Stalking Ginevra (Morally Black Book 4)

I gaze at the bubbling fondue pot, my vision blurring.

The rich scent of melted cheese fills my nostrils, making me queasy. Steam rises off the surface, intensifying the nausea. I dip my crouton into the mix, forcing myself to take another bite, but it might as well be a hot brick. With trembling fingers, I lower the fork.

Last night, I rushed back to the hotel, leaving behind the suitcase. I couldn’t sleep, wondering if Brisket would reappear.

I skipped breakfast, but now I can barely stomach lunch.

“Don’t you like it?” Carla’s voice is bright, oblivious to the storm churning in my gut. She dips a piece of bread into the fondue and pops it into her mouth. “You’ve hardly touched your plate.”

I manage a smile, but it’s tight and brittle with the weight of guilt pressing down on my chest. How can anything not taste like ash when all I can think of is last night? Things went too far with Bob Brisket. I can’t believe my body gave into him so easily.

“Not hungry,” I mutter, turning my gaze away from the platter of dippers.

Cara frowns. “You’ve been like this since breakfast. Are you okay?”

How the hell do I explain I just cheated on my husband? I part my lips to respond, but the door creaks open, and Benito steps into the room.

The words wither on my tongue.

His presence invades the room like a gust of winter. In his black suit and matching shirt, he might as well be the grim reaper. He sweeps his cold gaze across the table, his features unreadable. My heart slams against my ribs, every muscle stiffening under the weight of his stare.

“Leave us,” he says, his voice flat.

Cara hesitates, her eyes darting between Benito and me. Her concern lingers for a second, but she’s in no position to question her boss. Without a word, she hurries to the exit.noveldrama

The door clicks shut behind her, leaving me alone with Benito, and my stomach twists into knots. Silence stretches tighter than a noose, and the air becomes too thick to breathe.

My gaze drops to what he’s holding—a manilla envelope—and my heart drops.

Did someone send him photos of me with Brisket?

Benito crosses the room, stopping at my table, still clutching the envelope. My pulse quickens. Every instinct in my body yells at me to ask what it contains, but I bite my tongue. I want to scream, to explain, to say something before it’s too late. But my throat dries, the words caught in the web of guilt that tangles around my heart.

He knows. He has to know. And yet… he hasn’t said a word.

I peer up at him through my lashes, not daring to raise my head. His face is impassive, but his eyes are sharp, watching me with close scrutiny. Curling my hands into fists on my lap, I dig my fingers into my palms to keep from trembling.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Benito speaks.

“How was dinner last night?”

My chest tightens. Tears prick my eyes, but I blink them back.

“Ginevra?” he asks.

“I…” My throat spasms. “I asked the waiter to pack it up.”

“To eat in your room?”

His voice is calm, but the weight of his question makes my blood run cold. He knows. Knows I didn’t return to the hotel. Knows I disobeyed his orders. But does he know about Brisket?

The envelope lands on the dining table with a gentle thud that may as well be the strike of a gong. Panic claws at my throat, desperate to escape, but I choke it back. My mind races, scrambling for words that might cushion the truth.

“I went home,” I blurt. “To pick up some clothes. And to share the Chateaubriand with Mom. Then the lights went out and my stalker appeared from nowhere.”

Benito doesn’t move. He doesn’t even blink. His eyes remain locked on the side of my face, waiting for my confession.

“He abducted me from the kitchen and made me,” I say, the words tumbling out in a rush. “I didn’t have a choice.”

The silence stretches again, thick and heavy, pressing down on my lungs, urging me to spill the truth. When I don’t elaborate, Benito says, “The stalker forced himself on you?”

“Yes.” I shake my head. “Kind of. He seduced me, made me weak. I… I didn’t know how to say no.”

I can’t finish. The words evaporate like the steam rolling off the cheese, as my excuses have more holes than the bread. Benito’s expression doesn’t change, even though I swear something flickers in his eyes. It’s so dark and wounded, it might be a projection of my own heart.

He bows his head, his posture sagging. With a sigh, he picks up the manilla envelope.

“I’ll annul the marriage,” he says, the words sounding like a death sentence.

Without elaborating, he turns toward the door, making my heart lurch.

Panic surges through my chest. I scramble off the dining chair so fast that it falls to the marble floor with a thud. I chase after him on bare feet and grab his arm. “Wait! Where are you going?”

He turns back to me, his eyes like ice. “To file a petition with the court.”

The words land harder than any blow. My heart falters. My blood runs cold. No. This can’t be happening. Benito and I are forever. I tighten my grip on his bicep, forcing him to stay.

“What about the loan sharks?” I ask, my voice breaking. “And you promised to protect me from Brisket.”

Benito stares down at me with hardened eyes, his gaze incredulous. “It sounded like you enjoyed his attention.”

I flinch, his words cutting deep. My mouth opens, but I produce no sound. I can’t argue because it’s all true. I couldn’t resist Bob Brisket. The man has a way of taking control until I don’t know what I’m doing is wrong until it’s too late.

“Benito, I don’t want him. He’s a psychopath. He’s evil. I wouldn’t…” I stumble over my words, my mind scrambling for something—anything—to convince him not to cut me loose.

His eyes narrow. “Why would I believe the word of a woman who couldn’t wait to run into another man’s arms the moment I turned my back?”

The accusation hangs in the air like a knife poised to strike.

After an agonizing pause, Benito breaks the silence. “I won’t demand the money back from the sharks. That would leave you and your mother vulnerable. But you’re free to go. Be with Brisket if that’s what you want.”

His rejection punches through my ribcage and snatches my heart, squeezing tight until it bleeds. Before I can stop myself, tears spill down my cheeks and land on my kimono. I drop to my knees, clutching at his pants.

“But I don’t want him!” I say, my voice breaking. “Please, don’t throw me away like this. I’ll do anything.”

Benito stares down at me, his face expressionless, but I can feel the tension in his thighs. This is no different from the time I saw him with Professor Cortese outside the Phoenix. Back then, I felt like a beggar. Now, I’m pleading for a second chance.

He snatches his gaze away from mine, as though he can’t stand to look in my direction.

“Don’t leave,” I rasp.

“How can I keep you around when you can’t stop fucking other men?” His voice is sharp, biting, each word slicing into my chest like scalpels.

I shake my head from side to side, my vision blurring with tears. “I’ll never do it again. I’ll be good, I swear on my life. Just give me another chance, please!”

He sucks in a sharp breath, and I take my chance. I reach for his fly, my fingers trembling as I fumble with the zipper, offering him the only thing I have left. “I’ll give you anything—anything you want.”

Grabbing my wrists, Benito crouches down, his scandalized face inches from mine. “Are you serious?”

“Yes!” I sob, my chest heaving. “I’ll do anything.”

His eyes darken, his grip tightening around my wrists. “I want fidelity. No more secrets. No more lies. No more disobedience. No more leaving.”

Nodding, I choke on my sobs. “I swear it. I’ll do everything you say. I’ll never leave again.”

But his gaze sharpens, and if anything, the intensity of his stare grows colder, more calculating. He lets the silence linger, stretching the tension between us until it feels unbearable.

“You will tell me everything about your relationship with Samson Capello… and all the others.”

A lump lodges in my throat. “Alright.”

“And I want the family you promised me when we were younger,” he says, his voice dangerously low.

My breath catches, and I blink away the tears. “What… what do you mean?”

Benito leans closer, his lips brushing against my ear. “You’re going to let me breed you again and again until you’re pregnant.”