by Laura Morgan
“Oh, Cassie! You look terrible,” Hanna cried, grabbing her tight while Jamie shook his boss’s hand awkwardly.
“Thanks very much,” Cassie murmured, looking back at her friend, and she managed a half smile. Leo asked Jamie if he could borrow some clothes, and the two of them headed over to his drawer in Hanna’s huge chest. He produced a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt, handing them over without a word, and Leo headed to the bathroom to change. Cassie could tell Jamie felt uncomfortable in Leo’s presence, and she hoped he would feel more comfortable as time went on.
“Did he tell you about Otis?” she asked, sitting down beside Hanna on the bed. She didn’t stop her when Hanna hugged her tightly.
“Yeah, he also promised me that he would take care of you from now on, better care that is, seeing as it appears he never stopped. He seemed really sincere, as far from that man we met in his house as I could’ve ever imagined. Even Jamie was surprised by how much he cares for you, otherwise neither of us would have let him in here, much less let him be the one to comfort you when you got home,” Hanna replied, and Cassie knew she was feeling guilty for not letting her know earlier they were home.
“It’s okay, I’m glad he was here,” she replied. “Wow, Leo must have been really convincing for you to let him in here?”
Hanna shrugged, leaning closer, and she whispered in her ear so as not to be overheard. “He’s Leo Solomon, he doesn’t need to be convincing, Cassie. Don’t ever forget who you are dealing with, and don’t get complacent just because he’s swooped in to save you in your hour of need, sweetie.”
“I won’t, Han, don’t you worry. If he wants to be with me he already knows I won’t make it easy on him.” Cassie laughed out loud, giggling uncontrollably when Leo came back into the room wearing Jamie’s clothes. The tracksuit bottoms seemed a decent fit, but the shirt was far too small, showing off his incredible body, but also reminding Cassie of the shirts she used to regularly catch Liam trying to squeeze himself into back at the theater to try and impress the objects of his affections. Leo’s muscular arms bulged beneath the cotton sleeves, and Cassie wondered if they might be about to rip, a thought that made her core tense at the sheer fantasy of it. His huge pecs and thick collar muscles were stuff of dreams, and both girls’ mouths dropped open as they took him in.
“Something tells me it’s a little too snug?” Leo laughed along with her and Hanna. Jamie smiled but stayed rooted to the same spot he’d been in, thoughtful and clearly uncomfortable at having Leo here. Cassie noticed his unease, and felt a flutter of doubt sweep over her, but ignored it. This bad-boy lover was exactly what she needed, and wanted, in her life. She couldn't fight her feelings for him anymore, even if he was bad news.
Leo slipped off the t-shirt and tossed it back at Jamie with a grin. The girls’ giggles silenced instantly as they devoured the sight of his naked torso. Hanna stared at him, and Cassie was sure she was taking a mental picture of the gorgeous man.
She grinned, biting down on her bottom lip as she too let her eyes roam over Leo’s impressive physique, and her mind wandered to some wonderful places.
Chapter 11
After a few more cuddles from Hanna, Cassie finally pulled away and followed Leo back to her room. He had been waiting patiently for her beside the still quiet Jamie, and she loved that he was doing everything he had promised her he would. His entire demeanor was so calm and patient, putting her very much at ease.
“Even in your darkest moments you brighten up my life in a way I could never have known possible¸” Leo told her once she was safely wrapped in his arms under the covers on her bed. Cassie felt her cheeks burn at his random sentiment but let herself enjoy his tender words, needing them in a way she would never have openly admitted to him. Despite being strong and independent, she sometimes needed someone to see through her layers and find the truth in those still waters that ran so deep inside of her. Leo seemed more than capable of doing so. He had even done it the night they met, and she wondered if he was something out of this world. Surely an ordinary man could not possess such powerful empathy and an effortless insight into the minds and feelings of those around him.
Cassie tilted her head, and Leo immediately took her mouth with his, sliding his tongue between her lips and conducting her own into submission. Her body went limp, her senses overwhelmed, and she reveled in the all-consuming passion she was filled with for the first time in so long. She climbed on top of him, and Leo happily lay on his back. His arms gripped the pillow beneath him while Cassie straddled his half naked body and ran her fingers down his ripped torso. She soon slid her mouth from his, moving down onto the hairless chest, taking time to caress each of his nipples with her tongue, enjoying his groans as she did so.
Cassie continued south, and she pulled back the covers so that he could watch her in the dim light. As she found her way blocked by the hem of his borrowed tracksuit bottoms, she grinned up at him. She wanted Leo to know she was enjoying this, needing to see as she pleasured him. He remained calm and let her do as she pleased without moving a muscle.
When she tugged at the cotton and pulled the pants down, he obliged. Cassie slid them over his thick thighs toward his feet, and she savored his groan as he watched her stare down at his huge hard-on and lick her lips in anticipation. She quickly pulled off her t-shirt and kicked off her own pants, leaving on her panties, as always. Cassie started to speak, to warn him not to take anything further than she was ready to, but he shushed her.
“I’m completely at your command Cassie, I’ll keep my hands up here, and I won’t push you into anything. You can trust me,” Leo said, his voice a harsh whisper.
She wanted to trust him, and hoped Leo would fight any urge to take the prize he so readily might’ve snatched up if he were with anyone else. Cassie slid her mouth over the tip and down his long shaft, almost gagging as she took Leo as far back as she could. Her mouth explored him inch by inch, and she grew wet as she caressed him with her tongue. One hand held him in place, the other gripping his thigh as she moved, keeping herself steady. When he came, she swallowed down every drop, desperate not to waste even a bead of his pleasure. She then kneeled back on the soft bed and watched as Leo panted in elated defeat. She owned him; Cassie knew it in that moment. Despite everything he was and would no doubt continue to be once they were away from the privacy of her room, Leo belonged to her in a far more powerful way than she ever had, or would, belong to him.
Feeling more turned on than ever before, Cassie slid her hand inside her panties toward her already swollen clit. She wrapped two of her fingertips around the tender nub and began working it in a circular motion, building her climax quickly. Leo watched her with a hunger in his eyes that scared her, and she nearly stopped, but instead commanded him away.
“Don’t move, stay there,” she whispered through trembling lips, and watched as Leo gripped either side of her mattress firmly in his strong hands while lifting his shoulders off of the bed for a better view. He followed her request, though, his breath coming fast and heavy until he eventually held it. Her orgasm hit, and as soon as she began bucking and moaning her release, he let out a deep growl full of raw lust and savage need. Leo flung himself forward when she pulled her hand away, pinning Cassie to his powerful body while the wonderful aftershocks still reverberated through her, and he kissed her deeply.
“That’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen,” Leo whispered, his kisses ravaging her face and neck as he ran his hands through her long hair. “I would die a happy man if I got to see you do that for me every night.”
Cassie laughed, but she lapped up his passionate words and savored his touch as they lay down and their bodies intertwined on the bed.
***
The next morning Cassie woke with her face pressed into Leo’s chest. His hands were tangled in her hair, holding her so tightly it was almost as though he was terrified of not having her close. It had taken them hours to fall asleep, their bodies buzzing. They had just chatted quietly, w
hiling away the hours with easy conversation before finally drifting off to sleep. Leo stirred as she roused, releasing his grip, and he peered down into her eyes apologetically.
“It’s okay,” Cassie whispered, nestling her face into the crook of his neck and enjoying the warmth that spread over her when his thickly muscled arms wrapped around her small body, pulling her tighter.
“I love this,” Leo murmured, clearly not ready to put his armor back on yet, and she was glad. Cassie groaned in affirmation, unable to say much in his tight hold, but she leaned into his embrace, enjoying their closeness. “I’ve always longed to have this. I hate being alone, but I’ve always been my own worst enemy when it comes to addressing my feelings. I think I always thought I was better off not feeling at all, but now I know better.” Leo kissed her softly.
“Promise me that no matter what happens we’ll always remember this, how we are now, and we’ll try to find our way back here if we ever lose it,” Cassie said as he stroked her hair out of her face. Leo climbed over her on the bed, pinning her to the mattress with his powerful body.
“How can I ever forget? Of course, I promise,” he answered before finally climbing out of bed. He started dressing in the clothes he had worn to the apartment the night before.
“Do you have to go?” Cassie asked, hating to watch him leave.
“I have to, I’m sorry,” Leo said, sitting down on the bed beside her. His features turned stoic, and she knew he was slowly going back to his usual demeanor. “My job isn’t exactly nine-to-five. In all honesty, it is more like twenty-four-seven. I’m always busy, always needed, and I cannot change that, Cassie. We will have to find a way to slot you into my world. We’ll figure it out eventually, but please know I will never intentionally put you in harm’s way. There may even be times I will have to push you aside for your own safety, and I would rather do that than ever see you get hurt because of me. But in the meantime, I want us to share as many nights like this as we can, okay?” He wasn’t looking at anything in particular, just gazing thoughtfully across her room as he buttoned up his shirt.
“Of course, we will both have to find a way to accept and take care of each other as best we can. I know you’re not the hero, Leo. But you aren’t the villain, either, and I’m more than willing to find our happy medium.” Cassie climbed up on her knees behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He stroked her hands and kissed each palm before standing again.
“Me too. But, there is one thing I will ask of you now. I would like you to consider ceasing your contract with Delilah permanently. I won’t pay for you. I want you to be my girlfriend, Cassie, not something I own.” His entire demeanor was commanding and intimidating again, but she could see the softness behind his cool features. “I’ve already programmed my number into your phone. Will you call me later?”
“I’ll ring to let you know when my contract is over with. Why would I ever need the attention of the men at those parties again when I belong to you?” She smiled up at him, and he scooped her up for one more bear hug and a deep, lingering kiss.
***
Leo left without another word, pulling his phone from his pocket and he waved goodbye to Hanna as he made the call to his driver. Jamie walked out of the bathroom as Leo passed, smiling at him timidly, and his boss stared at him for a moment before stepping closer and sliding his cell back in his pocket.
“Don’t you dare think this means you’ve got something on me, Jay, or that we’re best mates now,” Leo warned, his voice low and fierce. “You do not tell another soul my personal business, or I might have to terminate your contract, is that understood?”
“Yes, Mr. Solomon. I would never tell anyone your private business, and I would never expect special treatment. My lips are sealed, as ever, sir,” Jamie replied, his eyes wide and his expression fearful. Thanks to his reputation among his men, Leo knew he had delivered no idle threat. He meant every word, and would stand by his promise to terminate Jamie’s working arrangement in the only way people in his business knew how, by quite literally terminating them.
“Good.” Leo stared him down for a few more seconds. “Because if this goes sour thanks to you, I will procure your little whore of a girlfriend over there for a night of my most depraved fantasies. After I finished, I’d make it a matter of utmost importance that my sickest men had their fun too. You know she’d never be the same once we were done with her. That’s why you shit yourself that night when I honed in on the pair of them. You were more concerned I was going to try and fuck her than you were for Cassie’s safety.” He stepped closer to his trembling employee and dropped his voice. “I think you actually breathed a sigh of relief when I chose her instead of Hanna, so don’t pretend you’re the good guy,” he warned, sealing Hanna’s fate with a terrible promise. Jamie just nodded in understanding, staring at his feet while Leo grabbed the last of his things and left without another word.
Chapter 12
Leo worked out for two hours at his home gym later that morning, forcing the excess tension out of his body, and then lifting weights with his personal trainer, Ivan. Leo was in his prime, and he was now bench-pressing impressive weights thanks to Ivan’s strict regime and round the clock motivational tactics. In his past life, the guy had been a Marine, a cage fighter, thug for hire, and everything in between. But now Ivan belonged to Leo and had been well worth the investment.
Fitness had become Leo’s obsession the last few years, and he was only happy when he had hit the gym and worked his body hard, constantly checking his weight, eating well, and putting his physical limits to the test. Leo knew he had an obsessive personality at times; his intrusive methods with Cassie were testament to that, but he didn’t care. Without those intense sides of himself, Leo would not be the man he was today, and Cassie would still be in the company of a killer.
“What’s up with you today? Am I pushing you too hard, little girl?” Ivan shouted, picking up the pace during their run, and Leo sprinted after him, his taunts having worked in spurring him on.
“Do you want someone waiting for you?” Leo’s assistant, Tina, asked as he made his way back inside the mansion following his run around the vast grounds. She was used to procuring women for her boss to help him release those tensions the hours at the gym could not relieve.
“Not today. Get me Javier,” he said. He needed his driver for an errand. Part of him wanted to instruct Tina to tell Javier to go over to Cassie’s with flowers and chocolates. He felt all gooey inside, and he hated it. Leo Solomon was not the warm and fuzzy type. Regardless of the part of himself he had shown Cassie last night, he still had no idea when it came to romance.
He decided instead to put a tail on her, needing to know where she was and who she saw. He also knew he still had needs, and soon he would need to have them seen to, but Leo hoped Cassie would come around before he had to go elsewhere to scratch his itch.
“Of course, I’ll make sure he’s ready. You have a meeting later, but it’s not until eight o’clock this evening,” Tina replied, reminding him of his itinerary, and Leo nodded, heading inside for his much needed shower and protein shake.
After he was washed and dressed, Leo sat at his desk and grabbed his laptop from the locked drawer. He opened it and loaded his surveillance software, reeling with excitement at what he knew he would find on there. He knew at some point he would need to come clean about just how involved he had become in Cassie’s life. He had given her a little bit of a confession on his hired investigator regarding Otis, and that he had been keeping an eye on her, but he hadn’t let on how much.
As he sat and waited, tapping his hand impatiently, he remembered her with a smile. The way Cassie had touched herself so gently, yet she knew exactly what she needed, and she delivered it without even breaking a sweat. Her stunning body and beautiful face would remain forever in his memory, but he was also glad he had hidden cameras all around her apartment so didn’t need to keep it as just a memory. He couldn't wait to watch it again.
&nb
sp; Leo clicked back through the previous night’s recordings and watched the highlights, from the moment she had found his silly little gift right to when he had threatened Jamie in the hallway. Cassie’s bedroom feed was fantastic. He watched her moment of self-satisfaction with a flutter in his chest and bated breath, growing hard at her stunning display. Leo knew it was wrong to have planted the cameras. He was wrong to do a lot of things, and he was not sorry about it. He needed to know what she did and what she said to Hanna.
Leo’s insatiable need for control was evident in everything he did, but it had also earned him his place atop his vast empire and the fantastic lifestyle that came with it. He enjoyed having power over others and used whatever tools he had at his disposal. He had gotten a great deal of satisfaction from delivering Jamie his little warning this morning, and enjoyed watching him squirm on the screen.
Leo pulled up the live feed, finding Cassie and Hanna sitting at the kitchen counter having coffee together. He plugged in his headphones and listened in on them, and wasn’t ashamed at all.
“So, you let him spend the night. Does that mean…?” Hanna cradled her coffee in her small hands as she peered across at Cassie expectantly.
“No, we fooled around a little, but you know it’ll take a lot for me to finally be ready. I need to trust him completely, but I’m also scared he will be put off,” Cassie replied. Leo couldn't be sure what she meant by it, but Hanna seemed to understand.
“If he’s telling the truth about how much he cares, then he’ll love you no matter what. He seems really different with you, far from that scary man we saw at his party,” Hanna said, smiling wickedly. “Hot as fuck, but still terrifying as hell, don’t get me wrong. He seems real when he’s with you, though. It’s as if he really does let down that mask a little. You need to be careful, Cassie. I can’t tell you enough how much it worries me that you have somehow charmed the most powerful and intimidating man I’ve ever known, and I’ve met a lot along the way.”