He threw her face down on the bed and Noosh wriggled as he pulled her wrists behind her back. She felt him wind something around them.
“Do you want it harder, pretty girl?”
She nodded, and he tightened the knot, making her shoulders burn. The thrill of being totally under his control was heightened as he slipped her onto her back and stood over her, his cock so hard she could see it bobbing under its own weight. “I want to taste you. May I suck you, sir?”
Christo nodded, and she took him into her mouth, curving up her body to meet him. He placed his hands on her shoulders, supporting her as she pleasured him and when he was close, he pulled out and came on her belly. Excitement zipped through Noosh’s body as he pushed her back and massaged his seed into her skin. He covered her body with his, using his weight to push down, making her shoulders ache, but Noosh didn’t care. The way he was looking at her took away any sting from the pain, turning it into the sweetest pleasure.
“Open your legs, pretty baby.”
She did, wrapping them around his waist, and he thrust his cock deep inside her, kissing her so passionately she tasted blood as her teeth cut her skin. It added to the danger of it all, and yet she had never felt more loved.
Christo fucked her hard and fast, coming inside her and withdrawing so she felt his seed spilling down her thighs. He disappeared for a moment, coming back with a crop. He gently stroked the end along her skin. “Where do you want this, baby? Thighs?”
She nodded, and he swatted at her, testing her tolerance. “Harder?”
“Yes, yes…”
He brought the crop down on the soft flesh of her inner thigh, and she gasped at the sting but smiled at him. “Would you strike my belly, sir?”
Christo grinned and swept the crop across her belly, leaving a pink stripe. Noosh groaned, the pain so sweet as he struck her again, leaving a crisscross pattern on her skin. “Yes, yes…” she moaned, and he brought the crop down hard on her breasts, making her nipples sing out with exquisite agony. Christo flipped her onto her stomach and whipped her buttocks, responding to Noosh’s urging to hit her harder.
Finally, as Noosh gasped, he dropped the crop and covered her body with his. “I’m going to fuck you from behind now, beautiful.”
Her cunt was dripping wet as he pushed into her, his cock swollen so hard it was almost painful. He bit down on her shoulder as he fucked her, murmuring all the while. Telling her what he’d like to do to her, making her moan with desire. When she came, it was an explosion of ecstasy that made her head whirl.
She felt Christo release her hands and, turning her, he gathered her in his arms. His eyes were concerned. “Are you okay?”
Noosh gave a little laugh. “More than okay, baby. God, that was intense.”
His furrowed brow eased. “I’m glad, really glad. Thank you for being my partner in this.”
Noosh brushed her lips against his. “I’m a more than willing partner. The dominance you had over my body…incredible.”
“Are you sore?”
Noosh debated. “A little, but it’s a good ache. You were holding back, though, weren’t you?”
Christo nodded. “For your first time. It can get quite dark, quite intense, and I never want to put you in a position where you’re frightened.” He traced her scars with his finger. “I never want you to be scared again.”
Noosh gazed up at him, knowing she could never be scared of this man. She brushed her finger tips along his dark lashes. “I would try anything with you…except for maybe anything where I can’t breathe, or knife play. Nothing with blood.”
Christo frowned. “That’s not something I’m into, Noosh. I’m not going to put you at any risk, I swear to God. I couldn’t live with myself if I hurt you. I couldn’t live without you now.”
His tender words made tears swell in her eyes, and she began to cry, waving away his concern, smiling through her tears. “Happy tears, I promise.”
He crushed his lips against hers. “I’m in too deep, Noosh. Too deep.”
“Me too, baby. Me too.”
Okay, so it wasn’t ‘I love you,’ but it felt right to say now, even this early in their relationship. But Noosh knew, without a single doubt, that this man was her future. She wanted to spend every minute with him, travel the world, discover new things. He gave her so much confidence that Noosh felt she couldn’t hope to reciprocate enough, but Christo seemed to delight in being with her, and that was enough for her.
They made love again, slowly this time, gazes locked, hands caressing each other, until they were exhausted. They fell asleep wrapped around each other as the late morning breeze drifted gently over their hot bodies.
This was different from the nightmares she had been having since the shooting. In those ones, her shooter was a faceless figure, his gun oversized, and she always woke before he pulled the trigger.
In this dream, there was no doubt who was coming for her. Destry. And he was chasing her through the cold, barren halls of a great house. No matter how fast she ran, he was always one step behind her. She was screaming for Christo, but he was nowhere to be found at first, then just as Destry grabbed her, she saw him.
Tied to a chair, beaten, bloody. Destry pulled her back from him as she lunged for her stricken lover. Christo looked up, and she saw tears falling down his cheeks.
“I always knew,” he whispered, “I always knew he’d take you away from me.”
She reached for Christo as Destry plunged a knife into her belly again and again…
Noosh sat up, breathing hard. God, what a dream to have now. Christo woke and was immediately by her side. “Are you alright?”
“Bad dream, is all,” she said, trying to smile. Her back ached, and her skin felt like it was on fire. She dragged a couple of deep breaths into her lungs, trying to stop her heart from beating so hard. Christo stroked her face, his gaze intense.
“Is it him? The man who shot you?”
She nodded; there was no reason to lie. “I’ve been having these nightmares ever since. Usually, it’s just a replay of that night, but this one…you were there, and you told me you always knew he would take me away from you. Then he stabbed me to death in front of you.”
“Jesus.” Christo ran his hand through his curls, looking distressed. He pulled her into his arms. “No one will ever take you away from me. The only way I’ll let you go is if you, and only you, ask me to let you go.”
She rested her head against his shoulder, kissed his jaw. “I’ll never say those words to you. Never.”
His tension eased a little, and he smiled down at her. “You and me from now on.”
“You and me,” Noosh agreed, “always. Always.”
Chapter Fourteen
Christo smiled over at her in the car as they drove back into Manhattan. “You have a sulky face.”
Noosh grinned. “Just thinking about our little piece of heaven. That week went too quickly.”
He touched her cheek. “Say the word and we’ll go there forever. Italy has radio stations too.”
“So tempting.” She sighed. “But I still owe Ally so much, and I need to fulfill my obligation to her. She’s really helped me so much, and she’s become like a big sister to me. I can’t just up and leave.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Ask me again in a year.”
Christo grinned. “Don’t think I won’t.”
She chuckled as he pulled the car into the parking garage of his building. “I’m getting way too used to living in luxury.”
“No more than you deserve.”
“Well, you see? I need to make my own money so we can have some kind of parity. Some kind,” she added when he rolled his eyes. “I know I can’t compete with Mr. Moneybags, but I need to contribute. I’m no gold-digger.”
“I know that,” Christo said as they got out of the car and walked to the elevator. They kissed on the way up to his penthouse apartment and were fooling around, teasing each other, as the elevator doors opened.
Christ
o stepped out and stopped. Noosh moved around to his side, confused, and then she saw him. The older man who looked so much like Christo he could only be his father. Fogliano Montecito nodded politely to her and then turned his attention to his stony-faced son.
“Christofalo. I’ve come to talk to you.”
“Then you wasted a journey,” Christo said coldly. He squeezed Noosh’s hand. “As you can see, I’m with my partner, and I have no wish to hear anything you say. Goodnight.”
“Please, son.” His father’s voice quivered with real emotion, and Noosh was taken aback to see tears in the older man’s eyes. “I have come to make peace with you – and your lovely companion. Hello, Miss Taylor. Your beauty has not been exaggerated.”
Noosh looked with uncertainty at Christo, then spoke. “Hello, Mr. Montecito.”
“No, no, Noosh, it’s Don Montecito, don’t forget. Sweetheart, will you go inside while I deal with Don Montecito?”
She nodded, but before going into the apartment, she looked back at him. “If you need me, I’m right here.”
She heard Fogliano speak before she closed the door. “Your lady is lovely, son.”
She closed the door and moved away, wanting to give them privacy. Their idyllic vacation seemed a million miles away now. Reality crashes in, she thought, and went to shower.
Christo waited for his father to speak. Fogliano studied his son. “You look well.”
“I am.”
Fogliano sighed. “Look, Christofalo, there is no way other than this, to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry for my behavior, for striking you.”
“For humiliating me?”
“Of course. Son… I reacted badly to something that was out of my control – it is a failing, I know, and I have no explanation.”
“Your anger issues are longstanding, Dad. Mom knew that.”
Fogliano’s face shut down. “Let’s not bring your mother into this.”
“Why not? You beat her too.”
Christo could see his father’s anger roiling beneath the surface, and he was glad. He was deliberately goading Fogliano now, wanting to prove his father hadn’t changed one little bit.
To his credit, Fogliano kept his cool. “Christo, whatever my past mistakes, I am trying to settle things between us.”
“You’ve apologized. Things are settled. Now we need never see each other again.”
“That’s not what I want.” Fogliano looked towards Christo’s apartment. “From what I have seen, what I have heard…I might soon have a daughter-in-law whom I would like to know.”
“From what you’ve ‘seen and heard?’ So you’re spying on us, on Noosh? Great way to build fences, Dad.” Christo’s laugh was humorless, and he turned away from his father.
Fogliano stopped him, a hand on his arm. “I will go now, but remember…if you need me…”
Christo shook his father’s hand off. “We won’t. Goodbye, Dad.”
Christo went inside the apartment and closed the door in his father’s face. For a long moment, he stood in the dark hallway, breathing deeply, letting his temper calm. He closed his eyes and wondered why his father still had this power over him, to make him feel like a kid, a naughty child, instead of a man. He knew his father of old; there was no way he was making these overtures without a motive. And the fact that Noosh was now on his radar made Christo feel sick. His father would have no qualms about using Noosh to get to Christo, and with Noosh’s sweet nature…
“Baby?”
At the sound of her voice, he opened her eyes. She looked at him uncertainly. “Are you okay?”
He opened his mouth to say yes, but he couldn’t lie to her, and just shook his head. Noosh came to him and pulled his head onto her shoulder, cradling it, pressing her lips against his forehead. “It’s okay,” she whispered, “it’s okay, baby. I’m here.”
Christo knew at that moment that he was deeply in love with her, and that nothing, nothing, would ever come between them.
But, of course, he was wrong.
Chapter Fifteen
It began the morning Noosh returned to work after her vacation. Held up by Liam at reception, who wanted to know every detail of her ‘sex-a-thon’ (Liam’s description, but she couldn’t disagree), she finally managed to make it upstairs to her office. In the elevator up, she closed her eyes, remembering making love with Christo that morning, waking up next to him. His mouth on her lips, then on her breasts, her belly, and finally closing over her clit. He’d brought her to the point of orgasm before slamming his huge cock deep into her. Her cunt, her thighs still ached from the pounding of his lovemaking. Noosh bit her lip, trying not to moan aloud at the memory.
She was still smiling when she pushed her way into her office and dumped her bag on her desk. Allison poked her head out of her own office, smiling at her. “Hey, good morning. Great to see you. Have you got a moment for me?”
Noosh grinned at her. “Sure thing, boss, I’ve missed you.”
She walked into Ally’s office…and her smile disappeared. Her body went cold, and every instinct told her to run.
Destry Papps stood in Allison’s office. “Miss Marsh, how good to meet you. Allison has been singing your praises.” And he leaned forward to shake her hand, this man, this man who had stalked, raped, beaten, and shot her – he smiled at her as if he was, for all the world, a stranger to her, and not her worst nightmare come true.
Noosh felt numb as the three of them sat in the office, discussing the upcoming interview.
Noosh realized she’d been kidding herself, thinking that anything could have kept her safe from Destry. Lying low, trying to act non-threatening – not even the notoriety associated with Christo’s last name would keep Destry from her. But still, what could she have done differently these last few months?
She still didn’t think the police would help her. Hell, they’d been investigating the shooting and hadn’t gotten any answers – for all she knew they had already figure out it was Destry and weren’t going to do a damn thing about it.
She should have run away again? No. Even if she ended up dead at the end of this, at least she had gotten the opportunity to spend this time with Christo – she couldn’t regret that.
Allison didn’t notice the tension between Noosh and Destry, or if she did, she was obviously putting it down to Noosh’s apprehension about working with the politician.
So Noosh went along with discussing the interview. She could feel Destry’s eyes on her, but she barely glanced in his direction, letting Ally take the lead.
“I think this will be great for your campaign, great for the station. Look, why don’t I run and get Seth? He’ll want to see you, Senator. Noosh, why don’t you run through dates with the Senator and narrow down some windows where we can record the interview?”
No, don’t leave me alone with him… But Allison was already out of the door, closing it behind her. Noosh didn’t look at Destry.
“You’re even more beautiful than I remember.”
“Go fuck yourself,” Noosh shot back, and Destry laughed.
“I’d much rather fuck you, Anoushka, and in fact, before long, I’ll get to do just that.”
Noosh gritted her teeth and looked at him. Destry wore a supercilious smile, arrogant, utterly certain. “You’ll never touch me again, Papps. Ever.”
“Oh, I don’t think that’s true. Before long, my cock will be inside your heavenly cunt again, Anoushka, and I will fuck every memory of that criminal you’re screwing out of your pretty head.”
“Christo isn’t a criminal, and I’d rather be dead. But of course, you’ve already tried that, haven’t you?”
Destry laughed. “I have to admit, putting that lead in your belly was almost as much of a turn on as fucking you. But you lived.” His smile disappeared. “Or should I say, you’ll get to live as long as I decide to bestow life on you, Anoushka. You belong to me, and you need reminding of that fact.”
Noosh’s eye narrowed, his threats merely making her angry. “What’s t
o stop me from going to the press about you? From telling everyone that you shot me – after you had raped me on multiple occasions? Where would your campaign be then, Senator?”
He moved so quickly that she had no time to react. He trapped her in the cage of his arms, and she struggled to get away from him. Destry kissed her neck, her cheek before his lips went to her ear. “My campaign would be over. But remember this, Anoushka, you’d be dead.”
Noosh felt something cold and hard press into her belly. Something sharp. A knife. God.
Destry laughed. “That’s right, my darling, I’ll gut you without even thinking about it. When you’re living with me permanently, by my side, I want you to know that this knife will always be at hand, that I’ll kill you whenever it takes my fancy. I’d rather go to prison for life than let you live without me.”
He released her, and she skittered away from him, her eyes wide with horror, anger, and terror. Destry smiled his too-white smile at her. “I’ll leave you alone for now, Anoushka, but I’ll be in touch with instructions soon. Believe me, my darling, you’ll follow them.”
Noosh couldn’t speak. Was this really happening?
Allison returned then, with Seth at her side, and they and Destry began to talk schedules. Noosh stayed silent. What the fuck was she going to do?
Tell Christo.
She closed her eyes. No. She couldn’t, she didn’t want to drag him into this, drag him into something where he could get hurt. But she didn’t know who else to turn to. But given his history with Destry…what was his history? She needed to know before she asked him for help.
Later, at dinner, she asked him. Christo looked surprised. “Why do you ask?”
“The dirt bag was at the office today, sucking up to Ally and Seth. He’s obsequious and I realized I never asked you what your actual history with him was.”
Christo nodded. “Before I tell you, he didn’t upset you, did he? Because if he did, I’ll fucking kill him.”
No Promises: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance Page 9