by Sam Crescent
“I’m still a legit businessman. No one can dispute what I do, when or how. I get invited to rub shoulders with the wealthy, and in doing so, I get to reap the rewards. I never take a date to these events. You’re coming with me.”
“I’ll stand out like a sore thumb.”
“You’re going to be a very sexy sore thumb.”
She put the invite down in front of him. “I take it nothing I say will convince you otherwise.”
“What’s the problem?”
“Nothing is the problem. It’s not me.”
Gabe chuckled. “Sweetheart, it’s not me either. I have blood on my hands every single day. This is my life. All you’ve got to do is throw money at them, and they leave you alone. Trust me.”
She started to chop the salad ingredients and lay them out on their plates.
“It seems a little … out there. If I do go as your date, they’ll know. The mafia guys. Everyone.”
“And you’re afraid of that.”
“No, not me. I can handle it. I was thinking about you. Wouldn’t it bother you to be seen with a nobody?”
Gabe got up and rounded the counter to stand in front of her. He took her hand, lifting it to brush his lips across her knuckles. “You’re not, nor will you ever be, a nobody. You’re someone, Laura. You’re everything to me.” He pressed a kiss on her lips. “You always will be.”
“How do you know when to say the right things?”
“I’m sure you’ve heard I’ve got a way with words. It has helped me get to where I am right now.” He cupped her cheek, kissing her. “Thank you for calming me down.”
“You’re welcome.” She put a hand to his chest. “I’ve enjoyed these past few weeks.”
“As have I.”
“Gabe, I need you to promise me that when you get bored of me, you’ll tell me. You won’t wait around or … kill me.”
“Enough,” he said. “I’m not going to hurt you. Nor am I going to kill you. I’m not interested in doing any of that. Have a little faith in me.” He kissed her lips.
He took a seat at the counter just as the oven beeped to let her know it had been warmed to the perfect temperature. She didn’t argue with the oven. Taking the lasagna out, she allowed it to sit and rest while she finished the rest of the salad.
It had already been three weeks, and she had started to notice a difference within her feeling for Gabe.
He was older, wiser, full of charm. He seemed to know what she was thinking even before she did. His confidence and power exhilarated her. There was nothing she wanted more than to be with him, and that was a scary thought.
****
Dinner parties, as far as he was concerned, were a useless affair. The only benefit to them was for him to build fear into people far and wide.
As Gabe stood with Laura at his side, he felt like a fucking king. This was the first time he’d taken a date, and his woman looked good enough to eat.
The dress he’d picked had a plunging neckline. Her tits were secured by some kind of tape. There was nothing to the back until it got to the base, curving low to give a hint at what was hidden. The skirt of the dress had long slits up each side, showing off her thighs as she walked, but the moment she stood still, they were hidden. All her curves were on full display. Her long brown hair had been curled. Barely any makeup, and heels that made her small frame come to his chest.
She stood out in the crowd. Women were curious about her. Men wanted her.
He loved having the beauty they all craved.
All his.
Not once did he let her hand go. She gripped his arm tightly.
“I hate this,” she said, keeping a smile to her lips.
“You can hate it all you want. You’re owning this.” He leaned in close, brushing his lips across her ear. The press went wild. They were more than happy to get a shot of him. This was the first time he’d ever played up to the camera. Not that it was much of a play.
“So, deadly crime boss by night. Legit, sleazy business owner by day?” she asked.
“Only you know.”
“How can they be wanting to take your picture if they know all about you?”
He’d grown tired of the press. Taking her hand, he led her into the main event. Couples were engaged, chatting. Dancers stood on podiums, working their bodies to the music. Waiters and waitresses circled the room, offering champagne. He took a glass, handing it to her, and then another for himself.
“Don’t drink too much. Keep your wits about you. If, for whatever reason, we get separated, always make your excuses politely and leave.”
“Do not even think of leaving me with these people, Gabe.”
He chuckled. “I think you’d be pleasantly surprised.”
With her grip still on his, and holding their glass of champagne, they circled the floor. He introduced her as his, and then moved the conversation toward business. A couple of the wives attempted to pull Laura away, but she refused, staying right by his side.
He loved how she clung to him.
The way men followed her around. She was a sight to behold. Some of the women weren’t impressed. Many tried to garner his attention. One woman, an heiress to a beauty empire, came toward him, showing off her body. Turning this way and that. Touching him.
“Darling, it has been too long since we last saw you.” She tried to kiss him, but he avoided the touch.
“Business.”
“Well, my father is having the most lavish gathering this weekend. You need to come. Just you. No plus-ones.” She touched his jacket. “This is such a wonderful jacket. You need a woman’s touch.”
Laura cleared her throat, and as the woman went to touch him again, his woman moved in front.
“Honey, show me where the bathroom is, please,” she said. She took his hand, putting her empty glass in the heiress’s hands as she all but dragged him across the dance floor.
He had no problems watching her walk.
Once they were out of earshot, he found the bathroom and pushed her inside.
Laura let go of his hand and shoved him in the chest. “What the hell was that?” she asked.
“What was what?”
“That. Allowing her to touch you. Is that why you brought me here? To show me how many women can have you? Who can touch you without any problem?” She folded her arms.
“You sound jealous, Laura.”
“Oh, please.” She wrinkled her nose. “I want to go home.”
He put his hand out, stopping her. He reached down, flicking the lock into place.
“What the hell, Gabe?”
“You know, I like you being jealous. It’s unfounded. You’ve got no reason to be, but I like it. However, I don’t like that tone, and seeing as you’ve been teasing me with this for some time, I think it’s the best place to do this.”
“To do what?”
“Bend over the sink and make sure you can see yourself in the mirror.”
She folded her arms beneath her chest. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” He removed his jacket, unbuttoned his cuffs, and rolled up his sleeves.
Her breaths had started to deepen. “You can’t do this here.”
“Babe, I think it’s time you realized I can do whatever the hell I want.” He smiled at her. “Bend over. Don’t make me repeat myself again.”
She tapped her fingers at her side and then, she gripped the edge of the sink, bending over.
He stepped up behind her and slid the dress she wore out of the way. He caught sight of the thong between her cheeks. “That, baby, isn’t going to protect you.”
“I don’t need protecting.”
He raised his palm, staring at her in the mirror, and brought it down with a smack.
She jerked forward, cried out, and then groaned.
“You’ve been very naughty. You have no reason to be jealous, and you have no reason to think anyone will ever replace you.” Down again, he brought his hand, hitting her ass twice, three times.
> He alternated between each cheek, getting her ass lovely and red.
“Please,” she said.
He pressed his hand between her thighs to find her soaking wet.
“So fucking dirty. I love it.” He didn’t care he’d let the L-word slip. It was the truth. He loved how dirty she got. Her appetite for fucking rivaled his own. She was as insatiable as him.
After releasing his cock from the tight confines of his pants, he gripped the length, pressed to her entrance, and slammed balls deep inside her.
They both cried out as he pulled all the way out of her until only the tip of him remained, and he slammed back in.
Tugging the dress out of the way, he exposed her tits, cupping them in his hands as he pounded inside her.
“Gabe! Gabe! Gabe!” His name was a mantra spilling from her lips.
The echo flooded his senses, heightening his arousal and making him hornier for more. He couldn’t get enough of her. She was fire in his arms.
Sliding his hand up, he cupped her neck, drawing her back so he could take possession of her mouth. He pushed his tongue inside and she kissed him deeply.
He reached between them and stroked her clit. With only a few touches, she came apart.
Her orgasm set off his own. Spilling his seed into her waiting cunt, he growled against her throat. “Fuck, me, Laura. I can’t get enough of you.”
“I don’t want you to get enough of me.”
He paused as he heard her confession. At the same time, he realized something else. He hadn’t worn a condom.
“You didn’t wear anything,” Laura said.
“I wasn’t thinking.”
“Neither was I.”
He eased out of her and made sure the thong she wore slid in place, but he saw some of his cum spill from her pussy. He grabbed some tissue, cleaning her up.
“You’ve ruined my dress,” she said, chuckling.
“I can buy you a new one.”
“It’s not the dress I’m worried about.” She turned toward him. “How can I go out there?”
He removed his jacket. “I think I’ve been here long enough. You want to take this back home?”
She moved toward him, and he helped her to put the jacket back on. He ran his fingers down the front, fixing it in place.
“What are you thinking right now?” she asked.
He looked up at her. There was something in her eyes. He couldn’t put his finger on exactly what it was, just that he needed to be able to read her.
His thoughts went blank. “You look beautiful in anything.”
“Oh, thank you.”
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“Nothing. I hope no one sees me like this. If the press like to publish everything, I’m sure they’d have a field day with this.”
He took her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “I’ll protect you always.”
“I know you will.” She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
He’d missed something, but he wasn’t sure exactly what.
Chapter Nine
“I’m in your office, and no booby trap has gone off,” Laura said.
“I don’t have booby traps.”
“I don’t think I like coming to this office. It’s kind of scary. This is where you do all of your bad deeds.” She wrinkled her nose. “You ever thought about opening a window? It smells kind of stuffy in here.”
“Stop distracting me. The file is on my desk. Can you go to it?”
She went to his desk, wiped her nose on some tissue, and saw what he was talking about. He talked her through the information he wanted. She grabbed the cell phone he’d made her bring. She took a screenshot and sent it to him. Then at his request, deleted everything.
“Is that all?” she asked, leaning back into his chair. “This is comfy.”
“It is. It’s one hell of a chair. How are you feeling?”
“I’m in the process of making myself some soup. I was sick an hour ago. Felipe does keep coming in and checking on me. The poor man. I’m sure I’ve scarred him for life.”
Gabe chuckled. “I’ll be home in a couple of hours. Take care.”
“Bye.” She hung up the phone and leaned back. This was the one room she rarely came in, even when Gabe was home. She tried to stay out of his business side of things.
For the past couple of days, she’d suffered a horrendous sickness. The first thing they did was take a test. Gabe hadn’t been happy with the negative result, and so, they’d gone to the doctor’s. Blood work had confirmed she wasn’t pregnant, she but did in fact have a viral infection.
Staring at Gabe’s desk, she ran her hands across the surface.
She wondered how many decisions had been made in that very spot. How many lives had been destroyed.
Curiosity getting the better of her for a change, she opened several drawers. On the last, she was about to close it, seeing nothing of any importance. Her name on the tab stopped her.
She kept the drawer open and just stared at it.
Then, when she could stand it no longer, she pulled out the file and placed it on top of the other. Something had fallen out of the bottom and she bent down to pick it up, freezing as she caught sight of him.
She hadn’t seen his image in over seven years. The moment she graduated, she’d gotten the hell out of there. Took her money and what few possessions she had, and left.
On the lead-up to graduation, he’d been trying to negotiate for longer. He’d enjoyed having a personal fuck toy, and he’d wanted to keep her close. He offered her an apartment, an allowance, anything. She told him they’d talk after graduation. Instead, she’d packed up and left.
Gabe had this file. She opened it up and saw more of her life laid out before her.
The birth certificate the foster home had given her. School records. There was even a police record. This was everything he had on her.
She covered her mouth, closed the document, and threw up in the trash can beside the table. Once she was done, she picked up the bucket and the file, and left the room. Perspiration dotted her brow.
She cleaned out the bucket and took it back to beside the desk.
For the rest of the afternoon, she sat on the sofa with the file on the table in front of her. She shouldn’t have been looking. This was what happened when you look for things you should never try to find.
Tears filled her eyes.
Gabe had known. When she’d been spilling her soul to him, he’d known all along. This was all a game to him. He wanted her to open up, and now that she had, what did he want?
Liza had said to never allow the man to make you vulnerable, to see a weakness. She’d broken her friend’s rule.
The sound of the door opening made her tense.
“Babe?” Gabe said.
She stayed perfectly still, waiting for him to arrive. He entered the living room, which was directly down from the hallway.
“Laura?” he asked.
“I didn’t mean to snoop,” she said. She kept her arms folded and stared straight ahead. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him coming closer.
“But you did,” he said.
“I was just opening drawers.” She turned to look at him. “You have an entire file on me. You have … you knew everything.”
“I didn’t,” he said.
“Don’t lie. Please, don’t lie,” she said.
“I’m not lying. I had an inkling of what was going on, but I didn’t know the truth.”
She got to her feet and paced. Even sick and weak, the anger filled her body, giving her at least some energy. “How could you?”
“You know who I am.”
“Yes, but I’m nothing. There was nothing to know. Why did you have to go hunting into my shitty past?”
“You wouldn’t give it to me willingly. I needed to know everything about you, and I’m not a patient man.”
She shook her head. “You don’t need this anymore. Why did you keep it?” She loo
ked at him and shook her head. “No. No. You didn’t.”
Gabe said nothing.
She went to the file and pulled out his picture. “Tell me you didn’t.”
“Are you in love with him?” Gabe asked.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“I told you that information in confidence. I didn’t expect you to kill him. I don’t want to be the one responsible for his death.” She screamed the last part. “He had a family who cared.”
“You weren’t the only one. Did you know that?”
This made her stop. “What?”
“They fostered again. About six months after you left. A fourteen-year-old girl. She killed herself. Then they did so again. This girl ran away as far as she could.”
Laura covered her mouth as pain struck through her entire body.
“The man had to be stopped, but no one seemed to want to step in his way.”
“This is my fault.”
“No!” He slashed his hand across in front of him. “This isn’t your fault.”
“But if I’d said something. If I’d done something.”
“You were a young girl, Laura. You’d just seen a friend killed by a man. You were all alone. There was no one to keep you safe.”
The tears fell thick and fast, and she hated them.
“But I could have stopped him.”
“How?”
She opened her mouth, closed it. “There was any number of things I could have done.”
Gabe advanced toward her. “There was nothing you could have done or said. You were alone. He shouldn’t have hurt you. All you did was make the best of an awful situation.”
“I turned myself into a whore,” she said, putting a hand to her stomach.
He’d closed the last of the distance between them. “No, you weren’t.”
“I had sex for money.”
“You slept with one man who didn’t deserve your willingness. You’re not a whore, nor will you ever be.” He cupped her face, but the tears kept falling, thick and fast.
“How can you even bear to look at me?” she asked. “Let alone touch me. He was a monster.”
Gabe slammed his lips down on hers, sliding his tongue between her mouth, running his hands down to cup her ass. “I can kiss you because I think you’re so fucking brave. I’ve never known a woman like you. You’ve been on your own for so long, and it grieves me to know you’ve been fighting this. You’re not alone anymore. I’m here. You’ve got me. You can lean on me.” He pushed some of her hair off her face. “I told you I wasn’t a good man. That bastard was going to keep on hurting.”