Lola came to greet me when I entered the house. As she took my coat, she said, “You look exhausted, Mr. Lucien. Can I get something for you?”
I wanted bourbon, but I wanted to see Peter more. “Have a bottle of my best bourbon and two glasses sent to Peter’s room.”
She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
I could tell she wanted to say something else. “What is it Lola? Is Peter all right?”
“He seemed upset when he came in a little while ago.”
“Thank you. I’ll check on him.” I hurried upstairs to Peter’s room, glad for once that Angelo and Devil were rarely home this time of day. I would brief them in the morning about what happened during my trip to New Jersey.
I didn’t bother knocking. When I stepped into Peter’s room, he was lying on the rug by the bed in a crumpled heap.
“Peter?” I sank down beside him. “What’s wrong?”
He turned to look at me, and I saw that his eyes were red and his cheeks tear stained.
“You wouldn’t let me… I can’t go see my uncle… You have me trapped here, and I… I can’t do this.”
“What do you mean I wouldn’t let you see your uncle?”
“I asked to go to his bar after work, and Ralph said he had to bring me here, that his orders were to only take me to the office or back here, so…”
Fuck. I had told Ralph that but not because I intended to prevent Peter from going anywhere else. I wanted to make sure Peter was safe and prevent him from running if he was upset about my insistence he move in with me. Sooner or later, Ricci would find out I’d staked my claim on Peter, and my beautiful boy would become a target.
When I laid a hand on Peter’s back, he flinched and pulled away.
“I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I know, but I can’t think when you touch me.”
I couldn’t say I minded having that effect on him. “I did give Ralph those orders, but I’m not going to keep you from seeing your uncle. All you have to do is ask me if you want to go somewhere. I’ll let Ralph know he can take you there tomorrow after work.”
“I can see Uncle Mac alone?”
“Ralph will accompany you into the bar.”
“How did— Never mind. Of course you know my uncle runs a bar.”
I knew a hell of a lot more about him than that. “I wouldn’t bring someone into my home or my business without learning everything I could about them and their family.”
“Is there anything you can’t learn about a person?”
I wasn’t sure if he actually wanted an answer, but I gave him one anyway. “I have to get to know someone to learn how they think, who they really are, and what’s in here. I laid my hand over his heart. A lot of people think most people in my world don’t have a fucking heart. They’re wrong. Most of them don’t ever show it, though, so you have to look closely.”
Peter studied me as if taking my words to heart. “I want to know who you really are.”
“It’s probably best that you don’t.”
Peter shook his head. “You’re more than a cold, hard man who expects to get everything he wants.”
“I’m everything my upbringing has made me. I’m a criminal who’s seen and done horrible things, but I was lucky enough to have parents who truly loved me. My mother”—I paused to cross myself—“God rest her soul, wanted to teach me how to care, not just how to kill, and my father defended me to anyone who thought to dismiss me because I’m gay.”
“If you know how to be a good man, then why have you taken my freedom from me?”
I refused to let him see how much his words hurt. Did he really see me as a monster? “I have a lot of enemies, Peter. It’s not safe for you to be out without protection.”
“Is it really about protecting me, or do you just want to make sure you don’t lose your property?”
“That’s not how I see you, Peter.” I hated the pain I saw in his eyes.
“You said you owned me, and you won’t let me leave.”
I had said those exact words, and I meant them, but not the way he was taking them. “I want you, and that means you’re under my protection.”
“And you always get what you want.”
“I do, but I want to give you what you want too.” More than anything, I wanted to give him pleasure.
“Is this what you think I want? This beautiful room and all these clothes? Jesus, it must’ve cost a fortune, and I’ve never owned so many hair and skin products in my life.”
I let my gaze slide over his beautiful face. “You don’t need them.”
“Why did you buy them for me then?”
“I told Carla to make sure your room was fully stocked. If there was anything you needed or wanted, it should be here for you.”
“What if what I want is to leave?”
I held his gaze. “Is it? Really?”
“I can’t deny that I’m attracted to you. There’d be no point after yesterday. But you can’t just… You can’t pay me off with all these things. You’ve already proven I’ll obey you. Haven’t you humiliated me enough without trying to pay me off. I’m not your whore, Lucien.”
Molten anger boiled through me. “How dare you—”
His eyes widened, and he scooted away from me. I made myself take a deep breath. When I’d seen him looking so devastated, I’d wanted to comfort him. I didn’t want him sad or frightened, but how dare he take what was supposed to be a gift and…
He doesn’t understand your world.
“Only the work you do at the office goes to pay off Jimmy’s debt. The clothes and everything else are gifts. I wanted to show you how good you will have it with me.”
“It’s too much. This is all too much. I never meant to—”
“But you did. You walked into my world, and it hasn’t all been bad has it? Remember how it felt when I reddened your ass, the way you whimpered, the way you were so hard you nearly came before I touched you.”
“I didn’t.”
I raised my brows. “You’ve insulted me, and now you’re lying to me. I won’t have that, Peter.”
“I enjoyed it, but that doesn’t mean…”
“That you want me? Yes, it does.”
“Lucien, I’m not…”
“Not what?”
“A plaything or property.”
“You’re a man who craves dominance and control. You long for someone to tell you what to do and then expect you to do it.” His chest rose and fell rapidly, and his eyes were huge. He watched me like a rabbit would watch a fox. I was going to claim my scared little rabbit, but while he might be prey, he would enjoy being eaten, and he would thrive under my care.
I moved closer so I could stroke the fluttering pulse at his neck. He stiffened, but he didn’t try to pull away. “You’re scared, but you’re also turned on. I see it in your eyes.” I trailed my other hand down his chest. He sucked in his breath, and I continued the caress, over his flat belly and along his inner thigh. His pulse beat even faster now. I curled my hand around his neck as I pressed the heel of my other palm to his hard dick. “I’m right, aren’t I? I see you. I know what you need.”
Peter’s tongue slid over his lips, leaving them wet. “I… I don’t…”
“Don’t lie to me, Peter. Lies will be punished.”
“The truth scares me.”
It scared me too, but I couldn’t tell him that. He needed to see my strength, not my weaknesses. I brushed my lips against the side of his face and blew warm breath into his ear, making him shudder. How certain was I of his true feelings? I took risks all the time, but this felt different even than those that meant life or death.
I always faced my fears, though, so I pulled him to me and spoke against his ear. “I’m giving you a choice right now. You can go back to the life you were leading. I’ll have someone watch over you until I’m sure you haven’t drawn the interest of my enemies, but you won’t see me again. Or you can stay. Be mine. Let me protect you and care for you. You’ll want for
nothing.”
He turned to look at me. Desire still burned in his eyes, but I could also see fear. “What will you expect of me?”
“Obedience. I need to be in control. I can’t change who I am.” I released him and waited for his response.
He closed his eyes for several seconds, and I held my breath. Then he looked at me like he could see deeper into me than I’d let anyone. “I’m not a risk taker. I’m not someone who seeks out danger. I know this is crazy. I know I don’t belong here. I want to stay with you, but when trouble comes, I always run.”
“What if I made sure you couldn’t?”
I pushed his knees apart and forced him to lie back as I moved over him, taking his hands and dragging them along the carpet until I had them pinned over his head.
“You’re not making it easy to think.”
I tilted my hips, dragging my hard cock over his. “Maybe I don’t want you to think. Maybe I only want you to feel.”
He arched up, working himself against me, and I knew then that I had him as surely as when he’d knelt for me.
“You deserve so much more than you’ve had. I can give that to you.”
“And take… what?”
I thrust against him harder. “Everything.”
He groaned. “How do you make that sound so good?”
“I’ve spent my life learning how to make people do what I want.”
“I should fight this, fight you.”
“No.” I moved my hips slowly, sliding against him and making him moan. “I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”
“You’re dangerous.”
“I am. And I’m ruthless and arrogant. But you need a man like me.”
“I don’t want to need you.”
I tightened my grip on his wrists and thrust against him harder. “But you do.”
“I… Yes.”
I let him go and sat back on my heels. “Stay or go? Tell me your choice.”
“I thought…”
“I need to hear it clearly.”
A few seconds passed as he stared at me, his hazel eyes full of heat and need. I should’ve been ashamed of myself for seducing him until he didn’t really have a choice, but I’d made him an offer, and that was more than I wanted to do.
“I’ll stay.”
“Good choice. Now come here.” I leaned back against the bed and gestured to the spot on the floor between my legs. He moved, slowly, cautiously, crawling toward me. Fuck, he was a beautiful sight. “That’s it.” I laid my hands on his shoulders and pushed gently. “Turn around and lean against me.”
He did, and for a moment, I simply enjoyed the heat of him. “Relax,” I whispered against the side of his head.
It took a little while, but eventually, he sank back and let me take his weight.
“Perfect.” I slid my hands down his chest to the fastenings of his pants. He tensed again when I undid the button and began to lower his zipper. “Remember what you agreed to. You’re mine.”
I expected a protest, but he melted into me again. Fuck, his submissive side was too good. I pulled out his cock and stroked it slowly. I wasn’t going to rush this. In fact, a little edging was a fitting punishment for not being honest with me.
“I’m going to have you tonight.” I gripped him just a little tighter and was rewarded with a sharp intake of breath. “You’re going to enjoy it, but I’m going to take it slow, ramp you up until you’re begging, until you can’t wait a second longer.”
He bit his lip, muffling his whimper.
“No. You’re not allowed to hide anything from me. I want it all, remember? All the sounds you make.” I slid my hand over his cockhead on my upstroke. “Every inch of this gorgeous body. All your need. You’ll give that to me. Do you understand?”
“What happens if I get scared and try to run from you?”
I remembered how good he looked with my handprints on his red ass. “You know what will happen.”
“You’ll spank me. Maybe c-cane me.”
“Jesus, I love the catch in your voice when you say that. The way you shiver. You can ask for it if you need it, you know? The discipline. The pain.”
“And if I do something worse than that?”
“Worse than leaving me?”
“You said I could leave if I wanted to.”
“I gave you a choice. You chose to stay. Now you are utterly mine.”
“I… I know what you do to your enemies, and—”
I grabbed his shoulder and jerked him around to face me. “What did I promise you?”
“That you would protect me and keep me safe.”
“That’s right, so answer your own question.”
“You’re really going to take care of me?”
“I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep.” He was still wary of me and worried I’d hurt him, but he’d chosen to stay. His instincts were telling him he needed my dominance. I needed to figure out how to get him to believe those instincts.
I repositioned him like he’d been before and started working his cock again. “I am going to punish you tonight.”
“Wh-why? Because I questioned you?”
“Do you think I should punish you for that?”
“I don’t know.”
That was certainly something to consider for the future. He was going to be so much fun. “I’m punishing you because I expect complete honesty from you, and you tried to lie to me.”
“I was scared.”
“Your punishment will help settle you, and eventually you’ll learn to trust what I say, to know I’m protecting you.”
He turned his head to look at me. Then his gaze dropped to my waist. “Are you going to use your belt on me?”
I smiled, loving the way he’d revealed he was eager for that. “Not tonight. Tonight, I have something else in mind.”
9
Peter
Lucien’s hand on my cock felt so fucking good. He was moving faster now, pausing occasionally to tease my slit and rub his thumb along the frenulum. I couldn’t stop watching his hand as he played with me. I was a mouse trusting a cat to do right by me. He’d given me a chance to run, and I should have taken it. Instead, I was ignoring the responsible side of my brain that had helped me to survive and falling right into the arms of denial.
I whimpered when he squeezed me particularly tight. Heat rose in my cheeks, but I knew he wanted the sounds, so I gave them to him. I wanted his control.
Pleasure heated me until my balls were high and tight. I was going to come soon. I whined and squirmed in his arms, lifting my hips, trying to drive my cock into the circle of his fingers. I wanted to watch myself come. I wanted to see it soak his hand and run down over his fingers.
“Please, Lucien. Please don’t stop. I’m so—”
He kept going, hand moving faster. I was right there, I could feel the buzz in my balls, the tension in my muscles. He let go, and I gasped. “No. I was so close.”
“I know you were,” he said nuzzling my neck. “But I’m not ready for you to come yet. I’m going to teach you a lesson by making you wait. I’m going to tease you until you start to wonder if it will actually be a relief to come or just more pain.”
“Lucien, please.”
He growled. “Do you know how much I love it when you say my name in that breathless voice? I want to hear you cry it out as I drive inside you.”
He’d nearly wrecked me the day before with nothing but his hand. What would it be like to feel him buried in me? I needed to find out. Now. “Please. I want to give you that.”
His laugh sent a shiver through me. “Don’t worry. We’ll get there, but you have to take your punishment first.”
The immediate urgency to come had receded, but my cock ached, and I was still as hard as ever.
“Take off your clothes and lie on your back on the bed.” I nearly fell as I tried to stand on my shaky legs. Lucien rose gracefully from the floor and took my arm. “You can always ask for my help if you
need it.”
“I’m a little dizzy.”
Lucien pushed my pants down for me. He removed my shoes and socks and helped me climb onto the bed, joining me and kneeling between my legs as he unbuttoned my shirt. When he had me completely naked, he arranged some pillows for me to lie back on.
“Watch me,” he commanded. Still fully dressed himself, he took hold of my ankles, encouraging me to bring my feet up and place them flat on the mattress. His fingers skimmed along my perineum, then he teased my balls as his gaze swept the length of me. “You’re as beautiful as I knew you would be.”
“I—” He reached up and placed a finger against my lips.
“Never contradict a compliment I give you. I know what I see, a gorgeous man who needs someone to teach him all about pleasure.”
“Yes, please.”
He smiled and then shocked the hell out of me by lowering his head and licking the length of my cock. My shaft jumped against his tongue. He looked up, and our gazes met. He continued to watch me watch him as he teased my head, circling it with his tongue. I couldn’t breathe. I was too stunned. I hadn’t thought that he would use his mouth on me like that.
He continued to hold my gaze as he swallowed more and more, taking nearly all of me before sliding his lips back up along the length. He lapped at the precum beaded at my slit. “Fuck, you taste so good, Peter. I want more.”
He took me deep in his throat again, sucking, teasing, and working me. Just the knowledge that he would do this was enough to have me desperate as fuck to come. And the way he made me feel, his hot mouth, the clasp of his throat as he swallowed around me… I’d never had any man’s mouth that even compared to this. I fought the desire to lift my hips and push deeper into him, but I knew he needed to keep control, and I wanted it that way.
He slipped a hand between my legs, circling my hole. Suddenly, I was right there on the edge, ready to tip over. “Lucien, I—”
Lucien Page 6
