by Sam Crescent
She was all his. No man would ever know how perfect she felt. How tight she was.
He would cherish this woman all the time. Every single fucking day.
He kissed her hard as he thrust inside her. It had been so long since he’d been with a woman and he felt the first stirrings of his orgasm. He tried to hold back but he couldn’t do it. Slamming every inch of his dick within her, he came hard, filling her with his cum.
He growled her name, groaning at the intense sensation as it filled his body. Each pulse sending more of his cum inside her.
He didn’t let her go.
Time passed.
The pleasure passed.
He stayed within her but moved to the side, keeping her close. He pushed some of her hair off her shoulder. Stroking down the curve of her back, he nibbled on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“You’re worried?”
“I want you to enjoy this.”
“I’m fine.”
“Sore?”
Her cheeks were a beautiful red. “You don’t need to keep asking me that,” she said.
“I want to know.” He slid his fingers down her arm and captured her hand, locking their fingers together. “We’re going to be doing this all the time and I want you to enjoy it.”
“So you’re doing this for completely selfish reasons?”
“Totally. It’s all about me,” he said.
“I’m a little sore but nothing I’m worried about. You?”
“I don’t get sore.” He stared at her, wanting to be in this pose forever.
“Do you think they’re wondering what we’re doing?” she asked.
“They know what we’re doing. Ignore them.”
“Who do you think wants me dead?”
He sighed.
“Don’t do that,” she said.
“Do what?”
“Keep things from me. I’m not a child. I don’t need your protection.”
“You’re not going to like who I narrowed it down to.”
“How many have you got on your list?” she asked.
“Do you really want to talk about this now?”
“Now is a good a time as any.” She sighed. “My dad said life waits for no one. I guess it’s true. No one waits for us.”
“Then, I’m going to clean you up if we’re going to be talking shop.” He climbed out of bed and made his way to the en-suite.
“You don’t have to do that, you know?” she asked.
“I know what I can and cannot do, but I’m going to.” He wrung out a cloth and moved back to the bed. He sat on the edge as she spread her legs. “Don’t be embarrassed.”
“Kind of hard not to. You’re cleaning me up.”
“It’s all for a good cause.” He wiped away the blood and semen. “My father, The Boss, and Randy.”
“It’s not Randy.”
“You can’t know for sure if it’s him or not,” he said.
She shook her head. “I know him.”
“Do you really?”
“Yeah, I do. He’s loyal to my father. He would never hurt me. You saw the way he is. He wouldn’t dream of putting me in any danger.”
He finished cleaning her pussy.
“Then it’s my father or the Boss.”
“You don’t believe me about Randy, do you?”
“I know you think he’s loyal but your father left you everything, not him. To some men, he could see that as … disrespect.”
She laughed. “You really don’t know Randy.” She sighed. “If you must know, he hates the Family. He would rather see it all burn to the ground. The man we call Boss is his father, and he doesn’t want to see that man have any kind of happiness. You can trust Randy.”
Even as Isabella gave him a reason to believe it couldn’t be, Damon’s experience with men told him differently. Randy wasn’t wiped off his list. If anything, it now made him more of a suspect than ever before.
He would do what it took to keep Isabella safe, and if it meant guarding her from the only family she believed she had left, then so be it. She was his wife and even if this wasn’t a love match, he was determined to make it fucking work for them.
Chapter Nine
Two days later
“It’s got a lovely view, and some of your clothes have already been moved into the closet. You’ve got free rein. Wherever you want to go, you can.” Damon pulled out a couple of credit cards. “These are in your name. Use them whenever you want.”
Isabella hated this.
They’d been married a matter of two days and he’d already moved her out of her home, her family home, and now she was seeing his penthouse apartment in the city.
“What do you think?”
She held the credit cards in her hand and stepped toward the window. Was it a coincidence that rain and dark skies filled the air? Married for a couple of days and taken from the only real home she knew. Where memories filled every single part of the house.
“There are plenty of restaurants and takeout. You can have whatever you want.”
“What happened to Henrietta?”
“She’s taking some time off.”
She frowned. Taking a deep breath, she stared out his apartment window. So much for her being able to live her own life.
The basement where she trained was gone. The garden. The roses. The swimming pool. He’d swept her away from everything she knew, even the comforting smells of her father’s study. All of it was ripped away from her.
“Isabella, are you listening?”
No, she’d tuned him out.
After their wedding night, he’d taken her home and didn’t stay with her. She’d eaten dinner on her own, slept on her own, and woken up alone. Then he’d come halfway through the day and driven her to this awful place.
She hated the city. It was why she wanted Daniella to leave. To take her son and get the hell out. The city was toxic. It wasn’t safe.
“I want to go home,” she said. “Your apartment is nice but I’m not staying here.”
“Isabella, I’ve already sent everyone home. There’s no one there. You’re going to stay here for a short time.”
“I didn’t give the instruction.”
“I did.”
“You took over from my staff.”
“I told them their services were not required and they’re not, not right now.”
“You had no right.”
“I have every right. As your husband, I do what I think is best for you.”
She shook her head. “No, you do what you think is best for yourself.” She walked toward him, slamming the cards against his chest. “I don’t need these. I’ve got my own money.” She went to the door, opening it, but a guard stood there, halting her from leaving. “Move.”
He didn’t budge.
“Close the door, Isabella. You’re not leaving.”
She slammed the door and turned to glare at him. “What is this? You’re married to me and now you think you can control me?”
“This is for your own safety.”
“Where is Randy?”
“He’s running some errands.”
She scoffed. “You still don’t trust him.”
“It’s not a matter of trust.”
“Yes, it is. I’ve told you can you can trust him but you don’t believe me.” She looked around at the coldness of the apartment. This wasn’t home. “I don’t want to stay here. This is not my home.”
“And your museum is not our home.”
“It’s not a museum.”
“You’re right. It’s more like a mausoleum to your father, mother, and brother.”
“You have no right. They are the only family I had.”
“I’m the family you have now.” He stormed toward her. “Me. I’m alive. I’m going to keep you safe. I’ve got more power here. Out there, you’re at the mercy of anyone who is willing to do whatever for a price.”
“And I’m not here?”
“I have more men here. This is my
domain. This is where I live. No one would dare.”
“You’re not infallible. I’m at risk no matter what.”
“What is your problem?” he asked. “I’m doing this for you. You can go anywhere. Do anything.”
“Damn it, Damon. I wasn’t brought up to go shopping or get my nails done. I was brought up to hunt, to kill. I don’t want to go shopping. I don’t want to go and get all pretty. My life is back at that house,” she screamed.
“No!” He took a step closer to her. His rage struck so quickly. She stepped back, but he moved closer. “You had no life back in that house. All you had was memories. Your father trained you to attack. To deal with someone who would dare come too close to you, but he didn’t prepare you for the real world. He didn’t make you aware of everything that could happen to you. You’re a woman and life isn’t about training.”
“All he did was the same as what you all get,” she said. “Training. Commitment.”
Damon shook his head. “No, we don’t just get training. We’re taken out, we’re shown the ropes. You know very little about this world that you’ve been thrust into and if you’re not careful, it’s going to get you killed. The first rule, trust no one.”
“I trust you.”
“And you’re a fool. I’m the only person you should trust.”
“Because you’re my husband.”
“I’ve proven myself time and time again. You’re safe with me.”
“I’ve lived with Randy all my life. He’s the only person I can trust.”
He shook his head. “No, he’s not. He’s a man with needs like everyone else. What does he want out of life? Where is he hoping to go? Does he want to be a soldier? He’s the bastard son of the Boss. We all know he’s ten times better than the Boss’s first son, Andrew. He should be the one to take his place, but we all know that’s not going to happen.”
She gritted her teeth. “You’re being unfair.”
“No, I’m not. This world creates monsters. Not heroes.” His gaze dropped to her lips.
She wanted to slap him.
To lash out.
Cause him pain.
To do anything that would make him stop her from doubting the only man she’d ever really trusted.
Instead, she wrapped her arms around him and Damon picked her up. She circled her legs around his waist and gasped as his cock pressed against her core. She should tell him no, that she didn’t want this. It would all be lies. This was what she wanted. It was the only thing making sense to her.
He tore open her shirt and she gasped as he suddenly had a knife in his hand. He slid the blunt end between the valley of her tits, and the fabric gave way underneath the strength of the blade.
She cried out as he growled against her flesh and took one of her nipples into his mouth. He bit down on a bud before moving to the next. Back and forth, he went, licking and flicking his tongue against each nipple, biting down and then sucking hard on them.
It wasn’t enough.
His hands pushed the skirt she wore up around her waist. She tore at his belt, opening up his pants as he tore the fabric of her panties out of the way. He shoved her hand aside and took hold of his cock, pulling himself clear of the pants. The tip of his dick slid between her slit and as he moved up and down, bumping her clit, she cried out. Slowly, he sank inside her. Each inch filling her up until he gripped her hips and slammed the rest of the way inside her, taking her breath away.
“Fuck!” She cried out the word as he fucked her hard.
His hands dug into her hips so tight they were going to leave marks.
“I will take care of you. You’re mine, Isabella. I’m not like other men. I won’t beat you for your mouth, or hurt you for your anger. No, I’m going to fuck you into submission.”
All of a sudden, he pulled out of her and she didn’t know how he did it, but he had her pressed up against the wall. Her hands flat to it, her back arched and his fingers were inside her, stroking a part that made her melt. He plunged two—or was it three fingers?—where his cock had been.
At first, it felt a little tight and full but as he worked her, she started to rock onto his hands.
Then he touched her clit and he pressed his body flush against her back.
She cried out his name.
His lips grazed her neck.
She gasped.
“You see, Isabella. I know how to keep you in line. I know what you want.” He kissed down her back, going to the base, close to her ass.
He pulled the fingers from inside her and began to circle her anus. She tensed up.
“There is nothing I wouldn’t explore with you. All you’ve got to do is be willing to give me the chance.”
“What are you doing?”
“Showing you there isn’t nothing I wouldn’t do for you. Nothing I wouldn’t give you. All you’ve got to do is ask.”
“Then let me go home.”
“Anything apart from that.”
Before she had time to retaliate, he pinched her clit, stopping all thought as pain and pleasure rushed together, flooding her body in arousal.
She was so close.
“I want to feel you come,” he said.
When he slammed inside her, she was more than ready. So close that after just a few thrusts, she was hurtled into an orgasm that took her breath away. She screamed, shook, and kept pressing against him, trying to get him to go as deep as possible, riding the wave.
Damon took over, fucking her, guiding her to a second orgasm as he reached his first and she felt him come. The kick and pulse of his cock.
She couldn’t exactly remember what they were arguing about.
****
“She’ll hate it in the city,” Randy said.
“She’ll adapt.”
“She loves that house.”
Damon glared at the man. “She will learn to leave that house.”
“Why are you so determined for her to leave the one place that gives her peace?”
He looked at Randy. His loyalty, his errands, they were all still … too coincidental for Damon. He didn’t trust him.
“The house has become a security blanket,” he said. Not only was he doing this for Isabella’s best interests, but he was also taking her out of a domain certain people knew inside-out. In the city, her life wasn’t mundane. He never kept to any one pattern, and so he made sure his wife didn’t either.
Where there was no pattern, there was no way to plan an attack. No one had tried to kill her in the past couple of weeks leading up to their wedding, but it didn’t mean they wouldn’t try. He’d also left the Drago house seemingly untouched, unprotected. He’d installed plenty of security cameras and sensors. He’d be alerted the moment someone tried to get inside the house and to look for whatever it was they wanted.
“And you want to take the security blanket away?” Randy asked.
“I want her to realize she’s a lot stronger than she believes.”
“Bella knows she’s strong. She doesn’t need you, me, or anyone else telling her otherwise.”
Damon ran a hand down his face. “Then why is she so desperate to stay there? She’s a young woman with her entire life ahead of her. Her father, with all of his training, he pretty much kept her locked up in that place. A princess in a tower. She knows every element of that house. She has safety zones. She doesn’t go out, nor does she do anything unless if it’s to see her friend, or the women she tries to save. That house, her security blanket, it’s killing her. I’m not going to allow her to hold on to bricks and mortar. It’s not safe to do so.”
Randy nodded. “I see your point.”
He didn’t elaborate further.
“I’m not the person you’re after,” Randy said.
He turned back to the other man. “Isabella?”
“She didn’t tell me if that’s what you’re wondering. No, your marriage will hold a lot of secrets, no doubt about it. She doesn’t come running to me every time she has an issue.”
“How did you know?” Damon asked.
“I figured you were going to come and ask me at some point. I know it’s always a bit suspicious that shit happens when I’m not there. That’s just bad luck, or it’s someone who wants to put me as a suspect. I know you suspected me because in your situation, I’d do the same. Look at me, I know who my father is. I know what I should be entitled to. Most men would probably want it as well. I’m not like most men.”
“What are you like?” he asked.
“I couldn’t leave the Family. Drago knew that. My life is here and I can’t change that. He knew I wanted a clean break and I’m never going to get that.” He sighed. “He promised me a home. A life that I could build if I worked for him as a soldier. I’m loyal to Bella because she and her father were the only ones willing to provide me with any kind of help when I needed it most. I will never hurt that woman. I’d die for her. She’s a beautiful woman. Sweet. Kind. What she has had to do hasn’t come naturally to her. I hope you know that.”
Damon nodded. “I still don’t trust you.”
“I wouldn’t either if I was you, but know this, I’d still take a bullet for her.”
“Do you think it’s your father who wants her dead?” Damon asked, closing the file. They sat in the underground casino, checking over the books. He’d kept Randy close because of his suspicions.
“I did but I don’t know, why come after her? I’d have made for an easy target.”
“Unless he does love you and he waited for you to get out of the way.”
Randy shook his head. “The man can’t stand me. At the wedding, he couldn’t even look me in the face. He wouldn’t care if I died or not.”
“But you no longer believe it is him?”
“He has nothing to gain from killing her. A Drago has been part of the Family for years. They’re part of tradition. If he was to kill her, he’d need to take me out, and I’m not dead yet. I’ve given them all plenty of opportunities, believe me.”
“Do you have a death wish?” Damon asked.
“No. Not yet.”
“Everything here looks all clear.” It left only one person who was capable of killing Isabella, but why?
“We’re done here.” Damon got to his feet as Randy’s cell phone rang.
