by Stone, Piper
Unfastening her seatbelt, she rose to a crouched position, able to see over the edge of the windshield. “Gorgeous.”
“You approve?”
“What’s not to approve?”
I held my tongue and my smile as I eased out of the car, opening her door as if we were simply on a first date. She ignored me as I’d expected, fingering several flowers on her way toward the house. I unlocked the door, allowing her inside and tucking the dark shades in my shirt pocket.
Lola walked straight through, heading toward the back. I moved behind her, keeping my distance but close enough I could catch her subtle breath sounds as she gathered a sense of where she’d be staying. “This is extraordinary. I love the beach, anything about the ocean. I could enjoy living in a place like this even if I had nothing to my name.”
She seemed to catch herself, as if allowing me any insight into her world was forbidden. I made mental note and in truth, I agreed with her. This was my sanctuary.
“I was lucky to find this place. In an irony I’m certain you will find amusing, the house was seized by the local police in a raid. Drug lords previously owned it. The home had been broken into several times, furnishings stolen or destroyed. Took me months of two week at a time visits to even get the place livable.” I don’t know why I shared the experience, other than what I’d been able to accomplish meant something to me.
The line of floor-to-ceiling doors allowed for a magnificent view of the ocean. Even though the house had been in disarray when I purchased it, abandoned for almost two years, the view had captivated me the instant I walked inside. Sunlight streamed in, creating a wave of color. I could easily see from where I was standing that the local I’d hired to take care of the place had done an excellent job.
“Whoever you hired is an amazing craftsman or woman,” she stated as she rose onto her tiptoes, trying to look over the deck railing.
“You can go anywhere that you’d like. Explore. The doors open all the way. You will find your bedroom down the hall. I had Maceo pick up a few things for you. You may want to consider changing.” I backed away, an odd feeling settling in. Perhaps her condemnation of my efforts had given me that split second of self-doubt. “And I did the work myself. I only hired an electrician.” I walked away, my heels clipping on the terra cotta tile. I certainly wasn’t going to allow her to see me flinch.
Maceo Consuelos was trustworthy as well as kind and had become perhaps one of the few men I considered a friend. I’d been lucky to find him and he rarely asked questions and certainly never judged my activities or aspects of my life. He’d stocked the refrigerator and the cabinets, including the purpose of various wines and liquors. Whatever I’d said to him in haste, he’d determined I was bringing someone special with me, which I’d never done before. The selection of food and wine most would consider sensual. I had to give the man credit. He was a hopeless romantic. I could only hope he’d heeded my other instructions with such excellent taste.
I popped the snaps on the holster, easing the leather straps away before placing the entire unit on the counter. I had other guns secured inside my vault, a location even Maceo wasn’t aware of. There was plenty of firepower if necessary. I only hoped that wouldn’t be the case.
I felt a wafting of the breeze and turned to find she’d gone outside and down the set of stairs leading to the pool. I walked out on the deck and leaned over the railing, taking a deep whiff. I’d missed being here, hearing the crashing waves at night, the scent of the ocean. Even the incredible and very colorful landscape, abundant fruit trees and flowering shrubs seemed more luscious than I’d remembered. I snorted at the thought.
From where I was standing, I could almost see the setting through her eyes, the way her hand fluttered over various flower petals, retrieving a fallen orange from the ground and sniffing. I even heard her sound of joy seeing the water tumbling over the rocks at the end of the lagoon-style pool, the zero edge design taking the water within a few feet of the cliff.
This was a perfect romantic getaway, secluded and private, as well as secure. I shook my head, the realization that we would never be completely safe entering my mind. The reality of my impetuous decision to bring her here, to leave while two high-powered deals were on the table could be one of the last decisions I made. So be it.
Lola’s laugh of happiness brought me back to the moment, to the woman who gave me a reason to find the greater good, even in myself. When she turned and tipped her head, her eyes searching as if trying to find me, I realized I was holding my breath. Even the way the sunlight created a halo of gold surrounding her was mesmerizing.
She shielded her eyes and I knew she’d found me, the expression of utter joy fading as if her own reality set in.
There was a moment of connection between us, a tethering that grew with time for no explainable reason. And I could feel her sadness creeping in, distraught over what had occurred and the deal she’d made. As I walked back inside, I couldn’t help but wonder if that could ever change.
I opened a bottle of wine, leaving it on the counter, a second glass beside it and headed for the deck. She had no understanding of the kind of man she was with, of the implied contract she’d agreed to. She’d seen only a glimpse of the monster I’d been bred as, molded into. The perfect killer with no conscience for anyone or anything. Yes, I spouted off being legitimate, a consummate businessman, but no pretty office furniture or number of employees could lift me from the curse of my family. There was nowhere to run away from what was a damning legacy. I lifted my glass toward the waning sun, toasting my asshole father for what he’d managed to create.
Tossing my shoes, I walked toward the other set of stairs, winding its way then leading directly down to the beach and slowly moved onto the cool sand, which slid between my toes evocatively. Barely a hundred yards away was an embankment of craggy rocks leading into the ocean, a steep rise to the landscaped area surrounding the house. The beach was a beautiful and sensual slice of paradise. I hadn’t been here in months. Business had been far too time consuming, exhausting and over half a year had gone by in a flash. And what did I have to show for it? Nothing that would matter in another six months. I had no legacy to leave behind, no important state of being that would be admired or respected.
I had to come to terms with the fact that Bishop Enterprises was a fake, a glorified front for violent crime. Who had I been kidding? I stood for several minutes, enjoying the sunset, longing to have her by my side. Then I sensed her presence and bit back a smile. Where would this night take us?
“How did you know my size?” Lola asked quietly as she walked slightly in front of me, digging her toes into the wet sand.
She’d changed into an island-style dress, light and flowing, yet just as seductive as the woman who wore it. In her hand was a glass of wine. A small accomplishment at least. “I just knew. Did you find everything satisfactory?”
“Said like a true businessman. Everything was indeed satisfactory, Jagger. Maceo?”
I nodded, half whispering my answer. “He has true tastes and seven sisters and no brothers. I figured if anyone knew what women liked, he’d be my man.”
She giggled then slapped her hand across her mouth, stopping the sound, then giggled again. “Poor guy. I would no doubt slit my own wrists if I had seven sisters.”
I laughed with her. “He’s been with me since I bought the place, chiding me for my American ways. He’s a good guy and I’m happy to have him in my employ.”
“He takes care of the house?”
“Yes. I’ve often told him that he should stay here while I’m gone, but he refuses. He prefers to live in his village, taking care of his extended family.” I took a sip of wine.
“He sounds wonderful to have.”
“I admire him more than the majority of men I’ve met. He has true honor.” The words were easy to say, at least to Lola. “Few men do.”
“You include yourself on that list with no honor?”
“The question of the a
fternoon. You asked me if I had honor before we left. The simple truth is that I’m no longer certain; however, I will keep my promise regarding the deal with your father’s company at all costs.” There was no reason to lie, no desire to hide anything from her. I’d become what I’d hated all those years ago when I was the boy in the bathroom with a beautiful young lady.
Lola took careful steps toward me, keeping the hair out of her eyes when she spoke. “Then why don’t you accept the man inside?”
I was forced to think about her question. “What do you think you see?”
She inched even closer. “You can’t hide from everyone around you, Jagger, especially yourself. You fight a war because you don’t know any better or how to break the damning cycle. There’s more to you inside than anger and violence. There’s a light I can see, only for seconds at a time, but it’s there, clawing at your seams, begging to be set free.”
Even the way she issued the proclamation gave me the chills. She was picking at those seams, pulling the thin thread in order to find a way inside. And as usual, I bristled. “You don’t know anything about me, sunshine. Nothing. Don’t presume to think you do because I’ll wreck your world.” The sound coming from my throat was a vicious growl, a warning to stay away. Fucking Christ. I was pathetic. “We will go to dinner. Then you will please me.” My entire body was stiff as I dismissed her, taking long strides toward the house.
Lola raced past, stopping short and tossing the rest of the wine in my face. “You bastard. You call me out on the fact I ran away from my life because I was trying to keep my father’s honor intact inside my heart. But you are the one hiding behind a mask of steel, refusing to allow anyone inside. You’re going to end up a lonely old man with no one who cares about you. No one.”
I was shaking, maddened by the statement she’d used to provoke me, the wretched concept of truth. I grabbed and yanked her wrist, pulling her against me with such vehemence the wind was knocked out of her. Towering over her, my breath coming in heated pants, I struggled to find anything to rebut her damning words. There was nothing. “Listen here, princess.”
“Please don’t call me princess.” Lola wrapped her hand around my neck, rising onto her tiptoes as she crushed her mouth against mine, dropping the glass by my feet.
Shocked, I was unable to react, my heart racing, my pulse quickening. As my glass tumbled from my fingers, falling softly onto the sand, the spell was broken, the dam unleashed. Thrusting my arms around her, I lifted her off the sand, the kiss becoming a wild telling of desperate need shared between us.
She wrapped her legs around mine as she dug her fingers around my shirt, kneading and caressing, moaning into the heated passion.
Everything was frantic—the touch, the kiss, the way our bodies clung to each other. Our tongues entwined, teeth gnashing together, her body shaking, my blood pumping. There was no stopping the burning fire.
As I carried her toward the house, the cage door holding the monster wide open, an unsettling realization found its way into the back of my mind.
Her life was in danger and I would kill anyone who tried to hurt her.
Including my father.
Chapter Seven
Lola
He raped you, or did you already forget, you worthless bitch?
Except he hadn’t. I’d goaded him, even allowing him to see my most inner desires, my darkest wishes. There was no way to lie about it. I’d hungered for his fingers brushing against my skin. I’d longed to have his lips devouring mine, his tongue filling my mouth. I’d craved his cock thrusting deep inside, taking me, filling me. There just wasn’t a way I could deceive myself any longer.
I wanted Jagger.
All of him. His faults. His anger. His deceptions. His brutality.
I. Wanted. Him.
There. I’d snarled at the ugly inner voice, the stupid little girl inside who still believed in fairy tales and unicorns. There were no happy endings, no white picket fences. There was only the reality that we were both lost souls, praying, even begging for some level of salvation.
As the kiss continued, his lips exploring, tasting me, I shuddered in his arms. I felt so small, so absolutely helpless in a way I hadn’t experienced, yet in this vulnerable state, I also felt empowered. Excitement surged from deep inside, encapsulating every cell in my body, filling my soul with a fire threatening to explode. In his arms was exactly where I belonged.
Jagger walked up the long flight of stairs, standing on the deck as he licked around my mouth, dragging the tip of his tongue across the seam, his breath skipping. I could even feel the beating of his heart, could tell his pulse was racing by the tightness in his neck. He nodded toward the ocean, his eyes glassing over. “That is what forever means.”
With that, he stormed inside, heading down the same hallway I’d walked only fifteen minutes before, shocked to find a bedroom full of feminine dresses, all so beautiful in design and creation. Drawers were filled with lacy bras and underwear, nightgowns meant for a queen, and lingerie of the kind only found in Paris. Jagger had thought of everything, filling the fantasy with tangibles that might ease my pain.
The dichotomy of the man left me in a foggy state, the desire mixing with innate fear. But I was here in this stunning tropical location and we were very much alone to explore and enjoy.
At least for now.
The thought lingered as he eased me down onto my feet, his thumb and forefinger gripping my chin, digging in until I whined from the hint of pain. He shook his head and a single bead of sweat dropped just under my eye, trickling ever so slowly down my cheek.
“Tell me what you desire, Lola.” He fisted my hair, his fingers rubbing, gripping, and pulling back until he exposed my neck.
“I...” The words were stuck in my throat, squashed under the knowledge that this would forever change my world, and perhaps his life.
“Tell me!” The demand was harsh, almost bitter and full of raging hunger. When I didn’t respond quickly enough, he thrust his hand under my dress, snagging and ripping away the slender thong as if the material was no hold against his dark cravings. As if there was no barrier that would keep him from me.
My legs were shaking, adding to the chill sweeping up and down the length of my body and the second he slid two fingers inside my already wet pussy, I moaned. I was unashamed at the blatant need filling my system.
“Tell. Me,” he whispered in my ear before blowing air across the base of my earlobe and the top of my neck. “Every detail of what you want me to do to you.”
I gripped his arms, leaning toward him, only his hold on my hair keeping me from getting any closer.
He drove his fingers deep inside, taking his time slipping them all the way in and pulling out, repeating as I panted, arching my back, my legs wobbling. “I will do this for hours, never letting you come if you don’t tell me.”
“Jagger, I...” His thumb pushed against my clit, rubbing back and forth then swirling in a lazy circle, taking the last of my breath. I closed my eyes, the whimpers scattered. He brought me to the brink, the orgasm so close. I was lost in the forbidden moment, my body reacting in wild abandon. “Yes, I... I...” I suddenly felt nothing. No pleasure, no pressure. Emptiness. I struggled to open my eyes, to focus.
“No.” He pulled his hand from under my dress, twisting his fingers in front of my face. “Bad girls who don’t follow the rules will never get to come. Do you understand?”
“Jagger.”
A darkened shadow fell across his face and he shoved his slickened fingers into my mouth, deep enough to gag me. “Suck on them, sunshine.”
I obeyed without question, wrapping my hand around his wrist, savoring the juice sliding down my throat, licking his fingers clean. And all the while, I remained in the intense fog. I should feel utter shame. Humiliation should consume me.
But it wasn’t.
Why was my desire so blatant, burning to the very core of my soul?
“Do you want me to fuck you here? To stick my co
ck deep into your mouth?”
There was no way I could answer as I licked and sucked, tasting my own juice.
Narrowing his eyes, he used the same hand to wrap around my throat, his thumb rubbing back and forth. “You will learn to obey me without question, without hesitation. You will learn that I am your master now and always.” He took a staggering step backward, brushing his fingers under his nose, inhaling. “Remove your dress.”
Every nerve was standing on end, yet I did as I was told. Jagger’s eyes were full of determination, shimmering with the drunken power that he wielded over me, leaving me hot and wet.
A single growl pushed past his lips as he removed his shirt, tossing it aside. “You will tell me.” The single stride was all he needed to sit on the end of the bed, yanking me over his lap. He parted my legs then shoved his fingers back inside my pussy, two then three, flexing them open as he thrust in and out.
“Oh, God. Yes, sir.” The action was a taste of heaven and I wiggled my hips against the bulge in his pants, humping him like a bad little girl in a feeding frenzy.
“Wet and hot. You’re hungry.” The whisper was hoarse, his plunges becoming slower. And slower.
Then stopping altogether.
“Tell me what you want.”
The split second of hesitation brought a series of hard spanks against my ass, his hand peppering one after the other. The slapping sound floated between us, mixing with my sharp cries. I threw my hand back in an involuntary manner, panting as the pain increased.
Jagger growled as he bent my arm, holding it in place in order to give me several additional and even harder smacks.
Then stopping altogether.
I was whimpering and whining at the same time, the extreme pleasure mixing with a hint of agony driving my senses haywire.
His fingers found their way into my cunt once again, thrusting in an even rhythm, going as deep as his fingers would allow.
