by Laura Morgan
Cassie couldn't reply to Victor’s heartfelt words. She smiled, fluttering her eyelashes in an attempt to hide her shock. She was glad he seemed to have already begun seeing her differently than the other girls, but he still scared her, and she hoped this side of him would stick around.
“I’ll keep being everything you want me to be, Victor. I made you a promise. As long as you keep yours, I’ll keep mine,” she said, kissing his lips. “Oh, and I’ll need to keep taking my contraceptive pill. We don’t want any surprises.”
“Of course, we can wait for the patter of tiny feet until after we’re married,” Victor told her with a wry smile, and her stomach dropped. The sheer thought of it made her feel sick.
“One step at a time, baby,” she replayed, having noticed he seemed to like her calling him that. He kissed her, pulling Cassie up onto his lap so she straddled him.
“Until then, keep taking your pills, and tell Grayson when you need more. All my girls take contraceptives, but I still use condoms with them. Never with you.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Sí, I’m clean. There are many things I want from you, Cassie, many things indeed. But the first thing I want is your sweet pussy again,” he said, watching as she followed his request without hesitation and lifted herself over him. She closed her eyes and pushed his hard-on inside of her, riding his thick length while he sat back and watched with a satisfied smile.
Chapter 24
Victor slept in Cassie’s room with her that night, his arms around her tightly in a far more possessive way than Leo’s had ever been. She felt as though he was already obsessively protective over her, his hands pressing into her skin almost painfully. As he held her, Cassie knew she was a prized possession, and it scared the hell out of her.
Victor roused early and woke her for a quick fuck before he headed off to his own room through the en-suite. He came back in his suit and expensive shoes, looking every inch the powerful cartel boss.
“Stay here. Grayson will attend to you. He’s allowed to leave to get you food, but will otherwise remain here, and you’re to stay in your room until I come back,” he informed Cassie.
“Is there anything I can do while I’m in here?” she asked timidly, already dreading the boring day ahead. Victor climbed onto the bed, seeming not to care about crinkling his suit. He kissed her deeply, pressing his body into hers, and she went limp beneath him, acting every inch the subservient lover.
“I want you to stay out of sight from the other girls for now. They will be jealous of you, and probably very mean. Today you can lie back and dream of me, and be ready for when I return,” he said, not really having given her an answer, but she just smiled and winked.
“Sure thing, baby,” Cassie replied, watching as he left, and then diving back under the covers for a little bit more rest.
Grayson woke her up with coffee and a blueberry muffin around nine o’clock. His whole body exuded kindness and warmth, and Cassie wondered if she detected a hint of protectiveness toward her. She also got the impression he might be gay. Having spent a long time in the theatrical world, her gaydar was pretty good, and she definitely got a sense from him. She also wondered if that was why Victor asked him to be her full-time guard.
“Good morning, Miss Taylor. I hope you slept well?” Grayson asked, taking a seat in the armchair a few feet away, and she nodded. “Great. Mr. Sanchez has informed me we are to stay inside while he’s working today. I thought I’d see if there’s anything you’d like to do. I can find us a set of cards, or how about a word game?”
“No games, thank you. Some conversation might be nice, though, seeing as it appears we’re going to be spending lots of time together. Are you allowed to tell me more about Victor? Or perhaps give me a rundown of this place I’m now to call home?” Cassie gazed at him hopefully. She was desperate to take a walk around, to see the complex for herself, but in the meantime she would settle for as much information as she could get.
Grayson was skittish, looking around the room with the careful expression of someone who knew he was being watched, and Cassie made a mental note to be mindful in case of hidden cameras. Victor and Leo were very much alike, and it stood to reason the Mexican gangster would be just as paranoid as his friend farther north.
Cassie took a bite of her muffin. It was still warm from the oven, and she groaned in appreciation. Grayson smiled and took a breath. He told her enough to keep both her and any prying eyes happy.
“Sure. We’re in central Mexico, in the middle of nowhere, and far away from any coast. There are a few large cities close by. Victor has access to shops, bars, nightclubs, and restaurants—you name it. The life here can rival any you might have been used to in New York.”
They chatted for a while longer, and she didn’t press him for details. He wouldn’t give her any city names or information regarding their exact location, but she understood why, and was grateful for anything he was willing to provide. Cassie stayed quiet as he offered her his little pieces of information.
“The Sanchez brothers have been in business for a long time, ever since Luis was just a teenager. He fought his way to the top by being ruthlessly successful, and anyone who crossed him usually wound up dead. Victor was initiated into the cartel at the age of fifteen, and Luis trained him personally. No one has ever gone up against the pair of them and won.”
“Whoa, that’s kinda hot.” She grinned, and he let out a gruff laugh before turning serious again.
“Such a shame Luis had his accident last night. He’ll be greatly missed.” His voice was low and somber, but his expression lacked the emotion it needed to seem genuine. Cassie had to wonder how many of his men might have secretly rejoiced in his demise.
“Yes, a terrible shame.”
“I met Leo a few weeks back. He was well mannered and honest, but Luis was offended. He hadn’t let on until after Leo left. He and Victor had a fight, and then Victor left. He asked me and a few of the other men to accompany him to New York, which of course we did. The next thing I know, we get the call to infiltrate Leo’s mansion and hold him captive. Before I could even ask what was happening, you were being put in my care with strict orders to keep you safe, even from yourself, if necessary.”
“Does he really think I’d do something so foolish?”
“Desperate people do desperate things. He wants you to be happy here, Cassie. I hope for the same, but I will warn you now, do not cross him, and never let him catch you lying. He once murdered his best friend for telling him a lie. He’ll be angry at the truth, sure, but the alternative’s much worse.”
Cassie finished off her coffee and placed the mug back on the tray. “Am I safe with him, GG? I want to be protected. I deserve it after giving up everything to come here. I want to be happy and loved, is it so much to ask?” she blurted out, desperate for more answers.
“Yes, you’ll be safe, happy, and loved, Cassie. But you must be everything you have promised him you will. Don’t ever take his affection for granted.” Grayson’s intense stare made her know he told the truth. She wondered how many other women might’ve been delivered the same promises from the powerful man in the past. She imagined them trying in vain to please Victor, only to get sloppy and lose it just as quickly. Cassie promised herself she would not let the same happen to her.
By the time Victor returned, she and Grayson had finished their conversations and moved on to some basic Spanish lessons. It had been Cassie’s idea. She wanted to be able to converse with Victor in his native language, rather than expect him to always speak English for her. He seemed impressed at the sentiment, which was exactly what she’d been hoping for.
She squealed excitedly and wrapped her arms around him when Victor unlocked the door and came inside, playing her role perfectly again, and he seemed positively taken with her.
“How’s your day been, baby?” she asked, helping him out of his suit jacket and nodding to Grayson so he left them alone. She placed the jacket on the back of her dressi
ng table’s chair to keep it nice, while Victor slid into a leather chair that sat beneath the window. She’d thought earlier how it was the perfect reading spot, if only she could convince him to buy her books.
Victor looked tired, drained, and she climbed onto his lap. Cassie ran her hands over his face and into his dark hair, massaging his scalp gently while he closed his eyes and almost seemed to purr.
“It’s been a long and hard day. I’ve had a lot of questions to answer about my brother, but at last the matter has been laid to rest. We will have a funeral for him tomorrow, just a small affair. We have no family close by, so it’ll just be me and our most trusted people,” Victor said, his hands sliding up her bare legs toward Cassie’s warm mound.
“Would you like me to come with you?” she whispered as he slipped his fingers inside her panties and stroked her nether lips. Cassie found herself trembling uncontrollably. She desperately wanted him to stop. She’d barely felt comfortable with Leo touching her scars, and had forced herself to let Victor see and touch them the night before. Now, though, she just wanted him to get on with it, to slide his fingers inside, or stop altogether.
“Why are you so scared?” Victor asked, ignoring her question.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, mentally kicking herself for being such a weak and feeble girl. She hated how the past still had so much power over her, and promised herself she would stop doing this every time Victor touched her. Cassie knew he would soon grow tired of her hang-ups, and forced her mind to switch off its frenzied remembrance, willing her trauma away like a forbidden repulsion to Victor’s touch.
“I’m sorry, baby. It’s just still so new, you and me. After everything that’s happened, I need some time to forget about New York, and my life there,” she replied, her body stopping its shudders only when he brought his hand away.
“You miss him, don’t you?” he spat, his voice turning harsh and cruel in an instant. Cassie remembered the words Grayson had said to her about lying to him, and decided to be at least a little honest.
“Yes, but I miss my life more. I miss my friends, my jobs. I miss the person I was up there. Please don’t be angry, Victor. I’m doing everything you asked of me, and more. I want to be perfect for you, I want you to be proud of me,” she said, meaning it. Cassie really did want her life in Mexico to be the best version she could make it. She was well aware how awful her stay could be if she lost Victor’s affection. She knew she had to try and make him understand she could be more than just a girl locked upstairs for him to fuck. As she peered down at him, silently commanding her body to yearn for his touch, she used her feminine wiles to her advantage in every way she knew how. As she took a deep breath, the movement lifted her breasts and accentuated her cleavage, which immediately caught his attention. Victor stared at Cassie’s chest and bit his bottom lip.
“I guess it has only been one day. It feels like so much longer,” Victor replied, visibly softening. “You’re perfect already, Cassie, don’t you see what you do to me? I never thought I would want a girl my own age, especially one who has such a feisty temper.” He laughed, making her smile.
Victor trailed his hand across her thigh, showing her the contrast in their skin tones. “I never wanted something this pale against my body. I didn’t think I would love the way you speak a language that is so foreign, yet so familiar to me. Every sound you make is music to my ears, and when you laugh, I feel as though every one of my sins has been forgiven,” he said.
Cassie held her breath, suddenly feeling as though she might cry. She peered into his deep brown eyes, feeling a tiny flicker of unexpected affection. She knew she was still very far from feeling the same way about him as she did Leo, but Victor was starting to make this whole thing a lot easier on her with these tender moments of loving words and gentle touches.
They made love for hours again that night, Victor’s body commanding hers entirely as he caressed her and held her close. Cassie hated this man for all the things he had done, but he was honest, and he was real. She was beginning to feel guilty for playing her role, wishing he were falling for the real her.
Victor never once apologized for his actions, and in a strange way, she respected him for it. At the same time, she wished he would show a little compassion for her losses. She hoped in time he would, but she was no fool, and vowed never to live in hope of him suddenly breaking down and begging her forgiveness. One of them would have to let go in order for this to work, and Cassie knew it was her. She decided she would earn her place in his heart, regardless of what she had to let him take from her in the process.
***
The next day Victor left to go and work, much like he had the day before. This time he pulled a black dress from her new closet on his way, laying it out on the bed.
“Be ready for noon,” he told her, and Cassie nodded. She knew he was taking her with him to his brother’s funeral, and despite the somber reasons, she was glad to be allowed out of this bedroom at last. Grayson helped get her ready, waxing her body and styling her in a way that sealed her assumptions on his sexual preferences. He touched her without any sexual agenda. He simply got on with it without taking sneaky looks, or putting his hands where they shouldn’t be. Cassie felt safer in his company than ever before, chatting with him as they got her ready, and she was glad she had someone here with whom she could feel comfortable.
Preparations complete, she took a long look in the mirror, seeing herself, but also the mask she now permanently wore, reflected back at her.
“Damn, I look good,” she said with a smile, swishing her skirt and giggling. Grayson had given her a classic, elegant look that suited her pale face and body perfectly. He kept her large breasts covered with the aid of a dark brooch he’d found in one of her many jewelry boxes, and he straightened it for her.
“We don’t want to draw too much attention to you, and this dress shows quite a bit of leg,” he told her, making it clear that while Victor’s men were not a threat, they might still have ideas about her if she weren’t careful. “Men can do desperate things if a woman gets inside his head too much,” he said, Victor being a very recent example.
When he came to collect her just before noon, she felt her cheeks burn as his eyes roamed over her admiringly. Victor offered Cassie his arm, reminding her of the day they’d first met. Just like that day, she took it without hesitation. She was grateful for the freedom his hold would bring her, and followed his lead out of her bedroom. They made their way down the long hallway toward the stairs. Grayson followed a few feet behind, his eyes sweeping the rooms as they went.
Once through the large house and in the vast hallway, Victor stopped. There were people all around, talking in Spanish, and some seemed to be arguing loudly without a care for who might be listening. No one approached them or tried to catch Victor’s eye. They all seemed to know he would speak to them when he wanted, but they should otherwise stay away. Cassie began to notice the power he had over them all. It reminded her of the times she had attended parties on Leo’s arm, his commanding presence parting the sea of people before them as they walked, and his chosen guests staring up at him in admiration when he passed. Victor was exactly the same. He’d taken his brother’s place atop their business, and was surrounded by men and women who both loved and feared him. They seemed to hang on his every word and did everything he asked of them without question.
Cassie thought she’d enjoy having the freedom from her room, but she found herself frightened of everyone she came across. She had no idea how to act, sensing many eyes on her, and she cowered under their scrutinizing gazes. The women were especially harsh. Their overly made-up faces contorted into vicious, evil looks full of envy and disgust when they watched her. She finally understood what Victor had meant about keeping her away from them. Cassie had absolutely no doubt they would be viciously aggressive to her given the opportunity, and hoped she would never end up alone with any of them.
“Don’t speak to anyone but me or Grayson, and st
ay by my side unless I tell you otherwise,” Victor whispered to her, but she was already planning those things anyway.
They came to a stop by a doorway that led out onto a huge terrace and swimming pool, and he addressed the crowd in Spanish. Cassie could pick out a few simple words, but not enough to properly understand his speech. She could decipher the meaning, though. His words were slow and his tone of voice soft, while everyone looked on in quiet mourning. This was the so called ‘small affair’ Victor had told her about. She realized either something had been lost in translation, or his meaning of the word was very different.
Victor turned and led the way, his arm still locked around Cassie’s tightly, but he didn’t show her any affection, nor did he seem to expect any from her. She got the impression he just wanted her close, and went along with it, as was expected of her now.
Once the funeral was over, Victor led the party back inside, where he toasted his brother. He handed Cassie a small flute of champagne, which she graciously accepted. She joined in with the rest of the group, raising a glass to the man she knew had died because she had chosen his death over Leo’s. There was no victory in this moment, but she would’ve done the same again if she had to.
A woman to Cassie’s left was in hysterics, screaming and praying loudly, until she was finally dragged away by some of her friends. Cassie wondered if she might have been Luis’s wife, her reaction to his passing surprising her. In this sea of whores and henchmen, she assumed Luis, like Victor, had never allowed anyone close, but after watching that poor woman she realized how wrong she was.