“Why couldn’t you fucking tell me, Elle? I know you’re lying to me!” he screamed at her as he rose to his feet.
Elle looked up at him through her wet eyes and started shaking. I can’t.
Nero took a deep breath and buttoned up his shirt. “I know it was Cassandra, Elle.”
Elle’s eyes widened. He knew? How?
“Chloe told me. She was who told me about everyone who had ever touched you. I found the fucking picture of you almost beaten to death behind the other picture in your photo album.” Nero buttoned the last button with his shaking hands.
What? Chloe? Elle saw Nero turn to go down the steps. No!
Elle jumped off the bed and stood in front of Nero, hanging her head down. “I-I’m sorry. Don’t go.”
Nero stared at her before he moved to pass her, but Elle reached out and quickly wrapped her arms around Nero’s waist.
“D-Don’t go. P-p-please, Nero.”
As Nero grabbed Elle’s arms and tried to pull her off him, Elle gripped him tighter.
He will kill her. “No, I’ll do anything. I won’t lie to you again. I promise.”
“Elle, she has to hurt for what she did.” His voice was like ice.
“Please!” Elle moved down his body and went to her knees. She went for his pants and started unbuttoning them with her trembling hands. When his cock flung out, Elle leaned in.
“No!” Nero stopped Elle’s head from coming any closer, groaning as she looked up at him through her wet lashes.
“Please, don’t kill her,” Elle cried, gripping his legs. “Don’t leave me, Nero.”
Nero pulled Elle’s death grip from his body. “Stay here. Don’t think about leaving. You can’t; there’s a guard by the elevator.” Then he dropped his hands from her and zipped himself back in.
Elle’s head fell to the floor. She softly cried, not able to breathe as Nero walked away from her.
Please, God, please.
Chapter Forty-Eight
The Real Nero
Nero was sitting in a chair in a pitch-black room, thinking about the way Elle felt. It had been so long since he had touched her, held her, kissed her. Never again. Nero wasn’t ever going to let that separation happen again.
He didn’t like what he had done to Elle, but the fact was she never told him anything, and he was determined she wasn’t going to keep things from him anymore.
She will learn. Nero was going to teach her how things were going to be different now. Nero was now a family man, and he was a rough lover, but he knew he would have a lifetime to coach her.
He heard the rustling of keys, watching the door open through the shadows. Then the light flipped on the next instant.
Cassandra stood still when she saw Nero sitting in her living room on the chair that faced the door. “H-how did—”
Nero smiled. “I walked through the front door.”
“M-mom! Dad!” Cassandra screamed, unmoving.
Nero laughed as she screamed. “They’re not here.”
Cassandra’s eyes started to water. “What did you do with them?”
Nero shrugged. “Nothing. They just had a little emergency at the hospital with Sebastian.” He was telling the truth. Sebastian was still recovering, trying to walk again and healing his third-degree burns. Nero hadn’t seen Sebastian in a while, and he had decided to check on his progress. He just might have taken a few steps back.
“What d-did you do to him?” A tear fell down her cheek.
Good.
Nero stood from the chair and walked towards her. “Nothing more than what you did to Elle.”
Cassandra still didn’t move as Nero stood right in front of her.
“Don’t hurt—” She started to cry.
Nero grabbed Cassandra, turned her around, and shoved her up against the wall. He heard her nose break. “You should have fucking thought of that before you beat the shit out of Elle.” As he let Cassandra go, she fell to the floor, bawling.
Nero held up his hands and made a fist. “Now, Elle gets upset when she sees my hands are hurt, and we can’t have that. She also begged me for me not to kill you, which I will never fucking understand. So, I think it’s only fair if you hurt the way Elle was hurt.”
“You can come out now.” Nero walked back to the chair.
I’m about to enjoy the fucking show.
Cassandra’s face lifted and turned towards the clicking of heels. She watched a tall blonde appear, wearing a light-pink, airy dress. Her eyes fell to the expensive, tall, nude pumps.
She stared up at her when she reached her.
The blonde sweetly smiled. “Hello, I’m Maria.”
Cassandra began to crawl away on her hands and knees.
Maria snickered and put her heel over Cassandra’s hand. “Honey, there’s nowhere for you to hide.”
Nero laughed as he heard the high-pitched scream come from Cassandra. He watched the best show of his fucking life play before his eyes. He had known Maria would show no mercy, and the begging and pleading was what he lived for.
When he watched Maria smooth down her hair and dress, he stood to join her.
Maria looked down at her once-gorgeous pumps. “You owe me a new pair of Christian Louboutin’s.”
Nero laughed. “Best money I’ll ever spend.”
Maria kissed Nero’s cheek. “I’ll send you the link.” Then she left the house with the click of her heels.
Nero returned his eyes to the mess on the floor. She was good.