Brutalize Me (Corrupted Royals, #3)

by Michelle Heard

“Jesus, Tiana,” he gasps. “That was fucking intense. You’re getting too good at this.”

How’s it possible that you meet a person one day, and the next, it feels like they’ve been there forever?

Armani opens the door, and seeing a rectangular box lying on the step, he pauses and gestures for me to wait. “Stay back.” Crouching, he carefully removes the lid, then a frown forms on his forehead. “It’s roses. You can come.” As I step closer, Armani takes the note out of the flowers and reads it. His features darken as his controlled demeanor slips, and the mafioso in him rises to the surface. His eyes flick to me. “It’s for you.”

Stepping closer, I take hold of his hand and read the note. My lovely Tiana, I can’t wait to see you again. I miss the taste of your lips. xxx Your one and only love. Confused as hell, I shake my head. “It must be a mistake. Someone must’ve left it at the wrong door.”

My phone starts to ring, and seeing Mamma’s name, I frown. “Ciao, Mamma?” “A package was delivered for Tiana. It’s a beautiful set of earrings. She’s so upset, she threw it in the trash,” Mamma whispers, giving me the impression she’s hiding while making the call so Tiana won’t know. Cristo. “Keep the package and note. I want to see it when I get home.” “Va bene,” she replies, saying okay with a worried tone. “Grazie, Mamma. I’ll stop by after work.”

“Hey, I need to go home. I’ll be in early tomorrow morning to make up for the time I’m away from work.” Franco gives me a worried look. “Everything okay?” “Yeah. An asshole is sending my wife gifts. I need to check if she’s okay.”

“I’m sure she’s okay. My ex-wife rubbed that shit in my face before I killed her lover and left her without a dime.” “Good for you,” I say. “I’m going to kill the fucker when I get my hands on him.” “Good luck.”

My lovely Tiana, I still can’t believe I finally got to make sweet love to you . The way you moaned while I filled you over and over will forever be my favorite sound.

When I lift my hand to pull her to my chest, she flinches and stumbles a step back. I drop the box, and grabbing hold of her, I yank her to my chest and engulf her in my arms. “Calm down, bella. I know you have nothing to do with this. I believe you.” A sob is ripped from her, her body trembling hard. “I don’t understand…what’s happening.”

“Armani? You’re home early,” I hear her say, her voice filled with happiness. She comes out of the kitchen with a smile on her face, and I lift my arm, training the barrel of my gun on her. Shock ripples over her face, and her eyes widen. My voice is a blend of ice and the vast emptiness she’s caused to form in my chest. “You fucking betrayed me.” Her face pales, and she shakes her head as she backtracks into the kitchen. “No, Armani! I didn’t do anything.”

The burn of alcohol does nothing to douse the rage ravaging me. The shock is still raw and potent, crashing over me in waves. Tiana betrayed me. She broke her vow. I loved her so fucking much. She was a dream come true. The image of her face as I made love to her fills my mind before it shatters. Another man saw what was only meant for my eyes.

“Brother?” he asks when I don’t say anything. Sitting at the bar, I rest my palm on my forehead. “Tiana cheated on me.” There’s a long pause before Misha replies, “What the fuck did you just say?” My tone is somber, danger flirting around the edges. “Tiana fucked another man.”

“I’m going to find the fucker and kill him,” I growl. The man to my right nods his approval. “And I’ll help, but don’t you dare lay a finger on my sister,” Misha warns.

“It fucking hurts like a bitch.” Doubt trickles into my heart. What if this was all staged, and Tiana is innocent? Jesus. Then I fucked up big time. “Send the recording. I’ll pass it on to Director Koslov and get him to check it. We’ll get to the bottom of this.” I nod even though Misha can’t see me. “I’ll be at your place first thing in the morning. Don’t do anything until I get there. I’ll talk to Tiana.” I nod again, feeling much calmer but fucking drained. “Thanks, brother.”

What if Tiana is innocent? She always answers when I call. She responds to text messages as soon as I send them. She spends a lot of time with Mamma and Zia Giada. The neighbors have seen nothing out of the ordinary. Tiana’s always at home, waiting for me. Not once has she faked a headache to get out of having sex with me. And it always felt real with her. The emotions. The desire. The submissiveness. Ice pours into my veins.

I check the bed lamps, the bedside tables, our closet, and any fucking place I can think of. Finally, when I look inside the fire detector, I find a black device, so small it’s the size of my pinky nail, stuck to the inside. Staring at the proof that this has all been a set-up, intense relief pours through my body. Tiana didn’t cheat on me. Cazzo. My breaths speed up, and placing my hands on my knees, I gasp through the relief. She hasn’t been with anyone but me. She’s still mine. “Tiana!” I shout as I continue to search and find one in every room. But I don’t find Tiana anywhere. “Bella,” I call out, even though it’s just me in the house.

Closing the laptop, I take my phone out and dial Tiana’s number. The call doesn’t connect but instead goes to voicemail. “Come home, bella. I believe you.” Exhausted from the hell I’ve been through, I walk to the bedroom again, and this time I notice the pair of leggings lying on the floor near the walk-in closet. Moving closer, my stomach bottoms out for a second time today. Her clothes are gone. I swing around, and my eyes fall on the bedside table. I see the pregnancy tests and the cupcake. Daddy.

“Madre di Dio,” I breathe as the happy surprise registers. I walk closer and check the pregnancy tests. She’s pregnant. Instead of enjoying the moment, my thoughts are bombarded with how I treated her tonight. I fucking pointed a loaded gun at my pregnant wife. Jesus, she was so upset. She looked at me with no doubt in her mind that I would kill her. Dio, what have I done?

I’m losing my mind. Where I’m known to be calm and collected, I’m nothing but a fucking mess since shit went down. I’ve hired St. Monarch’s to search for Tiana. They’re scouring the fucking world for her. Last night was the longest night of my life. I’ve never felt so powerless before. I kept trying Tiana’s phone, but it kept going to voicemail. I look at the note she left me. I’m leaving to protect the baby and not because I’m guilty. I love you, Armani. So much. Misha called to say he heard from her, but she didn’t tell him where she was.

She left because I threatened her. And our unborn baby. I lost my shit entirely, and it terrified her. Even if I find her, will she be able to forgive me? Will she ever feel safe with me again? Jesus, what have I done? My phone vibrates in my hand, and my head snaps up. Not recognizing the number, I open the message. God. No. Don’t do this to me. I stare at a photo of Tiana running toward a train, fear and heartache etched deep on her face. Her cheeks are wet with tears, and her eyes look frantic. How easy it was to break your perfect little romance. Let’s see who can get to her first.

Misha clenches his jaw as anger tightens his features. “If he fucking hurts a hair on her head, I’ll rip him apart with my bare hands.” He’s already hurt her. So did I.

“Tiana!” I shout again, following her into the forest. “Tiana. Stop!” On the uneven terrain, I start to catch up to her when a bullet whistles past me, slamming into a tree trunk. “Cazzo!” Another bullet hits near Tiana’s feet, and she shrieks before falling to her knees. She scrambles up and continues to run, screaming, “Please, Armani! Stop!” She fucking thinks I’m shooting at her. Stopping dead in my tracks, I search the area and see a man standing three hundred yards from us.

And all I can do is stand and watch because I’ve lost the right to touch her when I threatened her life.

When I glance over my shoulder again, he says, “I’m not going to hurt you.” Misha stops dead in his tracks and scowls at me. “Why did you run from Armani?” Then he directs the dark look at Armani. “Why do you need to reassure her that you won’t hurt her?” Shit. I keep quiet, not knowing how Misha will react if I tell him why.

Armani steps forward. “I scared the shit out of her last night.” Misha’s fingers flex around the handle of the gun. “What did you do?” Keep quiet. “I pointed a gun at her,” he admits. Dear God. I dart in front of Armani, holding my hands up between Misha and me. “Stay calm.” His eyes are nothing but a violent storm as he hisses, “Don’t fucking tell me to stay calm.” “Misha!” I shriek when he reaches over me to get to Armani. “I’m pregnant!” My brother freezes, and his eyes snap to me. Instantly his face morphs from angry to surprised. “You’re pregnant?” I nod quickly. “So please don’t kill the father of my child.”

“I’m sorry, bella.” I shake my head, all the heartache and fear I felt because of him too raw in my chest. “Tesoro mia,” he whispers.

“My words meant nothing last night. Yours mean nothing today.” Armani sits down and rests his arm on his knee. He leans forward. “Please look at me.” My eyes snap to his, and I let him see how much he hurt me. I see my pain reflect on his face as he says, “I’m so fucking sorry.”

He presses a kiss to my hair. “I’m sorry, amore mia. Please give me a chance to fix what I’ve broken.” I push against his chest, and I feel his reluctance when he lets me go. “I need time,” I mutter. “I’ll give you all the time you need. Just come home with me.” I might be angry with him, but it doesn’t stop me from nodding.

Moving onto his knees, he presses his forehead to my abdomen. “I’m sorry, bella,” he breathes before pressing a kiss to the area where our baby is growing. I’m just about to place my hand on his head when Misha enters the kitchen, muttering, “Don’t forgive him.” I turn away from Armani and take three cups from the cupboard.

Misha went to bed a while ago, and I’m sitting way too far from my wife, who’s not giving me the time of day. I get why, though. She has all the right in the world to be angry with me. I’ll grovel for the rest of my life, if that’s what it takes, but I’ll win her back.

Inhaling her scent, I finally find some peace. I wrap my arms around her and silently promise never to let go again. I feel her hand on the back of my head, and closing my eyes, I whisper, “Thank you.” She curls into me, and I feel her jerk. Her breaths are warm on my shoulder before I feel the wetness of a teardrop. I hold her tighter and begin to press kisses all over her hair and neck. “I’ll never doubt you again. I promise I’ll make up for the damage I’ve done.” She nods against me. “We’re having a baby,” I murmur. She nods again. “I hate that I ruined the surprise.” She pulls a little back, and our eyes lock. “Did you see the tests?” “Yes.”

“You scared me. How do I know whenever we fight, you won’t fly off the handle again?” “Because I’d rather die than hurt you like this ever again. Whoever’s targeting us must know how I feel about infidelity. They used the perfect weapon against me.” “Who hates you so much that they’ll try to tear us apart?” “I have many enemies. It can be any of the bastards.” Her eyes shine in the meager moonlight falling through the windows. “Are we safe here?” “I’m not leaving your side until I’ve killed the fucker. Misha will also stay for a while.” I rest my head on my palm and stare down at her. “Do you think you can forgive me?” “It’s not the forgiving part I’m struggling with.” “Tell me what you’re struggling with.”

I end the call and quickly press dial on Luca’s number. “Armani?” he answers with concern already lacing his voice. “Makarova fucked with my wife. I’m giving you a courtesy call to let you know I’m going to kill him.” “What did he do?” “He made it look like she was having an affair, and he had a man watching her. The fucker shot at her.” I don’t even bother telling him the man also tried to take me out. “Cristo,” Luca curses. “Let me talk to Viktor. You can’t take Makarova on your own.” A victorious smile curves my lips. That’s exactly what I wanted to hear. “Thank you, sir.”

“So don’t forgive me too easily. Let me work for every day I get to spend with you.” Slowly a smile curves her lips, and it feels like the sun is shining again. I watch her reaction closely as I lower my head, and when she allows me to kiss her, my heart feels whole again.

I feel his cock harden against my thigh, and where I would usually push him onto his back and have my wicked way with him, I lie still. Armani’s arms tighten around me, and he presses a kiss to my neck. “Do you want me to beg, bella?” A smile curves my lips. “Yes.” He chuckles as his hand moves down my side to settle on my abdomen. “Let me fuck you, amore mia. I need to be buried deep inside of you.”

His hand slips beneath my leggings and panties, and his middle finger circles my clit. “Please, bella. Cazzo, I need you. Without you, I’m half a man.” His finger brushes through the wetness gathering between my legs, then he pushes inside me. “Let me show you how sorry I am.”

When we’re both naked, he covers my body with his, and stares deep into my eyes. “I would’ve died if I lost you.”

“When I first saw you, I had no idea I’d fall so hard for you,” he murmurs before pressing a tender kiss to my mouth. Lifting his head, he continues, “Please give me this morning and the rest of your life to love you. I’ll never endanger our love again.”

“But you’re still going to grovel.” “Yes, Mrs. De Santis.” He gives me a hot grin. “Starting now.”

“I love you, Tiana,” he murmurs, his tone a little hoarse. “I love you so much I can’t function in a world where I don’t have you. I can’t sleep without feeling you beneath me and being buried inside you. You’ve ruined me for anyone else. There will always be only you.”

Luca drags my ass to the office and shuts the door behind us. “Thank you, Armani.” He comes closer, and lifting a hand to my left shoulder, he gives me a squeeze. “You saved my life. I’ll never forget it.” “I was just doing my job, sir. Without you, the mafia is fucked,” I answer honestly. His eyes lock with mine, and I see the gratitude in them. “I’m giving you the north of Italy. Franco will join me in America.” Jesus. My lips part with shock. It’s a huge fucking deal getting to control the northern territory. It takes a lifetime to work yourself up to such a high position. He pats my shoulder. “You’ve proven your loyalty when you ran into a burning house for me. You deserve the promotion.” Feeling fucking elated, I grin at my boss. “Thank you, sir. I won’t disappoint you.”

The moment the nurse placed our son in Armani’s arms, I watched him fall irrevocably in love. It was a sight to see and left me wiping tears from my cheeks. Diego De Santis. I let Armani choose the name because Diego is our firstborn, who will carry on his father’s legacy.

Armani glances at us, and a stupidly happy grin spreads over his face. “I can’t stop looking at you holding our son. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Diego makes cute little sounds, making Armani and I melt in our seats.

He sits down on the bed and watches as I feed our son. Slowly, he shakes his head. “Dio, bella. You’ve never been more beautiful than you are right now.”

Armani points to the left of the lawn, where a little girl is playing in a sandpit. “We’re here for her.” A shockwave hits me square in the heart, and my eyes fly to Armani’s face. “You said you wished we could have a little girl, so I called the orphanage and made the arrangements.” Oh my God. My hands cover my mouth as I start to walk toward her. After I had Diego, I couldn’t fall pregnant again. I was devastated when the doctor told me I wouldn’t be able to have more children.