Betrayal and Devotion

Colman," one of the nurses said, h

t directly look at me. I wanted to shrink into nothing, to become invisible. But, of course, I couldn't contro

l. The hospital lobby was a blur as I approached the door, desperate to escape. The rain hit me

to wash away the heat of embarrassment, to drown out t

ear. My breath caught as Gianni emerged from the shadows, his familiar, arrogant stance stirring memories I'd rather forget. He sauntered over, the rain seeming to bend aroun

he drawled, his voice laced with mockery. "My sweet l

es, squaring my shoulders even though I felt small under his gaze. "What the hell is wrong with you, Marco? it not enough to take

nough that I could smell his cologne. "Let you go? After seeing you hanging around here, looking so..

how much he affected me. I'd spent years trying to scrub away his presenc

nd down. "I'm not the one throwing myself at every man in sight to get a

er by the second. But I knew it would only amuse him more. "I'm not here for you

e seen you, wandering around here, looking pathetic. I was almost moved, y

in my throat. "What

. It made me remember just how irresistible you used to be. Your soft little figure..." He leaned close enough that

elt. My father's illness was something I'd been fighting alone, something that st

elievable. My father's life isn't some game

. That's all you have to decide. Be my little pet, and I'll make sure your dear daddy gets the best care money can

o tell him that he could not do this to me. But my voice refused to come.

h the hot tears that had finally broken through. I could feel him watching me, his satisfaction t

to meet his gaze. "Three days," he repeated, his voice low and de

here, broken and humiliated. I sat there, the weight of his horrible request pressing down on me until I cou

away, thinking it was Marco again, coming to gloat some more. "

see who was kne