Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Cristiano 

It was supposed to be a one-night stand—Just a brief moment of pleasure and nothing more. But the memories of that night with her… they stayed longer with me longer than they should have. Every time I closed my eyes, I could feel her right under me, her body fitting mine just the right way. I had known something was off the moment I felt her walls tighten around me. And when I found out that my client had sent the wrong girl, that the one I had spent the night with wasn't who I had expected, I had my men investigate her.

She turned out to be Annalisa, Giovanni’s fiancée. She was the woman my rival had claimed as his. At that moment, I should have walked away. I should have left her to deal with her own problems. After all, it was none of my concern. But the headlines, the stories on the internet about her life after that night… it made me feel very uneasy. There was this tightening feeling in my chest that I couldn't brush off, and I knew it was very unlike me to take responsibility of what wasn't my fault.

Now that she sat next to me after signing the contract that would make her mine, I should feel relieved, knowing I would have her under my control. But instead, it only made me restless. The way her natural scent mixed with cheap perfume took over the air in the car, drove me insane. She was nothing like the women I was used to. Most of them were elegant, perfect in every way; they all dripped with luxury and class. But Annalisa… Annalisa was very simple and that made her stand out more than anyone else. She didn’t know the power she had over me, and that was dangerous.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, trying to focus on anything but her, but it was impossible. The urge to tell the driver to stop the car so that I could worship her body again—but this time, claiming every inch of her skin as mine—haunts me. My hands on my laps were itching to touch her, to feel the warm folds of her around my fingers. But I had to restrain myself. It wasn’t the time for that yet.

Her question pulled me from my thoughts, and when she asked if I had worked with her sister to rape her, I almost laughed. Did she really think I needed to conspire with anyone to get what I wanted? That I would stoop so low as to drug her, to force her into my bed? She had no idea who I was.

“First, I didn't rape you,” I started, my voice coming out colder than I intended. “You were screaming for more the entire time.”

Her face turned crimson, and her lips parted as if to argue, but nothing came out of those pink plump lips. The memory of that night replayed in my mind—the way her body had responded to mine, the way her moans had filled the room. She wanted me, even if she refused to admit it.

“I didn’t do that,” she whispered, her voice shaky in embarrassment. “I was drugged—”

“Second,” I cut her off, not wanting to hear her excuses. “I wouldn’t have spent the night with you if I knew you were the one. There are more women in this world than my rival’s fiancée.”

It was a lie, of course. Quiet, fragile, and weak women like Annalisa were exactly the kind I liked. She was the kind of woman who would do anything to survive, who would cling to any lifeline thrown her way. And I had become that lifeline.

She didn’t respond to my last words. Instead, she looked outside the window with her hands folded tightly on her lap. Good. She was starting to understand her place. The entire drive to the registry office, where we would make this arrangement official, was silent. I had made sure the office would be free to answer us today, and when it came to the time to sign the license and certificate, Annalisa signed her name next to mine without hesitation this time.

When it was all over, everything suddenly felt like a dream. I had never imagined my life this way, but now, I was married. I was legally bound to this woman. There might be nothing romantic about our marriage. There might be no smiles, no joy… Everything might just be a transaction, but I was sure of one thing; I couldn't deny that I just wanted to protect her. When the photographer was taking our picture, I couldn’t help but glance at her, wondering what was going on in that pretty little head of hers. She still had no idea what she had signed up for.

The ride back to my mansion was just as silent as before, though this time, it was filled with more tension. I could feel her restlessness growing with every passing second. Annalisa wasn’t stupid. She knew what kind of man I was, but she just didn’t know how far I was willing to go.

When we finally pulled up at my house, I didn’t wait for her to speak. “You’ll move in here,” I said, stepping out of the car and leading her inside. The mansion was big, cold, but intimidating—just like me. She followed me without complaining as I gave her a brief tour, pointing out the areas she was allowed to access freely.

“The top floor is off-limits,” I said firmly. “That’s where my room is.”

Her brows furrowed in confusion, but she didn’t question me. Good. Obedience would make this easier for both of us. She had to know by now that I wasn’t interested in sharing every aspect of my life with her. This was a business deal, not a marriage. And she would do well to remember that.

When we reached the door to the bedroom I had asked them to prepare for her, she finally spoke, her voice timid as if she were scared of what I might do when I opened the door. “What… what am I supposed to do as your wife?”

I turned to her, smirking at her innocence. “Just obey the rules,” I said, closing the gap between us. “Be a good girl, and you’ll be fine.”

She swallowed hard, her eyes widening slightly as I reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her skin was soft, just like I remembered. I could feel her body tense under my touch, and woke something dark inside me.

“Cristiano…” she said in a trembling voice, holding my hand away from her cheeks. 

Annalisa was scared; she wasn't ready for me. I cut her off with a low chuckle before her thoughts travelled wild. “Don’t worry, Lisa. You’ll get used to this. In no time.”

She had to adjust. Annalisa had signed away her freedom the moment she put her name on that contract. She was mine now, whether she liked it or not.