A Debt To Pay (Leone Legacy #1)

Chapter 11

Luci

27 Days Until The Wedding

W hen my anger subsides, I sit in the shower, knees folded up to my chest in disbelief of what happened. I let Alessandro touch me and would have let him do more if he continued. I’ve gone against everything I’ve believed my entire life. I’m supposed to wait for a man I love, the man I’ll be with forever, but I let a man I despise touch me. Out of what? Want? Lust? Whatever reason I give myself, it’ll always be the wrong answer.

I finally manage to peel myself off the floor, turn off the shower, and get dressed in a basic cotton T-shirt dress. I’m considering burning the other dress after how Alessandro grabbed me while wearing it. I couldn’t sit in the shower all day hiding because let’s get real, there is no hiding from Alessandro. He’s proven to me by the fractured door that if he wants to get to me, he can and he will.

When I step out of the bathroom, the door catches my attention and I notice it’s slightly ajar. The door must have not latched as Alessandro was leaving. I inch open the door until I can glance around, holding my breath in the process. The man who’s normally there is missing. This could be a trap. It also could be my only opportunity to escape. I inhale as I sneak out of the door, closing it behind me. There’s no going back. A small smile stretches across my face, thinking of the times I snuck out as a teenager to see the boy my family didn’t know about. There’s no sound as I tiptoe down the hallway, fingers crossed that I’m going the right way. It’s quiet enough to hear my breathing and the blood rushing to my ears. If I can make it down the multiple flights of stairs I could head out the first entrance I find and hope for the best while getting off the property. I internally celebrate when I notice a set of stairs. Except when I take a step, two voices come from that direction—one from the man who stands at my door and another male voice I don’t recognize.

“You should have heard the two of them fight. Alessandro will have a difficult time getting her to be the wife he wants.” The man who guards my door says.

“It doesn’t matter what Alessandro wants from her, Enzo. She’s here to pay off some old family debt of hers. Regardless, shouldn’t you be at her door? We both know you’re the one who usually follows the rules, no questions asked.”

“Why should I when there’s no point? The door has the same scanner as the ones around the property. She couldn’t escape that room unless she tried to jump through the window. You’re right, though. Alessandro and Marco would be pissed if they walked by and I wasn’t there. I’ll see you later, Domenico.” They say their goodbyes and Enzo makes his way toward the room I’ve been in.

“Oh no.” I scan around, stepping into the first room I see while he walks by. I hold my hand over my mouth as Enzo walks by and once I’m safe, I continue on my journey of escaping this place. I inch down to the first floor and immediately see the back door. I rush to the door and reach for the doorknob, noticing, as Enzo said, that it has the same scanner that’s on my door. “Dangit.” Scanning around, I see the front door is around the corner and smile when I notice it’s wide open. Bingo. This is my chance to head out, and I take it without hesitation. Only once I get to the door, it slams in my face.

“Hello, Luci.” I gasp and jump back as Marco greets me.

“Marco! Please let me leave. I don’t belong here. I won’t tell anyone, I promise. I’ll leave the state or even the country. Just let me leave.” Like begging him will get me anywhere.

“Fat chance. Alessandro will have fun with this.” He grabs my arm and drags me in the opposite direction of the stairs while I freak out, scream, and curse at him to let me go.

“Stop manhandling me and let me go!” I’m dragged through a door and thrown into a chair before a desk. On the other side of that desk is none other than Alessandro. I cringe and my eyes widen at Alessandro’s face, calm in his expression but wild fury in his eyes.

Alessandro finally breaks the moment of silence. “What did you do, Luci?”

Before I can answer, Marco, who’s now posted at the door, answers for me. “It appears that Luci has figured out how to leave her bedroom and if I wasn’t at the opened front door, she would have scurried away.”

Alessandro slams both hands on his desk, screaming at Marco. “Where the fuck was Enzo? It’s his job to make sure she doesn’t leave. Also, why was the fucking front door open? This is on you, Marco.”

“I will take care of Enzo. No worries about that. And it doesn’t matter who opened the front door because I was closing it when I saw Luci also heading in that direction.”

“Fine. Now Luci. Care to explain how you ended up here?” Alessandro leans forward while he scolds me like I’m a child in the principal’s office.

Shame fills my core as I answer quietly, avoiding eye contact. “The door didn’t fully close when you left. I took it as a sign to leave. I can’t stay here Alessandro.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Luci. You can and you will. We’ve talked about this. How often must I repeat myself for you to understand?” He’s rounded the desk and now leans on it, our feet almost touching. “Marco, leave and ask Enzo what happened. I’ll deal with Luci.” Marco walks out of the room, latching it behind him. The clock ticking on the wall mixed with our breathing echoes through the silent room. I’m unsure if he’s waiting for me to speak or staying silent as an intimidation tactic. Whatever he’s doing, it’s working.

I’m the first one to break the silence. “Listen, Alessandro, I need to leave. I’m begging you!”

“No matter how hard you beg, you’re staying here. Do I yet again need to remind you why?” His arrogance makes me want to smack him. Again.

“Seriously, Alessandro? This is all based on some decades-old contract. What’s important about it, anyway?”

“The importance is that a contract was drawn up for a payment and that payment was not collected because Stella ran away with Aldo. That puts your family in debt to my family. In my world, next of kin inherits debts, which means you will pay off that debt by marrying me . Do you fucking get it now?” The longer he goes on, the louder his voice raises and the louder my heart pounds in my ears. He places his hands on the arms of the chair I’m sitting in, and I swear he wants to devour me both in a lustful and murderous way. Now I can’t tell if my heart is racing because I’m scared or subconsciously want him to touch me again.

Eventually, I find my voice and whisper his name. “Alessandro.”

“What, Luci?” He moves closer, almost like he’s trying to tease me. I shift in my chair, realizing my answer to why my heart is racing by the heat simmering in my core. I internally shame myself for the way my body is reacting to him. He senses my body’s betrayal when he responds with a smug smile. “Luci. Are you turned on?” he asks, even though he knows the answer beforehand.

“I. I mean. No!” I’ve never been a good liar and Alessandro sees right through me.

A low laugh leaves his lips. “No? You’re telling me that if I reached down and played with your pussy, again you’d be dry?”

I yelp when he shoves my legs apart, checking for himself as his finger brushes down my body, up under my dress, and ends at my already swollen nub. I whimper at his touch, ashamed of my body’s sinful response to his touch.

“Oh, Luci. So, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lust.” My mouth drops open at his quote and sudden shame settles into my body. He must see both before responding, “What? Did you not expect me to know scripture? We were both raised in the church.” His eyes flicker to the crucifix on my necklace before continuing. “You’ll find there’s a lot about me you don’t know or expect. I do have to say, I disagree with what that says. It’s okay to crave my touch. Let go Luci.”

With his permission, my body automatically relaxes and I moan into his touch as he circles his fingers, making me clench around nothing as he plays with my body. I’m tired of fighting for things I can’t control. He pulls my underwear to the side as he inserts a finger, moving enough to keep me on the edge as almost to punish me. “Alessandro. Please let me.” I don’t want to say more, worried about the guilt that would follow.

“Let you what, Luci? Do you want me to let you come on my fingers less than forty-eight hours after I took you? Do you want me to go against what I said upstairs in the shower?” I nod as a response, hoping that he doesn’t make me beg him more. He leans in, his lips brushing my ear while adjusting his finger slightly, sending me over the edge. “Fine. Come for me, Luci.”

I immediately let go, releasing more than pleasure. The need for control, the want to leave, the hatred for him are all gone in that moment. I miss his touch the second he pulls out of me and he licks my release off his finger. Silence follows until he grabs me, dragging me out of his office.

“Alessandro, where are we going?”

“For once, just shut up, Luci.”

And I do. I’m not sure if it’s out of fear or curiosity. Without knowing my answer, I submit to him, even though he could be dragging me into the depths of Hell.