by Nina Levine
“I see you require a reminder of how a relationship between us works,” he growls, lifting me and taking me to the bed. I’m on my back with him over me before I know it, his eyes dark with dominance and desire.
“You do not dictate to me,” he says, tearing my shorts off me. “That is never how this will work, and the sooner you understand that the better off you’ll be.”
My heart goes wild, beating furiously against my chest with both desire and fear. Fear that he’s finally going to win this battle. That I’m finally going to give in and let him take everything from me.
I put my hands to his chest and attempt to push him away, but it’s going to take a lot more strength than I have to shift him. Javier is made of muscle and fierce determination. When he sets his sights on something, he makes sure he gets it.
And holy fuck, he’s single-minded tonight. I know this for absolute certainty when he spreads my legs, holds them down with force, dips his mouth to my pussy, and licks from bottom to top through my panties while keeping his eyes firmly on mine.
“Fuck,” he rasps. “Tell me you want me.”
“I will never tell you that,” I say breathlessly.
He swipes his tongue over my panties again. “Tell me.” It’s an order, and coming from a man who’s used to having his orders followed, I quiver at the thought of what he’ll do if I don’t comply.
And yet, I can’t bring myself to yield to him.
“No.”
His jaw clenches as he lifts his face.
I hold my breath and wait for his next move.
He takes hold of my hand and brings it to my panties, slipping my fingers inside and directing them inside of myself. “Do you feel how fucking wet you are?”
So wet.
Always, with this man.
“It doesn’t mean I want you.”
That dominance in his eyes flares and I swear I feel the energy in the room darken. “What does it mean, then, Emilia, if not that?” He adds one of his fingers to mine inside me and finds a rhythm that will only get me wetter. And as much as I don’t want a thing to do with this, I can’t help myself. I match his rhythm.
My back arches up off the bed.
My free hand grips the sheet.
My toes curl.
Holy. Fuck. This. Man.
I lose any ability I might have had left to deny him as he works me to orgasm.
Keeping his fingers inside me, he puts his other hand to the mattress and leans down, bringing his face close to mine. Searching my eyes, he says, “You want me, and I want to hear you say it.”
I’m going to come.
I don’t want to fucking come.
Damn him.
“Those are words you will never hear from me, Javier.”
“And yet, your cunt wants me.”
I orgasm, completely coming apart. I come harder than I have since Javier last fucked me. God damn him for being the one man who knows exactly how to pleasure me.
He watches me silently for a few moments, taking in all the ways he affects me, before moving off the bed. “I won’t restrain myself forever, dulzura.”
I slowly figure out how to draw breath again as he leaves the bedroom.
I have no doubt Javier won’t restrain himself forever.
That’s not my greatest concern here.
The fact I don’t want him to is.
6
Javier
“Joaquin can’t locate Perez,” Diego says early Friday morning when he and Lorenzo check in with me.
Fuck.
Joaquin’s my best lieutenant. If he can’t find Perez, no one fucking can.
“Send him more men,” I order. “I want him found today.”
Diego nods as my attention is drawn to Emilia who exits the bedroom. It’s just after six and I know she didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. I know this because I didn’t either. Lying next to her all night proved more difficult than I imagined.
She eyes me with a glare before looking at my brothers. “Lorenzo. Diego,” she greets them before carrying on her way to the kitchen without waiting for them to respond.
“I see things are going well,” Lorenzo says.
“We’re on track,” I say, watching her until I can’t see her anymore.
“Good to hear,” Diego says, his features pinching with the serious expression that’s his trademark. My youngest brother carries the weight of the world in ways even I’ve not thought to. “Her brothers aren’t too fucking friendly over this Perez bullshit.”
I arch a brow questioningly.
“They’re threatening to take matters into their own hands if you don’t deal with it fast,” he elaborates.
Mateo and Cruz Sanchez have become headaches I want to eradicate once and for all. I can’t, though. It’d cause bigger problems within the cartel if I do.
“We need a meeting with them,” Lorenzo says, looking pained just to utter the words, let alone go through with it. He has less patience for Emilia’s brothers than I do.
I nod. “Set it up. This afternoon, before the dinner.” Our families are coming together for a dinner tonight ahead of the wedding tomorrow. I don’t ever look forward to any dinner, but even less so to this one.
We finish going over what needs to be taken care of today and they leave. I go in search of the woman who has taken over too many of my thoughts.
I find her in the kitchen talking with the chef I employed for the weekend. They’re discussing what Emilia would like for breakfast, and while she doesn’t look at me, the change in her body language and breathing tells me she’s more than aware of my presence.
It’s in the way her body slowly angles itself my way while her breaths quicken.
Emilia might be telling me she doesn’t want me, but she’s lying. I just need to figure out whether that’s a lie she believes or not. If, as I suspect, it isn’t, we’re on track like I told my brothers. On the other hand, if she does believe it, I have a hell of a lot more work ahead of me than I thought.
When the chef starts preparing her meal, Emilia makes a move to exit the kitchen. I allow her to slip past me without a word, but I follow her into the bedroom.
“I hope you don’t plan on ignoring me all day,” I say as she opens the closet.
She looks at me, her eyes filled with rebellion. “I plan on showering, dressing, eating my breakfast, and going into work. None of that requires a conversation with you.”
I close the distance between us. Gripping a handful of her hair and her waist, I pull her against me and growl, “I should bend you over and fuck you senseless for that.”
She sucks in a breath and my eyes fall to the rise of her chest. “You should take your hands off me is what you should do.”
Tightening my hold on her, I say, “If I thought for one second that you really wanted that, I would.” I pause. “You’re not going into work today. You can work from here.”
She jerks so forcefully that she manages to turn in my arms, her furious eyes coming to mine. “You can’t control me, Javier. Least of all when it comes to my work.”
“It isn’t my wish to control you, Emilia, except when it involves your safety. When it comes to that, I will enforce my directives however I need to.”
Her eyes widen. “Your directives? Oh my God, no. I do not take orders from you!”
“You do when it comes to this.”
“Or what? You’ll handcuff me and keep me locked away?”
“You’re catching on fast.”
With a shake of her head, she turns back to the closet, yanks a dress out, and pushes past me to stalk into the bathroom. “Try handcuffing me. See how that works out,” she throws over her shoulder before slamming the door closed.
Jesus.
I rake my fingers through my hair.
This woman might be the fucking death of me.
Emilia doesn’t fight me on staying in the hotel to work. She sets herself up in the library of the penthouse and, after making it clear she’s not ha
ppy about the situation, buries herself in her work.
After stressing the importance of Emilia staying in the suite, I leave Bruno in charge of ensuring that happens and head out to meet with some of my men.
Just after lunch, I receive a call from him.
“Got a problem, boss,” he says. “I was called away for five minutes to deal with something and Emilia convinced Johnny to drive her to her office.”
I work to control my anger, but it’s a waste of effort. “She’s at her office now?”
My tone is ice cold and Bruno doesn’t miss it. “Fuck, I’m sorry, Javier. And yeah, she’s at her office. I’m on my way there now, but I wanted you kept in the loop.”
“I’m ten minutes from her office. I’ll meet you there.”
I disconnect and tell my driver to make a detour.
Fucking hell, this is the last thing I have time for today.
Emilia’s office is in Midtown, not far from the hotel, on the 48th floor. My patience is non-existent. By the time I step out on her floor, I’m more frustrated with her than I’ve ever been. Livid as well. Does she not fucking understand that when I say her safety is in question, I fucking mean it?
“Javier,” she says when I barge into her office without waiting for an invitation. Her assistant scurries after me, trying to stop me. Nothing and no one could stop me today.
“Leave us!” I bellow at her assistant who widens her eyes at me like she’s never seen anyone this angry.
She glances at Emilia for permission, but it’s more than obvious she’d rather be anywhere but in this office.
Emilia nods. “Close the door behind you, Carly.”
At the click of the door, I advance toward Emilia, my fury consuming me. “I thought I made it clear you weren’t to leave the hotel today.” The words breathe out of me like fire. Fuck, they feel like fire too. My lungs feel like they’re fucking burning from the worry over her.
She swallows hard as she looks at me warily. It’s the first time she’s had the good fucking sense to do that. “Something came up and I needed to come in.”
I move closer to where she stands in front of the sofa near the floor-to-ceiling window that has a spectacular view over Manhattan. “You waited until Bruno was out of sight and then you talked your way into leaving with a man you knew you could twist around your finger.” I work my jaw as my eyes angrily search hers. “You’re playing with fire here, Emilia. Fire you do not want to be anywhere near.”
Her caution disappears and her fight returns as she erases any remaining space between us. Shoulders back defiantly, she says, “Yes, I waited for that opportunity, because something came up here that required my presence. You may not believe my work is important, but it is, and I won’t have you dictating when I can do it and when I can’t. Now, feel free to stand outside my office and protect me if you must, but I’m staying and getting done what I need to.”
I grasp her arms and yank her body to mine, still as fucking furious as a moment ago. “I never said your work isn’t important. What I did say is that your safety is important. I’d really fucking appreciate it if you listened to me.”
“And I’d really fucking appreciate it if you’d tell me what’s going on!” She resists me, her hands coming madly to my chest as she attempts to battle me.
“Fuck,” I growl, backing her against the window and caging her in. “Stop fucking fighting me, dulzura. I’m trying to fucking protect you.”
“Well, you’re going about it in an odd fucking way.”
Christ, her fight is both infuriating me and turning me on.
I press myself against her, seeking the friction I crave, and bring my mouth to her ear. “I told you that you need to learn to trust me. How long is it going to take for you to do that?”
She desperately wants the friction too. I see it clearly in her eyes and feel it in the grind of her hips. The moan that falls from her mouth is enough to destroy every shred of self-control I’m clinging to.
“Fuck,” I rasp, my hands shoving her dress up as I drop to my knees and tear her panties off.
Emilia grips my hair and arches her back against the window when my tongue finds her clit. “Yes. Oh, God yes.”
I could lose myself in her cunt for hours.
Parting her with my thumbs, I push my tongue inside her.
I’ve thought of this moment for two years. I couldn’t get enough of her back then, and I know for fucking sure this won’t come close to being enough today. I want to bury my dick in her, but I won’t until she begs for that. And if I know Emilia well, those words aren’t going to come easily.
Pulling my hair, she holds my face against her, keeping my mouth on her. I eat her while swiping the pad of my thumb over her asshole, working the tip of it inside.
“Oh, fuck,” she moans. “Fuck.”
She comes, uttering words I barely make out while I continue working her ass and sucking and licking her.
When she tries to push me away, I growl, “No.”
“Oh, God, no,” she says, writhing against me. “I can’t….”
“You can,” I growl again, running my tongue through her wetness.
“Javier.” My name is a plea on her lips as her hands scrunch in my hair, gripping me tightly. And then she shatters again, this time harder, more completely. So fucking beautifully.
Her body sags and I swiftly lift her into my arms and place her on the sofa. Looking down at her, I ask, “How much longer will your work here take?”
She meets my gaze, surprise flickering in her eyes. “Twenty minutes probably.”
“You have half an hour.” With that, I exit her office and find Bruno. “I’ll be in the car. Bring her down in half an hour. And don’t fucking take no for an answer.”
7
Emilia
I glance at Javier in the bathroom mirror as I apply my lipstick. He enters the room with his phone to his ear, his eyes to me. They’re always on me. I can’t escape him if I try. And damn him, just over twenty-four hours into this new relationship with him, and my urge to escape is quickly disappearing.
He’s barely spoken to me this afternoon after forcing me to leave my office with him. He’s also barely let me out of his sight. I’m both frustrated and aroused. And confused as hell.
He finishes his call and moves behind me at the vanity, trailing his eyes down my body. “We’re leaving in five minutes.”
“I’m ready.” Physically, but not emotionally. There’s a lot riding on this dinner and I’m not convinced I’m well prepared for it.
“Good.” The tension lining his face eases a little.
As he turns to leave, I say, “I’m nervous about tonight.”
He stops and gives me his attention again. “Why?” His voice holds no trace of trepidation. Javier has always been so sure of himself and his place in the world. His confidence is one of the things I’ve always been attracted to.
“There’s a lot of bad blood between our families, Javier. My brothers. Your brothers. It’s a lot of uncertainty and I don’t love the fact so much of it has come to rest on my shoulders.”
“Our fathers want this to work, Emilia. I want this to work. The cartel needs it to. Our brothers will fall into line. All you have to do is go through with the marriage.”
I arch my brows. “You make it sound so simple when it’s far from that.”
“It’s not far from that,” he states, like this is a simple fucking formula.
“How would you feel if the life you’ve spent over a decade building was suddenly challenged? If you had to change the way you live to help stop further bloodshed? I’m not sure you understand the weight I feel of all this.”
“You forget I’m marrying you too, dulzura. You aren’t the only one making sacrifices here.”
“Maybe not, but I’m the one with the loss of control. I’m the one who has to bow down to her husband.”
“You don’t know the meaning of bow down. Let’s not get carried away.”
“G
od, you are so fucking arrogant. I thought maybe we could attempt a useful conversation, but I see I was wrong.”
I push past him, but he wraps his hand around my wrist and yanks me back, flush against his body. His nostrils flare as he says, “Tonight is not the night to test me.” His arm comes around my waist and he grips me tighter. “You do not need to be nervous. I have everything under control. You just need to start trusting me.”
I stare up at him, every nerve ending in my body blazing with an intense and dangerous combination of want and hate. “You don’t make that easy.”
“It’s not my job to make things easier, Emilia. It’s my job to get things done. Eventually, you will fall into line too.” He lets me go and as he strides to the door, he orders, “You have a minute before we leave. I want those shoes changed. They’re not suitable for tonight.”
The asshole.
My heels are perfect for tonight.
They make me feel sexy and like I can take on the world.
I’m not changing them.
Carly: I know you’re at your family dinner, but I wanted you to know that Bob has signed the contract.
Me: That is the best news I’ve had all week.
Carly: How’s that man of yours? Still barking orders?
Javier leans into me, his scent wreaking havoc on my ability to function intelligently. “No work tonight, Emilia. I need your complete attention on our families.”
I exhale my annoyance as I place my phone down and look at him. “You have my attention where you want it, Javier, but let’s be honest, sitting here looking pretty and smiling for everyone is mind numbingly boring. And it’s not really my attention anyone wants. It’s yours.”
“What they want,” he says, his voice laced with his own annoyance, “is to see us getting along. They want to be reassured our marriage will unite the families and the cartel. That is what I need from you.”