Her face pressed into his chest, her voice trembling, raw with terror.
"That lion is gonna eat me… I'm scared."
Her body shook against him. She buried her face deeper, almost clawing into him for protection.
"That lion is gonna eat me—I'm scared…" she repeated, her words quivering.
Dominic's jaw clenched. He lowered his head slightly, his sharp nose brushing against Camilla's hair. And then it hit him—that scent.
Peony flowers.
Soft, fresh, intoxicating… the exact same fragrance that had wrapped around him that night in the guest room.
The lion roared, a deep guttural sound that shook the air.
Its massive paws thudded against the ground as it stopped right in front of Dominic, chest rising and falling like thunder.
Then—it lowered itself. The great beast bowed, head dipping, mane brushing the dirt, as if acknowledging the man before him as his Master.
Selena leaned lazily against the cage, her smirk curving wickedly as her eyes flicked toward Camilla.
"She touched him. Her lips twitched with dark amusement. She's so dead ..Bubby won't be the one killing her Dominic would .
Dominic's rules were absolute. And every one knew it.
Blake's hand hovered near his gun.
His gaze kept darting between Camilla and Dominic. He was waiting, almost expecting the command. Cut off her hands.
That's what Dominic would say—because no one touched him and lived whole. No one.
But Dominic said nothing. His silence was sharp, heavy, dangerous.
Camilla clung to his shirt, trembling. Her lips quivered as she pressed them close to his ear, her breath uneven, broken.
"I-It's here…" she whispered. "It's here and it's staring at me… I'm so scared…"
Dominic's eyes flicked to the lion still crouched low before him. Then back to Camilla in his arms, shaking like a fragile leaf.
The air around them was thick—Selena smirking, Blake tense, the lion bowing, and Camilla whispering like a terrified child.
And still… Dominic did not speak.
Dominic's steps were measured, cold.
He walked a few paces forward, then without warning, he dropped Camilla into the car seat.
Not gently—just dropped her there, as though she weighed nothing.
Blake followed immediately..
but his eyes flicked constantly between his boss and the trembling girl.
Selena pushed herself away from the cage, heels clicking as she sauntered closer.
Her smirk hadn't faded, but curiosity laced her expression now.
She tilted her head, eyes gleaming.
Why didn't he kill her?
Why place her in his car instead of tearing her apart right here?
Dominic gave Blake the key of the hand cuff in Camilla's hand .
Blake uncuff Camilla's hand .
.Without saying a single word Dominic turned his back to all of them and walked toward the lion.
The massive beast had yet to move, still crouched low in its bow.
The car door remained wide open.
Blake stayed back.staring at Camilla. A shadow of confusion flickered across his sharp features. Finally, he broke the silence.
"Do you have a death wish?" he asked suddenly, his voice clipped.
Camilla blinked at him, startled. "Uh… no," she stammered.
"Then you need to be fucking careful if you don't have one." His tone was harsh.
Camilla swallowed hard, her gaze locking on him for the first time without fear clouding her vision.
It struck her—this was the first time she was really getting a clear view of Blake's face.
His sharp jawline, those intense eyes, and that long hair that framed his features.
Her chest tightened. He reminded her of Jadyen. The hair, especially—it was the same length.the same way it fell across his shoulders.
Only Blake was the tougher, harder version of Jadyen. Built from violence instead of softness.
Her heart lurched. Jadyen.
It suddenly hit her—she hadn't called him. He'd be worried sick.
She tore her gaze from Blake, words tumbling out almost desperately.
"Lend me your phone please …" she whispered.
I should at least text him, Camilla thought, biting down on her lip.
Blake slid his phone out of his pocket, his movements slow, deliberate.
He handed it to her, but his eyes never left her—dark, unblinking, watchful.
Camilla quickly tapped in Jadyen's number, her fingers trembling slightly as she typed.
HI LITTLE BRO, IT'S YOUR SIS. I LOST MY PHONE… DO ME A FAVOUR—DON'T COME TO THE HOUSE OR THE CASINO. I'LL CALL YOU THE MOMENT I GET A NEW PHONE.
Her chest tightened as she hit send. Then, without hesitation, she deleted both the message and Jadyen's number from Blake's phone.
When she was done, she forced a polite smile onto her lips and handed the device back.
"Thanks," she murmured softly.
Blake took the phone, his face expressionless.
He said nothing, only slipped it back into his pocket, eyes still on her like a hawk refusing to blink.
Bubby crept out from behind Selena, crouching low beside her legs. Its golden eyes glowed faintly as it peered toward Dominic.
Dominic's head lowered, his gaze cutting down at the beast. Then his eyes lifted, landing coldly on Selena.
"Are you gonna do it," his voice came low, edged with steel, "or should I?"
Selena blinked, genuine confusion flickering across her face. "Do what, brother?" she asked carefully.
Dominic's lips curved into something merciless, his voice calm but deadly.
"Cut off his four legs."
"I told you to keep your damn pet under control and never let him out of his cage… didn't I?" Dominic's voice was low, cutting.
"You did," Selena answered quickly.
"Then why the hell is it running loose in the yard?" His eyes narrowed, his tone colder.
Selena's smirk faltered. "I'm sorry… it's not entirely Bubby's fault. She's the one who intruded on him first. You know he hates people around."
Dominic's gaze cut into Selena like a blade. His jaw flexed, the weight of his silence pressing down heavier than a roar.
He stepped closer, his presence suffocating. "Don't give me excuses, Selena. I don't want to hear about fault. I gave an order."
"Next time Bubby leaves that cage without my permission," his voice dropped lower, lethal, "you'll be digging his grave with your own hands."
Selena swallowed, bowing her head just slightly. "Yes, brother."
Dominic turned away from Selena without another word, his long strides carrying him back toward the car.
Camilla's breath caught when he appeared at the door.
Dominic slid inside beside her, the air shifting instantly with his presence.
Camilla dared a glance at him. His face was composed, but his eyes… they burned with the faintest flicker of anger.
Her teeth found her bottom lip, biting down hard. A nervous habit she couldn't break.
Blake started the engine, the low rumble cutting through the silence.
Without a word, he drove them out, the gates of the Russo Manor groaning open.
The drive was silent, thick with unspoken tension.
Camilla barely moved, staring out the window though she saw nothing but shadows and blurred lights.
☆
" VERCETTI'S HOUSE "
Caroline tied the sash of her morning robe tighter around her waist, her damp hair falling over her shoulders. She had bathed earlier, yet unease clung to her skin like a film she couldn't wash away.
Her eyes kept darting toward the front door. She was still stuck in her own thoughts—Camilla should be back by now. Every passing hour gnawed at her nerves.
The sound of the door slamming open jolted her.
Mr. Giordano stepped in, his presence filling the room like a shadow.
Three men in fitted blue suits followed behind him, their faces unreadable but their stance sharp, predatory.
Caroline froze, swallowing hard as Giordano's sharp gaze landed on her.
"Where is she?" His voice was calm at first, but the edge beneath it was unmistakable. "Where is Camilla?"
Caroline's throat tightened. She opened her mouth, but no words came.
Giordano stepped further inside, his stare cutting her to the bone. "Why has my bride not been returned to me?"
Caroline flinched.
"You said," his voice dropped lower, each word heavy with accusation, "it would only take a day.
That's what you promised me. A day." He suddenly raised his voice, making her jump. "And now it's been over than that!"
Caroline's hands clenched at her robe. "I—I can explain—"
"Explain?" Giordano's laughter was short, bitter. "I paid ten million dollars to buy that girl. Ten million. And yet, she still isn't with me." His words cracked like a whip.
He paced once, then stopped, looking back at Caroline with a slow, deliberate sneer. "Or maybe… you need more money."
Caroline's breath caught.
His voice rose suddenly, slamming against her nerves. "Do you think I'm a fool? I paid ten million dollars to own her. Ten million—and she still isn't in my house, in my bed!"
Caroline flinched at the venom in his tone.
Giordano's breath came heavier, his eyes darkening as he spoke, voice dripping with something far more dangerous than anger.
"I have wanted Camilla from the very first day she stepped into my casino," he said, his words slow, She was different from the others."
He clenched his fist, his tone sharp."I didn't pay for a commodity, Caroline. I paid for her. And I will have her."
He stepped closer, making Caroline shrink back.
Giordano straightened, his jaw tightening as his eyes cut into Caroline one last time.
"You have two days," he said coldly, his tone final, laced with threat. "Two days to deliver me what I paid for… or else this won't end good between us."
The words hung in the air like a noose tightening around her neck.
Without another glance, Giordano turned on his heel.
His three men followed in perfect formation, their heavy footsteps echoing through the house.
The door slammed shut behind them, leaving Caroline alone—her chest heaving, her hands trembling—as silence swallowed the room whole.
The echo of the slammed door hadn't even faded before Caroline snapped.
Her hands trembled as she spun toward the table .
"Damn it!" she yelled, her voice cracking with fury.
She grabbed the vase from the table and hurled it across the room.
It shattered against the wall, shards raining down like broken glass stars.
Her breaths came wild, ragged.
She tore at the cushions on the couch, kicked a chair until it toppled, her anger spilling out unchecked.
" Ahhhh..where the bloody hell are you bitch"Caroline yelled .
☆
" LUCCHESES MANSION"
" MR LUCCHESES OFFICE "
Veronica sat back in the cushioned chair across from her father's massive oak desk, her legs crossed, fingers drumming lazily against the armrest.
The air in the office was heavy, the smell of aged whiskey and cigar smoke lingering in the room.
Mr. Luccheses leaned forward in his chair, his sharp eyes fixed on her. " Are you absolutely sure you did not marry Dominic Russo?"
Veronica rolled her eyes. "Yes, Father. How many times do I need to say that?"
His jaw tightened. "Then who did? Who married him in your place?"
She shrugged, her tone sharp and careless. "How am I supposed to know that? You're the one who arranged this marriage, so why don't you figure it out yourself?"
Her father's fingers curled around the edge of the desk. Veronica's words were laced with venom as she continued, "I told you from the beginning I'm not interested in Lord Dominic.
But you insisted—no, you forced this marriage on me. You should have just let Elizabeth marry him. She's already obsessed with him anyway."
Mr. Luccheses slammed his palm flat against the desk, his voice low and dangerous.
"We both know your sister is sick in the head. Do you have any idea what Lord Antonio would do to our family if he discovered we offered his grandson a lunatic as a bride?"
Veronica rose to her feet, brushing imaginary dust from her dress, her expression bored yet defiant.
"Then that sounds like your problem, Father. Not mine. If you'll excuse me, I'll take my leave."
Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she turned away.
Behind her, Mr. Luccheses sank back into his chair, pressing his fingertips against his temples. His voice was a muttered growl, meant more for himself than for her.
"If my daughter didn't marry Lord Dominic… then who did?"
He exhaled heavily, a shadow of dread crossing his face. "I must inform Lord Antonio before this gets out of hand."
☆
" DOMINIC'S VILLA "
Blake guided the car through the gates of Dominic's villa, the massive iron bars sliding shut behind them. He pulled smoothly into the driveway and parked.
Before Blake could even reach for the handle, Dominic had already opened his door. His movements were sharp, precise—impatient.
He came around to her side, yanked the door open, and without giving her a chance to gather herself, his hand clamped around her wrist.
No words. No explanation.
He dragged her out of the car as if she weighed nothing, his grip firm, unrelenting.
Her breath hitched, but she didn't fight him. Something in his silence, in his dominance, stripped away the thought of resistance.
So she followed.
Her legs carried her forward, willingly complying, steps falling in sync with his as he pulled her into the villa.
The door shut behind them, the sound echoing like a lock clicking into place.
Inside, the air was cooler, quieter, but no less heavy.
Camilla's pulse raced. She didn't know where he was taking her. She didn't know what he wanted. But still… she followed.
Dominic's grip never loosened as he dragged her through the grand halls of the villa.
The marble floors echoed with their footsteps, each sound sharp and deliberate in the silence.
Camilla's eyes darted around, trying to memorize the space, but her mind was too clouded with something else she couldn't name.
When he stopped, her stomach dropped.
It wasn't the guest room.
He pushed the heavy double doors open, and the air shifted instantly. His scent lingered here—deep, masculine, sharp with smoke and leather.
The room is darker ..only a dim red light spark in the room..the walls lined with shelves, the bed vast and commanding, draped in dark silk sheets that seemed to swallow light.
Her breath caught. This wasn't just a bedroom. It was his.
The room was darker, the walls lined with shelves, the bed vast and commanding, draped in dark silk sheets that seemed to swallow the light.
Her breath caught in her throat. This wasn't just a bedroom. It was his.
Dominic's hand remained firm at the small of her back as he guided her toward the bed.
His presence was overwhelming—an aura that consumed the air, leaving no space for hesitation.
"Up," he said, his voice low, carved with authority.
Camilla climbed onto the mattress, the cool silk brushing against her palms as her knees sank into its surface.
She glanced back at him, searching for some flicker of softness.
but his expression remained unreadable, sharp in the dim glow of the lamps.
"On all fours," Dominic commanded, his tone leaving no room for questions.
Her pulse hammered in her ears. Heat spread across her skin.
Slowly, almost reluctantly, she obeyed, positioning herself as instructed, her body taut with unease.
Dominic stepped closer, his shadow stretching over her, vast and inescapable. His silence was heavier than words.
Camilla's breaths came shallow, her palms pressed against the silk sheets as though they might anchor her.
Behind her, his hand gripped the hem of her skirt and lifted it, slow enough to remind her that he controlled the pace—always him, never her.
The cool air rushed against the back of her thighs, making her shiver before his fingers tugged at her panties and slid them down, the sound of fabric brushing her skin loud in the quiet of the room.
Her body tensed, shame flooding her cheeks, though he couldn't see them.
Dominic's palm landed again with a sharp crack, the sting spreading hot across her skin.
Camilla gasped, her body jerking forward against the sheets. But this time, she didn't fight it. Some part of her—expected what came at her .
Her breath was ragged, caught between pain and something she didn't dare name.
Then his voice cut through the silence. Low. Ruthless. Unrelenting.
"Touch yourself….Flower"
Her head snapped up, her eyes wide even though he couldn't see them from where he stood.
The command lodged in her chest like a blade.
Out of everything he could have demanded, those words shattered the thin layer of defiance she had been clinging to.
She can't be a trembling and vanuable mess in front of him... which is exactly what he want .
"No…" she whispered, shaking her head, trembling at the thought.
"I'm not… in that—" Camilla's words trembled, breaking off before she could finish. Her throat tightened around the rest, fear and refusal colliding inside her.
Dominic's smirk curved slow, deliberate, the kind of expression that stripped her bare without even touching. He tilted his head.
"Yeah, I know," he murmured, stepping closer, his breath grazing the shell of her ear. "Your body isn't sensitive ...That why you aren't reacting to my touch.
Her lips parted, but no words came.
He leaned down, his chest brushing against her trembling back, his mouth at her ear as his hand pressed firmly against the small of her spine, keeping her down.
"If you don't do it…" his voice dropped, dark velvet edged with steel, "…then I'll help you with it."
His words made her thighs press tighter together.
Camilla shook her head, her hair falling into her face, trying to hide her expression.please—"
His low chuckle cut her off, cold and merciless.
"Please what, flower?" His fingers trailed down her hip, stopping just shy of where she ached the most, deliberately cruel. "Beg me to stop? Or beg me to continue?"
" he called me that again ..."Camilla thought .
Her breath stuttered, and she dug her nails into the silk sheets, the cool fabric slipping under her desperate grip.
Dominic shifted, his smirk widening as his hand slid between her thighs—firm, unyielding.
Dominic's hand stayed pressed to her spine, pinning her in place. His tone turned colder, cutting into her like a blade.
"You crossed the line twice today, flower."
Her breath snagged in her throat, her fingers curling tighter against the sheets.
"First…" His hand slid lower, his fingers grazing the inside of her thigh, deliberately slow, the nearness enough to make her shiver. "…by getting out of the car without my command."
Camilla squeezed her eyes shut, her chest heaving as his touch hovered close to her core—close enough to set her nerves on fire, but not close enough to grant release.
"And second," he continued, his lips ghosting over her ear, his voice smooth and lethal,"By touching me without my consent."
Her pulse thundered at the accusation.
Dominic's hand edged higher, his knuckles brushing against her heat—so close that her body betrayed her, hips twitching forward in spite of her shame.
He smirked at the reaction she tried so hard to hide.
Before she could protest, he gripped her waist and forced her upright, seating her back against the mountain of pillows.
Her skirt bunched around her hips, her panties already discarded, leaving her exposed in the low light.
Dominic loomed over her, then took her knees in his strong hands and spread them apart—slow, deliberate, claiming every inch of control.
Camilla gasped, her hands flying to clutch the sheets at her sides, desperate to hide the tremble that coursed through her body.
But there was no hiding—his dark gaze swept over her, consuming, devouring, as though she belonged entirely to him.
The silence was suffocating. Then his voice broke through, quiet but carrying the weight of unshakable command.
"Keep them open."
Her chest rose and fell rapidly, heat burning through her veins.
" if You disobey again…" Dominic's thumb brushed dangerously close to her folds, teasing, never granting.
His eyes locked on hers, ruthless. "…and I'll make sure you regret it."
Her lips parted, trembling between protest and surrender.
Dominic leaned closer, his mouth brushing the shell of her ear as his fingers lingered, taunting her edge.
"You want to defy me, flower?" His smirk widened, voice velvet and steel. "Or will you show me how vulnerable you really are?"
Camilla's breath hitched, her nails digging into the silk beneath her palms.
Her body quivered under his touch, but still, she shook her head.
"N-no…" she whispered, voice barely steady, her refusal trembling in the air.
Dominic's smirk deepened, cruel and knowing.
His thumb lingered, brushing closer, but never granting.
The defiance in her words only seemed to fuel the hunger in his eyes.
"You're trembling, but still pretending you have control," he murmured, his tone low, dangerous, threaded with amusement.
His hand gripped her thigh harder, keeping her spread wide, ensuring she couldn't escape his scrutiny.
Camilla squeezed her eyes shut, but the shame only grew hotter, pulsing through her veins.
Every nerve screamed from the nearness of him, from the way he stripped her down with nothing more than his presence.
Dominic leaned in, his lips grazing the corner of her jaw, his breath scalding against her ear.
"Tell me…" he whispered, "…should I fuck you right here? Maybe then your body will finally learn how to obey."
Her breath shuddered, and her thighs twitched against his unyielding grip.
He pressed closer, his voice dark silk that coiled around her until she could barely breathe.
"Tell me, flower…" His mouth hovered at her ear, his teeth grazing her skin. "…should I fuck you right now.