Owned by the Mafia Bad Boy (Books 1 - 4)

by Raven Dark

  “Ow, fuck! I’m a good hole for Master’s cock.” Fuck I was going to kill him.

  “Oh, good, so you do take orders.”

  Coming around to my side again, Kane took hold of my dress and tore it the rest of the way off. Cool air kissed my skin, caressing my sex, and I squirmed, knowing the whole crowd saw me, saw what was Kane’s.

  He smiled up at Gavini, and held up the dress like a victory token. “What better way to make a woman trust you than by giving her nice things?”

  Gavini grinned, eyes sparkling with approval. Enjoying my humiliation.

  I couldn’t help almost smiling at what Kane was doing there. He’d found a nice way to explain to the mob boss why I was dressed in the finery of a free woman, and not in that god awful see-through dress I only knew was part of some slave-like tradition passed down by Kane’s family.

  “Master gives….” He tossed the dress aside. “…and he takes away.”

  People clapped, Gavini right along with them. Good, we had him. He bought it. Now if we could just figure out how to finish the scene and get the hell out of here—.

  “Wait.” Gavini stood up.

  My heart plummeted. Kane narrowed his eyes at him.

  “I don’t think I like how vocal she is, Kane. Guard.” He gestured to the guard who’d shut the cage for us. I swallowed and looked at Kane. Hated the unreadable, casual look he wore.

  Over at the table, the guard leaned in. The kingpin said something, and the guard nodded, then turned and walked back to the cage. Keys jingling, he unlocked it, came in, then took down a long, black rod. My eyes widened.

  On my dad’s farm, I’d seen those things enough to know what they were. It was a cattle prod. I closed my eyes, breathing quickening. I’d also seen them used enough to know how much the electrical shocks hurt.

  The guard held the cattle prod out to Kane. “Mr. Gavini wants you to use this. If she gets mouthy, zap her.”

  Kane took the rod with a smile and a nod, but did his face look a little too pale? Damn, that could have just been the lighting in here.

  “Sure, why not.” He shrugged.

  The guard left. Kane lifted the rod and pressed something on the side of it. Blue lightening zapped around the spikes at the tip. I swallowed again. God help me.

  Kane stepped forward and aimed the prod for my arm. I braced myself for the shock.

  An alarm wailed, filling the room with noise and drowning out every other sound. It took a moment to realize what was going on as the crowd stood up and started heading for the doors.

  “That’s the fire alarm, everybody, let’s go.” The guard waved everyone out and opened the cage for us again. Gavini nodded as he passed the cage, saying something to Kane, I thought, then he headed for the doors.

  Kane had already dropped the cattle prod to the floor, and I swore I saw relief pass over his features before he went to the head of the table and started unlocking the cuffs on my wrists. Once I was free, he led me to the cage doors and someone, a dungeon master I guessed, handed me a long coat. I threw it on, covering myself while Kane threw on his clothes and grabbed my shoes.

  Without Gavini there to see, Kane ran his hand over my back, a subtle gesture I knew no one who could mention it to Gavini would see.

  “A fire alarm? Now?” I glanced at him before slipping on my shoes. His calculating look said he had the same suspicion as me. “How? Who?”

  He shook his head. Outside on the sidewalk, Gavini walked over to us and Kane’s whole demeanor shifted again. He gripped my elbow tight, and the energy pounding off him was all big, bad slave master again.

  “You’re a lucky little cunt, you know.” He said it just loud enough for Gavini to hear over the alarm still wailing. “If that thing hadn’t gone off, you’d be screaming now.”

  “I bet she would.” Gavini nodded to the club. “Does this happen a lot?”

  “Sorry, Mr. Gavini.” The guard. “The alarms in this place have been finicky from day one. We’ll have a better show next week.”

  “See that you do. You two lucked out.” He smiled his oily, too perfect smile at us. “I was looking forward to a real good show.”

  Kane said nothing and signaled for his driver. David opened the door to the limo waiting at the curb and Kane made a show of pushing me in before sliding in next to me. Once in the shelter of the limo, Kane’s hand brushed mine and he leaned over.

  “You all right?” He spoke so soft and tender I blinked at him. Just like that, he was the man I’d fallen for that first night I’d met him.

  “I—” I cut off when Gavini stopped David from shutting us in.

  “Wait. I want a word with Kane.” He climbed in and seated himself across from us. Kane had already slid his hand away from mine, face a mask. Damn. After all that, he still wasn’t through messing with us?

  “What do you want now, Dominic?” Kane casually opened a cabinet in the car door and took out a crystal decanter of brandy, pouring himself a drink. “Drink, Dominic? Arsenic chasers optional.”

  The kingpin flashed his white teeth.

  “I won’t keep you long enough for that. I just wanted to say, I’m impressed, Kane. You can be a real bastard when you need to be.”

  The urge to look at both men, to try to read them, was almost overwhelming. They were both being so casual, but the air crackled with intense malice. If the mob boss was there, I needed to stay in my role, so I kept my head down, hands in my lap, hoping I looked sullen, forced into my predicament.

  Kane said nothing, only sipped his brandy. The distant, unattainable master, but I got the feeling he was also buying time.

  Gavini relaxed in the seat, arm across the back of it. “That was a nice touch, putting your foot in her face. You know how to pull off some good humiliation.”

  “Glad you approve.” Another sip. “My family excels in exploitation of others, don’t you know.”

  “Yes, I know. Although. There was a moment when you had your hand around her throat. She seemed to like that. See, I would have handled that much differently.”

  Kane’s muscles tensed beside me. It amazed me how casual he sounded when he spoke. “Oh? And how’s that?”

  Gavini was looking at me now, I could feel it even with my eyes downcast. “If I had a slave as mouthy as this one, I’d have squeezed that gorgeous little throat until she couldn’t breathe. I’d have made her pass out.”

  The blood left my face so fast I felt the skin on my cheeks pull. It wasn’t just what he said, it was how he said it, as if strangling a woman was all in a day’s work. Kane’s arm pressed a little closer to me, and I wondered if he’d done it on purpose.

  “Yeah, well, some men need a woman to be unconscious to keep them under control, right?”

  “Ha. I love how quick you are, Davros. I need a man as cool under pressure as you are in my ranks.” He reached for me, I thought, meaning to pull my face up to his. “This one, on the other hand—”

  Kane’s hand shot out so fast I almost didn’t see it. One moment it was on his lap, the next it was holding the kingpin’s wrist in a vice grip, inches from my face.

  Gavini and Kane stared at each other for a long moment, and the air buzzed with lethal energy.

  “Awfully protective of your slave, Kane. Men have had their hands cut off for less than what you’re doing now.” He nodded to his wrist in Kane’s grip.

  Kane shoved the other man’s hand away. “I never claimed to be a good Master, Dominic. But anyone with any sense knows no one touches a Davros’ property. Kingpin or not, if you ever try to touch what’s mine again, I’ll have your dick cut off and shoved down your throat.”

  A momentary flash of something sparked under the amusement in Gavini’s eyes, but then it was gone. “You would, too. I saw what you did at that car wash. Nice work.”

  “If you have something to say, Dominic, spit it out. Otherwise, get out of my limo.”

  “Nothing much. But as I said, I need you on my crew. No more doing the nasty stuff through you
r father. I want you in the family, nice and close. You get a pass for killing my man in that car wash, but you won’t get another. I like you, Kane, but if you cross the line again, I can’t be responsible for my actions.”

  My heartbeat quickened at the casually delivered threat. I forced my face not to scrunch. Why the hell was he talking about this in front of me? Yeah, I was supposed to be a slave, but I wasn’t sure he completely bought the act, even now. And besides, he was too smart to subscribe to some old view that slaves didn’t hear or see what went on.

  “You have me on your side, as much as you’re going to for now, anyway.”

  “And how is your engagement to the lovely Rossi girl? Are you two love birds any closer to tying the knot?” His eyes flickered to me. I just barely caught the look through my lashes.

  “The wedding is six months out. You know that. Why are you stalling?”

  His shrug didn’t fool anyone. “I like the girl, Kane. She’s sweet, obedient, respectful of the men in her family. She knows how the business works, and her place in it. Not to mention, she’s got a killer set of tits. Far more impressive than this one.” He nodded to me.

  My jaw clenched, shame coursing through me, and self consciousness of my large breasts. I forced myself not to react. He was baiting us. Kane radiated possessive fury.

  “I doubt you care one way or the other about my relationship with Gala, beyond what it does for you. If you’re through?”

  “Almost. You’re a strong master, Kane, and you’ve got that ruthless streak we need, but you’ve still got compassion in there. I like it, but there’s no room for it in my world. You’ve got to be harder, without mercy, or you won’t last long as a Don.”

  He opened the door before David could even get out. He glanced at us.

  “You did well tonight, but I expect a better show next time.”

  Before Kane could respond, he climbed out, said something to David, and the door closed as he walked away.

  As soon as we were alone, I put my head back and let out a shaky breath. I hated how scared I sounded. I wished I could have been sure I hadn’t heard suspicion in Gavini’s voice.

  Slowly, my heart rate returned to normal, but I knew nothing about this situation was normal. How long would we have before he expected to see his “better show?” How long would Kane have to turn me into the perfect submissive?

  The partition between the front and back of the limo wound down and David glanced back as if checking on us.

  “What are the chances that an alarm went off just before things got really hairy in there?” I looked at Kane.

  “They would have been nil, if not for David. Right, David?”

  The driver nodded. “Sorry I couldn’t set the alarm off earlier, Miss Anika.”

  “How did you get in?”

  “It’s amazing what money will make a man do when he’s desperate enough. One of the bouncers has a daughter who’s not going to be sick for much longer now.”

  “How did you know we needed help?” Kane.

  “One of Gavini’s drivers was standing by his car. I recognized him. He’s going to wake up with a serious headache in a few hours.”

  I smiled. “Just a driver, my ass.”

  “Just doing my job, Miss Anika.”

  “Yeah, well, you’re officially my favorite person right now.”

  He grinned and rolled the window back up, then got the car moving.

  Kane squeezed my shoulder and smoothed my hair back. “That role should belong to me, shouldn’t it, Angel?”

  Angel. He hadn’t called me that in a long time, and especially not with that kind of affection. Hearing that warmth made me feel like I was seeing a glimpse of something I missed. Not trusting myself to speak, I said nothing.

  “Are you alright, Anika?” His hand slid into mine. While a large part of me wanted to seek comfort in his touch, not all of me was ready for that just yet.

  This is going to be fun. The malice, the sheer thrill I’d heard in his voice back there wore away the trust I wanted so badly to feel for him. He doesn’t enjoy hurting me. He can’t. Anything but that. I slid my hand away and shook my head.

  “Anika, talk to me. You know I’d never beat you, right?” He stroked my cheek with his fingers. The warmth in his voice made my throat tighten.

  “Wouldn’t you? If you had to, to protect me?”

  “Anika,” he drawled.

  I sighed. Okay, so I knew he wouldn’t brutalize me, but if Gavini had his way, he’d slowly burn the goodness out of him. He’d burn it away until there was only darkness left. The question was, would Kane let him? Would he even be able to stop it? Would he want to?

  “Anika, I need to know if you’re okay. Talk, girl.”

  I shook my head again, unable to look at him, unable to let myself see the compassion I knew I would only have to lose. “Just…just tell me one thing, Kane.”

  “Yes.”

  “I want an honest answer.”

  He chuckled and pushed a lock of red hair behind my ear, pressing against me. “You’re asking this of a Davros? Don’t you know we’re all liars and cheats?”

  “Did you…I mean. Did any part of you, even a little bit, enjoy what happened back there? Did you enjoy playing the heartless master?”

  Kane drew a long breath and his chest expanded, then he let the breath out. He slid his arms around me from the side, pulling me close. His mouth brushed my ear. “I want you to trust me, Anika. Even if it is a mistake.”

  “You didn’t answer me.” I turned at last, looking up at him. “There’s only one right answer for a question like that.”

  He nuzzled my hair. Still not denying my words. My heart threatened to shatter apart in my chest with the weight of his unspoken confirmation. “I know, girl. I wish I could give you the answer you want. But I can’t.”

  2

  It was after midnight by the time we returned to The Lion’s Head Hotel. Anika stood next to me in the elevator on the way up to my penthouse suite, uncommonly silent. Staring at the floor, the walls, anything but me, arms wrapped protectively around herself. No cutting comments, no resentful remarks toward my wealth, no jabs at my “enjoyment” of what happened at the club. Fuck, I was starting to miss those sassy comebacks.

  I nearly tackled her in the elevator and ripped her clothes off right then just to rile her. Anything to bring back the spark of fight I loved about her. What had happened at the club, or perhaps the way I’d answered her question in the limousine, had rattled her, producing this subdued behavior that was so unlike her, it almost unsettled me.

  If I didn’t know her well enough to know how tough she was, I’d have thought I’d broken her.

  As soon as I’d answered her, as soon as I saw the alarm in her eyes, I’d wished I’d worded things differently. Considering what she knew of my family, I could just imagine what she pictured. To her, just being a Davros made me a monster, capable of evils unimaginable. Like my father, like the Gavini family we were so well connected to. I wanted to elaborate, anything to ease her mind that I wasn’t some sick, demented villain who enjoyed hurting women who weren’t into pain. That I wouldn’t torture her just to get my rocks off. But all my life, I’d had it ingrained in me that a man didn’t explain. A man never explained, never apologized, never justified himself to a woman. Such things were for the weak and the soft hearted, and for me, that kind of compassion always led to pain and loss. So I kept my thoughts to myself, and instead stood with my arms crossed, leaning against the elevator wall.

  “Speak to me, Anika.”

  When she didn’t move or speak, gaze still on the floor, I slapped the button on the elevator to stop it and stood between her and the doors.

  “I gave you an order, young lady. Say something.”

  She sighed and dropped her arms. “What do you want me to say?”

  I looked at the ceiling. “Anything. Anything but this silence. And for fuck’s sake, look at me. We’re alone, you can behave normally now.”


  She still didn’t meet my eyes. I put my face in hers.

  “Are you afraid of me, Anika?” God, I hated how it twisted me up even thinking that she might be afraid of me. I mean, really terrified of me, the way most people were of my father.

  “I’m not afraid of you, Kane. It takes more than being threatened with a cattle prod or a foot in my face to scare me.”

  Good girl. Fuck, I loved this about her. Except why did she still sound so off center? There was a lilt to her voice, something not right. “Then why won’t you look at me?”

  “Because. I can’t right now. Not yet.”

  “What makes you think it’s your choice? Hm?” I took her face, tilting it up until her eyes were on mine. She tried to pull away as anger flashed in them, but I held fast. “See? Look at me. In my eyes. Is there a monster in them? Anything scary?”

  She closed her eyes, as if to shut out whatever she saw. “I’m not sure I can trust what I see in you. I don’t think I ever could.”

  I released her, running a hand through my hair. “Is this about what I said in the car?”

  “You tell me.”

  “Oh, don’t play games with me. Spit it out.”

  She dropped her arms again and backed up, leaning on the back wall. “Just start the elevator. I don’t want to talk about this.”

  “No way. I’ve wanted inside you all night. We’re having this out now, because I’m not fucking you when you’re scared.”

  She scoffed. “Fine. Tell me something, then. Would you have done it?”

  “Done what?”

  “The cattle prod. Would you have used it?”

  “Anika, don’t twist this into something it’s not.”

  “I’m not twisting anything. Answer me.”

  “Yes, you are. You want me to show you how evil I am. You want an excuse to hold onto your hatred.”

  “Answer me, Kane.” This time her voice shook. Her eyes pleaded. My heart hurt looking at her. “Tell me you wouldn’t have liked electrocuting me.”

  “I wouldn’t have. I’m not like that.”

  “No?”

  “No!” I scrubbed my hand over my face. “Fuck, Anika, you really see me like that? I like a little electroplay as much as the next sadist, girl, but not like you’re talking about.” I shook my head. “I’ve seen what too much of that shit does to people. The way a body twitches, and even the hardest man screams like a banshee. It’s fucking horrific.”