by Stone, Piper
There could be no man.
There would never be another lover.
He knew it as if we’d been destined for each other.
Now he required not only my acceptance but my surrender.
“Only you can break free of the steel you wrapped around your heart,” he continued, the tip of a single finger swirling around one of my already hardened nipples.
“Oh...” Stars floated in front of my eyes as he made exaggerated moves, encircling my hardened point over and over again. When he pinched my nipple roughly, I gasped, the roar of electricity so unexpected. “I... Oh, God.”
“That is, release the woman from her prison, the one who I shared raw passion with.” His eyes flashed, a smile curling on his upper lip as he moved to my other breast, repeating the move.
I couldn’t take my eyes off him, the chiseled jawline, the aristocratic nose, and his beautiful honey-colored skin. He was perfection, except he was hiding behind his own mask, one forged from anger and retaliation. When he twisted my nipple, the pain became a wash of building excitement, every nerve standing on end.
Leaning over, he blew from one hardened bud to the other before darting his tongue around only once. He slowly dragged his fingers down my stomach, becoming more aggressive, his nails digging into my skin.
My breathing became ragged, my eyes foggy as he encircled my belly button. I heard the growl coming from the base of his throat, the sound primitive and barbaric. I realized I’d opened my legs as if beckoning for him, my hunger refusing to be denied.
“You’re wet for me,” he said in a dark and dangerous tone.
The words stuck in my throat, but I knew my body could tell no lies. I was enraptured with every stroke, the magic of his fingers.
“You’re hungry for me,” he added, his touch now little more than a breathless whisper as he rolled the tips over my swollen folds.
I was almost gasping, so wet and hot that I couldn’t think straight. “Yes.”
“Mmmm... So sweet. So obedient now.” He cocked his head as he ran the trail down my leg. Then his ravaging beast rushed to the surface, his actions more like the predator I knew him to be. As he crawled in between my legs, he pushed them up and out, pinning them against the bed.
“Oh, my...” I shifted my hand over my face as he lowered his head. The same breath of hot air was entirely different, setting my body on fire, every muscle and tendon seared. The moment his tongue darted around my clit, I shot up from the bed, issuing a strangled moan.
He was nothing but a savage as he pressed his face into my wetness, shaking his head back and forth in rapid motions. The sounds he made were sexual, primal, and ripped away every last shred of humanity.
I wanted him, the attraction far too intense. I slid my hands down to my knees, blatantly holding my legs wide open. When he issued a husky guttural sound, I quivered once again, falling into an abyss of pleasure.
He dragged his tongue up and down my pussy, lapping my cream, driving me into a state of madness. I took several deep breaths, trying to maintain my position, tossing my head back and forth. When he pushed a finger past my swollen folds, I jerked up, blinking several times.
His gaze was heated, dominating in every manner. He thrust a second and third finger inside, flexing them open as he nipped my clit.
All I could do was pant, fighting the orgasm that was ready to pull me into ecstasy.
“Not yet, little girl. Not yet. Now, keep your eyes closed,” he muttered before sucking my tender tissue in his mouth, plunging in rapid motions.
I did everything I could, trying to obey him, my body refusing to oblige. The tingling sensations were like a burst of white-hot heat, the caustic vibrations forcing my body to spasm. When he removed his fingers, I gripped the comforter, yanking in my effort to remain a good little girl. There was no advance notice of the pain as he slapped my pussy with the belt, the smacking sound filtering into my ears.
“Oh, fuck. Oh...” He delivered four more then immediately pressed his face once again into my wetness, licking in a way that nearly shattered my last resolve. I was on a different plane, every aspect of what he was doing surreal.
Miguel repeated the action, giving me four quick slaps of the belt then burying his head. When he resumed driving his fingers as deep inside as possible, I knew I couldn’t hold back.
I jerked up once again with a strangled scream, every part of me shaking as the orgasm tore through me like a tidal wave. I could no longer breathe or think, my mind and both rattled from the intensity.
He pulled all the way back, licking and nipping my inner thighs. The second he smacked my pussy with his hand, moving in rapid motions, the single climax turned into a wave, shifting into every muscle and tendon.
“Oh, God. Yes. Yes!” I continued shaking as the climax roared.
Only when I stopped trembling did he ease back, another raspy growl pushing past his lips. “You need training, my sweet. You aren’t allowed to come without my permission.”
I had no coherent words to say, my mind blank and my body exhausted.
He eased back from the bed, dragging his tongue across his lips.
The carnal look on his face was sexy as hell, his once perfect hair now disheveled. I couldn’t take my eyes off him as he studied me, as if contemplating exactly what he wanted to do. When he held out his hand, I crawled onto my knees, uncertain of what to expect.
Miguel wasn’t a patient man and he certainly wasn’t used to asking twice for what he wanted. He grabbed my hand, tugging me off the bed. While he wasn’t as forceful as I would have expected, perhaps worrying about my ankle, he was certainly commanding in every manner.
He pushed me against the thick all-glass door, pulling one hand over my head then the other. As he moved my hair over one shoulder, he leaned in, the whisper deliciously sexy. “What do you see?”
“Loneliness.” I heard the glitch in his breathing and knew my answer had surprised me.
“Interesting, I see life, the waves an indication of how wind and rain, sun and moon can affect the tide in several ways. You never know what to expect, but it’s always breathtaking.”
I was stunned by his words, scintillated by the way he ground his hips back and forth, the feel of his throbbing cock sending another shower of electricity into my system. How could one man have this kind of effect on me? How could one beautiful bastard free me from my sins? I could see his reflection in the bright moon, his dazzling eyes taking on a haunted look. As he kicked my legs apart, blowing a swath of hot air across my neck, I slapped my palms against the glass.
He wasted no additional time, unfastening his trousers. I watched as they slid past his carved hips until the glorious feel of his naked cock pushing up against my bruised ass was nothing short of nirvana.
“Now, I fuck you.”
This time, the sex wasn’t about romance or even the darkness of forbidden passion. This was all about establishing another line of control. I was his for the taking. I pushed out my hips as he slid the tip of his cock up and down the crack of my ass, his breathing becoming ragged.
I realized I was holding my breath as he slid his cockhead just past my swollen and aching folds, pushing his way inside. I wanted his naked body against mine almost desperately, longing to share long hours of making love.
But that had nothing to do with us or with the man holding my hips. I simply widened my stance even more, arching my back as he thrust the entire length of his cock inside.
“Fuck!” His roar seemed to echo, the deep baritone like smooth velvet riding over every inch of my skin. His grip became tighter as he rolled onto the balls of his feet, plunging in and out slowly at first, allowing me a shower of sensations to ripple down my spine to my legs.
Then he became his beast, fucking me with wild abandon, the force pushing me against the glass. There was nothing like the sound of his skin smacking against mine or the wildness of his actions.
I let go, no longer thinking, just rocking with him as he fucke
d me.
His actions became more savage, his fingers digging into me. There was no way he was ever letting me go.
The glass was fogged, a match for my rattled mind as the fucking continued, every plunge harder than the one before, his actions like a wild animal in heat. I could sense his muscles tensing, could tell he was close to coming.
My heart racing, the only control I had was my ability to squeeze. The moment I did, his entire body began to shake, a deep rumble erupting from his mouth.
“Yes!” He threw his head back, gasping for air, his cock throbbing inside me. After a few seconds, he folded his body over mine, intertwining our fingers together.
I took deep breaths of my own as I leaned my head against the cool glass, the adrenaline rush incredible.
“You have no idea what you do to me, woman,” he muttered, his lips vibrating against my neck.
For a few precious seconds, I could feel his armor falling away, allowing me to see a tiny glimpse of the man inside. I knew that everyone had two sides, light and darkness, but he was so very complicated.
As if a timer was going off, he broke the sweet connection, taking a long stride away from me. He simply yanked up his pants, sliding his cock inside.
I couldn’t react, had no idea what I should or shouldn’t say to him.
He raked his fingers through his hair before speaking. “If you feel up to it, please join me in the kitchen. You’ll find some things in the bathroom that I purchased. As I said, you will be going shopping with one of my trusted soldiers tomorrow.”
I don’t know what I’d expected but the cold, calculating demeanor only minutes after... Hell, I wasn’t certain what to call the experience. I could only nod, waiting until he’d walked out of the room before slumping against the door. Asshole.
Another cold shiver trickled down my legs as I walked toward the bathroom. Merely turning on the light presented another pleasant surprise. A bathroom fit for a queen. I ran my fingers over the beautiful marble fixtures, taken aback by how open yet how secluded the entire room seemed to be. When I noticed the closet, I hesitated before opening the two doors. There was very little inside with the exception of beautiful lingerie in several dazzling colors.
There was no doubt that they were expensive, the silk like spun gold. The moment I eased into a robe, tying the sash, I became the bought woman owned by one ruthless man. I took tentative steps toward the mirror, half expecting my reflection would terrify me.
Instead, my glowing skin brought a smile to my face and I had no idea why. The lightheaded feeling remained as I left the room, doing everything I could to compose myself. While I realized he would attempt to grill me, I was the one who needed answers.
I found him staring at his cabinets, as if he’d never noticed them before. The beautiful music coming from unseen speakers was classical, another surprise or perhaps he was trying to appease me. Either way, his swings in emotions and actions left an ugly pit in my stomach.
A bottle of wine had been opened, two goblets half filled. Red, my favorite, although right now all I could think of was the color of blood.
He turned and for a split second, there was no monster festering inside the man, no mafia kingpin ready to eradicate the latest enemy. There was only the absolute joy of seeing someone he cared about wearing a present he’d purchased himself.
I was drawn to him in a way I hadn’t been before as his eyes raked down the length of me.
“You’re stunning,” he said with absolute purpose.
“This is beautiful.” I brushed my palm down the front of the gown.
He rounded the corner of the island, closing the distance and cupping my face with such a gentle hold. “No, lovely lady. You’re what’s beautiful.” As he lowered his head, brushing his lips across mine, I found myself rising onto my tiptoes, ignoring the pain in my ankle.
I clutched his shirt, wrapping my fingers around the material, my heart skipping. Everything about this was entirely unexpected, a man I could see caring about. Perhaps.
The sound of his phone jerked the special moment away, the snarl coming from his lips infused with rage.
“Goddamn it.” Miguel shifted around me, yanking the phone from his pocket. “This had better be fucking good. I do not tolerate interruptions.”
I folded my arms, loathing this side, unable to wrap my mind around anything about him.
“Yeah. Then you keep him there. I want the bastard on his knees. I want him to feel the weight of the anticipation of my visit. And I want him fucking terrified.” Miguel ended the call, holding the phone to his head, exhaling. “Unfortunately, I have to go out. You will stay here, and Enrique will remain as a guard. While there is almost no food, Enrique will order anything you want. There is no other way out of this penthouse other than the front door, so don’t bother trying. If you do, you will be punished severely.” He walked closer until I was forced to look him in the eyes. “And you will not fuck with me on this.”
“That’s all you understand, Miguel. Threats.”
He softened his expression. “That’s not a threat, my sweet girl. That’s a promise. You will learn one way or the other.”
Whoever had issued the contract on my life had disturbed him to the point he was shaking with anger. I wasn’t certain whether his emotional state was about my wellbeing or the fact someone had almost interfered with his ugly mission of keeping me his prisoner. Still, the way his chest rose and fell sent a flurry of butterflies into my tummy. Maybe he did care about me. Maybe there was a way to have a life.
“Where are you going?” I finally asked.
“There are some questions you won’t want to know the answer to.”
“What if I do? You act as if I’m not strong enough to handle the truth, yet you require my honesty. That’s not fair on several levels. I am fully aware that there are likely men from several countries who would enjoy bringing down my father, but even after two brutal assassination attempts, he never mentioned names. Perhaps he wanted to protect me or perhaps he didn’t think I was worthy of the information. If you want me to obey you then bring me into your world even just a little bit.”
Miguel glanced toward the bank of doors, his eyes darting back and forth. After slowly turning his head, he exhaled. “Fair enough, Valencia. One of the men I believe who attacked you has been located.”
“And what are you going to do?”
“I will do what’s necessary, Valencia. Trust me, little girl. You may call me a monster but there are others who are much nastier than I’ll ever be. No one will ever be able to hurt you again. They will face the consequences.”
Consequences.
He’d used the word several times, as if his honor was never to be challenged.
When he walked away, I knew in my gut that he was going to kill the man who’d accosted me.
The funny thing was that I was almost giddy inside at the thought, envisioning the various brutal acts that Miguel would impose, my mouth watering. Jesus. My hand was shaking, my heart racing. I wanted an act of retaliation. I needed to know the man would be punished.
What did that make me other than a monster?
Chapter Nine
Miguel
I was going to kill the asshole and I would enjoy every moment of making him suffer. No one ever hurt a woman, not for any fucking reason and the fact that she was my woman? Unacceptable on any level. I was thankful that Cordero drove. I knew that I wouldn’t mind running down a single person who got in my way.
I’d promised her protection, that she’d be safe with me. The conviction had been real, the truth might be something else altogether. I knew she would have a target on her back from several sources. My quick response would at least send out a direct warning.
Yeah, just like I thought would occur with Danton. Evidently, Santiago had a set of balls the size of cantaloupes. Or he was simply fucking arrogant and stupid.
Just the fact she’d limped into the kitchen and remembering the pained look on her face was e
nough. Realizing that she could have died by the bastard’s hands put me over the edge. I had to believe her that she knew little about her father’s enemies. Learning there had been attempts before brought even more complexity around the possibilities.
“You know I’d never try and tell you what to do, boss.”
I slowly turned my head in Cordero’s direction. “Go ahead.”
“Do you think killing Castillo is in our best interest? I mean, he does have connections and it might seem like you’re running scared.”
He’d never questioned me before, but he was right in doing so. This time. “Interesting thought, Cordero. We will see what Mr. Martinez has to say before I make my final decision.” Using Castillo could be in my best interest.
“Yes, boss. I’m just... I’m sorry.”
“You’re right to question.” There was something going on in the background, an attempt to take over more than just our shipments of party favors. I could smell blood in the water.
The SUV was barely stopped when I jumped out, taking long strides across the parking lot, never even acknowledging the bouncers standing guard at the club’s entrance. Sylvie had earned her weight in gold tonight, hunting down and securing the asshole without backup.
Then again, she was one kick-ass woman.
The heady drumbeats of the salsa music vibrated hard against the floor, swirling colors of the expansive lighting system jazzing the massive crowd. Everyone was in the mood to party.
My partying would be of an entirely different nature.
I was forced to push my way through, heading toward the bank of stairs leading to the offices on the second floor. What very few people knew is that I was part owner of the club, affording me various perks otherwise forbidden to the normal patron. No one was going to fuck with me tonight. They’d been warned.
I burst into the room, giving Sylvie a respectful nod. She’d called in reinforcements only after she had Castillo locked down. Cordero closed the door, remaining just inside the doorway. I took several deep breaths, pacing the floor with my hands on my hips.
