TIFFANY WESTAwareness connected me to the door across the hall like a line of static electricity. He was just over there, probably talking Russian on the phone, or maybe torturing someone, or worse, fucking someone.Somehow the last thought made my hand pause on the doorknob. I'd just realize that the mere thought of Lorenzo fucking another woman that wasn't me made me nauseous.I couldn't understand what was wrong with me. Why the fuck did I care even if Lorenzo was fucking another woman. Whatever was just happening between us was just good sex before it ended as quickly as it began.Instead of knocking, I twisted the door knob and stepped inside, locking the door from inside. Lorenzo was standing close to the glass windows, his gaze was stuck on his phone with his back to me.I walked closer to where he stood. Still, he didn't look up.But he knew I was here.“Stalking me, Cuore mio?” He chuckled. It was a deep sound, like the first rays of warmth after a long winter. I liked it.I
I laved him with my tongue, making breathy noises of approval like it was the only passion I had in life. And it was starting to feel like it. Heat bloomed in my stomach, moving lower, in a wave that made me squeeze my thighs together to ease the ache. His hand tightened on his phone, the tension in him building to a crescendo I was dying to see fall."SÌ," he said to whoever he was speaking to, sounding annoyed. "Uccidili tutti"I ran my tongue across his crown and then finally slid him deep into my mouth, bringing my half-lidded and lust-filled gaze up to his."Fuck." He threw his phone to the side and then grasped my face between two rough hands, caressing my cheek with a thumblike I was something special, something precious.It momentarily stilled me. A raw wave of warmth flickered in my chest. It wasn't until later I realized that was the moment the first wisps of devotion settled in and my downfall began."Cazzo, sei troppo Bella," He rasped as he held my face and slowly slid i
TIFFANY WESTLorenzo must have felt the tension in me because his hand stopped its caress down my back. "You're not on the pill," It was more of an assumption than a question. Pushing away from him, I pulled a bra strap back onto my shoulder as an icy trickle of panic crawled up my spine. "No,""It's alright. We'll get a Plan B." His thumb brushed my cheek.I nodded. I believed him. But a different voice— Francis— echoed in my head. “Nothing but a whore. Whore. Whore. She seduced me just so I could fuck her,”My lungs squeezed, tightening and tightening with a band that wouldn't release. Before I knew it ears burned the backs of my eyes.Two rough hands grasped my face. "Breathe."His touch dimmed Francis’ voice in my mind. I shut my eyes, focusing on the breathing techniques my therapist taught me. But it wasn't working.I could taste the bitterness of bile in my throat as memories from a long time ago slithered into my mind. All I could see was Francis. I could hear my screams tha
TIFFANY WEST“A happy wife and good sex,” I blurted, smiling.He laughed. Deep and hearty and it made my pulse skip a beat. It was the first genuine laugh I heard from him, and I suddenly knew I could get used to it.The coffee began brewing, filling the kitchen with a rich and earthy smell. Once it was ready, I poured myself a cup and I positioned myself on the opposite side of the island counter as Lorenzo pulled out a frying pan from the drawers beneath, the sound of it colliding with the stove clattering off the walls. I watched him peel an onion, then began to dice, his large, run hands working in proficient strokes. Perfectly timed. Evenly spaced.“You're eyeing the knife like a treasure. Have you had a change of mind about killing me?” He dropped the knife and grabbed a bowl.“Where would I get my ever-loving orgasms if I killed you?”He smiled. The expression turned his face from that of a cold-blooded Mafia don to a playful playboy. But the view barely lasted for a second be
TIFFANY WESTI couldn't keep quiet beside Lorenzo as he drove us around the City. I had visited Las Vegas only once during last Christmas when Seline and Francis insisted on a family dinner. I hadn't explored the city then, and I wasn't keen on doing so. But today was different. He was touring me around the city and I loved it. His presence.“What do you want to do about work?” Lorenzo suddenly asked as he drove down the spectacular hotels lining the streets. Las Vegas was beautiful.I turned my attention to him. Admiring his side view. He was truly beautiful; even when dressed in mere jeans and a white T-shirt, he still looked stunning.“I work in New York,” I reminded.“But you also have JK media in the city. You could work if you'd want to,” He slanted me a stare. “You're not a prisoner,”“There's not much left of the company. Seline and Francis have ruined it. It's been in the talks of going under. That's if they can't sell it fast enough,”“If you want me to help out I could,” He
TIFFANY WESTI was falling deep, and fast, and I couldn't even find the grace to save myself. To say I was obsessed with everything about Lorenzo was a big understatement. And worse, I didn't know exactly what was happening to me.In the past few days, I found myself wondering just how it would have been if I wasn't sold into a marriage with Lorenzo. How it would have been if our relationship had started off normal… if he weren't the most dangerous man in Las Vegas.I couldn't find the answer to that so I pushed the thought off my mind and instead focused on the good our little sex sessions always turned out to be. We had a routine. He'd screwed me against the wall last evening. It was hot and fast and rough. Then afterward, he'd just kiss me. He'd kiss me for so long my brain became mush and my heart began to burn, almost as if he was trying to imprint the moment in his memory. We did the sex thing every day. It never started with kissing, but it always ended with it. We were both
“Fuck,” His large arms gripped me to a halt. “What—”“I'm going to die,” I choked out, not able to drag a deep enough air into my lungs. “Never, principessa,” His voice was soft and vehement. “Come here,”It wasn't until I was pressed against his warm body that I realized how badly I was shaking. It was like grabbing onto a life raft before almost drowning in the sea.Lorenzo made a rough noise and picked me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and rested my face against his neck, struggling for every breath.“Breathe, mia cara, breathe,” He carried me back into the room, running a hand through my hair and down my back. The simple act was so soothing that tears burned the back of my eyes, and something in me just broke. Something dark, scary, and deeply buried. There was no way for me to hold it in.A bone-shattering sob ripped from my throat, and it hurt because of the memories that it brought up. I pressed my face deeper against his neck. I didn't want him to see me like this.
LORENZO RUSSOBlackness snuffed out my vision. When it returned a split second later, rage drenched the room in crimson.I meant every word I said to her. I swore to all things sacred that Francis was going to experience pain like never before. And eventually, when he was begging for it for a long time and when he had given up hope, I would grant him death.Even as I laid Tiffany's sleeping body gently I couldn't fight the anger that was radiating off me. How could a fucking old man force himself on a child young enough to be his own daughter? It infuriated me to the point darkness bled into my vision, and without a doubt, I knew someone was dying tonight.I left the room just as the lights came back on.I met Savio seated on one of the sofas as I entered the main living room. Dimitri was at the bar, helping himself to some whiskey while Milo, Vito, and Ronan were playing poker at the table.“What happened to her?” Savio's gaze followed me over to the bar, watching me closely as I pou
ELENA DUVAL“Align your sights,” Dimitri instructed once again, his hands on my bare shoulders and his hot breath burning my skin. He was close. Dangerously too close.I could feel every part of his body against mine, burning through my skin.I swallowed hard, trying to pull all my focus to the paper target ahead of me.I fired another shot and yet again it landed anywhere else but on the paper target. I have been at this for some time now after Dimitri had me dissemble and assemble the gun several times until I could do it in my fucking sleep.“Breathe, Elena. You aren't focusing. Something's distracting you, what is it?” You.I wanted to say it so badly, but the words got stuck somewhere in my throat.“Nothing's distracting me,” I responded, tightening my hold on the gun and adjusting my finger.I fired another failed shot.“Alright. Take a five Elena,” He took the gun from my hand, and I lowered the protective headphones covering my ears.The sun was already up, its warmth seepin
Immediately, I jerked on the bed with my heart in my throat as I reached for the lamp on the bedside table.I flipped it on, and quickly its light illuminated the whole room, and my gaze fell on the figure leaning against the bed.“Jesus! Dimitri, you almost gave me a heart attack. What on earth are you doing here?” I placed a hand on my chest, leaning against the headrest.“Exactly what I would like to know, Elena, what the fuck are you doing here?” His voice was harsh and cold with a smooth blend of anger.“Sleeping, obviously,” I bit out with rage of my own.He didn't move a muscle nor an inch from where he stood. “Don't use that damn tone on me, this isn't where you sleep—”“You don't get to decide that —”“Trust me, Elena, I get to decide that and many more. You're going to be sleeping—”I cut him off. “In your bedroom? Sorry, I thought the workers made some mistake because obviously, you don't expect me to sleep in the same bed where you've fucked many of your whores to the poin
ELENA DUVALThe touch had been innocent. Dimitri's hands were braced beside me on the countertop, grazing my own, yet the warmth that flooded me felt like the letting of sunlight into a dusty dark room.The deep drawl that accompanied every word of his ran down my spine as he stood behind me, his body trapping mine against the island with his hand on my waist, his touch making me feel all the things I shouldn't. But now, as I watched him and his whore through the glass of the kitchen window, all I felt was a murderous rage.“Elena, been looking for you,” I heard James' voice before I felt his presence behind me.Without removing my eyes from the seemingly lovely couple heading towards the building opposite the penthouse, I tilted my head slightly to James. “Who's she?”“Alessandra Udinov,” He said, slipping into one of the chairs.I sent James a lazy stare, rolling my eyes. “I know that much. I mean who's she really? She's almost everywhere,”An annoying smile played on both sides of
DIMITRI CASTELLOWarm liquid of red splatter around, as the gunshot echoed in the air. A dull thunk sounded as the chair went sideways and the bloody bastard hit the ground, dead.I shifted the end of the barrel to the other bloody idiot confined to the chair. Rage and Impatience leaking off me. Rage because these damned bastards were ruining a perfectly good day for me and Impatience because we'd been interrogating these fucking cunts for the last fifteen minutes and still I hadn't gotten a word from them.Two days ago, I'd returned abruptly from my business trip because of the update I had received regarding the traitor Ricky, Elena's previous bodyguard who had been with her and responsible for her accident. He had suddenly vanished after the accident and had managed to remain hidden until a few days ago when my men found him, unfortunately, dead.From the state of his lifeless body, he had been dead for a few days. Murdered by whoever he had been working for.I sighed, clenching my
ELENA DUVAL“But he did agree to help me out,” I told Tiffany and heard her squeal but I didn't tell her the details. I trusted Tiffany, but for her sake, I didn't think it was necessary to pull her deeper into any of this. She was doing way too much for me already.“I'm coming over now,” I told her.“I'm not home. I'm out working,” She said and I told her about my sudden trip with Dimitri and I'd be away for some weeks.We chatted for a while before disconnecting. By seven, Chris was already parked outside the mansion waiting for me and once we had settled in, he drove to the airport.I found Dimitri waiting for me there near one of his private Jets. Even in the darkness, he was still a sight to behold. He wasn't in his suit from this morning, instead, he was in black jeans, a v-neck tee shirt, and a leather jacket. I was sure there wasn't a single piece of clothing that he didn't look good in.He was on a call, but his gaze coasted over to me as I approached him, and my single suitc
His gaze swept through me, making me consciously aware of the workout pants and sports bra I was wearing. He passed a couple of feet away to the fridge taking out a bottle of water.I stood there, watching him. His brandy-colored hair was mussed, brushing his collar, and I grew warm remembering I had my hand around it just last night.As if sensing my stare, he flicked his eyes towards me, raising a questioning brow.I swallowed. “Hungry?” I asked as the timer of the stove went off and I pulled out the casserole.“I'm good, I have a breakfast meeting,” He said, striding closer to me. Now I could feel the tingles that erupted as his presence brushed me.He leaned against the counter, arms crossed and the attention of his stare on me. “There's a phone on my desk, it's yours. It has my number in it already so don't call me with random numbers,’’I don't know why, but something took flight in my stomach. It was sweet and warm.“Thanks,” My response was quiet as I filled my plate and heavi
ELENA DUVALImmediately I got my hands working. I opened the first aid box and started disinfecting the wound and slowly dressing it.I looked up at him once I had successfully bandaged the wounded area and had trashed the tissues but I remained trapped between his legs.I took out a cotton wool ball, leaning forward, and slowly my hand reached for the small cut a few inches from his black thick brow. I took a deep breath, ignoring the heat of his stare that had never for once blinked away.I inhaled again, my breath becoming ragged with each inhale. The air itself was him and our closeness was not doing me any good. I gasped lightly as a spark rocked through me as I lifted my hand to his neck. It was wild, sending aftershocks through my body. My eyes lifted to meet his. The black of his eyes had pooled into the gray ones, leaving them utterly dark.The ache in my stomach blossomed and filled every available space in my body. I could feel the heat of his gaze on me everywhere, and he
ELENA DUVAL Dimitri's eyes hardened as my hand gripped the hard muscles of his sides and the other went up to cover my mouth as I felt the instant urge to throw up.“Fuck!” I could hear the irritation that stained his voice, and in one swift pull, he had me against his body, pulling me to the right and through the door that held a female sign pinned to it.My wobbly legs moved hastily on my heels, and I collapsed against one of the toilets, throwing up everything in my stomach.I groaned in relief as soon as I was done, somehow I felt lighter and a little less drunk. I flushed the toilet, moving to the sink, when I froze at the sight of Dimitri, leaning against the wall inside the female restroom. I thought he had left, or maybe waited outside like any normal male would.The sight of him was a punch of fire to the stomach. Some kind of visceral, animal reaction to the mere attractiveness of the man.“Are you done staring?” His voice, this time, dripped with his usual anger.I rolled
“What do you have in mind?” I had asked but she didn't respond to my question not even when we went back to her place to dress up and soon we were walking into one of New York's biggest and most talked about clubs. Club Sapphire.“So this was your big plan all along?” I asked as we were led to the VIP lounge. As expected Tiffany was a regular here.“Yup, what other way to get your man home?” She half yelled over the loud music.“Right. What better way than to get myself drunk and dance the night away,” I said with a fake smile.“See, now you get it—”“I was being sarcastic, Tiff,” I voiced as we made our way to the bar.She laughed. “I know. But seriously trust me on this your Mr Castello will come fetch you once he finds out you are here. So just loosen up and have some fun. I mean when was the last time you came to one of these?”I sighed, relaxing. She was right. It felt like it was another lifetime I was in a place like this.“Hey lovelies, what can I get you?” The barman asked as