Wasn’t allowing herself to get there.
He’d stopped, dropping the belt to the ground when he’d realized no amount of blows were ever going to be enough punishment for what had happened.
Not for him. For her.
Dominic had scooped her up in his arms and carried her naked, shaking body over to the couch, sitting with her in his arms. Even then she’d tried to roll over, to place herself over his lap for him to continue to punish her.
Something in Dominic’s heart cracked. He’d never — even at his most angry — had wanted to hurt Cass as much as she wanted herself to be hurt right then.
He’d cupped her face, threading his fingers into her long golden hair, forcing her to look at him.
“It’s done, sweetheart. It’s done.”
He wasn’t sure if he was talking about the spanking or the past or his anger at her. Or all three. It didn’t matter. It was true for them all. It was done.
He’d held her as she eventually fell into a fitful sleep and realized she was still keeping something from him. He didn’t know what it was, but he wouldn’t be letting his guard down around her.
But he wasn’t going to hold on to his anger any longer either.
And he hadn’t. For the last six weeks, he licked, stroked, and sucked every single inch of her body and she’d done the same to him. They’d eaten all their meals together. Slept in the bed together. For all intents and purposes, they were married.
He bought her clothes and she wore them. While he worked she would read, or watch television. She worked out in his home gym, keeping her lithe body trim and toned with weights and yoga.
And she spent hours out in the garden, planting all sorts of flowers. She cared for them tenderly, watering and weeding daily. Sometimes he would look out the window and find her just sitting with her face towards the sun, basking in the light.
He kept expecting her to ask him to take her places, like they’d gone when they’d been a couple before. Restaurants, theater, trips to the beach or the mountains or New York. To buy her more clothes or entertain her.
But she never did. Never once asked to go anywhere. She’d been here nearly two months and she hadn’t left the grounds. Anything she’d needed from the grocery or drug store, she’d had delivered to the front gate of his property.
If Dominic didn’t know better, he would’ve said she was afraid to leave. Almost as if this was the only place she felt safe.
Given the fact that he’d used a spreader bar linked to the headboard to spread her legs high over her head this morning, folding her nearly in half while he’d stuffed his cock in her ass and slapped her pussy until she’d cried — and come — her feeling safe here seemed a little odd.
But it was still true.
She was reading now on the couch while he worked. Lukas had come over and they were looking over security plans for the “Taste of Sicily” gala coming up this weekend. Normally neither of them would be involved with security matters, but since many of the pieces — art, jewelry, historical artifacts — were owned by their extended family or friends from their homeland, they were looking over the plans themselves.
Especially since there had been a string of robberies at the events like this over the past year.
“The most important piece is the Giovanni Boldini painting, of course,” Lukas said.
“And the sapphire necklace.” Dominic looked at the pictures of the valuables that would be at the exhibit. “We fully vetted the security team, so I’m pretty confident that we won’t get hit.”
Lukas shrugged. “I’m sure all those other events felt just as confident.”
“True. The thing I hate about doing legitimate business and PR events is that we can’t broadcast that it’s La Cosa Nostra. I doubt anyone would try to steal from us if they knew who we were, but since they don’t…”
Lukas look down at the building plans. “I just don’t know how a thief’s mind works. Do you go for the big pay off even though it’s more secure?”
“No, you go for one of the smaller items, something that’s not drawing any attention.” Cassandra’s soft voice startled them both. Dressed in her yoga pants and a fitted green tank top, She was standing a few feet from the conference table where they had all the papers spread out.
Lukas’ eyes met his, brow raised. They needed someone who thought like a thief; who better than a thief? Although Dominic couldn’t escape the part of his mind that wondered if this was part of Cassandra’s end game. Was she trying to steal from him again?
If so, he wasn’t going to give her the opportunity.
Dominic stepped to the side, giving Cassandra space to join them at the conference table. “Okay, little thief, what would you do if you were going to hit this place?”
She didn’t answer for a long time while she studied the floor plans, the information about all the different artifacts that would be on display, and the security measures that would be utilized during the gala. She seemed more focused and interested in this than she had about anything else in the last two months except for sex and her garden.
“This,” she finally said pointing to the picture of the bracelet. “That’s what I would go for. It would be easy to get out with, easy to fence, and it’s being displayed closest to the kitchen door.”
“Really?” Lukas asked. “You wouldn’t get very much for that. Not nearly as much as some of the other pieces.”
Cassandra gave a half shrug of her slender shoulder. “It depends on how big the team is. If it’s someone working alone, you have to choose: risk versus reward. Better to make it out scot-free with something only worth a few thousand then to go for the bigger item but get caught.”
She glanced at Dominic then back down at the table. “If it was a team, like the Clemens, the tactics would be different, but probably not much.” She pointed to another two pieces of jewelry and a Fabergé egg. “The team could get out with these four items, probably right underneath security’s eyes. Especially if they had replicas. All in all they would make about $100,000.” She shrugged again. “Worth the risk, especially if everybody else is focused on the million dollar items.”
Dominic shook his head. “It takes a pretty hardened sort of person to steal from a charity event.”
“Money is money, to a thief,” Cassandra responded. “Regardless of whether the rich people are giving a little bit of it away to a good cause doesn’t matter. Easy pickings are easy pickings.”
“You’ll come with us,” Dominic said. “You’ll know what to look for, more than any law-abiding citizen would.”
Cassandra backed away from the table shaking her head. “No. I don’t want to. You don’t need me there.”
Dominic stepped forward so he was right in front of her and grasped her chin with hard fingers, forcing her to look at him. “Are you planning to steal from me? Is this gala part of some play for you?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I swear.”
He believed her. He might be a fool, but he believed the sincerity in her green eyes. “Then you’re going with us.”
Chapter Fifteen
Cassandra sat in the back of the limo that weekend, on the way to the “Taste of Sicily” gala, staring out the window. She knew she looked good in her slinky silver dress that clung to every inch of her skin. Or at least Dominic thought she did. When she’d walked out of the bathroom an hour ago, putting on her earrings, he’d taken one look at her in her dress and heels and actually growled.
He’d walked to her and cupped her breasts through the clingy material, then reached around, grabbing her ass and pulling her hard up against him. He kissed the neck her up-do left exposed, nipping his way up to her ear and thrusting his tongue into the shell. “You’re fucking gorgeous.”
“Thank you.” Her words came out in a breathy sigh. She was nervous. Felt like she was playing dress-up and as soon as she set foot in the gala people would know she was a fake.
He stepped away from her, studying her for a long moment
. “Bend over,” he finally said. “Put your hands on the arm of the couch.”
She’d turned to obey him and felt him slide the material of her dress up to her waist, exposing her legs and ass encased only in a black thong. Cassandra settled more firmly onto her feet, expecting his belt or hand to strike her at any moment. In some ways she would welcome it.
She was surprised when instead his hand slid from her upper thigh down to one knee, then bent it and pushed it up until it rested on the arm of the couch with her hands.
Then he’d proceeded to crouch between her legs, move the strap of her thong aside and eat her pussy. She gasped as his tongue stabbed into her, then licked up to her clit to tease it. His fingers held her open for him as licked his fill. She collapsed, almost unable to hold her weight when his tongue slid back further to her asshole and licking her there. She felt him spread the juices gushing from her pussy to that hole and ease his finger inside.
His lips returned to her clit, as his finger began fucking in and out of her ass. “Beautiful,” he breathed against her as he laved her once again with his tongue. “So fucking beautiful.”
By the time he’d finished with her she had fallen against the arm of the couch completely unable to support her own weight. His name fell from her lips in sigh after breathless sigh.
He stood, then helped her right her dress, before taking her lips in a soft kiss on which she was able to taste herself. “Beautiful,” he’d murmured again.
In ways she wished he’d whipped her rather than worship her because then at least she’d have a sore ass to concentrate on rather than…
Than what? What horrors was she imagining? A lovely night out with decent people and a handsome, successful, intelligent man?
Ice solidified in her insides. She didn’t belong here. For someone who had spent her whole life lying to others, she shouldn’t be so terrified at pretending for one night. But she was.
She just wanted to go back to Dominic’s house. To be inside those gates where everything made sense to her. Where her world was small and manageable and no one got hurt.
She felt Dominic’s finger under her chin, turning her away from the window. “Do I need to remind you again how beautiful you are? Maybe something different, like pulling up your dress and having you ride my cock until we get there. Help you get out of that head of yours.”
Cassandra looked over to Roman and his fiancee Sarah were talking softly to Dominic’s other brother Lukas. She raised a brow.
Dominic just laughed, and raised his voice loud enough for the other three passengers to hear him. “Trust me, I’ve seen Roman do all sorts of things to Sarah. So if I need to fuck you right here in front of them to get you to calm down, I’m sure they’ll be happy to watch.”
Lukas nodded up and down enthusiastically. “I’m definitely happy to watch.”
Roman laughed. “Actually, I’ll watch while Sarah sucks my cock.”
Lukas gave a blissful sigh. “Oh, both beautiful women going at it? Even better.”
Sarah rolled her eyes and slapped Roman on the arm, then whispered conspiratorially towards Cassandra, “Actually, yesterday he made me give him a blow job under the table while he was in a meeting with five other people, so doing it here wouldn’t be nearly as bad.”
Cassandra just stared at Sarah. How could the woman be here, so happy and comfortable with Roman when he’d humiliated her like that? “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry.”
Sarah patted her on the cheek. “Don’t be sorry, I like it. I like to be watched. Roman knows it and makes sure it happens every once in a while.”
“Or heard. She likes to be heard too,” Lukas said with a grin. “If I had a nickel for every time I heard Sarah screaming, ‘Please fuck me harder in the ass’ when I’ve been early to their house for dinner…”
Roman elbowed him in the chest. “Then you’d have five cents. That happened once.”
They laughed and began arguing about it while Cassandra’s face spun to Dominic’s, eyes wide. She didn’t want that. Didn’t want to be forced to do sexually intimate things in front of others. Where they could see. Hear. Would this give him ideas?
His hand came up to rub her shoulder. “Sarah likes to be watched in the same way that you like pain.”
Roman put his arm around his fiancee. “Oh yeah. Sarah likes a little pain, but not very much. Five straps with my belt and she’s done. Anything beyond that is just because I think she needs to be punished.”
Dominic winked at Cassandra. “See? Five straps for you isn’t even a warm up. I think if I stopped then you’d just get mad at me.”
“Oh.” Cassandra finally said. “Yeah, I don’t mind spankings, but I don’t like public displays.”
Sarah smiled kindly. “You don’t have to be nervous about tonight. Even without Dominic… fucking—” she blushed a little as she said the word “—you senseless here in the car, you’ll do just fine. I was nervous the first time Roman took me out too.”
Roman kissed her cheek. “You better hope there’s not an empty supply closet here, like there was then.”
If anything Sarah turned even more red. “Change the subject.”
“Shall we tell them the news, then?” Roman brought Sarah’s hand up to his and kissed it as she nodded, then he looked at his brothers. “We’re having a baby. Sarah’s pregnant.”
There were laughs and hoots and back-slapping. The baby would be here in seven months. Roman and Sarah were moving up the wedding, making it a much smaller family event rather than the big one they’d planned for this summer. Dominic broke out the champagne from the chiller and poured everyone a glass, Sarah choosing a bottle of water. They all drank to Sarah and the baby.
Sarah and Roman both were positively giddy. So in love with each other. And all three brothers were grinning ear to ear.
Cassandra had never felt more like a fraud. She wasn’t part of this family. She wasn’t part of any family. She never would be. And she would definitely never have a baby to celebrate.
She just needed to go back to Dominic’s house. Maybe he would just let her wait in the car until they were done. Her skin was starting to itch with nerves.
“I really will fuck you right here in front of my brothers and Sarah if I need to in order to get you to calm down,” Dominic said. “I’ll bounce you up and down on my big cock until you’re screaming as you come. Then I’ll turn you forward, so they can all see your face, and take you from behind. No, I’ll take you in the ass, until you’re begging me to have mercy on you. I’ll play with that clit until you come and come and come with them watching you. Watching your face as you call my name, as you beg for my cock further in your ass. Watching your face get red like it does as you’re close to the edge. They’ll see how you bite that bottom lip right before you roll those gorgeous eyes in the back of your head when you orgasm.”
Cassandra’s breath caught at his words, her heart beginning to thunder. In some ways she really, really wanted him to do it. To use her in that way that would make her feel so ashamed but so hot at the same time. It would make her forget.
“Look at me, Cassandra.”
Her breaths were coming out in little huffs, partially from her fear of tonight, partially from his words. Her eyes darted around his face, unable to force herself to keep his gaze. She could feel panic welling up within her.
“Eyes on me, right now, Cass.”
Cass.
The roaring in her ears subsided slightly. She looked at him.
His brown eyes became her entire world. “You will stay by my side the whole night. Do you understand? So close that at any point I stretch out my hand you will be there. You won’t leave to go to the bathroom, you won’t leave to get your own drink, or to look at any of the art. You will talk to the people I introduce you to, and otherwise you will stand next to me and be my stunning date. How much trouble can you possibly get in, or possibly get to you, if you are within a hand’s reach of me, your Master?”
Her Master. Right next
to him the whole night. The pressure that had been building up to a critical mass inside her chest eased. She nodded.
He kissed her on the forehead. “You won’t call me Master tonight, but you won’t call me Dominic either. You will call me Dom. Because that is what I am to you: your Dominant. Every time you call me Dom, we both will hear the word Master.”
“Yes, Dom.”
“Good girl.” He kissed her again. “I made a mistake not whipping your ass at the house tonight. But I just had to taste that pussy.”
“I loved that too… Dom,” she whispered.
“Next time, I’ll be sure to do both. I think a dozen swipes with the cane will be necessary any time before we go out to an event like this.”
Her breath hissed in. A dozen with a cane would be exceptionally painful, close to a limit even for her.
“That’s right. Your ass and thighs will be on fire. That way as tears sting your eyes every time you sit down, you’ll remember who you belong to. Who do you belong to?”
The rest of her settled. The feeling of jumping out of her own skin eased. She softened against him. “You, Master… Dom.”
“Arm’s reach, all night.”
Chapter Sixteen
She stayed glued to him just like he’d told her. For a second he really thought he was going to have to take her home. She’d been just a step away from a full-on panic attack in the limo.
He’d thought it was just some silly nervousness on her part about how she looked. But when threats to fuck her in front of his family hadn’t gotten through to her, Dominic had realized it was more. She was truly terrified.
Although about what, he still wasn’t exactly sure. Didn’t think she was sure either.
Telling her to stick by him had eased whatever panicked beast crawled within her. She needed to be reminded that he wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. Or let her do anything monumentally stupid. Demanding she stay within arm’s reach the entire night — where he wanted her to be anyway — had eased something in them both.
Dominic: A Triple Threat Novel Page 7