by B. B. Hamel
The music was deep and loud, filling the space. We finished off our drinks and headed out to the dance floor .
Pacey was right. I needed to relax, to have some fun. I lived so much of my life trying not to be like my mother, always saying no to things, always trying to be responsible. For once in my life, I was going to be reckless. I was going to say yes to everything that happened, and I was going to have a good time .
Pacey and I hit the floor, dancing. It felt good to finally decide to let my guard down, to finally relax. I was a little buzzed, but definitely not drunk. Some guys came up and hit on us, but Pacey chased them off with some seriously targeted dirty looks .
“No grade D beef,” she yelled in my ear. “We’re looking for a filet .”
“Why the meat metaphor?” I called back .
“Do you really need to ask ?”
I made a face and shook my head. She laughed loudly and twirled me, giggling. I could feel the music getting into me, making me feel loose and good. Everyone around us was dancing wildly, couples grinding, everyone young and sexy. Most people had a drink in their hand, and I felt like I could finally blend into the crowd .
Pacey grabbed me and twirled me again, sending me stumbling a few steps away .
She yelled something, but I didn’t hear her. It was lost in the music .
I looked across the floor .
That was the first time I saw him. I caught his eye, completely by mistake, and that mistake would change my life .
It felt like a chill ran down my spine. His face was chiseled and his eyes were a slate blue, his dark hair cut short. He was wearing a suit tailored perfectly for his muscular body, and his full, perfect lips turned up into a slight grin as he returned my look .
Then Pacey was back, dancing with me again .
I shook my head, getting the man’s image out of my mind. There were hundreds of people in the club, so I figured I’d never see him again .
I was so, absolutely wrong .
Five minutes later, I felt someone’s hand at the small of my back. I saw Pace’s face begin to contort into her normal dirty look, but she suddenly stopped. I turned and looked .
It was him, the man in the suit. He smirked down at me. “Dance?” he asked .
I looked at Pacey. She just stared, dumbfounded .
I knew I had already made the decision as soon as I felt his hand on me. It sent shivers along my back, and one glance in his eyes only confirmed it. He was stunning, handsome, and serious looking, the kind of guy I always imagined but never actually met .
And I had decided to say yes. No more avoiding fun because I was scared of being like my mother .
“Okay,” I said .
He pressed his body against mine. Pacey melted away into the crowd, disappearing from view. For some reason I didn’t care, though, and I began to dance with my handsome stranger .
“I saw you staring at me,” he said in my ear .
“I wasn’t staring .”
“You were. It’s okay. I like that you want me .”
“I don’t want you.” He was being so forward, so cocky .
“What’s your name ?”
“Natalie.”
“Natalie. I’m Lucas Barone .”
“It’s nice to meet you .”
I could feel his cocky smirk against my ear. “I know it is .”
We kept dancing, our bodies pressed together .
I had no clue what I was getting myself into. I didn’t care, and I refused to think about it. Instead, I was letting myself have fun, letting myself finally relax .
And Lucas seemed nice .
Handsome and confident, maybe even cocky, but nice .
Boy was I so wrong about that .
“You know you’re the sexiest thing in here?” he said to me. “That dress makes me want to tear it off. It makes me want to taste you,” he said. As we danced, he said things to me that nobody had ever said before, things that made my knees feel weak and my body feel electric .
Finally, after what felt like forever, when he asked if I wanted to see more of the strip, I knew I should say no .
He was a total stranger. I didn’t know him. But he was so confident, so cocky, and he had that irresistible swagger and body .
So instead of doing the responsible thing, the right thing, I said yes. I sent a quick text to Pacey, and then I let him take me by the waist and lead me out into the cool Vegas night .
I didn’t expect the limo. Or the bodyguards .
I didn’t expect anything at all .
How could I have known ?
2
Lucas
“Y ou’ve been a liability for this family for too long, Lucas .”
I stared at the old man, keeping my face passive, trying not to let him know how much he disgusted me. The room smelled like polished wood and cigar smoke, just like he did .
“You think you can take over the business the way you’ve been behaving ?”
“I’m efficient.” I smiled slightly .
“You’re brutal and violent. That’s what the captains say, at least. Yes, you get your job done, and you often do it very well. But you bring far too much attention to the family and you know it .”
It was the same argument I had heard time and time again .
My father was old. He was part of the old guard, and he was getting up there in years. No matter how many young girlfriends he had, he was still an old man .
“You need to settle down,” he said. “You need to become a respectable man .”
“I have respect,” I said softly .
“Not the kind that I care about .”
I wasn’t interested in my father’s respect. I had the respect of the bosses, of the muscle, of the captains. And if not their respect, then their fear. I ran my operation seriously and brutally, and nobody questioned me .
Nobody except my father, the head of the Barone Crime Family .
“Son, you cannot take over my position the way you’ve been acting. It simply cannot happen .”
I sneered at him. How dare he tell me that I couldn’t take over the business? I’d been running the business essentially single-handedly while he grew fat on his lazy ass. I was out in the streets hustling for him, for the business, day in and day out. Maybe he disagreed with my methods, but the results spoke for themselves .
“You can’t stop this, old man,” I said .
“I can,” he answered, his anger rising. “And I will. Unless you do as I tell you .”
“And what do you want me to do, father ?”
“Get married .”
I stared at him, surprised. “Married? Are you joking ?”
He sighed. “You’re too wild, Lucas. You’re running around as if you’re invincible. You need a family to soften you, to make you into a true businessman .”
I laughed out loud at the absurdity and the hypocrisy. “You’ve been single for years, father, and you think I need a wife ?”
“Your mother passed, God bless her soul.” He paused, smiling. “But I’m not single any more .”
That gave me pause. “What are you talking about ?”
“This has not been made public yet, but it will soon. Do you remember Camilla ?”
I nodded. “Of course. That two-bit reality TV star you were banging .”
The anger returned. “She’s your stepmother now, and you’ll respect her .”
I gaped, not sure whether I wanted to laugh or yell. How could the old man be so fucking stupid? Camilla Taylor was a notorious party girl and socialite, despite being a mother and in her forties. She was twenty years younger than my father, and she had also already inherited one fortune and completely spent it all on expensive clothes, houses, and cars .
She was a gold digger. Everyone knew that. Everyone except my father, apparently .
“Now that I am married, you will be too,” he continued. “If you wish to inherit my position, you will be married soon .”
I stood up, shaking my head in disgust. “I
can’t believe you’d fall for a vapid gold digger like Camilla Taylor .”
He pounded a fist on his desk. “Do not speak of her that way again, Lucas. Do you hear me ?”
“I hear only the blustering of a dried-up old man .”
“You will get married!” he yelled after me as I left his office. “You will settle down or get cut out !”
As I walked through the halls of our family estate on the affluent outskirts of Chicago, his words kept ringing in my ears .
The old fool wanted me to get married. He thought marriage could settle me down, but he was wrong .
I didn’t care about marriage. I took the women I wanted and moved on, always a new one. I’d never met a woman that could slow me down for a single second .
I simply possessed what I wanted. I couldn’t imagine tying myself down with marriage .
And yet, the old man still was in charge of the Family, as much as I hated to admit it. One day he’d be too old and infirm to do much, but he was still respected enough to keep control .
A wicked idea came into my head, and I could feel myself already beginning to smile .
If father wanted me to get married, then I’d get married. That was his only order, wasn’t it? All I needed was a marriage certificate and I will have done as he asked and bought myself some time .
What is marriage, anyway, but an empty promise made to some woman that only wanted your money ?
Not even marriage could slow me down. I was Lucas Barone, heir to the Barone Crime Family .
As I booked my flight to Vegas, I laughed .
I’d find my wife. I’d take her and make her mine, and then I’d take control of the Family .
Vegas was the perfect place to find her .
I climbed out of the limo and looked at the line in front of my favorite club. It was exclusive and tough to get into, but the bouncers all knew me. Plus, they were good about letting in attractive women, exactly the sort of thing I was looking for .
Time to find a wife , I thought. I gave a nod to my second in command and he grinned back .
“See you inside, Vince .”
“Yeah, boss .”
I didn’t need a bodyguard or anything like that, but I liked Vince. He had been with me for a long time and was basically my number two. It was good to have people around, especially loyal and armed people .
I walked toward the entrance and the bouncer nodded to me .
“Mister Barone,” he said .
“Jimmy.” I flashed him a smile. “Talented in there tonight ?”
He grinned hugely. “Very talented. You’ll be pleased .”
I slipped him a twenty as I walked past .
Once inside, I let the beat wash over me .
I didn’t love clubs. I didn’t like the crowds, the assholes, the vapid girls, the annoying staff. But there was nowhere in the world better for picking up the sort of empty-headed club girl that I needed .
I quickly went into the VIP area and got a drink. It was quieter but still packed. I wondered briefly if they were lowering their standards, but it didn’t matter. I wasn’t like all the other rich, spoiled assholes around me. I worked for what I had. Even if my father weren’t the boss of the Family, I’d still be hustling on the streets. I had a better mind and a stronger arm than any other goon out there .
Soon I found myself scouting out the dance floor. Talented, like the bouncer had said, but nothing was interesting me. I skirted around toward the bar again .
“How’s it going, boss ?”
I looked over and nodded to Vince. “Not the best in the world .”
“Really?” He looked around. “Seems like plenty of ass in here .”
“I’m looking for a specific kind of woman here .”
“What type ?”
I cocked my head at him. “Dumb and easy.” I paused and laughed. “The kind of woman that would marry a fucking mobster like me without getting to know him .”
“I think you’ll find that, boss .”
“We’ll see .”
He leaned back up against the bar and crossed his arms. Good old Vince. I hoped he got laid tonight .
I moved back toward the dance floor, letting the waves of music and motion wash over me .
That was when I spotted her .
Full lips. Green eyes. Long brown hair. Pale, but in a fucking pretty way. She looked way too gorgeous for the club, almost normal, like she wasn’t fucking trying so hard .
For some reason, I felt my cock starting to stir. At a single glance I was already getting hard for her. There was something in her look that drew me toward her. She quickly looked away, but it was way too late .
There was no turning back. I was way too curious .
I moved through the crowd and finally found her. She was dancing with a friend, a perky little blond chick who stopped and stared at me as soon as I rolled up behind them. I put my hand on the small of the girl’s back, and she slowly turned to look at me .
I knew the expression on her face .
Her name was Natalie. And it didn’t take too much dancing before we left the club, heading out to my limo .
“Nice car,” she said, smiling uncertainly .
“Can’t travel Vegas any other way,” I said .
“What are you, rich or something ?”
I smiled suggestively at her. “Or something, yeah .”
She bit her lip. “Where are we going ?”
“I’ll tell you,” I said, moving closer to her, “but you have to get inside first .”
“I don’t know. I don’t usually take rides from strangers .”
“Oh, I’m sure you’re used to riding,” I said. “In fact, you can show me exactly how you ride it .”
She shook her head. “I don’t know .”
“You can get out any time you want, but I think this will be fun .”
For a second, I thought she was going to say no. I could see it in her eyes. But suddenly her expression changed, hardened, and she nodded. “Okay. Let’s go .”
We climbed into the limo and I poured us some champagne. The driver rolled down the window .
“Sir?”
“Drive around for a bit .”
“Yes, sir .”
The divider went back up, and I looked at Natalie. “To you and me, Nat.” We clinked glasses .
“Okay, now, tell me where we’re going .”
“What’s Vegas best known for?” I asked her, sitting close .
“Sin,” she said, laughing .
I grinned at her. “Sure, sin. What else ?”
“Hmm. Gambling. And quick marriages .”
“Did you gamble already tonight ?”
She nodded. “Pacey did. She’s bad at it .”
“So you gambled .”
She nodded again. “Yeah .”
“How about you get married then ?”
I watched the expression on her face change. “What do you mean ?”
“Listen, sweetheart. In Vegas, marriage is quick and cheap. It doesn’t have to be for real, but I’ve never done it before. Have you ?”
She laughed uncertainly. “Have I ever been married before ?”
“Sure.”
“No, never married .”
I put my hand on her thigh, sipping my drink. “Let’s get married .”
She laughed, shaking her head. “No way. That’s crazy. Are you serious ?”
“Dead serious.” I moved a little closer. “I’d love to see what you’re like on your wedding night .”
“We can’t get married. I don’t even know you .”
“You know my name. You know what I look like. What else do you need ?”
She ran her finger around the rim of her glass. “I don’t know. What do you do for a living ?”
“I run a few businesses .”
“Sounds shady .”
“It is .”
She laughed, not sure if I was joking. “Okay, but you don’t know anything about me, either .”
“I am not wet,” she said quickly .
“Sure you’re not. I bet you’re also wondering if I’m totally crazy, and I’m telling you I’m not .”
“But why?” she said softly .
“Because I want a new experience, and you’re it.” I kissed her neck gently, and she let out a soft moan. “I want to experience you, Natalie .”
“I don’t know .”
My hands moved up her thigh. “I know .”
She wrapped her arms around my neck. “Why me ?”
“The second I saw you, I knew I wanted you .”
I found her pussy, warm and wet. I knew she was practically begging for it, but I had no clue just how soaked she was going to be .
“Say yes,” I whispered as I gently rubbed her .
“I don’t know,” she moaned .
“Marry me, Natalie .”
She paused as I slipped my fingers down her panties and touched her clit, rubbing softly .
“Okay,” she said .
I kissed her hard on the lips, losing myself .
3
Natalie
I woke up with a start.
For a second, I thought I was hungover. But I quickly realized that I hadn’t really drunk that much the night before. I looked around my hotel room and smiled at Pace’s snoring face .
And then what had happened came flooding back to me .
Lucas, the limo, the ceremony. He was mysterious and sexy and incredible. I couldn’t believe I did it, but it was beyond the most exciting night of my life .
And it started with his fingers on my clit, rubbing me in agonizingly incredible circles. He kissed me hard and I kissed him back, hungry, hungrier, as he pressed against me, his fingers working my pussy. I spread my legs wide for him, letting him take me, and I couldn’t believe it .
I couldn’t believe I was kissing a man like Lucas, letting him touch me, following his lead. As he pressed a finger deep inside me, I felt the sweet pleasure rock my spine. I kissed him hard as he worked me .
“This is just a taste, Natalie,” he whispered in my ear as he rubbed my clit. “This is just a little bit of what I want to make you feel .”