by Marian Tee
Misty slowly made her way to reception counter. The woman behind it smiled at her. “Good morning. How may I help you?”
Recalling Domenico’s earlier instructions, she stammered, “I’m, umm, here to see Mr. Filippo Cavalier.”
“Do you have an appointment, Miss---?”
She gave her name, adding, “I’m sent by Mr. Domenico Moretti to serve as his substitute secretary.” Misty did not miss the way the woman’s eyes widened at the mention of Domenico’s name. Bad or good? It was impossible to tell for now.
“One moment, please.” The receptionist made a call, murmuring something in a language she guessed was something that belonged to Lyccans alone. After ending the call, she looked back at Misty with a blank face. “Someone will be down shortly to accompany you.”
The woman excused herself right after.
Misty’s gaze followed her and she tried not to mind when the woman whispered something to her fellow receptionist, who then looked at her with wide eyes before whispering to the other woman next to her.
It was a cycle, and soon everyone – from employees to guests – was staring at Misty.
What had she done?
“Misty Wall?”
She whirled around to find a tall woman with long black hair and a stick-thin figure sheathed in a red dress looking at her in contempt.
Misty smiled uncertainly. “Hello, I’m---”
The other woman didn’t let her finish. “You’ve been sent by Domenico?”
This time, Misty really looked at her, noting the hard glint in the woman’s dark eyes and the supercilious curl of her lip. This woman was on first name basis with Domenico? She was very – for lack of a better word - aggressive. It was the first thing people would likely notice about her.
Her face was too hard and angular to be called pretty. A handsome woman, more like. An unbelievably sexy handsome woman, Misty amended to herself, taking note of the hourglass figure.
“Are you deaf?” the woman snapped.
Misty flushed. “I’m sorry. I, uhh, yes, I was sent by---”
The woman cut her off again. “Come with me then.”
They took the elevator to the penthouse floor, the woman sniffing at her throughout the brief journey. When they stepped past the glass doors leading to the expansive office inside, Misty tried not to mind how people here were still staring at her and, by the looks of it, sniffing at her, too.
Misty tucked her hair behind her ears, using it as a way of avoiding their gazes.
“Feeling self-conscious?” the woman asked snidely.
Instead of answering, she said, “I don’t think I caught your name---”
The other woman appeared livid at her question.
Misty cringed. “I’m sorry. I really didn’t catch it.”
“It’s Rebecca, but as far as you’re concerned you may call me Ms. Findley and that’s it. I don’t associate with women like you.”
Misty blinked. “Women like me?” She would have understood the contempt if she had been dressed in her usual clothes, but Misty knew she looked more than representable today. Mark’s taste in clothes was excellent, with an eye for both quality and fit. Her two-piece charcoal suit cost a fortune, and the bag and shoes Mark had also picked out for her were just as pricey.
Eyes boring through her, Rebecca hissed, “We all know you’re Domenico’s latest mistress.”
Four hours later, Misty locked herself in a restroom cubicle and pressed her fists to her eyes. This was hell.
She was not a secretary here. That woman – Rebecca – had made her the mail girl. It wasn’t that bad really, if only she wasn’t wearing three-inch heels (because she had wanted to make a good impression) and she didn’t have to visit each floor of the building to deliver and receive mail. It wouldn’t have been that bad if half of the people weren’t looking at her like she was the most despicable insect, wouldn’t have been that bad if the other half weren’t looking at her like she was a frog to be dissected.
She sighed.
Too bad her old mantra “I need my job” wouldn’t work in this case.
She so badly needed a mantra, but she couldn’t think of any at the moment.
With still forty-five minutes left for her lunch break, Misty climbed all the way to the rooftop, foregoing the elevator because she was less likely to bump into anyone by taking the stairs. One of the council’s employees had told her that the rooftop area was quite private, having caught sight of her red-rimmed eyes.
When she reached the rooftop, Misty knew right away it was perfect for her. Although it had only old benches scattered around, there were also dozens of trees and flowering plants growing from garden beds, which lent the place a serene atmosphere one usually wouldn’t find in the middle of Miami.
Misty stood at the corner, eyes closed, enjoying the breeze, and savoring the freedom from all those prying and contemptuous eyes.
“May I join you?”
Her eyes flew open and she stiffened when she saw a tall man in a suit looking at her curiously. He seemed close to her age, with hair that turned copper under the sun, fair skin, and laughing gray eyes. He was sensually gorgeous like Domenico, but it wasn’t the same. He couldn’t hold a candle to Domenico’s swoon-worthy looks as far as Misty was concerned.
She smiled politely. “Of course.”
Jayme Cavalier studied the woman everyone was saying was Domenico Moretti’s newest mistress. It could be true, considering how she had Moretti’s scent all over her. But her appearance shocked him. In spite of her impeccable clothes, she was still ordinary.
She didn’t seem Moretti’s taste at all, with her windswept hair, makeup-less face, and of course – who wouldn’t be able to notice those curves? He always saw the older Lyccan dating only stick-thin blondes so it behooved and intrigued him to find out exactly what attracted Moretti to the slip of a girl in front of him.
And of course, there was the fact that Misty Wall was human. She was the first of her kind that Domenico had introduced to Lyccan society. Most Lyccans saw humans as pets, worthy only of meaningless affairs. As far as Jayme knew, Moretti had never indulged in human relations until now. Could she be that good in bed?
“You look troubled,” he commented.
She didn’t speak, smart girl.
“Have the women been giving you a hard time because of the rumors about you and Moretti?”
She was visibly dismayed, which oddly discomfited him. “You heard about it, too?”
“Everyone knows about it by now,” he said awkwardly. “What exactly is your relationship with him if what the rumors are saying isn’t true?”
The woman bit her lip. “I don’t think I’m at liberty to say.”
Interesting, he thought. Was she truly loyal or was she just being practical?
Out loud, he said simply, “Then we won’t speak about it. How’s your day so far?”
“It’s been…enlightening.”
He grinned. “That bad, huh?”
She laughed.
And that was when he saw it. Lyccans were extremely sensitive creatures and when the woman laughed, it was then he sensed the beauty in her, something delicate and strong at the same time.
“I just….I don’t understand. Why are everyone here so interested in---” When she paused, Jayme knew it was because she almost referred to Domenico by his first name.
“Why do they care about what Mr. Moretti so much? I know he’s rich and powerful and all that, but so are a lot of people here.”
Jayme shook his head in amusement. She didn’t know that Moretti was expected to be one of the leaders of the Lyccan Council one day? That many believed he would be the one royal born destined to lead all other pack leaders under his command?
“He’s just very well-respected,” he said finally and changed the subject. “Did Moretti send you to work in the mail department?”
“No. I was supposed to be a substitute secretary.”
“Then why are you…?”
; “I didn’t think it was worth the trouble, demanding a change of job. Besides, Domenico told me I should understand how…things worked here and I could do that more if I’m not chained to a desk.”
Jayme was impressed more and more. She really was smart.
He said slowly, “But…you know, you should make an effort to really get to know people. Observation can only go so far.” He couldn’t believe he was saying all these things. He was typically self-centered and proud of it. So why was he concerned about this girl all of a sudden?
The woman’s shoulders slumped. “I know. But I’m not that good at getting to know people---”
He stood up. “It’s up to you, of course. But you seemed to want to do what Moretti instructed you so…” Jayme trailed off.
She stood up, too. “You’re right,” she sighed out. A dimpled smile suddenly appeared on her face, one that entranced him because it was so refreshingly unspoiled. No artificial ingredients. 100% natural.
Misty beamed at him. “Thanks for helping.” She offered her hand, saying shyly, “I’m Misty, by the way.”
Jayme took it, and with just one touch he knew. It was like that for Lyccan. Just a sniff of a woman’s scent, a touch of her skin – just one of that was more than enough to know whether sexual chemistry would be present or not. And between him and Misty, it would be explosive.
“Thank you again,” she said, still smiling. “I’ll leave first. I have work to do, like you said.” She waved cheerfully before walking away.
For a long time, Jayme simply stood there, staring without seeing.
Ah well.
It was decided then.
He was going to steal her from Moretti.
~~~~
Across the street, on the rooftop area of another building, Domenico Moretti observed the entire scene between Misty and the heir to the Cavalier clan. Jayme rarely visited the Lyccan Hall, preferring not to have a hand in Lyccan politics, but Domenico had known there was a chance the younger man would come today to visit his father and he had gambled on that chance.
He wanted Jayme on his side when he presented his proposal to the council for voting, but Domenico also knew that Jayme would never have voted for him as a rule. Or at least he wouldn’t unless Misty entered the picture – and which she had.
Domenico knew just how irresistible Misty could be and as he had predicted, she had enslaved Jayme Cavalier and without even knowing it.
“You are not worried the younger boy will steal her from you?” Matteo asked. Although non-Lyccans simply saw the other man as Domenico’s personal chauffeur and bodyguard, Matteo was more than that. He was Domenico’s second-in-command, his oldest best friend, and the son of his father’s retainer. Matteo might not have royal blood, but the years he had devoted to serving Domenico gave him a unique right and privilege to speak honestly with him.
Shrugging, he ignored the niggle of doubt treacherously crawling along his spine and said with feigned blandness, “Everything is according to plan. There is nothing for me to worry about.”
“He is smitten with her, perhaps too much than you bargained,” Matteo continued.
Domenico’s fists clenched.
So perhaps he was just the slightest bit apprehensive. And jealous.
But the fact remained: he needed Cavalier’s vote.
“I have nothing to worry about,” he finally said and changed the subject. “Let’s leave.”
Matteo gave him one telling look before bowing. “As you wish, Your Highness.”
Twenty minutes later, on his way to one of the scores of meetings he had to attend each day, Domenico called Misty on her mobile phone. It was not because he was worried, he told himself swiftly. It was only because he wanted to, well, make sure she was --- the same.
That Jayme Cavalier had not messed things up.
Because if he had, Domenico would---
“Domenico?”
He relaxed slightly at the sound of eagerness in Misty’s voice. Smiling, he answered softly, “Si.”
“H-hi,” Misty stammered over the phone.
“You’re okay?”
“Absolutely.”
There had been a note of hesitation in her voice. What could he make of that? He said on impulse, “I’ll pick you up later.”
“No!”
His narrowed. “Why not?”
Her voice lowering, she said, “People here don’t know---”
“That you’re mine?” he ended silkily, wondering if she was hesitating because she was thinking of Jayme Cavalier.
“Yes.” The relief in her voice was obvious, and it incensed him. “And honestly, I don’t want the same thing in our office to happen here. So I thought, keep a low profile…can I meet you at the house instead?”
Domenico decided to give Misty a chance. If she failed this early then she was not meant to be his bride. But dammit, she better not fail.
“Yes,” he said. “We’ll meet at home. My home.”
But if she failed---
If she failed then Domenico make love to her the entire night until she was permanently branded by his scent and she’d never forget who she belonged to ever again.
Chapter Seven
Dear Diary,
There’s something about Rebecca Findley that bothers me. She keeps talking about Domenico when I’m around. She keeps dropping hints that I don’t want to read too much into. If I do, I don’t know what would happen. I don’t want to think Domenico making love to any woman but me. I know it’s silly, he’s anything but a virgin, but I can’t help it. I want him to be mine alone.
I hate the thought of Domenico with another woman. Hate it so much that sometimes when I see women staring at him, I have this urge to show them just how much he loves my touch. I want to have his cock inside his mouth, want to hear him gasp in pleasure as I suck him dry. I want them to know that only I can do that to him.
It was only thirty minutes before midnight when she got to Domenico’s home. Rebecca had made her work overtime and by then, Misty was simply too tired to argue. Domenico had demanded an explanation over the phone and she said a little white lie about wanting to make a good impression.
She managed a smile for the butler, who smiled back kindly and said, “We have dinner waiting for you.”
“Oh.” She was too tired to eat but didn’t think it was polite to refuse. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
And then she heard voices.
No way.
She rushed inside, heart in her throat.
It was true.
Tears rushed to her eyes.
“Misty, you’re back!” Andy crowed, rushing to her.
She laughed, her exhaustion swept away at the sight of her family crowding Domenico’s living room. She had never seen them so happy and at ease. Her eyes met Domenico, who was dressed casually in shirt and jeans but managing to look a million dollars all the same in it. He smiled at her. It said everything.
Misty was crying when she tucked Andy in his bed – his own bed. She couldn’t believe how Domenico had managed in one night to prepare separate bedrooms for her siblings, designed even to suit their different personalities. Nicole, for instance, had a mini library in her room. Even Dylan had his own room, a nursery decorated in shades of blue and adjoined to her own room.
Misty heard a knock around midnight from the balcony doors. Hurrying to open it, Misty let Domenico in, who shook his head at her. “The things you make me do,” he murmured with the faintest exasperation.
She smiled sheepishly. “I’m sorry?”
“Creeping in my own home…”
“I don’t want to set a bad example,” she protested.
“Having to go through the balcony…”
“But it was because I didn’t want to risk having them see or hear you knock on my room or something.” She looked up at Domenico with a look that he found irresistible. “Sorry.”
His eyes narrowed. “That’s not enough.”
“It’s not?”
�
��I want you to make it up in another way.”
All of a sudden, Misty became extremely conscious that she and Domenico were alone again – and they were in close proximity to the bed.
They looked at each other.
No words were needed after that. Clothes were strewn around the room as their lips fused, Misty gasping when she felt Domenico’s hard body against hers.
“Make love to me,” she begged as he took her nipple into his mouth.
He bit it gently, making her whimper.
“No. Just a few more days and then I’ll make love to you so much you’ll be complaining.” Before she could protest, his mouth moved to her other breast, his hand kneading and cupping it before feeding the nipple to him like an offering.
She moaned, unable to help it.
He lifted her in his arms and Misty immediately wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling his head tightly against her. Her nipple still in his mouth, Domenico navigated his way to her bed until he could lay her down. He automatically covered her bed with his.
“I want to please you again,” she whispered.
“You always do.”
She shook her head and, ignoring her shyness with an effort, she took hold of his face to make Domenico look up to her. “I want to make you come once more.”
An idea occurring to him, Domenico asked throatily, “How much do you want it?”
“I haven’t wanted anything as badly.”
The words inflamed him, and it took his entire willpower not to ram into her and possess Misty once and for all. Flipping her around and rolling to his back in one move, he settled Misty over his body, his head between her thighs and hers between his.
Misty stiffened. “What---”
He pulled her cunt down to him, shoving his tongue inside her.
She screamed.
“Sssh,” he said as he took out his tongue, savoring her taste. “Your siblings might hear.”
Misty stiffened again when he licked her folds slowly. “I d-don’t think I can keep quiet.”
His laughter vibrated against her cunt, making her arch again over him, and forcing Domenico to hold Misty by the hips to keep her still. “You can if you suck my cock.”