Grace didn’t want to be the girl who chickened out. Her father didn’t teach her to be a coward.
“Innocence can be corrupted. Molded.”
“Into what?” she whispered.
Lucas withdrew his hand, not answering her question. “Let’s begin. The bathroom’s over there in case you need to freshen yourself up. There’s a robe for you.”
She blinked, unsure of the sudden change in events. Grace entered the bathroom and locked it behind her, breathing hard. Another surprise. The bathroom looked lavishly furnished. Marble tiles and countertop. There was a massive, claw-footed bathtub next to the shower.
Grace was right. Lucas probably brought girls here all the time. He’d paint them first then fuck them. She didn’t know why that thought excited her. This man had thoroughly researched her, had connections to the police. Lucas already knew more about her than she liked. Did he do that to all the women he invited here?
Somehow, that thought made her unexplainably jealous.
Do this for the money, she reminded herself. Lucas told her he’d pay her five thousand dollars for every session. A pretty big sum considering all she had to do was pose for him.
She took off her top, her jeans, and finally her underwear.
She stared at her reflection, at the body Steve didn’t want. Grace used to be comfortable with her body shape, but Steve constantly telling her she needed to work out and diet made her conscious of it.
She found the robe Lucas mentioned hanging on the hook behind the door and put it on. The crimson, silken fabric felt amazing on her skin, softer than anything she’d ever owned.
Unlocking the door, she found him standing in front of a blank canvas. Lucas had situated himself right in front of the couch. Next to him was a small table with a pencil and charcoals.
“Take off your robe and lie on the couch,” Lucas said, clearly an order.
Grace took a deep breath. She could do this. Be his muse. Maybe she was wrong about him wanting her after all. She shrugged off the robe and did as he asked.
“Look at me. That’s it,” Lucas said. Once again, she felt stark naked under his gaze. “Try not to move. If you need anything, tell me. There’s a bottle of water on the coffee table next to you.”
“Okay.”
“Let’s begin.”
Chapter Five
Lucas started with broad strokes of the pencil at first. He silently committed the shape of her tempting body to memory—her shapely legs, thighs, the sprinkle of red pubic hair that led to the pink folds of her pussy and those amazing tits. Lucas could imagine them bouncing while he rode her rough and hard atop his bed.
He tried to separate his art from his desire, but they were intertwined. Lucas could tell he’d scared her after he revealed what he’d dug up on her.
Why did he do that? Because he wanted her to see the real him? All the models he drew and painted before had harbored romantic notions about him. They put him on a pedestal only to soon realize that why lay underneath his mask was a monster. He didn’t blame them for running afterward, but he didn’t think Grace would scare easily. Not his woman.
Grace looked tense at first but seemed to relax after ten minutes.
“Can I take a water break?” she asked after thirty minutes.
“Go ahead.”
Lucas finished the final strokes of his rough sketch. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Grace put her robe back on and drank plenty of water. Lucas soon felt her standing by his shoulder. He usually didn’t like it when his models distracted him, but for her, he’d made an exception.
“That’s me?” Grace asked, sounding surprised.
“That’s you,” Lucas confirmed. “It’s just a rough sketch. I’ll only start painting next time.”
“How many more sessions do you think we’ll have?” she asked.
Grace hesitated. Lucas had a feeling they were about to talk shop and it seemed she was uncomfortable talking about money.
“Three more,” he said. “Why, so eager to leave already?”
Grace quickly shook her head. “Not at all.”
They already agreed on a sum beforehand. Lucas would’ve paid her more if she asked but she already sounded stunned on the phone when he told her he’d pay five thousand for a session. He knew she’d worked her ass off, paying off a mountain of student loan. It was one of the things he admired about her. Her gritty determination.
Lucas had always known he wouldn’t show this painting to the public. It would be for him to gaze at alone, just like Grace, after he decided to claim her. Own her. Make her all his.
Possession took hold of him, so did obsession.
“Lie back on the couch. I’ll start painting soon,” Lucas said.
Grace took off the robe and draped herself on the couch again. His fingers twitched to explore, to touch what rightfully belonged to him but he stopped himself and picked up his pencil instead.
Lucas worked on making his sketch come to life. Hearing a soft snore, he glanced at Grace. His muse had fallen asleep. Not wanting to wake her, Lucas drew a little longer. After half an hour, he grabbed a blanket from the bathroom and draped it over her body.
Asleep, she reminded him of an angel. Her hair spilled across one of the pillows like blood, and her cream-colored limbs peeked from under the heavy fabric, so did a hint of breasts. He wanted to take one of those dusk-colored nipples into his mouth and suck on them before making his way to the rest of her body. Lucas could already see himself parting her legs and pressing his face to the crevice between her legs.
His pants already felt tight and his dick pushed against the zipper of his jeans. Uttering a frustrated groan, Lucas settled for pressing a quick kiss to her mouth. Tonight, he’d be a gentleman. He promised himself that, but next time, he would no longer control the savage that lived inside his skin. The beast that wanted to claim her in every possible way.
“Lucas?” she murmured. Her eyelids fluttered.
“Hush. It’s okay. Take a short nap.”
Lucas returned to his position behind the canvas and continued his work. He envisioned Grace lying on his bed in his apartment. Lucas never invited women to his private space, his sanctuary, but he could see Grace on his bed. She’d be naked, her sweet body bearing his marks and his cum drying between her breasts.
Soon, he told himself. Lucas looked at his muse again and decided he wanted to do a sketch of her sleeping as well. He grabbed his sketchbook from the other room and proceeded to draw in a feverish pitch.
****
Grace stirred from pleasant dreams. Erotic ones involving a certain dangerous artist. She opened her eyes, unsure of where she was for a second. It took her a second to realize she had no clothes on and someone had dropped a very comfy and heavy blanket over her. She turned to her side, face burning as she realized where she was.
Lucas’s studio.
His entire attention was on his canvas, though. Good. She wondered if she did anything embarrassing while she slept. Her nipples felt like hard points and Grace’s pussy was wet from her dream.
“So sorry I fall asleep,” she murmured, sitting up.
“It’s fine. I’m just doing some finishing touches on this sketch.”
“You don’t need me to hold that pose anymore?”
“Not for tonight.” Lucas finally set his pencil down.
Grace stood up, wrapping the blanket around her waist.
“There’s no need to hide yourself from me. I’ve seen all of you and every inch of you is beautiful. Glorious.”
She blushed. Lucas said those words matter-of-fact, with a confidence that stunned her.
“Um. Thank you.” She noticed Lucas had a sketchbook on the table next to him. “So, we’re done here?”
Lucas checked his watch. “It’s nearly midnight. I should call you a cab.”
“That’s—”
“I insist.”
“Okay. I’ll change.” Grace headed to the bathroom to change back to her old clothes. She c
ouldn’t believe she’d fallen asleep. How unprofessional. Even if she just worked a shift at the diner, she should manage to remain awake for a few hours.
Once dressed, she headed outside. Lucas waited for her.
“The cab driver will be here in five minutes,” Lucas told her.
She took a peek at his canvas, amazed to see herself done up in pencil. His drawing was starting to come to life. Grace couldn’t wait to see Lucas apply paint to it.
“Do you want something to eat, drink while we wait?” Lucas asked. He led her back to the other room and to the front door.
“I’m good.” Grace paused. “I’m really sorry. I don’t usually take naps. Before coming here, I had a shift at the diner. I didn’t realize how tired I was. It won’t happen again.”
“It’s good to have naps every now and then. Like I said, it’s not a problem.” Lucas shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He looked so handsome, leaning against the wall. Grace could also smell the cologne he used.
The good girl in her told her to just walk out of here and take her cab. The new part of her, the one that agreed to be an erotic artist’s model, wanted something else. Grace couldn’t end the night like this.
“Will you kiss me again?” The words were out before she could stop herself.
Lucas didn’t answer her. It seemed like he’d been waiting for her to ask that question all night. He merely ran his fingers up her arm and shoulder, then closed them over the back of her neck, inviting no escape. Then his mouth was on hers. The kiss was all savagery and no finesse. Lucas descended on her like a hungry wolf.
She yielded to him, liking the press of his hard body against her soft curves. Her back hit the door. He thrust heat down her throat, and she let out a muffled moan. Grace gripped his shoulders, craving more, but Lucas took a step back.
Unapologetic hunger blazed in his eyes ago.
“You taste even better than I remembered,” he told her.
“Why did you stop?” Grace panted, feeling her nipples hardening under her clothes.
“Because I can’t control myself when I’m around you. Beg me to kiss you again and I’ll do more.”
“More?” Grace knew she should walk away. Maybe that dream she had of him still remained fresh in her mind.
“I might just strip those garments off you and fuck you against that door.”
No one had ever spoken to her like that before. It thrilled her to bits. Grace realized one word from her, and he could do just that. She clenched her thighs together, well aware of the heat between her legs.
“I don’t usually come onto guys like this, or beg them to kiss me,” she blurted. “You have this effect on me. It scares me a little.”
“There’s no reason to be scared of me, Grace. You’re the one woman in the world I’ll kill to protect.” Lucas leaned in close and kissed her again, this time soft, tenderly. Then they heard the honk of a car below the street. Lucas pulled away. “Let’s not keep the cabbie waiting.”
Chapter Six
Lucas stood on the street and watched Grace’s cab speed away. He knew Lonnie, the driver. Lonnie worked for the Familia and he knew Lonnie would bring his woman safely home. All at once, his chest felt empty. His dick ached.
He couldn’t erase the image of Grace when he’d told her what exactly he wanted to do to her. Her eyes had been wide but if he pressed his ear against her left breast, he bet he’d hear her racing heart. She wanted it as much as he did. Wanted him. Unlike the other woman he’d been with before, Lucas didn’t need to pretend with Grace. He didn’t need to be gentle.
When he told her he knew her, she didn’t believe him, but he’d seen the hunger in her eyes, had caught a glimpse of the darkness there. Lucas’s phone rang in his back pocket of his jeans. What were the chances it was Grace, calling to wish him a good night?
Lucas answered the call without seeing who the caller was.
“Lucas, I know I shouldn’t be calling you anymore, but I need help.”
At that familiar voice, Lucas swore.
“Leo,” he said, unsurprised.
Leo used to work under him before, back when Lucas had been a lieutenant for the Severin Familia. Lucas couldn’t say no to the kid because he’d been in charge of training Leo himself, had taught Leo all the ropes. The kid. He still called Leo that despite Leo hitting his twenty-second birthday two months ago.
He put the phone away from his ear, finger ready to hit the end call icon on his phone, but Lucas hesitated. This wasn’t the first time Leo phoned him for help. He looked at the empty street, where Grace’s cab had disappeared only minutes ago.
When Lucas quit his other profession, he told himself he wouldn’t live his life straight, but he remembered his conversation with Matthias. He understood what his cousin was telling him. For men like them, it wasn’t easy to walk away.
Leo called him for only one possible reason—because the kid screwed up again. Leo probably didn’t want to advertise that to the Familia. It didn’t have to be him. Lucas could tell Leo to look for help elsewhere, but Matthias also nailed one thing right. Lucas couldn’t just abandon family and he always had a soft spot for the kid.
“What’s the situation?” he asked Leo with a heavy sigh.
He could almost hear the kid’s palpable relief through the phone. “Messy situation. I don’t know what to do. I forgot to bring the stuff.”
In other words, Leo had a body he didn’t know how to dispose of.
“Text me your address,” he said.
“Thank you, Lucas. I owe you one for this.”
“Leo? This has to be the last time. You have to promise me,” he said.
“I promise.”
Leo ended the call. Lucas headed back to his studio. He opened the closet door. Art supplies and spare canvases greeted him, but it wasn’t those he was after. Lucas kicked aside the carpet at his feet to reveal a trap door. He opened it, revealing a steel box. Inside it were tools of his old trade.
Lucas grabbed an extra gun and ammo clips, then fumbled around the hole for another bag, one filled with cleaning supplies. He dumped those in a small black duffel back. Lucas grabbed a jacket on his way out.
****
“It takes a while, but it gets the job done,” Lucas told Leo. The kid furiously typed more notes on his phone.
They watched the body disintegrate in the plastic container. He took off his disposable gloves and threw them in the trash. It was sweltering in the rental storage unit and the chemical stink made Lucas wrinkle his nose.
“Let’s wait outside,” Lucas said.
He opened the door, relieved to feel the kiss of the cold night air on his face. He looked left, then right. No one in sight. Exactly the reason why he chose this place. He’d never seen anyone in the middle of the night during the five years he’d been renting a unit here. Lucas reached for his pack of smokes and lit one. He offered another to Leo who shook his head.
“Trying to quit,” Leo told him.
“Good for you.” Lucas put the cigarette to his lips and blew out smoke.
He felt tired. Even though he was only in his mid-thirties, Lucas felt like a much older man. Doing this kind of shit eventually wore down a man’s conscience until killing became inconsequential. He hated feeling this way.
A woman like Grace deserved a better man, not someone who didn’t have his shit together.
“This can’t happen again.” Lucas sounded like a repetitive tape recorder. This time, he meant it, he told himself. “Have you forgotten what I’ve taught you?”
“Always be careful. Have a back-up plan,” Leo quoted.
“That’s right.” Lucas finished his smoke and went for a second one.
“I’m really sorry, Lucas. I panicked, that’s all. I thought the cops would be on my tail.”
“You got to find someone else the next time you screw up. Ryker or Matthias.”
Leo paled. “I can’t. Those two scare me.”
“I can’t cover for you forev
er. I’m done with all this,” Lucas said, nodding to the storage unit. He certainly never imagined using this place again. You still kept leasing it, a nasty voice inside him whispered. Just in case of an emergency.
“How’s that working for you? Once you get in, you can never get out.”
Lucas clenched his jaw. The next thing he knew, he fisted Leo’s shirt and shoved him hard against the container walls. Leo grew still, eyes wide with fear as Lucas drew out his gun from his belt and pointed it at the side of Leo’s head. The kid didn’t even realize what had happened.
“You fucking mouthing off to me?” Lucas demanded.
Leo should have never reached out to him. Lucas could’ve also refused.
“Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
Lucas silently counted to ten in his head. His anger cooled. Leashing his temper, he released Leo and sheathed his weapon. What the hell? He had more control than this. Shame then guilt hit him. Letting out his frustrations on Leo? What was happening to him?
First Donny, and now this. In the end, someone from the Castello Family paid for that scum’s bail. Lucas wished he’d ended that fucker right there in the gallery, but he didn’t just hold himself back for Grace’s sake.
Lucas also had his career to think of. A dead body found at one of his art exhibits. That would certainly generate plenty of press. Those leeches would have a field day, digging into his past. Eventually, some smartass would uncover his real identity. Lucas could kiss goodbye to his career as an artist.
“You were the one who said those words to me,” Leo grumbled, sounding sullen.
Lucas said nothing for a few moments.
“I miss working under you. That’s all. You’re a much better boss than Lorenzo.”
Lucas didn’t make a comment. Cleaning up after his kill had never been an enjoyable part of his job. Minutes, then hours ticked by. Leo smartly didn’t bring up the topic again.
He checked his watch. “Let’s wrap this up. I want to get some sleep.”
After dumping the remains of the body in the sewers, Lucas headed back to his apartment. Needing to take the stink of the dead man off him, he took a long and hot shower.
Mafia Claimed (Severin Family Book 3) Page 3
