by Hart, Lena
Good. Her female pride had taken enough battering for one night.
Chapter Seven
Dave heard the shower start in the bathroom and cursed. He was really starting to hate her post-sex, run-off routine. This time he hadn’t even said anything.
But maybe time alone was best. He certainly hadn’t been unaffected by their lovemaking. And it seemed only to be getting worse. He couldn’t figure it out, but one thing was for certain: Athena Lewis was proving to be lethal to his common sense.
He hadn’t intended to jump her like a rutting bull, certainly not without protection. But his self-control seemed to bolt when she was near. He didn’t know why or how, but the more he had her, the more he wanted her. And he was eager to get this business between him and the Acerras done and over so that he could devote his time to getting her out of his system.
He believed everything she told him. The main reason being that she had no reason to lie, and even if she did, there was nothing for her to gain by it. The Acerras’ constant visits to the casino all made sense now. Draw his attention elsewhere while they sent a woman in to do their dirty work. All while ripping off his casino in the process. And when she told him the situation with her brother and the Acerras, her eyes had gotten that sad, grave look he remembered so long ago.
It had been about twenty years ago, but he recalled the forlorn looking nine-year old sitting on the hood of his car. She had been sitting there alone, waiting for her brother to finish whatever game he was playing with the other boys. She had been the saddest, loneliest little girl he had ever seen. And at that moment, an overwhelming urge to erase that grave look from her face came over him.
Instead of shooing her off his car, like any other normal fifteen-year-old, he’d sat down beside her and introduced himself. But without thinking, he had given her his full name, “David”, which she had somehow turned into “Davie.” He hadn’t had the heart to correct her so from then on, she had been the only person he allowed to call him by that nickname.
And now she was back in his life and all the same protective urges were coming to life. He had managed to wipe the forlorn look from her eyes before, and he imagined he could do it again.
And to start, he needed to have his talk with Joey.
Tena was still in the shower. He didn’t want to leave her here alone—for his peace of mind—but he certainly wasn’t going to involve her any more then she already was. She was ultimately a pawn in all this, and though he was relieved to know she’d been forced into this, he didn’t want her to suffer any backlash from the brothers.
He went to the bathroom and tried the door. To his relief, it opened. For reasons he didn’t care to examine, it would have bothered him greatly if she had felt the need to lock him out. He didn’t know why it was important, but it was.
A wave of steam unfurled before him when he walked in. Through the fog, he could make out the outline of her curves through the shower glass. He watched as she bent over and slid soap down her long legs. His imagination ran wild with the position. After tonight, he promised himself, the next time she took a shower, she wouldn’t be alone.
“Tena,” he called out over the running water. Her blurred figure suddenly stilled. “Can I trust you to stay here until I get back?”
She didn’t say anything but her silence told him she’d heard him.
“I didn’t think so,” he muttered. He turned to leave, thinking he’d put someone outside the room to watch her. Then his eyes fell on her black dress hanging over the towel rack and he grabbed it. Insurance, he thought with a grin.
****
Dave walked into Joey Acerra’s popular nightclub, the Ace of Clubs, ready to put an end to this cat and mouse game. He followed the bouncer through the loud, crowded nightclub and up to the second floor. As soon as he entered the dimly lit office, he spotted Joey behind his desk and Gino lounging on the corner sofa, looking like two mean sons of bitches. Dave took the seat across the desk.
Joey regarded him with cool, watchful eyes before saying, “You showing up here uninvited is a one-time courtesy.”
“I would think since I helped get this place started, your courtesy is the least I could get.”
Joey clenched his jaw, obviously annoyed by the reminder of the money Dave had loaned him to get the club started. “What do you want, Carrone?”
“Just to tell you that you’re never gonna get anything on me so you can just stop trying.”
Joey leaned back in his seat, shaking his head. “I don't know what you’re talking about.”
Dave fixed him with a level stare. “Must be my mistake. I never did peg you for the type to send a woman to do something you weren’t man enough to do.”
“Fuck you,” Joey retorted viciously. “You can’t prove shit so stop wasting my fucking time.”
“You’re right. I can’t prove that you hired someone to break into my place of business to steal my property. What was your game? To plant evidence on my computer just to cut your brother a deal?”
Gino jumped up, fuming. “We don’t have to plant shit, you sell-out. Our brother’s locked up because of your greedy ass.”
“The only thing I’m guilty of,” Dave bit out, leaning forward in his seat, “is trusting that son-of-a-bitch Jeff Bates. I had nothing to do with whatever shit Reese got himself caught up in with the Provenzanos.”
“Reese didn’t have any business with those assholes,” Gino shouted. “He was set up and we’re gonna prove it.”
Dave studied the youngest Acerra brother then turned back to Joey. The brothers’ loyalty to each other ran deep but there was a conviction and determination in them that put Dave on alert.
“Then let me help you.”
The expression on the two men’s faces almost made Dave laugh. “Believe it or not,” he said curtly, “I really didn’t have anything to do with that whole thing. But if you say Reese is innocent, then I feel bad that he got caught up in this. So instead of screwing with me and my business, let me help you get this done right.”
The two brothers shared a look then stared back at him.
“Why do you want to help us?” Gino asked suspiciously. He was one of the younger Acerras. Dave didn’t know him as well as he did his older brothers so he tried not to take offense.
“Because once upon a time,” Dave said looking at Joey, “we used to be friends.” Joey didn’t meet his stare but he had to be thinking about the times when they had all been close. Dave hadn’t had any siblings of his own and the Acerras had welcomed him into their fold. And for a boy ignored by his mother and regularly dismissed by his father, the Acerras had felt like something of a family to him.
But boys eventually grew to be men. And when Dave had decided to walked out of the reckless lifestyle they had cultivated for themselves, the brothers had taken it personally. That’s when the rift had begun. Slowly at first, but as Dave’s fortune increased, so did the divide.
“And,” Dave continued, turning to Gino with a smirk, “I like Reese a whole lot better than your ass.”
“All right,” Joey said just as Gino took a step toward him. “How do you plan to help?”
“I have a guy who’s good at this sort of thing. He’s a PI and can work with you to find out more about the situation.”
“Okay,” Joey said with a shrug. “If you insist on helping, I’m not gonna stop you.”
“Yeah, I do insist,” Dave said. “But on one condition.”
“What?” both brothers asked simultaneously.
“I want you to forget about Tena and Anthony.”
Gino turned to his brother with mild curiosity.
“So is that how you found out?” Joey asked. “Did Tena go running to you for help?”
“Can you imagine Tena asking anyone for help?”
Joey shrugged. “It crossed my mind. I know she always had a thing for you back in the day.”
Dave couldn’t be sure of that. Back then, they had shared an innocent affection, a sort of guiltless
attachment. It had been hard for him not to develop a soft spot for the shy little girl that had followed them everywhere. And when she’d turned those big, dark-brown eyes on him, he had felt instantly protective of her.
But now what he and Tena shared was a hot and heavy hunger that didn’t seem to be going away.
“Just give me your word that you’ll leave them out of this,” Dave demanded, not confirming or denying. No way was he discussing him and Tena with Joey Acerra.
Joey shot him a glare then shrugged again. “Yeah okay, whatever,” he said, waving dismissively. “But I wasn’t really gonna hurt them. Well, maybe break a few of Anthony’s ribs. The dumbass still owes me a grip.”
“Well the money you’ve been stealing from my casino should more than cover that.”
“First, that money’s mine,” Joey countered. “And it’s still not enough to cover what he owes me.”
“Tough,” Dave snapped. “It’ll just have to do. And I said I would help you with Reese’s case but my guy doesn’t work for free.” Dave gave them the contact information for the private investigator, got to his feet, and headed to the door.
“By the way,” he added, turning back to the two brothers, “I know you’ve been cheating so stay the hell off my tables.”
Joey smirked. “Prove it.”
****
The gray-blue light of dawn was gracing the sky when Dave entered the hotel room where he’d last left Tena. He was half-expecting to find an empty room but was pleased to find her sleeping on the bed, wearing one of Royal Courts’ pale gold bathrobes. Dave smiled. He could just imagine her anger at being forced to stay put.
Her smooth, long legs peeked out of the terry cloth and visions of those legs wrapped around his hips, cradling him, brought desire rushing to his groin. In sleep, she looked innocent and harmless. But Dave knew better. Her body was her biggest weapon, wreaking havoc on his mind and senses. Even now, he was drawn to her.
Opting to be a gentleman, Dave shoved his hands in his pockets to curb his temptation to touch. He immediately came in contact with the missing thigh-high and pulled it out. An idea began to form and he smiled.
They hadn’t quite gotten around to finishing their game.
Chapter Eight
Athena noticed two things when she woke. One, the sun was streaming brightly from the window. Two, she was sleeping on her back. She never slept on her back. She tried to shield her eyes from the bright light but her arms wouldn’t move. It took her a moment to realize they were tied above her head to the headboard.
She turned her face from the window, tugging helplessly at her arms. Across the bed, she made out a male figure sitting on the small sofa. Confusion and panic rose in her. She blinked several times in an attempt to clear her head as she tried to make sense of what was happening. The last thought she’d had before she’d laid down to rest her eyes was of giving Dave a piece of her mind for essentially trapping her in this room. She had slipped on the robe she’d found in the closet, and she was relieved to find it was still on her.
Though the glare of the morning sun shielded the man’s face, she recognized Dave calmly sitting there, his leg crossed over his knee.
“Good morning,” he called out, his voice laced with amusement.
Athena tugged at her arms again. The smooth ties weren’t too tight but they were secure. “Davie, what is this?”
“Just picking up where we left off,” he murmured.
Athena closed her eyes. So this was retribution? “Okay, look. I’m sorry about what I did. Or tried to do. I know it went too far but if you untie me now, I’ll leave here and we can forget about this whole night.”
His lips quirked up. “Now why would I want that?” He rose from the sofa and walked toward the bed. With every step he took, he undid a button from his shirt. “The last thing I want to do is forget about last night,” he whispered.
Within seconds, he was standing before her, his hard, muscled chest gleaming in the sunlight. Athena swallowed. She looked her fill at the details of his well-defined chest and arms.
For the first time, she was seeing him clearly, not confined by darkness, shadows, or clothes. And his dark, Italian features were more beautiful and distinct in the morning sun.
The sight of him did something funny to her belly and she subconsciously flexed her fingers, wanting badly to touch him. But not sure that she should.
Either way, her bound hands made her painfully aware that she had no choice.
“What do you want from me?” she finally asked.
He smiled devilishly. His intent was as clear as the light streaming into the room. “Well, we can sit here and talk,” he offered. “Or we can finish our game.”
He ran his fingertips along her slightly exposed thigh as he spoke. Athena shivered. He trailed his fingers up toward her inner thighs and she closed her eyes, tucking her lower lip between her teeth.
“So…” he continued softly, his voice like dark velvet. “What’s it gonna be?”
Words escaped her. Her breathing came out in shallow pants and she could only stare up into his smoky gray eyes, too distracted by his touch. They stared at each other with an intensity that was electric.
And he had his answer. Her body told him what she wanted. And she wanted him, wanted to feel him inside her one last time. Before they ended whatever this was between them.
With a feather light touch, he brought his hand higher, directly up to the heated skin between her thighs, and began to rub her slowly.
She jerked and gasped at the sensation, her muscles coiling tight as he steadily stroked and teased.
He was now sitting beside her, his big body hovering over her. Through her haze of desire, she could see the stark need that roughened his face and darkened his bright eyes. For a moment, she was lost in the beauty of seeing into him, of stealing a glimpse into his darkest desires.
He slipped a finger into her, moving it deliciously in and out with slow, lazy strokes. Athena’s eyes drifted shut as a low moan escaped her. She couldn’t stop her hips from lifting up with the deep thrusts of his finger.
She heard his harsh, shallow breathing as he continued to touch her. But she was lost to the intense pleasure he was building inside her.
“Look at me, sweetheart,” he commanded softly.
Athena opened her eyes and was greeted by his harsh, flushed face inches from hers. “You’re mine now,” he whispered.
“Yes,” she gasped. “I’m yours.”
Fierce satisfaction flared in his stormy eyes. She didn’t know what he meant by that but at that moment, she would have agreed with him on anything.
He captured her lips with a kiss that left them both breathless yet desperate for more. He trailed his lips along her jaw and down her neck.
Her greedy inner muscles clenched at his retreating finger, missing the long steady strokes. He pushed open her robe until her body was fully exposed to him. He brought his lips down to her distended nipples and sucked eagerly at the hard buds. She wanted desperately to touch him, to hold his head to her throbbing, aching breasts, but her bound arms jerked her back.
He moved down her body, kissing and licking at all of her sweet spots, stopping only when he was between her legs. Her thighs clenched and rocked with every lick and roll of his tongue.
As the pressure in her expanded, so did her desire to touch and feel him. She writhed and moaned as he brought her to new heights, seemingly oblivious to her violent jerks and movements.
He slipped his finger deep into her again as he continued to tease and lap at her clit. A throaty moan escaped her as she violently clenched around his quick, stroking finger. Her arms jerked violently and to her vague surprise, the ties loosened and fell from her wrists. He pushed another finger into her and with a loud gasp, she threw her head back, grasped fistfuls of his hair and convulsed.
****
Athena’s body throbbed in the quiet aftermath of Dave’s repeated possession. He went at her like a man starved, taking
her in every position imaginable. Each time as intense and fiery as the last. Now she lay with her back to him on the large hotel bed, his arm wrapped securely around her waist. Sometime during their lovemaking, he had drawn the curtains, leaving the room with only a dim glow of light.
She balked at the word. Lovemaking. She may have been foolish enough to lose her heart but for him, she was just a good time, another in a long line of women. How could she compete with all the women he’d had before her?
Athena shifted, needing to put some distance between them so she could sort through her unstable emotions. But at her slight shifting, Dave tightened his arm around her and pulled her back against him.
“Where do you think you’re going?” His voice was gruff with sleep but it still had its usual effect on her.
“It’s time for me to go,” she whispered.
“So you were just gonna leave me here, in bed, alone? Again?” he asked, his low tone playful. “That’s not very good bedroom etiquette.”
She ignored his teasing, her emotions too highly strung for lighthearted pillow talk. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what the protocol is for this kind of thing,” she said stiffly. “Should I tell you how great you were? That you’re the best I’ve ever had? You already know all that, so let’s skip to the part where I leave and we can avoid the awkward goodbye.”
He tensed behind her then turned her on her back.
“Where the hell is all this coming from?” he asked, frowning over her. “Why are you acting like I’ve treated you like a piece of ass? I don’t want you to leave. We’re great together and after what we’ve just shared, you can’t deny that.”
Athena searched his face, scared to believe him. Yet scared not to.
“What do you want from me?” she asked softly. “Because I can tell you right now, I’m not interested in becoming a Carrone Mistress.”
His gray eyes burned with suppressed anger. “I’m gonna pretend you didn’t say that,” he said quietly.
She glanced away from him. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, knowing his past and knowing she’d gone too far. She didn’t want their parting to be bitter and angry, but how could she tell him what was truly in her heart without exposing herself to potential heartbreak? “I just don’t want to be just another notch on your bedpost. I know you’re not a one-woman man but I don’t think I can handle sharing you.”