Bullied Cinderella (Olive Skin Devils Book 2) Read online

  I closed the door behind me to step outside and open it in private. Inside were the handwritten cursive words - I feel both of my cousins have had more of a chance to get to know you than I have. Will you do me the honor of joining me for dinner this evening?

  Signed, Jorge. Huh, I thought. Well, that was unexpected. But rather perfect for my plans. I couldn’t stand thinking about Leonardo enough to even try and predict how things would turn out with him. Just a flash of his face in my memories brought on a flood of hatred and shame and...many other more confusing and unsettling feelings. So, I had been avoiding it altogether. Things with Dario were easy enough. He was like a sweet little puppy who would probably come running up with his tail wagging any time I asked.

  But Jorge. I hadn’t given much thought to him. Having all three brothers wrapped around my pinky would give me plenty of ammunition for destroying their reputations completely. I didn’t have time to play these ridiculous games of sending wax sealed letters back and forth, though it was a nice gesture. I phoned the Valencia estate the first second I could steal away to myself. I expected one of the maids to answer, so I was quite dismayed when Leo’s voice came over the line.

  “Put Jorge on, please,” I replied briskly.

  Leo was silent for a moment. “Lucia?”

  “I wish to speak to Jorge Valencia.”

  There was more silence, but soon I heard the commotion of the phone being snatched from his frozen hands. Jorge came on and graciously accepted my agreement to dinner. I could tell by his short replies that he was keeping this a secret from Leonardo, and probably Dario too. Which only helped me and my vendetta. I hung up the first second I could, ignoring the way the sound of Leo’s voice rattled through me like a warm rush of soothing water. That was an absurd and completely unwelcomed response to anything having to do with him.

  I put on one of my best new dresses and slipped out into the night. Jorge had pulled a truck up to the end of the drive to pick me up discreetly. I was grateful that he seemed to want to be just as secretive as I did. He explained that there was a small house settled on one of the edges of their property where we could go and dine in privacy. He had arranged for a handful of staff to serve us there. Dinner was delicious, as was the tequila that kept flowing generously.

  “I was glad you invited me for dinner,” I told him once the dishes were cleared and we were left with only our glasses of alcohol. “I have my impressions of Leonardo and Dario, but I feel like I don’t know much about you.”

  “Oh? And what are your impressions on my cousins?”

  “Quite frankly, Leo is a monster. And Dario is kind, but…”

  “Dumb?”

  I burst into laughter, more freely than I normally would. It seemed the effects of the tequila were settling in. “I would say naive.”

  “Well, you’re right about him. I wouldn’t say Leo is a monster...But he is full of himself and is a little too obsessed with the approval from Don German and Donna Angela.”

  I swallowed tightly, knowing he’d have a hard time convincing me that Leo was anything more than a heartless beast. But now I had to live with knowing how I gave into him and let him take me in the woods. It was a little hard to harp on his flaws too much, since they now reflected on me and how low I would reduce myself. Instead, I put on a grin and perched my elbows on the table. I interlaced my fingers and rested my chin against them, staring intently at Jorge - only being a little suggestive in my expression.

  “So...what about you? How are you different from your cousins?”

  “More authentic, I’d say,” he replied with a charming grin. “That’s why I wanted to invite you to dinner tonight. I couldn’t risk you falling for Dario’s good manners. I know he came to see you the other day.”

  “And what’s so wrong with that? He only came to offer the apology that you and Leo should have been more willing to give.”

  “He’s only trying to win you over so you’ll stop building the fence. He doesn’t care either way, but it puts Leo on edge and anything that puts Leo on edge...puts all of us in a bad mood. Dario doesn’t have much of a stomach for uneasiness in the house.”

  “I take it Leo hasn’t been in the greatest mood the past couple of days?” I presumed, letting my curiosity get the better of me. It tickled me to think he had been out of sorts ever since the regrettable incident between us.

  “You seem awfully pleased about such a notion.”

  “Not pleased,” I shrugged. “I don’t care if he approves of the fence or not. I have every right to build it if I want to.”

  “I, for one, am sick of hearing about that stupid fence. The only thing that’s bothersome about it is all the noise while it’s being built. Soon, it will be finished and we’ll probably forget it’s even there. Leo may fly into a rage any time he’s challenged on something, but I prefer to save my energies for things more worthy of my time.” He snaked his hand across the table and brushed his fingers against my arm. “Like wooing a beautiful woman.”

  “None of you seem to be too interested in wooing me when I was Don German’s caregiver,” I reminded him, taking care to keep a coy, softness to my voice. The thought of it still sparked anger in my heart, but fighting with Jorge would do nothing to further my plans of revenge.

  “We were fools,” he laughed, eyeing me up and down.

  Jorge was handsome, just as Leo and Dario were. But his eyes were more narrow and dark with faint circles under them. His skin had a pale, olive tone to it and his hair was thick and always a little disheveled. It all added up to a very charming, rugged handsomeness.

  But as his eyes locked in on mine from across the table, something hit me in my gut. I suddenly felt a little sick like I was looking into the eyes of a snake. I had a sudden urge not to trust him, but I was determined to make the evening useful in some way. I had conquered Leo, at least that’s what I was calling it for now. I would do the same with Dario soon. If I could play along with Jorge, I would have successfully tainted all of their reputations, and I’d have quite a bit to use as leverage against them.

  I took in a deep, determined breath and threw back more tequila. Whatever darkness I sensed in Jorge couldn’t stop me from what I was set out to do. We continued throwing back drinks late into the night until finally, he suggested taking me home.

  “It’s probably for the best,” I admitted in my drunken laughter. “But tonight has been great fun. We’ll have to do it again soon.”

  He moved in closer and seemed very serious all of a sudden. I was almost too drunk to realize he was trying to set up a perfect moment for a kiss. I was willing to go along with it, but then that pang came again...that sick feeling of mistrust. I pulled back and turned for the door, agreeing that I should get home before it was too much later.

  Jorge didn’t seem too offended. I assumed he felt the same way I did, which was that there would be other nights to kiss and see what else might happen between us. There was no use in rushing it, and I preferred to wait until another night when my stomach didn’t turn every time he was close.

  We continued joking and talking on the drive, but suddenly there was a thump followed by a series of rumbling rubber noises. Jorge pulled over to the side of the road and got out to inspect the sounds.

  He appeared at the window moments later. “Just as I feared...a flat tire.”

  “Oh...dear,” I sighed. “Well, I guess we’ll have to wait until someone drives by. We could flag them down for help?”

  He nodded and looked around at the tree lines on either side of the road. “It’s a little unnerving accepting help from anyone on the side of the road at this hour. But you know...there’s a little shed right over that hill up there. We could stay there tonight if you’d like. I’m sure I have another bottle of tequila stashed inside. And we could get help in the morning.”

  I wanted to decline, but he was right. There weren’t many other options. Waiting for a random stranger to offer their assistance in the middle of the night seemed far more dan
gerous than hiding out with Jorge in the shed. I nodded and climbed out of the truck to follow him.

  The shed was tucked away into the trees but still had a decent set-up inside. He quickly found a bottle of tequila, as promised. There were candles and matches for light, and a comfortable enough bed made up in the corner.

  “There’s a cot over there that I’ll sleep on...if you’re more comfortable,” he told me.

  I threw back several more swigs of tequila and before I knew it, both Jorge and I were sitting side by side on the bed. He leaned in to kiss me, and I was too drunk to pay attention to the nagging feeling in my gut anymore. I gave into it a little and tried to let myself sink into the feeling of his thin lips. It was easier than I thought it would be to start enjoying myself. Maybe his rough hands reminded me of Leo’s touch. Whatever it was...I didn’t feel the need to push him away.

  But Jorge seemed to have a lot more in mind than just making out. Soon he was forcefully shoving me back onto the bed and pulling at my clothes. His moves were swift and sudden, putting me on edge. I tried to sit back up or put some distance between us, just to slow it all down a little, but he moved too quickly for me to get a grip on what was unraveling.

  “Wait,” I struggled to say between his mouth sweeping against mine. “Wait, Jorge. Stop. You’re too…”

  My words may have been muffled by his firm and relentless kisses, but I know he heard them well enough. But instead of slowing down or stopping, he grew more forceful and insistent. He grew impatient with my clothes and started ripping them away, all the while biting into my neck and chest too hard.

  “Jorge! Stop!” I yelled out sternly. There was no mistaking my request that time.

  But Jorge was completely drunk and not listening to a word I said. It was not unlike the force Leo washed over me with, only my reaction to it was notably different. There was no warmth or tingling desire crashing over me. There was only the panic that grew each time he bit into me too hard or shredded away another piece of my clothes. The reality sunk in at an alarming rate. I was alone in this shed out in the middle of nowhere, and no one knew where I was. No one would be looking for me any time soon.

  And Jorge didn’t show any signs of stopping.

  11

  Leonardo

  I am overcome with relief as I reach out to wrap my hands around Lucia’s breasts once again. They’re just as full and supple as I remembered, wrapped in her caramel skin. Her nipples are hard as I gently suck each one into my mouth, relishing in her whimpers as I dart my tongue around them. I kiss my way in between them down the crevices of her torso. I glide my tongue along each curve of her body until I finally reach her inner thigh. I am close to tasting her sweetness once more, but when I reach my fingers out to tease her...there is nothing there.

  It’s all empty air. Then darkness. Slowly I gather the feeling of my damp sheets clutched in my hands. Lucia is long gone, and I found myself alone in my room again. I was fooled by my dreams that had become so vivid and full of aching and longing for her body. It was ridiculous. For all the women I had in my days. One quick romp with her in the woods and I was undone. Insatiable. It felt like nothing would be made right in my world until I knew her again.

  I had decided that was what I wanted. I wanted to lay her down in my bed and take my time with her. Maybe I couldn’t change her mind about hating me, but that hadn’t stopped her from giving into me the first time. I could persuade her again and use my body to show her all the things I could not show her with my words and with my actions.

  The only problem was figuring out how to make it all transpire. I knew nothing about romance. If mother was ever going to force me to marry - it would happen through courtship or perhaps some kind of arrangement. I was never taught how to win a woman over, and up until now...I had never wanted to. I wasn’t even so sure I wanted to win Lucia over for anything more than fucking her again. I just knew I had somehow fallen under her spell, and I craved the feeling of being inside of her like a wild animal craves meat.

  I accepted that it would be another sleepless night full of tossing and turning, interrupted only by occasionally dozing off and being tortured with another lucid dream about her. If that was my fate, I decided I at least needed some cold water to see me through. I slid into my robe and slippers and made my way down the stairs.

  I was surprised to see Dario awake and alert, sitting in a chair by the window. He didn’t seem quite as cheerful as he had been lately, but I was too tired and grumpy to care. However, I figured giving him a hard time would at least pass a little time.

  “I know I always say you’re like a dog, but finding you waiting by the door in the middle of the night like a mut waits for his master...I have to wonder if you are actually literally turning into one.”

  He seemed to barely hear me. It took too long for the words to register, but finally, he looked up at me. “Huh? Oh yes,” he laughed lightly before trailing back off into thought.

  “Where is your brother? I’m surprised he’s not using this as an excuse to stay up with you getting drunk.”

  “Jorge is gone,” he replied, and I quickly gathered that was the source of his worries. “It’s weird for him to be off this late in the middle of the week like this.”

  I waved him off, not thinking anything of it. Poking fun at him proved to be less fun than I thought it would be, and I preferred the torture of dreams about Lucia over his dull company. I shuffled forward to the kitchen and opened the fridge to grab the pitcher of water, but by the time I gripped the handle it all started to sink in.

  The phone call earlier that day...I was certain that was Lucia’s voice. But when the woman asked to speak with Jorge, I dismissed it. What the hell would she want with him? I figured it was my madness getting to me. All women’s’ voices were turning into hers perhaps. But for him to be gone so late on the same day as that call...it didn’t sit right with me. And it obviously didn’t sit right with Dario either.

  I rummaged around the house, checking Jorge’s usual late-night hangouts. I assumed Dario would have already done that, but I didn’t trust his sleuthing skills one bit. Sure enough - Jorge was nowhere to be found. I knew what I had to do, but I couldn’t do it in my pajamas and robe. I moved more quickly as I went to my room and rushed to get dressed. All the while a sinking feeling was growing in my gut. I didn’t know what Jorge would want with Lucia if anything, but something about this wasn’t right.

  I’m sure my sense of dread only helped my cause as I stormed into the servants quarters where several of the men were up drinking and playing cards. It wasn’t terribly uncommon for us to stumble out to them when we were drunk. We’d tease them or shoot the shit. But they could see that I was out of sorts over something, or maybe they were waiting for me to come find them. Either way, they grew quiet as I got close and each stiffened in their chairs.

  “Evening, gentleman. Enjoying a game of blackjack, I see.” They nodded and grumbled. “I was wondering if you might be able to tell me where my cousin Jorge has run off to this evening.”

  No one answered right away, but they were obviously uneasy about the question. Finally one of them suggested that maybe he had taken one of the horses out. Another said they thought they saw him walking along the new fence being built. All of it sounded like bull shit. I could tell they knew exactly where he was, but they were keeping it from me.

  I smiled and shook my head - my silent warning to them that I could see they were going to make this difficult. The problem with being so bored all the time is that everyone had grown used to me being a wasted, blubbering bully. They had forgotten who I was underneath all of that. Especially when something that I wanted was under threat. But I was about to remind them.

  I paced along the edge of their table and prepared to give one of my favorite speeches. “Some of you have been with our family long enough to remember my father. Isn’t that right?” A few of the older gentlemen nodded. “Yes, so you’ll remember how notorious he was for strolling out on nights
like this and addressing his workers. If someone would respond in a way he didn’t like or...let’s say he felt that they weren’t forthcoming enough for him...he would sometimes just fire everyone in sight! And have them all replaced by the next morning!”

  I smiled casually and spread my hands in the air, waiting for their response. They were growing more uncomfortable by the second, but they kept quiet aside from nervously clearing their throats. They waited to see where I was going with it.

  “I’m sure that will keep a few of you on edge, but...I don’t think any of you remember another method my father had for dealing with his workers. How he’d keep them in line. If he felt that someone was being dishonest with him...especially if he felt a whole group was being dishonest with him, he’d make a little speech...sort of like what I’m doing now. Then he’d casually approach someone at the table.”

  I positioned myself behind one of the men, close enough to make him uncomfortable. I snaked my hands around his shoulders then up to his face. “He’d hold the man’s head in his hands like this. And he’d ask his question again.”

  They watched with wide eyes as the man in my grip began sweating and breathing heavily. “Something like...oh, I don’t know...Where has Jorge gone to this evening?”

  I waited again to see if someone might answer this time, but no one did. The man in front of me swallowed hard. He obviously didn’t know where Jorge was, or he would have started talking by now. He didn’t even have to know exactly what I was about to demonstrate. He just knew it was bad. But it was the three men at the other end of the table who I had my sights set on. They were the ones staring at their laps, wringing their hands together. They were the ones who knew where Jorge was.