I focused on my breathing. This guy...he alternately shredded and shored up my control. It was fascinating and infuriating at the same time. I couldn't wait to see what we would achieve together.We still had a few things to discuss however. Important things. Almost as important as the hard and soft limits. At least to me. And because they were important to me, we would be discussing them. At length. "For this next part, feel free to speak at any point. Don't interrupt me, because that's just rude, but you don't need express permission to speak." I held his gaze, let him see I meant what I said. He nodded. Smiled. "Thank you, Mistress."A thrill went through my body at his words. With previous partners it was rote. Just something that was expected-especially in the club. But from Raphael it felt special. More meaningful. Deeper. "Now, one thing I always want to discuss is need. Why do you need someone to dominate you? What do you think it will do for you? What can I do to
I rose through the layers of unconsciousness like I was on an escalator going up through the clouds. The bright piercing light of morning burned against my closed lids, but for once I didn't feel like something scraped off the bottom of someone's shoe. No. I was almost...happy. Which was weird. I couldn't actively recall the last time I was truly happy. "Stop thinking so loud," Nia mumbled next to me. Her arm was across my stomach, her face smashed into my shoulder. "It's too early to be thinking that hard."Since I still hadn't gotten permission to touch her, I just relished the feel of her body against mine. Last night hadn't gone at all how I thought it would. For one, there was zero sex whatsoever. For two, I'm pretty sure I'd been on the edge of crying like a little kid at least a couple of times. "Last chance, Raphael," she muttered. My dick jumped at the threat in her voice. Even as my bladder twinged, I felt my belly jolt. Last night rushed over me again. I'd neve
I hurried through my shower. By the time I got back into my room and into some clean clothes, I was almost giddy. My body still sent little aftershocks through my system. I've had some good partners in my day. But none quite so eager as the man I'd just had between my legs.And while Raphael's technique could use some polishing, the gusto and emotion he put into devouring me...I waved a hand in front of my face to cool it. The man could eat me any day. It was my own dumb fault for not getting through the rest of the interview process last night. I could have talked to him after I cuddled him for a bit. Now I was going without. But those were the consequences. My rules, my actions, my outcomes. I needed to make sure I was in control. Could exert that control with a firm hand. Not get lost in the emotions and sensations. That didn't make a good Dom. That made me someone with a power trip and no staying power. And we both deserved better. The smell of bacon and butter and me
I watched her drive away in Mas' car. And got punched in the belly-again-for the distraction. "Son of a bitch, Ivan." I yelled as I bent at the waist, struggling to find some damn air. He snorted. Bounced on his toes. "Stop googling for her."I laughed. "Googling?"He nodded. "Yes. Stop. Fight." He smashed his fists together. "Fight."Having learned what I needed from Nia, I asked him, "What's my goal?"He stopped dancing, gave me an odd look. "Goal?"I nodded. "What do I need to do?"His face screwed up into an expression that had me doubting my sanity, but I persevered. "Put you on the ground? Knock you out? Chop your neck? What's my goal?"A lightbulb went off in his eyes. "Knock me out." He nodded, started dancing again. He curled his fingers at me. "Come knock me out, little boy."In my mind, I ran through all the medical training that would most easily lead to making someone else lose consciousness. Hard blows to the neck. The temple-Nik's roundhouse kick to
"Your destination is on the right," my phone said. I pulled up to the curb. Got out of the car. Not even ten minutes from the safe house, but it was secure. Or as secure as Ivan could make it in such a short time. I walked up to the door, pushed it open. There was a single person in the room. And a familiar computer setup along the back wall. "Klara?" The person nodded. While the person had what I would consider a female name, nothing about the person in front of me looked to be a girl. Not my business and I didn't care as long as Klara could help me reach my contact. "Yes. You Ms. Petunia?" Klara asked.I nodded. "Ivan sent me."Klara nodded. "You have this space for twenty-four hours." Klara lifted a hand, tossed something through the air at me. "Only twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours and one minute, I'm coming back in to clear it out."I nodded. "Thank you, Klara. I'll make sure my business is concluded in twenty-four hours."Klara nodded again. Walked out the do
I stood at the corner of the wall. Eased my head around so I could see down the hall. It was clear. But that didn't mean they weren't hiding up here. With my softest walk, I moved into the hall. Stayed up close against the wall. My ears perked for any noise that shouldn't be there. A scuffle of a foot on the floor. A sigh of breath. A thump of a throat as someone swallowed. Coming up to the first door, I stopped. Listened for any sounds on the other side. Playing Cat and Mouse with Ivan had been a bloody nightmare. But playing it with Mas and Ivan? This was what horror fests were made of. I settled my hand against the doorknob. Prayed it didn't squeak as I turned it. SQUEEEEEEAK.I hung my head as I punched the door open hard enough to swing back and hit the door. Or it should have hit the door. Rather, it hit Ivan. His low grunt made me chuckle as I smashed against the door again. Lifting my gun, I angled it behind the door. Shot him over and over again until he whine
I was so freaking pissed I wanted to draw and quarter this stupid man. He'd ripped my heart out of my chest and I had been so sure I didn't have one of those anymore. To find out that I did have one and that he could hurt it was enough to make me neuter him. Then force him to eat his dick."Why would I keep you?" I knew why I wanted to keep him. But he better have a damn good reason for wanting to be kept. He jerked and something deep in his eyes broke. I growled low in my throat. "Not like that. Why do you want to be kept?" The varied insecurities of this man were baffling. He was strong and sure when he could be an asshole. But take away his façade and he was nothing but a big gooey mix of sensitivity and emotionality. I tightened my hand in his hair. "Last chance, Raphael. And I mean it."He licked his lips. Swallowed. Or tried to. He winced. Pointed to his throat. I eased the angle I held him at. "Speak."He licked his lips again. "Because I know who I am with you
With my heart as full as I ever remember it being, I looked at my brother. "I still don't want to tell Nik though. Not anyone back home. Not until we finish this." There was a possibility that I didn't come out of this. Didn't actually make it home. Mas stared at me for a long, quiet moment, but then he nodded. Ivan cleared his throat. "I know I not involved, but this much better than dying with Petters. They scum. You not." My mouth dropped open. I closed it. "How the hell did you know what I planned to do?"Ivan snorted. Rolled his eyes. "I not stupid. You try to die a lot." He widened his eyes. "A lot, a lot."My cheeks heated as I remembered my first month with Ivan. I'd done everything I could to make him kill me. Then, when that hadn't worked, trying to get myself killed by other assholes where I could find them. "Oh really?" Nia asked, her voice a particular texture of silk that boded poorly for my release tonight. Ivan laughed. "He not dead. But close." He he
I crept along the rooftop. The target was staying in the long term suites across the road. It was our first night, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders the farther we got from New Trenadie. The next moment, I crashed to the roof's floor. "Damn it." She snickered. "Still a sucky spy, Raphael." She slid her body over mine.I sucked in a breath. Nodded. Hell, I practically begged her for it. But without words. When she got that tone, my words were not necessary. She smiled. "I'm not going to beat you to death. Nor am I going to stuff you into a padded room." She bent down, flicked her tongue over my lips. "But I will tie you up, spank you, flog you, fuck you, and then make you do it all over again. My dick went to iron between her legs. Her laugh was husky. "I'm keeping you, Raphael. Do you understand me?"My heart settled. Skipped a beat. "Yes, Mistress."The end.
My phone dinged with a new incoming text message. Considering my phone had been going off since the wee hours of the morning with Willow and Ryker announcing the baby was finally coming, I was tempted to just shut it off. But it could be something important. And since Angelo and I were at home with the other babies, it fell to us to make sure we kept everything running as it should. I grabbed the phone. Unlocked the screen. A video message popped up. Raphael and his girl, Nia. Their heads mushed together to get into frame. "Momma, I have to leave. But I wanted to tell you I love you. And thank you for everything. I will let you know when I get back." Nia smiled. "I'll keep him safe, Momma. I swear it.""Bye, Momma," they said together before they ended the call.I smiled even as tears filled my eyes. Angelo looked up at me from his spot on the bed. He was restrained, a ball gag in his mouth. I held the crop up high. "Our last baby is finally happy, Angelo." I s
Two weeks later I glared at the woman on the table. "I still don't know why I have to be here. I barely know you."Willow snorted. "Because you're scarier than anyone else in my family. And I don't want those doctors trying to get all bitchyyyyyyyy." Another contraction hit her. She clamped down on my hand hard enough that I thought I was going to need surgery to remove the bones from each other. And this little firecracker had more strength inside her than her grip would show. Raphael had told me some of her story. She'd told me the rest of it. A ritual the Amatucci women apparently indulged in was something called Girls' Night. Really it was a bunch of drinking, talking about sex, and watching movies while we ate enough of Willow's confectionaries to give ourselves diabetes. Willow blew out a breath. "Ryker can't handle seeing me in this kind of pain, so he has to stay out in the lobby with the rest of them. You're second chair." She panted. Demanded some ice chips.
Three days laterWalking into my parents house when they didn't know I was alive was a risky thing. A multitude of crappy things could happen. Not the least of which was Momma killing me for real this time. Or Papa crying. Or either of them fainting."Go on," Nia said as she shoved me forward gently. "You're already here. Just go into the kitchen. Nik said she told them to wait for her in the kitchen."I nodded, felt my palms go clammy as my breath backed up in my lungs. This could go terribly wrong. So fucking horribly wrong. Man up, Si, that no longer too small voice said inside me. Since I'd been actively listening to it more, he wasn't so easy to shut up. Even when I wanted to. Thankfully, the nasty bitch who lived inside me was getting fainter. Although he could still throw a temper tantrum to beat a two year old. "I'm right here. And I'll be right here the whole time. They've waited long enough, Raphael." She nudged me again. Even as bile rushed up the back o
We all stood in the kitchen, guzzling water by the gallon. I hadn't been this dehydrated since the last time I got in trouble at Petter Manor. But at least this time it was due to happy tears and reunification. Raphael sat and watched it all. Just absorbed it. But he never got so far away I couldn't touch him. That I even needed to touch him still blew my mind. But I wasn't going to question it. He helped steady me when it felt like everything inside me and around me was bending and flexing too fast for me to catch up. "What are your plans for tomorrow?" Liam asked as he finished his third glass of water. "Tomorrow is the gala. I'm going to string Anders up-the guy who had you kidnapped again. I'm going to tell everyone the Petters have been blackmailing and abusing and paying off that the Petters are dead and gone. That they're all on watch." I studied Liam and Lilly. It blew my mind that they had gone into the government side of this dirty world. That they willingly put t
Nia came over to me while I was helping drag some bodies away. "Hey Raphael, can you come with me, please?"Foster grunted at me as we got the body up on the catering cart. "Go. I've got this." I nodded, turned back to Nia. "Sure, Nia." She took my hand and we walked from the room. Her hand was trembling in mine. It was only the slightest degree, but it might as well have registered on the seismic scale. "You good?" I asked her softly as we walked down a set of stairs. She said nothing, made no movements except to keep walking. I pulled her to a stop. Made her look at me. "Are you good?" I asked again. Her eyes were wide, as if she were trying to stave off the tears. "Amelie and Anton..." she blew out a breath. "They're t-""The only two people you love in this world." I smiled sadly. "I know, Nia."Her eyelids fluttered shut as a tear escaped down her cheek. Her breath was shaky as she exhaled. "I got them away from here. Put them in with a good woman with a hu
Day before the gala "Charlie team in position," the man's voice came through the little earbud I wore in my right ear. I kept a tight hold on my fear. My relief. My heart. All of the planning, all of the tears, all of the arguments. It all came down to this. "Delta team in position," Raphael said through my ear. "Foxtrot team in position," another voice said. I still wasn't quite sure who was who by their voice, but I'd done an okayish job of remembering names and faces. The fact that I had a team full of women with me made me like the Amatuccis even more. They didn't discriminate. If someone had the skill and the drive to join the security teams, they were given a position. "Estrogen team in position," I said. A series of clicks came through the earbud. I'd made a single joke about Echo team being full of vaginas. They called us the Estro team now. Since we were collectively badass, I didn't really care what they called us as long as it wasn't disrespectful. "A
Her babies? She had kids? I shook my head. Knew there had to be a different story, but I needed to get her back with me to learn it. I set her down on the chair. Pushed her head down between her knees. "Breathe, Nia." I made my voice hard. As hard as I dared when all I wanted to do was cuddle her up and carry her away. Nowhere was my fierce and strong Dominant. Right now, she was a broken, hurting woman. I would hold her together until she could find herself again. Ivan came rushing into the room, his gun drawn. He lifted it to the ceiling when he saw what was going on. One of his brows rose in question.I gave him a brief rundown of what I knew. Which was damn little. I shrugged when I was out of information to share. Mas came hopping in behind Ivan. He didn't have a weapon, but he did have concern etched on his face. "Who the hell are you?" a voice said from behind me. I whirled around, putting Nia behind my body as I faced the threat that shouldn't be there. A
After rushing through the shower and the delicious meal that Raphael put together for breakfast, I walked into the space Ivan and Klara had set up for me. Everything was as I left it, but that didn't mean a whole lot. Especially in a place I didn't control one hundred percent. Brushing the weird vibe away, I walked to the computer. Booted everything up. Once it was up and running, I went through my process of accessing my cloud accounts. Jasper had set some up for me that weren't the typical commercial kind. Luckily, I'd memorized the process, or I'd be up a creek with zero paddle at the moment. A ReadMe file was highlighted when I got all the way into my account. I right clicked, read through the metadata how Jasper showed me. Recognizing his signature, I opened the file. Ms. Flower~I've attached all of the information I could find re Cucumber Butt and Pretty Mean. You'll find them in the associated files.I snickered at Jasper's sense of humor. That kid was a genius and