by Piper Stone
“As we speak, my men are on their way to kill your father. It’s entirely up to you whether you want to live, Lorenzo. I am now in control of your city, your port, and your men. Taking and using your woman is merely a perk.” Konstantin inhaled, closing his eyes. The fucker truly believed he’d gotten the better of me.
That’s the moment I noticed Axel moving out of the shadows, his weapon positioned in both hands.
Another wise statement my father had taught me long ago. Never allow arrogance to blindside you. “Fuck. You.” I shifted, twisting my body and kicking the gun out of Axel’s hand a split second before he managed to take a single shot. When I lunged, knocking him to the floor, all hell broke loose.
Within seconds, the entire room was filled with men, my men. I’d calculated the timing well, knowing the arrogant prick had brought me to the club for a single purpose.
Taking out his enemy.
Sadly, Sierra had been the bait.
I didn’t waste additional time with Axel, grabbing the weapon he’d attempted to use and putting a bullet between his eyes. When I turned, the sight of the other members of the alliance surrounding Konstantin was a beautiful moment.
The Russian was... distraught. I merely walked between my friends, moving to within an inch of the asshole. “If you honestly believed that you had the muscle or the intelligence to try and take over a single mile in this country, you were dead wrong. Now, it’s time for you to meet your maker.”
I merely stepped out of the way, shifting all my attention to Sierra, my fingers fumbling as I attempted to unfasten the crude shackles.
The volley of gunfire was like sweet music, perfect in pitch.
“You came for me,” she whispered in a strangled voice.
“I told you that no matter where you were, I’d find you.” As I gathered her into my arms, blocking her view of the ongoing carnage, I whispered the words that I’d longed to tell her for so long. “I love you, Sierra, with all of my heart.”
Chapter Fifteen
Sierra
Love.
The single word had replaced the ugliness of terror that had almost stripped me of my fight to live, even though I continued to worry about death.
Although I’d been told the nightmare was over.
The moment the bastard had taken me from William’s house, I thought I’d never see Lorenzo again. While the monster hadn’t made good on his threat, simply leaving me locked in a cage until he’d dragged me to the club, I hadn’t been able to get his cowardly face out of my mind.
No matter the visions that I knew would eventually fade, I’d heard Lorenzo’s heartfelt words. I’d seen the look of horror on his face the moment he’d laid eyes on me. I knew at that moment that he would turn over heaven and hell to find me if necessary.
I sat huddled underneath a blanket with my legs curled under me in on the couch, staring at the fire he’d made. The unusual cold snap had given him an excuse to ply me with hot chocolate, the fire constantly going. I would have never expected he’d actually dote on me, treating me as if I was fragile. I laughed softly to myself at the thought.
That is, when he’d been home. I’d been left alone during long hours, still completely protected by at least three of his soldiers. He and the men in what he’d called an alliance had taken to the Chicago streets during the first two days after the event, cleaning house. Or so Lorenzo had told me. While he hadn’t provided many details, I’d known dozens of Russian soldiers had been killed, hundreds if not thousands driven away. With the death of both Axel and Konstantin, there was a chance that order could be restored.
I’d seen the news coverage both locally and on the national stage. Several turf wars had broken out as far away as Los Angeles, prompting various law enforcement officers, including my father to take action, making too many arrests to count. What I’d thought was interesting was the fact my father was actually working with Lorenzo. My father had been threatened by Axel but had never turned against his own people. In fact, I’d seen them in several discussions, all of a friendly nature. The burden he’d harbored had been horrific.
I certainly knew my father had been grateful for my rescue.
I knew it was only a matter of time before there was some other war, another faction attempting to move in. There would always be danger. There would always be bloodshed. No matter the intense love I felt for him, I wasn’t certain I was capable of handling the life.
At least everything that had occurred only a few days before had increased my resolve, fueling the strong woman in ways I didn’t even know existed.
As usual, I felt his presence before I actually heard him. The scent of him was even more powerful tonight, a delicious reminder of the man I was sharing a bed with.
“Do you need anything?” he asked as he eased onto the couch.
“You’ve asked me that six times today. I’m fine.”
He chuckled as he adjusted the blanket over my legs. I could tell there were several things weighing on his mind. “I wanted to let you know that the senator is going to recover.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” I thought about the information that had been provided, the various names that if leaked, could bring down dozens of powerful people. “What about your brother?”
His face clouded over, the extreme sadness like a foggy haze in his eyes. “Touch and go.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“He’s strong, just like some bratty girl I know.” He attempted to laugh off his concern, although I knew what was at stake. Difficult decisions would need to be made soon.
We sat in silence for a few minutes. “Can I ask you something?”
“You can ask. That doesn’t mean I will answer,” Lorenzo said in a half joking manner.
“Dante said you understood loss very well. What does that mean? A girlfriend?”
He exhaled, looking away briefly. “My sister. I didn’t know her very well. I was four when she was killed. Stefan was one.”
“Oh, my God.” I placed my hand on his. “What happened?”
“I was too young to understand so my father waited until I was ten to tell me that one of our enemies abducted her from school, seeking ransom.” His voice seemed so far away.
“Jesus.”
“Anyway, my father refused to pay and the bastards killed her. My mother never forgave him. After that, my parents were never the same, my father turning brutal and harsh, as if his two sons no longer mattered.”
I pulled his hand to my lips, tears forming in my eyes. “He loves you and your brother. He’s just hurting inside, just like you are.”
Lowering his head, an exaggerated breath escaped his mouth. “I don’t know, Sierra. She didn’t deserve to die, not because of my father.”
“Your sister was killed by a monster. Sadly, your family has to deal with that forever.”
“Yeah, I know.”
There was suddenly so much tension between us. There were no right words, nothing that would comfort him, but I did understand him more than before. His armor held many layers of cold steel.
“What about the jump drive?” I asked innocently, attempting to change the subject.
He lifted a single eyebrow, giving me a heated look. “Well, I don’t think it would be in anyone’s best interest to release the names.”
“What about my article?” I teased, giving him a mischievous smile.
“Not gonna happen, doll.”
“Does that mean you’re going to keep me locked away?”
“Absolutely. For my use only.” He grinned, brushing his thumb across my cheek. “I’ll also be the only one to discipline you.” With that, he winked, forcing a groan from my throat.
“I’ve been a good girl.” He’d made no bones about the fact I deserved a hard spanking for making him worry. Worry. He’d been in a murderous rage.
He leaned over, issuing a single growl. “Do I need to remind you that you evaded Dante, placing your life in immediate danger?”
“I have a fe
eling you’re going to remind me of that every day.”
Lust crowded his expression and using just his index finger, he slowly trailed it down the long line of my neck, sliding it between my breasts. When he eased his hand under my blouse and the thin lace of my bra, I shivered. “As your master, that’s my God-given right.”
The second he pinched my nipple between his thumb and forefinger, the heat between my legs intensified, dampening my panties. The man could easily arouse me with a single touch. “Yes. Sir.”
His breathing ragged, he crawled his hand to my other breast, repeating the move. “I think tonight is an excellent time for that overdue spanking.”
I pursed my lips in an attempt to pout, my reward a husky laugh, the sound sending chills all through me. “Tell me about the alliance.”
He sat back, a smirk on his face. “Attempting to dissuade me?”
“Just curious. I’ve certainly seen their faces in the news and I’ve heard the stock information as reported, but I’m curious how and why you developed those friendships.”
“I honestly never thought of it as a friendship, but after everything we’ve been through, you’re right. I was approached by Dominick. It was his idea. Honestly, I don’t think any of us have ever asked why he developed it. I’ll have to ask him one day.”
“Do you plan on continuing to work together?” When I asked the question, I was surprised by the twinkle in his eye.
“Honestly? It’s a family legacy and one I’m proud of being involved in.” He took my hand into his, kissing my fingers. “Now, about that spanking.”
I also realized that Lorenzo was only comfortable telling me but so much about his business and what he was involved in. He’d told me once that it was also to protect me. I wasn’t certain if he simply didn’t trust me, but now wasn’t the time to press. I was enjoying being around him and in his arms. I was also thrilled to see him somewhat more relaxed, able to enjoy sharing a least a few dinners together.
While bullets flew.
While men died.
I couldn’t shake the realization no matter how hard I tried.
“Really? What if I promise to never allow that to happen again?” I asked as he dragged me to my feet.
“Uh-huh and you honestly think I was born yesterday, don’t you?”
“Not at all. You’re very old.” I couldn’t help but grin. At least he’d allowed me to see several sides of him, including his vulnerable state. I did love this man more than words could express, my desire for him all consuming.
Even as a sadness remained.
He tugged on my hand, taking long strides down the hallway and to his office. The light was already on, the soft glow of the desk lamp giving me another round of chills. He’d cleared off his desk in preparation.
“You’ve been very naughty,” he said in a demanding tone. “You need to repent your sins.”
“In your office?”
He closed the door behind him and gave me a stern look. “I have a very thick paddle with your name on it. When you act like a child, you get treated like a child.”
There was something so thrilling about the man when he moved into his dominating ways. I licked my lips in a provocative manner, tempting him to forget all about blistering my bottom.
He was having none of it.
Lorenzo folded his arms and shook his head. “Undress, young lady.”
I waited until he moved to one of his cabinets. When he pulled the paddle into the light, I couldn’t help but moan. While we’d made love several times, languishing in his king-sized bed, he’d refrained from punishing me for any infraction.
I knew why. He was fearful the experience would remind me of the horror from before. What Lorenzo had no way of knowing was that his firm hand excited me. Gone was the humiliation that I’d surrendered to him, our connection so strong. Still, my hands were shaking as I removed my clothes, my heart fluttering.
He drank me in with his eyes, his chest rising and falling. The way he was looking at me told me he wanted to devour me.
And I loved it and everything about the man.
His brawn.
His devotion.
His command.
“Lean over my desk,” he directed.
I did as I was told without hesitation, realizing the instant I bent at the waist that I hadn’t worn the anal plug for days. I gripped the edge of his desk, holding my breath.
He instantly noticed my infraction, taking both hands and opening my ass cheeks. “I see your spanking needs to be severe.”
“Ugh. I’m sorry. I forgot.” I almost laughed given my lame excuse.
“I have a feeling that you won’t forget again. That will add ten smacks to the thirty I was going to give you.”
“Forty? I’ll die,” I whined on purpose as I pressed my face against the cool wood.
“I doubt that,” he said gruffly. “Hold still or I might have to start again.” He tapped the paddle against my bottom several times and I wanted to scream to get it over with.
He rubbed his hand down my back, sending another series of chills into my arms and my legs, another trickle of pussy juice slickening my inner thighs. There was no way he hadn’t been able to gather a scent of my desire. When he positioned his hand on the small of my back, I cringed.
Wasting no time, he brought the paddle down in quick, even strikes, moving from one side to the other.
I whimpered, unable to control my legs, pain immediately rushing into every muscle. Within seconds, my bottom was on fire, the hard thudding noise echoing in my ears. My breath was caught in my throat, tears forming in my eyes and he’d only smacked me maybe eight times.
“You’re doing well, even though you are one bad girl,” he half growled, caressing my bottom.
Even his fingers tingled my skin, hardening my nipples until they ached as much as my bruised bottom.
He smacked me again and again, the new set much harder than the one from before. I gasped, jerking up from the desk, wiggling my hips. The anguish was almost blinding even though I was wet and hot all over.
“Be careful, young lady,” he whispered, using the tips of his fingers to push my back.
I flopped back into position, taking gasping deep breaths, my fingers now digging into the wood. When he issued six more in rapid succession, I let out an intense wail, so pitiful that I rolled my eyes. I’d been abducted at gunpoint and kept in a damn cage and I was whimpering like some schoolgirl.
Another four were a reminder that spankings hurt like a bitch. I didn’t care what I’d endured before. This was... terrible. And humiliating. And painful. And delicious. I bit back a moan of another kind, ready to accept the remainder of my punishment.
When I felt the crush of his body over mine, the feel of his throbbing cock pressing into my well spanked bottom, the desire erupted into a firestorm. I was almost desperately hungry for him, the need overwhelming.
Lorenzo tossed the paddle and wrapped his hand around my hair, yanking it aside. He bent lower, nipping my earlobe before whispering, “Do you remember what I told you from the beginning?”
“Maybe,” I purred.
He shifted until he was able to thrust several fingers into my pussy, thrusting in a manic fashion.
“Oh, God. Oh. Oh!” I was almost instantly brought to a climax, my muscle clamping around the thick invasion, trying desperately to draw his fingers deeper inside.
He continued his actions as he licked my ear, finally growling as he removed his fingers entirely. “I guess you need a reminder of your place, my sweet woman. I told you that while good girls get fucked in the pussy, bad girls get fucked in the ass.”
The sound of his zipper was like music to my ears. I quivered as he moved his cockhead up and down the crack of my ass, teasing me as I’d done to him. “Oh, yes...” I breathed.
“Do you want this cock?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you hunger for me to fuck you?” he asked, the velveteen smoothness to his tone giving me a w
arm rush.
“God, yes.”
He pressed my legs open wide before plunging the entire length of his cock into my pussy, the force shoving me hard against the desk. The savage roar he issued was primal in nature, a true beast.
And I loved it.
But it didn’t last long.
The moment he pulled out, I held my breath until he placed the tip of his cock into my puckered hole.
“I’m not going to be gentle, doll. I’m far too famished.” His gruff voice floated into the air around us.
“Don’t be.”
A carnal laugh pushed past his lips as he gripped my hips, driving the entire length of his cock inside.
My breath was stolen, lights floating in front of my eyes. There was a flash of pain the second he shoved past the tight ring of muscle, a gasp escaping my lips. Then everything turned into an exquisite moment, the warmth of his body jetting into every cell. I was on fire, electrified from his touch alone.
“Fuck. So damn tight. So good.” He pulled almost all the way out as he fisted my hair, taking deep breaths. When he thrust in again, the sound of his skin slapping against mine was incredible, so erotic in nature.
I pushed up from the desk, meeting every savage plunge with one of my own. Unable to focus, I concentrated on the friction, savoring the intense feel. I was in heaven, the man filling me. He was so large, forcing my muscles to expand.
He was like a wild man, plunging brutally, taking everything he wanted. I felt beads of his perspiration falling onto my back and shoulders and couldn’t help but smile. I’d managed to get him worked up, crazed by his desire.
There was nothing more pleasurable than the feel of him inside of me. No man had ever filled me so completely, creating sheer moments of pure ecstasy. I could no longer breathe, my entire body tingling, and I could tell he was close to coming.
So close.
I bit back another series of cries and squeezed, smiling from the sharp cry he emitted.
“Fuck! God!” His entire body began to shake and he fell on top of me, gasping for breath as he erupted. I could swear I felt every drop of cum filling me. He slid his arms over mine, intertwining our fingers. “God, I love you.”