by Bella Jewel
But dammit, my cock is on fire, hard and throbbing. I managed to shove it back in my pants but it didn’t go willingly. My cum was halfway up my shaft when she slid off, and it just disappeared. I’ve never felt so much desperation in my entire life. Smart, beautiful, bitchy little woman.
Vincent is laughing outside the door. Full belly-laughing. I have no doubt that fucker knows exactly what just happened.
“Shut the fuck up,” I bark.
The door opens and he steps in, his face red, tears running down his cheeks. “I see why you picked her, I fucking love that woman.”
“Get. Fucked,” I grind out.
“She got a set of balls between those cute little legs or what? Because fuck, it would have taken some to do what she just did.”
“Three seconds to shut your mouth before I shut it for you.”
He laughs harder. “I would have paid money to see the look on your face.”
“Vincent,” I warn, my voice tight.
“You tell her I like her next time you see her. When she’s done with you, my door is always open.”
“Three seconds, Vin, and I shoot you.”
He grunts between laughter. “Girl’s got some backbone, doing that to the head of the mafia and strutting out like she owns the damned place. Should have married her; I can only imagine the bitch with a gun.”
“Get out.”
“Need to take care of yourself, boss?” he wheezes.
“Fuck off.”
He shuts the door, still bellowing with laughter.
I press a palm to my cock, trying to ease the pain of my arousal, but there’s no point. It’s fucking angry, and I need release.
I could do it with my hand, but my girl wants to play . . . I’ll play.
I stand and lift my keys.
This game isn’t over.
CHAPTER 23
JULIETTA
I can’t wipe the grin off my face. I practically skip into my apartment. Take that, mafia douche.
I’m so proud of myself. I can’t believe I pulled it off. God knows he felt so fucking good I nearly didn’t stop myself, but the look on his face was worth every second and more. He was in physical pain, but it was the confusion and slight admiration that got me the most.
I wonder how long it’ll take him to react. I give it half an hour before he’s pounding my door down.
I strip my clothes off, getting into the shower. I turn the hot water on and let it run over me. That was, without a doubt, the best moment of my life. Seeing the confusion on his face was totally worth it. He might think twice before being a jerk next time. I put my hands on the shower wall and drop my head, still grinning. Yes. Epic.
I close my eyes, drowning my thoughts away in the water, wondering just how he’s going to react. He’s going to be pissed, that’s for sure, but how he’ll retaliate is anyone’s guess. I chuckle to myself.
A hard body slams against my back, and I scream. It catches me completely off-guard. I didn’t hear a damned thing. A hand goes over my mouth, and I’m pressed against the shower wall with no way of moving. My body immediately reacts from the familiarity of the man behind me.
A very hard cock presses against my ass.
“Clever, sassy, bad little girl,” Rafael growls into my ear. “I don’t like being left wanting.”
I squirm, but he’s far too big and it feels so good, his body pressed against mine.
“Did you think I’d be angry?” he murmurs, nipping my earlobe. “Did you think I’d retaliate with anger? No. I’m going to retaliate in a way that’ll make you wish you’d never walked into my office in that sexy little dress and fucked me until I was on the edge of release, then walked out without a backwards glance.”
I try to say something, but his hand tightens over my mouth.
“There’s more than one way to skin a cat,” he purrs into my ear. “I’ve punished you by taking away your orgasm. Now, I’m going to punish you by giving you so many you can’t take it anymore.”
My knees wobble.
“I’m going to lick that little cunt until you’re gasping my name and begging me to stop.”
I gasp.
“Then I’m going to fuck it with my fingers until it clenches around me over and over again.”
My nipples harden.
“Then I’m going to fuck you so hard and so fast you’re going to feel me every time you sit down for the next week.”
Oh. Boy.
He spins me around and his eyes are wild, feral, hot. I lick my bottom lip and watch as he slides down my body, gripping my legs and lifting me up so my legs sit over his shoulders and my pussy is right there against his mouth.
Then he starts licking. He does it with ferocity, and I’m so wound up from earlier than I come embarrassingly fast.
He doesn’t stop.
He licks me harder, deeper, faster, until I’m coming again.
He still doesn’t stop.
My body is wound up tight, aching.
He keeps going.
He introduces fingers, and then eventually his cock.
He’s right.
I won’t be walking after this.
The clever bastard.
~*~*~*~
“Morning,” Rafael says, rolling over and pinning me with his big body. I’m sore all over. It’s going to be a long and painful day at work.
“Morning,” I say, my voice tired.
“How are you feeling?”
“I swear, if you grin, I’ll slap it right off your face.”
His eyes find mine, and he grins, big and beautiful. Jerk.
“Enjoy your victory,” I murmur, staring at his swollen lips. So they should be swollen after the love they gave me all night. I hope they hurt. “It won’t last long. I’m vindictive. I’ll come up with something better.”
“Or,” he says, dropping his head and kissing my neck, “you can call it even and move on.”
I fake a gasp. “There is no such thing as even.”
He chuckles and sucks on a tender spot on my neck. “I hope you’ve got good makeup. I left marks.”
“I just bet you did. Sadist.”
He finds my lips, kissing them softly. Even that hurts. He kissed me so much last night. God. Yes. He most certainly did. “That’ll teach you to mess with me.”
“In the end,” I point out, “I think my revenge far outweighed yours.”
“You’re not fucking kidding. Just about killed me.”
I give him a shit-eating grin. “Then I’ll die a happy woman.”
He rolls off me with a smirk. “Not quite yet. I want to take you away for the night tomorrow.”
I blink. “You do?”
He nods, pulling on his pants. He’s got scratch marks down his back. Hot. “Yeah, I do.”
“Why?” I squeak.
His eyes flick to mine. “I have to go to L.A for business, but I want to take you with me.”
“I thought you didn’t mix mistresses and work.”
“I’m bending the rules,” he mutters, checking his phone. “In or out?”
“Um, totally in.”
He walks over, leaning down and kissing my forehead. “Be ready tomorrow morning, seven sharp.”
“Okay.”
He grins. “Okay.”
He leaves my apartment and when I hear the door shut, I roll over and grab my phone, dialing Celia.
“I’m trying not to be excited,” I say the second she answers. “But he’s taking me away with him!”
“What?” She gasps. “Give me all the details.”
“He showed up at my place, slept over, asked me if I wanted to go away for a night. I said I thought that was against the rules, and he said he’s bending them.”
“Oh my God!” she screams. “Where is he taking you?”
“To L.A. Should I be excited?”
“Um, yes!”
“What do I pack? Oh God, what do I wear?”
“I’m coming over right now to help you. Don’t do another thing.”
“Okay,” I squeal happily.
She hangs up and I go to my closet, jerking out my suitcase.
I haven’t felt so light and so hopeful in so long. The logical part of my brain warns me not to get my hopes up and not to get excited, but every other part of me is saying screw it, he’s making an effort—that has to mean something.
I don’t care what it means.
I’m so happy that nothing can bring me down.
CHAPTER 24
RAFAEL
“Oh my God,” Julietta screams, launching herself onto the bed. “This is the nicest room I’ve ever been in.”
I walk over, catching her around the waist. “Then you haven’t lived, sweetheart.”
She looks up at me with those big, beautiful eyes, and fuck, if my heart doesn’t skip a beat. I’m too invested in this one, I know that already, but I can’t stop seeing her. I know sometime soon I’ll have to, because I can’t let myself care about her more than I already do, but I’m not ready to make that move.
Yet.
“Well, clearly. So, considering this is a vacation for me, are you going to take me to dinner or something?”
I grin at her. “Or something.”
She raises her brows. “Not going to give anymore hints?”
“Not one.”
“Asshole.”
I press a kiss to her forehead. “I have business for the day, so it’s all yours what you do with it. I’ll be back around three, and we’ll go out. Be ready.”
“I can go wherever I want?” she says, excitedly.
“Yes. Just be safe.”
A spark of hope flickers across her eyes, and I know, fuck, I know . . . I have to end this soon.
“Okay.” She smiles, skipping to the bed. “Have fun at work.”
Have fun at work. I wonder sometimes if she forgets who I am.
I glance at her once more before leaving the hotel room and going down to the lobby where Vincent and Benito are waiting.
“Thought for sure you’d be another five.” Vin grins.
“Firstly, we’re here for business,” I snap. “And secondly, don’t fuckin’ insult me by saying I’d only need five minutes.”
Benito snorts. I shoot him a glare.
“You got this man I want to speak with?” I ask.
“Yep, got his address. Let’s roll.”
We ride to the address where I’m supposed to be speaking with the man who was in the club the night it blew up. We managed to track him down. Turns out he skipped town with his wife after what happened. Can’t say I blame him, but he’s the only one who has any idea what went on that night. Everything else has led us to a dead end.
The house is small and quaint. If he got paid as well as I know he did, then he’s certainly living below his means. Probably trying to stay out of the spotlight.
I stride up to his front door with Benito and Vincent in tow, and pound on the old, flimsy material. It takes five minutes, but eventually it opens and the guy’s standing there shirtless, a beer in his hand. His eyes widen when he recognizes me, and the door slams in my face.
“Go around back,” I order. “He’s going to run.”
The two men divide and go around the back of the house. Me? I kick the front door in. I walk inside. It fucking stinks in here. Scrunching my nose, I walk into the kitchen. A gunshot rings out, and pain rips through my arm. I glance down, seeing the ripped material of my suit jacket. Blood trickles out. The fucker shot me. I pull out my own gun and aim it at him before he has the chance to fire another round. He’s shaking.
“I have good aim,” I snap. “Clearly you don’t, which is lucky for you because if that bullet had penetrated instead of grazed, your brains would be all over that wall behind you. Now put the gun down. You’re outnumbered, and now I’m pissed off. You either talk, or I make you talk. What’s it going to be?”
His hands shake. “I didn’t do anything.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about. I only want to talk. If you don’t co-operate, I have a nice hole a few miles out of town about six-foot deep with your name on it. I’m sure no one will miss you, judging by the state you’re living in.”
He flinches. “Please. They threatened me.”
“I just want answers, and considering you’re the only person to see the guys who are trying to destroy my club, I figure you can do just that.”
He lowers the gun. Smart man. Benito and Vincent keep their guns aimed on him and I lower mine, stepping forward. “Tell me who hired you.”
“Th-th-th-they never gave me their names. They told me they had orders from a someone else in charge, and that I had to go in and look suspicious. I was just a ruse. They had my wife.”
“Tell me,” I say, glancing around. “Where is your wife?”
“She left me.” He winces.
“Sad.” I rub my chin. “These men that hired you, what did they look like?”
“Italian, like you. Young. Maybe mid-twenties. Really well dressed.”
“That’s probably a quarter of Chicago. Can you give me something more?”
“One of them mentioned a name.”
I wave a hand, urging him on. “And that was?”
“Antonio.”
No.
Fuck.
~*~*~*~
JULIETTA
Rafael arrives after three, and he’s got blood on his arm. I launch from the bed where I was sitting and waiting, and rush over. He flicks his arm back. “It’s nothing, Julietta.”
He’s angry.
“You’re hurt,” I say softly.
“It’s just a graze.”
“From what?”
His eyes find mine, and shrugs his jacket off. “A gun.”
“A gun?” I cry frantically, pressing a hand to my chest.
“I’m fine. Let me shower, and we’ll go.”
“It doesn’t seem fine,” I push. “You’re angry.”
“It’s been a long fucking day,” he barks. “Now I’m going to shower and we’ll go.”
I open my mouth, then close it. “Okay,” I say softly.
“I told you, my business is my own. Stay out of it and just do as you’re fucking told.”
I flinch.
He disappears into the bathroom.
The second he’s gone, I take my purse and rush out, not looking back. Fuck him. I don’t deserve to be spoken to like that. I did nothing wrong, and if he thinks I’ll take that, he’s sadly mistaken. I flag down a taxi. None stop right away. Frustrated, I wave harder.
“Can I give you a ride?”
The smooth Italian voice has me spinning around. An older man stands on the sidewalk beside me, staring down into my teary eyes. He seems familiar somehow. I can’t quite place him.
“No, thank you,” I say, turning back.
“I won’t bite, Julietta.”
I flinch and face him once again to him. “How do you know my name?”
“Everyone knows Rafael’s flings.”
I flinch again. Who the hell is this man? “I’m sorry, I don’t know you. Please leave me alone.” My heart is pounding a million miles a minute, and I can’t breathe.
“Such a pretty thing. I’d tell you to run, but I hear he’s good in the sack, so you’ll probably ignore me.”
Is that a threat? I say nothing.
“You really should protect yourself. Men like him, they’re bad guys.”
That’s the second person to warn me. Maybe I should be listening.
No. Turn away.
“You’re young, Julietta. You can do better. If I were you, I’d get out while you still have the chance. Rafael is lying to you; he’s keeping secrets. I’m sure you can find a more . . . decent . . . male to interact with.”
I look at him again. “Please leave me alone.”
He shrugs. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Be sure to tell your father to be careful. Rafael has his eye on him. Wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to you or your family.”
My spine
straightens and I whisper, “What did you say?”
“What? You didn’t know the only reason he’s keeping you around is because he thinks your father is double-crossing him?”
“My father has nothing to do with him!” I yell.
“Oh, poor, naïve little Julie. Your father is lying to you, too. How sad. All the more reason to separate yourself.”
He waves, and a cab stops right away. “Have a wonderful evening.”
Then he gets in and disappears.
I stand on the sidewalk, numb, confused, and hurt.
He’s lying.
He has to be.
Right?
CHAPTER 25
JULIETTA
I can’t confront him, because I already know he’ll lie or remind me to say out of his business. That makes all of this so much worse. The very idea that Rafael is using me to somehow get to my father makes my skin crawl. Is my father involved with the mafia? Is that why he got so upset when he saw me talking to Rafael? Worse, does my mother know? It’s all too much to process. I need to get home.
My phone has been ringing non-stop. I need to get out of here. Away from him.
I didn’t take any of my things when I left the hotel, but luckily I have my purse. I need to speak to my father. I need to get home. I need answers, and I’m not going to get them from Rafael.
I catch a cab to the airport and book myself a ticket to Chicago. I’m lucky—there’s a flight leaving in just under two hours. I find a quiet spot in the terminal and glance down at my phone.
Rafael – Where are you?
Rafael – Julietta, I’m not joking. Where are you?
Rafael – Call me. Now.
I switch my phone off. I’m not calling him. I’m not communicating with him at all. If what that man said to me was true, this has been a lie from the start. Shame washes through me. I should have known better. Honestly, what did I truly expect? I came into this knowing exactly what kind of man Rafael Lencioni was, but stupid me went ahead and expected what exactly? That he’d fall madly in love with me and that I’d matter?
The other mistresses were just sex.
I’m sex and business.
Nothing more.
Hot tears burn under my eyelids, and I try to steady my wildly beating heart. I won’t break down at an airport gate. I won’t be that cliché. I swallow my tears back, take a deep breath, and wait for my flight to be called.