“Bad girls get punished,” he snarled and continued to slam into her. His thrusts increased in tempo until she thought she really might break from his rough handling. Her pussy told her otherwise. It clenched him tight, pulling him deep, welcoming him. The orgasm ripped through her before she was ready. The crushing impact of her clit against the desk, coupled with the incredible way he was hammering into it sent her careening into the path of a beautiful orgasm. As she hurtled over her own peak he reached his, grunting his pleasure as he fucked into her, bathing her in his come. He pushed his elbow into the middle of her back while pulling her hair back toward him. He twisted her head until he could reach her lips, claiming them in a surprisingly soft kiss.
He released her almost as soon as he finished, laying her across the desk and pulling out of her. She heard the zip of his pants as he tucked himself back inside. She rolled to her side, gathering the tattered remnants of her nightgown around her bare legs and gazed up at him. Sotza, her husband. He was cold when he wanted to be, but hotly passionate around her, especially when she challenged his authority. He was brutal in his regime, but kind to her. Despite the provocation, despite the punishing sex, he hadn’t harmed a hair on her head, even when he was using it to yank her back toward him. He was incredible, and he belonged to her.
Instead of letting her bask in the post-orgasm glory he leaned over her, took her jaw in hand and forced her to look at him. “I let you get away with one drink, don’t do it again.”
“But you drink,” she pointed out, her voice husky from screaming.
“You don’t,” he said, his voice hard. “I’ll do what it takes to preserve who you are, Vee. Even if it means protecting you against yourself.”
“People change,” she whispered.
“Are you going to argue with me about this?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.
She bit her lip and stared at him for a few seconds thinking about pushing it. Then she grinned. “Depends, are you going to fuck me on your desk again if I do?”
He growled and reached for her, proving that he would indeed fuck her on his desk again, taking her on another, more leisurely, but no less satisfying, orgasmic trip. After, he gathered the shreds of her gown around her and pulled her into his arms, tucking the fabric so that she wasn’t showing anything indecent to the staff. He carried her through the house to their bedroom where he undressed her and tucked her naked into bed.
She propped an arm up, hand under her ear as she watched him undress, devouring his long, lean frame, roped in heavy muscles. Despite the multiple orgasms he’d just treated her to, her body heated once more, melting for her husband.
“Are you going to fuck me again, esposo?” she asked mischievously as he bent over and she got a nice view of his perfectly formed ass.
He straightened and gave her a stern look. “Mercy, Señora, this old man needs some rest first. If you keep this up I will think you are better at torture than me.”
She snorted. Then, completely by-passing his comment about torture, as she still wasn’t ready to go there yet, said, “If this is you as an old man then I’d hate to have experienced sex with the younger version.”
He crawled into the bed beside her and turned her over, pulling her against him so her ass was nestled against the cradle of his thighs. She settled down with a sigh.
“Only you can do this to me, Vee. I was never this way with other women.”
She reached back to smack him on the hip. “Now I get why you want me around. Sex on tap.”
He laughed and kissed her shoulder. “Peace, Vee. You are too perfect for me to think that about you.”
They fell silent for a few minutes. Vee’s thoughts turned to Raina and she desperately hoped she was safe. She’d decided that no communication was best, so no one could trace the girl. But now, Vee thought she might contact Diane in a few days. Just to make sure they landed safely and Raina was able to continue on her journey unmolested.
As if reading the direction of her thoughts, Sotza said quietly, “Mateo wants her, you know. He even asked if he could keep her. Weeks ago, before I brought you here. He’s going to be angry that she’s disappeared.” Vee glanced back at him over her shoulder, her expression pleading. He sighed, his lips tilting a little at the corner. “I suppose we can give her a head start. Slow him down. Perhaps I’ll give him the task of hunting and disposing of Garza. Dismantling the Garza empire should keep him busy for a while.”
“Thank you,” she said hoping he heard the wealth of sincerity in her tone.
“He will find her eventually.”
She smiled. “I know. He reminds me a little of you. That dogged determination to get what he wants. But I want Raina to experience life and all it has to offer before she gets pulled back into this.”
“I understand, cariño, you want her to have the things you missed out on.”
“Maybe,” she said softly. “I don’t feel like I’m missing anything anymore though.”
He ran his fingers lightly over the scar on her back, low down toward her waist. “You are a brave woman. Generous too.”
Vee shrugged her shoulder and continued to lay on her side, her face turned away from him. She enjoyed the way his fingers tickled down her back, it made her want to curl against him and purr. This kind of intimacy was new to her but definitely addicting.
“Giving my daughter life the first time was a difficult decision to make,” she said, her voice quiet. “Giving her life the second time was as easy as breathing. I didn’t have a choice. She would’ve died otherwise and I didn’t want to live in a world without her.”
He kissed between her shoulder blades and then rolled her over. Vee brought her hands up to cover her naked chest. He let her though he placed a hand possessively over the slight rise of her stomach.
“These are the things I want from you, my wife. The same devotion and loyalty you show a child that doesn’t know enough to be grateful of the sacrifices you’ve made.”
“You have it, Isaac,” she said without hesitation. “My loyalty, my life, everything. By letting my daughter go you’ve proved that I can be loyal to you without losing the things I want most.”
“Te amo, Elvira,” he whispered against the back of her neck.
She smiled. “I love you too, Issac. But you really need to never call me Elvira again. I know exactly where to shoot a person to give them maximum pain without much damage.”
He chuckled and leaned down to press his lips against hers, giving her one of his kisses that she knew she would crave forever.
Epilogue
Two years later
“Anny Pee!”
Vee looked up, startled as Sally hurtled toward her, chubby legs pumping faster than Vee thought a toddler should go. She reached out and scooped the baby up, settling her on her lap. She gave Sally a stern look and said, “I’m sorry, but did you just call me Aunty Pee? As in urine? Do you have any idea who you’re talking to, child? I could have you executed for such disrespect.”
Sally just giggled and grabbed at Vee’s long straight hair, burying her fingers in the fine strands. “That’s it, off with her head!” Vee yelped, laughing as she was forced to twist her head to ease the pressure on her scalp.
“I’m sorry, Vee!” Casey cried. She’d been following close behind her daughter and helped Vee extricate the tiny, but torturously effective hands. Vee sighed in relief as Sally was lifted from her lap and set free to terrorize the garden.
“Seriously though, did she just call me Pee? What are you teaching this child?”
Casey laughed and settled on the bench next to Vee, her sharp eyes following the trail of flower destruction as Sally did her best to tear up every one she could get her hands on. “She’s having a little difficulty with names, so she tends to rename people after her favourite things.”
Vee wrinkled her nose. “And she likes pee? That’s weird Casey. You know that’s weird, right?”
“She likes to go pee because she gets treats for going on the
potty. She probably sees you as being just as awesome as those treats.”
“Nice save,” Vee said sarcastically. Then she pointed out, “You’re training your daughter like a dog, you know.”
Casey shrugged. “Whatever works.”
Vee felt a small pang. She’d missed these years with Raina. The good, the bad, the fun and funny. She watched over Raina from a distance, but she didn’t get to experience these moments. Maybe one day she would become a grandmother and get the chance to live the memories she missed with her own daughter.
“She calls Sotza, Uncle Toaster, only it sounds more like Untle Toata.”
Vee burst out laughing as she imagined the tiny human naming her stern, unyielding husband after a toaster. “It really is a miracle she’s survived this long.”
“Reyes would destroy the world if anything happens to her,” Casey pointed out. They both sobered as they imagined the far-reaching damage Reyes could cause if any harm came to the women in his life.
Vee understood. Sotza was exactly the same. In the two years that they’d been married he had become more overbearing in his desire to keep Vee from harm. She would have balked except he also treated her with respect. He kept her apprised of all the business he conducted, and after she’d learned the ropes, brought her on as an equal partner. It hadn’t been an easy transition moving from drugs to arms dealing, but she was a fast learner. It helped that Sotza was a patient and loving instructor. He listened to her opinions and, after he deemed her ready, allowed her to take on several negotiations. They found that the men they worked with often preferred her softer touch to his harsh, uncompromising way of doing business. The organization had benefitted twofold by her presence.
Married life suited them both. They rarely left Venezuela, spending most of their time either on the estate or the island. They preferred their home turf. When they did have to travel for business they always went together. They’d become inseparable. They worked side-by-side and lived as a unit. This marriage was nothing like any of her previous relationships. Sotza had even accompanied her on a shopping trip to Caracas, insisting they go together or not at all. She thought he would be bored out of his mind. Of course, he wasn’t. Somehow the man found pleasure in anything and everything that had to do with his wife. He gave her that small tilt of the lips as she tried on clothes and showed them to him. He offered his opinion, which of course matched hers, when she was looking at purses and shoes. He had been the perfect shopping companion.
After their trip into the capital Vee had approached him about the ridiculous high prices for food and basic necessities. Money had no meaning to them, it was endless. But it had meaning to the people of Venezuela, many of whom were starving. From talking with the staff, she knew that most of them saved every penny of their paychecks and sent the money home to their families. Sotza already had a bead on local politicians, engaging them in talks about funding for social programs. But at Vee’s insistence they started a charity that would make sure more people in more regions were fed. And if that didn’t work, they would use other parts of their organization to make sure people had the necessary paperwork to immigrate to neighboring countries if that was their wish.
Not every part of married life was perfect. Vee missed Raina terribly, but refused to have any contact in case it could be used to trace her. It was like having her heart stabbed for a second time, having to give her up at birth and then again just when they were developing a relationship. Raina’s absence caused tension between Vee and Mateo. He refused to forgive her for helping his woman escape. And she refused to regret that decision. Not for a single second. Every time her heart ached she would imagine what Raina was doing, what kind of experiences she was having. Knowing that Raina was free to make her own choices and that she had a good head on her was enough for Vee.
Her absent gaze fell on Sally who was crawling after a caterpillar. “Have you ever thought about having another one?” she asked Casey.
Casey seemed to think about it for a few seconds and then said, “Yes. I want one, and so does Reyes. But he’s terrified that I could have a stroke or something since I’m higher risk for those things. I think we probably will one day, but for now, we’re happy indulging our baby Llama.”
“Llama!” Vee burst out laughing.
Casey laughed too. “I wanted her pet name to be something native to Bolivia and there are llamas everywhere. We even have a herd that lives wild in our area.” Casey watched Vee for a moment and then said softly. “Have you thought of having another? It’s not too late, plenty of women have babies in their forties.”
“No,” she said quietly. “I’ll never have another child. I won’t bring another life into the mafia.”
“I understand,” Casey said, reaching out to grab Sally as she was about to squish the caterpillar. “It’s a bit hypocritical isn’t it? How we’ll take advantage of all the riches the mafia has to offer but despise the parts we don’t find appetizing.”
Vee thought about it. About her beautiful garden, even nicer house filled with all the staff she could ever want. Her private jet, her private island. The clothes, the jewels, everything. Was it worth it?
“We’re the women of the mafia, Casey, we were born to this. We didn’t have a choice. We may as well take advantage of the privileges, they help us get through the awful parts.” She looked down at Casey’s scarred hand, which was splayed across Sally’s back, holding her in place. The raised ‘H’ would be with her forever, a reminder of her dead husband’s cruelty. “We are the children of mobsters. You were born to the mob, I was born to it. Gina and her unborn child are mafia.” She named Casey’s cousin, currently in Bolivia with her husband, Alejandro. He wouldn’t allow his young wife to travel while pregnant or she would have been right there on the bench with them. Vee continued, “Sally was born to it and so was Raina. She’ll have to come home eventually, to face her roots. I’ve made my peace with that.”
“That sounds so bleak,” Casey said, her voice catching a little. “True, but bleak.” She stared at her daughter, allowing the horror of Vee’s words to sink in. Sally would always be mafia, she would never be free.
“Maybe,” Vee agreed, turning to look fully at her best friend. She reached out to trace a finger over the brand on Casey’s neck, the tiny feminine crown. A matching masculine one adorned Reyes’ throat. “But we’re the Queens. Bad or good, right or wrong, we rule our Kings and everything around them.”
“Amen,” Casey breathed.
Deciding it was best to lighten the mood, they changed topics and played with Sally a little longer in the garden. The weather was warmer than usual, heating the paving stones, so the women sat on the ground, Sally tottering around them giggling, carefree in her childish innocence.
“Vee,” Sotza’s voice reached out to her and she turned to look as he strode toward them, Reyes at his side. The two men together were utterly breathtaking. Handsome, hard and dominant. Sotza was taller and more regal than Reyes, but Reyes was broader, more muscular. Both men exuded that casual confidence that came with their positions in the world. The top of their respective regimes.
“You know… it was my husband that decided to send Sotza to Miami, to go after you,” Casey murmured.
“And who suggested he might be a good fit for my particular situation?” Vee replied, turning back to eye her friend.
Casey grinned unabashedly. “It worked out, right? You seem happy to me.”
“That is a pretty deadly game of match-making you played there, Señora Reyes. You couldn’t have known he would fall in love with me.”
“I never had a single doubt,” Casey whispered as the men approached.
Although Reyes and Casey had come to Venezuela for a visit, they were there first and foremost for business. The four of them were in the process of creating a strong alliance that would consolidate power throughout South America. Both Vee and Casey joined in most of the negotiations. The major debate among the group, once the alliance was set in stone, was wh
at to do about Mexico, now that Nicolas Garza was dead. Hunted down and taken out by Mateo, under Sotza’s orders. Without Domingo or Garza heading operations, Mexico was becoming even more desperately violent as men fought to take over the shreds of the Garza cartel.
The next order of business was Miami. The hub for all underworld traffic on the East coast of the United States was in chaos. The region needed strong leadership and they needed to find someone they trusted for the job.
Vee stood, brushing her skirt off. She cringed inside, side-eyeing the serious damage Sally had done to Sotza’s precious garden. She was definitely going to hear about it later. How she’d allowed a toddler to storm the shrubbery without once lifting a finger to stop the destruction. She opened her mouth to speak, to pardon the small creature, when Sotza took her arm in a tight grip.
“Isaac –” she started to say, but he interrupted her, directing his words toward Casey. Reyes had stopped beside his wife and crouched down to retrieve his daughter, holding her delighted squirming body against his chest.
“Please excuse us, Señora Reyes, I must speak to my wife. It is urgent.”
“Of course,” Casey said, her voice holding some confusion and worry.
Sotza nodded toward Reyes and turned on his heel, striding toward the house. He by-passed the cobbled paths and walked straight across the grass, something she’d never seen him do. Even when he was in a hurry to go down to his prison and interrogate someone. He always respected his immaculate lawns and gardens.
“Isaac!” Vee gasped, trying to keep up with his long strides and failing. “My shoes!”
Her steel-spiked heels were sinking into the grass with each step. When she tried to walk on the ball of her foot instead of the heel she started to pitch forward as he dragged her. He glanced back at her, seeing her struggle and stopped. She was about to bend over and remove the shoes, leaving her to walk barefoot through the grass when he scooped her up into his arms and continued walking, his pace even faster now.
Queen’s Move: Book Two of The Queens Page 26
