F I V E

Soft kisses trailed against her stomach, leaving a sweet trail of moisture as the stubbled scalp retreated from view beneath the quilt. Subconsciously, her thighs widened, allowing his hulking frame space to nuzzle between. The heat of his breath mingled with the fiery warmth brewing in her center and she lifted her hips in a silent plea for him to take the ache away. His breath grew ragged as Zoe squirmed, fingers clenching the sheets. “Please, Jon.”

It was all he needed to swoop forward, damp lips connecting with the most sensitive part of her. She let out a sharp moan, breath catching in her throat at the feeling of his calloused fingers gripping the soft flesh of her hips. His tongue circled her, muffled sucks sending jolts of ecstasy coursing through her. Alternating between gentle swoops and hard laps, Zoe felt herself teetering dangerously close to the edge. An antagonized groan escaped her as he broke away, sultry eyes gazing up at her from beneath the floral pattern. Reaching his hand to her face, he slipped two fingers between her parted lips, sucking his bottom lip between his teeth. “You taste so fucking good.”

Zoe allowed her tongue to saturate him, her cheeks pink, blue eyes glazed. As his hand retreated, he lifted himself up. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead, rolling into the soft lines of his forehead as he gazed down at her. She was panting now, desperate to feel the sweet relief of the tension he’d created. Her hips swiveled relentlessly, hoping to find some friction and finally, Jon provided it. His mouth hit hers with a fiery intensity, his tongue ravaging her as he slid two fingers deep into her. Zoe gasped, the air being sucked from her body as an electrifying pleasure shot through her.

“Fuck, you feel so good,” he grunted, his voice thick and raspy. “I want to feel you cum.”

His thumb circled around her clit, sending her legs quivering as his mouth continued to attack her, his fingers steadily pumping into her. It was too much, and Zoe felt the sharp tug in her stomach, her thighs clenching as wave after wave of euphoria rippled through her. The moan that escaped her echoed around the room, her body quaking beneath his large physique. Black eyes gazed down at her, a mixture of arousal and affection, and as his lips popped open, ready to speak, her phone rang harshly from the bedside table.

Zoe quickly rushed to silence it, turning back to Jon, awaiting what he had to say. But there was no one there. Sitting up, sticky moisture pooled between her thighs and she groaned, running a clammy hand through sweat-laden hair. It had been a dream – intense and exhilarating but a dream none the less. Instead of lying naked beneath Jon, she was sprawled out in bed in her work clothes.

The phone blared once again from beside her and she snatched it up impatiently. “Hello?” Rubbing her tired eyes, she rose from bed to glance out the window. The sky was inky, smattered by bright speckles – still night.

“Thank fucking God, you’re okay. I’ve been calling you for about half hour.” Sienna’s panicked voice burst through the receiver.

“Why would I not be okay?”

“Anja said you and Jon were together tonight. She said you looked like you were kissing.”

Silently cursing Anja, Zoe shook her head. “We were talking. I’m fine. I’m home, safe and sound, with all my doors and windows locked up tight.”

“This is not a damn joke, Zoe! You need to stay away from him. What part of that do you not understand? He has pissed off a lot of people, and I mean a lot. If they find out about you, they’ll use you as collateral. They’ll cut off pieces of you and send them to him in the hope of dredging him in, which he won’t fall for because he’s a selfish fucking asshole and then they will kill you.”

“Jesus Christ, Sienna.” Zoe rubbed her temples, attempting to quell the rumblings of a migraine. “Did Danny tell you this? It sounds like his brand of fantasy. I’ve told you, he’s not a reliable source of information.”

“I knew you wouldn’t trust anything he said, but he gave me names. I’ve dug deeper. I’ve found articles about an ex-girlfriend named Natalie Keller. They dated for six months and then – poof­ – just like that, she disappeared. He was interviewed by the police. He told them he owed some guys money and they could’ve taken her but he refused to provide any names. He wouldn’t provide the names of men he thought had kidnapped his girlfriend. Does that sound like a good fucking person to you?”

“I already told him nothing could happen between us, Sienna.”

Zoe hoped her statement was enough to appease Sienna’s anxiety, to end the conversation but Sienna continued. “You know Simon and Frank won’t protect you, Zoe. You’re breaking the code of conduct. You’re liable to get fired, and then there’s nothing to stop those people from coming after you. You are not safe around him.”

I’m not going to hurt you. I promise you, you’re safe with me.

Jon’s voice resonated in her mind, and as she sunk back into her bed, she sighed. “Okay.” It was all she could say with the memories of her dream still lingering, the effects still present on her body. Zoe had no idea how she could stay away from him, how she could possibly contain the feelings overflowing within her.

Perhaps knowing her pleas were falling on deaf ears, Sienna exhaled. “Please look up Natalie Keller. Just make sure you’re walking into this with your eyes wide open. Please, Zo.” Her voice was soft, filled with concern, but Zoe could sense something brewing beneath the surface that she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

“I will, I promise. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay.” A sigh of relief crackled through the speaker. “Goodnight, Zo.”

Zoe rummaged through her bedside drawer for some pain relief. She swallowed the tablets, gulped down a stale glass of water and hesitantly opened her phone browser. Fingers danced across the keys, a small pit forming in her stomach at the prospect of what she would find. Hesitating for just a moment, she sucked in a sharp inhale and typed; Natalie Keller.

Dozens of articles filled the screen, accompanied by images of a stunning blonde with piercing green eyes and perfect dewy skin, a wide smile beaming in every photo. Scrolling through the articles tentatively, Zoe clicked on one from a reputable source.

Young Bank Employee Found Murdered as Police Probe Possible Crime Family Link.

‘A 23-year-old Bank of America employee has been identified as the victim of a brutal homicide that has shocked the community and left investigators searching for answers.

Natalie Keller, the youngest of three children, was reported missing by her family after she failed to attend her brother’s birthday dinner. Concern quickly escalated, prompting a search that ended in tragedy when her remains were discovered dismembered and discarded in multiple dumpsters across the city.

According to the medical examiner’s report, there were clear signs that Keller had been sexually assaulted prior to her death.

Police sources say they are exploring a potential connection between Keller’s murder and a well-established crime family, though authorities stress that they currently lack the evidence needed to confirm this link.

Keller’s boyfriend, 27-year-old Jon Moretti, was among those questioned during the investigation. He has since been cleared of involvement. Detectives noted there were no signs of forced entry or a struggle in Keller’s Atlantic City apartment, the last known location she was seen alive.

In a disturbing development, Moretti informed investigators he had received a package containing one of Keller’s fingers, along with a video showing her sexual assault. Authorities have traced the origin of the material to a burner phone, complicating efforts to identify those responsible.

While Moretti has provided a statement to police, officials say he has offered limited assistance beyond his initial account.

The investigation remains ongoing as detectives continue to pursue leads in what they describe as a highly complex and deeply disturbing case.’

Further articles gave heart wrenching quotes from her family, interviews of them pleading for their daughter’s safe return and eventually any information regarding to her death. Zoe tossed her phone onto the floor, hitting the floorboards with a loud thud. Bile rose in her throat and she rushed to the bathroom, just making it to the sink before the avalanche of her stomach contents spilled out onto the cream porcelain. Tears streamed down her cheeks, images of the pretty blonde with her contagious smile flashing through her mind.

Wiping her mouth with the sleeve of her jacket, Zoe slid down the pink-tiled wall until she was crouched despondently on the cool floor. Cradling her head in her shaking hands, she wept for the girl whose life had been snuffed out so suddenly, so cruelly. Fear rippled up her spine, the knowledge that this could happen to her becoming overwhelming. Regardless of whether she gave in to the desire she’d felt, Jon liked her, just as he had Natalie.

And maybe, just maybe, all those people needed was someone Jon Moretti liked.