When had he started following her? Not just having her spied on discreetly, with occasional security reports. No, he had started personally following her, like some obsessed stalker. Shane had known the behavior couldn’t continue, so he had taken steps to ensure Kasilli owed him, and he could freely collect Mia without inciting a war that would tear apart the three families in the city and bring the authorities down hard on their illegal, though lucrative, activities.
It had been a surprisingly easy maneuver to steal Kasilli’s shipment, and he’d even managed not to kill anyone. He assumed Kasilli had dealt harshly with the members of his crew who’d allowed the shipment to go missing, but that was on the Russian, not him. It had been even easier to “rescue” Kasilli by recovering the drugs, since they’d been in his warehouse the entire time.
The hardest part had been convincing Kasilli to part with Mia as a way to settle his debt.
“Why?” he had asked coldly.
“I have my reasons.” Shane had kept his response cryptic, not about to pour out his soul-destroying obsession for the other man’s daughter. It made him too vulnerable, and it might scare Kasilli away from letting him have her.
“There are certain considerations, O’Mara. She has obligations.”
Shane had firmed his mouth. “Too bad. You have obligations too, Mr. Kasilli. I’m sure we can find another way to settle our debt, if you wish to protect your little girl. Perhaps a cut of your profits?” He’d had no interest in the money, but he’d seen the greed in Kasilli’s eyes and had known money was the old fool’s weak spot.
After a long hesitation, Kasilli had nodded and waved his hand, as though it meant nothing. “Take the girl.”
“Have her come to you.”
Kasilli had lifted a shoulder, again seeming unbothered by handing over his daughter when compared to losing part of his fortune. “Very well. I shall arrange for her to come here, and then you can transport her wherever you intend to hold her.”
Shane remembered feeling nonplussed at the other man’s apathy. He hadn’t seemed to care what Shane’s intentions were toward Mia. Kasilli’s callousness had fallen in with his plans, but he’d still felt a hint of outrage on her behalf.
He tightened his mouth as the phantom emotion haunted him again. He didn’t have to be Dr. Phil to know there was a dysfunctional family vibe there, but it was a good thing for him. It suited his purposes to have Kasilli uninvolved in his daughter’s life. It would make it easier to separate her from her old life and force her to accept her new life more quickly.
She belonged to him, and she would soon acknowledge that.
If not, he would keep her anyway. He couldn’t be without Mia until this paralyzing obsession eased.
***
She entered the suite, finding it had a feminine air that suggested Shane didn’t sleep here as well. How nice of him, to allow her a private sleeping space where he could consign her out of his sight, except when he wanted to come visit her for a fuck.
Despite her aching feet, Mia methodically searched every inch of the suite, hoping for a weapon. The chairs were solidly built, and she didn’t think she could disassemble them without some kind of tool, which wasn’t available. Slamming them against the wall would bring Bruno, so that was out. Whoever had prepared “her” room must have been told to take anything that could be a weapon.
The only scissors she found were a pair meant for cuticles in the vanity table drawer. There was a letter opener on the desk, but she actually laughed out loud when she lifted the flimsy plastic stick. It would slip under a flap and rip through paper, but wouldn’t do anything to flesh.
There was a large window, and she seriously considered hurling herself through it until she discovered the wrought iron bars blocking the way. While ornate, they were still designed to keep her imprisoned. A similar set adorned the window in the bathroom.
She rummaged through the bathroom drawers, disgusted to find not even a razor. Unless he liked his women on the Sasquatch side, he was going to have to give her one eventually. Mia shuddered at the thought that he might plan to shave her himself. It was purely disgust that made her shiver, and not a hint of…anything else.
Yes, he was attractive. Okay, sinfully hot, and in other circumstances, she might have been flattered by his attention. His kidnapping had thwarted that, and she refused to be so shallow that she would let herself be distracted by his looks when contemplating his actions and what he still planned to do.
At first, she thought the bathroom was as weaponless as the rest of the suite. She sank onto the porcelain toilet in defeat, trying to brace herself for the possibility she was going to be taken tonight. Her gaze darted around the room before returning to the implement rack by the sink. A hairdryer and curling iron rested there. The hairdryer wouldn’t offer much help, but a hot metal rod had possibilities.
It was a weak weapon, but better than nothing. Mia got to her feet and took the rod from the shelf to switch it on. It was a brand she recognized and remembered was fast-heating. It seemed to take forever for the indicator light to turn from red to green despite its speed claims.
Mia left it on even after it had gone green, not sure when he would come for her. She wanted the curling iron to be as hot as possible. She also wanted to be able to maneuver, so she dared slip from the bathroom long enough to kick off her shoes. Biting her lip, she cast a glance at the closed French doors before going to the nearest dresser. Myriad feminine clothes filled the drawers, but they were all impractical and lacey, frilly things. Apparently, he planned to keep her as his Victoria’s Secret dress-up doll.
She had no time to check the closet when she heard feet in the hallway. Mia ran back to the bathroom and scooped up the curling rod, wrapping the cord around the handle as she hurried back into the bedroom. She stood near the door as he slipped inside, shielding the curling iron with her body as she held it at an angle to avoid burning herself. Mia waited until he closed the door and started to turn before she moved toward him.
He faced her as she reached him, looking at her with a scowl. “You didn’t prepare yourself.”
Mia didn’t speak. As he reached for her, she thrust the curling iron upward, pressing the barrel against his neck as fully as possible.
His eyes widened, and he jerked. Shane’s hand was tight around her neck when he grabbed her, lifting her off her feet with a little shake. The curling iron fell to the floor, and she knew it had been a stupid weapon.
While trying to suck in air through her obstructed windpipe, she also admitted to herself she had known it wouldn’t be effective, but it made a statement. She wasn’t going to surrender easily, no matter what threats or persuasion he used.
“You little bitch.” He shook her again before lowering her so that her toes brushed the floor. His hand loosened a bit, allowing her oxygen, but he didn’t release her as he thrust her before him. Her toes skimmed the hardwood floor as he shoved her into the bathroom.
Mia tried to kick him when he lifted her into the shower stall, but missed. With another curse, he tossed her none too gently against the marble wall. She cried out with pain at the impact and didn’t have a chance to reorient herself before water rained down on her. She was vaguely aware of Shane pressing buttons on a panel just outside the shower before steam and jets of water obscured her vision.
She pushed wet strands of hair off her face and squinted to see her tormentor. Mia whimpered at the sight of him unbuttoning the purple silk shirt he’d worn. His pants joined the garment a moment later, and she turned her head, driven to search for a weapon and to avoid the sight of his body.
What she had glimpsed told her he was powerfully built, with thick arms, a narrow waist, and a flat stomach, including the requisite six-pack men like that always seemed to have. A jolt of attraction shot through her, and she resisted that reaction. In an attempt to clear her vision, she shook her head and fumbled on the shelf behind her, wanting to laugh and cry simultaneously when her frantic searching yielded a bottl
e of conditioner and a bar of soap that smelled like oranges in the steam.
He moved with deliberate intent, and she could no longer avoid looking at him when he entered the shower. Unlike her, he was fully undressed, and she pressed her back to the wall as he neared. She hated the sparks of desire shooting through her that were almost as powerful as her fear. Tears welled in her eyes, and she let them fall, knowing the shower stream would hide them. Otherwise, she wouldn’t allow the weakness.
“Take off your dress.”
Mia shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself as though she could meld the material to her body by sheer force of will. “Stay away from me.”
His stalking pace didn’t increase, but he made it clear he wouldn’t be deterred as he closed the distance between them. She flinched when he slapped his palms against the wall on either side of her head, but didn’t look away from his hot gaze. Letting every ounce of loathing and contempt she felt show in her eyes, while ensuring to hide any of her unwanted response, Mia lifted her knee and viciously aimed for his testicles.
He actually laughed as he blocked the motion with one of his powerful thighs. “You’re like a wet kitten, baby. All claws and wet fur. You just need some petting.”
“Fuck you.” Mia pressed her hands against his chest as he swallowed the last of the space between them. Her hands tingled at the contact with his skin, and she hated that her body could react completely opposite to her brain. Shock wanted to lead her thoughts to analyzing how she had ended up in this situation, but she forced away the impulse, knowing she had to focus.
“Certainly.” He brushed his lips against her cheek. “Do you want to take off the dress, or should I tear it off you?”
She refused to answer, but fought with all her strength when he grabbed her, holding her securely with one arm and his legs as he stripped the sodden garment from her body. She was angry when the garment tore, but a tingle of excitement made her pussy contract. Mia screamed her outrage when he ripped off her bra, the elastic digging into her skin.
“What a nice surprise. I thought you had little breasts, but these are more than a handful.” He grasped one and rubbed her nipple as he spoke.
Mia hated the way the pert bud beaded under his touch, but pushed aside the physical reaction to renew her attempts at escape when he tugged at her underwear. “No. Let go of me, you bastard.”
Hitting out blindly, the back of her hand connected with the sharp angle of his cheekbone, and they both grunted with pain. She hit him again in almost the same spot before he grasped her hair and pulled her head back. Mia shivered at the rage and lust in his expression. Terrified, she slumped to the floor of the shower.
Shane was on her in seconds, pushing her onto all fours and pulling off her panties. His hands were rough in her hair when he yanked free the pins, spilling the dark mass around both of them. Mia tried to push it out of her way, but he had her pressed so tightly against the marble floor that she couldn’t move. She gritted her teeth, ignoring the dark thrill his dominance sent through her. No, she was not enjoying this at all. Was she?
She still tried to squirm away when he caressed her hip. “Stop that.” Her voice was weaker than she’d hoped it to be, but it soared to sharp-edged hysteria when he inserted his hand between her thighs to shove them open. “No, no, no.”
“Yes, baby.” His fingers slipped into her tight flesh. “You need to learn who is in charge.” Despite his stern words, his fingers were gentle as they stroked her, circling her clit and making her slippery with arousal.
In an effort to flee her own reaction as much as what he was doing, Mia tried to crawl forward when he pressed his body close to hers, crying out when the head of his erection poked her buttocks. “You have no right.”
“I have every right.” The head slipped into her folds, and he held her against him as he continued stroking her clit. “You are mine, and the sooner you accept that, the better this will be for you.”
His touch felt so good, and her resistance was melting away. She couldn’t help the impulse to arch backward, bringing his cock more fully inside her. Even slick from his attentions, Mia cried out when he penetrated her. It was a mingled sound of protest that he could reduce her to this, along with a dash of pain for her lost virginity.
She couldn’t move, so she focused on enduring, gritting her teeth as she tried to reject the need to orgasm. Mia pressed her palms into the tile beneath her, trying to ignore the way he deliberately positioned himself to drag the head of his cock against her sensitive g-spot with each thrust. It took all her strength to stave off a climax, and she sagged with relief when he came inside her with a splash of hot seed. She had resisted coming, a humiliation she couldn’t bear.
After he pulled out, Shane lifted her effortlessly to sit on the marble. Mia didn’t look at him, and she didn’t fight as he washed her hair and lathered her with the sweet-smelling bar of soap. She hated the tender touch and how it made her feel vulnerable. She should still be fighting the man who had abducted her, not savoring the hollow victory of barely resisting an orgasm and then allowing him to wash her hair.
Finally, the water shut off, but she didn’t move. Mia heard him grunt with annoyance as he lifted her to her feet and carried her out of the shower. The bathmat was thick under her bare feet, and she concentrated on the sensation in an attempt to block out the way he was drying her body with a soft towel.
She shuddered when he rubbed the white towel between her legs, abrading the sore flesh, but still didn’t look at him. Mia couldn’t look at herself in the mirror either. She just wanted this to be over.
Shane made a strange sound and thrust the towel toward her face. “Were you a virgin?”
Mia stared at the splotch of blood on the towel and nodded dully. She hadn’t met anyone she wanted to share her body with, but she regretted that now. She would have preferred to make the choice and have it happen on her terms, and not be left with the confliction of physically enjoying something that her mind rejected.
How she wished she had screwed the first guy to show interest. Shuddering again, she decided not the first guy, because he was a disgusting piece of filth.
Looking down at him as he slowly dried her legs, his tenderness only provoked her anger—both at him and herself. Before she could think better of it, she hit him as hard as she could. Pain exploded through her hand, but she ignored that as he sprawled backward on his ass, looking surprised and perhaps pained from the fist. Mia made a run for the doorway, but barely got a couple of feet before he grabbed her ankle and jerked her into his arms. Her elbow hit the floor hard, and tears blurred her vision, but she blinked them away.
“Stop fighting.”
She glared at him. “Never.” That was a lesson she had never learned, and he wouldn’t be the one to teach it to her.
With a long sigh, Shane got to his feet before bending to lift her up. Once on her feet, he herded her toward the sink. Mia watched as he rummaged through the medicine cabinet for antibiotic cream and bandages. When he thrust the tube at her, she stared at it with confusion. “What—”
He pointed to the long burn on his neck. “See to it.”
She blinked. “Are you kidding me?” Mia flicked aside the antibiotic cream, and it landed in the sink.
Shane grasped the back of her head, his fingers squeezing her neck as he shoved her face toward the drain. “You did it, so you fix it.”
Clamping her mouth shut to bite back the question of how he planned to fix stealing her away from her life, she picked up the tube. When he released her, she whirled to face him, trying to ignore the fact they were both naked. She squeezed a gob on her hand and pressed it into the cut, giving him a cold smile when he hissed.
Her fingers shook a bit as she unwrapped the bandages, requiring two to cover the spot. After smoothing on the second one, she dropped her hands and pressed back against the vanity in an attempt to put some space between them. “There.”
“Kiss it.”
Mia blink
ed. “Huh?”
He put his arm around her waist to pull her back into his arms. “Kiss the boo-boo, baby.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re nuts.”
He smiled slightly. “My mother always kissed the ouchies after she put on the band-aid.”
“I’m not your mother.”
Shane grabbed one of her breasts, squeezing just hard enough to be uncomfortable—but with a strong undercurrent of pleasure. “No, you aren’t, but you’re still going to kiss it all better.” He said it mockingly.
Mia swallowed, knowing this was some idiotic power game he was playing with her, but not sure how to get out of it. Did she really want him to hurt her again for something so minor? Was she losing the war by surrendering this small battle? Of course not.
Making no attempt to hide her reluctance, she stretched on her tiptoes to brush her mouth against the bandages before looking up at him. “Happy now?”
“Not even close.”
Before she could struggle, he wound his hand in her hair to hold her head immobilized for his kiss. She clamped her mouth shut and glared at him as his lips descended on hers. Her scalp burned when he tightened his grasp on her hair, but she refused to yield.
His body practically vibrated with his frustration right before he bit her lower lip hard enough to make her yelp. His tongue traced the outside contours of her lips, but he didn’t penetrate her mouth. “If you even think about biting me, you’ll be sorry.”
Mia fought internally, trying to decide if she should bite him anyway as his tongue slipped into her mouth. She grazed her teeth against him, more as an experiment than a commitment to biting him, and cried out when he pulled her hair so hard pain radiated throughout her head.
“Behave.” And then he kissed her again, deepening the kiss with confidence, as though he had vanquished her.
Mia wanted to show him differently, to prove to him and herself that no man was going to conquer her, but she froze. She wanted to believe it was because she was afraid of losing hair the next time he pulled, but her innate honesty wouldn’t allow her to lie. His soft and coaxing kiss blew her away, filling her with a mix of conflicting sensations and emotions.
Shane: A Mafia Love Story: Dark Erotic Romance Page 3