Page 44 of Queen of Hearts (City of Sinners 2)
“But if Mr. Sorrentino requests—”
“Please,” I say softly, leaning closer to him. “I’d really appreciate it. Nobody has to know if you don’t do it. It can be between me and you.”
He hesitates before giving a nod. As the penthouse door opens and Giancarlo enters, he hurries off to rejoin the rest of the waitstaff.
Giancarlo stops mid-step, watching the young waiter flee. His brows raise in question. For the briefest second he seems on the verge of investigating what’s up with the waiter, but changes his mind. He grins, turning his attention on me.
“You followed directions,” he says. He removes his suit jacket and holds it out for one of the guys on guard to take. “I see today was better for you.”
This isdefinitelyabout stroking his ego. If I had any doubt earlier, I’m certain now.
Giancarlo wants the girlfriend experience. He wants to be appreciated.Adored.
As desperate as I am, this is a matter of life and death. Of captivity and torture and freedom. I have no choice but to play along as much as I can while plotting an escape. The trick is going to be keeping him fooled while avoiding his advances.
I delicately unfurl my dinner napkin and settle it along my lap. “Today wasn’t such a good day. I wasn’t feeling well.”
“You were dehydrated. I told you to drink water and get rest to recover. Did you obey like you were told to do so?”
He speaks in scolding fashion. He’d been engaged to Fiona up until recently. Was this how he spoke to her?
It doesn’t exactly fit the romantic, candlelit mood.
I bear it with a smile. “I spent the day resting. But I don’t think I’m myself yet.”
“You have a low tolerance,” he says, and drops the topic. His features screw tighter, revealing a rare emotion on his face—annoyance.
How he can possibly be annoyed whenhe’sthe one who druggedmealmost makes me snap. Almost.
I resist, just barely. I breathe in and out and remind myself to keep a cool head.
Besides, the more I study him, the more obvious it becomeswhyhe’s annoyed. He finds it inconvenient that I’ve brought it up. Could he regret it, or am I giving him too much credit?
“If it’s any consolation,” he says suddenly, his expression still vexed. “I took some too.”
“Took what?” My tone remains soft and sweet. “You mean the drug you slipped me?”
Careful. Play nice.
“We both drank the wine. It had not quite as strong of an effect on me.”
“Youaretwice my size,” I blurt out.
Stop doing that! You’re supposed to be docile.
“I’m also more experienced than you. I didn’t take that into account.”
I sit still and stare. For the average person it’s not much, but coming from a man as powerful as Giancarlo, it’s basically an apology. Four months with Gio has taught me they don’treallyapologize. An admission they got something wrong is as close as it gets.
“How did I end up in bed naked? Did you have sex with me?” I ask.
“What if I told you it was you who took off your dress?”
My left brow arches. I can’t bite my tongue. “You expect me to believe I stripped. I took off my own clothes? In front of you? Why would I do that?”
“Because I asked.”
Disgust threatens to overtake me. He sits across the table from me with a smugness about him, like he’s daring me to deny it’s true. The terrifying thing is…I can’t. I don’t know what happened.