Page 39 of Queen of Hearts (City of Sinners 2)

“No…”

“Yes,” he says, holding my face by my chin. “We’re going to have a lot of fun. The night’s just getting started, princess.”

The sunlight’s warmth wakes me. It heats up my skin as I stir, opening my eyes. I’m tangled in the sheets of Giovanni’s king-sized bed. The penthouse’s floor-to-ceiling windows reveal city buildings in the light of day, backdropped by faraway desert mountains.

When I push my body to sit up, it protests with the burn of tired limbs. I feel like I’ve been used as a punching bag, my whole body sore. My head hurts. I rub my temple and strain my memory for details of last night.

Nothing.

It’s a blur. I had dinner with Giancarlo. He’d been angry I hadn’t worn the dress he’d picked out for me. In revenge he’d ordered my food. I’d drank some wine and—

I gasp. Cold, intense horror fills me up. I snatch the sheets away from my body.

I’mnaked.

The daunting realization is too much to handle. A choked sob leaves me. I grab the sheet and cover myself, frantically searching my mind for any memories. Any confirmation I’m wrong. I didn’t…not with Giancarlo…

His footsteps interrupt me. He pads into the room, stopping at the doorway. He’s wearing his outfit from last night except his blazer’s off and his shirt sleeves are pushed up. His obsidian-black eyes possess a triumphant gleam.

Intuition tells me it’s from last night.

“Don’t be shy. You don’t need to cover yourself. I’ve seen every part of you.”

I can’t breathe. I sputter for air and cast him a reproachful look. “What did you do to me?”

The corner of his mouth lifts. “It’s more what you did to yourself.”

Tears wet my eyes. “No,” I whisper. “I wouldn’t…I’d never…”

“You did. You enjoyed yourself.”

“You made me. You…you forced me.”

“Believe me, you wanted everything that happened last night. You evencame.”

I feel sick. I leap from the bed, bolting for the bathroom, clutching the sheet to coverup. I shove the door open and drop to my knees by the toilet.

The toxic poison inside me leaves through retching force. I cough and choke, the cold bathroom tile biting into my knees. Minutes pass, tears stream down my cheeks, and I empty the last of my insides.

Giancarlo’s footsteps thud against the tile as he enters the bathroom. “I expected you to have a stronger tolerance for drugs. You were a stripper at the Dollhouse.”

I’ve only ever smoked weed, and that’s been occasionally. I don’t pop Molly or snort cocaine or take ecstasy like some of our clients. Some of the girls, too. Even my ex-boyfriend Enzo used to dabble. I’ve more or less remained clean.

“What did you give me?” I croak.

“Cherry.”

“I don’t know what that is.”

“A party drug. Many take it for a wild night of pleasure,” he explains. “It strips away all inhibitions and makes it virtually impossible to not feel good.”

As I sit slumped by the toilet, he moves closer. His grip tightens around my upper arm and he lifts me into a swaying stand. I try to bat his hands away, but now that I’ve rid my body of its toxic contents, I’m weak and dehydrated.

“You’re going to be fine. You need some rest because you took too much.”

“I didn’t take anything.Youdrugged me.”

I wrench my arm from his grasp and stumble backward. I collide with the bathroom wall, though I couldn’t care less. Anything is better than letting his degrading hands touch me.

Giancarlo eyes me like he’s surprised by my disgust. “You still haven’t learned. You’re still going to make this hard on yourself. You won’t accept he’s gone and you’re mine now.”

“I’m never giving into you. Not sober. You’ll have to drug me every night. It’s the only way you’ll ever get anything out of me. You’re not Gio, and youneverwill be!” I scream.

He laughs. “You’re mine either way, princess. Clean yourself up. Get some rest. We’ll be having dinner again tomorrow. Who knows what fun we’ll have?” A cruel grin twists itself onto his handsome face—Gio’shandsome face—before he walks out.

The door slams shut. I slide down the wall, sinking to the ground with the bedsheet. More tears fall free as I break down in sobs.

I can’t even begin to piece together last night, and what’s been done to me.