of embarrassment either. I don’t want him to see the confusion in my eyes because he seems to read me like a book.

  He cups my face, which I’m sure is as red as my butt, forcing my gaze to his, then wipes a tear with his thumb. “I don’t want to hurt you, Scarlett.”

  “You liked doing it. You got hard doing it.” I twist, but it’s no use.

  “I’m a man.”

  I snort.

  “Listen to me and I’ll let you go,” he says quietly, no laughter in his tone.

  “Why should I?”

  “Because you need to know that I mean it. That I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “My butt will disagree.”

  He smiles and it’s not a nasty smirk or like he’s laughing at me. It’s almost a boyish one. “If I really wanted to hurt you, you’d be down in one of those cells right now or worse. And as stubborn as you are, you’re smart enough to know that’s true.”

  I swallow, twisting my arms but still he doesn’t budge.

  “You have enemies, Scarlett. You and Noah both.”

  “I know. I’m sitting with one.”

  “I mean enemies who will do real damage. You know this. Tell me you know this.”

  I can’t deny it, but I don’t want to confirm it either, so I grit my teeth and stay silent.

  “I’m not going to hurt you or Noah as long as you don’t give me cause to.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It’s simple.” His expression goes dead serious. “It means don’t betray me.”

  “You’d have to have someone’s trust to betray them. You and I do not have each other’s trust.”

  “Not yet. But I’m a pretty good judge of character and I hope you’ll be trustworthy.”

  I snort.

  “Will you? Because I can name at least two men who’d love to get their hands on you. If they did, it wouldn’t be pretty.”

  “So what? You’re helping me? Is that what you want me to believe? Maybe I should be grateful to you?”

  “This is serious.”

  “You think I don’t know that? You think watching my brothers executed didn’t clue me in?”

  He squeezes my wrists. “You are so god damned stubborn.” He shakes his head, looks away momentarily. “I’m helping me and if in the process that helps you then so be it. I have vowed to avenge my family’s murders. My mother’s assault. And even given your name, I don’t believe you or your brother should be punished.”

  “Well, thanks. It’s big of you to acknowledge since I was twelve and he was five at the time.”

  “Christ—”

  “If we shouldn’t be punished then why not let us go?”

  “I can’t. And you don’t want me to. You know what’s waiting for you out there. You’re safest under my protection.”

  “I’m not safe and neither is my brother.”

  “Not on your own. You’re right about that.” He’s dead serious and the way he looks at me, it’s unnerving. I almost can’t keep eye contact because he’s really looking at me. Seeing something inside me. “Are you all right, Scarlett?”

  “Apart from enduring this latest humiliation, I’ll be fine.”

  He lets go of my wrists and slides me to the bench before strapping me in.

  “I’m not in agreement about Noah. I’m just not,” I say.

  “Then you need to find a way to accept it. There is no alternative.”

  I turn my gaze out the window because I’m crying again. Stupid. I don’t even know why. I should just be angry. I should just want to claw his eyes out.

  “Do you need a minute?”

  I shrug a shoulder, refusing to look at him. I’m unable to speak because my throat has closed up and I know if I open my mouth, I’ll just sob, and I can’t do that. Not now. Not in front of him. And I’m relieved when, without another word, he knocks on the window signaling the driver who gets in behind the wheel. We head off to wherever it is we’re going.

  17

  Cristiano

  Her reaction wasn’t what I expected. I took her over my lap because it wouldn’t do serious damage, but it would chasten her. But to think I wouldn’t get hard doing it was my bad. And I knew the instant she felt me.

  It’s been a few hours and she’s been moping along all afternoon, trying on whatever I pick out and refusing to look at me. I assumed she’d enjoy spending the day shopping. Don’t all women love to shop?

  Maybe she’s embarrassed at what happened in the SUV but she needs to get over it. Even if her feelings are half as confused as mine.

  I’m not apologizing for what I did. It needed to be done.

  She needs to behave tonight. She needs to behave every night. And I meant what I said. I do hope she’ll be trustworthy because I don’t want to hurt her.

  I was twelve when I started fighting. I don’t know any other way to be.

  Her words repeat while I study her as she eats the last of her pasta. She still has an appetite. A good sign even if she hasn’t said one word to me in the last four hours. She’s processing and it’s a lot to take in. I have no doubt when I tell her about our upcoming nuptials, she’ll fight me again. In a way, I feel sorry for her but neither she nor I have a choice in the matter.

  “Would you like dessert?” I ask once she’s finished and the waiter clears our plates.

  “No.”

  “No, thank you.”

  She narrows her eyes, leans back in her chair and stubbornly sits there staring at me.

  I lean toward her. “What is it, Little Kitten?”

  She narrows her eyes at me. “How much longer is this shopping trip going to take
?”

  “You have somewhere to be?”

  “Pretty much anywhere you’re not.”

  “That’s too bad.” My phone rings then. It’s Charlie. “Excuse me.” I stand and walk away from the table to take the call. “Charlie?”

  “There’s some noise about tonight.”

  “What noise?”

  “Not sure exactly yet but I talked to Antonio about doubling security.”

  “Rinaldi?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “All right.” I take a breath in, glance at Scarlett.

  “I’ll let you know as soon as I learn more,” he says.

  “Thanks, Charlie. I’ll drop by later, too. I have a couple more names for you.”

  He’s silent for a long moment. “I’ll be here.”

  We disconnect and I dial my uncle. He answers on the third ring.

  “I’m going to send Scarlett your way earlier than expected,” I say. “I’ll come later.”

  “Something up?”

  “Not sure.”

  “All right. I’ll be expecting her.”

  We disconnect and I go back to the table, checking my watch and signaling for Alec to come over.

  “Sir?” Alec asks.

  “Change of plans,” I tell him then turn to Scarlett. “You have one more stop to make before Alec takes you to my uncle’s house in the city.”

  She looks up at Alec then at me. “You’re not coming with me?”

  “I thought you didn’t want to be with me.”

  “I guess I’d choose you over your uncle. I don’t know him, but I already know not to count that as a big win for you.”

  “Slow learner, aren’t you?”

  “Will your brother be there too? Because that would be a real treat.”

  I sigh. “Dante is protecting his family. He has nothing against you personally.”

  “Yeah, right. Can I just go back to the island?”

  “I already told you we have an event tonight. Alec, you’ll take her to the boutique. Mrs. Sorani has chosen some dresses. She’ll have the final say on the dress then you’re to take her to the house. I’ll meet you there later. I have people scheduled to come to the house at a little after five to get her ready. Make sure she complies with anything they might need.” That last part I say to her.

  “Yes, sir,” she says with a salute, mimicking my soldiers. I let it slide.

  “You’re not to leave her side, understood?” I tell Alec.

  He nods.

  I take out my wallet and drop some bills on the table, more than enough to cover our lunch and the revenue the owner lost to close while hosting only us. I push my chair back and stand. Scarlett looks uncertainly from me to Alec and back. I’m surprised at her bravado. She is out of her league and out of her element and she knows it.

  “I’ll walk her out,” I tell Alec who takes the hint and leaves.

  Walking around to Scarlett’s side, I stand behind her seat. Leaning over to place my hands over her forearms, resting on the arms of the chair. I inhale, take in the soft perfume of a feminine shampoo. Lenore’s doing, I’m sure.

  She turns her head a little, leaning away just enough so we’re not cheek to cheek. I see how her pulse drums against her neck and hear her swallow.

  “Are you going to be good? Or are you going to give me the opportunity to take you over my knee again for a real spanking?”

  She flushes, blinks rapidly before returning her gaze to mine. “If you touch me like that again I’ll kill you in your sleep.”

  “But you wouldn’t mind me touching you another way?”

  “I mean it. I’ll kill you.”

  I smile wide. “I have no doubt you’d try. Truce, all right?”

  “Truce? You don’t need to make a deal with me. I’m your prisoner. You have enough soldiers that if I take one step in the wrong direction, I’m sure I’ll be surrounded in an instant, weapons trained on me.”

  “My men know not to train their weapons on you.”

  She seems surprised, at least momentarily. “And you have my brother. You don’t need to make a truce with me, Cristiano. I’ll do what you say, and you know it, so don’t pretend to want to do right by me.”

  “I’m not pretending.”

  “Noah needs clothes too if he’s going to stay on the island.”

  “Already sorted.” I release her and pull her chair out. “You’ll see them at the next shop. If anything is missing add it to the order.”

  She bites the inside of her cheek. I guess she’s trying to come up with some quip, but she doesn’t say anything.

  “Ready?” I ask her.

  She opens her mouth, closes it again and stands. I walk her out to Alec and the others, opening the door and lifting her into the SUV.

  “I can get into a car myself.”

  I put my hands on her thighs like earlier. “You didn’t sneak a knife out, did you? An ice pick, maybe?”

  She bites the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling and it makes me smile.

  “I’ll see you tonight, Scarlett.”

  Alec gets into the front seat and I give Scarlett one last look before stepping back to close the door.

  18

  Scarlett

  I’m surprised about the things for Noah but true to his word, bags of clothes were waiting for my approval at the next shop. Although if he truly is keeping him on the island, I’m sure he doesn’t want him wearing the same clothes that are stained with Diego and Angel’s blood, so this isn’t exactly selfless of Cristiano.

  It’s late afternoon by the time we get to Cristiano’s uncle’s house, on the edge of the city. And house isn’t quite the word. It’s a mansion, a proper Italian mansion set well back from the beautiful stone pillars cradling ornate iron gates that open to let us in. The grounds are elegantly manicured and before a servant opens the front door, I can hear the sounds of someone playing piano inside.

  Alec enters behind me. I take a moment to look around, take in the elegant, monied feel of the place.

  Our home in Mexico was always more cozy than elegant. We lived in that house, played in every room. The sounds of children and the smells of cooking constant. This place, for as beautiful as it is, is cold. Lifeless. And when Cristiano’s uncle turns a corner, I wish Cristiano were here at my side. I wish he’d stand bastion between me and this man, because from where I stand, I already feel his animosity toward me.

  “Welcome, Scarlett De La Cruz,” he says, drawing out my name while looking me over and not trying too hard to hide the fact that I’m not actually welcome.

  I glance at Alec at my side. He’s carrying some bags but most of the things are loaded in the SUVs.

  “I’m David Grigori, Cristiano’s uncle.”

  “I know who you are.”

  “Come in.” He turns to Alec, looks at the bags. “Joanna,” he calls out.

  A woman appears out of nowhere.

  “Take those things to Ms. De La Cruz’s room.”

  She nods and relieves Alec of the bags, then disappears up the stairs.

  “You can wait with the others,” David tells Alec.

  “I’m to stay with her at all times. Cristiano’s orders.”

  “Well, Cristiano isn’t here, is he? And you’re in my house. Soldiers don’t belong in my house.”

  “Sir, I—”

  The man who opened the door for us, opens it again.

  “I’ll let you know if we require your assistance,” David tells Alec who looks at me hesitatingly then nods to David and leaves.

  So much for that.

  I clear my throat when David turns his gaze back to me. “Big day?” he asks.

  I shrug a shoulder and don’t bother to smile. “When is Cristiano getting here?”

  “He’ll see you at the ball.”

  “He said he’d be here.”

  “I guess something more important came up.” He walks a circle around me, and I don’t know what to do but stand there. “Has he fucked you yet?”
/>
  I turn my gaze to him. “Excuse me?”

  He comes to stand in front of me. “My nephew. Has he fucked you yet?”

  Is he for real?

  “The look on your face tells me he hasn’t. Which explains why you’re not using the servant’s entrance.”

  “I’m happy to use any entrance that doesn’t include having to talk to you.”

  He snorts, looks almost amused. “I suppose he has to tolerate you, though, considering. Even if you are Cartel trash.”

  I have no words and it’s rare that I’m left speechless.

  “I don’t like you, Scarlett. I don’t like your family. If it were up to me, you, your brother and your uncle would be six feet under with the rest of them. You destroyed that boy.”

  I know I shouldn’t care what he says or what he thinks, but that last sentence hits me, and I know he’s right, at least about that.

  “But it turns out you may prove useful after all.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Don’t you know?”

  “Know what?”

  He grins. “I’ll let my nephew take care of that. Take off your jacket.”

  “What?”

  He holds out his hand. “Jacket. I don’t suppose you need to wear it indoors.”

  I should tell him to fuck off but instead I take off my jacket. By the time I hand it to him, his expression has changed, gone from cold and calculated to angry.

  And it’s not me he’s looking at. It’s the dress I’m wearing.

  “Where did you get that dress?” he asks, his tone low, rage barely controlled.

  I look down at it, wonder what’s wrong with it. “Lenore gave it to me.”

  “It’s not yours. Take it off.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me. Take it off,” he says through gritted teeth.

  “Fine. Just let me go to my room. I have something to change into—”

  “Now!”

  I almost jump at that. “No. No way.” I glance back at the door where the servant, who probably doubles as security from the look of him, stands.

  “Don’t make me tear it off you.”

  “I just—”

  He grabs hold of my arm, his grip painful. “Take. It. Off.”