by Mia Kenney
I need a new identity, a fresh start far from this place. There’s only one person I know who can help me. He’s the last person I thought I would ever need but I’m more than willing to swallow my pride if it gives me a chance to escape.
I don’t know why but I’m surprised to see two guys in front of his building. They nod and open the double doors for me, allowing me to push my bike into the foyer.
“Katalina, what the hell are you doing here this time of night? By the way, you look like shit,” Cadence says as he stands from behind his computer screen, towering over me. “You’re bleeding.”
“Actually, it stopped. Took a little spill on my bike on the way over. No big deal.” My weak attempt of smiling and blowing off my injuries doesn’t fly by Cade. He has a hundred questions on his face, but he doesn’t ask. I can’t exactly tell him that I’m being stalked by a member of the notorious Escobar family. It’s been three days since I walked out of this place but something about it makes me feel safe. Even if Romeo doesn't want me. I just need to use him to get what I need and then I can leave again.
“Don’t you ever sleep? Or leave this desk?” I ask.
“Don’t you worry about me. Is Cruz expecting you?”
I shake my head no, embarrassed by my own desperation. Cadence presses a finger to his ear device and whisper talks. I can’t hear what he’s saying but I know he’s talking with Romeo.
“Follow me.” It’s all he says and I follow. His words are curt and sharp, and I worry he’s mad with me showing up unannounced.
“Cadence, I’m sorry to show up like this. I just didn’t know where else to go.”
“No need to apologize to me. You came to the right place. You can always come here, darlin’.” He flashes me that enduring wink of his and clenches his fists at his sides before he enters the code on the wall panel. The elevator door slides open and I shuffle inside.
“Don’t worry about your bike, I’ll get it cleaned up and looking like new,” he says. I can tell he’s still suspicious but is trying to smile for me.
My stomach flips as the elevator zooms to the penthouse.
“Nice shirt.” Romeo says.
I’m standing in his apartment, my bare feet sinking into his thick lush carpet. I’m exhausted and dirty and can’t even imagine how horrible I must look. My yoga pants are torn at the knee, dried blood caked on my skin from my crash. Long wisps of hair frame my face, and my fingers start to twirl the strands. I bite my lower lip and look down at my sweatshirt.
“I took it from this guy. He’s really hot. I spent the night with him but when I woke up he was gone, didn’t even leave a note,” I say.
“I’m sure he had a hell of a reason to leave a beautiful woman like you behind,” he says.
I blush when he calls me beautiful. “Don’t know, he didn’t call either.”
His body tenses, anger rolling off of him in waves. “I suggest you check your phone then. Because I’ve been calling and texting you for days.”
My phone. I completely forgot I destroyed it before going on the run. I can’t take any chances that Francisco might be able to trace me with.
“I don’t have a phone anymore.” The words are barely above a whisper. Suddenly my fear of the Escobar family overwhelms me and my body shakes with terror. Before I can say anything else Romeo lifts me and wraps his strong arms around my back and under my thighs.
He carries me into the bathroom and starts the water in the jacuzzi tub. “Take off your clothes.” It’s a demand. His voice is gruff and strained.
I pull his sweatshirt over my head and shimmy out of my yoga pants. I’m standing in front of him in just my sheer lace panties.
He’s already naked, like he’s done this a million times before. It dawns on me that he probably has. But at this moment, I don’t care. It’s like he’s fucked women his entire life just so he could fuck me with perfection. And right now that’s what my body needs. I need Romeo to make me forget about everything that’s screwed up with my life.
“You beautiful Katalina. Look at you standing here in my bathroom with just your panties on.” In one stride he’s pressing his body against mine, his long thick cock pushing into my stomach. I’m flooded with warmth.
“I bet your pussy is already wet and ready for me. I knew you’d come back for more. Can’t get enough of my big cock, can you, sweetheart?”
His dirty words excite me. I know they shouldn’t but they do. Adept hands dance over my body, pinching my nipples and squeezing my ass. They go everywhere but there, the place I need them the most.
“Tell me what you want sweetheart. I need to hear the words.”
“Fuck me Romeo. I need you to fuck me. Now.”
“Lesson number one. Nobody tells me what to do. Now perch that pretty little ass of yours up on my counter and spread those long legs for me. I need to look at that tight little cunt.”
His words make me wetter. Romeos hands circle my waist and he lifts me onto the counter. In one tug he tears my panties off and tosses them to the marble floor. In a heartbeat he’s on his knees, my legs tossed over his broad shoulders and his face buried deep between my thighs. Romeo doesn’t give me a moment to adjust before he starts fucking me with his tongue and fingers. My head swings back, all my weight balanced on the man eating my pussy like it’s his last meal. It doesn’t take long for my orgasm to build, tension coiling deep in my belly and I moan his name.
“That’s it, you dirty little whore,” he mumbles into my wet folds, “beg for me.”
I don’t hear what words come out of my mouth when Romeo pulls my clit between his teeth and sucks while his fingers stroke the sweet spot deep inside of me. He’s relentless, sucking and finger fucking me through an endless rolling orgasm. My vision narrows and darkness consumes me.
“You think it’s over already, sweetheart? I haven’t even started. Spread these fucking legs wider,” he demands as his knee nudges me open for him. I don’t know when he flipped me but I’m bent over the counter, ass high in the air with proof of my orgasm dripping down my legs. My body feels like jelly in his hands.
“Best pussy I’ve ever had,” he grunts as he pushes himself into me in one long thrust.
“Oh my god.” I pant.
“It’s not god making you feel this good, sweetheart, it’s Romeo. And don’t you fuckin’ forget it,” he grunts and pushes with every word. Another orgasm is building or it’s just the continuation of the other one. I can’t even tell at this point. My body is wound tight with lust and sin. I love the way he fucks me.
“Open your eyes. Watch how hard I fuck you,” he demands and raises my head by my hair tightly fisted in his grip. Melony was right, he’s fucking me into submission. My inner muscles flutter at the thought.
“You like that you little slut. Your pussy feels so good stretched and squeezing around my big fuckin’ cock. You like me pulling on your hair while I fuck you in the mirror.”
I open my eyes and see Romeo behind me, one hand pushing down on my lower back while the other holds my head up to watch. My breasts are bouncing and my nipples are the size of hard candies. But it’s him I can’t take my eyes off.
Bigger than life, his sun-kissed skin is tattooed and scarred, muscles bulging and flexing as he fucks me from behind like an animal. He’s a lethal combination of power and sex. Our gaze meets in the mirror. We’re lost in each other. Physically we’re connected, his cock buried deep in me, but there’s something more. I know by his heavy eyelids and the vein pulsing in his neck he feels it too.
“Romeo,” I pant, “just like this. Keep fucking me just like this.”
He knows how to make me come. Like a trained musician he plucks and pulls every fiber in my body until I sing and moan his name, begging like a peasant for more.
Moments later he pulls out and spins me around. Automatically I drop to my knees and grip his muscular thighs. I run my tongue from the base of his slick cock to the tip and then swallow him down. The corners of my mouth stretch to
accommodate his thick cock.
“God damn, Kat,” he grunts out in a rush of breath, “I’m gonna come in this dirty little mouth of yours.” He makes me feel like I hold all the power. My pussy and mouth make him weak and yet he’s the strongest man I’ve ever met.
I pulse my cheeks as I move up and down his shaft, each time swallowing him until his cock is hitting the back of my throat. I start to gag and slobber, and his cock grows bigger and harder. He likes making me gag on his length. His hand wraps around my long hair and he pushes my face down until his warm taught balls are knocking on my chin. I taste his saltiness first and then hear his roar rumble from deep in his chest as he comes down my throat. Holy fucking hell.
I wake alone in Romeo’s bed. The ache between my legs is a crude reminder of how he fucked me last night. We soaked in his jacuzzi tub with luxurious scented bubbles until the water chilled. He shampooed and conditioned my hair, massaged warm lotion over my entire body and tucked me in bed with him, our nude bodies sated and spooned into each other.
Now I’m buried in expensive silk sheets and king sized pillows. The smell of coffee and bacon scent the air and I stretch before climbing out of bed. I pull one of Romeo’s standard white men’s undershirts out from the top drawer of his dresser. It hangs to mid thigh but it makes me feel sexy. I hear heavy footsteps in the hall and the door flies open. He looks ready to kill.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“It’s your fuckin’ husband. He’s in the lobby waiting for you.”
10
Romeo
I knew she was hiding secrets from me but this is unfuckin’ believable. She doesn’t even deny it when I push myself into my bedroom and announce her husband is downstairs. I want to rip the fucker’s head off. Katalina's the first woman I’ve allowed myself to get close to and she lied. Fuck, I have my own secrets, but cheating isn’t my style. Commitment isn’t my style. And lying to me about her virginity? She’s a fucked up bitch.
She stumbles across the bedroom and reaches for my NAVY sweatshirt. “No, not that one. I busted my balls to become a SEAL, you don’t deserve to wear it.” The words fly from my mouth and I know I sound like an asshole but it’s the truth. My teammates and I are willing to die for the honor of being a SEAL, I’m not about to let her disrespect it.
“Grab anything else, just not that,” I say and turn to leave the room. She doesn’t say anything, but her full pouty lips and tear brimmed eyes are a blow to my heart. I can hear her moving around as I stomp down the hall. She’s just like the rest of them. Easily impressed by a SEAL who also happens to be a successful businessman. Hell, I won’t be surprised if her husband asks me for money or a job. I promise myself never to get involved with a woman again. At least my one night stands were honest. We both knew it wouldn’t lead anywhere and I wasn’t going to call the next day, or ever.
I turn when I hear her footsteps coming up behind me. No matter how pissed I am there’s still a twinge in my heart when I see her. She’s only wearing the white undershirt I just saw her in and her torn black yoga pants. She slips on her shoes before turning toward me.
“Why didn’t you tell me? And the whole virgin act? You’re fuckin’ sick in the head,” I rumble, my voice rough as sandpaper.
A long moment of silence passes before she responds. “I couldn’t. I wanted to, but I just couldn’t.”
“It’s pretty simple Katalina. Are you really married?”
Another stretch of uncomfortable silence. Her hand reaches up and she begins twirling her hair. She’s nervous. I’ve never given her any reason to be nervous around me.
She doesn’t answer my question, instead she just nods in agreement.
“I’ll walk you down. The least I can do is have the decency to meet your husband. Let him know he’s married to a cheating bitch. But I guess he already knows that.”
“Fuck you Romeo. You hide up here in your tower, surrounded by your own little kingdom you created. You have no right to judge me. You don’t know anything about me.”
“Yeah, like maybe I should've known you’re a married woman. That seems like a pretty important fact to mention. Get in the elevator, I’m going down with you.”
Even a mean asshole like me can’t let a woman go by herself to meet her husband after he just discovered she’s having an affair. There’s no telling how he’ll react, and even though I can’t stand her right now I’m not going to let him hurt her.
I press the code into the wall panel and the doors ping open. Katalina walks to the far back and I stay in front. I want to get a good look at this guy. The ride down feels like forever. I so badly want to turn around and take her in my arms, keep her locked up in my “tower” forever and cherish her the way she deserves. Jesus Christ, there’s something wrong with me. Kat walked into my life like a warm summer breeze and now she’s leaving like a tornado, a whirlwind of shit that has my head spinning.
Cade is standing with her bicycle in the foyer, talking with a man. I approach and nod my head.
“Anna, I’ve been looking for you,” says the man.
Christ, I didn’t even know her real name.
“Cisco,” she whispers.
Her voice is soft and frail. Something about this entire fiasco is off. I came down expecting a pissed off husband and was ready to kick ass. Instead I’m watching Katalina, or Anna, whatever the hell she calls herself, who doesn’t even look up at the guy. Her slumped shoulders and trembling bottom lip are breaking me. I have the heart of an asshole, but there’s something about this entire situation that is way off. Oh, fuck. It’s her problem now. This guy is a sucker for taking her back. She can be his problem.
“You always knew I’d never give up looking for you. Come home, I miss you,” he says.
He grabs her hand and begins leading her away. Suddenly she turns and runs towards Cadence. Son of a bitch. Now I’m wondering if he was fuckin’ her too. I gave all my men orders she was off limits. Now it’s looking like I’m going to have to beat that big fucker’s dumb ass. I watch as she leaps into his arms and whispers something in his ear. Every muscle in my body tenses. I can’t take it any more. I turn and take the elevator back up to my apartment.
Sweat pours from every cell in my body and my muscles scream in pain. I’ve been working the speed bag in my gym, in hopes that every punch gets Katalina out of my mind. It seems to be having the opposite effect. I can’t stop thinking about her. I’ve spent half my life as a Navy SEAL, taking down the bad guys and protecting my country. I’m so pissed at myself for not picking up on clues that she was married. It’s been two fuckin’ days since her husband showed up and she walked out. I didn’t even give her the opportunity to explain. I threw her out on her ass. I’ve been spending my nights twisted in sheets that still smell like her delicate skin.
The gym door opens but I don’t stop swinging. There’s only one other person who knows the code to my apartment.
“What the fuck do you want?”
I slow down but don’t stop.
“We’ve got a situation.” Cade’s voice is filled with urgency.
“Start talking. I’ll decide if we have a fuckin’ situation or not.” I dance around the punching bag, swinging right, then left, moving lightening fast.
“Katalina's in trouble.”
“What? Did her husband throw her out? Not my fuckin’ problem.”
“Cruz, she’s not married.”
“What the fuck do you mean she’s not married? We met her husband you prick. Stop jerking me around,” I say before taking one final swing at the bag. I turn and face Cade. “You look like shit.”
“Here. Kat had put this in my pocket. I just found it,” he says and hands me a crumpled up piece of paper.
I WILL ALWAYS FIND YOU
Suddenly I feel sick. “What the hell do you think this means?”
“I think it means she’s been hiding from someone. Even I could tell she didn’t want to leave with that fucker. And we let him take her.”
I knew something about the situation didn’t seem right, he was too calm, didn’t even confront me.
“I went through the video footage. He parked in the alley behind the building. I was able to run his plates.”
“And?”
“You’re not going to fuckin’ believe it. That was Francisco Escobar.”
I punch the speed bag with everything I’ve got. Blood runs down my cracked knuckles. “Cisco. She called him Cisco.” And I’m going to kill him. “Francisco fuckin’ Escobar. Mexican drug kingpin extraordinaire. Leader of the largest cocaine manufacturer in the world. And he was in my fuckin’ building.” And I’m going to kill him.
“Cruz, there’s more.”
My eyes meet Cade’s. Right away I can tell he doesn’t want to tell me. He shuffles from one foot to another and scratches behind his ear. “Just fuckin’ say it Cade.”
“He had men with him. They put Katalina in the trunk of their car.”
11
Kat
It’s so dark and I feel like I can’t breath. Blood trickles down as I unsuccessfully try to twist my hands out of their binds. At first I tried to memorize every stop and turn Cisco made but it’s useless. He’ll make sure I’m disoriented before he takes me out of this trunk. I kick as hard as I can against the inner walls of the car as I try to knock out the tail light but it’s proven impossible. I think back to every show I ever watched on how to survive a kidnapping but all I’m learning is that nobody ever escapes from Francisco Escobar. I always knew this day would come. Cisco would never just let me run away from him.
Suddenly the car veers and I roll to my side, hitting my head against the tire wheel. The air is stifling hot and sweat runs into my eyes. I’m scared and exhausted but I’m more angry with myself for letting this happen. I could have told Romeo the truth. I could still be back in his apartment, safe in his arms and in his bed. He’s a Navy SEAL. He would have protected me with his own life. That’s the problem. I could never live with myself if something happened to him or one of his men because of me. This is all my fault, a result of poor choices and decisions. And now I need to save myself. Prince Charming doesn’t exist for girls like me. I can only hope that Cade finds the note I shoved in his pocket and Romeo cares enough to come looking for me.