by Penelope Sky
I stayed on my knees, waiting for his next orders.
But none were forthcoming. He walked out of my bedroom and shut the door behind him, not looking at me before he left. The only noise I heard was the click of the doorknob. Then there was just silence.
I sat on the floor with the saliva pooled around my mouth. My eyes were still wet from the tears I’d shed. I’d expected him to fuck me, but he never did. I wondered if that was intentional, or if he just preferred the blow job.
I knew this was how the rest of my life would be. I would be expected to perform at a moment’s notice.
But at least I would enjoy it too.
15
Conway
I walked through the house in my swim trunks with the towel over my shoulder. “Dante?”
“Yes, sir?” He appeared at my side, stepping out of the corner from nowhere.
“I’ll take my breakfast in forty-five minutes. Tell Sapphire she is to join me.”
“Of course. Enjoy your swim, sir.”
“Thank you, Dante.” I arrived at the pool and pulled the goggles off my head. I dived into the water and immediately began my laps, swimming back and forth to finish a thousand meters before I started my day. It was a beautiful summer day, and the land was always warm even though it wasn’t even eight yet.
I did my underwater turns and then swam back, stretching myself to exercise every muscle in my body. I kicked hard and picked up the pace, racing against myself. The cool water moved past me, gently soothing the warm muscles as they burned under the skin.
When I finished my session, I climbed out of the water and let the drops roll off my body and hit the deck. I ripped off my goggles and tossed them aside, knowing Dante would correctly care for them.
Dante already had the table on the terrace prepared for breakfast. A white tablecloth covered the surface, and the white umbrella shielded the chairs from the hot sun. A small vase held a single red rose, picked from the property.
I used the towel to dry myself, starting with my arms and legs and then my hair. When I was dry enough, I took a seat at the table and saw the collection of Italian newspapers and my cell phone. I looked through my emails as I waited for my guest to join me.
Sapphire arrived on the terrace in a long white dress with her hair extending over her chest. Her makeup was done, and she looked ready to embrace the summer sun in the large sun hat she wore. She sat across from me and scooted her chair in, her blue eyes hardly moving to my face.
I kept reading my emails even when Dante served our egg whites, sautéed vegetables, and the single piece of Italian bread.
Sapphire didn’t wait and started to eat.
Nicole sent me a lot of emails last night, updating me on orders and scheduled appearances. Apparently, the fabric makers in Turkey were asking for more money since we’d increased our orders so significantly. I didn’t care about the money, but I refused to be a pushover. I responded to her emails and didn’t touch my food.
“Why did you want me to join you if you’re going to ignore me?”
My eyes slowly lifted to her face, shocked that she would speak to me that way. “That’s my business, not yours.” I looked at her fierce blue eyes and remembered the way they looked when they were locked on to my gaze. I loved their brightness as well as their darkness. She’d never looked so beautiful as when her mouth was stuffed with my come. Now she sat under the bright sun, looking like an Italian woman every man would want to keep at their villa. Even if I didn’t pick out her clothes or buy her makeup, she would still be beautiful. That innate perfection enhanced the clothes I gave her.
“It is my business when I could have kept sleeping…”
“It’s eight. You shouldn’t be sleeping.”
“Not everyone wakes up at the crack of dawn.”
“No. But no one should sleep in past eight.” I set my phone aside since she wasn’t going to let me do any work while I sat across from her. Besides, looking at her was a lot more entertaining than staring at my phone. I grabbed my mug of hot coffee and took a drink, letting the warm caffeine make its way into my stomach.
“Do you swim every morning?”
“When it’s warm.”
“What do you do in the winter?”
“The gym. But I prefer to be outside.” I drank my coffee again and then took a bite of my omelet. “I expect you to exercise every day.”
“Every day?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes.”
“That’s a little ridiculous.”
“It’s good for you.”
She added a little cream to her coffee and stirred it with her spoon. “I’ll do it five days a week, but not on weekends. That’s the best you’re going to get from me, so don’t push it.”
Five days was acceptable. “You’re forgetting that I’m in charge here. And that’s something you shouldn’t forget.” I’d walked into her bedroom last night and fucked her throat so hard that I knew she was sore today. I did it because I could. I could do anything I wanted. She, on the other hand, had nothing.
“You’re in charge of most things. But not everything.”
If she cooperated with me most of the time, I supposed that was enough. What I wanted most out of her was sexual satisfaction. As long as she delivered, I could put up with the rest of her attitude. “You don’t want me to push you, but don’t make the mistake of pushing me.” I picked up the newspaper and looked at the headlines, knowing she was staring hard at my face.
“Are you going to Milan today?”
“Yes.”
“Can I come along?”
I was keeping her under the radar for the time being. “No.”
“You want me to stay here all day?”
“Yes.”
She looked over the hillside, her hair moving slightly with the breeze.
“When I get home tonight, you’ll have dinner with me—and you’ll be wearing the lingerie that Dante will set on your bed.” I looked up and waited for an argument, wondering if she would defy me. Last night, she took all of my cock inside her small mouth, saliva dripping everywhere as she fought the urge to gag. I’d never forget the erotic scene, the way she looked into my eyes as she took the skull-pounding.
She didn’t make an argument. “I hope you will make better use of me as time goes on. If I sit around all day, I’ll get fat.”
“Which is why you need to exercise every day.”
“Working out every day is unnatural. I won’t do it.” She drank her coffee then cut into her omelet. “I’d rather be on my feet all day doing something. I could always help you at the studio, even when you aren’t using my body for a new design. I’m a smart girl with a lot of potential.”
“Do smart girls get mixed up in the mess you made?” I said coldly.
Her eyes narrowed. “My brother’s actions were out of my control.”
“But everything that came after that was in your control.” My biggest fear was something happening to my sister. Vanessa was so beautiful that even I couldn’t deny it. She had the elegance of a queen and the smile of a supermodel. Anytime I made a friend growing up, they were always smitten with her.
It was fucking annoying.
My life would be so much easier if she were ugly.
What if a man wanted her the way I wanted Sapphire—and he was just as evil and controlling?
She shook her head slightly, her gaze cold. “I refuse to apologize for the things that happened to me. I refuse to be blamed as a victim. Outnumbered with no resources, there was very little I could have done. I don’t judge myself, and neither should you.”
“I never said I judge you. But you had another choice…you just didn’t see it.” I could make any problem go away with the snap of my fingers. If she’d confided in me, perhaps my wallet would be a little heavier right now.
“My offer still stands. I want to be useful in other ways.”
If Dante hadn’t served me for the past decade, I would replace him with her. But I w
ouldn’t take anything away from him. He not only took care of my home, but he kept my secrets. This strange woman was living with me now, and he never once asked about her. It was none of his business, and he knew it. “If I think of anything, I’ll let you know.”
“I can still do modeling…”
“No.” I turned back to the newspaper and found a new article. The last time she hit the stage, she ignited the world’s obsession. Men couldn’t stop gawking at her, eyeing her like a piece of meat. My muse was special to me, essential to my work. I didn’t want to share her with anyone.
She didn’t ask again. “Are you a rider?”
“In what context?” The corner of my mouth rose in a smile.
“Of horses.”
I looked up to see her eyeing the stables and the beautiful mares that stood in the sectioned-off pasture. They were magnificent beasts, collections rather than resources. “Rarely.”
“Then what do you keep them for?”
“Because I can do whatever I want with my money.” I took another bite of my food.
Her eyes narrowed. “You may own me, but I won’t put up with an asshole.”
“And I won’t put up with someone who questions me.”
“I’m not questioning you. I’m simply asking you a question. It’s how conversations work…unless you’ve never had one before.” She brought the mug to her mouth but didn’t take a drink. “Which wouldn’t surprise me.”
I hid my grin as best I could, making sure my face remained hard and stoic. I admired her no-bullshit attitude and wit. She got herself stuck in shitty situations, but she certainly had the spunk to get out of them. She never gave up, and she retained as much dignity as she could in the process. Even when she was on her knees in front of me, obeying me because she was my property, I couldn’t help but respect her.
There was something about her.
“Why do you have horses?” she repeated.
“I enjoy looking at them. That’s it.”
She stared at the stables and the horses in the grass. “Can I go into the stables and ride them?”
“You can do whatever you want on the property.”
“Really?” she asked in surprise.
“I already said that. Marco is the stables master. Tell him what you want, and he’ll make it happen.”
She finished half her food then occupied her time by staring at the horses. I had a wide variety, from a jet-black mare to an Appaloosa. All of them were unique and beautiful. I didn’t show them at contests or ride them often. But they were nice trophies. They had considerable land to roam, and they were taken care of on a daily basis. “I’ve always loved horses but never had a chance to spend time with them.”
I watched her stare over the land at the wild beasts. There was excitement and vigor in her expression, a kind that made her soft features even more beautiful. The sun hit her face at the right angle, making her eyes shine bright like two jewels.
Instead of reading my paper, I decided to look at her.
* * *
Anastasia was gone, and now I had the place all to myself. There were four different units inside the building, but I’d bought them all just so I wouldn’t have to deal with the hassle of having neighbors. I didn’t want anyone to see me in the hallway or in the stairway. I wanted this building to be completely mine, covered in the tightest security. I didn’t have a lot of enemies, but if I ever did get one, I wanted to be ready.
Nicole had sent me all the paperwork for the sales the past week. We’d managed to get distribution to the European nations, but for America, all the pieces they saw in the show were on preorder.
But those numbers had spiked.
It was the highest sales week of my career.
And I’d been doing this for a long time.
I was the one who created the designs my customers fell in love with, but Muse was the one who sparked my creativity. From her beautiful hips to her tiny waist, she was more perfect than any woman ever painted across a canvas. She elicited desires from deep inside me, brought a new wave of sensuality over my body. I was already a sexual man with a large appetite, but she made me hungrier than I’d ever been.
The only reason why I didn’t fuck her was because my dick ached to be in her mouth. I saw her sitting on the floor in her lingerie, and my cock was desperate to pierce those luscious lips. My tongue was anxious to see how she tasted, to know if she was as sweet as she looked.
But tonight, I wouldn’t wait.
I would take her virginity—because I paid for it.
The doorbell rang, and I knew exactly who was paying me a visit. I walked into the main room and opened the solid black door.
Carter stepped inside. “You got time to talk?”
“You know I never have time.” I shut the door behind him and walked to the bar. “What do you want?”
“I’m your cousin. I don’t need a reason to stop by.”
I poured two glasses of scotch then handed him one. “Keep telling yourself that until you believe it.”
He took a long drink before he set the glass on the table. “So are you going to tell me the whole story, or am I going to have to drag it out of you?”
“The second one.” I sat on the black leather couch and held my glass by the rim.
“I was hoping you would say that.” He fell back onto the other couch, wearing a black leather jacket with dark jeans. “So, what the fuck happened? I sent Anastasia home, and now I have Marisa staying at my place. I wouldn’t mind, but since I can’t fuck her, I’m not sure what to do with her.”
“You can do other things with a woman besides fuck her.”
“Not things that are fun.”
I didn’t fuck Muse last night, and it was certainly fun.
“So what the fuck, Conway? What’s going on?”
“My muse had been captured and was being sold at the Underground. One of the guys from the Chainsaw Yankees was there, and he had his eyes set on her. He’s a sick asshole, so I did what I had to do—I bought her.”
“So you bought two women?”
“Yep.” I took a drink, letting the liquid fill my belly.
“How much did you pay for her?”
“Doesn’t matter.” I brushed it off, knowing he would flip out if I told him the truth. “Now she’s mine. She’s no longer my model or my employee—she’s just mine. I’ll keep her at my place and use her for designs…among other things.”
“Like a slave?” He cocked an eyebrow.
“She’s willing.”
“Really?” he asked. “Because you’re rich?”
“Because she has nowhere else to go. If she runs, Knuckles will get her. She’s in so much debt that she can’t return to America. Her only other option is living on the street and hoping Knuckles doesn’t find her. Being my slave is a much better option.”
“How much did you pay for her?”
I ignored the question altogether.
His eyes narrowed. “The more you don’t answer, the more I want to know.”
“Because you’re a child.”
“Fine.” When he set his glass on the table, it made a deep thud. “You know I can get that information elsewhere—and I will.”
Now that he wouldn’t let it go, I decided to rip the bandage off. “A hundred.”
“A hundred thousand?” he asked in surprise. “Seems like she’d sell for a couple million, at least.”
“No…hundred million.”
His earlier surprise didn’t compare to his look now. His jaw dropped, and his brown eyes deepened in color. With disbelief in his eyes, he stared at me like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. For the first time, Carter Barsetti was speechless. “Are you fucking insane?”
“Knuckles pushed me.”
“And why didn’t you just let him win?”
I knew what would happen to her if I didn’t step up. A short life of brutal rape and torture would be all she ever knew. A woman like that had so much potential to be someth
ing more. My muse didn’t deserve to die like that. She was too valuable. I couldn’t let something so beautiful just die. “I need her.”
“There’s a thousand other women that can take her place. She’s hot, but there are other fish in the sea.”
“She helps me with my designs. That fashion show was the biggest one I’d ever done. Those designs grossed over twenty million dollars…in just the first week. There are other fish in the sea, but nothing compared to her.”
He ran his fingers through his hair, still processing my announcement. “Conway, no woman is worth that much money. This is about more than just work.”
“It’s not.”
“Yes, it is,” he snapped. “Does this woman mean something to you?”
“She only means something to my work and my dick.”
He shook his head. “Now what? She just lives with you forever?”
“I keep her until I get all my use out of her. After that, I don’t know. When she begins to age, Knuckles won’t want her anymore. So she can walk away then.”
“So she’s your private slave?” he said. “Even though our entire family opposes it.”
“I did her a favor, alright? If I didn’t buy her, she would have ended up somewhere worse. She agrees with me. She even thanked me for it.”
“Conway, you know I’m not a saint. I do things I’m not proud of every single night. I’ve paid for whores, and I’ve smuggled drugs out of the country with my cars. But this is something our parents will never accept.”
“I know.” Both of my parents would be livid with me. My mother would slap me so hard, I’d see stars. My father would kill me with just his disappointment. He didn’t have to say anything at all to make me feel like shit. “Which is why they aren’t going to know about it.”
“You’re going to hide it from them? For ten years?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“How will you explain her?”
I shrugged. “I’ll tell them she’s my girlfriend or something.”
“So you’re going to make your parents excited that you’ve settled down even though it’s bullshit.”
