by Sadie Jacks
We made it to the bathroom in very short order. It was still as disgusting as before. But at least it wasn’t any worse, either.
Going over to the sink, I had to lock away the fact that I didn’t have shoes on. There was no other way for me to survive this horror.
I snorted as my thoughts actually registered. I’d been shot, punched in the face, and had my nose almost broken. But walking on a dirty bathroom floor barefoot was going to be my downfall.
Man, I was such a girl.
Testing the water, I tried to get it just this side of scorching. I wanted to clean the bathroom as well as I could, but I didn’t want to lose layers of skin to do it. After it was at a suitably scalding temperature, I looked around for something that would help me get it from the sink into the bucket.
Nothing.
Shit.
Licking my lips, I turned back to Arkady. Pasted on my prettiest smile. “Do you, by any possible chance, have something I could use to get the water into the bucket?”
A low snarl came from his throat. “Are you fucking kidding me, right now?”
Shit. I chuckled. “No?”
His brows lowered into a dark shelf over his nose. “You want to clean the bathroom, clean the fucking bathroom. I’m not here to make your life easier. I’m here to keep you from getting dead or raped. Those were the terms. Those were the agreements. Figure it out.”
I stilled against the anger in his voice. For the first time, I felt uneasy in this man’s presence. Well, it’s not like you’re old college buddies, chicka. What the fuck did you expect? He’s obviously high up in whatever organization this is. Not an errand boy.
“I’m sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t have asked.” I turned back to the sink. Tried to get my emotions under control. For some stupid girly reason, I wanted to cry. And it was all his fault.
Looking around the bathroom one more time, I tried to rack my brain for any glimmer of an idea. I doubted he was going to let me out of my cell for hours on end to get this done. Not to mention that I still had to pee.
Over in the corner, I saw an old broom. Just behind it, I saw an angle of colored plastic. Walking over to it, I moved the broom. Almost dancing with joy, I picked up the dustpan and hurried back to the sink.
Angling the handle under the flow, I put the pan out over the lip of the sink and over the top of the bucket. Turning the water up as high as it would go, I had the bucket as full as I thought I could manage.
Squirting a few solid streams of green apple soap into it, I donned the gloves and dumped half the rags into the suds. Struggling under the weight of the bucket, I slipped and sloshed my way over to the toilet.
I spilled some water out onto the floor and gave it a good scrub before I got started on the porcelain throne itself. If I could stand or kneel in a somewhat clean spot, I figured I’d get more done faster.
The water quickly turned my skin pink, even inside the protective layer of the gloves. But I had that toilet as clean as it was going to get. The water was a disgusting shade of brown that no longer smelled of anything resembling apples.
I hurried to dry off the seat, my bladder at mass capacity. I danced as I tried to get the gloves off. No way was I going to do my business with dirty gloves on my hands now.
A low snicker behind me told me I still had an audience. With a quick whirl, I spun around. Glared at Arkady. “Go away. I need to pee.”
His moment of mirth dissolved like snow under the bright sunshine. “Then do it. You will not be left unsupervised outside of your cell.” He leaned against the door frame.
Fuck. I was out of time and I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of watching me pee my pants out of some false sense of modesty.
I yanked my pants down and slapped my ass to the seat just in the nick of time. A long sigh floated from my mouth.
The door slammed shut across the room.
A smile stretched my mouth. Tali, one. Arkady, zero.
Finished, I got cleaned up. Went back over to the sink and washed my hands. With the most pressing issue taken care of, I walked back over to the bucket.
Tipping it over, I set about scrubbing the floor. It wasn’t going to be perfect, and it certainly wasn’t going to be sanitized, but at least it wouldn’t be something you would find in a CDC infectious diseases vault either.
My knees were essentially numb by the time I was done, but I had finished. I got the last of the rags rinsed out and hung out over the edge of the sink and any other surface I could find to let them dry. Not too shabby for the girl who’d never cleaned her own toilet before.
The door whooshed open. Arkady stormed in, his face pinched, his expression dark. “Come on. We have to leave.” With a steely grip on my arm, he perp-walked me back to my cell.
I winced against the contact. “Arkady, you’re hurting me,” I whispered as I plucked at his fingers and tried not to fall over. The words were out before I had a chance to censor them.
Stumbling along beside him, my knees were still numb and I couldn’t really feel my feet.
He growled low. “Do not make a single sound.”
“What’s going on?” I looked up at his face.
With his free hand, he slapped me. Right across the cheek with his open hand.
My head flung to the side under the blow. Tears gathered on my lashes. Anger and no small amount of hatred sparked in my belly.
“Do what I tell you, suka. I am the only thing standing between you and death.” He tossed me in the room, shut the door.
I cradled my cheek in my palm. The heat from his slap both terrified me and pissed me off. What the fuck was going on?
Chapter 11 – Foster
I knew it was a dream. But that didn’t stop me from enjoying it again. Anytime I could relive a full-blown fantasy come to life was something I was going to take advantage of.
She slapped my ass just as I had slapped hers. Not quite the rocket launcher of the express elevator that had taken us to Ryker’s penthouse apartment, we descended at a much more leisurely rate.
My hand still cupped her ass. Warmed the skin I was going to paddle. I was harder than a fucking steel spike, but I would be winning this little bet the girls had devised.
The doors finally opened into the garage. A cold blast of air tempering my body for a brief second. I inhaled deeply as I walked us to my car.
“How drunk are you?” I asked.
“Not so drunk I can’t get you to beg.”
I smiled. “What’s ten multiplied by –”
“Shove your math up your ass, Foster. You don’t want to play with me, fine. But I will be getting satisfaction tonight. You’re welcome to join, but I don’t actually need you.”
My teeth clenched as her words hit home. No. She didn’t need me. Which was fine. In fact, it was good. I’d already spent too much time with her trying to ferret out the moles in her branch of the Amatucci family organization. I didn’t do long-term attachments. She’d just taken the last holdout off my plate.
Finally making it to my car, I settled her back on her feet. Her dark cocoa eyes were clear as she sneered up at me. Her long black hair a tumbled mess around her gorgeous face.
Licking her lips, she pushed to her toes. With less than an inch of space between us, she moaned low in her throat. The sultry heat of her body was a sharp, aching contrast to the cold wind at my back. “So? Are you going to fuck me?”
Lowering back down to her heels, she looked up at me through her lashes. Careful not to touch me, she pressed her lower body forward. Her body was a slim line that bridged the distance between the car and me.
I leaned down, dipped so I could inhale the scent of her hair and body at the angle of her neck. Clenching my fists to keep from touching her, I said, “Only if we change the rules.”
Her husky chuckle sent little fingers of sensation all over my body. “Which ones did you want to change?” Her breath moved the hair around my ear.
“Everything but the touching and coming re
mains. There’s no way either of us won’t be coming tonight. Multiple times.” I fought not to let the words rush out. Let her think I was as unaffected as she was. That I hadn’t been dreaming of her under me for the last week or two.
Her hands settled on my chest, her nails sinking in slightly. “Deal. First one to beg still loses.” She slid one of her hands down my abdomen, her fingers dancing over my dick.
She didn’t know it yet, but she would be the one begging. First. Last. Always.
“What are the stakes?” I asked, my voice low, as she played the tease. I already knew what I was going to win. But I wanted to see what she came up with as a lure.
Licking her lips, she appeared to think.
I smiled, pulled my hands from the car where I’d braced them. Slid them over her waist. Flexed my fingers into the flesh of her ass. She was going to feel so good wrapped around me.
Her quiet gasp was music to my ears.
“When’s your next meeting with Ryker? In a professional capacity?” she asked, her voice breathy.
My brain derailed a little bit. Ryker? Who the fuck cared? “Monday morning, assuming the shitshow doesn’t explode.” I looked down at her face. Saw the calculation and shrewdness.
My belly tightened. Was this going to be an actual challenge from the Mafia Princess herself? The whole night took on an even greater challenge.
Her smile was wicked. “You have to wear a French maid outfit. No shorts. No underwear. You have to wear it to the office and to your meeting with Ryker.”
I blinked rapidly. Seriously? A little public humiliation is what she was after? Not that it mattered because I was going to win anyway, but if she thought embarrassment was going to be a huge deal, that had me altering my own stakes slightly.
I could play the public humiliation games, hellcat. “Agreed. You have to invite me to your next family dinner.”
Her mouth dropped open as if I’d just asked her to carry my children. That would never be happening, but I thought I should be a little insulted by her reaction. It wasn’t like I was such a terrible catch.
As if flipping a switch in her brain, she closed her mouth, smiled. “Agreed.” She leaned forward, bit my lower lip.
With a hand around her throat, I pushed her back against the car. Smiled as she gasped. Her pupils, so dark in the low light they were almost indiscernible, blew out. “Then get ready to call Momma and tell her two for dinner.”
With only my hand around her throat, I pulled her back into the heat of my body. She quivered as she settled her hands on my hips. Groaned as I bit her lip to just this side of pain.
I shoved my free hand down her pants, palmed her sexy ass. “Are you wet, hellcat?” I whispered into her mouth.
She snarled and scored me with her nails. “Yes, damn it.”
Without warning, I slid my hand down under the curve of her ass and straight into her wet heat.
Our groans mingled as frosty puffs of air clouded the space between our faces. “Sweet fuck, woman.”
She laughed deep in her throat. “That’s awful close to begging, asshole.”
I snorted. “The only one begging around here will be you. I suggest you get your pleas ready.”
The elevator dinged open behind us. I pulled away and had her in the car before she understood what was happening. Lifting a hand at Turo, I hurried around the front of the car and slid behind the wheel.
She glared at me. “What the fuck?”
I pointed at her older brother as he walked across the parking lot, Nik trying to take swipes at him with every step. “Unless you wanted me to fuck you in front of him?”
She rolled her eyes and sank back into the seat. “Take me home, Foster.” She crossed her legs, shoved her hands between her thighs. “Now.” She stabbed her finger towards the exit.
Putting the car in reverse, I slowly backed out. “I want you to take your pants off. And your underwear.” I heard the boredom in my tone. Mentally snickered.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her head whip around, her hair fanning out around her. “What?”
Stepping on the break, I looked at her. “Take your pants and panties off. Now. I want to smell the scent of your arousal as we go back to your loft.” I waited. Let her see I was willing to wait for eternity.
Her cheeks flushed slightly in the dim lighting. But she hooked her thumbs in her clothes and pulled them down. Kicking free of the fabric, she smirked.
Putting her back into the corner, she spread her legs wide. One foot on the dashboard, one in my lap. “Is that better for you?”
I gripped the gearshift to keep from touching her. Nodded. “Perfect. Gold star, Talia.” With more willpower than I had thought I would need, I finally looked out the windshield. Put the car into drive.
“Touch yourself,” I said, heard the growl in the demand.
“You touch me.”
Easing to an easy stop, I grabbed the leg she’d laid over my lap. Put it back on her side of the car. “I said to touch yourself. You don’t want to play the game, I’ll just drop you off at home. My hand doesn’t disobey.”
She inhaled sharply. “You’d really leave?”
I turned to look at her. “Your choice.” It took every ounce of training, but I kept all emotion off my face. Didn’t let her see the hunger that ravaged my system. Didn’t let her see the lust that flowed through my veins. “You never have to do anything you don’t want. For me. For your family. For anyone. Now make your choice.”
Slowly, so slowly I could feel the ticking of each second, she moved her leg back over my lap. “Good job, hellcat.” I petted her leg. The soft silk that flowed flawlessly over smooth muscle. “Sink your fingers into your cunt that I’m going to own for the night. I want to see your juice covering your fingers.”
I concentrated on driving slowly and carefully. The heady scent of her arousal filled the heated space of the car. Her breathy gasps and throaty moans almost shattered my attention.
She leaned forward, laid her finger over my lip. “Taste me.”
Unable to deny myself, I flicked out my tongue. Drew her finger into my mouth. I licked her clean, just like I was going to do to her pussy. I was going to drink her down while she begged me.
We came to the last stop sign before the final turn into her loft’s building. I turned to look at her. “I want to see you taste yourself. Tell me what you taste like.”
She narrowed her eyes slightly as she stared at me.
“Taste yourself or get ready to go inside by yourself.” I bit the words off. So fucking strong. Stubborn.
Her submission would taste all the sweeter. Almost as sweet as her cream.
Talia dipped her hand low again. Speared her fingers through her lower lips.
I watched her face. Watched every nuance of expression. The slight flicker between her brows right before her cheeks went lax. The flutter of her eyelashes as the touch of her fingers registered on her brain and body.
Reaching over, I slid my hand over hers. Forced her fingers deeper inside herself. With my thumb, I slid over the stiff flesh of her clit. She was ready. So fucking ready.
But she would wait.
“Scoop,” I demanded.
Her head fell back into the space between the seat and the door. Her chest shuddered as her arm quivered.
I slapped a hand against her thigh when I didn’t feel her fingers move. “Scoop.”
Putting my hand back over hers, I felt her hand move, dip ever so farther inward. A peculiar emotion exploded through me. I couldn’t be bothered to name it. Not right now. Maybe not ever. I had more important things to worry about.
“Pull them out.”
Her hand pushed against my own.
I let her remove her hand from her wet flesh. Let her lift it to her face. Just as her tongue darted out to taste her own arousal, I leaned over and sucked her fingers into my mouth.
Her eyes flashed open as roses kissed her cheeks.
Holding her gaze, I devoured her cream-dren
ched fingers. Held her gaze while I let her see my enjoyment of her flavor. Held her gaze while I silently promised to fuck her into oblivion.
For tonight, she was mine. And she willingly agreed to it. Walked beside me as I demanded from her things that she was hesitant to gift me. But she would. And we would both revel in the giving.
Letting her fingers fall from my mouth, I turned back to face the street. “Put your clothes back on. No one else gets to have you tonight. And I don’t fucking share.” I took my foot off the brake and eased forward. Giving her time to get her pants back on. “Leave the panties on the floor.”
She cut off a small moan as she pulled her leg from my lap. “I’m not leaving my panties in your car for you to sniff and lick later.”
I shot her a wolfish grin. “No. But you’ll leave them because I told you to. I promise not to sniff or lick them later.”
She studied me for a moment. Nodded. “Fine. But I expect them to be laundered before you give them back to me.”
I smiled as I pulled into their building’s garage. Not once had returning the panties been on my agenda. Not now, not ever.
Pulling into a parking spot, I put the car in park and shut off the engine. “Now, you’re going to get out of the car. Wave hi to the wonderful guards you have stationed out here. Walk up to your apartment and go inside.”
“Alone?” she asked, her brows lowering.
“For now. I promise I’ll be up. But I want you to do something for me when you get in there.”
One of her brows rose. “And that is?”
“Do you have any dildos or vibrators?” Fuck, I almost lost my straight face with that one. Imagining this woman with anything in her pussy but me made me almost crazy with rage.
Just because you haven’t had her before. No reason to get all het up about it, man. Ease back.
I mentally nodded at my own sage advice. This was nothing but a fun roll in the sheets. Nothing to get unbalanced about.