She had no idea what she would find when she entered Sotza’s office. She remembered the last time she’d angered him, the way he attacked her after, asserted his dominance. Since their time in his flower garden he’d been treating her with more respect, giving her the tools she needed to stand at his side without fear. Now, she worried that this action, helping Raina escape, would set their relationship back.
The front door opened and she stepped through into the estate foyer. Heat rushed at her and she basked in the warmth as it penetrated the dripping layers she wore. Adriana, the evening maid, rushed toward her with a towel clutched in her hands. She wrapped it around Vee’s shoulders and walked swiftly toward the stairs, her arm firmly around the Señora. Vee raised a brow at Adriana’s almost affectionate behaviour. While Vee had been polite to the staff, she hadn’t taken any pains to get to know them. She was first and foremost a businesswoman. She didn’t really care about cooking or cleaning and left house tasks to the housekeeper and her staff.
“Where are you taking her?” One of Vee’s guards asked sharply. “She is to go immediately to the Señor.”
Adriana sent the man a bold stare over her shoulder and snapped, “And how will the Señor react if she falls ill from remaining in these wet clothes?”
When he hesitated, she wrapped her arm around Vee’s and pulled her up the stairs. Vee was grateful for the intervention. They didn’t talk as they walked side by side to the master bedroom. Adriana hustled Vee inside and closed the door behind them.
“I thought you could use a few minutes to gather yourself,” she explained walking toward Vee’s closet and opening the double doors. Her muffled voce reached out to Vee. “You better hurry and get those clothes off. The Señor won’t wait long. Especially not for you. You seem to make him very impatient.”
She emerged from the closet with a slinky dark blue silk night dress. It dipped deep in the front between her breasts, flowed to the floor with slits up both sides showing a healthy amount of leg every time she moved. The nightdress was blatantly sexual. She pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow.
“That one seems… inappropriate for an interview with my husband, who will most likely be quite angry with me.” Still, she began removing her wet clothes, peeling them off with gratitude. Her skin was chilled through and pimpled in goosebumps.
Adriana grinned. “Si, a little inappropriate for wandering through the house but feminine and irresistible. The Señor already has difficulty resisting his new esposa. In this dress, he will not remain angry for long.”
Vee raised an eyebrow, hesitated for a fraction of a second and then reached for the sapphire nightdress. At least she wouldn’t have to wear a bra with it. There wasn’t much worse than putting a bra on over diamond hard nipples and damp skin. She pulled it over her head and stood still as Adriana took over, tugging it down Vee’s lithe frame.
“Why are you helping me?” she asked pointedly once the material was in place.
“You are the Señora,” she said simply. “We must take care of you, no?”
Vee laughed in disbelief. “Sure, now why are you really helping me?”
Adriana rolled her eyes toward the door and then grinned secretively. “The Señor, he has never married before, right? We have not had a mistress around the estate until now. You are special.”
Vee snorted. “I’m not much of a mistress. I’ve barely talked to most of the staff and to be honest I only know your name because you’re the only night maid around here. I was told to ask you if I needed anything before bed.”
Adriana went back to the closet and emerged seconds later with a pair of sandaled high heels, cream satin, that would strap in place around her ankles. This was definitely going to be overkill, but she allowed it. Perhaps the girl knew what she was talking about. If it saved Vee a beating she would even wear the ass half of a horse costume.
Adriana bent in front of Vee and helped her put the shoes on. Finally, she answered. “The Señor… he was lonely for many years. With the demands of his work, he has become harsh and brutal. Though not cruel to us by any means he was a cold master. He rarely spoke and when he did it was to demand this or that. For all these years he has not changed, just gotten gruffer.” She stood and faced Vee, her eyes serious. “Then you existed. A Señora, yes, but not just any Señora. One that is rumoured to be powerful. And when you arrived it became clear that you had power over the Señor. If you need something, he demands it immediately. If you are hurt, he is hurt too. If you are happy… then so is he.”
Vee was beginning to see Adriana’s point.
“He is in love with you. And his love has changed things around here for the better.” She sighed happily, stars in her young eyes. “If keeping you happy means we keep this newer master, then we will do what we must.”
Vee smiled back. “Well, whatever the reason. I appreciate your help. I’m much more comfortable in these clothes, though maybe a little cold with the lack of fabric.”
Adriana giggled and ran to grab the matching peignoir. Vee pulled it on gratefully. It wasn’t a cable knit sweater, but it would do. And she knew what she must look like. Walking sex. While she no longer believed in trading sex for favours, she wasn’t at all opposed to playing up her sexuality if it meant Sotza might go a little easier on her.
The pit of her stomach churned as Adriana ran a brush through her damp locks and handed Vee some lip gloss. Was he going to be furious? She didn’t know how he could not be. She had done something he had expressly forbidden. He’d wanted Raina here, in his territory, where he could control and protect her. He’d been unwilling to negotiate with Vee on the matter.
Well, she was unwilling to negotiate on it either. She wanted Raina as far from the mob as the child could get. Vee wanted her to grow up, escape her roots, discover a world that women could inhabit without fear. Raina was headstrong, stubborn and determined. She would make her new life a success.
“Time to go,” Adriana whispered, her eyes wide in trepidation. “I do not think the Señor will wait much longer. Best to go to him on his terms than have him come looking for you.”
Vee thought Adriana was being a little dramatic. Though she did remember their last violent confrontation in the bedroom, after Vee had been shot. Though explosive and passionate, she would rather not be handled so roughly. Which meant, for the coming battle, she needed to keep her temper in check. Act contrite. Don’t piss off The Butcher.
“Yes,” Vee said decisively, striding toward the door with confidence. “Time to see my husband.”
Chapter Forty
Sotza sat behind his desk, appearing to be completely at ease when she knocked briefly and let herself in. He was reading something on his laptop, leaning slightly forward, one arm resting on the desk. He’d discarded his jacket and vest and opened the collar of his shirt showing his strong masculine throat. A few hairs curled toward the top of his shirt. His serious, rugged face was expressionless except for a deeper than usual groove between his brows. As though he was slightly disturbed by whatever he was reading.
She knew better. He was pissed off at her. Trying to decide how to play this situation. Would he attack her, like he did the last time she fucked up? Or would he treat her with the cold indifference he treated the rest of the world? Or maybe he would come up with some new way to throw her off balance.
Well, two could play that game. Vee was not a woman used to being ignored. Nor was she used to waiting on someone’s leisure. She liked to control her environment and the situations she found herself in. Which meant she wasn’t going to wait for Mr. Sotza to finally give her the time of day.
She strode purposefully toward his wet bar. A small, sturdy cabinet with a neat top that held high ball and small sherry glasses. She picked up one of the tumblers and crouched in front of the cabinet. She scanned the labels. Most were Spanish, but a few were imported. All very top shelf, which meant she shouldn’t have a problem drinking it straight up. She chose the brandy bottle, pulling it toward her. She
stood gracefully and poured a healthy measure, her gaze greedily devouring the liquor as it hit the glass.
Her heart pounded as she made the decision to break her abstinence. Her nerves were completely shot, between having to say a heartbreaking good-bye to her daughter and then face her husband, not knowing how he would react to her disobedience. If ever there was a time for a drink, this was it. And Vee knew her strength, knew that one drink wouldn’t break her. She was stronger than her addiction.
She capped the bottle and set it on top of the bar. She picked up the glass and turned. As she expected, Sotza’s eyes were on her. All over her to be completely accurate. He looked at her the way she was looking at the brandy, taking in her skimpy outfit. His eyes glowed with feral heat, though his face gave nothing of his thoughts or intentions.
“You disobeyed me, Vee,” his deep voice rumbled.
She lifted her chin and moved to the seat in front of his desk, sliding into it and crossing her legs. The slit in her dress revealed her leg to the top of her thigh. His eyes lingered on her skin, but his gaze was cold when it lifted to hers.
“You have an explanation, I trust?”
Vee wanted to snort but swallowed the impulse. Be good, Vee, she silently begged herself, don’t prod the man and maybe you’ll get through this. “I get to make the decisions in my daughter’s life and I decided that she needed to go. I made arrangements.”
“Indeed,” he agreed, ice dripping from his tone. “However, you are aware, that I had other wishes for the child’s welfare. You went against a direct order when you spirited her into the night.”
“She is not your child,” Vee said, struggling to keep the anger from her voice. “She’s mine and I alone make the decisions regarding her welfare. You are the man who abducted her.”
A chill passed over her and she knew she was dangerously pushing the line. He would already be angry with her, she shouldn’t be arguing. But this was about her daughter, it was one of the most important discussions she could have. She needed to argue until she won.
“You belong to me, Elvira,” he said, his voice dangerously quiet, his stern eyes never leaving her. “You are mine to love and to hold, to keep until one or both of us dies. What belongs to you, belongs to me as well. To maintain and to cherish, the same as I would do for you.”
A sharp pain struck her chest as she absorbed his words. He loved her. And her heart was telling her that she loved him too, completely. This man was willing to love her grown-up daughter simply because she was a part of Vee. Women the world over searched for such a man to have in their lives. But Sotza was still mafia, and he always would be. Which meant that Vee would always be mafia too. Neither of them were good enough to be in Raina’s life. She couldn’t allow him to keep Raina in their organization, even if he believed he was protecting her.
“You can’t have her,” she said defiantly, standing and stepping right up to his desk. She dropped her untouched glass on the desk and spread her hands wide as she emphasized her words. “The further from your reach she goes, the safer she’ll be.”
His gaze wandered down her chest, dipping to her cleavage, now even more exposed as she leaned on his desk. She resisted the urge to cross her arms. He looked down at her hands, contemplating his next words.
“I knew the moment you left the mansion this evening,” he finally said. “I could have stopped you at any time. Could have kept Raina here.”
She suspected as much. His security had small holes in it, holes that she happily took advantage of, holes that she would be fixing when or if they got over this intense clashing of wills. But despite the small deficiencies in his security, Sotza was by no means stupid. During the entire escape she’d had the niggling thought that her powerful husband knew what she was up to and either laid a trap or… now confirmed, had sanctioned the action.
“Why didn’t you have us picked up then?” She hoped it was because he finally saw things her way. Or maybe decided that he loved her enough to let her have her way.
“I wanted to know if you would go with her,” he admitted, looking directly at her as he questioned her loyalty. “Wanted to see if you would get on the helicopter.”
Anger surged through her, heating her pale skin. She took in a sharp breath and let it out in a huff. “And what exactly would you have done if I’d gotten on that helicopter?”
He didn’t hesitate. “I would have stopped you and killed them, then brought you home and chained you to my side for the rest of your life.”
“Raina?” she gasped, a wave of dizziness hitting her as she lost the ability to breathe. Would he truly kill her only child?
“Not her,” he relented. “Through you she is now part of me. No harm with ever fall on the girl from my quarter.”
Vee’s hand shook as she picked up her glass, gazing at the amber liquid. If ever she needed a drink it was right fucking now. She lifted it to her lips.
“Stop,” he commanded her, standing from behind his desk and glaring at her. “Do not drink it, Vee.”
She glared right back and slammed the liquor to the back of her throat. Though the brandy was top shelf and mostly smooth going down she had to fight the need to cough, it’d been so long since her last drink. She thudded the glass on his desk and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Fuck you,” she said, her voice huskier than usual from the drink.
He struck out at her, fast like lightening. She flinched and tried to step back, expecting his fist to collide with the side of her face. He didn’t hit her though, he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, tangling his long fingers in her hair and forcing her forward until she was half on his desk.
“You want to fuck, Vee?” he said in a guttural voice, eyes blazing with the emotion. “Is that what you’re saying to me right now?”
The savage look on his face, coupled with the way he’d been playing her body all week, called to her. Sent her libido soaring. She wanted to accept his challenge.
“Yes.” The words rushed out of her in an angry hiss. “That’s what I want.”
Pure lust sizzled between them as they stared each other down. She didn’t know who made the next move. If she crawled onto the desk or if he pulled her over top, but suddenly she was in his arms and he was kissing her with a passion that hurt, singeing her lips with the heat that constantly flowed between them until a single spark ignited the inferno. His arms banded around her, locking her against him until she was opening her mouth to gasp for the breath he was squeezing out of her only to be denied by his invading tongue. She could do nothing but hold on and take his onslaught of passion, sinking her nails into whatever she could reach.
She thought she would pass out from lack of oxygen, black dots swarming her vision, when he finally tore his lips from hers. He shoved her back on the desk, his hand cradling her head so it wouldn’t thump against the wood. Still, she cried out as something dug into her back. He lifted her just enough to sweep a broad hand beneath her, shoving everything to the side. She reached for him as his head was descending to take a nipple into his mouth. He soaked the silk fabric of her gown as he nipped at her and then sucked it into his devouring mouth. He squeezed her other breast at the same time, taking her to the edge of pain before backing off. She yelped in protest, but she was squirming under his handling of her body, need crashing through her veins like a tidal wave.
She thought she might come from the stimulation to her breasts alone, he backed off, flipped her over and laid her face-down across his desk. She heard the skirt of her dress tear as he yanked it up her legs and settled it on her hips. She knew what he was seeing, her lace thong, soaked through with her own juices.
She tried to twist around to look at him, but his hand landed on her back, shoving her forward. Then his other hand landed on her bare ass cheek, hard. Pain shot through her bottom and she yelped, attempting to claw her way back over the desk. He held her firm and continued spanking her, alternating cheeks until she was hot and panting… aroused.
He leaned over her back, his lips next to her ear. She felt his fingers against her ass as he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. “You were a bad girl today, Vee. What do bad girls get?”
She gritted her teeth and pushed herself back against his cock as he was freeing, helpless against the need flooding through her. “Bad women get fucked!” she said, tensing against the next onslaught.
Sure enough, his hand fell firmly against her ass again, meting out the discipline he thought she deserved. “Bad girls get spanked,” he growled.
Vee had reached the point that she didn’t care. She wanted his hand striking her ass, she wanted his hands all over her body any way she could get them. If this agonizing, glorious feeling was the result, she would start purposely trying to earn these spankings. She would smuggle every damn person she could get her hands on off his estate.
Finally, the spanking stopped, leaving her ass hot and swollen, her pussy wet and needy. She didn’t have long to wait for relief though. He yanked the crotch of her thong to the side and sank his delicious cock deep. She yelled her pleasure for everyone to hear as he filled her aching pussy.
He slammed into her, rocking her hips against the desk. She brought her hands down to her sides and bent her elbows, lifting a little, trying to relieve the pressure. He took her hair in a fist and yanked her head back and to the side just enough that she could see his face hovering over her back. See his chest as he moved over her, slamming again and again, burying himself balls deep in each punishing thrust.
“What do bad girls get, Vee?” he asked, his accent strong, his voice guttural.
She let out a breathless laugh and said, “Bad women get the kingdom!”
He slammed into her so hard she would have been pushed forward across the desk if he wasn’t holding her hair, pulling it back toward him, forcing her to arch her chest, thrusting out her breasts.
Queen’s Move: Book Two of The Queens Page 25
