Jian Carlo looked up from his newspaper as Adriana entered the solarium, dressed to perfection and only for him, just as she had every day since Serafina had cast the spell. When his wife stopped at her chair, he held out his hands. “What? No kiss?”
She paused, as if confused, then tossed her hair and came around the table to him.
He pulled her into his lap and buried his face in her cleavage. When she struggled, he held her in place until she surrendered, then pushed her from his lap, and smacked her on the rump. “Go have your cafezinho. I’m trying to read.”
Serafina had instructed him to switch his moods abruptly to keep Adriana off balance so her subconscious would cling to the Quimbanda spell. It seemed to be working. Adriana was pliable and adoring, yet oddly vacant. No matter. Once again, he had the perfect wife.
“I’ll be home for dinner tonight.”
Adriana perked up as expected. “We must have feijoada and quindim. Irma, will you see to that?”
“Sim, senhora.”
Irma poured sweetened milk coffee into Adriana’s cup and brought the silver coffee carafe to Jian Carlo. He smiled, well pleased with his women. Hot coffee in the morning and black bean stew and coconut custard for the night. He was about to praise Adriana for her thoughtfulness when Irma over-poured his cup.
She jumped and sloshed the scalding coffee onto his arm.
Jian Carlo cried out and knocked the carafe from her hands and onto the Oaxacan rug, an expensive gift from his Mexican client. “You clumsy ass. Clean that up.”
Irma dropped to her knees and pulled a rag from her pocket.
Jian Carlo wrung out his napkin and wiped the coffee from his arm. “I should have let you wander the forest with the rest of your stinking village.” He raised the tablecloth flap to blot the mess around his cup. “You don’t know how lucky you are. I’ve given you everything—a job, a place to live, food to eat.” He grabbed Adriana’s napkin and threw it at Irma. “Hurry up, before that stains.”
Irma’s tears soothed Jian Carlo’s anger as did the hatred that simmered beneath her fear. Seeing the forest woman each day, slaving for the man who had destroyed her village, reminded him of the power he wielded and the heights to which he had risen.
When he felt settled, he took a careful sip from his brimming cup, replaced it in the messy saucer, and turned to Adriana as though nothing upsetting had happened. “So, querida, what will you do today?”
Adriana looked from him to the sobbing maid, then shook off her confusion. “I’m going to shop for my Carnaval dress.”
Jian Carlo smiled. Serafina’s spell was as powerful as ever. “Oh? I assumed you had already bought one.”
“I looked, but I need something special for the Magic Ball.”
“Ah, the Magic Ball. That is special. Will you be shopping in the usual stores or will you need to borrow my credit card?”
From the beginning of their marriage, Jian Carlo had arranged for Adriana to have near unlimited funds but only at select stores. Anywhere else she wanted to shop, she had to borrow his card. He also gave her a small weekly allowance for taxis and threw in a little extra cash for those cheap incidentals young women always seemed to need. He did this under the pretense of making her life easier. In reality, it kept her under his control.
“The usual shops,” she said.
“Excellent. Then you’ll be set.”
He rose and guided her to her feet. “I’m sure you’ll be the most enchanting creature at the ball in whatever dress you find.” He pulled her in for a kiss and waited for that delicious moment when acceptance turned to passion. Just knowing she would permit him to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted to do it, made his cock stiffen like a metal rod. “I have to go to work, but we will continue this tonight, yes?”
“Mm-hm.” She tipped back her head and bared her neck for his kisses.
He traced his tongue down her neck and grazed her skin with his teeth. He could take her, right now, on the table, and she would spread her legs willingly. Instead, he smiled and pushed her away. Better to let the anticipation sweeten his work day. Besides, he did not need to fuck his wife in front of his maid to exert his control. He had already made his point with both of them.