by Alexa Riley
“You seem upset.” I squeeze her shoulders and try to show her some comfort.
“I am. I just want to talk to you for a minute. I kind of ran out on the guys when they told me something.”
“Let’s go over here and chat.” I point to an empty table that sits in front of one of the coffee shops.
She throws Charles a glare before making her way to the table. I start to follow her, but Charles grabs my arm, pulling me to look at him.
“Charles, I have to go. She’s my family.”
“I know, I just…” He runs his finger across the collar on my neck. “I’ll be right over here if you need me.”
“I know.” Reaching up on my tip toes, I give him a chaste kiss on the lips. “Order us dinner to the room. When I’m done talking to Stella I’m going to crash.”
He gives me a worried look but nods, and finally lets me go. I make my way over to Stella and join her at the metal table.
“So, how’d you give them the slip?” I ask curiously.
“Oh, I’m sure they’re close, letting me think I got the slip.”
I laugh at her undoubtedly true statement. “What happened?”
“Well, I kept asking them about you because your cell phone kept going to voicemail. I didn’t have any idea where you were and you never called. I knew they would know where you were.”
I cringe a little, feeling bad that I never contacted her after the auction. That was selfish. “I’m sorry. I got so caught up in Charles, and everything has just sort of slipped my mind.” I expect her to smile at my words, but all I see is sadness. “Stella, you’re starting to freak me out.”
She rubs her hands over her eyes before continuing. “I was getting worried and I kept asking them to find out where you were. I was pushing. When it didn’t work, I used some waterworks to get them to crack.”
“Shocking.”
Rolling her eyes, she pushes on. “They told me you were with Charles Townsend, and I remembered the name. A while back I remember them saying he was the man who bid on me against them, and that he had something against Justin. I also heard them say they didn’t understand why Charles wanted to take them down. This all happened so long ago that I’d thought nothing of it until they said he bought you. Not only that, but they were there when he did it! I can’t believe they would do that, just let him take you.”
Her words seem to rain down on me. Each one a blow to my heart. Charles said he’d do anything to have something he wanted. Maybe using me was a means to achieve something. That this all was just another move in a game he was playing with my brothers. One I thought I’d made up in my head. One he told me wasn’t happening. That he had no vendetta against them.
“What does he have on them? What does he want?” I can’t help but ask. What was so important that he’d rip my heart out like this? That he’d work so hard to get close to me? And for what? To use me against them? I told him about my past, something I’d never even told anyone. How could I be so stupid? Everything he’s done for me, with me, it was all so perfect. I should have known a man could never be that perfect. It was all an act.
“I don’t know. I kind of stormed out. These baby hormones are killer,” she says in her own defense.
“I have to get out of here.” The words are ripped from me. “I can’t be here. Please. We have to go before…” I want to say “before I start to cry”, but I can’t get the words out. If I say it, I’ll do it.
“The car is right outside.”
“Can you move fast? He’ll try to stop me. I can’t look at him right now.”
“I’m ready when you are.”
“Go.” Both of us bolt up from our seats, making a dash for the front doors of the casino.
“Mandy!” I hear him yell behind me, “Stop!” I feel my body jerk at his command, wanting to do as he says, and a tear slips free. He’s ingrained himself so deep in me I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get him out.
We make our way past the taxis and Stella jumps into the back of a Lincoln. I follow suit.
“Drive. Now!”
The driver pulls out onto the strip, leaving behind the one true happiness I thought would be mine forever.
10
Charles
I bolt out of the glass doors, just as the black sedan Mandy and Stella got in drives off, leaving me behind on the sidewalk. I turn around and see Cupid grabbing a set of keys and tossing them to me. I grab them and go to the car in front of me, getting and in and taking off. I don’t know whose it is, nor do I give a fuck. I’m going after what’s mine.
The tires screech as I floor it out of the casino and I take the first turn. I run a red light, then another, eating up the distance between me and Mandy. I don’t know what Stella said to her, but they’re both crazy if they think they can get away from me. Mandy is mine, and I won’t have anyone trying to take what’s mine.
I round the corner and see the front of the Cortez casino. I have to swerve to keep from hitting an oncoming truck, and I look up in time to see Mandy and Stella rushing inside. I honk my horn and the truck moves, the driver giving me the finger. I pull in and throw open my door, seeing Aaron and Justin exiting a car just beside me. Obviously, they had been following the girls too.
Bolting out of the car, I run to the casino, but the brothers grab my arms to halt me.
“Get your fucking hands off me now. Both of you.” I twist my arms as I try to break free, the strength of my rage helping me in my efforts.
The two of them can’t hold me for long, and they let go, throwing me back and blocking the entrance.
“Calm down, Charles. We want to know what the fuck is going on just as much as you do, but Stella is pregnant, and we can’t have you around her like this. It’s not safe for the baby,” Aaron says, holding up both hands in surrender.
“I came for Mandy. Once I get her, I’m out of here.” I try to push past them, not giving a fuck who sees this. They both hold their ground, not letting me by. “Get the fuck out of my way before I burn this goddamn place to the ground.”
Justin steps in front of me, but I can see hesitation in his eyes. “The only way you’re getting into our casino is if you calm down and come with us. We’ll let you talk to Mandy, but we will be there.”
I weigh my options and don’t see that I have many. I need to take her, and to do that I’ve got to get next to her. “Fine.” The word tastes like dirt on my tongue.
The brothers look at one another and they nod, turning to lead the way. I follow closely on their heels as they lead me inside the casino to a set of elevators. Once inside, I start to work out a plan, and when we hit the top floor, I take a breath to ready myself.
The doors open and we walk into their home. I step inside behind them, and immediately I see Mandy over their shoulders in the living room with her head down. Stella walks in from the kitchen with a glass of water in her hand. She sees the three of us standing there.
“Oh shit, that was fast,” she says, the shock clear on her face. I don’t know why she’s surprised. Like we wouldn’t find them.
I go to move around the brothers to get to Mandy when Aaron sticks his arm out to block my way. “This is far enough.”
Looking over his shoulder, Mandy makes eye contact with me just long enough for me to see her tears. Seeing her like this and not being able to get to her sends me into a rage. I need to go to her, but I look at the guys blocking my way and I know I need to be smart about it. They’re both as big as I am, and getting past them won’t be easy. But anger is on my side.
“Someone explain to me what the fuck happened in my casino and why my Mandy is upset.”
At my words, Mandy stands up and glares at me. “Our contract is up. We’re finished. You can go.”
I start to speak, but Justin turns and looks at Stella. “Lucky, explain what happened.” She looks nervous and won’t make eye contact with me, so Justin tries again. “Lucky, tell us what you told Mandy.”
“Nothing, just the truth. Th
at Charles bid on me at the auction, and that he was holding something over your heads and using it to take you both down.”
“What?” Aaron and Justin say at the same time.
I don’t give a fuck what she told them or what her reasoning was. I won’t have Mandy taken from me.
“It was just what you guys were telling me earlier.” Stella looks between the brothers, suddenly not so sure.
Justin raises his hands and takes a step towards her. “Lucky, that’s not how it happened, and that’s not what we told you. Baby, I’m going to try and be gentle when I say this, but you’re in a cloud of pregnancy emotions. You scare the shit out of us half the time”
Aaron goes over to Stella and raises his hands in defense too. “We had that all sorted out with Charles weeks ago. We were just telling you about how we knew him.” Stella blushes, looking embarrassed as they walk over to make sure she’s okay.
It’s then I have my opening, and I take three long strides toward Mandy. I grab her and throw her over my shoulder.
Immediately, all hell breaks loose.
Aaron and Justin are on me, and Mandy is screaming for me to put her down. Aaron pushes me towards the couch and I’m able to toss Mandy on it as I go to the ground with the two guys.
I elbow Justin in the face and roll over, taking a punch from Aaron. I sit up and knock him back, giving him my left hook. Suddenly, Justin is up and tackles me to the floor, but I knee him in the ribs and he goes down.
I stand up and watch the two guys groaning on the ground. I look over at Mandy. She’s fallen off the couch in the scuffle and is on the floor, looking at me with wide eyes.
“You’re coming with me.” I can feel the blood from my split lip running down my chin as I say this, and I’m sure I look menacing.
She just sits on the floor, not moving, but I can see the indecision on her face. She knows me well enough to know that I won’t stop until she’s back in my bed. After another second of hesitation, I go over and pick her up, throwing her over my shoulder again.
When I turn around, the brothers have stood up and are standing in front of the elevator door.
I don’t have time for this bullshit so I get to the point. “Get out of my way.”
“You’re not taking her,” Aaron says, Justin nodding beside him.
“Get out of my way,” I growl again.
I start walking to the elevator, and I hear Stella behind me. “Charles!”
When I turn around, I see her standing there, holding her belly.
“Do you love her?”
“Yes.” My response is immediate and completely without hesitation. I feel Mandy stiffen under me, but this shouldn’t be a surprise to her. Everything I’ve done has been because I love her.
Stella nods her head and looks to the guys behind me. “Let him go.” When they start to protest, Stella interrupts, “He’s doing the same thing you two did for me. You did it because you love me. Let them go.”
I turn around, and after a second the guys move away from the elevator.
I walk toward it with Mandy still on my shoulder, only now she’s silent. Once I get in the elevator, I don’t put her down. Instead I smile and flip off Aaron and Justin as they stand there, not wanting to let us leave.
“Put me down, asshole.”
I reach up and smack her ass hard enough to make her squeak in pain.
“You ran from me.”
“You used me!”
Mandy tries to kick out and push off my shoulder, but I pull my hand back and give her three loud smacks on her ass again. This time she screams, but her body stops fighting against me.
“You’ll listen to every word I have to say, kitten.”
“I’m listening now.”
“No you’re not. You ran from me. You didn’t talk to me, you just ran.”
“Is it true?” I can hear the pleading in her voice.
“That I love you?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll tell you when you’re cuffed to our bed.”
She starts kicking again, and then the elevator doors open.
“Listen to me, kitten. I’m about to carry you out of this very nice casino over my shoulder. If you want me to spank you the whole way I will, and if you don’t calm down I’m going to do just that.”
“Put me down, I can walk.”
“That’s not happening. You ran from me, so you gave up the privilege of walking. Your choice now is a public spanking or to come quietly.”
I step out of the elevator and wait. It only takes a moment before I feel her deflate against me.
“Fine. I’ll come quietly.”
I carry her through the casino and out the front door, placing her in the car and locking the door. When I walk around to the driver side, I unlock it and get in, driving us back to the Snake Eyes.
The drive is silent, and I’m doing everything I can to keep from coming apart. I want to yell and scream and hold her to me to make sure she never leaves again.
Once we pull up, I keep her door locked until I walk around and pull her out, throwing her over my shoulder again. She starts to kick and hit my back, but we’re in my casino now, and I don’t give a fuck.
I land three more smacks on her ass as I walk into my elevator.
“This is so embarrassing,” she moans against my back.
“You remember that the next time you think about running away from me.”
When we get to the penthouse, I punch in the code and go straight for the bedroom. I don’t hesitate to throw her in the middle of the bed and jump on top of her, pinning her flailing arms down while I cuff them.
“Let me go! I said I would talk, Charles. You can’t cuff me!”
As the second cuff snaps around her wrist, I lean down and flash her my most wicked smile. “Looks like I just did, kitten.”
“Start talking,” she says through gritted teeth.
I grab her chin and make her look at me, slowly running my thumb across her bottom lip. “You forget your place, Mandy. You don’t tell me what to do.”
She tries to shake her head free, but I just hold her steady and keep rubbing her lip, waiting for her to calm down. Eventually, my patience is rewarded and she takes a deep breath, letting some of the tension go.
“Yes, I was at Stella’s auction. It was the first and only other auction I ever attended besides yours.”
“Why did you go?”
“Basically to be a dick and raise the price for them. I knew how bad they wanted her, and I used that knowledge to my advantage. I needed something from them and I needed leverage.”
“What did you need?” She sounds hopeful but cautious when she asks, not wanting to let her heart fully believe the worst.
“You, kitten. I needed you.”
“But I don’t understand. You had me. You got me for thirty days from them. What happened?”
“A while back Justin came into the Snake Eyes to have a date with some reality TV housewife, and it went bad. I ended up helping him get out of a sticky situation, but I kept the video of their encounter. I used that to blackmail them into them giving me you for a month. I was so jealous that they had you, and it consumed me. I’d never wanted anything in my life as much as I wanted you. From the very first second I saw you, I had to have you. I thought at first that you belonged to them, but after the auction and the switch, I knew the truth.”
“Then why didn’t you do something about it when I was working here? Why did you let me go through the auction?”
“When you worked here for me, I was so consumed with every breath you took, and I couldn’t focus on anything. I didn’t trust myself to do the things I wanted to do to you without ruining you. You seemed too perfect and too good for me. You still are.”
“So why the auction then. Why buy me?”
“Because I knew if I had you under contract you couldn’t say no. It’s that simple.”
“And everything with Aaron and Justin?”
“It was all taken car
e of two weeks ago. I knew that I didn’t want this to end, and I felt that you didn’t either. This past month had been the best of my life, and I wanted to make things right with them. I gave Justin the video and we mended fences. I didn’t realize they were going to tell Stella part of the story and she was going to flip out and come to try to take you away.”
At my words, Mandy smiles, and I can see her letting her anger go. “So, you and me?”
I climb off her body and go to my dresser. I take out a box and come back to the bed.
“I had this made after the first time I ever saw you.”
Opening the box, I show her the engagement ring I picked out. It’s a five carat ruby, surrounded by black diamonds. I wanted my mark on her at all times, even then.
I look into her eyes and see tears start to form, and I lean down to kiss each one away. “I’ve loved you from the second I laid eyes on you, even when I didn’t think I could have you. I don’t know how or why, but I can’t live without you. If I have to keep you cuffed to this bed for the next fifty years, I’ll do it because for me, there’s no other option. There’s no plan B.”
“Charles, I love you too,” she whispers, and I pull the ring out of the box and slide it on her finger.
“I’ll love you, worship you, and own you until the day you take your last breath. I’ll never let you go, never let you leave me, and I’ll always bring you back if you try.”
Leaning down, I press my lips to hers, saying with my body what I can’t say with words, and when I feel her legs wrap around me I know she’s saying “yes”. Good thing, because there was never a choice.
THE END
Epilogue
Charles
Five years later…
“Harder, Sir.”
“No.”
“Please, Sir. I promise I’ll be so good for the rest of the day.”
“You say that every time, and you never do it.”
