Prey: A Dark Mafia Romance

by Piper Stone

  And he made no attempt to follow her commands.

  Exhaling, he walked toward one of the cabinets, opening the door.

  “Keep your hands where I can see them, and you will do as I say,” she snapped, her feet moving in catlike formation. This asshole was unbelievable.

  “I think it seems that you are the one longing to perform as required, as commanded. Aren’t you?” Wrath pulled down two glasses.

  For some reason, she remained quiet, trying to figure out a course of action. She was embarrassed, excited, titillated, and had no words of rebuttal.

  “You surprised me, Agent Waters, especially after spending so much time in a carnal manner. Granted, I knew you were a complete submissive, there was no doubt, but the depths of your needs are incredible. Are you thirsty? I have a fabulous bottle of cabernet that I purchased thinking of you.”

  “You think this is funny, don’t you?”

  “Not at all funny, my sweet, sweet Sophia, merely entertaining. I knew we’d meet again, although your tenacity is truly enlightening. I’ve never had another law enforcement officer in any country hunt the way you have.” He gave her a lurid smile. “Perhaps we’ll save the wine for a special occasion.”

  She was shaking, her anger off the charts. He was goading her in every manner and she was falling for his lines of bullshit. “Finding you wasn’t difficult, Wrath. You do leave a trail wherever you go. And the calling card. Nice try. If I didn’t know you better, I’d say you were attempting to get yourself caught. Tired of the life with your affluent family, those two fabulous brothers and a baby sister. Right?” She inched closer, giving him a wry smile. “That’s right. Your sister has some developmental problems. Second wife for your father. Isn’t it? Your mother dying under very unusual circumstances.”

  Sophia saw the hint of rage and knew no matter how he attempted to cover up his emotions, she’d broken through yet another layer.

  He glared at her for a few seconds then shot her the same smile that had always made her shiver.

  “Since we’re getting to know each other better, let me say that I read every blog and I must admit, you’re an excellent writer. You have talent in many areas. I can’t say I’m surprised at your words. I could see right through you on the day we met.” The smile wry, he pulled open the top to a bottle of scotch, pouring two generous glasses.

  “You don’t know me at all, Mr. Constantino. I am your worst nightmare.”

  This time, the snicker turned into a full laugh as he slipped his hands around the thick crystal.

  Sophia wanted to be incensed but she followed the line of his arms down to his strong fingers, the muscles teeming through the thin material of his shirt. Her mouth was bone dry and she had difficulty swallowing. “Your father doesn’t appreciate failures. What did he say when you botched the situation with Mr. Wallace? Oh, and the consortium. They must have been pissed.”

  Another nasty glare.

  She was getting to him.

  “I know almost everything about you, sweet Sophia. I know about your dying mother, who you never see. I know about your father, who was a ruthless businessman before his death and no doubt controlled your family using discipline.” Wrath moved closer, offering her a drink. He took a sip, his eyes penetrating, never blinking. “My guess is that you loathed everything about his firm hand until you embraced the fact he made you into a strong woman, capable and intelligent. Your father shaped the beautiful woman standing in front of me.”

  Unable to take her gaze off him, she tried to shirk off the dazzling sensation, but her pussy clenched, her nipples aching to be touched and twisted, sucked and punished. Oh, God. Oh, God. She must be losing her mind. “You don’t get to talk about my family.” Her father had been a harsh disciplinarian, in her eyes nothing but a monster. She’d learned to hate him. Was there any difference in what she’d shared with Wrath?

  Total control.

  His requirement for her unquestioned obedience.

  Everything was a blur, her mind shifting through the time she’d spent with the dangerous killer. Had she been forced to glance at the reflection of the woman inside? Unfortunately, yes. The nagging inner voice refused to allow her to shove her head under the covers.

  Time to accept.

  Time to nurture.

  Fuck. Fuck!

  The masked woman inside would lead her to believe that she was born and bred to be a submissive, to follow strict rules and guidelines, to please and surrender to a powerful man.

  Over her dead ass body.

  The blog would be taken down, never again revealing the obvious bullshit sliding around in her muddled mind.

  “Fine. Your family is off limits. Then we will talk about you and your needs.” He slid the second glass on the edge of the counter and dared to take another step closer.

  “You bastard.” The two words were laced with anger, but there was no conviction behind them.

  “I am that and many other things, as you well know. Dangerous. Hungry. Dominating. I am also exactly what you desire. Ask yourself, Sophia, weren’t you happiest when you were with me?”

  Her mind simply reacted, taking a giant step forward, arcing her arm to slap him with extreme force.

  Wrath grabbed and wrenched her hand, yanking her arm behind her. “That wasn’t being a nice girl, now was it?”

  She heard the thud as he set the glass down, holding back a whimper that threatened to give her away. All her longing, her needs were coming to a head. As he slowly maneuvered the gun out of her hand, she squirmed but he was far too strong, the pain in her arm biting.

  “Guns are such dangerous tools,” he stated as he locked the safety, sliding the Glock around his back and into the waistband of his pants.

  “Fuck you.”

  He wrapped his other arm around her waist, pulling her back against his chest and walking her toward the oversized kitchen window. When he spoke, his husky words were whispered, lilting in his sensual Italian accent. “I know what you want, what you need, my sweet Sophia. You yearn for my touch, my firm hand to keep in line, to punish you and require your submission.”

  “Get off of me.” She’d thrown all her years of training away for this one man, this hunter. This killer. She could never regain control. But you don’t want control. You want everything he’s saying. Shuddering, she shifted her gaze back and forth, trying to find another weapon, a distraction from his dominating hold over her.

  “Take a look at yourself, Sophia. Look at the true woman. I can give you everything you’ve ever desired, the dreams you have at night, the longing keeping you wet, your pussy in desperate need. I will teach you, train you, and yes, I will punish you. You will be my greatest joy, my incredible submissive. What we shared before was merely the beginning.”

  Was he actually serious? She stuttered as she locked on their reflection in the clear glass. He was just as gorgeous as she’d remembered, his luscious full lips meant for kissing during long winter nights. The darkness in his eyes emitted the kind of unprecedented power that few men could ever achieve, leaving her wet and hot. She dragged her tongue across her lips, quivering in his hold. Even the touch of his hands was enough to tighten her nipples into hard peaks.

  The man was trying to wreck her, strip everything she’d worked so hard to achieve out of her life. She couldn’t allow this to happen. She couldn’t fall prey to a man like Wrath.

  Savage.

  Hungry.

  Unforgiving.

  “Leave me alone, Wrath. I’m not yours for the taking,” Sophia managed, fighting her constant urges, the deep-seated longing that refused to be denied.

  “Are you certain about that?” he asked, his heated breath cascading across her ear and neck.

  Her panties were soaked, her blood pressure increasing, and all she could think about was the way he’d maneuvered her so easily, ripping away her mask of steel.

  “You will never own me.”

  “We shall see,” he whispered as he brushed the tips of his fingers do
wn her neck, barely touching. “Everyone has a price.”

  A price? What the hell was he talking about?

  A white-hot searing of electricity rushed into every cell, every muscle in her body, making her weak. A single moan slipped past her lips as he crawled his hand down to her breast, running the tip of his index finger around her nipple.

  Inhaling, he nuzzled close to her neck. “Mmm... You are aroused. Your fragrant scent is my aphrodisiac.” He placed his lips against her heated skin and squeezed her breast.

  The action was painful, yet a flash of true ecstasy replaced her fear. She found herself arching her back as he fingered her hardened bud. A moment of clarity entered her system and she glared at him in the window. “You will go to prison for the rest of your life.”

  “Maybe so, but first, you and I have a business proposition to discuss.” He stretched open his fingers and rubbed his hand down her stomach, tugging at the material of her cotton shirt.

  “There is nothing to discuss but the admittance of your guilt.” Yes, you can do this. He means nothing to you. Her teeth chattered, and she wiggled, the move forcing his groin against her ass. He was hard as a rock, his cock throbbing through his pants. Breathless, she could tell her panties were soaking wet.

  “That will come in time.” Wrath slid his hand under her shirt, caressing her stomach. “Should I give you a hard spanking? Turn you over my knee?” He swayed his hips back and forth.

  The sensations drove her wild, creating a wave of sizzling heat until she was left breathless. Swallowing, she tried to block him out of her mind, pushing him into a huge metal box where he belonged.

  “No. No! You’re such an asshole. Get off me or I swear to God, the entire Miami police department is going to hunt you down like the dog you are.” Hearing the glitch in her own voice, she grimaced but as his fingers found their way under the thin lace of her bra, her coherent thoughts became muddled.

  “Would you enjoy the feel of my thick. Leather. Strap? I think you would, sweet Sophia. Then I will teach you the art of pleasing a man. Not that you didn’t before.” His chuckle was laced with evil.

  “Over my dead body.” She fought the raging emotions building, angry and ashamed that she’d found herself in this position.

  “Are you ready for the terms of the deal?” He dragged the tip of his tongue along the base of her earlobe. “I think this is one you will appreciate, even enjoy. After all, we know exactly how much you enjoy playing games, pretending to be someone you’re not.”

  Goddamn, she wanted to claw out his eyes and feed his body to the sharks. How could he do this to her? How could he even think she’d consider some kind of deal with him after everything he’d done?

  “Forget it, Wrath. I’m not playing anything with you ever again.” She attempted to wrench his arm, almost able to get out of his clutches.

  “I don’t think so,” he growled and slapped his hand against her ass several times.

  The tingling sensations were like bottle rockets, jetting into every cell in her body. She took several deep breaths, giving him the harshest glare she could muster. He was trying to break her resolve. He had no understanding of the kind of woman she truly was, the life she’d been forced to endure. Parents who’d never loved her, preferring trips with their friends and expensive dinner parties versus wasting time with their child. Hell, she’d heard how many times that she’d been a horrible mistake? Fuck him.

  He’d have to come at her with more than a sexy, rugged body.

  “I think you need to listen to my deal or innocent lives will be lost.”

  “You. Wouldn’t. Dare,” she hissed.

  “I never make jokes, Agent Waters, not about taking a life. That is something you need to learn. I will ask you one more time and there won’t be a third. Are you ready for terms of the deal?”

  Chapter Ten

  Fuck this man.

  “You’re a lying sack of shit, Wrath.”

  His entire demeanor had changed, as if he’d grown weary of her disdain. Shifting quickly, he shoved his arm around her throat, squeezing until stars floated in front of her eyes.

  The heat of his breath against her skin, the feel of his wet tongue created another wave of quivers. You can’t do this. You can’t... But the words and the meaning seemed to float away. She slapped her hand against the window, clawing at the glass. “Stop!” she managed. Tears formed in her eyes, ones of frustration more than fear. He was merely trying to get a reaction.

  How could he do this to her?

  And how could her body betray her?

  “I don’t think you truly understand the kind of man I am or the level of danger you’re in,” he hissed. “I could just as easily snap your neck, dumping you into the Atlantic Ocean as allow you to leave here unharmed. Even with a partner, Agent Waters, you work alone, which means you won’t be missed for hours, even days. At that point, there won’t be a trace of you, your life or your disappearance. I’m quite capable of erasing your entire world.”

  The threat was real, but his words were jaded, as if he had no desire to hurt her in any manner. Still, whatever this fucker wanted her to agree to, she would consider with caution. He was certainly able to elude everyone, including the woman he’d fucked on two occasions. She bit back another anguished cry, refusing to give him the satisfaction.

  Just as quickly as he’d placed her in the position, he let her go, backing away from the window.

  Remaining against the cool glass, she panted, watching the reflection as he moved back to his glass of scotch, sipping as if this was an ordinary business deal. He had her gun. He had her locked away in a house and no one knew that she’d gone off the grid. She was in no position to argue.

  At least at this point.

  Smoothing down her shirt, she folded her arms before turning around. “What is this deal, and don’t you dare waste my time.”

  Wrath gazed at her warily before handing her the second glass. “I think you need this. Don’t you?”

  She hesitated and scanned the entire kitchen.

  “I assure you that I haven’t poisoned such a fine scotch and I wouldn’t bother trying to find any sharp knives or other implements at this point, but you won’t need them. That is, if you accept the terms of my deal. We are well protected here for the time being. No one ever learns of my existence no matter what country I’m in. As you might imagine, anonymity is required.”

  “Similar to serial killers.”

  He snickered, lifting a single eyebrow. “Throwing barbs isn’t your style, sweet Sophia. Perhaps we can at least be civil to each other, one professional to another.”

  A professional. She wanted to laugh out loud. Play the game. Get him to trust you. This time, her inner voice was on point.

  Reaching out, she wrapped her hand around the glass. Their fingers touched, and she was thrown into a moment of roaring hunger, tingling hits of electricity shooting straight into her pussy.

  “Our connection is still very strong,” he managed, his voice strangled. “Very strong indeed. Just like you, sweet Sophia, I questioned everything after the time we shared. I even attempted to stay the hell away from you. I’m certain you can understand why.”

  “Because you actually give a shit about me?”

  He simply offered a sly smile.

  “Then why the fuck didn’t you? The lure of the kill?” If only she could get to her phone, dial her partner’s number. Then the freak wouldn’t get away with this. She had to pretend, becoming a consummate actress until she had him in a compromising position.

  He narrowed his eyes. “Since you have managed to find out about the consortium, then you already know the answer to that. This is my job, a profession much like the one you’re involved in. My guess is that you don’t value catching criminals any more than I appreciate the art of killing any longer.”

  The comment caught her off guard. Was the asshole attempting to snow her, suggesting that he had a conscience? She bit back a bitter laugh. “Tell me about them,
this Dark Haven. Isn’t Alessandro Comali in charge? I would imagine he’s close to his deathbed by now. Wait a minute. If you’re the leader of a pack of killers, does that make you in line for the throne?”

  Genuine surprise filtered in his eyes for a brief second. “Interesting.”

  “That I do my homework? I realize you and these powerful men believe they can hide in plain sight, but you forget the most valuable lesson about humans.”

  After a few seconds, he took the bait. “And what is that?”

  “That everyone makes mistakes. Even someone as notorious as the great silent killer. Oh, I forget, you’re now taking claim to your kills. Need an ego boost since you botched, what was it, two separate kills, not just one?” The information pissed the man off. She took another sip of her drink. She knew he was furrowed with frustration given the fresh dent in the wall. Maybe he was unraveling.

  Growling, he turned away briefly, running his fingers through his hair.

  A tear in his otherwise perfect mask of steel.

  “You don’t want to hear about the atrocities associated with the Dark Haven, Sophia. They are much more powerful than you could ever imagine.”

  “I’m going to learn one way or the other, Wrath. Even the limited information I found means there is much more. And do you know how I realize this? Everyone has a price.” Including the motherfucking informant who must have sold her to the devil himself.

  He chuckled and took a sip of his drink, seeming much more relaxed than before. “Yes, I suppose you’re right. I won’t bore you with the details and trust me, there is no law agency in the world who can stop them. They are brilliant in their idealism of sadism. Their preferred methods of punishment are... brutal. That would include disciplining you, sweet and beautiful Sophia.”

  The words were out of place, even for him. “Another threat, Wrath?”

  “Just a promise.”

  Tension settled in, a quietness that was unsettling. Was he actually attempting to keep her out of harm’s way?