by Bella J
Yes, I fucking loved the look of euphoria on her face as I sliced my blade across her skin.
Yes, my cock grew hard when her ivory skin was stained with crimson while her body trembled with pleasure.
I was a sick, twisted son of a bitch, but I never wanted to see her do herself harm again. Ever.
I stood by the door and watched as blood trickled down her thigh…just like the tears that slipped down her cheeks. Her tears did nothing to lessen the anger that still festered inside me.
“You need to clean that.”
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, and without a word she walked to the bathroom. Just as she was about to close the door, I blocked the door and pushed it open.
“I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“Why? Because you think I’ll cut myself again, or because you want to make sure I don’t give myself that which you deny me?”
I leaned against the doorframe and crossed my arms in front of my chest. “Both.”
With a scoff she turned around, and as she walked to the cabinet my gaze moved down to her naked ass, the red handprints clearly visible on her ivory skin.
She grabbed the first aid kit and sat down on the corner of the bath. When she looked up at me, our gazes locked, and I could see the resentment, the bitterness she felt toward me at that moment. But the familiar buzz of lust mixed with toxic anticipation still pulsed between us. It was powerful, something no amount of hate or dislike could ruin. It felt like hours had passed before she abruptly opened her legs, the movement causing me to glance down.
My cum, along with her need for release, pooled between her legs, and trickled down her thighs. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make me feel so fucking good to see my seed on her skin. To see the wetness between her legs, proof that her body craved the sexual relief only I could give her. And by God, I wanted to give it to her. I wanted to grab her and push my cock so deep inside her, giving her the release she craved. I wanted to hear her scream as pleasure wracked through her entire body, feel her tremble against me.
But she had to learn.
She had to come to terms with the fact that everything she was, and everything she ever will be…would be mine.
“Let me make this very clear.” I started toward her, watching as she cleaned the wound. “You will never do this to yourself again. This is the last time. The only new scars that would mark your body from here on out will be those I give you. If you need release, you come to me.” I stopped right in front of her, grabbed a fist full of her hair, and yanked her head back, forcing her to look up at me. “Is that clear?”
She swallowed hard. “Yes.”
I pulled her head back some more. “Yes, what?”
“Yes…sir.”
“Good.” I let go of her hair and gave a step back. “Now go to bed.”
She stood up. “I’m not tired.”
“I said, go to bed.”
Her eyes narrowed, no trace of the tears she had cried earlier. She stepped up to me, her naked breasts touching the fabric of my shirt. “Thanks to you, sleeping is the last thing on my mind right now.”
I smiled. “I’m sure it is.”
“I’ll give you one guess what’s on my mind right now.” She cocked her head to the side, her golden hair falling over her shoulder.
I stepped closer, pushing my body against her, my cock already rock hard and ready to take her. Gently I brushed her hair away from her neck. “My guess is that you need something from me.”
“Oh, you’ve got that right. I desperately need something from you, yet you refuse to give it to me.” Her hands brushed seductively down her sides, avoiding the places I forbade her to touch.
I glanced down at her naked body, savoring the view of perfection. “You dishonored me today, and that cannot be left unpunished.”
Her sweet scent swirled around me, the air crackling as our sexual desire for each other started to thicken. She took the lapels of my jacket between her fingers and slowly stroked up and down, my cock growing harder by the second. Blue irises looked up at me, all traces of the pain reflected in them earlier, gone. Now all I saw were shades of resolve and tenacity giving me a glimpse of the woman who had fought so well to survive the hell I had put her through.
Slowly, seductively she wrapped her arms around my neck, her touch making my skin hungry for more.
“I remember you telling me that you would fight this war against Vico with me by your side as your queen.”
“Is that what you want? To be my queen? To be at the side of a mafia Boss fighting a war in a world you know nothing about?”
“Maybe.”
I leaned down, letting my lips come within inches of hers. “You’re not strong enough. What you did today proves it.”
I could see the doubt overshadow the confidence she had mere seconds ago, but she tried her best to hide it.
Her gaze moved from my eyes to my lips and back up. “Someone once told me that just because he came on my stomach, doesn’t mean that I know him. Well in this case, just because you fuck me, doesn’t mean you know me.”
I couldn’t help but smile at how she took my own words and turned them against me. Just when I thought I had her all figured out, something smart would come out of her mouth and surprise me. It was one of the reasons I was so intrigued by her.
She stepped back out of my reach, and with squared shoulders she looked me in the eye. “You need to decide whether I’m your slave or your queen, Castello. I can’t be both.”
She turned around and walked out of the bathroom. Her turning her back on me wasn’t something I liked—especially when done as a sign of disrespect. But she had knocked the wind right out of me. Her words rendered me speechless, leaving me without any intelligent or sarcastic comeback. All I could do was stare at her as she walked out.
Tatum was right. I needed to decide whether I wanted her to be the queen at my side…or the slave at my feet.
That night I sat in the chair across from the bed and watched her toss and turn between the sheets. It was dark, only the crescent-shaped moon casting a dim light through the room. At first I wanted to tie her hands to the bed to make sure she wouldn’t touch herself while I slept. But then I realized I wouldn’t be able to sleep. Not only could I not get the image of Tatum cutting herself out of my head, I also knew, deep down, that it was my fault. I wondered how long it had been since she had cut herself before today. Judging by the way her scars had whitened, it had to have been a long time. She had conquered those demons for a while…until I dragged her right back into hell.
It was my fault. I punished her for doing something I had ultimately pushed her into doing. After everything this woman had been through by my hand, how could I have expected her to live and act like everything was normal? Nothing about us was normal. If I had to draft a list of what was right, and what was wrong between us, the wrong list would win by a mile. But there was one thing, one right thing between us...the way we unashamedly embraced each other’s darkness, turning something so wrong into something that felt so fucking right.
This all started with me wanting to be the devil she sees in her nightmares. I wanted to hurt her. I wanted to see her cower at my feet in fear. I needed her to feel my pain, the pain of losing a brother. I demanded revenge.
Now I no longer cared about any of those things. In fact, right now as I stared at her sleeping restlessly I felt a need to comfort her, to take away her fears and nightmares. I wanted her to feel safe—to feel adored, and to share my bed without fearing me. Yet, a part of me demanded to see her on her knees, begging me, pleasing me, giving me full control over her body. I wanted the best of both worlds, and there was only one way to do that…
Make her my queen by day, and my slave by night.
6
TATUM
I knew the second I opened my eyes that he was watching me. In fact, I woke up a few times during the night feeling his gaze on my skin, caressing me, teasing me, making me want him
in ways I shouldn’t. It was times like these I wished it was possible for me to see him as nothing more than the man who had me kidnapped, ruining my life in the process. Not having this constant whirlpool of mixed emotions cluttering my mind would have made everything so much easier. I desired him, yet hated him at the same time. How is that even possible?
“Did you sleep well?”
I heard the sarcasm in his voice. It felt like a goddamn slap to the face.
“You tell me. You’re the one who sat in the corner and watched me the entire damn night.”
The bed dipped, and I opened my eyes as he took a seat next to me. By looking at him one would never have guessed that he didn’t get any sleep. He looked fresh, handsome, and so wickedly tempting. The scar around his eye just made him so much more intimidating, adding to the alpha dominance that oozed out of him all the damn time. I could see why Vico felt threatened by him. Castello had a way of demanding respect just by entering a room—the way a leader should. All Vico brought with his presence was arrogance and malevolence.
With the back of his hand Castello caressed the side of my face gently. “I am only going to say this once. Don’t make me say it again.”
I sighed and rolled my eyes. “God, I know, okay. Yesterday was the last time. I won’t cut myself again. Your punishment is still torturing my body.”
He smiled and softly tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’m sorry, Tatum.”
Three little words. Three powerful words that made my entire world come to a standstill.
I shifted up and stared at him cautiously. “May I ask what it is you’re sorry for?”
“Everything.”
“Everything covers quite a broad spectrum of things. Care to be more specific?”
He got up and buttoned his suit jacket. “Just, everything. Now get dressed.”
“Get dressed for what?”
He shot his cuffs and straightened his sleeves. “Last night you laid out a choice for me, and I’ve made a decision.”
I got out of bed as he turned around and opened the closet door. He reached inside and pulled out a white dress.
I narrowed my eyes. “What is going on?”
“Last night you told me to decide whether you were my slave or my queen.” He walked closer and softly took my hand in his, placing it on the dress. “And I’ve decided.”
“What did you decide?”
By the smile that spread across his face it was obvious that he saw the shocked expression on mine.
He reached out and dragged his thumb slowly across my lower lip. “Would a man give a two thousand dollar dress to his slave?”
“Two thousand—” I glanced down at the dress. It was a plain white, mini-skirt, high neck dress with a little detail embroidered on the seam. It was plain, yet beautiful. Exactly the kind of dress I’d choose for myself. It’s like I was an open book to him. Like he knew everything about me. Except my need to be able to make my own choices.
He cocked an eyebrow. “As a member of one of the richest families in America you sure look shocked about the value of that dress.”
“Just because I come from a rich family doesn’t mean I like bragging about it by buying expensive things and flaunting it in everyone’s faces.”
Castello stepped closer. “Well, you better start liking it. If you’re going to be the woman at my side, you need to embrace the power that comes with it…and flaunt it in everyone’s faces.” He winked teasingly, and all I could do was stare at him.
Woman at his side? Embrace the power that comes with it? Confused did not begin to cover how I was feeling right at that moment. After what happened yesterday, the way I had angered him, how he punished me, I was sure there was no way I’d ever be more than a prisoner to him. Someone that wasn’t worth more than a few fucks a week. Someone that tore his family apart. But now he had managed to knock the wind right out of me by saying all these things that I had no idea how to interpret.
I cleared my throat. “You said I wasn’t strong enough.”
“I changed my mind.”
“Why?”
He waved his finger in front of my face as to say no. “The first rule, never question me. Ever. My word is law, and you will respect me and every decision I make by never questioning a damn thing. Understood?”
I clutched the dress against my naked chest. “Okay.”
“Second rule.” He walked over to the cabinet and opened the top drawer. “Whenever you step foot out of this bedroom, you will always look your best. Your image is a reflection on me.”
I moved closer, and peeked inside to see the drawer stacked with make-up and beauty products. When he opened the second drawer to reveal underwear and lingerie that weren’t there before, I looked up at him. “Where did all this come from?”
His eyebrows slanted inward. “It’s been less than two minutes and already you’re breaking rule number one.”
“Well I haven’t accepted your offer yet.”
He smirked. “You say that like you have a choice.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, and that cocky grin remained on his face.
“You gave me the choice, little mouse, and I made it. There’s no going back now.”
“What if I don’t want to do it?”
I clutched the dress tighter as Castello started to slowly circle around me, his gaze moving up and down my body.
“You never would have brought it up if it wasn’t something you wanted to do.”
I glanced down to the floor, refusing to look at him. The way my skin tingled, the way every muscle inside my belly started to clench tight, I knew he was staring at me with lust-filled eyes. And once I looked into his eyes, I would crack and do exactly what he wanted me to. But right now, I wanted to at least try to have a clear head. To process what the hell was happening between us.
“Am I no longer your prisoner?” I kept my head down, not looking up at him.
“I answered that question already.”
“You said the answer depended on me.”
“It does. I’m not letting you go, Tatum. Not now, not ever. Do you think I’d kill my own mother, go to war against my own brother if I thought there was even half a chance that I would be able to let you go?”
“It’s hard to know what you’re thinking sometimes.”
His lips pulled up into a cocky grin. “A man never shows his weakness, little mouse.”
I swallowed hard, feeling intimidated under his scrutinizing gaze. “Is that what I am? A weakness?”
He stepped up behind me, and the second I felt his warmth against my bare back, I sucked in a breath. “Is it possible for someone to be your weakness as well as your strength?”
I closed my eyes as his breath moved against the skin of my neck. It’s as if yesterday never happened. As if I hadn’t angered him at all. The way he felt against me, his touch, the way the energy between us sparked with wild fire—it felt like nothing had changed between us…yet it had.
He placed a gentle kiss on my bare shoulder. “Is it possible for one person to be your illness, as well as your cure?”
I shuddered when I felt his hand softly frame my waist. Within a few heartbeats Castello had easily managed to seduce me into silence. All the questions I had swirling around in my head a second ago was gone. The confusion was gone. With a single touch he had possessed my mind, filling it with nothing but thoughts of untamed desires and wicked pleasures. It was like a filthy melody, playing seductively inside my head, urging me to stop trying to figure him out. To just let it be, to succumb and give this man everything he wanted from me.
“Castello, please,” I begged as he slowly dragged his fingertip over my waist.
“Shhh, I know. You need me, and as my queen I will always make sure you have what you need.” His hand dipped between my legs, and leaning back against him was all I could do to keep myself from falling. With a single stroke, he pulled his finger through my slit and I moaned.
His touch managed to cause my body to
spin out of control within seconds. My breath hitched as he pushed his finger inside me, his thumb still working that one spot that had me rocking my hips back and forth. I long ago accepted the fact that my mind will never win over my body when it comes to this man. And the truth was, my body wanted him…all the damn time.
“You’re a part of my world now, Tatum.” He brought his other hand up and cupped my breast, pinching my nipple hard. “And I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you not only survive at my side, but thrive.”
His hand moved deeper between my legs, and I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t stop the pleasure from exploding through my body, my legs shaking, my spine quivering as his touch continued, extracting every last of my release. His words, his touch, and the time he had denied me pleasure all came crashing together in one giant wave of euphoria. The relief was indescribable. Being denied the release my body craved for an entire night was torture, yet it made the pleasure so much more powerful.
I felt him smile against my neck. “Feel better?”
My heart was still racing, my breathing shallow. “Much better.”
“Good.” He stepped back and I almost lost my balance. “But that wasn’t what you needed.”
“It wasn’t?” I glanced over my shoulder, my legs still shaking.
“That should get you through the day, but tonight once the lights go out, I’ll give you what you really need.” The sordid promises that swirled around in his dark eyes made me shiver. Instantly all my senses were heightened, my body filled with the anticipation of what Castello would do to me…in the dark.
He straightened his jacket. “Now, get dressed. We have a lot to do today.”