by Sam Crescent
“You’re not taking me back to my apartment?” she asked, seeing the car going in the opposite direction.
“No. You’re mine now, and that means you stay with me.”
Her mouth suddenly went dry.
There went the fun right out of it as he forced her to come crashing back to earth with a reality check.
Pulling away from him, she stared out of her window and watched the streets go by. Going down one particular street, she saw a scantily-clad woman on a corner. The woman waved at the car, but they didn’t slow down nor did they stop.
“Does she work for you?”
“What?” Dawg asked.
“The woman working the corner. Did she work for you?”
“She better not be.” His gaze fell on her. “You really don’t have a high opinion of me, do you?”
“I don’t know you.”
“I can tell. You wouldn’t be so quick to judge if you did know me.”
Properly scorned, she looked out of the window again and cursed him inside her head. It was another of her mother’s little tricks on how to deal with her pesky anger.
It wasn’t long before they were pulling into the luxury driveway of his home. Again, she spotted more guards, and rather than comfort her, they, in fact, made her even more nervous. Someone who had this many guards was someone very dangerous, and the threat they posed was serious.
He had a gun to my father’s head hours ago.
She had to keep on reminding herself of that, and not allow herself to fall for any of his tricks, no matter how much she wanted to.
Climbing out of the car without waiting for help, she moved toward the door and tried her hardest to ignore the stares or glares coming her way.
Within seconds Dawg was by her side, and the moment they were in his home he slammed the door closed and had her pressed up against it.
“I know you’ve got no problem behaving like a spoiled little brat when the mood takes you, but don’t ever climb out of the car without either myself or one of my men assisting you.”
“What?”
“That’s an order, and you will follow orders.”
“Is your life so dangerous a woman can’t even be independent around you?”
“There are men, and women for that matter, who would be paid handsome sums to get rid of me. The last thing I want is for someone to take that anger out on you, which is why a guard will be with you at all times.”
“No, that is not happening. I have work.”
“Yes, and I’m surprised you didn’t notice Ashley. He started last week at your firm. He’s a guard. Wears a security uniform, constantly walking around.”
She’d spotted him, but had figured he was there as a precaution because of one of the lawyers taking on a high-pressure case.
“You need to make him back off.”
“Not going to happen, darling. You’re mine, and I take care of what is mine. If you want, I’ll stop you working. Keep you here for my amusement, and send in your letter of resignation.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“And I can be an even bigger one if you want to keep this up,” he said.
She snapped her mouth shut, seeing no point in arguing with the man. He wasn’t going to listen to her no matter what she said or did. This was all on him, and she folded her arms, refusing to give him any satisfaction.
“Come on, let’s head on up to bed.”
They moved away from the door, and seconds later she heard the other guards enter. Deciding to ignore them, Dawg showed her to her room, but instead of leaving her and closing the door, he stepped inside with her.
“Do you want sex?”
“Do you want to have sex with me?” he asked.
“It’s part of what I signed, right? You can have what you want, when you want it?”
“I’m not telling you to have sex with me. You’re sleeping here, Lori, by my side. We’re not having sex tonight.”
“No. We can have sex, but we’re not sleeping together.”
“Yes. I’m not here to negotiate. The contract states I can have what I want. I want this, and this is where you will sleep. Final.” He stepped away, and she glared at the bed.
Seeing no other reason to argue, she found Dawg in the bathroom, brushing his teeth. She didn’t want to wait to get ready, and she certainly didn’t want him to think he had any power over her. Turning her back to him, she wished she had a mirror just so she could see the look on his face.
Once she finished removing all of her clothes, she turned on the shower and reached in to test the water, finding it just right.
Stepping into the warm spray, she tilted her head up and washed herself in record time.
Turning off the water, she remembered she had forgotten a towel. Before she could say anything, one was thrust inside the curtain. “Here you go.”
Did his voice sound strained?
Had she shocked him?
“Thank you.” Taking the towel, she wrapped it around her body.
Stepping out of the shower, she saw she was alone.
Brushing her teeth and taking care of her hair, she entered the bedroom and found Dawg waiting for her.
“This side is yours.” He opened the closet door and showed her all of her items.
“You went to my apartment?”
“Yes.”
“You shouldn’t be doing that.”
“I already paid your rent, Lori. As the owner of the building, I had access to the key.”
“You paid for the building?”
“When I realized where you were living, and the bastard who pretended to be a landlord, yes, I saw no other choice. It was either that, or kill the bastard. Guess what? He lived.”
This didn’t bring her comfort.
He left her alone, and she saw out of the corner of her eye that he’d gone to the bed.
After twenty minutes passed of brushing her hair and rearranging things within her closet, she saw no other choice. Quickly pulling a negligee over her head, she moved toward the bed.
Climbing beneath the sheets, she closed her eyes and tried to pretend she didn’t care that he was there, or that she could feel him.
“I’m not going to rape you, Lori. When we fuck, both of us are going to want it.”
“Hell will freeze over before that happens.”
“Well, global warming is happening. I imagine I won’t have to wait long.”
He was too smug for his own good.
Chapter Three
“Lori got to the homeless shelter safely, sir. There is also a man keeping an eye on things, and will post updates.”
Looking up from his paperwork, Dawg sat back, breathing a sigh of relief. One night she’d been in his bed, and already he had the worst case of blue balls he could ever recall having. It pissed him off that she drove him crazy, but that was exactly what she did. She’d also taken him by surprise with stripping in front of him. Not that he minded. Her body was made for pleasure, and one day soon he intended to get his hands on her.
He was going to show her everything that she’d been missing out on, and when she thought she’d had enough, he was going to show her again, and again, and again. No part of her was going to be left untouched or unkissed. He wanted to fuck her brains out, and have her scream his name.
Smiling, he suddenly felt a great deal happier. When she’d woken up that morning, he’d seen the fight in her eyes. He’d expected it. She thought he was going to take everything away from her. The friends she’d made, her work, and also her commitments to many charities. He had no intention of doing any such thing.
Last night had been … extraordinary. He’d never taken a woman to bed before. The last thing he ever wanted was to have a woman grasping onto him, begging him. He hadn’t been interested in that at all.
Yet, when it came to Lori, the moment she drifted to sleep, he’d wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
He’d pressed his nose against her neck, breathing in her
beautiful scent. It really had been amazing.
Finishing his work, he got up and made his way outside just as his brother was pulling into the driveway.
“I have one night off to spend with the family, and I hear so many nasty little rumors.” He embraced his brother, Paul, and smiled.
“I see the rumors are already rife.”
“Something about a girl? You’ve bought a girl for your pleasure?”
“Climb in. I’ll tell you everything.”
Paul slid in beside him, and Nigel, his driver, began the morning rounds that always took place on a Saturday.
“Let me just guess,” Paul said. “I’m guessing this is Sean’s girl. The one that has become like an obsession to you?”
“It’s Lori. Sean was finally caught stealing—”
“You always intended for him to be caught, so that’s no big revelation.”
“Well, he offered me anything, and I saw an opportunity, which I took.”
“From the moment you saw this woman, you’ve had a boner for her. What is it about her?”
“I like her.”
“There are a lot of women out there. None of them have ever made you act crazy, and right now with Lori, you’re acting crazy.”
“What makes me crazy?” he asked.
“Simple. You’re wanting to be with her even though she’s said time and time again that she doesn’t want it.”
“Yes, but she’s also had that look in her eye that says otherwise.”
“Or you could be seeing things.”
“Whose side are you on?” Dawg asked.
“I don’t take sides, but if it was going to cost me anything, I’d take yours. I hope you know what you’re doing. This life is not for everyone.”
Paul knew that better than anyone as his wife was having a hard time dealing with everything.
“Was there anything else in Lori’s past that could perhaps show why she’s reluctant?”
“Dawg, man, I hate to break it to you, but not a lot of women get off on the violence and blood.”
“This isn’t about that. Something happened to her. Something changed her, and I don’t know what it is. She’s different from other women. She makes me happy.”
Paul sighed. “And what if you only make her miserable?”
“I’m not going to argue with you about this.”
His brother held his hands up. “I’m not arguing. I’m stating facts. You normally like it when I do that.”
“Not today. I’m not interested in whatever shit you’ve got to say.” He ended the conversation, staring out the window as he did.
Lori would come around to his life. She’d have to. She didn’t have a choice. The moment he’d caught sight of her, any choice she once had disappeared. He wasn’t willing to share, not now, not ever.
There was something he was missing, something big.
Pulling out his cell phone, he put a call through to his informant in the police force.
“I got you everything that is linked to that file, sir,” Andrew said.
“You’re sure. Nothing missing out of it? No blank pages?”
“There’s nothing about Lori Kinsley. She’s a good, hard-working woman. There’s nothing to hide.”
He heard the confusion in Andrew’s voice, and he ended the call.
“Here’s a thought for you,” Paul said. “Why don’t you just ask her?”
Ignoring his brother, he sat back and tapped his knee. Something wasn’t right. He didn’t understand it.
He’d find out the truth though, one way or another.
****
Work didn’t help Lori forget who was waiting for her back at home. She’d woken up this very morning with his arms wrapped around her, and rather than be angry about that, she’d enjoyed it. In fact, she’d lain back for several moments and simply basked in having his arms around her.
She couldn’t believe that she’d actually liked having him hold her.
Dawg wasn’t an ugly man, nor was she immune to his … charm.
Damn it! She wanted him.
She did, and that was what made her even angrier. He wasn’t a good guy. Spooning another scoop of soup into a bowl, she smiled at the man in front of her, who bowed his head and went to sit at the table. Feeding the homeless had given her a bigger insight to the world. Not only did she realize how lucky she was, but it also helped for her to pay off her guilt.
This was where she’d first heard of Dawg Hampshire, legendary crime lord and all-around asshole. She’d learned about him a long time before she’d even met him. Of course, in her mind she’d seen him as more of a monster than anything else, and that hadn’t been what she’d seen.
Yes, he was a cocky asshole. He had that air about him that said he was used to getting what he wanted and women falling at his feet. She wasn’t like most women, and didn’t intend to fall at his feet either.
In fact, she intended to steer well clear of him. She had no intention of falling for him. He thought she was going to be begging for him for sex? He had another think coming.
Hell would certainly be freezing over before she got near him, and that was that.
Even as she thought it, she couldn’t rid her mind of the feel of his arms wrapped around her, nor the way he kissed her neck as he settled in against her. Her body had come alive at his touch alone.
Part of her had wanted him to do something when she’d gotten naked in the bathroom.
He’d done nothing.
He’d been the perfect gentleman, and that only served to make her want him more. The rest of her shift at the homeless shelter went by without a hitch. It didn’t help to clear her mind though. Knowing she was going back to a place that had the object of her confusion only served to make her more anxious.
Leaving through the back entrance, she paused when she caught sight of Dawg leaning against the car door. He looked in control, dangerous, and the leader.
No one told him that he was illegally parked, and she noticed a lot of people gave him a wide berth. Were they afraid of him?
She should be afraid, and yet to her he’d not posed any danger.
He opened the car door for her without a word, and she climbed inside. She saw the driver, another man in front, and then Dawg climbed in the back beside her.
“Lori, I’d like you to meet my brother, Paul.”
He pointed to the man in the passenger seat. She held out her hand, and shook it.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“I see living with my brother hasn’t completely stolen my manners.”
She smiled as Paul kissed her hand.
“I didn’t know you had a brother.”
“We have different mothers,” Paul said. “I’m the youngest one in the clan.” He winked at her, and it made her smile, but nothing else.
She sat back and glanced out the window, aware of the man beside her. His hand had touched the base of her back, and she’d felt the heat of his touch against her. She didn’t want him to let her go, and again, she was torn between her head and her body.
Her heart wasn’t allowed to come into play. She refused to listen to it.
“Did you have a good day?” Dawg asked.
She heard one of the men wince.
“What?” Dawg asked.
Lori looked at him and saw him glaring at his brother.
“How can a woman have a good day after watching men and women beg for food? That’s not a good day.”
“It was fine. I like doing it. Some of them like to be on the streets rather than deal with the stress of being part of it all.” Most of them didn’t want to be homeless though.
Rubbing at her temple, she tried not to think about the man beside her.
Paul and Dawg began to talk about something else, and she didn’t really pay attention to either of them, as she wasn’t interested in whatever they had to say.
The journey came to a close as they pulled up Dawg’s driveway. This time she waited, and it was Paul who opene
d the car door.
Making her way toward the main one, she saw it was already open and made her way inside. She didn’t linger as she went straight toward the shower, needing to wash off this craving that was building inside her.
She wouldn’t allow herself to fall for a man who had a life that killed people. Leaning against the wall, she pressed her face to her hands and saw the blood. With her eyes closed, she saw the mess, the pain, the destruction, and bit her lip to contain her whimper. She would not crumble. She would not fall.
“You’re a lady, Lori. Never forget who you are. Be yourself.”
Running her hand through her hair, she breathed a little easier. She missed her mom so much. It always pained her to know that her father had survived while her poor mother had died. It was one of the reasons she’d never forgive the bastard.
If it hadn’t been for her mother’s dying wish, she’d have killed him herself a long time ago.
After all, she had already killed once.
Chapter Four
The weeks blended together, and even though Dawg knew he was pushing himself to his limit, he didn’t stop, nor did he take what wasn’t freely offered. Each day, he got up and had breakfast, rarely sharing it with Lori. It depended on how early she decided she needed to leave his home. He’d watch her go, and he saw the shadows beneath her eyes.
She wanted him.
He saw it with how she turned to him just slightly whenever he touched her. There were also the telltale signs in her eyes. The way they dilated, and the need that stared up at him. It made him ache, and he wanted her. It would be so easy to take her, to show her exactly what she wanted, but that wasn’t what would happen.
Even though his dick was ready to burst, he refused to make the first move.
He could wait.
Lori already had a low opinion of him, and he wasn’t about to make her think anything less of him. Not now.
He was so close to winning her over, and he refused to screw anything else up. While she worked, he took care of business.
It had been a slow couple of weeks, but he knew that would turn. Whenever everything seemed to be running smoothly, that was when something went wrong. He wanted to keep a close eye on it, and he also wanted to find out what skeletons were in Lori’s closet, which was why three weeks after taking her, he entered the brothel where he had Sean working.