Chapter 17.

Carla led Sophia through the hallway, each step echoing off the walls. They stopped in front of Luca's room, and Carla knocked. Luca's voice came from within, inviting them inside.

Sophia entered the room and couldn't help but marvel at its beauty. The room was huge and elegant, something out of royalty. Rich, dark wood furniture complemented the deep red and gold fabrics draped around the room.

Her breath caught in her throat when she saw Luca on his bed, shirtless and smoking a cigarette. His muscular frame was relaxed, but his eyes were anything but.

"Kneel," Carla whispered to Sophia, who ignored her. She couldn't understand why she had to kneel to him; he wasn't her boss or anyone she owed loyalty to.

"You may leave," Luca ordered Carla, who immediately exited the room, leaving Sophia alone with him.

Luca took a drag from his cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke that hung in the air. "Sophia, do you know why you're here?" he asked, his voice calm but with an edge that sent shivers down her spine.

Sophia stood her ground, refusing to kneel. "I can guess," she replied calmly, despite her fear.

He arched an eyebrow, clearly amused by her defiance. "You're a brave one, I'll give you that," he said, standing up and walking towards her. "But remember, bravery can only get you so far."

As he approached, she couldn't help but notice the sharp contrast between his intimidating presence and the elegance of the room. She drew a sharp breath, trying to steady herself.

"You caused quite a stir tonight," Luca said, stopping a few feet away from her. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you've brought upon yourself?"

She swallowed hard, perceiving his mesmerizing scent from his closeness. "I didn't mean to cause trouble. I just wanted to get away from those people."

"Those people?" Luca said darkly. "You mean Marco and Ariana? The ones who called you a traitor?"

Her eyes flickered with anger and shame. "Yes."

Luca took another drag from his cigarette before flicking it into a nearby ashtray. "You need to understand something, Sophia. In this house, there's no room for disobedience or rebellion. You either fall in line, or you face the consequences."

Sophia's heart thudded hard, but she refused to back down. "What do you want from me, Luca?"

"I want you to learn your place," he replied as his eyes locked onto hers. "Kneel."

Sophia hesitated, her pride battling with her fear. But pride won. She would take whatever he wanted to do to her.

"Are you deaf?" Luca's voice cut through the tension.

"I'm not going to kneel to you, you fucking bastard. So if you want to torture me, go on and do it. I don't care," she spat, tilting her head upwards defiantly.

Luca smiled darkly. He knew that deep down, she was probably shaking, but her pride wouldn't let her admit it. For someone like Sophia, he felt that shame was the only way to truly break her, and he intended to do just that. He took out his belt, causing her to arch her brow in confusion.

"Over the bed," he ordered, pointing to the bed.

Sophia gave him a confused look. Did he plan to spank her?

Annoyed, Luca grabbed her arm roughly and dragged her to the bed, bending her over.

"What the fuck are you trying to do right now?" She struggled against his hold.

Without warning, he raised the belt and brought it hard across her ass. She jumped, a sharp gasp escaping her lips.

"You fucking bastard! What are you doing right now? Let me up! I'm not some fucking child!" she shouted.

Luca didn't respond, instead delivering another sharp smack with the belt. The sound of leather striking flesh echoed in the room, mingling with Sophia's cries of outrage and pain.

Sophia's eyes burned with tears she refused to shed. She tried to push up from the bed, but Luca's grip was too strong. "Stop it, you sadistic prick!"

"Disobedience has consequences, Sophia," Luca said calmly, his voice betraying no emotion as he continued the punishment.

The belt covered every inch of her ass before moving to her thighs. Unable to take it anymore, she broke into frantic sobbing, wiggling desperately.

"Stop... Stop it..."

"You're in no position to give out any orders," Luca said. "But if you want me to stop, beg me. I want to hear you begging for mercy, Sophia."

"Please... please stop, I beg you... please," Sophia cried. She felt ashamed and would have preferred to be tortured than subjected to this. It was too degrading.

"Too bad, you are late. But keep begging; maybe I'll change my mind," he said coldly and continued spanking her.

She cried, wailed, and continued to plead with him, but the belt rained down on her mercilessly, sending her body into spasms of pain.

Finally, he stopped and released her. Sophia breathed a sigh of relief, though she was still crying hard. Glancing at his handiwork, Luca saw that her ass had turned a dark shade of purple.

"Kneel down."

Sophia didn't wait for him to repeat himself before going down on her knees in front of him.

Luca stepped closer, towering over her. "Good,"his voice was a low rumble. "Remember this moment, Sophia. Remember that disobedience has a price."

She felt a surge of anger and humiliation, but she kept it in check. She had to survive this, no matter what.

Luca reached down and lifted her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "You'll remain here tonight," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "And you'll not move an inch."¹

Sophia wanted to protest, but the fiery pain in her ass silenced her. How did he expect her to kneel here all night?

Her stomach churned, but she nodded, knowing she had no other choice.

"Good," Luca said, releasing her chin. "And not a word."

She watched as he replaced the belt on his pants before climbing onto the bed. This would be a long night.