SerenaMine...Gasping, I opened my eyes, expecting to see Santana's scarred face looming over me, leering as he licked his lips. Instead, there was blackness. I shifted, realizing there was a blindfold wrapped tightly around my eyes. Breathe and listen. My muddled mind tried to wrap around what had occurred, fear trickling into my already shaking limbs.Don't fight. Stay still.I bit back another scream, collecting my thoughts. Scattered words filtered into my mind, male voices echoing, but I had difficulty deciphering what was being said. Nothing seemed real. I couldn't breathe or think clearly, no ability to... Oh, God. Oh, God. Very slowly a few pieces began to slip into place, remnants of instructions I'd been given. I'd been abducted by three men.Think. Remember them.I concentrated on aspects of self-defense training I'd received. Whatever data I could process might save my life.I pictured each one of them in my foggy mind.Mr. Blue Eyes, sumptuous dark and shaggy hair with t
Serena"Where are we going?" I lifted my chin, trying to see anything under the blindfold. I could hear his ragged breathing and the scent of him was intoxicating, exotic in nature. As his hot breath skipped along my jaw, I quivered.He chuckled darkly then tugged on the back of my hair."Please don't!" I hated the ugly squeal in my voice."Relax. I said we're not going to hurt you," he muttered. The utter nastiness in his tone wrapping around the snide comment was directed toward the bounty hunter. I would bet on it."Unless you don't behave," the Russian expounded.I heard the hiss of disdain in the man touching me. I felt something hit my lips and I flailed, unable to stop a series of whimpers. Get control. Don't let them see you afraid."It's water. Just a bottle of water. You have to be thirsty." His voice held an air of seduction or maybe just comfort. He was damn good at the game, an attempt to get me to trust him. After taking a deep breath, I parted my lips, allowing him to p
FlorianThey say that every man has a price, greed the ultimate master and that the Devil feeds on rage.The mantra I'd embraced was true enough, although I hadn't paid close enough attention to the real meaning. The Devil had my soul all right, every blackened inch. However, that had occurred long before accepting this particular assignment. I would never forget that day I'd been forced into the world of total darkness by a wretched man, the few minutes changing my life.The evil bastard.Lucian Masters. He was corrupt in every manner of the word but held far too many cards in the world of law enforcement."Florian. How are you?" He laughed after asking the question."Cut through the bullshit. What do you want?""You are a man of few words. Then here goes. You're going undercover on a very special mission." His eyes held a raw and brutal level of power. He was holding all the cards.I swallowed back bile, trying to keep my cool. "And the target?""Let's just say a very important catc
Florian"Lieutenant Thurman. I need to see you." The gruff voice floated through the nearly empty room.I lifted my head, eyeing my partner of five years. We both raised our eyebrows."Now," Captain Sykes barked. He didn't hang around in the squad room for long."What the hell is up his ass?" Tyler hissed under his breath.Dropping my pen, I had the distinct feeling I knew exactly what the fuck the captain was pissed about. If I was right, I could be out of a job. "Hell if I know." I shoved back my chair, hesitating for about a thousand different reasons. I was due a full week of vacation and I was planning on taking it, trying to return to some level of normalcy instead of pretending to be an assassin. Somehow, the lines had become blurred. I had fifteen minutes of paperwork left."Don't forget we're grabbing a beer tonight," Tyler said, grinning. Boys night out, something I almost never gave a shit to participate in. However, the last undercover assignment had taken a significant to
Florian"I think you're going to want to reconsider," Lucian said quietly.I heard the rustle of paper and bristled, rolling my eyes before turning around. The picture was vivid and clear; however, the images told only a portion of the story.Not that it mattered.They had me dead to rights. There wasn't a jury in the world who wouldn't believe I had something to do with this. Especially not after certain events that had occurred during my time in the military. I was considered lethal, a man capable of killing with his bare hands.Lucian eased one last photograph in front of my face. "Sadly, poor Joey didn't make it. What they did to the kid was disgusting and no doubt because of your interference."I clenched my fists, taking several deep breaths as the picture burned into my mind. No. No! I was sick, my stomach churning.Lucian allowed a sneer to cross his face as he slowly eased the photograph onto the table. "I see I have your attention. Now, let's get to the job at hand. Shall we
FlorianSerena moaned, shifting as she attempted to make herself more comfortable. The self-pity party continued. I'd been coerced into this ridiculous plan by letting down my guard. My life meant nothing any longer. I was now the hunted, or at least I would be when the authorities discovered a prominent citizen of the law had gone missing. Serena was precious cargo, but more to Lucian than I cared to comprehend. If only I knew more about the backgrounds of the people he was working with. Everyone had secrets.Everyone told lies.And absolutely everyone succumbed to the darkness for the right price.There were so many rumors, so many tall tales regarding the Trust. I'd refused to believe at first, but after years of violent crimes with only the possibility that could only have been committed by officers of the law, I now knew better.This was still something different.At least we wouldn't be on the hit list immediately, buying me time to think about an alternative plan. The entire Ne
FlorianMy cock ached to the point I was in pain, my shaft pinched against my zipper. I was unable to stop the vile thoughts in my mind. I couldn't wait to taste her, thrusting my tongue deep inside her sweet pussy. I wanted nothing more than to shove my cock into her asshole, riding her savagely.Bile formed in my throat, blood rushing through my veins.Yeah, I wasn't a good man."Some cheesy diner up ahead. I'll stop," Drew wasn't asking."Fine." Keeping Serena in line would be interesting. She was hardheaded and determined to get her way. She would indeed need to be kept on a short leash, made to understand that her entire life had changed by one man's choice. Now, none of us had a choice.I knew the endgame according to Lucian, although I wasn't certain I wanted to follow through with it. There had to be more to this than the bullshit statements he'd given me. "This is a test of your resolve, boy. You have choices to make"Fucker.Then there were my instincts kicking me in the ass
Florian"Nice music," Anatoli said under his breath. The honkytonk was little more than watered down country, but at least the loud volume would cover up our conversation.We found a booth in the back and I slipped in beside her. She was demure and very quiet, barely looking at the waitress when the young girl brought us menus. The redhead's face was covered in freckles, her ponytail giving away her age."Something to drink?" she asked, her eyes glued to Drew. The slight lump in her throat highlighted her uncertainty. She was also extremely attracted to the man. He had that way about him, the same as when were teenagers.So, there were at least a few good memories running through my mind."Coffee. Stiff and black," Serena answered first. "You don't happen to have a shot of bourbon for that, do you? I might need two."The girl laughed, trying to determine if Serena was serious. "Well, it's a little early for that, sugar. Wouldn't you say?""Not after the day I've had," Serena retorted.
AriannaAs I slowly lowered one slender strap then another, I allowed a sly smile to cross my face. Just seeing the way their eyes slanted, lust filling all three pairs was delicious indeed. If this was just a game to them, I would come out the winner.I took my sweet time, turning slightly but twisting my neck so I could watch their reactions as I slowly tugged on the dress, shimmying my hips until the material had fallen to my thighs. When I allowed gravity to take it to the floor, I heard one of them issue an exaggerated breath.“Turn around,” Allen ordered.Now my nerves kicked in. They were going to ogle me, defile me in whatever way they wanted. Rules of the wager. Penance for the loser. I did as I was told, trying to keep from tearing up the moment I turned around.I’d had my share of men look at me as if there was no other woman for them in the world, but the way the three of them were looking at me left me aching inside. Their expressions of lust and need created another wave
AriannaI had no way of knowing how long the show lasted, but when it was over, I continued to stare at the stage, trying to process what I’d just seen. I felt an odd sense of loss, a haunting sadness that made no sense to me.“Finish your drink, Arianna. There is much more to see.” Daniel’s words filtered into my ears, but I couldn’t bring the glass to my lips, my stomach in knots. I lifted my head, studying his face. He was pensive, but I sensed his continued arousal as well, his eyes now half closed as he stared at me. There was no doubt in my mind these three men were going to use me.Spank me.Taste me.Fuck me.Allen pushed the wineglass toward me, his dark presence overpowering. I managed to take a few sips, the delicious taste soothing at least one of my senses.Daniel took me by the hand, leading me away from the table and toward one of several corridors, the others following. When he stopped at one of the closed doors toward the end, he didn’t bother knocking. That’s the mom
AriannaAfter Allen parked, Finn kept a firm grip, wrapping his arm around me. “I want you to listen to me. You are going to obey our rules. You will stay by our side at all times. Is that clear?”“Where are we?” I asked again, now uncertain I wanted to know the answer.“Club Velvet,” Daniel answered.As soon as he said the words, I recognized the name. This was only the darkest, kinkiest club in town. Of course they’d belong to what was considered a men’s club, where every fantasy came true.Or maybe this was really a meeting of the members of the Clubhouse.Allen pulled me out of the vehicle, keeping his hand firmly wrapped around my fingers. After the other two approached, I was tugged down a long alley, a single light positioned above a steel door. Finn knocked once then took a step back, cocking his head in my direction.“Are you prepared to indulge in your fantasies, Arianna?” he asked, his upper lip curling.“I don’t know.”“Tell me, what are they? Don’t be shy.”Swallowing, th
Arianna“Where are you taking me?” I demanded for the fifth time. They’d shoved me into a huge black SUV, locking the doors. Even the windows were tinted so no one could see inside. Who did they think they were, true celebrities? Muscle men?Maybe the cartel.I almost laughed, although I remained jittery as hell. All I could think about was how stupid I’d been at the press conference. I hadn’t just been playing with fire. I’d caused an inferno. At this point, I wasn’t certain I could handle the three of them together.Together. They’re going to fuck you.My inner voice just wouldn’t shut the hell up.“We’re going to club that happens to be a favorite of ours,” Allen answered.Oh, God. Oh, dear God. They were taking me to some horrible BDSM club. I could only imagine what they were planning. “A club?” I managed, more uncomfortable than ever. This I hadn’t planned.“Absolutely. You are all dressed up, a beautiful creation. It would be a shame to waste such a gorgeous dress when the nigh
AriannaAllen chuckled darkly, his words filtering into my mind. A good girl. They had no idea what I was made of. I bit back another cry, refusing to give them one damn minute of satisfaction.And still he smacked me on one side then the other. I loathed the fact I was tingling all over, my mind a blur as the pain mixed with pleasure. That confused the hell out of me.After Allen delivered several more in rapid succession, Daniel cleared his throat. “I think we should continue this another time.”Continue? Over my dead body.“Sad but true.” Just as quickly as I’d been yanked over his lap, I was returned to my feet. The experience had created a wave of stars, the rush of adrenaline forcing my heart to pump wildly.When he let me go, I caught the concentrated look on Finn’s face. The bastards had planned this all along. I’d fallen into their trap. I was such an idiot.I backed away, giving all three of them my signature smile. Never let them see you sweat. Then I turned, prepared to fl
AriannaThe bastard was goading me, acting as if this was a normal business transaction. I smiled sweetly, even managing to brush my lips across his without reacting. The shock when a bolt of electricity surged into every cell and muscle left me breathless, my skin tingling. While I did everything in my power to pull away, Allen used my faux pas to his advantage, pulling me against his massive chest.I pressed one hand against him, able to feel his rapidly beating heart. It seemed to match mine, the erratic beats like small claps of thunder. My legs quivered, my mind trying to wrap around why I’d have this kind of reaction to a man I couldn’t stand.He dragged me onto the toes of my shoes, sliding his arm around me as he crushed his mouth over mine. His lips were soft, luscious in a way I couldn’t fathom. No man was supposed to feel this good, the kiss like a long walk on a spring night. I was floored, stars floating in front of my eyes as the moment of intimacy quickly turned into a
AriannaAs we played the first game, I studied the man intently. He’d kept the same smirk on his face as he’d had from the minute I’d laid eyes on him. “I’ll raise.” I tossed another hundred thousand dollars into the pile, enjoying the few gasps from the audience.Finn shook his head, tossing his chips into the pile. “Call.”Only a few minutes later, I won the round, which I could tell irritated the hell out of him. As we ventured into the second, our drinks had been refreshed, a larger crowd surrounding us. I found it interesting the group of people became very quiet every time I initiated a play.When the bastard placed a full house onto the felt, trumping my hand, I inhaled, giving him the sweetest smile. So, he’d won a round. He wouldn’t manage a second.I was furious with myself for allowing the asshole to beat me. Now everything was riding on our last hand.One I was determined to win.All three men were unnerving, pushing me to the very edge of something I wasn’t accustomed to.
AriannaArrogant.Unscrupulous.Bastards.I continued to repeat the words in my mind over and over again just to be able to keep the smile on my face. I abhorred the three men, everything about them. I’d spent hours studying their deceitful tactics, learning every weakness they had. While they might have studied me as well, they certainly didn’t know about my roots, or what my father had done for a living.He’d been a powerful poker player, winning millions of dollars on the circuit. He’d been considered one of the best, never allowing his opponents to catch a single glitch in his facial expressions, body language, or methodology.And he’d taught me everything he knew.I could remember standing just behind him, studying every move he made. Hours spent. I’d enjoyed the closeness we’d shared, which was rare at the time, my father spending half a month on the road. His winnings had provided my sister, mother, and me with a beautiful home and his children with fabulous educations. He’d ev
FinnI hadn’t intended on becoming like my old man, but I’d been forced to realize I would never be the romantic. I smiled just watching her, my cock twitching until I knew I’d need release soon. She had no idea what she was about to face, including the consequences for her unscrupulous activities. I would not allow her to get away with attempting to destroy Worth.“And she just won a little over a million dollars for her charity.” Allen shifted in my direction. “You’re going to need to up the ante if you want to attract her attention.”“Oh, I plan on it, my friend. Just wait. She’ll come to us.” I was confident the lovely lady wouldn’t simply walk away. She’d take the opportunity to gloat for two reasons. Her win the day before and her subsequent achievement on this glorious night.True to form, after Arianna enjoyed wallowing in the acclamation of her win, an assistant cleaning up her chips, she walked in our direction. Or I should say she was swaggering, sashaying her hips back and