by K. G. Reuss
“Maybe we aren’t asking the right questions.” Vincent ran his fingers through my waves, soothing me. “Granted, I haven’t been digging as much as I should have. I’m sorry for that.”
“I understand,” I murmured.
“I’ll start looking harder, OK?”
I nodded against him. “Levin said he hadn’t heard of him either.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. We tend to remember the people we fuck up. He isn’t anywhere near our list.”
I supposed that was a good thing at least.
“I’ll talk to Dom. See what he knows. He might have some insight.”
“Thank you.”
“Of course,” he said, kissing the top of my head.
We lay like that for a long time, me listening to the soft thud of his heart.
“B?”
“Yeah?”
“If you could have us all, would you want us?” His voice came out thick and low.
I bit my bottom lip, knowing exactly what I wanted. “Yes.”
He reached out and shifted me, tilting my chin up. His lips brushed against mine again, sending a flurry of emotions surging within me.
I let him lead. When he deepened the kiss, I cradled his face, the stubble on his cheek rough against my palm.
Vincent kissed me like he didn’t want to hurt me. He was gentle, sweet, his tongue sliding against mine as his hand moved beneath my t-shirt to hold me to him.
“I won’t hurt you,” he murmured against my lips. “Believe me.”
I nodded, desperate to believe him. “Yes.”
“Just don’t hurt me, baby B. Promise me.”
“Promise,” I said, eager for more of his soft kisses.
When his hand slid beneath my sweats, I shifted onto my back to allow him easier access. He took it and pushed my pants down, taking my panties with them. I wasn’t sure where we’d end up, but I didn’t hate any of the possible destinations.
His fingers slid along my slick slit, making me tremble at his warm, tender touch.
“Do you want me to touch you?” he asked as he teased me without burrowing through my wet folds with his fingers.
“Please,” I managed to rasp.
“Spread your legs wider for me,” he said softly. “So I can bury my face in your pussy and taste all that sweet honey you have for me.”
He nudged my legs open as my breathing picked up. Within moments, he was between my legs, peering up at me.
“Hold onto something,” he said, giving me that sexy smirk I knew so well. “And don’t let go.”
I gasped as he swept his tongue up my aching center and burrowed through my folds, finding my sensitive bundle of nerves. He lavished attention on my clit, making me moan, each lash of his tongue making my body quake with my impending release.
Vincent wasn’t kidding. I twisted my fingers in his sheets as he licked and sucked, his fingers pushing into my pussy and hooking inside me. First one finger, then another as his tongue continued its mission on pushing my buttons.
I moaned, shoving my pussy to his face and bucking shamelessly. He grunted his approval, his free hand moving to grip on my hip, pulling my center as close to his face as possible.
“Vinny,” I said breathlessly, a flurry of heat sweeping through my body before it completely engulfed me. The orgasm raked through me.
He cleaned me with his tongue, swallowing all I had to give him, his fingers still buried inside me as he kissed my clit gently.
Vincent Valentino knew how to use that mouth of his.
And his fingers. God, his fingers.
“Relax,” he breathed out against my heat.
I tried to as he gathered my wetness with his finger and circled the tight ring of my backside.
“Vinny, I’ve never—”
“Trust me,” he said, pushing his finger gently past the ring.
I cried out as his mouth met my heat again, his finger moving slowly into my ass.
The feelings were so intense that I reached out and held his face between my legs, moaning as another orgasm racked my body at unprecedented speed and force. My cheeks heated when I felt the dampness run down my ass onto his mattress from the explosion I’d just had.
“That’s a fucking beautiful mess,” Vincent said as I released his hair, his face glistening from being buried between my legs. “Fuck, baby. I’ve never had a girl come like that before. I’ll gladly sleep in the wet spot.”
My skin reddened more at his words, but he was quick to wipe his face and move up my body, pressing his lips to mine. I could taste myself on him.
“I’m a bad person,” I said between kisses. “I shouldn’t feel the way I feel for all of you.”
“Mm, I like it,” he said, nipping my bottom lip. “Don’t feel bad. I want this. They do too. Promise.”
“Swear?”
“On my life.” His tongue slid into my mouth, and that was the end of that.
I’d believe anything he told me at that moment.
Soon our kisses slowed to a sweet waltz until they stopped altogether. Vincent had me back in his arms, my sweats back in place.
“What about you?” I asked softly.
“I have all I need right now,” he answered giving me a tight squeeze and kissing the top of my head.
I snuggled closer as another movie played in the background.
Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad. One king was better than none, and Vincent Valentino was one hell of a prize to be won.
My mind wandered to Fallon.
I closed my eyes envisioning him joining me and the kings.
Sometimes all a girl had were her dreams.
Forty
Levin
I finished my whiskey and stared at Dom. He looked like he’d been drawn and quartered. His face was pinched in quiet anger, more so than usual.
“Drink. You’re still an asshole,” I grunted, pushing the bottle toward him.
He stared at it before picking it up and sloshing some into his mouth.
We’d barely said two words to one another since he’d found me in bed with Bianca. When he’d knocked on my door earlier that evening, I’d opened it and let him in. He hadn’t said much since coming into my room, but the alcohol was good and that helped.
“I fucked up.” He slid the bottle back to me.
I picked it up and took another swig. He hadn’t said shit as far as I knew about what went down between him and Bianca after he stormed out of my room with her in his arms. Based on what I knew about Dom, it wasn’t anything good. The bruises on her neck only proved that.
It didn’t take a genius to figure out Dom had a nasty jealous streak.
On the other side of all this shit was me, bashing my head against the damn wall because I’d fucked up too. I’d caved. I’d done what I said I wouldn’t do. I’d let her grind her wet pussy against my bare cock. That was on me. I hated I’d done it. Not because I blamed her. Quite the opposite. I hated that I wanted it. That I wanted her. She was a D’Angelou. The stepkid of some asshole I knew had a hand in my brother’s death.
If that didn’t stink of fucked up, then nothing did. The guilt was eating me alive. Then to see her looking all sad and casting worried glances at me when she didn’t think I was watching.
Yeah. I was a prick. It was a bear I was wrestling.
“Me too,” I muttered, passing the bottle back to him.
He drank again before running his fingers through his hair, his green eyes sad.
“I keep ignoring her. I don’t know what the fuck to say to her.”
“Why is it such a big deal?” I sank back in my seat and took a hit from my joint before handing it to Dom. “It’s not like you haven’t fucked her before. I’m assuming you fucked her after taking her from me.”
He sucked in a long drag and nodded, blowing the smoke out around him before coughing and passing the joint back.
“Yeah.”
I grunted, knowing damn well he’d put his cock inside her.
“
She come for you?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
He scoffed and raked his hand over his face. “Why’d you do it?”
I shrugged and took another hit. “I fucked up too.”
He snorted at my answer. “Well, I guess we’ll wait for Vincent to get here to join our circle of jerks since it’s only a matter of time until he does too.”
“Vincent isn’t like us,” I pointed out. “You know that. He’ll have a ring on her finger and sweep her off on a honeymoon by graduation. Fill her with babies. He really likes her.”
I watched as Dom tightened his hand on the arm of the chair. A subtle tell, but I knew Dominic De Santis well enough to know he was getting pissed at the idea of someone else having her.
“She was for all of us,” I said.
“You didn’t want her,” he shot back.
“Still don’t.” Fucking liar.
I forced the thought out of my head. Truth of the matter was, she made me feel something, and it scared me. I hated the fear she brought with her. I wasn’t afraid of shit, but Bianca D’Angelou terrified me. I knew she’d fucking crush my soul if I let her in. So, I’d opted to crush hers instead.
I was an asshole.
“Think Vincent is fucking her?” Dom stared at me.
“Maybe. Vincent knows how to get what he wants.”
“He hasn’t been like that with her. He’s been taking his time. Getting close. He never does that with women.”
“Well, she has a way of changing a man.”
Dom snorted and took another pull from the bottle of whiskey before slamming it back down and wiping his mouth. “She sure fucking does.”
“What’s the plan? I know you didn’t come here to suck me off.”
Dom leveled his gaze on me. “Let’s be fair here. You’d be sucking me off.”
I scoffed. “Well, we might be stuck sucking one another’s cocks if we keep up the pace we’re going,” I said.
Dom sighed. “I think she was fucking Vasiliev.”
I froze, the joint suspended in midair. “What?”
“My father has his sister. Said he has someone within the lords who’s supposed take out Bianca.” He launched into what he knew from his old man.
My guts churned as each word spilled from his mouth. “You really think it’s Vasiliev?”
“I do. It makes sense. He’s always watching. I’ve caught her staring at him sometimes too. He’s playing her. Hard. She won’t know what hit her when he attacks. He’s gotten under her skin, made her trust him, fall for him.” He shook his head in disgust.
“And we’re just the assholes breaking her heart and pushing her toward him.”
“If it’s true,” Dom said softly.
“Let’s hope it’s not.” I swallowed, trying to remain calm. All I really wanted to do was go to Vasiliev and beat him until he stopped breathing. I wanted to take his ass out before he had a chance to hurt Bianca.
He was a dead man if suspicions were confirmed.
“You think you’ll have to kill her?” I asked, trying to push the image of Vasiliev with his shitty lord hands all over Bianca out of my head.
He nodded. “Eventually, yeah. D’Angelou clearly doesn’t know she and Ivanov broke up. Ivanov doesn’t want to piss off his daddy by saying anything. As far as any of the cocksuckers know, they’re together and will marry.”
“There’s a way out,” I said, locking my eyes on him. I had to be way too fucking drunk and high for this, but I said it anyway, my guts rolling with the implications.
“Let’s hear it.” Dom gave me a measured look.
“You marry her. Make her your queen. Kill D’Angelou. Get the keys to the kingdom. It’s not like she’d miss his ass.”
Dom’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he stared at me. “I can’t fucking marry her.”
“Why not? You’re the prince to a fucking kingdom of sin and sorrow. She’s untouchable as your wife. Do you hate her that much?”
“Quite the fucking opposite,” he muttered.
I stilled, frowning at him. “What the fuck aren’t you saying, De Santis?”
“She told me she loves me.” He sounded bitter as he stared down at his hands. “What the fuck?”
I ground my teeth together at his words.
“That’s why she’s mad. I fucked her until she could barely breathe. I wanted her to hate me, I wanted her to scream it at me. I ordered her to. Instead, she took the punishment and said she loves me. I told her it was the wrong answer and walked away from her. She left. I can’t even look at her now. The entire idea of it disgusts me.”
“A beautiful woman lets you punish her and tells you she loves you, and somehow you’re the one disgusted? Fuck, I’m sick just looking at your pathetic ass.”
“Fuck off, Seeley,” he snapped back at me. “What would you have done if she’d said it to you?”
“She didn’t,” I snarled at him, my anger emerging. Apparently, I was a jealous prick too. What would I have done? Would I quit my evil ways and sweep her off her feet? Tell her I loved her too? Marry her?
Fuck, Chill, Seeley.
“She doesn’t have to love me or say it. She knows she belongs to all of us.” He rubbed his eyes, his elbows on his knees.
“Well, with the way you behave, you’d think she only belongs to you.”
He glared at me but said nothing.
“Which is it? She yours or ours?”
He was quiet for a moment before he spoke. “Ours.”
“Her life is on the line.”
“Always has been.”
“You know how serious this is, Dom. You know what could happen if you disobey your father though. Are you willing to do that? He’d probably have you killed and then just go fuck someone else to replace you. Or hell, he’d probably make you watch while he gutted her himself.”
A muscle thrummed along his jaw.
I sighed in frustration. “We need to act. We going to save her or what?”
“I don’t know how.” He looked at me and for the first time in all the years I’d known him, I saw some deep emotions I’d never seen on him before. Fear. Worry. Desperation.
“Yes you do. Vincent won’t be happy about it. I’m not either, but if you can save her, don’t you want to?”
He didn’t say anything again, opting to drink once more. After swallowing, he spoke. “If she’s with Vasiliev, or has been, it’s off. I won’t be able to. Not after a lord.”
I nodded. “Fair. Except you love her.”
“So do you,” he shot back, glaring at me.
I swallowed. “That’s why I’d kill her to save her from them.”
“How fucked up are we?” he asked, his voice soft.
“We wouldn’t be taking her life at that point,” I said softly. “We’d be saving her soul. Those fuckers are Satan and his minions.”
Dom nodded. “I guess we’d better get some answers before we pull the trigger.”
“Sounds like you do have a plan,” I said, taking another hit from my joint.
Dom nodded. “Maybe.”
Fuck. What a mess.
Forty-One
Bianca
When I woke, my body was wrapped around Vincent’s. I snuggled closer, feeling a little better about my shitty situation. He gave me a squeeze.
“Morning, baby B,” he mumbled sleepily. “You’re quite a welcome treat to wake up to.”
“You’ve been sleeping in the chair in my room for weeks,” I said, hugging him back tightly.
He chuckled. “Definitely not the same. Trust me.”
We were quiet for a moment.
“We need to get ready for class. Half day today. Then the dance.” He tilted my chin up and placed a kiss on my lips.
Fallon’s warning to stay away from the dance pounded a beat in my head.
I envisioned Vincent holding me. Dancing with me. Protecting me. Levin and Dominic nearby.
I’d be safe. I knew I would be.
“I don’t have a dre
ss,” I said, sighing.
Aubrey had wanted me to go shopping with her and Emy, but I’d been in such a funk I’d told them no.
“I’m sure we can figure out something,” he said, kissing my forehead.
I let out a contented sigh that made him tuck my hair behind my ear.
“You OK?”
“Feels like I’m dreaming.” I licked my lips and gazed at him.
He gave me a smirk. “Consider it a beautiful nightmare. Come on. Let’s get to class so we can come back and pick up where we left off last night.”
I kissed him again, definitely eager to participate in whatever he had in mind. When he got out of bed, I followed, watching as he walked to the bathroom.
“I need to go get changed,” I called out. “I’ll run to my dorm real quick then meet you back here—”
Before I could finish my sentence, there was a knock on his door. Vincent moved back in my direction, giving my hand a squeeze as he passed by, before opening his door a crack. He must have been fine with what he saw because a moment later, he stepped back, and Dominic entered room, looking every bit of delicious and dangerous that he was.
“I was just going to grab a shower,” Vincent said. “B needs to go get changed.”
Dominic’s steely gaze moved from Vincent to me, like he was assessing the situation. I swallowed, knowing what he was looking for. Signs that Vincent and I had sex the night before.
After a moment, he gave a curt nod, still wordless. Vincent seemed happy with that because he moved back to me and pressed his lips to mine, his hands on my waist, the kiss doing dirty things to my lady bits.
If Vincent was concerned about Dominic seeing, he certainly didn’t act like it. I was breathless when we broke apart, fully aware Dominic was watching us.
“I’ll see you in a bit. Go put a smile on Dom’s face, would you? We’re all in for a shit day if he’s moody.”
“He’s always moody,” I muttered, to which Vincent flashed me a grin before backing away.
“Courtyard?” Vincent asked, the question directed at Dominic.
