EricaWhen I stepped out it was a different man from before and he nodded at me as Antonio joined me. He put his large palm at the small of my back and this time I was confused if I was feeling the warmth from the scotch or from his hand, or maybe my skin was tingling because of the drugs. There was no telling it with so much intoxicating shit I indulged and still I thought it was mainly the man walking beside me that was making me unstable.When we reached the restaurant the doorman didn’t meet our eyes as he held the door open. And unlike all the time I had been to all you can eat buffets this place was totally empty. There was not one person to be seen. And it was shocking because it was Sunday and we weren't far from my college. “Why isn’t anyone here?” I asked the man walking beside me. And then, “Oh wait, you asked them to not give entry to
EricaI woke up sweaty with filthy words echoing in my mind that made my whole body tremble as if restrained against bounds and fighting to get away. I looked around my room, my eyes searching as if someone would appear from thin air and I would blame him on my breakdown, when I knew well enough that the monsters I fight aren’t visible, they were never visible to begin with, not to be seen. Only to feel and hear. They were just dark forms with offensive words that made my skin crawl. That made me vomit and hurt like needles under my skin.I wiped my brow on my sleeve and slidoff the bed. In a desperate attempt to not think about my nightmares I turned my thoughts to the tempting devil that had dropped me at my dorm without a word and with just a brush of his lips against mine. If he was playing at hard to get then he w
EricaI stood up from my chair, ready to walk out as I picked my purse and finished the last few sips of my wine. Just as I passed him, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me to a stop. I didn’t look at him, instead kept my eyes on the glass doors where his two men stood like sentries. I was starting to hate him. No, I already hated him. How many glasses of that wine did I had? Or maybe it was just the man making me crazy. God, I can’t believe I was so wound up because he hadn’t contacted me in the last eleven days. The fucker.When I didn’t look up at him, he gripped my chin and tilted my head. Looking into my eyes with that unusual gaze, he said, “You are angry.”I snorted. “Do you want a medal here and now, or would you like to hold a ceremony for it?”
Erica We were sitting in his office, on the couch and he was close, so close that our thighs were touching. So close that I could smell him and feel his heat. But still so far away because he wasn’t doing anything. Right now, his attention wasn’t even on me, he was watching his man pour two fingers of scotch in the square glasses and then place the bottle on the table in front of us before he nodded and left us alone. Finally, he picked one glass and turned to me, holding it out for me. I took it from him and started to sip. He picked his own glass, and I watched his long fingers wrapping around that glass and wanting them on my skin, making my skin tingle. I gulped more of the smooth scotch.
EricaAntonio tasted of scotch and a smoky masculine texture that was all him. I tried to squirm my hands free but he tightened his hold sending a slight twinge of pain which only made my legs spread for him and a tingle of pleasure settled between my legs. His eyes were open, those golden eyes looked into mine, peering deep down as if he could see my secrets. I closed my eyes and tried to control the kiss.I battled his tongue with mine and sucked his bottom lip between my teeth, only to bite down on it. His fingers twitched around my wrists and his hand on my breàst squeezed as if in retaliation. I moaned and the kiss turned rougher when we both fought for control. When we parted, both of us were breathing heavily. I could feel my lips swollen and his didn’t look much better.
AntonioI was standing in the balcony where not an hour ago I’d had my first taste of a pussy that should be forbidden to me. Her taste still lingered on my tongue, sweet and tangy. I hadn’t ate a pussy in last sixteen years, not since I stopped taking pleasure in the sense of that very name, I used sex as necessary evil just to relieve the sexual energy that every man has. Now I stood with my sleeves rolled up and a cigar dangling from my fingers as my mind churned with thoughts. Thoughts that were still filled with her. I clenched my jaw wanting to banish them, they had no right to be there, all my focus should be on revenge. But since the first time I met Erica Cavanagh with her ordinary dark brown eyes, straight dark hair and lips that spewed insults and words that were filled with her sass and gave a hint of all the fucks she gave to the world around her: none, my mi
EricaOne month later...“Miss Cavanagh!” I cringed and jerked up in my seat as I became aware of the eyes on me. The whole class looked over their shoulders at me where I sat at the back near the window. “Is there something more interesting than what I’m teaching here outside that window?”“Of course, there is. For one, I am not bored looking at those pigeons, even they are more interesting than your lecture.” I didn’t realise I had spoken out loud until I heard the gasps and murmurs and a few snickers that echoed around me.Professor Martinez, who had hated me from day one flushed bright red. Swal
EricaI hugged my brother- in- law tightly and realized that I had missed him. His big hand patted my back a few times before he pulled back and straightened. He was a tall man with a bearing of someone that belonged to a royal family, considering he was an heir to a dukedom before he decided to rule the New Orleans it was given. But still, he stood out different from the way he carried himself, to the way he looked. Broad shoulders, sharp cheekbones and midnight hair. The softness in his blue eyes reserved only for a few people that were important to him gave me comfort after what happened in the class.I asked, “Where is Summer?”“You will meet her at the hotel. We are having dinner together.” I fell in step beside him as he started walking. He said, “I will wait for you to change and get ready.&rdq
Ephraim“Your job is to do whatever I tell you to do. Protect her.”I gritted my teeth at his absurd command, all these years I had been his shadow, spent all my time protecting him whenever he stepped out of that castle where he lived like a recluse. And now here he was telling me to protect her but not him. I’d have protected her but not at the cost of him, not if it meant letting him be in danger.I pressed on the accelerator as the car that was following us came to the side and slammed at the back of ours, for a moment I lost control of the steering wheel and the car tilted to the one side. I glanced in the rear-view mirror to catch Antonio cupping Erica’s head to prevent her head from slamming into the wind
AntonioMy office door opened with a bang for the second time that day and Ephraim stood there with Thor barking behind him. Before I could really give him a lashing to remind him of his place and for letting that dog into my office, I noticed the set of his jaw and the paleness of his face and without a second thought, my mind went straight to Erica. “What is it?”Instead of answering me, he asked, “Have you talked to Erica?”Even though I had wanted to call her, I hadn’t. And it was his fault. Because Ephraim’s words had unsettled me and I didn’t want to prove him right so no matter how much I was tempted to call her, I had refrained but now as I saw the expression on Ephraim’s face I regretted not doing so. And more than that as I slipped out my phone and dialled her number I regretted not putting a tracker on her phone after she broke the bracelet when the call ended without ringing on the other side.I had wanted to give her some privacy to talk to her family and it was the reaso
EricaI excused myself from the table to go to the bathroom, I wanted to ask Riley if she wanted to join me but she was busy talking to the guy sitting opposite her. But just as I took a step away from the table, Leo also stood up. I asked, “Where are you going?”“I’ll walk with you.”“Oh, you don’t have to.” I said, feeling embarrassed that he could easily read how I was hesitant and felt a little out of place here which was why I needed company to not look like a lost child.He ignored me and grabbed my hand as he made his way to the left side of the sitting area of the cafe where there was a door that led to a mildly lit corridor and pointed out the washroom for me. He said, “I know that your bodyguards aren't here today, so it’s understandable if you don't feel okay to roam around the unfamiliar place all alone.”I never thought about it in such a way but I guess I was almost carefree at the base level knowing nothing would hurt me, for instance no masked man would materialize out
Antonio“Sit down and explain yourself before I lose it.” I said to Ephraim as I entered the study after making sure that Elijah knew not to lose sight of her in any way and also to make sure she doesn't see him, if the former happened I’ll make sure he loses his fûcking life.Erica had asked me to stop sending men with her before too, saying that she felt like the odd one out with all the other students gawking at her because of all the men standing guard. But I had ignored her then because I knew most of them probably already knew who she was with, I was one of the men that people recognised on sight and associating with me puts her at risk so it wasn’t just to prevent her from running but also to make sure no one hurts her. And now I wanted to test her out. To know what she’ll do with her new found freedom that I was giving her. Even though it will be an illusion, for her it will be real enough.As I sat behind my desk, I folded my hands and looked at Ephraim. In the past, there ha
Antonio“Antonio...”“Mmm?”“There is this new place that has opened up in downtown that everyone is going to after the classes. Can I go?”“Of course. I told you, you can go anywhere you want to go. I’ll tell Ephraim to take you.” I replied, feeling a smile turn up my lips at the way she asked for my permission.She sat up, slipping out of my hold. And even though it annoyed me, I opened my eyes to look at her. Her flawless back was to me and I couldn't help but trail down my fingers on the curve of her spine and smiled when she shuddered. Without looking at me, she said, “I, actually, don't want him to come with me.”I narrowed my eyes on her back. Grabbing the back of her nape, I pulled her back until she was lying and then I sat up on my elbow to look down at her as I asked, “Are you planning to run away?”She rolled her eyes. She actually rolled her eyes and gave me a smile that made my cock hard, again. She said, “If I wanted to leave, I would've left that night.”It was three n
AntonioI stood near the windows and looked down at her. Ephraim had given her his jacket that she had wrapped around her to protect herself from the cold. She was looking back at the castle from time to time, and sometimes her gaze would go up to the terrace but she didn't turn to look in the direction of the bedroom which was on her left. And even if she had looked I doubted she would be able to make me out in the darkness of the bedroom.I have no fûcking idea why I said what I said. I didn't know what got into me to let her leave. I just fûcking forced her to go. But when I saw her bandaged hand... I wasn’t lying. Seeing her hurt messes with me in a way I couldn’t explain. It was like going back in the past and seeing all the blood and feeling the pain. Being helpless, that's what it felt like.I wasn't prepared to say any of the things I told her but unlike her I was mature enough to recognise the truth when it smacked me in the face every time I looked at her, kissed her, touche
Erica“What does that mean?” He questioned, his golden brown eyes frowning down at me. “What are you talking about?”I stared at him for a few seconds, if I didn’t know better I would really believe that he has no idea what I was talking about. The way he looked so confused, like he had done nothing wrong, like he didn’t know what I was talking about, like he hadn’t left me in the bed only to be with her. I swallowed against the lump in my throat as I sat up and slipped out of the bed. Sitting there with him so close wouldn’t give me enough strength to keep my anger. But even while I stood and he sat there on the bed, he was almost my height and just as big.“I saw you with her.” It took more effort than it should have to say her name. “Nicole. The way she was touching you. Kissing you. She kissed you...” I couldn't hide the pain as I said those words. And once again the image of her materialized in my mind, the same image that had been haunting me, that had forced me to slam my fist
EphraimErica pushed past me and walked away to the exit I was pointing out instead of going through the one where Antonio was standing close to. Nicole’s eyes met mine, smug and taunting. She said, “You should go after her before you lose his toy. I heard it’s very expensive.”I took a step closer to her and she sucked in a nervous breath. I had never interacted with her, apart from the times when Antonio needed another set of hands in an act that he put up in the club with her as the submissive for the night. “Stay away from her. If Antonio knew what you just did—”“Save your threats, he already made his.” Her nostrils flared as she looked over my shoulder. “I don’t understand what you see in her. She is not even Italian, also he bought her from an auction, how could you take her side over mine when she’s nothing but his sex slave.” “She is anything but that. Did you see her in chains or kneeling at his feet like you did so often?”Anger flashed in her eyes as she glared at me. H
EricaI woke up sprawled in the middle of the bed with blankets wrapped around me and sun shining through the parted curtains. Gathering my hair to the one side, I sat up and looked around the bedroom. The basket from which I had eaten number of sweet things was still on the bedside table and it reminded me of how Antonio had fed me the baked soft cookies with his own hands while I was curled up in his lap. I took my gaze off the basket to our clothes that were all over the place last night but now we’re folded and placed on the bench near the bathroom door, but there was no sign of Antonio.Deciding to get up and start the day, I slipped out of the bed and made my way to the bathroom. For the first time, I didn't sleep nakéd after sex and still Antonio had taken me in his arms, surrounding me with his big body as we slept. When I came out of the bathroom, I opened the closet door to find a selection of his shirts but there were a few dresses and jeans and tops too. I picked out a bla