by Bella J.
Her fingers brushed against my skin, her eyes focused on the place where our flesh met. It seemed like she was touching me for the first time, touching anyone for the first time. It was almost surreal, the way her face beamed with wonder, her irises filled with awe. “You’re my angel now,” she whispered. “Will you give me to the devil too?”
My heart shattered into a million pieces, the sharp edges carving through my chest.
“No, Doe. I’m not giving you to anyone.” I grabbed her hand in mine and placed a desperate kiss in her palm. “Please believe me when I say no one will hurt you again. Vadik won’t come near you, I vow it.”
A tear slipped down the side of her face. “Please don’t leave me.”
With another hard kiss against her palm, I pulled her up and crashed my lips against hers. Once I tasted the familiar sweetness of her mouth, I was gone. I was fucking gone. There was nothing left of me except the part that needed this woman more than I needed air.
My tongue searched for hers, lapping, dancing, desperately wanting more. I wanted to kiss her so hard, so deep that our souls would be forever engraved into one another. That nothing could ever rip her away from me.
With equal vigor, her lips moved against mine, and I imaged her wanting me as much as I wanted her. That she experienced the same kind of hunger—the craving I had for her.
I placed my arms under her thighs, lifting her as I cupped her ass, letting her straddle me. “I told you I’m not a good man, yet you still beg me to not leave you.” My hands wasted no time as I unbuckled my pants, pulling out my cock. “Even after hurting you, you still want to stay here with me. Why?”
Her wet body rocked against mine, her breath unsteady and rapid. “When I’m with you, I feel good. I feel…less broken.”
“You shouldn’t. You shouldn’t feel any less broken with me, Doe, because nothing about me will ever make you whole.”
With one hand remaining on her ass, I forced her to sit up on her knees while I took a hard nipple into my mouth. Our moans echoed in unison, my lips sucking and licking the sensitive nub as if it was the last thing I would ever fucking do. The longer I sucked and teased her breast, the more her panting breaths filled my ears, the stronger my need for her became. Touching her, kissing her, feeling her, everything about this woman caused a frenzy of unconstrained lust to storm wildly through my body, the ache crashing against my goddamn motherfucking balls. It was insane.
Her head fell back, exposing the tantalizing flesh of her neck, and I wrapped my fingers around her throat, squeezing just a little. “I want to find whatever’s left untouched inside you, Doe, and I want to corrupt it,” I let my hand glide down between her perfect breasts, “I want to desecrate it,” lower, lower I dragged my fingers across her skin, “and I want to defile it, ruin it, because then that part of you will always belong to me,” my hand dipped between us, and I guided my cock to her entrance, “and only me.” I let go of her ass, and she came down hard and fast, her pussy wrapping around me like a vise.
“Oh, God,” she moaned out loud while I grunted like a fucking animal when the pleasure blasted up my spine. She pushed her hips all the way down, taking all of me. “Why do you feel so good inside me?”
I flexed, pushing in deeper. “Because just like your soul, your body knows it belongs to me.”
My hands gripped her ass tight, and I forced her to rock harder, to move those greedy fucking hips of hers.
“Now’s your chance, Doe. Now’s your chance to be the one who fucks, rather than be the one who gets fucked.” I dug my fingers deeper into her flesh, urging her to go faster. “You better take it, because I don’t know if I’ll ever give you this chance again.”
I leaned down with my back flat on the ground, Doe’s body rocking above mine. Her palms fell on my chest while her pussy forced my cock deeper into her.
“That’s my beautiful, broken girl. Fuck me. Ride my cock. Take from me what you want.”
Without warning, she gripped the fabric of my shirt and tore through it while she cried out like a fucking siren. Harder, faster, deeper, she fucked me to a point where pleasure and pain crashed together in a wave of ecstasy, spreading to every bone. All I did was lie there, watching her, loving the sight of sheer lust on her face, her mouth forming the perfect ‘o’ while her tits bounced from the way she moved.
“Can I come, Master?”
“Not yet. I want to be thoroughly fucked before you come.”
Strangely enough, her using the word “master” didn’t put me in a blinding rage. It didn’t transport me back to the past as it usually did. Instead, I stayed there, with her, in the moment—the moment where I allowed her to use me. I knew there was no way for her to take from me what had been taken from her, but I could at least give her this. Just a few moments of control.
Her thighs gripped me tight between her legs, her pussy working my cock, her nails digging into the flesh of my chest, scratching and clawing. From the burn that suddenly assaulted my skin, I knew she had drawn blood, but I didn’t care. In fact, I let go of her ass and grabbed her hands, pushing them harder against my chest, her nails slicing deeper into my skin.
“Take control, Doe. Don’t hold back. Hurt me, curse me, fuck me—do whatever the fuck you need to do.”
She screamed, and I arched my back as pain seared my skin. Her screams turned into cries, her wet cunt slamming against my balls until finally…finally, I felt her walls clench around me, my cock ready to pulse the ribbons of my release into her body, into her goddamn soul.
“Come, baby. Come now.”
Her loud, hedonistic moans boomed through the bathroom, rebounding against the walls. It was fucking beautiful. Then both of our bodies exploded into nothing but sharp edges of mind-shattering pleasure. I could feel her inside walls throb against my cock, her orgasm pulsing like a fucking heartbeat while I continued to cream that sweet, wet, greedy pussy of hers.
“Fuck!” I grunted, spilling the final ribbons of cum inside her.
She fell down, her sweaty body locked against mine, panting until…she began to cry. She cried so hard, her body trembled as her heart-wrenching sobs grew louder and louder. I folded my arms around her back and clutched her tight, my cock still lodged inside her. Without words, without saying anything, I just held her. I gave her what she needed in order for her to mourn—to say goodbye to the broken girl. My heart ached for her. My soul cried for her. But I knew this would be the last. This would be the turning point for my beautiful, broken girl. I would make sure of it.
Once her cries subsided, her body finally relaxing into mine, I weaved my fingers through her hair. “This was the last time. Do you hear me? This was the last time I will allow you to feel sorry for yourself. To cry over what happened to you. Your past is gone. Nessuno is dead. I don’t ever want to see another tear for her, do you understand me?”
Doe remained still, so I gripped her tight and swung her to the side, positioning myself on top of her. “That is an order, Doe. Never again. Do you understand me?”
Her eyes locked on mine, and she nodded lightly.
I moved abruptly, pulling her up with me before wrapping my arms around her waist. “You will obey no one but me. I am your only master, your only man. And from today, you will carry yourself with pride while you walk beside me. You will act the fucking part.”
“What part?”
I leaned closer, my lips brushing against her ear. “The part of being my queen.”
Chapter 24
Doe
It had been days since Antonio forced me to let go of Nessuno. Days since I spilled a tear for the ten-year-old girl who had her innocence ripped from her in the cruelest of ways. For years I tried to hold onto that little girl, afraid that if I had to let go she would be swallowed whole by the shadows. But the truth was, that girl died the day her body was desecrated. I was holding onto a ghost, a memory. A fragment in time which could never be changed and altered. He made me see that. Antonio made me realize that if I wanted t
o move on and survive my past, I needed to set her free. Which I did.
Antonio had ordered me to move about in the house, to stop acting like a prisoner. When he couldn’t accompany me, he had his men follow me around. It was hard to do things without him, so I didn’t leave our bedroom as often as he would have liked.
Our bedroom.
After that day in the shower, Antonio had my things brought to his room. He promised he would sleep beside me every night because his presence seemed to keep the nightmares away. Feeling him next to me gave me a sense of security, a feeling of comfort I had never experienced before. In fact, it was my favorite time of day—the time when he would get into bed beside me, then use my body in a way I loved. I never knew my body had the means to feel so good, to feel so strong…and alive. But that was what being with Antonio did to me; he made me feel alive.
There was still this prickle of warning in the back of my mind, the broken part of my soul reminding me not to get too comfortable with my new owner. Or to not let my guard down completely. But I’d be a liar if I said I hadn’t allowed myself to hope—to hope what I found with Antonio would last forever. That I would never know a new master again.
“You look beautiful.”
I smiled while combing my hair, my back toward him. “Thank you.”
“Not that I’m complaining, but you seem to like floral patterns a lot.” He walked over to me, placing his hands on my shoulders.
“I only wear it because I know you like it.” I stood, and Antonio glanced appreciatively down at the white skater dress with large pink flower patterns.
“Although I love you in a dress, I much prefer you out of it, and under me.”
My heart pitter-pattered against my chest, a warmth spreading through my veins. It was always there whenever I was with him—the heat, the need, the craving to submit. Never in a million years did I ever think I would willingly submit to a man and actually find myself enjoying it. But Antonio played it safe, or so it seemed. There were times he dominated my body, but I knew he was holding back. I could sense it, see it in the dark brown circles of his eyes. But I trusted that he knew what was best for me, that he would unleash his most primal desires when we were both ready.
I gazed up at him thinking that he was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. With a strong, chiseled jaw, flawless skin with an all-year tan, ink black hair always styled to perfection, Antonio was the embodiment of power and strength, authority and dominion. And he had taken ownership of my body, as well as my heart.
He placed a gentle kiss on my mouth, only giving me a slight taste of his warm lips against mine. “I really, really want to rip this dress off you, spread those beautiful legs, and make you scream my name.”
Desire already pooled between my legs.
“But I need to go to the hospital. Lorik can finally have visitors, and my sister actually agreed to let me into his hospital room.”
“Lorik will be okay?”
He nodded. “Looks like it.”
“And Karina?” I glanced down, then back up. “I miss her being around.”
A charming grin curved at the edges of his tempting lips. “You really like my little sister, don’t you?”
“She has been very kind to me.”
He snorted. “Well, count yourself lucky, because that little spitfire ain’t very kind to a lot of people.”
I let out a little laugh, more like a giggle, and I immediately swallowed the sound, feeling my cheeks flush.
Antonio cupped my cheek with his palm. “Stop doing that. Never be afraid to laugh. It’s beautiful.” With his fingers beneath my chin, he brought my lips up to his, kissing me tenderly. Even though slow and soft, his kiss was warm, heady, telling a tale of desire and wanton need. My body leaned into him, our lips getting greedier by the second. Then with a groan, he pulled back. “If I don’t stop now we’ll be stuck in this room with me between your legs the entire day.”
He placed his thumb on my bottom lip. “I wish I could take you with me, but until we’ve found Vadik,” my blood ran cold at the mere mention of his name, “I don’t feel comfortable with you leaving the security of this house.”
I nodded, secretly thankful. Walking freely around the house had been difficult enough. I knew I wasn’t ready to face the world yet.
He narrowed his eyes glinting with mischief. “When I get back, I want you out of this dress and on your knees, waiting. Understand?”
I bit my bottom lip, excitement fluttering like a thousand butterflies inside my belly. “Yes, Master.”
His features grew hard, mahogany irises fierce and untamed with unspoken desire. He opened his mouth, clearly wanting to say something, but then hesitated.
“What is it?”
With a flick of his tongue, he licked his lips before pulling his hand through his hair. “Nothing. Just wait for me.”
I smiled. “I will.”
As he walked out of the bedroom, it already felt like my soul missed him. It was strange how dependent I had become on him—his presence, his touch, the way he made me feel things that didn’t involve pain, sorrow, suffering, or anguish. And I chose to believe it wouldn’t fade, that it wouldn’t go away, that Antonio would let me stay…here with him…
Forever.
***
Antonio
The words almost slipped out. Words that would have meant a commitment if spoken, a commitment I wasn’t sure she was ready for yet. Doe had come a long way ever since we found her. Even though she was still fragile and timid at times, I saw her go from strength to strength with each passing day. To witness her grow from a slave to a woman somehow thawed the ice inside my veins, giving new life to a blackened heart which had been dormant inside me for too long. I had no idea what was happening between us and I chose not to overanalyze it, but to rather take it day by day. To live within each moment given to us. But even though Doe was growing stronger, the threat was still out there. Volkoff was still out there and I was convinced he wouldn’t rest until he found her. Unfortunately for him, his little slave girl landed in my arms and hell would freeze over before I let her go.
I got into my car about to start the ignition when my phone rang. It was Lucio.
“This better be important. I’m on my way to the hospital.”
“Oh, I’d say it’s important.”
I started the car. “What is it?”
“Mancuso. We found him.”
My spine chilled, and I straightened in my seat. “Where? How?”
“Down at Paradiso. Fucker just walked in. Demanded to see you.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? He just walked into my goddamn restaurant?”
“It’s insane, I know.”
I pushed the remote to the garage door, my foot ready to ram the gas. “I’ll be there in five. And, Lucio?”
“Yeah.”
“No one kills him but me.”
I hung up. With screeching tires and a cloud of smoke, I sped down the road and out of the estate like I had Lucifer on my goddamn heels. I felt like I had been sucked through a fucking vortex of ‘what-the-fucks,’ and right into the twilight zone of ‘this-is-fucking-unreal.’ There was a better chance of me believing our president was the antichrist, and that Hitler had been living in Scotland somewhere watching his great-grandchildren grow up than believing Mancuso would be so fucking stupid as to walk into our motherfucking family restaurant.
Naturally, my friend Murphy went along for the drive, letting me get every goddamn red light from the house right into town. But since traffic fines were the least of my worries, I drove over more than half of the red lights, my mind reeling with murderous thoughts.
I parked in my regular spot outside the restaurant then stormed inside. “Get out!” I yelled, not giving two fucks about all the customers sitting around, eating their pizzas and drinking their beers. Wide-eyed clients rushed out, waiters and waitresses shortly on their heels. Everyone who worked for me knew never to test or question me. To never to underesti
mate me. So, they didn’t hesitate for a second when my order boomed through the cozy little Italian restaurant, echoing off the red, white and green wallpaper.
Within minutes, everyone was out, and I locked the entrance. Knowing who was waiting for me in the back had my fists balled, and the bloodlust gnawing away at my spine.
I pushed open the double doors to the back room, and they slammed against the wall as I walked in. And true as fuck, there he was, tied to a motherfucking chair.
Stefano Mancuso.
The second I saw his face, my first instinct was to take my father’s gun tucked away at my back, to aim it at his fucking forehead and pull the trigger. But that was too easy. That was the death a man would choose for his nemesis if his hunger for revenge had him so blinded, he didn’t care about exacting due payment with an obscene amount of pain. The best way for your worst enemy to die was painfully, slowly, torturously, by no one’s hand but your own.
Stefano smiled. “Hello, Antonio.”
I pressed my lips together. All I saw while I looked at his ugly motherfucking face were the tears of Karina’s heartache, the look on my brother’s face when he thought about the years he had lost with Rafe, and, of course, the lifeless body of my now buried father. Every ounce of pain this man had caused my family rushed back, slamming against my chest, threatening to make me lose control.
I clenched my fists tighter. “Mancuso.”
“It’s been a while.” He grinned like an arrogant son of a bitch. “All this time you spent searching for me, and here I came walking right into your goddamn restaurant. How’s that for irony, huh?”
I pulled out the gun and aimed it right at him. “I’m thinking you probably expect me to ask why?”
He shrugged, seemingly unfazed about the fact that he had a deadly weapon aimed at his goddamn forehead. “Well, Antonio, that’s completely up to you.”