by Stone, Piper
“Yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yes, sir,” she said through gritted teeth.
I issued a single nod of approval and took a step down, hissing under my breath. Goddamn this shit. The single glance over my shoulder gave me all the courage I needed. The woman I’d fallen hard for would leave this island very much alive.
As for me? I no longer gave a shit.
* * *
Lola
Two months later
“Santa Claus is on the roof. He mentioned you were a very naughty girl this year. You’re getting switches and paddles.”
“That’s great.” I vaguely heard Emily’s words. When they finally sank in, I gave her a nasty glare, fighting to keep from shooting my middle finger in her direction. There were far too many customers in the store. “Christmas is two months away, thank you very much. Still time to slide onto that good girl list.” I clicked off the television, shuddering as usual at seeing the news. The reports were infrequent now that the initial bloodshed had been reduced to a minimum. I almost laughed at my own thought. I had no sensitivity to the stories, the gory newscasts. Chicago was a long way away.
“Not gonna happen.” Grinning, Emily wagged her finger. “Honey, you need to stop watching that crap.”
That crap was the latest news regarding the Calduchi organization. The bloodbath had ended, several lives lost but as far as I could tell, Jagger had been protected from any level of prosecution. There was little if any information regarding the man I’d fallen in love with. The only update had been a package with a PO Box, returning the items I’d left in his car in Chicago. I had no way of knowing if he was even still alive. I’d also made contact with his attorney, but that had been over a month before. “Yeah, I know.”
She sidled next to me, keeping her voice low. “I know you care about this guy, but you need to move on. A dangerous criminal? Jesus, girl.”
“You don’t know him, Em. Jagger was...” How could I actually finish the sentence with a good conscience? The man was a calculating monster at best.
“Right. Whatever you say,” she huffed. “You have a life here. Business is booming. You have everything you’ve ever wanted and you’re safe.”
Safe was another word that I’d learn to accept. There’d been no strangers snooping around, no dark cars following me. After the first month, I’d stopped looking over my shoulder. The news that Jagger’s brother was still alive must have been quite a shock. I had no clue whether he’d lied to me or if he’d been told a story himself. I had my thoughts, as if they mattered. “I know.”
“When are you going to fill me in on all the luscious details, by the way?” Emily’s grin was almost infectious, forcing me to smile.
“Maybe this weekend over a bottle of wine, employee of mine.” I gave her an authoritative look.
She held up her hands. “Fine. Be a bitchy boss. I don’t care. I’m having a blast working here. I also have a date for Friday night.” Her eyes sparkled.
“You mean...” My bestie had almost every single male in the place asking her out. For me, I couldn’t even tolerate the idea of dating at this point. I was still in limbo, shocked from the scene out the plane window just seconds before the jet took off—and not for Chicago. At first, I’d thought he’d been shot, but he simply ran away, never having intended on coming back to the States. At least with me. He’d duped me, making certain his buddy found someone going to the lower Eastern half of the United States, the plane landing in Atlanta. From there, I’d rented a car in order to come home. He wanted me to forget about him.
But that was impossible.
You need to hate him. You need to get that asshole out of your mind.
Easier said than done.
“Yes, Jeff is taking me to some fancy restaurant,” Emily said as she fanned her face.
A single shiver trickled down my spine thinking about our first night together, the incredible tropical restaurant and the dance. Jagger could never know what kind of lasting effect he had on me. “Good for you. I’m glad.”
“You need an intervention and fast. Isn’t the tattoo you’re going to have for the rest of your life enough?” She shook her head, an expression of absolute disdain.
My hand inadvertently went to the area just above my hip. “I didn’t know you’d seen it.”
“Hard to miss, girlie. Noticed the sexy rose one day when you were stocking the top shelf. I figured where you’d gotten it.” Emily nudged me, trying her best to cheer me up. “Bad girl suits you.”
“A small reminder.” When I laughed, my bra shifted against my erect nipples and the recent piercings. I’d found a small shop on a whim, and after having spent a night alone reminiscing, the half bottle of wine had given me courage. I felt closer to him just having them.
“You are a hopeless romantic.”
I rolled my eyes, noticing the back door had opened, my favorite delivery driver standing with a grin on his face. “My turn to check in the wine.”
“Leaving the customers all to myself,” Emily purred.
“Don’t you dare do anything I wouldn’t do, or you’ll wind up on the naughty list.”
“Promises. Promises.”
As I walked through the store, I was happy to see just how many customers were inside on an early Friday afternoon. Business had increased by more than double in the last two months alone and since cooler weather was moving in, I had high expectations for the winter months. The hard work had kept my mind off my aching heart, even though I still felt lonelier than I had since leaving Chicago the first time.
Given what had occurred in Chi town, I’d foregone a funeral of any kind for my father, his cremated remains sent to me several weeks before. A lovely couple had purchased the house and I had a few boxes of his belongings sent to me, which I’d yet to go through. There was too much pain involved.
As far as his company? Well, I’d purposely left that in limbo. Perhaps Jagger’s handwritten addition about never seeing him again had pissed me off more than I wanted to admit. Soon, I’d be forced to deal with everything else. But in my way. That was a promise I’d made to myself. No amount of violence or fear was going to keep me from keeping my father’s legacy alive in some manner.
“Hey, Marco. You’re right on time as always.” The hulking brute was the sweetest man I’d ever met.
“Ah, pretty lady. You look particularly delicious today,” Marco said as he handed me the list of deliveries.
“Nice try and no, we’re not going out.”
“Can’t blame a guy for trying.”
I patted his shoulder as I walked to the truck, scanning every box as it was pulled from the back. “Looks like everything is in order.”
“I brought a special wine, just for you.” Marco walked toward the cab, producing a beautiful bottle, the gilded red label shimmering in the limited sun.
“Trying to buy me off?”
“Maybe. Nah. One of the distributors has their holiday wines in full production. Thought you might like to try a bottle.”
I glanced at the label and remembered drinking from the same winery with Jagger. The thought was damn depressing, but I attempted to give him a bright smile. “You’re so sweet.”
“And sexy and adorable and...” He laughed as the words trailed off. “Everything in order?”
“Perfect. Until next week.” I held the bottle against my chest, sliding it between my breasts. When the truck pulled out, I couldn’t help but roll it back and forth across my aching nipples. How I longed to have Jagger surprised seeing the piercings.
Get a damn grip.
Yeah, I needed to listen to my damning little voice. I remained outside for another five minutes before walking back in, the bottle still in my hand, heading immediately for the main counter. Next, an order of books was coming in. Then I might leave for the day. What the heck. I’d been working twelve-plus hour days since my return.
“Hey. A customer is asking for you.” Emily nodded toward the back room, my favo
rite location. I’d added more art, another bookshelf, and even a second bearskin rug. But I never spent any time in the room myself. Just seemed too intimate in many ways.
“Don’t you dare tell me you’re trying to fix me up.” I plopped the bottle on the counter and exhaled.
“Not a chance. I actually like my job.” Giggling, Emily poured two glasses of wine, grabbing a tray from under the counter. “Just wanted a word with you. Nice wine. Marco likes you.”
“Uh-huh and not a chance.” I kept the smile on my face as I made my way to the room. The customer had tugged the single leather chair directly in front of the fireplace. While there was no fire going, he sat on the edge, examining the few pieces of wood I’d placed inside for ambience.
Hair stood up on the back of my neck, my legs quivering. I blinked twice, pushing aside the ridiculous thoughts. Jagger wasn’t a hero or a white knight, prepared to drag me off into the sunset.
When I was just a few feet away, I froze. The hair was far too close a reminder of Jagger. Dark and luxurious, wavy and dangling just over the man’s collar. Couldn’t be. He wouldn’t do this. Not now. Inhaling, every beautiful memory came rushing in, forcing me to grip the back of the chair. I lost my ability to speak or think clearly, my eyes unfocused.
“The only way to have a fire is with real wood.”
His deep baritone was sultry and sensuous, the slight husk brimming with lust.
No. God. No.
“I...” The words rang in my ears, echoing over and over again. I felt dizzy, nauseous.
He rose to his feet, taking a sweeping few steps around the chair until he stood only inches away. “Hello, my sweet Lola.”
“Jagger. What are you doing here?” I wanted to hate him. Asshole. Asshole.
“I wanted to see you,” he said, scanning every inch of my body.
“Well, you have. Now get out.”
As he took my hands into his, electricity rushed into every cell, every muscle. His eyes were dancing, his lips pursed, and he was far more rugged and sexy than I remembered.
“You didn’t sign the contract.” The statement was frank. And cold.
“I have a few caveats of my own.” My heart sank. This was all about business. I tried to pull away, disturbed that he would go to this extreme. I should have known better. His grip was firm.
“Yes, my attorney told me. I’ll agree to your terms, Lola.”
“You could have had your flunky tell me that. No need to travel all the way down here. Aren’t you worried that some asshole with a machine gun will gun you down in the parking lot?” I heard the nastiness in my voice return and was thankful only two other people were in the room. This didn’t need to be town gossip.
“The same beautiful bad girl I remember.” Jagger chuckled.
I rolled my eyes, making certain he saw the exaggerated reaction. “I’m a professional businesswoman and if you want my father’s company so badly, then you must agree to my terms.”
“I’ll have my new attorney make the changes.”
“What happened to your old one? Kill him off too?” I couldn’t resist the retort.
He sighed and shook his head. “He wasn’t working in the best interest of Bishop Enterprises, a completely legitimate corporation.”
The statement was meant to provide information. I found it funny for some reason, able to laugh in his face. His smile faded.
“You’ll have the new contract within forty-eight hours.”
“Excellent. Thank you so much. You can go.” I tried to jerk my hands away, but he intertwined his fingers with mine.
“Not so fast.”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I was shaking but only partially out of anger. The audacity of this man. Fuck him. Fuck everything we shared. I hated him. Hated.
“Business is concluded, at least for now.”
“Then go!”
“As I said, not so fast,” he murmured, his lips only centimeters from mine. “You gave me your submission once.” He crowded my space, lowering his head as he continued whispering, “Now, I’ve come to take both your full submission and your heart. Forever.”
* * *
The flickering candles were everywhere, positioned on the counters and the kitchen table, giving an ambient glow to the small kitchen. My house paled in comparison to the one Jagger was considering purchasing. To think he was moving to Boone seemed surreal, but the house would merely be a second home for him. After all, he had Bishop Enterprises to take care of, including the addition of my father’s company. I’d be accompanying him during certain trips, since I held a permanent seat on the board of directors of the combined firm.
As far as danger? Well, it seemed Giovanni Calduchi, as crowned head of the family, had made certain people knew Jagger, his company, and his friends were off limits. I wanted to say I’d been shocked at the story he’d told me, his brother faking his death in order to find out who’d betrayed the entire family, but I wasn’t. I’d learned much more about the organization in the few days since Jagger had been in town and nothing was shocking. To think that his father’s attorney had been held responsible, along with key players in the Calduchi organization seemed par for the course in Jagger’s world. Correction, in his old world.
Almost five days had passed, five beautiful days and nights of passion, my body surrendering in every way, no longer fearful of the boogeyman. Whether or not Jagger would be happy spending quiet nights in Boone, where nothing ever happened fast, I wasn’t certain. But I knew the man adored me and I was ready to take another step.
I heard the sound of the door opening, his footsteps moving into the hallway, and every inch of my body was covered in goosebumps. I was positioned just as he’d requested, completely naked, wearing only the studded nipple piercings. I was on the floor, sitting on my calves, my head lowered out of respect. And this was exactly the place I wanted to be.
“My sweet submissive.” Jagger placed his hand on my head, running his fingers through my hair. The simple touch gave me tingles. I could tell he’d placed something on the table and my excitement was piqued.
“Yes, sir.”
“You look stunning.” Fisting my hair, he drew me to my feet, keeping his hold as he dropped his head, kissing my lips. He thrust his tongue inside, exploring my mouth. The taste of him was delicious, his scent more intoxicating than ever.
When he pulled away, he fingered my neck, moving aimlessly back and forth. “I have a surprise for you.”
“You do, my sir?”
“Yes, because you’ve been such a good girl lately.” He curled his lip as he slowly crawled his fingers to my nipples, issuing a low growl as he fingered the studs before pinching and twisting.
The pain was blissful. My pussy clenched, my breath skipped. I wanted his mouth and tongue to suck on both, but I sensed he had something else in mind.
Jagged eased one hand around my back, brushing the tips of his fingers around the ink. “You’ll always be my bad girl.”
“Yes.”
He smacked both ass cheeks several times before handing me a velvet box. “But I know exactly how to handle you and plan on doing so every day.” Chuckling, he spanked me several additional times before giving the go ahead to open my gift.
I eased my hand over the smooth box, enjoying the feel of the crushed material. Red in color, of course. The color of enemies. Blood. And the color of hearts. Nestled inside was a thick silver choker, a single charm dangling just below. And the inscription?
Forever my bad girl...
The End
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