Stolen Secrets

by Cayce Poponea

  “Don’t worry, baby, it will be back to the way it was by the time the store opens.” Marco and Demetri stood above Corey’s body. Demetri was on his cell phone and sirens could be heard in the distance; no doubt heading here. Men I had never seen before now littered my back hall, all ready to follow Dominick’s instructions without question.

  “Anna?” Marco spoke up softly, his voice thick with his Jersey accent. I turned my gaze to him, awaiting his question. “By the time you come back here in the morning, I swear it will look like nothing happened.” Dominick pulled me to my feet, wrapping his large frame around mine. I wasn’t afraid to look at Corey’s body. In reality, I needed to look. I needed to know his death was real this time.

  “Is he really dead?” My voice was louder than I expected and every man in the room turned around. Marco and Demetri glanced at Dominick, waiting for his to answer. “Well, if he’s faking this time, he won’t be for long,” Dominick confirmed as a sinister chuckle followed.

  Taking a step over the body, I caught sight of Meadow. Her eyes and mouth were open, a smear of blood above her head lead down to her shoulders, and two bullet holes pierced her chest.

  Two men entered the room, as we were about to leave, a cardboard box and a piece of plastic in their hands. Neither man made eye contact when they passed. As I glanced back, Meadow’s body was being tossed onto the plastic while the two men stepped into what looked like plastic jumpsuits.

  Dominick’s condo was cold and masculine, with dark leather furniture and sharp lines. It felt odd to be here, not for dinner or to watch a movie, but to recover. He said nothing as he poured me a glass of scotch, encouraging me to drink it down with a hand motion. The burn of the amber liquid warmed me to my core. Tapping my index finger on the rim, I asked for another. Dominick responded by tipping the bottle over my glass, filling it to the rim once again, and then refilling his own while we stood in silence.

  All this time I’d spent living lie after lie, pushing away what I wanted for a false sense of security, and allowing a man to rule me by fear. I was finished letting people take from me and use me until they’d had their fill. Slamming the last swallow, I placed the glass on the counter and pulled a shocked Dominick toward me. Leaving no room for argument, I slammed my mouth over his, demanding entrance with my tongue to his mouth.

  He might have been surprised, but that didn’t last long as he pulled me flush against his body, his mouth soon battling me for control over our heated embrace. The fingers of my right hand plunged into the hair at the base of his neck, while the left traveled to his belt, struggling to release its hold on the part of Dominick I so desperately wanted. His warm hands found their way to the small of my back, flesh against flesh. Our moans filled the room and I was hard pressed to know which one of us was making the noise.

  In one swift motion Dominick lifted me, placing his hands on my ass while I wrapped my legs around his waist. Without removing his mouth from mine, he walked us to the bedroom. The softness of his bed conformed to my back when he lay me down without breaking the kiss. Keeping my mouth attached to his, I started unbuttoning my shirt. Dominick’s lips left mine to explore my neck and collarbone. When I snapped the button of my jeans open, Dominick froze and pulled back to look in my eyes.

  “Anna, we can’t.” He looked tormented and remorseful. Seeing the confusion on my face he explained, shaking his head furiously. “I can’t love you in the same bed I fucked Marissa in.”

  I hadn’t given much thought to the fact he’d taken many women in that bed. I suddenly wanted to throw him to the floor and burn my shirt. Dominick removed himself from the bed and went through a door I suspected led to a bathroom. He reappeared and took my hand in his, ignoring my confused expression as he led me back to the car and out of the garage.

  Dominick remained silent as he drove like a bat out of hell into the night. Back alleys and side streets all began to blur while Dominick pushed the limits of his car. With a final turn and screeching of tires, we pulled into what looked like an old factory. Dominick shut off the car as the automatic garage bay door finished closing. Without leaving me a second to question anything, he exited the car, came around to my side, and then removed my shocked and silent body from his car. There was an elevator located in the center of the open building. We were surrounded by the smell of dirt and cut wood. Doors to the elevator had to be raised and lowered before it would ascend to the floor above. There were plastic sheets covering the shaft. Protecting it from what, I wasn’t certain.

  “Where are we?” I finally questioned.

  Dominick didn’t answer, instead pulling me from the elevator, leaving the door in the raised position, and lifting me back to where we had left off in his bed. His mouth on me again, I soon forgot everything except him as he walked in a direction I would find out later. His lips were hard against mine, demanding to control the kiss. He certainly knew what he was doing, and I chose to ignore how much practice he’d gotten in the past to make him this good. The smell of cut wood and paint grew stronger and I couldn’t help turning my head, cutting off his kiss to look around at where he’d brought me.

  The room was something straight out of a decorating magazine, the neutral colors and expensive furnishings filling the room causing me to gasp. Bathed in a soft glow from lamps around the room on various tables, a Victorian inspired sofa and loveseat took up the better part of the room. Beautiful cream and gold curtains covered the windows, and a large fireplace occupied one wall.

  “This is a safe house my family owns.” His words were muffled while his lips took hold of my neck. The intimate actions caused the beauty of the room to fade while the sensations he was creating with his lips consumed me.

  Dominick’s lips were nothing when compared to his long fingers. My gasps startled even myself as he flicked my now exposed nipples with the fingernail of his thumbs. I threw my head back at the sensations, feelings I hadn’t felt from anything but my own hands in years. He nibbled and kissed over my neck to the top of my now sensitive breasts. I had no control over my actions and frantically started pulling off his clothes. Layer after layer lay in a trail from the well-decorated living room to the oh-so-soft bed he placed me on.

  “I love you, Anna.” His words were like a prayer, and I wasn’t certain I was the one he was directing them to. “I love you,” he breathed again and started to move lower with his kisses, nipping at the skin under my naked breast. His hands caressed my sides as his tongue tasted and lapped at the skin along my ribs and stomach. My back arched off the bed and I reached into my own hair when his tongue entered my belly button, his teeth biting the underside. My legs fell apart without my consent as Dominick eased his way to the center of my body, his warmth shielding me from the slight chill in the air.

  His fingers were so soft and caring. Taking his time as he slipped behind the silk and lace of my panties, sliding them down carefully, as if in slow motion. I raised my hips, assisting his continued removal of the final remaining article of clothing separating me from his loving eyes. The same fingers he had used to pull the trigger of his gun just hours ago to seal the door on my nightmares were now opening the vault to my fantasies. His fingers slow and deliberate stroked the lips of my heated, wet core. My breathing picked up as I lifted my knees, letting them fall to the side, opening my lower body for his perusal. My hands left my hair and attach themselves to each of my breasts, fondling, pinching, and rubbing, keeping time with Dominick’s fingers which were now inside my wet walls. His warm tongue met the hot skin of my clit, and my legs trembled. Only one man had ever been where Dominick was now. It had been many years ago, both of our first times, and he had fumbled more than anything. Dominick knew what he was doing, this song he played with my body, every note he was writing himself.

  “I’ve never done this before.” Dominick’s confession barely registered in my head. I raised up, propping myself on my forearms to watch his fingers slide in and out of me as his pink tongue continued flicking and lapping. When he n
oticed I had changed position, he locked eyes with me, never stopping his ministrations.

  “Th-that’s hard to believe.” My voice sounded husky, causing him to stop.

  “I’ve never had to.” His honesty was enough. I let my head fall back while his mouth closed over my swollen clit, sucking and biting it several times while two fingers entered me again. My hands resumed playing with my nipples although I desired Dominick’s hands there more. Not enough to ask him to stop what he was doing, though.

  Dominick, being the man he was, grabbed my right thigh as he pulled his mouth away from my pussy. My eyes flashed open and I started to protest but he turned onto his back, pulling my body to hover over his face. He pulled me so my knees were on each side of his head, the headboard only inches from the top of his head, my knees buried in the pillows that cradled him.

  “Hold on tight,” he commanded then pulled me back to his tongue as his hands grabbed my breasts.

  Gripping the headboard, I began rubbing my aching pussy against his stubbled chin and protruding tongue. His fingers pulled my nipples hard, but the pain fueled my desire for him. Dominick continued to alternate from tongue-fucking me to biting and sucking my clit, never once letting go of my greedy nipples. After countless orgasms and shouts of his name, I pulled away from his mouth, moved down his body and tried to slide his cock inside me. Dominick stopped me and reached into the drawer of his nightstand to pull out a strip of condoms.

  “Tests said I’m clean, but I want to be certain.”

  I didn’t question him; just let him continue to protect me. Even in the throes of passion, he’d put my well-being before his own desires. With a condom wrapped around his cock, I lowered myself while he held his dick for me. I wanted to savor this so I went slow, watching Dominick’s face as he closed his eyes and his mouth fell open. Balancing myself on his chest with my hands, he gripped my hips and I began to move, slowly at first, then gaining speed, bouncing up and down while rubbing my clit on him.

  “That’s it, baby, take what you want.”

  Never had anyone offered themselves to me. I was always the one to give. Without hesitation I closed my eyes, grasped the headboard, and took all of him I wanted. Wave after wave, I kept going. Dominick never complained when I said, “One more,” over and over. When I collapsed on his chest, sweaty and gasping for air, Dominick flipped us over, and thrust into me. I had nothing left, my body on sensation overload and placid, as he found his release, and then he, too, collapsed onto the soft clean sheets.

  We woke each other a few times during the night. Dominick always letting me get my fill, only taking for himself when I was finished, and never asking for more than I was willing to give.

  A gentle breeze whipped through my hair, tickling my nose, and causing me to wake from my slumber. The bed was so soft, the sheets smelled freshly laundered, and the room was quiet and dark. I could stay here forever, foregoing any responsibilities, which awaited me.

  I rolled my head daring to glance at my bedside clock to find it wasn’t there, and this wasn’t my bed. Movement behind me confirmed my deep slumber wasn’t a direct result of my activities during my day, but more of the ones, which had ended only a short while ago.

  “You know you’re hot, right?”

  I smiled hearing his sleep deprived voice from behind me. We weren’t wrapped around each other like they show in the Hollywood movies, but just a few inches separated us. It was enough to know he was there, but far enough away I could keep my warmth to myself.

  “And you’re not a cuddlier,” I joked. After our third or fourth time last night, I’d tried to snuggle around him, but he’d told me my body was just too hot next to him. We opted for touching feet while we indulged in a brief sleep.

  “I am, you just have some serious body heat.” Pulling me into his naked body, his cock slid between my legs and teased my sore pussy. His mouth latched onto my neck while his fingers traveled to my nipples. It all felt so good I chose to close my eyes and enjoy. His hand left my breast to guide his cock inside me as his phone started ringing from somewhere on the floor.

  “Ignore it,” he spoke harshly, his desire for me overriding his sense of duty. Pushing me onto my stomach, Dominick’s condom-clad cock entered me again, his body aligning with mine perfectly. “God, I love feeling you wrapped around me,” he breathed into my ear nibbling on the lobe. Not stopping his thrusts, he sat up, his legs straddling either side of mine. This position had him hitting me in places I’d no idea even existed.

  Using both hands, he separated my ass cheeks. “Fuck, baby, your pussy from this angle is so beautiful, feels so fucking good.” His voice and the position we were in were causing me to be incoherent. My body was reaching for that orgasm, stumbling to find it. The feel of his hands holding my ass cheeks, so he could continue to watch himself thrust in and out, brought me closer to the precipice.

  “I wish you could see this,” he grunted without stopping his rhythm. The sweat covering us caused Dominick’s right hand to slip, fingers grazing my hole. The slight touch caused my orgasm to rip through me and I cried out, arching my back. My movements were enough to spur Dominick’s own orgasm to join mine.

  His phone had not stopped ringing the entire time, so, mumbling under his breath, he pulled out of me and answered it in the colorful way, which only Dominick could. “What the fuck?” he shouted only to cringe when the person on the other side responded. “Sorry, Mom.” He sounded like a young schoolboy as he apologized while standing there in all his naked glory, his cock still semi-hard but deflating. “Yes, ma’am.” He ran his hand through his hair and closed his eyes. “Yes, yes I will.” He tossed the phone to the floor and rejoined me in bed. I moved to lay on his sweaty chest while he wrapped his arm around me. “That was my mom making certain you were comfortable here, and my father wants to see us after you get done today.”

  I pulled back, questioning him with my eyes.

  It had been one of those days where nothing had gone right. First, it was a power outage due to a blown transformer, then it was the bride from hell who, at the last minute, decided she wanted a different shade of purple for her bouquet. Too bad for her, though. The contract she’d signed a year ago made it clear all changes had to be completed seventy-two hours prior to the event. She threatened to take me to court, until her father reminded her who owned the shop. Lastly, the engine in the delivery van blew on the way to the final delivery, so by the time I got ready to head over to Antonio and Sophia’s, I was a ball of frustration.

  Sophia, the gracious lady that she was, took me to the side and handed me a glass of wine, refusing to discuss anything that had happened before it had been consumed. Dinner followed, and for the first time all day, I exhaled and let everything fall away. After Sophia made certain I was relaxed, she allowed Antonio to drag us all into his study.

  The room was completely masculine. The dark woods worked well with the masculine greens which graced the desk and several knick-knacks on the shelves. At the back of the room a large, well-used leather sofa was covered in photos and what looked like handwritten letters.

  “Before I let Marco share with us his findings, I need to address something said in the meeting we had with Miranda.”

  My head snapped toward Antonio in complete confusion, but I wasn’t willing to question what he was referring to. “You mean the part where you were screwing around on Mom?” Dominick’s comment startled me and I shot a surprised eye to Sophia. She was sitting next to Antonio with a sly smile gracing her features.

  “Yes, that part exactly. “I had a bad feeling this wasn’t going to end well. Sophia was not someone to be trifled with. I hadn’t forgotten how she’d once confided in me she wouldn’t allow him to seek pleasure outside of their marital bed.

  “Dominick, when your mother was in the last stages of her battle with cancer, I hired a young girl to take care of her. A young nurse who came highly recommended by a placement agency. Gia Marone came to the house, and from the first moment she was
here, your mother loved her.” Antonio lifted Sophia’s hand and placed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. I’d forgotten Antonio had been married before Sophia.

  “As your mother got closer to death, I began to confide more often to Gia. Unfortunately, Gia took my need for a friend as my need for a romantic companion. When I made it clear to her I was very much in love with Serena, her dark side came out.” Dominick looked at his shoes as he pulled our joined hands onto his lap before wrapping my hand in both of his.

  “The final straw came when I found Gia naked in my bed early one morning. I had my men detain her, and did some investigating. That was the last time I was ever fooled by someone I trusted.” Antonio walked over to the couch and picked up one of the photos. “When Miranda spoke of the home I’d given Gia to live in, I nearly laughed. That ‘home’ was the state mental facility.” He placed the photo back down and turned to Dominick. “In Gia’s room I found several of Serena’s dresses, some jewelry, and other personal items. She even had stationary with Gia Santos written across the top. There were also several bottles of medication, which I later found out were for her psychiatric issues. Gia had stopped taking her meds when she came to help your mother. In a delusion, created by her lack of medication, she pictured herself as my new wife.” Dominick shook his head while his father relayed his story.

  Marco stepped away from one of the far back walls where he’d stood while Antonio spoke. “When we learned the numbers on the ring were actually coordinates and the ring itself a key, I did some searching on my own. Gia came from a long line of, shall we say, ‘disturbed’ people.” He used his fingers to quote the word disturbed. “Seems Gia, her mother, and grandmother had quite a difficult time keeping men around. There are missing person’s reports for nearly every decade in or around where they lived. Gia herself had a man leave her in the middle of the night, never to be seen again. When we found the mausoleum, and used the key to open it, I found this duffel bag with all these pictures in an open vault inside.” Marco pointed to the duffel bag; it was one I recognized using in high school. Marco nodded to me before continuing. “I found it after you’d left, Anna. It still had one of your class schedules tucked into the pocket, alongside an old tube of cherry ChapStick.”