The Marriage Debt (De Vos Mafia #2)(35)

“Hello? Is someone there?” It’s Jill, shouting from my room. Dammit. “Please let me out.”

My mother stares at her door and then at me and sighs. “You disappoint me, Luca.”

What else is new?

“Did you really lock her up?”

I raise my brow. “What else was I supposed to do?”

“She’s your wife, not your pet,” she says, rubbing her forehead. “You must make her like you.”

“She hates me.”

She stares me down as I start pacing. “Make her happy.”

“Happy?” I snort. “She wants to kill me. Especially now that I’ve threatened the one guy who cared about her.”

My mother throws me the look, the one that oozes disappointment, and it makes me want to throw my knife at her eyeballs. “Be careful.”

“I know.”

“No, I don’t think you do,” she says. “If you put this family in danger—”

“I haven’t,” I interject, throwing her an equally threatening look back. “I’ve taken care of it.”

Her nostrils flare. “That girl in there is your wife. You two must learn to coexist for this deal to hold and for our family to reap the benefits.”

“Why do you suddenly care about any kind of relationship with the Baas family?” I ask. “You despise them.”

“Luca …” She makes a tsk sound. “Who do you think taught you to keep your friends close but your enemies closer?” She smirks. “Our family ties must appear strong to the outside world. Never weak. And there will always be someone out there trying to find any sign of weakness and destroy our empire.” She makes a fist and shows it to me like it’s my marriage she’s holding in the palm of her hand. “Make her happy. Give her what she wants.”

“Like what?” I quip.

“Food she likes. Clothes. Hobbies. Anything.”

“So you want me to bribe her,” I retort.

“Warmth. Attention. Adoration,” she adds without breaking eye contact. “Give her whatever her heart needs, and it will belong to you.” She licks her lips. “Your father did it with me when I hated him, and now I love him for it.”

Sure, she did.

After she realized he was rich.

But that won’t hold up for Jill. And my mother’s forgetting one thing.

“She killed my brother,” I reply through gritted teeth.

She steps closer to me and adjusts my collar. “She deserves every ounce of your wrath. But the Baas family are still our partners, and we must keep them on our side for now.”

I take in a deep breath and sigh. Of course. It’s always been about the business for my mother. Even my brother’s death.

“But make no mistake,” she says, planting her hands flat on my chest. “They will pay for what they’ve done. And when they’re gone for good, you’re free to do whatever you like to that pretty little girl.” A wretched smile forms on her thin lips. She turns and walks off. “I’m going to the hospital with your father.”

“Why?” I frown.

“Oh, just some tests.” She waves it off like it’s no big deal, but I know it’s because of the cancer diagnosis. With the amount of blood he’s been coughing up lately, I doubt there’s much they can do.

“There’s going to be a new business dinner Saturday night. Baas will be there,” my mother adds, throwing me a stern look. “Bring her.”

She slams the door shut and leaves me to my own thoughts.

My own emotions that I’ve tried hard to keep buried.

I thought I could use Jill as a toy, but it turns out she’s going to have to perform her wifely duties in more ways than just with her mouth and pussy.

And something tells me she won’t be willing to play the good wife.





Chapter 15





Jill



* * *



I’ve been locked in this room for days on end. I don’t know how long because there is no clock anywhere, and my phone was taken from me the second I ended up in Luca’s clutches.

There’s nothing but a small television to keep me company. Looking out the window is equally dreadful. All the people down there on the streets are blissfully going about their lives while I’m stuck up here in this ivory tower, hoping I’ll someday get the chance to escape … and to tear this goddamn collar off my neck.

But then there’s that voice in my head whispering to me again.

You chose this.

If only I hadn’t done what I did three years ago.

I never should’ve dragged Liam away from Luca and into my car.

If I hadn’t, he would have won the fight and would still be alive.

Things would’ve been much different now.

I could’ve married him.

I sigh to myself and shove the curtain aside to look outside at the bustling streets below. Even if this is the backside of the building, it still has that kind of view you can only buy with a ton of cash.

Tap, tap!

Two knocks on the door make me flick my head sideways. The only visitor I’ve had since Luca last came in was Lita with her delicious food, and it always brings a smile to my face when she comes. But she never knocks.