I was so lost in its charm that I didn’t hear Ettore approach from behind until the fronts of his legs were flush against the backs of my own, my ass nestled in against his strong thighs. I struggled to breathe knowing what was coming. I could hear his satisfied smile when he lowered his lips to the shell of my ear and taunted on a whisper, “I can hear your heart beat.”

My legs buckled when, with a rough shove, I fell to my knees. My hands splayed on the floor, my hair fallen over my face, he slowly walked around me and began, “We are going to play a little game. For me, this will be fun. For you? Well, that all depends on how good you are. I am going to make a statement,” he crouched down in front of me, his hand seized my throat tightly enough to cause discomfort, and he forced my head up as he growled, “And you are going to tell me exactly what I want to hear.”

He used his free hand to push away the hair draped over my face, looking me dead in the eye as he began his game. Without an ounce of emotion, he uttered a severe, “You are mine.”

Debased, I held his cold eyes and grudgingly muttered quietly, “I am yours.”

Ettore’s eyes hooded in contentment. “You belong to me.”

Even quieter. My lips trembled. “I belong to you.”

He did not like the falter in my volume. I know this because he moved swiftly and as one hand curled around my throat, the other came around to hold me at my nape and he shook me slightly, demanding, “Tell me I own you.”

My eyes closed as he jostled me. My breathing hitched as I whined pitifully, “You own me.”

“’Til death and beyond.” His wild eyes flashed at my hesitation. His lip curled as he thundered, “Say it.”

Breathing heavily through my nose, I took a defiant moment before caving. My jaw ached as I said the shaking words. “’Til death and beyond.”

His eyes closed in ecstasy and he made a purely male sound deep in his throat. My pussy wept in anticipation. Without warning, Ettore stood, yanking me up with him. My body lurched as he tore down the zipper of my dress, hauling it roughly off of my body. And as I stood there in my lace lingerie and black pumps, I crossed my arms over my front in a poor attempt to cover myself.

I heard it a millisecond before I felt it. The hard whack across my ass had me hissing out in pain.