by Renee Rose
“Enjoy.” Alexei gave her another slap and walked out.
He guided the girl to sit in a chair and pressed a bottle of water from the portable bar in her hand.
She looked at it for a long moment, as if she’d never seen one before, but then brought it to her lips with a shaking hand. The green-yellow hue of an old bruise stood out on her cheekbone.
When the other players departed, Vince turned to him. “What the fuck are you going to do with her? I mean, really kid?”
“Vinny, you call me kid again and I’ll knock your fucking teeth out and shove them up your ass.” He was the guy’s boss, whether he was 20 years younger than him or not. He deserved a little respect.
Vinny’s lip curled, but he shrugged. “Sorry, Carlo. No offense intended.”
“I’m not going to keep the girl, coglione. Do you two think I’m going to sit around and let some girl get sold into a lifetime of slavery at my game? What the hell is wrong with you? Women don’t sign up for this shit. She’s been kidnapped and repeatedly raped and obviously knocked around.”
Vince looked doubtful. “She looks like a junkie.”
“No shit.” He threw his hands in the air, never able to break himself of the cultural habit of gesturing while speaking. “That’s how they keep her pliant.”
Vince and Sonny both looked sober, either pretending to understand or actually getting it now. “So what are you going to do with her?” Sonny asked.
He picked up his phone and scrolled through for the cop’s phone number. “I’m going to call that cop who showed up at the game last week. This is what he’s trying to bust up,” he said, circling his finger toward the girl.
“We’ll take care of things here, if you want to take care of the girl.” Sonny was a good right-hand man. Loyal, eager-to-please. Not always the best decision maker, but that might come with time.
“Thank you.” He picked up the briefcase of money and paid out the two guys, leaving a stack of money for them to payout the rest of the crew for the night.
Grasping the girl’s elbow, he helped her to her feet. “Okay, hon, let’s get you out of here. Do you speak English?”
She swung her unfocused gaze to his face and stumbled as he led her to the door, looking terrified. She might not speak English and she might be drugged, but she understood she’d been sold.
And he had no way to tell her she was safe.
* * *
Carlo offered to take her to breakfast. For the first time since Summer moved in a week ago, he hadn’t been interested in sex the night before. He’d come home from whatever work he’d been doing the night before and had shut down.
She’d waited up for him, and had thrown her arms around his neck, offering up a kiss, but he’d given her a perfunctory peck and disentangled himself from her.
“Is everything okay?”
“It’s fine, Bambi. Go to bed, I’ll be in in a minute.”
She’d gone to the bedroom and stripped down to her panties, waiting, but he hadn’t come in. Instead, she’d heard the television go on.
She was pathetic, because it hurt her feelings way more than it should have. They didn’t have to have sex every night. He might be tired. Or stressed out. Just because he’d spent hours giving her mind-blowing orgasms the rest of the week, didn’t mean he always would. Or was this the end of their little fling? Maybe he’d grown bored already.
But he must’ve noticed her tension this morning, because the invite to breakfast seemed like he was trying to make something up to her. She threw on a little sundress and let him lead her out to his car.
When she settled in the passenger seat the scent of cheap perfume assaulted her senses. Her head spun as Carlo got in and started driving. With a sick lurch, the pieces of the puzzle rearranged themselves and fell into place. He hadn’t wanted to have sex last night because he’d already had it. He was no different from John, or any other cheating bastard. Not that they’d ever had a discussion about exclusivity, but mother of God, she was staying at his apartment!
“Pull over.” She gripped the door handle.
“What? Why?”
“Pull over the car, right now.” She started to open the car door and he swerved to the curb.
“Summer, what—?”
She jumped out before the car stopped rolling, not shutting the door behind her.
She heard the slam of a door and heavy footsteps behind her as Carlo flew out in hot pursuit. “Summer, what in the hell is going on?” He jogged to keep up with her, catching her elbow.
She shook him off, baring her teeth. “Don’t touch me.”
He continued jogging beside her, holding his palms up. “I’m not touching. Just tell me what’s going on.”
She cocked her arm and slapped his face as hard as she could, just before tears spilled from her eyes.
Before she turned away, she saw deep concern on his face. But then, if he was a player, he’d be very good at playing, wouldn’t he?
He caught her around the waist and pulled her back against his front.
She struggled against his hold, but his forearm was like steel.
“Hey.” His voice was soft in her ear. “I’m not going to hurt you, but I’m sure as hell not going to let you run away without at least telling me why you’re upset.”
“Who was she?”
He went still, confirming her worst fears.
“Oh God,” she croaked, hot tears streaming down her face.
“No, baby, no. You’ve got it all wrong. Something happened last night and I will tell you all about it. But not out here. At home. Or at least in the car.”
“I’m not getting in that car with you.”
“Summer, please. The truth will not hurt you, I swear. I would never cheat on you. Not ever.”
Her breath rasped in her chest. Not ever. The place inside her solar plexus that had been vibrating like a frantic moth caught in a lampshade eased. He did consider them exclusive, and he swore he would never cheat. And Carlo had honor. Or at least she thought he did. But then again, how much did she know about him?
“Your car smells like perfume.”
Carlo blew out his breath. “I’m sure it does. And there’s an explanation. Do you want to hear it?”
She did, actually, but she also wanted to hold her ground. This wasn’t the time to let Carlo boss her around.
“She was a Russian sex slave being held against her will. I don’t know her name. I took her somewhere safe. Now, can we please get in the car? I really don’t want to be talking about this out here.”
She slumped back against his body, all the fight leaving her. Her legs wobbled.
“I’m sorry you thought something happened, bambina, but I’m not that guy. I’m not going to fuck around on you. Not ever.”
He turned her around to face him. “Look at me.” Cradling her face in both hands he locked eyes with her. “You’re my girl. I’m not going to do anything to mess that up.”
She sniffed as he thumbed away her tears.
“Get in the car and I’ll explain everything—if you want me to, that is.”
She snuffled some more and allowed herself to be led back to the car, where her door still stood ajar. “I want you to.” She climbed in and let him shut the door.
When he got behind the wheel, he said, “I didn’t do anything illegal, so telling you won’t make you an accessory. Even so, the less you know, the safer you are.”
“I need to know.”
“I run a gambling table every Friday night. Okay, that part’s not legal. It’s high stakes. One of my customers is Russian mafiya. He borrowed funds last night and offered this girl up to settle his debt.”
She gaped at him, trying to comprehend what he was telling her. “So... you ended up with a Russian sex slave?”
“Right.”
A sick feeling formed in her stomach. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the rest of the story. She really had no idea what kind of business her father and Carlo ran. Would they ha
ve use for such a girl? Carlo had said the truth wouldn’t hurt her, but that just meant he hadn’t used the girl himself.
“A cop had been by a few weeks earlier, trying to get in on my game. When I questioned him, he told me he was after this Russian, to break open the slave ring. So I called him. Brought her to a meeting place so she could be questioned and taken care of.”
Fresh tears smarted her eyes, but this time they were for the poor girl who Carlo had rescued, and for her man, who had more honor than she gave him credit for. Her role as mafia princess had always been to turn a blind eye, ask nothing, see nothing. Accept the wealth that came from her father’s dealings.
Getting involved with Carlo had made her question whether she could continue doing so for the rest of her life. To willingly choose to go on, knowing her man dealt in the shadowy side of business. Hearing he was as much a hero in his business dealings as he was in her personal life came as a relief.
She shook her head. “I’m sorry I assumed the worst. It’s just—you didn’t want to have sex with me when you came home last night. And then when I smelled the perfume…”
“Summer, this girl was in bad shape. She had track marks running up both arms, like they kept her constantly drugged, and—” he broke off, looking sickened.
“What?” Her voice came out as no more than a croak.
He pressed his lips together, his nostrils flaring.
“Carlo, what?”
He shook his head. “She was barely dressed. She had on this little teddy and a G-string, and her ass and the backs of her legs were all marked up.”
Her stomach twisted as she suddenly understood where his thoughts were headed.
“Carlo, that’s different.”
He started the car and pulled out into traffic, as if he didn’t want to talk about it anymore.
“Carlo, are you telling me you couldn’t have sex with me last night because…” She struggled for the right words. “We’re different. You know that, right?”
A furrow deepened between his brows as he watched the traffic with more intent than necessary.
“Carlo?”
He rubbed the back of his neck, still not looking at her.
“You don’t think—” She gave an exasperated sigh. “Carlo, she also had sex forced on her, do you think every guy who has sex is wrong, too?”
Carlo’s eyebrows shot up and he finally glanced over. Something in the set of his shoulders eased. “God, it just... disturbed me.”
“Well, of course it did. It disturbs me just hearing about it.” She reached out and touched his knee. “Please tell me you’re not going to shut off the dominance now because you saw belt marks on some girl’s ass.”
One corner of his lips lifted and his eyes slid to hers. “It would be a shame to never spank your little ass again, wouldn’t it?”
She squirmed in her seat, her temperature rising.
“What did I tell you would happen if you slapped me again?”
Her pulse kicked up another notch, heat pooling between her legs. “You said you’d put a plug in my ass and stand me in a corner.”
A smile twisted on his lips. “You paid attention.” He sounded pleased.
“I’m sorry I slapped you.”
“Look, you have bad history that way, so you jumped to a conclusion, but I meant it when I said I’m not that guy. Do you believe me?”
“Yes, sir.”
The corner of his mouth lifted again at the sir.
“Don’t ever run off again without giving me a chance to explain myself.”
“I’m sorry.”
He turned and gave her a stern look. “And don’t you ever open the door on a moving car again.”
She shrank in her seat. “I won’t.”
When he fell silent, she stole a glance at him, grateful for the man who held her entire world together. “Are you going to punish me?”
The little smile returned. “What do you think?”
* * *
Carlo had Summer naked across his lap on the sofa. He was fully clothed, the way he liked it for a power exchange scene. He hadn’t touched her yet, but her pussy already glistened with dew simply from the act of baring herself for him.
He stroked the curves of her muscular ass, down her long, shapely thighs. Fucking gorgeous. Drawing his hand back, he landed a smack on the lower portion of her right cheek.
Her shoulders tensed, but she held still for him.
Such a good girl. She’d gone soft and sweet on him from the moment he’d promised a punishment in the car, and brunch had consisted of moony looks from under her lashes and more attempts to get him to share his personal preferences for everything from nuts or no nuts in cookies (nuts, definitely) to favorite vacation locale (mountains, not beach).
He smacked the other cheek, then rubbed the sting away. Warming her up slowly, he slapped and stroked until her bottom turned an enchanting shade of blush. Only then did he increase the intensity, spanking her harder and picking up the tempo.
She clenched her butt muscles and made little gasping noises that made his already stiffened cock go rock hard. The gasps turned into grunts and little cries. He wasn’t giving her time to assimilate the pain, so it would quickly overwhelm her senses. Sure enough, her hand came flailing back, trying to cover. He caught her wrist and pinned it behind her back, continuing to beat a steady rhythm on her rapidly reddening behind.
Summer looked back in alarm. “Carlo, I’m sorry!”
“You were a naughty girl, tesoro mio, and now your bottom must pay the price.”
She wriggled as if trying to dodge his hand. “Please!”
He had no intention of stopping, because the wriggling and the begging was just part of the game. He could spank her to tears and she’d still be dripping wet for him. Summer was wired as a true submissive, her masochism a complement to her dance career.
She was a perfect complement to him. Satisfaction surged with each crack of flesh against flesh, the sting of his palm and the bounce of her cheeks fueling his lust.
“I will not tolerate your fits, bambina.” Her bottom bobbed under his hand. “If you have a problem with me, you figure out a way to talk to me about it. Respectfully.”
“Ouch, Carlo—I’m sorry!”
He didn’t stop until she had collapsed, whimpering over his legs, her bottom hot and swollen from his handprints. Her body trembled. He ran a hand up her sleek, muscled back.
Her breath came in shaky sobs, but her eyes were dry.
He smoothed the hair away from her face.
She looked back at him, her lower lip trembling, a question on her face.
Leaning over, he kissed her temple and some of the tension left her body. She could probably take any amount of pain with enough positive encouragement. But he had modulated how much soothing he gave her because he wanted her to remember the punishment, not just the pleasure that would come afterward.
“Reach back and pull open your naughty cheeks.”
“What? Carlo, no,” she whined.
He slapped the back of her legs, right and left. “The only correct answer is yes, sir.” He popped her twice more when she still didn’t move.
“Yes, sir!” She made a whimpering sound, but reached back and gripped her reddened cheeks, gingerly pulling them open.
“Good girl.” He picked up the lube he’d placed on the table beside him and squeezed a dollop out onto her little rosette.
She jumped.
Picking up the stainless steel plug, he rubbed the rounded tip at her pussy’s entrance. She spread her thighs and lifted her ass. “You’re so wet. You’d like me to fuck your pussy with this plug, wouldn’t you?” He did just that, pushing the large object into her dripping canal.
She humped his lap, trying to get more.
Abruptly, he pulled it out and positioned it at her back hole. “When you’re naughty, Summer, you’ll experience my displeasure. I’ll make your bottom red and sore before I take it with my cock.”
; “Oh God,” she warbled, sounding both fearful and turned on.
Her inner thighs trembled and her breath came in little pants.
“Take it, naughty girl.” He pushed past her tight ring of muscles, gaining entrance.
“Oh... whew. Ughn.”
He loved her noises. Easing the plug in further, he pressed it in and retreated, gradually stretching her tight hole until he worked the widest part of the plug into her and it seated.
“Ahhh.”
“That’s right, bambina. Your ass belongs to me, now.” He gave her bottom a few light slaps and helped her off his lap and onto her feet. Her legs wobbled and her eyes were glassy. “Now sit on that plug, open your knees and show me that pretty little pussy.”
Summer blushed.
He tugged her down to sit at the end of the couch, her back against the armrest. She gasped at the contact of the plug going deeper inside her.
“Hold your knees open.”
Throwing him a doubtful look, she pulled her knees back to her shoulders, spreading her pudenda wide. Dew dripped from her entrance and her muscles shivered under his gaze.
Gathering some of her moisture, he brought the pad of his thumb to her clit and stroked ever-so-lightly in a circle around the sensitive nub. Her pelvic floor lifted and one of her knees kicked out of her hand.
He arched a stern brow. “Hold still for me, little girl.”
She let out a soft moan.
Again, he circled her clit with a feather-light touch.
“More, oh please, Carlo, more.”
“Go stand in the corner.” He pointed to a corner of his living room.
Her look of shocked disappointment was priceless. He slapped her inner thigh when she remained in position. Snapping her knees together, she struggled to stand and walked awkwardly, squeezing her buns together as if afraid the plug would fall out.
He suppressed a laugh. She looked adorable with her well-spanked ass and the handle of his plug marking the place he’d soon be taking her.
Standing at the juncture of the two walls, she slipped her hand between her legs.
“Ah, ah. No touching. You don’t get off until I say you get off. And right now I want you in the corner thinking about who owns you.”