Hearts of Darkness: A Valentine's Day Bully Romance Collection

by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

  I nodded at the same moment I said, “yes.”

  He didn’t answer just gave me a half nod before he pressed forward more until he stopped for a moment drawing back and surging forward and plunged through my hymen my cry making him hesitate before he continued pumping into me until his balls slapped against my ass. I started to feel that zing and heat develop inside me again as an itch began that needed to be relieved. My hands caressed the full globes of his ass as I watched in fascination as he pressed into and out of me. How he disappeared made my walls constrict around him and another orgasm began to rise.

  He pulled all the way out and I almost cried out in disappointment but he helped me turn over and rise on my elbows until my ass was in the air. He pressed down on the back of my shoulders until my breasts and cheek pressed into the comforter, his hand gripped a hunk of my hair pulling my head back as he plunged back into me making my body move forward. I grunted at the force he used but I wasn’t in pain. No that was only momentary. Now the passion was taking over.

  Pounding into me harder and harder my body felt like it would float away as I rose higher and higher until I popped and crested the orgasm stole the breath from my lungs as Carlos pressed hot open-mouth kisses down my spine as he pulsed inside my walls battering at me in such a way that he ejaculated his semen spilling out as his orgasm took over and he sank against me.

  We rested his body curled against mine until a chill overtook me and I shivered. He stood picking me up to place me under the covers and turning the heat up. Going into the bathroom he returned carrying a hand towel and throwing the covers away wiped the semen away before going back into the bathroom and returning back to me. He replaced the covers back over us curling his body around me again.

  We really needed to talk but I didn’t have the energy right now and I was so thirsty. Carlos must have read my mind because he threw the covers away from himself asking, “do you want something to drink? Water? Juice? Soda? Stronger?”

  “Water sounds good.” The thought of water made my mouth and throat even dryer than the Mojave Desert.

  A water bottle landed next to me making me jerk my head and my hand reached for the bottle the top unscrewed and to my lips in one second flat. Throwing my head back I gulped the water as fast as I could until the bottle was empty. I gave a gasp for air and was rewarded by a chuckle. I liked it when he laughed, I wished he did it more. His laugh was deep and full.

  Pop pop pop. Carlos’s head popped up at the noises we both knew well. Gunshots.

  He strode to his clothes making quick work of pulling his clothes on. I jumped off the bed to do the same but only stopped for a moment at his words, “no.”

  He went to the closet and pulled out a Kevlar vest pulling that on over his clothes.

  I continued with getting dressed, “I can help. You know that. I’m a good shot. You don’t know how many men there are.”

  “And I have twenty men out there.” He wiped his hand down his face. “I shouldn’t have let you distract me. I should have questioned Ryan already.”

  The pain of his words filled me with anger. Distract? “I thought we had something going.”

  His face was closed off as he turned away to head downstairs. I hurried to put my shoes on and raced after him yanking on his arm to stop his forward motion. He rounded on me to yell but stopped when he saw the tears I couldn’t hide.

  His hand reached out and his thumb rubbed the tears on one cheek while he leaned down to peck at my other cheek. “I didn’t mean it mi dulce.”

  My hands stretched up to hold his face between my palms as I said, “you know I can do this. Stop with the macho crap okay?”

  Pop pop pop. His head jerked toward the noises but kept his gaze straight on me as he said, “here’s my Beretta. Let me get you shells. Stay out of eyesight. We’re not sure if they want to kidnap you only.”

  This was news to me. “What do you mean?”

  I don’t have time for this Ginevra.” He went over to a corner in the foyer where a cabinet stood and opened a drawer that held a large box. Carlos drew the box out and handed it to me. It had to weigh at least ten pounds. I raised my eyebrows at him.

  “The shells.” He replied.

  After handing me the shells he opened a door to a closet and pulled out two more vests where he handed me one without saying a word.

  “Thank god you’ve finally come to your senses about that girl Carlos.” We both turned at the sound of a voice to have his aunt standing by us. We had been so wrapped up in each other we hadn’t heard her.

  “Aunt Rosa please.” He protested.

  She held up her weapon, a Beretta just like the one Carlos carried and a bag that contained shells I assumed. I gave a short short of laughter. They both stared at me as if I was crazy and maybe I was. Carlos handed the other vest to his aunt.

  “A family that kills people together stays together, right?”

  They gazed at each other and then me for a second before Rosa gave a sharp nod and motioned for me to take one side of the window while she took another window on the other side of the front door. Tough lady Rosa is.

  After we took position Carlos hunched down and opened the door only wide enough for him time slip out and hide behind a part of a barrier for the patio. Only a tiny part of his dark head was visible when he popped out.

  So far not much appeared to be going on yet. From my position I couldn’t see anything other than Carlos and he was on his phone getting information I assumed.

  Waiting was the part that was hard. Waiting to know who was behind it. Waiting for the actual gun battle not this seeing who was better prepared.

  Trucks and SUV’s came into view. Armor-plated. If they were bringing themselves out in the open like this.

  Men spilled out of the vehicles Kevlar-vested like Carlos and I hope our men. They kept the tank-like vehicles between us and them until they got into position and now the battle really began.

  Pop pop pop’s and boom boom boom’s got louder and louder as the enemy got closer. I hoped our men were on the other side of the house because I was sure some of them were making their way in that direction.

  “Rosa.” I whispered to her in a low voice.

  She jerked her coiffed blond head in my direction her eyes narrowed into slits as she returned her gaze to her window. “What?”

  “I assume there are men watching the back of the house?”

  “What do you think? This is our first rodeo? Of course there are.” She scoffed as irritation filled the answer.

  I nodded as my gaze returned to my position at the window my gaze now as narrowed as Rosa’s.

  The gunshots came closer and Carlos popped his head out and before I could open my mouth to protest if I had been warned about what he planned to do he ran out ducking and weaving as a flurry of shots rang out behind him.

  Raising my hand for no reason at all, there was no way I could help I pressed my palm against the glass praying that he would be safe.

  When he raced out of my view I hunched my shoulders together and lowered my head for a second and a bullet wizzed by where my head had been a second before.

  I dropped to the floor my heart racing as I thought about how close I had just been to death. My eyes closed as fear enveloped me in its icy grasp. A fear like I had never known before. But I had to get it together for Carlos. If I wanted us to continue with possibly having a life together.

  Then a thought hit me. What if we knew who was doing this?

  “Rosa.”

  “What now?” There was no reason for her continued irritation of me but I would have to ignore it if I wanted answers to my questions.

  “Where would Ryan Jennings be kept?” I needed that answer. I’m sure he knew who was behind all of this.

  “Who?” I guess Carlos had never mentioned my kidnapping or Ryan’s involvement.

  “Where would Carlos keep prisoners?”

  “In the basement there are cells. Does he have someone in them.” Curiosity colore
d her voice.

  “I think so and I think he‘ll have answers to all of this. If I can get him to answer them.” Could I be strong enough to threaten a man and follow through to get him to answer? “Can you hold this position while I find out who is behind this?”

  She scoffed. “Of course I can. But can you follow through?”

  I nodded empathically pretending I was strong enough. “How do I get to the basement?”

  “In the kitchen are two doors. The door to the left is the pantry and the one to the right is the one for the basement. Take this bag and this knife.” She tossed her bag of shells at me which I caught before they hit the floor. The knife she pulled out of a sheath hidden in the waist of her dress. It was a good eight inches long. How did she had this hidden there?

  My wide eyes must have shown my surprise because she giggled and turned back to her watch position where she let off a shot and a cry was heard.

  I left her racing, my body bent at the waist to the kitchen where I gazed around the open doorway before inching forward and going immediately to the door on the right which creaked as I opened it.

  The room was in complete darkness and I cursed to myself reaching my arm out to try and find a switch which I accidentally bumped my elbow against the lights turning instantly on.

  The brightness blinded me for an instant from the darkness I had been shrouded in.

  From what I could see so far the place was surprisingly clean. No cobwebs from up here and no dust. As I descended the three cells were more evident and the size of the place. It must be the length of the mansion at least if not more.

  At the other end of the room was an area like what my father had, a torture area to get information. There was a table and a large cabinet with drawers and in the center of the area a drain in the floor that had rust spots.

  The middle cell held Ryan Jennings and the right cell held...I stopped and widened my eyes in surprise. Giovanni Salvatore, my father’s right hand man.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CARLOS

  I KNEW I SHOULDN’T be looking away from the enemy but the thought of Geneva in danger of being shot brought a fiery pain deep in my chest, so I kept glancing at the window she sat at. I would see a shadow or a brief glimpse of her occasionally but I hadn’t observed a shadow or anything of her in at least fifteen minutes. Maybe longer.

  I had to see if something was wrong so I craned my head but no one was around me at the moment so I ran hunched over back to the front door sliding through a crack I made.

  “Mijo! Why are you back?” Aunt Rosa went to stand up but a bullet wizzing through the open doorway that I now closed made her hunker back down.

  “Where’s Ginevra?” I could see she wasn’t where she should be.

  “She went to the basement to talk to a prisoner you had there.” She cocked her her to the side as she stared at me.

  Prisoner. She didn’t know there were two and how the second one was involved in all of this.

  “Stay here.” I ordered my aunt but she called to me as I rushed to the basement door, “Carlos wait!”

  But I didn’t wait I had to get to Ginevra before she got the wrong facts. She needed the truth now no matter how much it would hurt.

  Tearing the door open I burst through to pound down the stairs to scrutinize the second man we had the good fortune to capture. Deep cuts and bruises marked his fine Italian features.

  Problem was he stood on the outside of the cell gazing up at me a smirk on his lips. His splayed hand rested against Ginevra’s back making me see red. But I contained myself as I was known for to swagger down the rest of the steps to stand before them a smirk on my own mouth.

  “Mi querida what are you doing down here with this dangerous man?” I stuck my hands in my front pockets slouching as if I had no worry myself about how dangerous he was.

  “I was asking Gio how he had been captured and why?” Ginevra placed one hand on his forearm as she probed my face with her eyes.

  “Yes Gio. Why don’t you tell her what you and her father have been up to?” I quirked my brow at him my smirk even bigger. I wanted to discern how he got out of this with the truth. And with me here it had to be the truth.

  “Bella.” He glared at me but I just waited. “Bella. Your father and I were worried about you with this man and wanted to check up on you.”

  “Worried? How could he be worried? He arranged a marriage for me with a complete stranger.” She stamped away to swirl back and get right into his face. Even though he was a good six four at her five eleven she can as close as a women could to staring him in the eyes.

  “So tell me Gio how Papa could be worried. Huh?” She stood magnificent with her hands on her hips a fiery glint in her brown eyes.

  Gio glowered at the ceiling before turning that glare back on me. This got more fun by the minute.

  “Well Bella he regretted his dissuasion and tried to get you back by having this man find you.” He actually thought she was stupid enough to believe that dribble?

  “This man? This man?” She thrust her face into Gio’s as she stuck a finger in Ryan’s direction. “This man kidnapped and tried to abuse me. He tried to rape me until Carlos saved me so try another story.”

  Ginevra turned away from her father’s second, her arms crossed under her breasts making my mouth water at the sight. I was a sick fucker but both men had their eyes plastered on the breasts lifted and on full display.

  As Ryan leered at her Gio glared at him his fisted hands ready to pound into the other man’s face as much as mine were. But I would have the pleasure of that myself.

  She pivoted back to Gio her hand waving at him to continue but her glare suggested it had better be the truth this time.

  “Your father needs to tell you Gen not me. I have loyalty to him.” His eyes softened as he explained.

  “But none to me I see. Get back in the cage then Giovanni Salvatore.” She gave him her back as if she had nothing to fear from him but when he took a step forward I stepped forward my gun raised pointing at his forehead right between his eyes. The tears in Ginevra’s eyes almost shattered me that her trust had been broken by someone so close.

  I waved my weapon at him letting him know to get back in the cell or else. Smart man did as he was told. He thrust his arms through the bars in supplication to her but she ignored him.

  She staggered to me and I grabbed her hauling her into my arms in a tight grasp as she sobbed her betrayal.

  “Bella it’s not like that. He was thinking only of you.”

  “And not about any money huh Giovanni? The money he got had nothing to do with the decision. Right?”

  “Let’s get out of here mi dulce.” I murmured to her my arms still around her.

  She protested half heartedly, “but what about a Gio? What’s going to happen to him?”

  “You’ll decide later baby. Now we have to deal with the mess outside and your father.” I led her up the stairs to the relative safety of the door protecting us.

  She lowered her face to her hands. “What are we going to do Carlos?”

  “Capture the beast baby.” I smirked at her as I pulled my phone out and pressed a button to talk to my second in command.

  “Hey Nick. I want you to capture Alessio Valentino now. No. I don’t care how you do it. Shoot him if you have to just don’t kill him. Okay. Huh huh. Yeah.” I slung my arm over her shoulders dragging her close to whisper in her ear. “We’ll figure this all out mi querida.”

  Her eyes look lost at the thought of what her father could be planning for her. Or me. But I’m not worried about myself only her and I tip her head up with a finger to whisper against her lips, “don’t worry baby. It’ll be okay. Trust me.”

  “I do Carlos I do.” She rests her head against my chest as we hear a volley of gunshots followed by silence.

  “Okay I think this is it.” I lead her out of the doorway, hesitant, afraid that the shooting will start again and this time she will be hit but still nothing but silence.
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  “Carlos I think they have Alessio Valentino captured with a gun to his head.” Aunt Rosa called out to me.

  Air rushed out of me in a burst of relief at the thought that this might be over for us.

  Ginevra rushes forward crying, “Papa.”

  I grab her by her arm holding her back as she glares at me, “what? I need to see my father and find out the truth.”

  “I agree but slowly first. In case someone is trigger happy out there.” She nods, a perplexed frown on her face as she considers my words and reaches for my hand lacing her fingers with mine.

  Together we march forward to the front doors which open as we reach them.

  Alessio Valentino stands before us an impressive man in his late forties with black hair that has gray threaded throughout with striking dark blue eyes instead of her dark brown but you can see she is a feminine version of him.

  “Ginevra.” He booms his deep voice filling the foyer.

  She takes a step forward but I tug on her hand holding her back. She glances first to our meshed fingers then to my face before nodding her agreement but her eyes are dark with worry.

  “What have you done to my daughter bastardo.” Alessio glowers at me his thick black eyebrows almost meeting between his eyes as he takes a step forward only to be held back by his arms by my men.

  “I have done nothing other than try to keep her alive unlike you Alessio. What do you want?” I spar back.

  “I want more.” I raise my eyebrows in surprise. Surely he’s not suggesting. “You are enamored of her. A perfect match the two of you. I deserve more money since I was the one to bring you two together.”

  Ginevra makes a choking sound and I peer down at her when she raises her head and I’m surprised to see she’s laughing. Laughing?

  “Papa. Here I was worried about you. Afraid that you’d be upset that something might happen to me to find out it’s all about the money. What he didn’t give you enough when you sold me?” But I could hear the sorrow in her voice even as she tried to hide it with laughter.