Diego "Have you found out where the fuck my money went?" I growl, fixing a menacing glare at the small, tan man before me. My money has been missing for a month now. Five million dollars is nothing to me, but if you allow something like that go unanswered, it sends the wrong message to our enemies. As the head of the family, I can't allow that to happen. Brian adjusts his glasses nervously. "N-No, Mr. Reyes, not yet. He made sure it was untraceable," he stammers. Leo leans back in his chair and yawns, throwing me an annoyed look. "We're never going to find it at this point, Diego. I'm almost positive he sent it to the Russians, but they refuse to meet with us. I don't believe that's just a coincidence." "If they won't meet with us, we'll make sure they get a warning they won't miss. No one steals from me and gets away with it," I say through gritted teeth. "Uh, how would you like to do that, Sir?" Brian asks. "I want to know everything. Who they are, where they live, every singl
Vanessa This is better than him killing me, right? At least, that's what I try to convince myself to get through this. I walk on my hands and knees behind him. Sweat trickles down my back, creating a cold trail in its wake. The aching between my legs is almost unbearable now. I can feel wetness leaking down my thighs, I just hope no one else is able to see it. This whole thing is fucking humiliating, but I can't deny the strange arousal I feel as Diego parades me around like I'm some exotic creature. There must be seriously something wrong with me! I release a small breath of relief as we return to the room resembling a serial killer's basement. My eyes meet Diego's, and a wicked smirk plays on his lips. "Your turn, Danny," he says with chilling calmness. My mouth parts, but I don't dare make a sound. As fucked up as it is, I did earn this punishment. I should be grateful he didn't just pull out a gun and shoot me in the head. While Danny leads me, I fix my gaze straig
Vanessa It's approaching 2am and Diego still hasn't returned yet. Alicia came back around midnight, and we ate dinner together before she went to bed. She shared stories about the wealthy, attractive men she saw at the club, and she even checked out the viewing room and watched a couple have sex. She seems content with working in the club instead of repulsed, which would be a normal response, but I guess we're way past that now. I didn't tell her what happened to me during my "punishment". I was too ashamed, mostly because I enjoyed it up until Diego made Danny stop. How can I criticize her actions when I'm equally disgusted by my own behavior? Dad would be so disappointed in the whores we have become in just two days. He wanted us to save our innocence for when we got married. Although, I do wonder now how that would have happened when he never let us leave the house. A part of my innocence was stolen last night, but I'm going to make sure the rest of it stays intact. Diego w
Vanessa I grit my teeth while undoing the buttons of his shirt. A string of curses race through my mind, tempting me to unleash them. As if he wants to torment me more, he says, "Keep your eyes on me," as he tilts my chin upward to meet his gaze. The iciness of my expression mirrors in his eyes. This feels like some sort of power play, given that I can't see what I'm doing, and my hands are at risk of touching anything. My hands trail down his abs as I release the final buttons, pushing the shirt off his taut shoulders. He bites his lip, his eyes deepening, hooded with lust. His predatory gaze sends a shiver down my spine, but I remain focused on the task at hand. I can't help but wonder how he was okay with another man touching me. Yesterday, he said I was his and even threatened to chop off anyone's hands who even dares to try it, yet he let Danny lick me like melting ice cream. I doubt his reasoning will make sense, but I decide to ask anyway. "I thought you didn't share
Vanessa The next morning, the weight of exhaustion tugs at every limb, making the simple act of rising from the bed a slow, deliberate process. Sometime between crying and tossing and turning last night, I finally fell asleep. Maybe that's why I didn't wake when Diego got up; he's nowhere to be found now. I assume he's in the kitchen or something. My eyes feel sore and puffy as I drag myself to the large, ridiculously unnecessary walk-in shower. In a daze, I scrub my body with the strawberry-scented body wash, I assume was bought just for me, until my skin feels raw. I stand underneath the scalding water until the knots of tension in my muscles begin to dissolve, letting the warmth wash away the remnants of the restless night. Afterwards, I throw on the tank top and shorts I set aside in the bathroom beforehand to ensure there's no chance in hell Diego will see me naked again. When I return to the room, I find Danny seated in the chair tucked into the corner, hidden within the
Vanessa "He cannot be serious!" I exclaim aloud. My hands tremble as I scroll through the list again, the weight of each absurd demand sinking in. Birth control? Brazilian wax? Locking me up like some unruly child? The audacity of his control over every aspect of my life pisses me the fuck off. Maybe instead of trying to escape, I should just kill him and save the next woman this cruel fate! Although I'm not hungry, Danny makes sure I eat some fruit and take the birth control pills. I don't know what the purpose of that is, since I'll never willingly have sex with Diego, but whatever. It is in the contract. As I mechanically chew on a piece of fruit, my mind wanders to the absurdity of the situation. The taste in my mouth is bitter, matching my emotions. There's an entire home theatre downstairs, so I spend the rest of the morning watching Fruits Basket (the 2019 reboot). The vibrant animation and whimsical characters offer a temporary escape from my fucked up reality. Danny sit
Vanessa Like I predicted, my week on punishment goes by at an agonizingly slow pace. Danny's a dick to me any chance he gets, smothering me with his overbearing presence throughout the day, as if I might miraculously uncover a way to escape from this hellhole. When Diego returns home at the earliest hours of the morning, fatigue mercifully robs him of the energy to demand anything beyond the removal of his clothes to sleep. So, nothing else has happened between us. Not that I was hoping it would. It seems as long as I adhere to his rules, he'll leave me alone, and I haven't given him a reason to punish me again. After Diego falls into a deep sleep, sneaking out of the room becomes my nightly routine when I can't sleep myself. I usually hang out with Alicia or chat with the other men while they lounge around and drink. I've discovered that all of them are related in some way, except for Leo who is Diego's childhood best friend from an allied clan. That explains why his features
VanessaOver the next two hours, we move from store to store, interacting with the owners and exploring racks of designer clothing that stand like sentinels. The richness of colors and fabrics feels almost overwhelming, a stark contrast to the limited wardrobe I've grown up with. At first, I didn't want to get anything, considering the outrageous prices on the tags, but then Diego just sat tapping his foot until I picked something up. And then I kind of just went crazy and started trying on and picking out what I liked. Surprisingly, I thought Diego would've gotten bored this whole time and pull out his phone or something, but he watches me with interest, as if he wants to see my clothing preferences for himself. We're in the last store of the day, since Diego said we had to go soon. I'm just glad to finally have some clothes that I picked out myself since he controls every other aspect of my life. As the elderly woman, Ms. Garcia, delicately bags my clothes, she stares at my neck
Vanessa This was a mistake. I thought I could do this, but how could I have been so wrong? "Eyes on me, mama," Diego growls, his voice low and commanding, yet laced with tenderness. "You're here with me. No one else. It's just us. Focus on the way I feel inside of you." I want to believe him, but my voice trembles as I whisper "I-I can't-" My eyes clamp shut, as if doing so could block out fear crashing over me in relentless waves, threatening to pull me under. What was I thinking? Of course, I can't do this. I shouldn't have even tried. Now, I'm disappointing both my husband and myself. Diego's voice slices through my thoughts like a knife. "You can do anything you put your mind to, mi amor. Focus on me. Ride me and take your pleasure. I know you can do it." His words are an anchor, pulling me from the abyss. I take a deep breath, my hands bracing against his chest as I start to move again, each roll of my hips a defiance against the darkness trying to reclaim me.
Vanessa After washing the remnants of Celeste's blood from my skin, Diego lifts me into his arms and carries me to bed. He gently lays down beside me, his warmth seeping into my body as I rest against his bare chest. "We don't have to talk about what happened tonight," Diego's voice is a low murmur as his fingers trace soothing patterns along my spine. "But how are you feeling?" I take a moment, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath me. "Good. How are you feeling?" I tilt my head to meet his gaze, seeking reassurance. The gravity of what I've just done hangs between us—killing his stepmother and revealing that I thought I was pregnant with his brother's baby. I didn't mean for it to come out like that, but Celeste needed to know just how much she had lost before I took her life. It felt so fucking good. Better than I anticipated, to end her life with my own hands, to see the light leave her eyes as I stole it away. The power and retribution was exhilaratin
Diego Vanessa turns to me, hurt and betrayal clouding her eyes. "Diego, you knew about this?" Shit."Yes," I reply without hesitation. I've known since Alicia was first abducted, but I didn't want her to harbor ill feelings toward her sister. Not while she's still mourning her. "See? As the collar around your neck implies, you are nothing but a pet to him. A piece of ass like your mother."Vanessa's head snaps back to her, and in an instant, she holds the blade to Celeste's throat. "I'd shut your fucking mouth if I were you," she hisses. I can tell it's exactly what Celeste wants. If Vanessa gets angry enough to just slit her throat, she won't have to endure torture anymore. Vanessa must see through it too. She lowers the knife, shaking her head. "I won't let you go out the easy way. It isn't fair to everyone you've hurt," she says quietly. "Vete a la mierda (fuck you)," Celeste spits.As soon as the words are out of her mouth, Vanessa drives the knife into her bound hand. Celes
Diego "Are you sure about this, Mama?" I ask, zipping up the back of her leather jumpsuit, my fingers lingering longer than necessary. She looks so fucking sexy in this. The smooth, black material hugs her curves, and knowing she's about to kill my stepmother makes it nearly impossible to fight a hard-on. Her grey eyes gaze back at me through the mirror. "You already said I could," she points out, her voice steady and unwavering. "I know, just wanted to make sure." When she turns around, I study her face for any flicker of uncertainty. Instead, I find only determination. I should feel fucking ecstatic that she's going to kill my biggest traitor and the bitch that made my childhood hell, but worry gnaws at me. I fear this might bring Vanessa more nightmares, or worse, trap her in her own head again. But I also have so much faith in her. Danny couldn't protect her while he was dying. I got the report from my men: twelve men were taken out, most of them by her alone. My feisty mama.
Vanessa"Your mamá called looking for you. What do you want me to tell her?" Diego interrupts, pulling me into his lap in the chair beside Camila's sleeping form. His mom? I've never heard Danny mention her before. I wasn't even aware he had family, since they haven't visited him. Danny's response catches me off guard. "Don't tell her shit. She'll have a heart attack.""Wait, you're not going to tell your mom you technically died and you're in the hospital?" I ask incredulously. "Nah, she actually might come try to kill Jefe, and I doubt she wants to mess with you. I realize you're kinda loco, Nessa.""Me?" I point to myself. "Yes, or did you forget that you took down what had to be like ten men by yourself?""Oh, I guess that's true," I muse. "But that was only out of desperation. I don't think I could do something like that if our lives didn't depend on it.""I believe you could," Diego purrs in my ear. I shudder at the compliment, making him laugh. "Why would she come after hi
VanessaDressed in all black, Diego and I stand side by side, silently watching the expensive coffin lower into the freshly dug grave. The sight is somber, but the weight of the occasion presses harder on my chest than the physical cold of the day. Diego had assured me that I wasn't required to attend this funeral, just like the four others. It's only been a week since Danny's entire team was murdered, and I feel compelled to pay my respects to each of them. These men sacrificed their lives to protect me. The least I can do is say goodbye to them.I've never spoken to Julio personally, but the sight of his wife and two little children crying over his grave breaks my heart. The raw grief on their faces is a reminder that I'm still alive while a husband and father is gone forever. He's another name added to the long list of those I feel responsible for letting down. After offering my condolences to Julio's family, Diego and I make our way to the hospital. In the town car, Diego sits b
Vanessa "Camila! Danny!" I scream, my voice barely audible over the chaos. Danny's the first to reach me, pulling me to my feet. His face was pale, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief. "Are you okay?" he demands, his hands gripping my shoulders. "My head hurts, but I'm okay I think," I reply, trembling from the shock. We both turn to see Camila stumbling to her feet, looking dazed but otherwise unharmed. Danny rushes to her side, helping her up and checking her for injuries. "Are you okay, Camila?" he asks, his tone urgent. "Yeah, what the fuck just happened?" she shouts, her voice shaking with fear. "We need to get you both back to the SUV, now," Danny commands, his tone brooking no argument. As we step towards the vehicle, gunfire erupts, and Danny grunts, clutching his bleeding shoulder. "Fuck, come on," he hisses through gritted teeth. He grabs both of us by our arms and guides us behind another jet. Grabbing his gun from the holster, he orders us to st
Vanessa "I want you home now," my husband's voice crackles through the speaker, filled with anger and concern. "I told you, I'm safe. Besides, it's pouring buckets outside. I don't feel safe flying home in this storm," I insist, trying to keep my voice calm despite the nerves knotting in my stomach. It feels like we spoke the bad storm into existence last night. After leaving the doctor's house, we barely made it back to the hotel before the downpour, lightning, and thunder hit. Even Camila's fashion show was canceled and postponed to next weekend. Diego's frustration seeps through the phone. "I refuse to lose you again, Mama. The second this storm lets up, Danny will have you on a jet back here." "You know what, I'm going to come get you and my sister right now," he grits out, his voice lowering to a dangerous growl. "Diego, stop. You know Danny wouldn't allow anything to happen to us. You trust him, right?" I try to reassure him, though I know he won't calm down unt
Vanessa "Where's Diego?" I grit out, rage boiling in my veins. "I want to speak with him." "Busy at the moment, but he said he'll call once we're back on the jet." Which means he's likely torturing her. "Well, like Camila said, it's nearly midnight. We can leave tomorrow," I argue, defiance lacing in my tone. Danny fixes me with a pointed look. "Do you really want to argue with him about that?" I have to. Time is slipping away. I'm more afraid of continuing this pregnancy than I am of Celeste and whatever sinister plans she's concocted. I tap my right arm where the microchip is embedded. "I have a tracking device in my arm and more security than the goddamn president. I'll be fine. Just tell him we'll leave tomorrow, and you'll be sure to keep us extra safe." He scowls, clearly torn. "I'm not promising him that." "I know you heard what I said, that I have something important to take care of here tomorrow. Can you please come up with an excuse to buy me more time?"