“It would seem after last night’s little stunt that you do.”
Bashing my fork down forcefully on the table, I glared at him. “You bastard. How dare you?! I was having a perfectly good night until you came along. I was with my girls, and we were having fun. I wasn’t causing a scene, or being outrageous. It was you who came into the club like a raging bull. It was you who charged his way in and made a beeline for Daniel. It was you who hauled me over your shoulder and dragged me out.”
At the mention of Daniel’s name, Luca growled. “Don’t fucking mention that snake again.”
“Why not?”
Luca banged the table. “Because he’s a fucking rapist!” I stared in disbelief. Did I just hear him correctly? “Yes, that’s right. If you had taken time to notice, then you would have realised that Daniel and Brett are sleazy scumbags. When Daniel bought that drink for you last night he spiked it with Rohypnol. He would have used it to sedate you and then sneak you out to force himself upon you. Once he was finished with you, then I should imagine it would have been Brett’s turn.” The look of murder on his face as he told me was evident.
“I—I—” I didn’t know what to say. I was too lost for words. I wasn’t normally, but this sudden, unexpected news had floored me.
Luca’s face softened a little at my obvious distress. Grabbing my hand, he gently stroked my palm. “I know this is a shock, but no matter what you think of me, my intentions with you are honourable. I was trying to protect you last night. I couldn’t tell you this at the time because you were so full of pent up rage that it would have been pointless.”
Suddenly, I was able to find my voice again. “How do you know this about them?”
“They came on my radar recently when a club owner complained to me about these two assholes calling themselves ‘Daniel’ and ‘Brett.’ Apparently, they’ve spiked a handful of girl’s drinks and then forced themselves upon them. The poor girls haven’t gone to the police for fear that no one would believe them. I was asked to look into it and deal with the problem.”
I stared at him for a moment. “How have you dealt with the problem?”
“I hadn’t had time to until one of my men called me last night and told me they were there in my club.”
“Your club?”
He nodded. “Yes. My club. They had dared to taint my club with their filth. I wasn’t going to have that. I asked the man to describe you to me so that I knew where to find you when I came. When he did, I got suspicious. I demanded that he find out exactly who you were and after a bit of digging they said your name was Clara Murphy.”
I thought for a moment about how that could be, but then I remembered I had to show my I.D. when I asked for drinks.
“How did the barman even remember my name?”
Luca looked angry. “Why do you think? You really think you can look like you do and that nobody will notice?”
“Why does that thought seem to anger you?”
Luca growled. “Because you are mine!”
I should have been angry with his stern statement, but all it did was hit me straight between my legs. I really wished he didn’t affect me like that.
After composing myself a little, I looked at Luca and smiled. That seemed to surprise him a little. “Thank you for coming to my rescue.”
Luca beamed, immediately losing his angered expression. “Don’t mention it. I would have dealt with them sooner, but I had a stubborn pain in the ass who had been keeping me occupied.”
“Well, that sucks,” I said sarcastically.
“No, it doesn’t, actually. The stubborn pain in the ass doesn’t realise it yet, but she’s making me all kinds of crazy. I know I’m crazy about her.” He stroked my palm a little bit more, sending the goose bumps rising. “Do I have to give you a little reminder as to why I’m here?” His sexy eyes danced over me, making me shudder.
Despite my raging hormones, I had to ask. “Why were you gone so long without a word yesterday?”
Luca sighed. “Stubborn to a fault aren’t you?” He shook his head and looked down at the floor. “This Fabiano, who Alessandro mentioned… He was one of my men. Unfortunately, he had a heart attack and died yesterday.”
I felt immediately guilty. “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry. Were you two close?”
Luca nodded. “We had known each other for fourteen years. He was a good worker, but he’d been at it for too many years. I had been telling him to slow down as I could see the work was starting to take its toll on him. He always insisted he was fine, but he obviously wasn’t.” He ran his hands over his face and leaned back in his chair. “His wife, Annabella, was distraught. I was with her virtually all day trying to calm her down. I wanted to be with you, and I wanted to call you, but she needed my attention.”
Looking down at the floor, I felt remorseful. “I’m sorry. If I had known—”
Luca leaned forward and grabbed my chin, willing my eyes to meet his. “You don’t need to apologise. You were right to be angry with me. You weren’t to know, so don’t feel guilty.”
I searched his eyes. “Why do you do this?”
Luca looked confused. “Do what?”
“Make me like you when I should hate you.” Luca laughed a beautiful, hearty laugh which sent my pulse sky-rocketing.
“Why would you want to hate me?”
“Why? Look at what you’re doing to my girls. Look at what you’re doing to my business. One can’t live without the other, and you’re running me into the ground.”
“Clara, listen to me.” I looked into his eyes. “I’m not doing this on purpose. I realise what you’re saying, but the girls have been compensated for the absence of business. I spoke with them this morning about it. They seem relatively happy. They’re not happy about you being up here, but they are happy otherwise. I’ve just been a bit selfish—wanting to keep you to myself. I like spending time with you. To me, you’re like what the stars in the sky are to the sun and like what the moon is to the earth. Some things can’t live without their counterparts. You make me happy, and I haven’t been happy in a very long time.” He then turned away, looking pensive.
He looked so sad, and I wanted to reach out to him. I stroked his cheek and pulled his face to meet mine. “Define long?”
Luca sighed. “Since I was a young boy.”
I wanted to know more. “Why? Why have you not been happy?”
Stroking my hand on top of his face, Luca leant in for a kiss. I didn’t stop it. I wanted to feel his lips on mine. I wanted to feel everything of his on me.
Before too long, he pulled away. “I can’t have this conversation with you now. The day has barely begun, and I don’t want to start it on a sad note.”
I smiled encouragingly. “Well, whenever you’re ready, I am here.”
Luca beamed. “Are you?”
I laughed at my oblivious play on words. “I can’t believe I just said that, but yes… I am.”
“Good,” he sighed. “I want to talk to you about something.”
“Okay.” I didn’t know whether or not I was going to like whatever was coming next.
“I’ve been organising a masquerade ball for tonight. A lot of people are coming.”
It didn’t take long for my anger to come surging back. “You’re doing it again. I’ve been running this by myself since the start, and you’re taking over again despite my feelings on the topic.”
“I’m trying to take the edge off—for you—for just a little while,” he protested. “Do you want to end up like Fabiano?”
Those words hit me harder than I thought they would. I was young and carefree. I had never considered that the stress of running this would one day take its toll. “No, of course not—”
“Do you want me to cancel? I can still cancel. I just thought it would be a great opening night for all of your clients. I even have some new ones for you that have been vetted and tested already. They’re all looking forward to it and are paying five hundred pounds per ticket to come to this
soiree. All your clients think it’s a great idea. Even your girls are excited about wearing masks and gowns. It helps to make the lure of the evening that much more appealing. Don’t you think?”
Thinking about it, it I had to admit that it was a great idea. “I’m not forcing my girls to sleep with just anybody, Luca. I don’t run my business that way.”
Luca patted my hand. “I know you don’t. You look after them well, and they all have nothing but praise for you. I can tell you that you’re not the only one calling me ‘asshole’ around here.”
Thinking about that made me chuckle. I laughed even harder when I thought about Samantha biting into that brute’s arm at the club.
“What’s so funny?”
“Samantha. She bit one of your henchmen.”
“Ah. Franco. They seem to be best of friends now. All the men have been laughing about it and winding Franco up. He’s not happy about a bunch of girls beating him, but he says he’ll get over it.”
“A bunch of girls?” I looked at him in mock astonishment. “I’ll have you know we could run rings round the lot of you.”
Luca smiled. “And so you have been. I can’t say that they are particularly delighted about tonight. Some of my men have been getting rather close to some of your women, though.”
I was wondering what in the hell had gone on in my absence when I had this sudden uneasy feeling that what he said should remind me of something. As soon as I thought it, I remembered.
“Alessandro.”
Luca didn’t look too pleased. “He’s been fired. He’s lucky I didn’t kick the shit out of him yesterday. The only reason why I didn’t is because Mia threatened to cut my balls off if I did. Your girls have one hell of a mean streak in them. I should employ a few of them myself.”
I laughed at that. Good on Mia for not taking any shit. “I will accept tonight and come tonight on one condition.”
“Okay, name it.”
“Reinstate Alessandro.”
He vehemently shook his head. “No way. I’ve already told you that I’m not a man to be messed with. Reinstating Alessandro would send the message to others that failing is okay. He was given a task—to look after you—and he failed miserably.”
I shook my head. “But it’s not his fault. We caused a distraction.”
“Yes. I know what you did.” He gave me a reproachful look.
“I didn’t make Mia do anything. The first I knew about it was when we walked out the door and I saw—”
“What do you mean you saw? What did you see?”
Uh-oh. He was looking pissed again.
“Well, it was a bit hard not to look.”
His nostrils flared. “What do you mean it was a bit hard for you not to look? How much exactly did you see?”
I bit my lip, causing him to fly out of his chair. “Fuck, Clara. You drive me fucking crazy! Why can’t you ever just do as you’re told?”
“Because I am my own person!” I was just as mad as we faced each other in what could have been construed as a battle of wills.
“Do I have to fuck some sense into you?”
I edged closer to him. “Yes, I think maybe you do!”
Luca growled and lunged for me. I was just as fierce with my own pent-up aggression. Our lips locked in a frenzied, hungry kiss, bringing to the surface a series of heated noises from our mouths.
“Luca,” I breathed as I hopped up and brought my legs around his waist.
Luca was there to hold me and brought me to the bed in one swift motion. “I need to remind you of why you’re mine.” Looking at me with heated eyes, he unhooked my silk dressing gown and revealed my naked body. “Fuck, you look so beautiful.” Desire burned in his eyes as he caressed and stroked my breasts. Soon, his mouth was on my nipple, and his delicious tongue was dancing around the nub.
I threw my head back and moaned as he descended further down towards my clit. He kissed my thighs and gently blew on my throbbing pussy. My God, I was on fire. I wanted him like nothing and no one else before.
“Luca—” I very nearly said it. Very nearly uttered the words that he was longing to hear.
“Say it, baby. Say it, and I’ll be yours.” His tongue was there lashing away, and I could hardly contain myself. “Say it!” His fingers soon entered me and started a delicious rhythm.
“Oh God, Luca!”
“Say it!”
“No!” Even in the midst of my torture, I was never going to give in to him.
“You’re mine, Clara. Say it!”
“No!” I screamed again as his tongue lashed and flicked over and over, sending me to the brink of detonation.
“Say it!” he demanded again, and again I tried to scream no. Instead, I found myself shouting, “Yes—yes—yes!”
“I want to hear it, Clara.” His tongue was back again, and I knew I was going to blow. I could feel the tingles rising throughout my body; I felt the glorious waves crashing down upon me in a wonderfully relentless rhythm.
“Luca!” I screamed again as my back arched and my body convulsed beneath him. I was one heap of a mess beneath the most beautiful man I had ever laid eyes on.
My breathing was harsh, and the smile that was plastered upon my face would tell any who saw it what an amazing orgasm I had just had.
“Happy now, Clara?”
“Very,” I breathed.
“Are you feeling relaxed?”
“Very,” I breathed again.
“Who do you belong to?”
“No one,” I whispered.
“Wrong answer. I still need to hear it.” Kissing every part of me, he made his way up towards my nipples again. He licked and sucked them until I was hot and ready for him again.
“I think it’s your turn now.” I tried to get up to take control, but Luca had me locked in a vice-like grip beneath him.
“I’m not giving you what you want until you tell me.”
I looked into his glaring eyes and sighed. “Well, I guess you’re going to have to do without feeling what it’s like to be inside me.” I wriggled seductively underneath him, trying so hard to stir a reaction. Judging by the look on his face, I thought it was working, but no such luck!
“It’s going to happen. Maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow, but you will say those words. You will tell me that you’re mine … because you already are. Stop fighting me.”
“Stop fighting me!” I mimicked, poking my tongue out at him to prove my point.
“Very mature, Clara.”
“Very mature, Clara.”
Luca’s unimpressed glare caused the heat to resurface between my legs. I wanted him, and he knew it.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what? Why don’t you just give in to me and be done with it? I’m sure I can make you happy.” I smiled cheekily, and Luca shook his head.
“I give in to no one.”
I gasped at his audacity. “Well, that makes two of us, buddy!”
Luca sighed and shook his head. “We obviously need to get reacquainted. This is going to be harder than I thought.”
“Well, I’m certainly not complaining. Your methods of reacquainting me are too delicious for words. They’re almost like Luca booster shots.”
Luca studied me a moment. He desperately wanted to smile, but I knew he was also desperately trying not to. “Luca boosters, huh? Well, you are too delicious for words. You taste like a fine wine, and I could drink you in all day long.”
“Hmm… Sounds promising.” I was hoping I could tempt him to take me like he knew I wanted to be taken. I wasn’t going to tell him I was his, though. So, unless he bent his will a little, he was going to have to wait a very long time.
Luca surprised me by getting up. “Where are you going?”
“We have to get ready.” He was casual now. Back to business. I must admit that it pissed me off a little. How did he have so much self-restraint?
“Get ready for what?”
Stilling for a moment, he gave me
an abolishing look. “Have you not listened to a word I’ve said this morning? We have to go shopping for dresses and masks. The girls are just itching for you to get your ass out of bed so you can go with them.”
“Me?” I was actually shocked I was being let out of the house.
Luca laughed. “You’re not a prisoner—remember?”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh, yes. How foolish of me to think so.”
I sighed, but then I remembered Alessandro. Luca probably thought I would conveniently forget. He quickly needed to realise I was like an elephant—no matter how many screaming orgasms he gave me; I would never forget.
“I’m not going anywhere until you call Alessandro and tell him he has his job back.” Sitting on the bed, I folded my arms and deliberately looked away.
“Why do you insist on behaving like a spoilt child?”
I gasped. “Me? That’s rich coming from you! Mr. I’m-Not-Going-to-Give-You-What-You-Want-Until-You-Tell-Me-You’re-Mine!”
“Just do as I ask and get ready.”
“No. I think I’m beginning to like staying up in my tower all day.” I stared off into space, ignoring him.
“Do I have to remind you again of who you’re dealing with?”
I raised my eyebrow at him. “Yes. I think I need many, many reminders. My Luca shot is obviously wearing off. Maybe I need a stronger dose?”
Luca growled in frustration. “You drive me crazy, woman!”
“Should I take that as a yes?” Looking up at him, I fluttered my eyelashes.
Luca chuckled and shook his head. “I’m never going to live this down. My reputation will be ruined.”
Jumping up, I landed a big kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Luca.”
“You’re one hell of a woman.” With that, I had earned myself a swift pat on the bottom as I dutifully headed for the shower to get ready.
Later on, I found myself in the clothes store along with twenty-eight women and fifteen men. The store attendants couldn’t believe their eyes when we walked in. Of course, Luca insisted we have bodyguards because—you know—we lived such a dangerous lifestyle that we needed fifteen of them! How on earth did I ever manage beforehand?!
Luca - You Will Be Mine (Sicilian Mafia #1) Page 11