Erica“Ready?”“Yes.”But I wasn’t ready.Even before the sound of the whip cutting through the air could register in my mind, I felt the biting pain of it on my back as the whip left a burning trail on my flesh.My lips parted and an involuntary scream left my lips as I sucked in a lungful of air or tried to, but it seemed the pain travelling through my skin, deep into my flesh and settling in my bones wasn’t allowing me to do so.“Hush...” Antonio whispered into my ear, his big hand caressing my hair as his other hand curled around my waist. “Don’t let it consume you, let it be a part of you.” The back of his knuckles slid down my spine, making me arch my body, my breasts thrusting out.And I realised with not a little bit of surprise that shook me, that my nîpples were hard against the fabric of my brà. His palm spread on my stomach settled warmth inside me and I felt myself tingle like his touch set the butterflies free. His thumb caressed the inside of my brà, and a soft gasp lef
Antonio.I walked away from her. From them. Leaving her there in the care of Ephraim, because I knew he would take care of her. For the first time, I felt like someone bruised my fûcking ego. I was the kind of man who didn't care what anyone thought of him. I was known to be cold and ruthless, and what I just did proved it to be true. There wasn’t a woman out there who wouldn’t drop down on her knees for me because my name was enough. They knew I was the man of power and wealth, and unfortunately or vainly most of them were attracted to that. But this little woman just over five feet had stood there taking the lashes from the whip and refuted state the truth. She fûcking refused to give in, to say the words that we both knew were the truth. She held her truth back and like an arsehôle that she was fond of calling me, I left her there tied and in pain.Fûck that.She had gotten under my skin, making me so fûcking angry and annoyed with her that I left without giving her an aftercar
EricaThe tables have turned.After that day in the cellar Antonio has been ignoring me like I was the sole person carrying plague and has the ability to destroy the world.I wasn’t going to talk to him or apologize for that matter. I didn't know why even thought of the latter I wasn’t the one that should be doing any kind of apologizing. But that twisted little submissive part was whispering nonsense like I should've given in. That I should’ve told him the truth. The truth, that as much as I was there for Ephraim, I was there for myself too. Because I wanted the pain he was giving to Ephraim for myself.But what does it matter to him and why does he think I would give in after what he did. And yet I wanted to. There was this moment, when I had looked into his eyes and seen the need there for the unsaid words. And the bîtchy side won out as I held back what he wanted while he stood there demanding for it. And at the end we both didn't get anything. He was an arsehole, a stubborn jerk.
AntonioI sat in my car as the driver picked me up from the private hanger and pulled my phone out and checked the recent emails. The first made my jaw clench. I would've to do something about the Sokolov bastardo, he was getting on my nerves. In the last few weeks he had managed to hijack three of my shipments and that too the legal ones. If the word got out, people would start to question my ability in running one of the most lucrative businesses and would speculate my position that I had made for myself.I sent a reply to arrange a meeting with my local dealers and distributors before I opened the next email. It was from Clint and there was an attachment with it. A video.As soon as I opened the video, I was glad I didn’t have an audience. The video opened on press conference. It was a clip from a news broadcast from London and there sat a very angry looking Gabriel Wolfe and beside him was his wife that looked like she had been sick for a few weeks at least, with several microphon
AntonioBy the time I reached the castle it was after two in the morning. There was no sign of Mario or Ephraim, but I could hear the loud noises coming from the back of the castle. Even before I inspected it, I knew what I would find.Mario had literally gone all overboard and arranged an entertainment room for my little captive. I found her in one of the back rooms near the small library. There was a tv on the wall that covered more than half of it and below it was a unit with hundreds of DVDs. I had known about it since yesterday evening when Mario ordered the items but I hadn’t stopped him. And now the whole castle echoes with the scream of the woman who was running from a man holding an axe.For someone with her own demons, Erica sure likes to watch gruesome movies and documentaries. Even when I had dropped off the presents in her dorm room, I had been surprised to find her taste in movies, although I shouldn’t have been, considering her preference in porn that I found in the his
Erica .Surprisingly, I woke up well rested and fresh. It didn’t feel like I had watched serial kîller documentaries late into the night or drunken myself into stupor which was odd. And odder was the fact that I woke up in the cell room, I still refused to call it mine, in the bed tucked properly like someone had taken special care to cover me for the night. Shaking off this odd warm feeling, I went to the bathroom wondering why I didn’t remember coming to this room. When I was brushing my teeth, my mind like it was doing for the last few days went back to Antonio. And the fact that I hadn’t seen or talked to him. But what irritated me was Ephraim’s words about him frequenting those kinky clubs where women no doubt would be falling over themselves to give him what I had refused to. And even as much as I prided myself not to submit in front of him, the thought of all those faceless women felt like a pinch to my skin. Out of nowhere a flash of memory resurfaced then, of me looking in
EricaIt was hours later, close to one in the noon when I took a shower after a short nap and walked out of the cell-like-room with one single purpose.I made my way upstairs to his floor and without wasting a second, I pushed the only door that I guessed would be his office. And just like I had hoped, I found him there.When the office door opened with a slam because of the force with which I pushed it, He looked up at me from his laptop.I strode in.His golden eyes flashed in irritation when he saw me. He pressed a button on the laptop and said, “This better be fucking good, Erica. Because no one is allowed to disturb me in my office.”I didn’t answer.I remembered.Everything.And above all, I remembered the kiss. The way he had kissed me... His eyes. Golden and yellow. And warm. So warm and hot. His promise that he had never abused a woman in his life and the way he had let me tuck myself into his hard body and let me use his warmth to sleep. No wonder I woke up feeling fresh and
Erica “You can unbuckle me and take my côck out. Get it ready. And don’t disturb me.”His order in that deep silken voice made a shiver run down my spine. As much as I hated the calloused way he was demanding, I was also looking forward to it. He looked relaxed and his eyes were once again focused on his laptop screen. There were a number of men speaking over each other but when Antonio spoke they all quieted.I wondered if he was thinking that I wouldn’t do it and walk out of here and that’s why he was so focused on his call. But when my hands fell on his knees and he still didn’t give his attention to me I realised he really meant for me to get his côck ready without disturbing him. That made me angry and I swore to make him feel every bit of it so that he’d be forced to focus on me instead of his meeting.I ignored his deep voice and the steely tone that he commanded the meeting with. He wasn’t speaking English and neither was it Italian, but the way words rolled off his tongue ma
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