by Bianca Cole
“No, please…I’ve paid it all back and given you my step-daughter,” Alex snivels.
Kane shakes his head. “No one fucks with the Romano family and gets by without a scratch.” He glances at his men. “I will go ahead with the girl. I’ll see you both back at the house.”
They grunt their agreement, as Kane forces me out the door and back up the stairs. I writhe against him, trying to break free. The screams and shouts of my step-father echo down the hall as they rough him up.
“You can’t do this. I’m not his to give away. Let go of me, for fuck’s sake.” I writhe against his hard, strong grip.
Kane’s grip tightens on my arm and he stops moving, leaning close to my ear. “Sweetheart, you had best stop fighting and get your head wrapped around the fact that you’re mine now,” he growls.
The way he says it sends a bolt of need through me. It’s ridiculous considering what is happening. Maybe it’s just the adrenaline heightening all my senses.
I stop struggling and force one foot in front of the other. This isn’t the first time I’ve been in a dangerous situation. Ever since I can remember, my mother had been part of this life and wrapped up in these vicious crime circles. I never met my father, apparently, he was junkie, just like my mother. When she met Alex, it seemed like she was getting her life on track, until I realized what he did for a living.
Kane smells of pine and musk, which is oddly comforting, as he marches me straight out the backdoor of the club. Obviously not wanting to draw too much attention to the fact he is kidnapping me. How the hell can my step-father even give me away? I’m eighteen years old for God’s sake.
Two black SUVs with blacked out windows are parked in the back alley. Kane opens the back door of one of them, gazing at me. “Get in, sweetheart.” He lets go of me to allow me to climb in.
I glance between him and the car for a moment. If I go with him, my life is over. Fuck it. A split-second decision has me running in the opposite direction, taking advantage of the fact he let go of my arm.
“Fuck,” Kane growls behind me. Then thudding footsteps follow and I know he’s chasing me. I make the mistake of glancing over my shoulder, which slows me down. Three more steps and his hands tighten around my shoulder, jerking me to a stop.
His strong arms wrap around my waist, and he pulls me against his hard, muscled body. “Don’t be foolish, Jasmine. I get a feeling you’re a smart girl and you know doing as I say is the best option for you.” My thighs clench at his touch, finding myself involuntarily aroused by the dangerous man holding me.
I swallow hard, glancing back at the SUV. He’s right. Everything I’ve heard about him and the Romano Mafia tells me I need to submit, otherwise I’ll end up dead. I’m in real danger now. Danger far worse than anything my mother ever landed us in when I was growing up. Once you’re entangled with the mafia you either end up stuck with them all your life or dead.
The driver has gotten out of the car, and he’s approaching the two of us. “Sir, do you need assistance?”
Kane’s arms tighten around my waist, making my panties soak through. “No, I’ve got it handled.” I can feel something hard and thick pressing into my ass, making me wetter.
I squeal as he lifts me up and throws me over his shoulder, walking back toward the car. “Let go of me,” I spit, trying to wriggle free from him. “I can walk you know.” His hand rests on my bare thigh, sending even more heat through my body. I feel like I’m on fire.
He bundles me into the back of the car. Then he slides in next to me, shutting the door. The locks click and I know I’m trapped with him.
His hand settles on my thigh in a tight, possessive grip. I flinch slightly, half from the way he’s turning me on and half from fear. “Don’t worry, Jasmine. I’m not going to hurt you.” He gazes at me almost kindly.
“I can’t believe that, you’re Kane freaking Romano.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, I’m Kane Romano, but I don’t hurt women.”
I narrow my eyes at him, parting my lips slightly as I realize how close we’re sitting. “What if a woman screws you over?”
He cocks his head to the side. “I get one of my men to hurt her.”
Dread slices through me, making my stomach churn with sickness. Suddenly, I’m no longer aroused, as if his words have broken me from a stupid lust-filled state. The car engine roars and we start moving.
What is going to happen to me?
“Are you okay? You’re trembling.” Kane takes my hand in his and pulls me even closer to him.
I hadn’t even noticed how much I was shaking, but my hands are trembling. I’m not used to being scared of anything, not after everything I’ve been through with my mother, but this is different. The thought of being sold into sex trafficking scares me more than anything ever has.
The fear spreading through me is impossible to truly get a grip of as my world is being torn apart. Sure, my life wasn’t exactly great before my step-dad gave me to this man, but I was free to a certain extent.
My breathing becomes more rapid, and my head spins, making my body shake with fear. I try desperately to regulate my breathing, focusing on getting a grip. I’m about to have a panic attack, and I can’t stop it. My heart skips a beat as Kane’s large hand rests on my back, and he gently rubs in soothing circles, making it easier to breathe.
As I focus on his hand and the soothing motions, my breathing steadies, and the panic attack looming over me fades. The gesture should have scared me, but for some inexplicable reason this man can calm me down, something no one has ever been able to do before.
“That’s it, breathe deeply,” he purrs.
My body relaxes at the soothing sound of his voice. “What are you going to do with me?” I ask, gazing up into his dark eyes.
He gives me a small smile. “Don’t worry, you’re not in danger with me, I promise.”
I want to believe him, I think part of me does believe him, as I stare into his eyes which seem kind now. It’s the opposite of everything I’ve heard about him.
“How long will you keep me?” I ask.
He squeezes my thigh gently. “Forever, sweetheart.”
It feels like my world starts spinning at those words, and I’m right back on the edge, struggling to breathe. He can’t keep me forever. This can’t be happening.
What has my step-dad done?
My vision fades to black and that’s the last thing I remember.
5
Kane
“What the hell did you do?” Rick asks, pacing the floor of his office. His muscles are tense under his expensive tailored suit.
I don’t envy my brother and his position in the slightest. The weight of his crown weighs heavy on his head. Although Rick is my younger brother by two years, he always had the natural ability to lead. Whereas I had the natural ability to fight and win. He was the right guy to become the boss of the mafia when our father was murdered.
Rick is more intelligent and calculating. Leo, our younger brother, is standing by the bookshelf, leaning against it and watching with an amused smirk on his lips. He has a mix of both of our skills. He sure as hell knows how to handle himself in a fight, but he’s quick thinking and intelligent too.
I shrug. “Alex Cavino offered her to me, so I took her.”
Rick stops pacing and glares at me. “We don’t own women, Kane. What the hell were you thinking?”
As I consider his question, the answer isn’t one he’d want to hear. I wasn’t thinking, not really. My cock was doing all the thinking when I agreed to Cavino’s deal and took his step-daughter home with me.
She’s locked in my room upstairs after she passed out in the car. Not exactly the best reaction when you tell a woman you want to keep her forever. I had to carry her up there. “Why would I say no when I was offered a pretty woman?”
Rick growls a low noise, before turning around and sitting behind his desk. “Somehow, I’ve got to fix this mess.” He runs a hand through his golden-brown hair. “What
man gives away his own step-daughter to the damn mob?”
Leo steps forward. “A coward.”
I nod. “Damn right, he’s a sniveling, trembling little coward.” I shrug. “She is better off with me.”
Rick sighs heavily. “What do you intend to do with her?” His dark eyes burn into mine.
I lick my bottom lip, crossing my arms over my chest, as all the dirty little fantasies I have about her flash through my mind. “I’ll keep her for myself.”
Leo chuckles. “Sounds like you have got the hots for the beautiful, barely legal piece of ass.”
I growl at my brother, fists clenching. “Watch it, Leo. You don’t want me to kick your ass right here and now, do you?”
He claps me on the back, smiling. “I’m only jesting, big brother.” He’s always joking around, but with Jasmine, it’s not a joke.
Rick hasn’t said anything, he’s just staring at me through narrowed eyes. “Why do you want her?”
“Why the hell do you think? I want to see if I can get that girl to beg me for it,” I growl, feeling possessive over her and hating being questioned on my intentions.
Leo bursts into a fit of laughter. “I’m not sure she’ll want an old man like you.”
He’s trying to piss me off and get under my skin, It’s what he does best. My hands clench by my side, but I don’t bother replying. She will want me. I’ll make her so desperate for my cock, she’ll be begging me for it.
I’m not into bedding a woman who isn’t totally into it. My tastes are inclined toward getting a woman to submit to me and letting me control her body, letting me make her feel better than she’ve ever imagined.
Rick nods. “Fine, you can keep her.”
A strange sense of relief pulses through me hearing my brother’s permission. We may be brothers, but Rick is the boss of the mob and what he says goes.
“But, Kane, I don’t want you making a habit of keeping girls as pets,” Rick says.
“Don’t be an asshole, I’m not keeping her as a pet.” I shake my head. “She will be given anything she wants and treated with respect. I will not make her do anything against her will.”
“I think the fact she is locked away in your bedroom right now against her will, makes her your pet.” Rick shakes his head “This is the first and last, no more owning women after her.”
I can’t understand why, but the mention of me owning any other women after Jasmine makes me angry. All I want is her for some insane reason. What the fuck has gotten into me?
I’m sure the novelty will wear off once I break down those walls and have her submitting to me, making her mine. Actually, I’m not totally sure as I’ve never felt like this before. My fists clench and my jaw does too, but I keep my calm. This isn’t the time to draw attention to my questionable feelings toward this girl I don’t even know.
Leo claps me on the back. “You really need to chill out brother.”
I tense under his touch and glare at him. “You really need to stop touching me.”
His eyes widen and he takes a step back, holding his hands up. He knows the warning signs. The caveman inside of me has broken free, and I’m full of hot rage that I’m unable to tame.
Rick gets up from his seat and walks around his desk toward me. “Leo is right, you seriously need to chill out.” He cocks his head to the side. “What exactly do you intend to do with this woman?”
My jaw clenches. “I told you, I want her for myself.”
Rick shakes his head. “In what capacity?”
I rub the back of my neck, trying to control myself. Rick may be my younger brother, but he’s above me in rank and I’ve got to hold my tongue. “As my woman.”
Rick’s eyes widen. “Like a girlfriend?”
I nod, grunting. “Yeah, exactly, she’ll be with me all the time. Mine.” I shake my head. “If anyone even thinks about touching her, they will be dead.”
Rick walks sets a hand on my shoulder. “You need to sort yourself out brother.” He shakes his head. “I don’t get it, you’ve just met her, but you know how dangerous it is to show you care. It’s a weakness that anyone could exploit. No one else can know how you feel, other than us.” Rick nods at Leo.
Rick is right. Jasmine has imprinted on me in a way no one ever has, and I can’t even think about letting her go. It paints a target on her. The way I act toward her in public will have to be different, even if it pains me to act distant toward her. This girl has bewitched me, and I’ve known her two hours. It’s ridiculous.
My father always made me aware of his rules, one of which was to never care about anyone but your family.
How can I be thinking this way? I’ve not had a relationship since freaking high-school. I run a hand over my cropped hair. “I know.” I let out a long breath. “I’ll be careful, I promise.”
Rick stares me out for a few moments, before nodding. “Remember, we’ve got the sit down tomorrow morning with everyone.” He pauses a moment. “It is up to you if you bring her. If not, she’ll have to stay here, but she will be unguarded.”
I give my brother a swift nod. “I’ll be there, without her.”
A knowing look passes through Rick’s eyes. I’ve only just met her and leaving her here unguarded is safer than taking her to a sit-down. Jasmine already knows who I am and what I’m capable of. She doesn’t need to witness the true power of the Romano Mafia—not yet. Our weekly sit-down with the rest of the members always results in a few murders.
It twists my gut at the thought of letting her see that side of me even though we’ve only just met. It doesn’t matter though, somehow, I know deep down this girl is meant for me. The way she looked at me in the back of that car today wasn’t fearful. She was intrigued and slightly aroused, at least, until she passed out when I told her she was mine forever.
I clench my fists together, feeling irritated at that reaction. My heart is set on claiming her, but she doesn’t feel the same way.
She was aroused at first, though. I could tell from the way her lips parted ever so slightly, and her cheeks tinged a pretty pink. The girl wants me, but will she want me when she realizes the true monster I am?
6
Jasmine
It feels like I’ve been locked in this room for hours, as I stare at the ceiling. I passed out in Kane’s car and didn’t stir until he was carrying me up here, but I kept my eyes clamped shut, not wanting him to know I’d woke.
This huge bed is so ridiculously comfy, way nicer than the mattress I’ve got at Alex’s home, but I can’t fall asleep. I’m too on edge.
What the hell is Kane Romano going to do with me?
Alex is dead to me. I almost wish Kane had been the brutal monster I’d heard of and killed him, anyway. He’s a son of a bitch to give me over to the Romano Mafia. I’ve been traded off for God knows what. Sex most likely. The thought sends a cold dread right to my heart. I’m a virgin, and it looks like my first time will be as a whore.
The sound of the door unlocking makes my heart skip a beat. I shuffle on the bed and pull the duvet around my barely clothed body, as if it will save me from the inevitable. All I’m wearing is my lacy bra and thong, since I don’t have sleepwear.
Kane’s huge form appears in the doorway. His eyes find mine instantly and the fierce hunger in them makes me hot.
After a few seconds of silence, I can’t stand it anymore. “What are you going to do with me?” I snap.
He smiles kindly, turning and shutting the door. I almost get up and run for the bathroom door, as he pulls off his tie and starts to unbutton his shirt. Not that it would do me any good.
I’ve already checked the room, and there’s absolutely no escape. I considered trying to climb down from the window, but we’re three stories up and there’s nothing much to hold on to—I’ll save that attempt for when I’m desperate.
I watch him warily, as he peels his shirt off. My heart rate spikes at the sight of his bare, muscular chest and the dark tattoos sprawling across his left arm. The sigh
t of him like that makes my pussy ache, which is ridiculous.
It’s as if my body and mind are totally split at the moment, but this is the first man I’ve ever been close to half-naked, and he’s a God. Kane has me locked away in this room, and I’m lusting after him.
Not to mention, he’s old enough to be my father. A naughty thought floods my mind, and I feel my cheeks heat. I wonder if he’d like me calling him Daddy while he took my virginity.
What the hell is wrong with me?
He moves toward the bed and my body tenses. A dread so keen spreads through my veins, making me tremble. I can’t sit there and wait for him to rape me. Instead, I stand to my feet and back away, forgetting I’m only in my underwear.
Kane cocks his head to the side slightly, and then kicks his shoes off before unbuttoning his pants. His heated gaze slowly drops down my body and then back up, setting me on fire like nothing ever has.
He pulls his pants down his muscled hips, and I can’t keep my eyes from wandering. He’s wearing a pair of tight boxer briefs with a hard, huge bulge defining the outline of his thick cock. The mix of fear and lust warring inside of me is more confusing than anything I’ve ever experienced. Finally, he tears his eyes away from me and lies down on the bed.
He laces his fingers behind his head, making his abs ripple deliciously. I stand there, watching him as he shuts his eyes.
What the hell is happening?
“What are you doing?” I ask.
He doesn’t open them just chuckles. “I’m getting a little rest on my bed.”
His bed.
I assumed they’d taken me to a guest room in this mansion, not his room. It makes it even more likely he intends to fuck me. He probably wants to make sure I’m good enough before whoring me out to the rest of the criminals in this town.
“I-I’m not fucking you,” I shout, feeling a little stupid considering he’s lying on the bed, unmoving.
He chuckles, again. “Did I ask you to?” His eyes open this time and he glances at me. “I’m open to it but believe me the last thing that gets me going is forcing myself on an unwilling woman.”
