Doctor's Demands: A Submissives’ Secrets Novel

by Michelle Love

  The “Little Pig & Great Hog” Bar and Barbecue, perched on the very edge of the golf resort, lured its clientele in solely with the delicious scent of its food. As Greg and Cosimo stepped from the car, Greg breathed the smell in deeply and sighed happily.

  “Best barbecue in the state,” he told Cosimo. “And the beer’s cheap too.”

  “Oh, right.” He grinned, holding open the door. Inside, there was a pleasant hum of noise, chatter, and clinking glasses. A jukebox pumped out soft rock, the bartenders dealing efficiently with their customers.

  They found a table in the back and the waitress brought over chips and salsa, taking their order. Greg peeled his jacket off, hanging it neatly from the back of his chair, and smiled again at Cosimo. “Good to see you.”

  “And you. How’s Noor?”

  Greg gave him a smile, and for a second, Cosimo thought he was going to drop his act, but Greg merely nodded. “She’s good. You like her, huh?”

  “Just asking how she is. You two seem very close.”

  Greg’s face became thoughtful and Cosimo watched as a fleeting look of pain passed over it.

  “I nearly lost her …I mean, not …we didn’t have a breakup—we were never together like that. That’s never happened and is never gonna happen, but …I nearly lost her.” He seemed to have trouble speaking. Cosimo stayed silent, waiting.

  “Some fucking creep at college. She was working in the library late …he raped her and stabbed her. I found her, laying there in a pool of blood. Man …it was horrific.”

  Cosimo watched the other man carefully. Greg seemed to enjoy telling the story, reliving it. Cosimo’s eyes narrowed. “That’s appalling.”

  Greg nodded. “It took her months to recover. But typical Noor, she even took classes while she was in the hospital. Six months after the attack, she graduated at the top of our class.”

  “Hmm.”

  “What?”

  “You said she took months to recover?”

  “Yeah, well, in fact it was more like two years. Why?”

  Cosimo sipped his beer. “Just, you told me you took off to Europe straight after graduation. Didn’t Noor want you, her best friend, around while she recovered?”

  Greg stiffened. “What are you getting at, man?”

  Cosimo shrugged casually. “Just that I don’t think I would have left her alone.”

  Greg looked away from his penetrating gaze. “You weren’t there. Noor is very independent.”

  Cosimo held up his hands. “Hey, no judgment here,” he lied. You utter scumbag. I know what you are. “So, tell me about Europe. Did you sow your wild oats around the continent?”

  Greg smiled icily. “Something like that. I got married.”

  Cosimo’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?”

  “She died.”

  “Man, I’m sorry. What happened?”

  Greg nodded. “I walked into a trattoria, and there she was. Adrianna. God, she was so beautiful. Olive skin and long, dark hair. She smiled at me and I was lost. We got married six weeks later. Yeah, I know. Cliché, right? But, man, I honestly couldn’t wait. We both wore blue jeans, then after, we all got hammered at the local bar.” He laughed at the memory. “There were flowers …anyhow, we lived in this crappy little apartment above a dry cleaner. I could only find substitute teaching work. Adrianna was working in a deli and doing her Masters at night”

  “What happened?”.

  “One night, she was walking home alone. I was sick, and she insisted that I stay in bed, or I …anyways, she was maybe two, three blocks from home. The guy’s blood alcohol was three times …he mounted the sidewalk and hit her. A neighbor came. I got there before the paramedics, and she was just …broken. There was so much blood.” Greg choked on his words and cleared his throat. “By the time the paramedics came, she was gone.”

  Cosimo listened in silence. Greg shrugged, his face a mask of contrition. “I’ll never forget her.”

  After a long pause, Cosimo said, in a stiff voice. “Thank you for sharing that. We should share things, as brothers.”

  Greg nodded. “It’s funny, when I was growing up in the foster homes, I never thought that my parents would have more children.”

  Cosimo nodded. He had his story worked out to the nth degree. “They never told us about you, except to say you were …sent away for your own good.”

  Greg sighed. “Something happened when I was very young and they thought the best thing to do would be for me to start again, with a new family.”

  “What happened?”

  Greg studied him for a long moment, then shrugged. “Okay. As I said I was …not disinherited, but sent away. Because of something that happened when I was very young.”

  Cosimo was silent, so Greg continued.

  “I was six and we lived in a mansion in Louisiana, just outside New Orleans. My parents were never around for me, never there. On occasion, though, they used to pay other, less …well-off families to sit with me, and if they had children, I used to play with them. One day, I was playing with a little girl, Sally, when there was a terrible …accident …and Sally died. I was blamed for the accident. We shouldn’t have been playing in the boathouse—my father had his carpentry tools in there—he built his own boats you see, as a hobby. My mother refused to ever see me again and my father …”

  “Our father.”

  Greg sighed. “Really? We going to do this?”

  Cosimo’s mouth hitched up at the side. He was getting to him, he could tell. “Do what?”

  Greg stared at him and Cosimo wondered if this were the moment he would finally crack and tell him he knew he wasn’t his brother. But then the other man sighed.

  “Yes. Yes, of course, my apologies. Our parents sent me away to boarding school, and my …our mother refused to see me again. Appearances were important to them and …”

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that happened, Greg, but I don’t understand why you would keep something like that from me, and more than that, why you’re telling me now.”

  Greg looked him straight in the eye. “I kept it from you because I was embarrassed and ashamed. They thought I had …done it deliberately. That I was some sort of monster who could kill a young girl.”

  “And you’re telling me now because …?”

  Greg laughed. “Because I’m happy about you being in my life again and I don’t want any secrets between us.”

  They paused as the waitress brought a pitcher of beer and their food. They were silent as they bit into their sandwiches, barbecue sauce dripping over the fries and slaw on their plates.

  Cosimo muttered his appreciation and wiped his mouth with his napkin.

  “Is Noor?”

  Greg chewed his mouthful and swallowed.

  “Is Noor what?”

  Cosimo watched him carefully. “Is Noor glad I’m in your life?”

  Greg looked surprised. “Of course, she is. I mean, we haven’t really discussed it. I just assumed …she hasn’t said anything to the contrary. Why? Why wouldn’t she welcome you?”

  Cosimo raised his hand. “Hey, I’m just asking. It’s just that from what you’ve told me—neither of you growing up with a real family—I wondered if that had caused any …resentment. On her part. You have a family now.”

  Greg frowned. “I hadn’t thought of it like that. Huh, well I guess that’s one thing we don’t have …anymore.” He shook himself. “But Noor’s not like that. She’d just be happy for me, and hey, you’re her family too now.”

  He didn’t notice Cosimo paused for just a second too long before answering.

  “Yes. That’s true. Still …I’m not entirely sure she likes me.”

  Greg relaxed and laughed. “Noor likes everybody. That’s just who she is.”

  Cosimo studied hm. “Are you in love with Noor?”

  Greg hesitated, looked away from his penetrating stare. “I couldn’t …I wouldn’t know how to be …in a world where she didn’t exist. The idea is so …alien …” Suddenly he grinned.
“Woah, sorry dude. Didn’t mean to get heavy.”

  Cosimo waved away his apology. “Hey, isn’t that what family is for?” His smile was without humor.

  Greg drained his drink. “Bathroom break, buddy.” He tapped the table. “Be right back.”

  Cosimo watched him walk across the room. The gut-churning feeling in his stomach had returned, and he knew, without a doubt, he had confirmed what he came to America to find out. What he hadn’t even told Noor. Noor, with whom he was falling in love. Noor, who he wanted to protect from the bastard she had opened her home and her life to.

  The bastard who had murdered Cosimo’s sister. Adrianna.

  There had been no marriage. No hit-and-run accident in Italy.

  Greg had stabbed Adrianna to death and left her body to be discovered days later by her distraught brother. Adrianna, who had spurned Greg’s advances for months, and who was simply terrified of the man.

  Adrianna, who had suffered the same kind of injuries that had almost taken Noor’s life a decade ago …

  Noor tried to reason in her head. When it came down to it …was the note a death threat? Somehow, deep inside of her, she knew it was. It was certainly a threat of violence, but she was so confused about who would wish her harm. There were only two people she thought might. Since Cosimo had told her that Greg was dangerous, she had looked at her old friend in a new light. Certain things he had done or said over the years suddenly took on new, sinister meaning, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that Cosimo was right about him.

  Then there was Cosimo himself …despite her total sexual connection to him, there was no getting around the fact that he was an unknown quantity. That he had lied about who he was. Was he actually the villain here? Was he messing with her to get to Greg for some reason? And when he was done, would he dump her, or worse?

  She closed her eyes, thinking about his hands on her skin. He had that darkness inside him, that edge that convinced her he could snap from loving to murderous in a second. It was part of his allure, but Noor questioned herself. Did she have some kind of death wish? Had the rape completely fucked her up for good when it came to her judgment. The truth was …she hadn’t slept with anyone since the rape, until Cosimo, and she knew if her friends knew, they’d be in disbelief. Noor knew she was considered beautiful, but inside, she felt so damaged that any sexual attraction a man displayed towards her felt like an intrusion.

  Until Cosimo.

  “Principessa …”

  Noor opened her eyes and there he was, walking into her coffeehouse, a sincerely beautiful smile on his face. She relaxed a little and smiled.

  “Hey, you.”

  The coffeehouse was quite full, so Cosimo kissed her cheek, then winked at her. “I wanted to ask if you would like to have dinner with me tonight? In Portland? We can be ourselves there.”

  Noor smiled. “I would like that.” She toyed with the idea of telling him about the photograph, but then demurred. She didn’t want to spoil the thought of an evening, maybe a night, of love with this man. She lowered her voice. “Greg is away tonight and tomorrow, so, afterward, if you like …” she was blushing furiously. “You can come back to mine.”

  Their eyes locked and both of them smiled. “I would like that, mio caro.”

  Dinner was delicious, but Noor couldn’t wait to get back to her home and make love to Cosimo. Her body tingled with the thought of him inside her. Cosimo seemed to be feeling it too; in the car ride home, he slid his hand onto her bare leg and she shivered with delight.

  “Mio caro …shall we try something different tonight?”

  “How so?”

  Cosimo smiled a lazy, sexy grin at her. “Let’s just say …I like you being under my control.”

  Noor grinned. “Kinky boy.”

  But a frantic pulse beat between her legs, and when Cosimo slid his hand further up and caressed her through her panties, she felt her body explode with desire. “Drive quicker,” she demanded, and he laughed.

  They barely made it through her front door before they were clawing each other’s clothes off. On the staircase, Cosimo tumbled her to the hard, wooden steps, and she grinned as he hitched her legs roughly around his waist and thrust his pulsating cock deep inside her. Noor pulled his lips down to hers as they fucked hard and fast, kissing him passionately, knowing she was intoxicated by this man—no matter what the consequences.

  Cosimo made her come twice before he stood, pulling her to her feet and throwing her over his shoulder easily. Noor was breathless as he carried to her bedroom and threw her onto the bed, snagging the tie from her robe and twisting it around her wrists, binding them in front of her.

  “You’re mine now, Noor …and I’m going to make you scream my name over and over again. All. Night. Long.”

  His smile was wide. He stood in front of her, his huge cock proud against his belly and his swarthy skin covered in a faint sheen of sweat. Noor felt breathless, every inch of her skin on fire as he pulled her toward him, hooking her feet over his shoulders and lifting her buttocks so he could enter her. His cock brushed the entrance of her sex, teasing, making her wetter and wetter in her desire for him, but he held back, sliding in an inch, then withdrawing, until she was screaming at him to fuck her, please …

  Cosimo grinned and rammed his cock deep into her cunt. Noor arched her back, unable to contain her pleasure. His thumb strummed a steady beat on clit as he fucked her, his cock plowing deeper and deeper and his hips forcing her legs apart until her hips groaned in pain.

  Noor felt the most intense orgasm of her life building inside her, and she moaned, urging him deeper, harder. When she came, her vision exploded in a thousand stars, but Cosimo wasn’t done with her, ramming his cock harder and intensifying her ecstasy until she could barely breathe. Cosimo withdrew before he too came, pumping his thick, creamy seed onto her belly, then dropping to his knees and taking her already sensitive clit into his mouth. His teeth nipped and grazed the tiny bud and Noor bucked and writhed under his touch, knowing that in this minute, she didn’t care if she lived or died because this was such sweet torture.

  He finally let her catch her breath, lying beside her and studying her. “Bella Noor, my beautiful, beautiful girl, are you mine?”

  Noor looked at him, saw the intense sincerity in his eyes, and nodded. “I am yours, Cosimo.”

  He bent to brush his lips against hers. She stroked his face.

  “Cosimo?”

  “Yes?”

  She hesitated. “Have you ever killed anyone?”

  His eyes darkened. “What do you mean?”

  Her stomach clenched a little—both fear and sadness. “Just that.”

  He didn’t answer for a long time, then sighed. “That is not a conversation for tonight, my love.”

  He moved so that his big body covered hers, and Noor realized how easily he could kill her if he wanted to. Her tiny frame might be all curves, but his big hands could easily slip around her throat and crush it.

  But Cosimo merely smoothed his hands over her face, studying every inch of it. His lips brushed her eyelids and the tip of her nose, before fixing to her lips in a kiss so sweet that it made tears drop from her eyes. “Noor …I feel it now more than ever that I need to take you away with me. You are unprotected here.”

  Her heart banged hard against her ribs and her eyes flew open. “What did you say?” Barely a whisper.

  Cosimo smiled and she noticed how dark his eyes looked. “I said, you are unprotected here. Alone with Yates. Would you believe me if I said I’m scared for you?”

  Noor wasn’t the kind of woman who spooked easily.

  But, now, in this minute, she was afraid. No, not afraid …terrified.

  “What do you want from me?” She whispered, then shivered as he ran his finger down her cheek. She couldn’t push him away; the ties that bound her wrists bit into her tender flesh.

  Alone. Unprotected.

  The same words used in the photograph threat.

  Part of her w
anted to scream, to shout—anything. Another part wanted to beg him not to be the man who she thought he might be.

  A killer.

  Right then, looking into his dark eyes, she couldn’t tell whether he wanted to make love to her, or if she had made the biggest mistake of her life …

  …and willingly given herself over to the man who wanted to kill her …

  Cosimo looked down at the beautiful woman beneath him and saw fear creep into her eyes. He frowned. “Principessa, what is it?”

  Noor seemed to be having trouble speaking. Her voice broke and she looked away from him. “Untie me, please, Cosimo.”

  He did so without hesitation, caressing the red welts left by the tie. He pressed her wrists to his mouth, kissing each one. “Are you afraid?”

  She nodded, still not looking at him, and Cosimo realized with a pang that she was afraid of him. It broke his heart. “Noor, Bella …you never have to be afraid of me.”

  Still, he could see she was not convinced. He stroked a finger down her face. “Noor, I could never hurt you. Ever. Regardless of what you think of me …I’m in love with you.”

  Her tears dropped down her cheeks then. “I love you too, Cosimo …I just don’t know if I can trust you.”

  Cosimo nodded. “I understand, Noor. My Noor. When this is all over, I promise, I will tell you everything. Everything.”

  She studied him, her dark brown eyes troubled, but when he bent his head to kiss her again, she responded, her fingers tangling in his dark curls. He pushed her legs apart and she wrapped them around his waist as he entered her again, and this time, they made love tenderly, forging a deeper connection and a wish for the trust they didn’t quite have yet.

  Cosimo knew he would give his life to protect the woman in his arms, whose life he genuinely believed to be in imminent danger.

  In the morning, Noor made Cosimo breakfast, the tension between them more relaxed now. Cosimo was relieved that she seemed to have decided to trust him—for now at least. She giggled when he slid his hands around her waist as she was at the stove and took her there, his cock needing to be inside her velvety cunt. He fucked her again on the kitchen table, both of them laughing and joking until the intensity grew too much to do anything but gasp and moan with pleasure.