by Tess Summers
“No, not everyone. Just the men I come in direct contact with. I trust that José, the head of my security team does his due diligence and makes sure to only hire people we can trust. He’s very thorough and takes his job seriously.”
Probably because his life depended on it, she mused. Fucking up a cartel’s security was a sure-fire way to find yourself hanging from a bridge.
Still, she made a mental note to report back that security and landscaping were vulnerable points.
“So you really don’t know how many people you have employed here, between your landscaping and security staff. What about housekeeping?”
“Rosa and Maria have been with me since I was a child. If they need extra help, I trust them to hire whomever they want. It’s usually someone they’re related to… their daughters, granddaughters, nieces...”
That would explain why the women doted on him.
“I assume you take pretty good care of them.”
He chuckled. “You could say that. Not many housekeepers in Ensenada live in the neighborhoods they do or send their children to the private schools their children went to.”
“No wonder they love you so much.”
He shrugged. “The feeling is mutual. I’ve known them my whole life, so I have great affection for them both. Not to mention, it’s in my best interest to make sure the women taking care of me and my home are well taken care of themselves. I don’t know what I’m going to do when they want to retire.”
You’ll probably be in prison by then.
The thought made her sad, which was troublesome. Fortunately for her, her assignment was to bring about Enrique’s removal from the Guzman cartel not obtain evidence for Dante’s prosecution. It seemed like the CIA had come to terms with drug cartels in Mexico—they just wanted ones that weren’t so ruthless.
She sat down on a stone bench overlooking a fountain with angels spouting water from various body parts.
“So, do you bring all your dates here?” she teased.
Dante sat down next to her, his face serious. “I told you last night, I don’t bring women to my home. I usually entertain at a hotel.”
Ruby frowned in disbelief. “I think I’m going to call bullshit. You just met me last night and you brought me here. I find it hard to believe that I’m anyone special compared to the women you’ve dated.”
She shouldn’t be challenging him. She just couldn’t help herself.
“I can’t explain it,” he said quietly as he watched the water spurt from a cherub’s mouth. “There’s just something special about you that calls to me.” He turned to look at her with a solemn expression. “I’d like to think the feeling isn’t one-sided.”
She stared at him for a beat before answering softly, “No, it’s not one-sided.”
“Besides, you’re one to talk,” the corner of his mouth turned up. “Miss, my-daddy-raised-me-not-to-get-in-cars-with-strangers. Might I remind you that you not only got in the back of my limo, but spread your legs within five minutes and were eagerly choking on my Mexican swizzle stick ten minutes after that.”
Her cheeks burned at his recollection of how their car ride transpired. It wasn’t exactly inaccurate, just didn’t paint a very flattering picture of her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she quipped with a smirk as she stood up and walked away. “I’m a lady, Señor Guzman,” she called over her shoulder.
He quickly followed, reaching out to pull her body back against his. “But you were a beautiful whore in my bed last night,” he growled in her ear. “I’ve never met anyone who has perfected the dichotomy better.”
She spun in his arms, her hands on his biceps. “The same could be said for you too, you know. Gentleman by day, aggressive, callous dom by night.”
He jerked his head back. “You think I’m callous?”
“Well, I—”
He interrupted. “I’ll give you aggressive and dominant, perhaps even base and vulgar at times. But callous?”
He seemed genuinely upset.
“I’m sorry. Callous was the wrong word. I should have said, aggressive, passionate, deliciously dirty dom by night.”
That seemed to soothe his ruffled feathers, and he grinned. “Deliciously, huh?”
Ruby cupped his cheek while staring into his eyes with a devious smile. “Oh, most definitely.”
Chapter Six
Ruby
It was mid-afternoon, and Dante hadn’t left her side, showing her the estate—inside and out then lounging with her poolside for lunch. She didn’t know if that was a good sign or not. He either was enjoying spending time with her, or he didn’t trust her. Maybe it was a little of both. She could relate.
“Do you want to go swimming?”
“My swimsuit is at the hotel.” She looked at him pointedly. “Along with the other things I wasn’t allowed to get last night.”
He ignored her attempted dig. “Who said anything about bathing suits?”
She let out a huff worthy of the debutante she was supposed to be, complete with tossing her hair over her shoulder. “I am not skinny dipping in the middle of the day.”
He cocked his head with a grin. “But you will at night? Good to know.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You implied it.”
She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but laugh. The idea had its merits.
Dante reached for her hand across the table, returning her smile. “How about I have my driver take you to your hotel, so you can pack your things, including your swimsuit. Enough for maybe a few days, at least.”
He’d said it as a statement, but his raised eyebrows and sheepish grin let her know it really was a question. Things were going better than she could have planned. Still, she knew not to appear too eager.
“A few days? You sure you won’t be sick of me by tomorrow?”
He let go of her hand and rubbed his chin as he mock-contemplated her question. “I suppose it’s a possibility. You are a little bossy.” The corner of his mouth hitched in a wicked grin. “But your cock sucking skills and delicious pussy make it tolerable.”
“So you’re saying you just want me around so you can fuck me?” she teased.
He brought his bottom lip up toward his nose and nodded. “Yeah. Pretty much.”
She rolled her eyes with pursed lips. “Gee, how could I turn down such a romantic offer?”
“You can’t.”
Dante stood, came around to her side of the table, and reached for her hand again. When she was standing, he wrapped one arm around her and held her hand, swaying their bodies to a melody only he could hear.
“In all serious, Ruby Rhodes, I’ve been having such a wonderful time getting to know you, I’m not ready for our time together to end.”
“Just because I go back to my hotel doesn’t mean it has to end.”
“Perhaps. But I’m a selfish man and am enjoying having you all to myself.”
“Don’t you have to work?”
He shrugged. “Here and there. I can breakaway while you’re enjoying the pool. I do most of my business from my office in the house.”
Good to know.
“So?” he asked, looking down at her. “Would you like to be my guest for a few days? You could even check out of your hotel and bring everything here—that way you’re not incurring any expenses for a room you’re not using.”
“I don’t think you realize how much stuff I have,” she said with a laugh.
“I have a whole suite you can store your things in. Of course, you’ll still sleep in my bed.”
She smirked. “Of course.”
She had been surprised that he’d spent the entire night with her last night, allowing her to stay until morning in his bed. Intel had suggested that wasn’t normally the case. His companions didn’t stay until the next day. Whether that was his doing or theirs had never been determined, but naturally, she had assumed his and had been prepared to be asked to leave last night. When he took her
to his house, she was still expecting that after sex, he would have her sleep in another room not in his arms.
Ruby had to admit—it’d been a pleasant surprise to wake up this morning next to his hard body, and the idea of doing that for the next few days was not without merit.
“Okay, I’ll go get my things.”
****
Dante
“What the hell happened to fucking her and kicking her to the curb?” John asked incredulously when Dante told him she was coming to stay for a few days. Longer, if Dante had anything to say about it, but, first things first. “Jesus Christ, I leave the hemisphere for a few weeks and look what happens to you.”
Dante could almost see his friend on the other end, shaking his head.
“I’ve decided to go with a different tactic. At least until we find out why she’s here and who she really is.”
“I’m guessing you’ve either had sex and she blew your mind, or you haven’t had sex but are planning on putting the moves on her.”
“Option A.”
“Yeah,” John chuckled. “I figured as much. Still, not only are you sleeping with the enemy, you’re moving her into your home?”
“I have my reasons.”
“Care to enlighten me?”
Dante debated how much of his plan he wanted to tell John, in case he failed miserably.
“I’m going to make her fall in love with me,” he confided quietly.
“You know she’s literally trained not to do that, right? Like, you might think you’re playing her, but you’ll be the one who is getting played.”
“How is that possible when I already know what she’s up to? Any word on why she’s here or who she really is?”
“The inside guy is working on it, but he’s already let me know it isn’t going to be cheap since not only could he lose his job, but he’d be looking at prison if he were caught.”
“We expected that.”
“I’m just reminding you, so when you notice my spending is sky-high this month, you’ll remember that’s why.”
“When have I ever questioned you or even given a shit about your spending?”
“Well, there’s a first time for everything. And South America hasn’t exactly been cheap either, so you need to take that into consideration when you look at my expenses. Don’t freak out.”
“When it comes to you? I’m not worried.”
John was his oldest, most trusted friend. The two men were like brothers, and he was the one person Dante could count on to make sure shit was handled right… the first time. In turn, Dante never batted an eye at his friend’s spending.
“How do you know he’s not skimming from us?” Enrique once questioned during one of the many meetings where he shot down everything Dante suggested about legitimizing the business more.
Dante had just shrugged. “I guess I don’t. If he is, it’s so negligible that I don’t even give a shit if he is. Which he’s not because he has no reason to.”
Both Dante and John were almost forty and already had more money than they’d ever spend in their lifetimes. Hell, their children’s lifetimes—if either ever had kids.
Still, his uncle—who was fiercely fighting any effort to legitimize the cartel—was skeptical. “Keep an eye on him.”
Yeah, okay.
Dante didn’t even dignify it with his usual line of nodding his head and agreeing to placate the older man. It was apparent his uncle was becoming a liability to the organization, something Enrique’s younger brother, Ramon eluded to when he stopped by Dante’s not long after his meeting with Enrique.
No one wanted to come right out and say Enrique needed to go, in case the other was loyal to El Jefe. But Dante recognized Ramon’s fishing expedition for what it was—feeling him out about a possible takeover. Dante cautiously took the bait and the wheels of ousting Enrique and putting Ramon in power were put in motion.
Both Ramon and Dante knew what that would mean—Enrique’s execution because the older Guzman would not give up his power any other way.
So when John called later that night with the details of why ‘Ruby’ was sent to him, Dante decided he was definitely keeping her around. Using her until she carried out her mission was just an added benefit.
Chapter Seven
Ruby
Her time at Dante’s estate so far had been almost like a honeymoon, of sorts. They had breakfast together every morning on the patio, talking politics, pop culture, and everything else under the sun. Dante was very well-read and had a lot of interesting opinions, and she found herself intrigued by his observations and take on things in the world. Then he’d excuse himself to work for a few hours, and she’d lounge by the pool on her computer, posting on her fake social media and covertly sending messages to her handler, or she worked out in his personal gym. She needed to keep in shape, and while sex with Dante burned a lot of calories, it wasn’t exactly going to keep her ready for a fight. Ruby also spent a little time in the kitchen, under the guise of practicing her Spanish, hoping to hear some dirt on him from the staff. A fruitless endeavor—they adored their employer. When he returned in the afternoons, they would either relax by the pool or take a stroll around the grounds. He’d taken her into Ensenada once for lunch and shopping. And they fucked morning, noon, and night.
If he weren’t her mark, she could see herself falling for him.
Except he was her mark—a means to Enrique. Not to mention a criminal, and she was a government agent sworn to uphold the law. But he was such a gentleman, well, except for when they were naked. But that just made it that much hotter because she knew he would revert back to being respectful and treating her deferentially when she wanted him to. Besides, he’d never want her if he knew who she really was, so falling for him f0r real was out of the question.
“You love being my whore, admit it,” he’d growled one afternoon while fingering her pussy in the pool house. Her ass was high in the air as she sucked his cock on her hands and knees on the changing bench next to him.
She slurped off his cock and panted, “I love being your whore,” then resumed her oral attention to his dick.
He chuckled, almost sinisterly. “Oh, if your friends only knew what a slut you really are…”
Kennedy didn’t have friends, so frankly, she didn’t give a shit. But Ruby was supposed to have a lot of friends ‘in society’ so she needed to respond appropriately. Besides, their game only turned her on more anyway.
“Thank you for keeping my secret, sir.”
“Good whores get rewarded, Ruby. And bad sluts… what do they get?”
She pulled his cock out of her mouth to answer dutifully. “Punished.”
With his other hand, he yanked the back of her hair hard, so her head was tilted back, sending a ripple of pleasure and pain down her spine at once as she stared up at him. “Punished, what?”
“Punished, sir.”
Dante murmured, “Good girl,” then directed her head back to his cock and added a third finger into her pussy, stretching her full. “I think I would enjoy punishing you, though, Bella.”
When his thumb probed her backdoor, triggering her orgasm, she conceded, she probably would enjoy being punished by him, too.
****
Dante
He’d lost track of how many times he’d come in the last four days. But he fucked her every chance he got: in the garden, against a tree, in the pool house, in the Jacuzzi, in the car, in his bed, even in his office yesterday after hanging up the phone with John who’d called to tell him why she was really there. Dante had summoned her and fucked her face without mercy. She took it like a champ, and when he dipped his fingers under her dress, he found her soaked. She was such a natural submissive—at least to him. But he doubted there were many men who could tame her like he had.
Actually, the thought of any man fucking touching her made his blood boil.
I need to be careful, he chastised himself on more than one occasion. She’s not fucking real, and she doesn’t
really belong with me.
But she made it so easy for Dante to forget that she didn’t really belong with him. He wondered if she sometimes forgot too. He called her Ruby when he fucked her to help serve as a reminder—which usually made him punish her. But then she’d enjoy it, and so would he.
“Rosa said it’s your birthday on Friday,” she said at dinner Monday evening.
“She did?”
“Yes. And that it’s a big birthday, but you aren’t having a party?”
Dante hadn’t wanted a party. Period. But he especially didn’t want one without his best friend there. However, Ruby didn’t know anything about John—that Dante was aware of—and he preferred to keep it that way. For now, at least.
And he’d just learned her real name—Kennedy Alicia Jones, complete with pictures of the rundown trailer she supposedly grew up in in Fargo, North Dakota. It was a far cry from the mansion in Houston she’d described. His private investigator was gathering more information, but he could only imagine how hard she must have worked to get out of there and start a better life for herself.
“I’d much rather celebrate by whisking you off somewhere exotic and fucking you senseless.”
“What did you have in mind?” she asked with a coy smile.
“It’s a surprise.”
And that’s how he ended up on a beach in Belize, balls deep in her just before midnight on the eve of his fortieth birthday. The warm ocean lapping around their bodies as they came in unison as the clock turned over into a new day.
“Happy official birthday,” she whispered, her fingers in his hair as he wrapped her body tight against his, with his face buried in her neck—his cock still inside her. “You’re going to have the perfect birthday weekend, I promise.”
He never wanted to move from this spot—she felt like perfection underneath him.
“This is a pretty damn good start to my fortieth year.”
He picked his head up and looked down at her beautiful face—her cheeks were flush from her orgasm, but her expression was tender when she gazed back at him as he stroked her jawline with his fingertip.
