A Dangerous Game

Chapter Three

Rafael Caruso

It had taken every ounce of restraint and a shred of maturity to hold back these past few years. Watching her—the woman I wanted, the woman I deserved, the woman I craved to have under me, sucking me dry and taking everything I gave her—with someone else had been nothing short of suffocating. Frustrating. Maddening. But sometimes, a man must exercise control. That’s exactly what I told myself when Finn made the first move on Maisie the night we saw her at that party. I let him have her. I convinced myself it was the right thing to do.

But now?

Now, she wasn’t just some woman I had once wanted. She was my son’s fiancée. His obsession. His so-called love. And yet, as she stood here in front of me, with lips swollen from our kiss and her eyes pleading for more, every ounce of self-control I had fought to maintain all these years was hanging by a thread. A tiny thread.

From the first time I saw her, she was trouble. The kind of trouble that made a man think with his cock instead of his head. That short, body-hugging gown she wore at the party revealed just enough to spark my imagination, but it was her curves—the kind that were meant to be grabbed, bitten, and worshipped—that ruined me. Finn saw her first? Bullshit. I saw her. I wanted her. But Finn, naive as ever, had no idea what he was getting into. He was too green, too soft to handle someone like Maisie. She wasn’t just a pretty face or a woman to parade around. She was the kind of woman who could make a man burn.

But I had convinced myself I could let it go. After all, I wasn’t looking for love—hadn’t been for years. No one could take the place of Evie. Women were good for two things: a quick fuck and an even quicker goodbye. Maisie? Maisie was supposed to be the same.

But she wasn’t.

She wrecked me. Made me lose sleep. And for months now, she’d been the star of every filthy fantasy I’ve had. My hands had wrapped around my cock too many nights, stroking myself to the thought of her on her knees, her lips taking every inch, her breasts bouncing as I fucked her hard enough to leave her trembling.

Now? She was here, real, and practically naked in front of me, her perfect tits threatening to spill out of her lacy underwear. I wanted to rip that flimsy piece of fabric off her and claim every inch of her, but Finn... Finn had just walked into the house. For a reason, I was glad he did. I’d have forgotten that Maisie was my daughter-in-law and fucked her until there was nothing left in her little brain than the thought of me.

“Yes, Finn,” I called out, my voice steady even though every part of me was vibrating with tension. My son didn’t have a clue what he had interrupted.

Maisie’s eyes darted to the door, wide and panicked. “Finn… Finn is here,” she stuttered, her voice trembling as she stepped back slightly, as though reality had just slapped her across the face.

Well, look at that.

Where was the bold woman from minutes ago? The one who didn’t care about consequences? The one who had her hands all over me and her lips begging for what I could never give? Now, she was the picture of fear.

And yet, she was still a vision. Those luscious tits, flushed and rising with every nervous breath, her trembling lips... she was a walking temptation. My cock didn’t care about the boy downstairs; it stayed hard and unapologetic, just like me.

“I’ll handle it,” I told her, flashing a smile that I hoped came across as reassuring. I turned to leave, but her hand shot out, grabbing mine. The sudden pull made her breasts bounce—hell, how was I supposed to look away from that?

“My... my clothes are... in his room,” she stammered, her voice shaking.

This was the game I had been avoiding for years. Dangerous. Stupid. The type of game that didn’t just end in regrets—it ended in destruction. No matter how filthy my thoughts about her were—and believe me, they were filthy—this was why I never acted on them. She wasn’t just a woman; she was my son’s fiancée. Finn’s world. His obsession.

I was already toeing the line, and if Finn found out about this—about anything—I wasn’t just risking my reputation. I’d be throwing away what little respect I had left.

Her wide, pleading eyes were too much, though, and my head emptied of all rational thought. I couldn’t think straight while looking at her. She was the kind of woman that made a man lose his sanity, and right now, I was clinging to the last thread of mine.

I forced myself to look away, finally able to think. “I’ll distract him. Go to the room, get your clothes on, and handle the rest,” I said firmly, giving her no room for argument.

Without waiting for her response, I left the room. Finn was already on the stairs, seconds away from reaching me.

“Dad!” he whined, his tone dragging me back years to when he was still a gangly teenager. The sound made me grin despite myself. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop walking around in just your shorts? You never listen!”

“Boy, I’m comfortable.” I shrugged, not breaking stride as I met him halfway. “There’s nothing wrong with an old man trying to get some air in his own damn house, is there?”

“Old man?” Finn scoffed, giving me a once-over. “You call yourself old? Dad, if we went out together, people would assume you’re my older brother. And you know what? That’s exactly why I stopped going out with you. Women don’t even see me when you’re around. And the worst part?” He leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “You’ve refused to pass on whatever charm you’ve got.”

I couldn’t hold back a laugh, but his words gave me pause. Was that why Maisie couldn’t stay away from me? If I was honest, it made sense. But if she had her eyes on me all along, why the hell was she with Finn in the first place? Was she playing some kind of twisted game?

If she was, she had no idea who she was dealing with. I don’t lose. Not in business, not in life, and sure as hell not in games. Drag me into it, or I join willingly—it doesn’t matter. I always win.

“What’s your secret, Dad? What’s the charm?” Finn asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Exercise, son. Exercise,” I said with a smirk, patting his shoulder as I led him back down the stairs toward the living room. I needed to give that naughty little fiancée of his time to get herself together.

“I don’t have time for exercise, Dad.” Finn groaned, running a hand through his hair. “The company’s a nightmare right now. Partners want more, the market’s demanding more, and we’re doubling efforts just to keep up. I can’t exactly squeeze a workout into that chaos.”

“Well,” I said with a shrug, “that’s your problem, not mine.”

Before Finn could retort, his attention shifted. His jaw dropped slightly as his gaze flicked upward. “Maisie? You’re here?” His voice sounded pleasant enough, but I knew my son. I’d raised him, after all. That tone was forced. Finn wasn’t as happy to see her as he pretended to be.

“Yes, baby, arrived just minutes ago,” Maisie cooed, descending the stairs with a practiced elegance. She didn’t hesitate to close the distance between them, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him.

And there it was. Women. Perfectly capable of making you believe every word, every gesture, while playing a game of their own.

Finn shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed it at me with an exaggerated groan. “Cover up, Dad. Seriously.” He gestured at me with a grimace that only half-masked his amusement. “Maisie and I are getting married in a few weeks. I can’t have you walking around like this—it’s embarrassing.”

I caught the jacket mid-air, draping it lazily over my arm. I didn’t bother responding immediately, letting my smile speak for me. Embarrassing? Maybe for him. For me, it was anything but that. Especially considering the way his precious fiancée couldn’t keep her hands off my cock just minutes ago.

I leaned casually against the bannister, my gaze shifting to Maisie. She was glued to Finn’s side, but I could see the faint tremble in her hands as she fidgeted with the hem of her dress. Her smile was sweet, perfect for the fiancée of a man like Finn. But I knew better. That same mouth that kissed him now was ready to moan my name minutes ago. I couldn’t help but wonder what was really going on in that little head of hers. Was it guilt? Nerves? Or something far more dangerous?

“I actually came to see you,” She said to Finn. “But my brother called. I have to go meet him.”

Finn smiled, pulling her closer. “It’s fine. You can go. We’ll talk later.” Then, as if to make some kind of point, he leaned down and kissed her again. His hand lingered possessively on her waist, and I almost laughed. If only he knew.

“Driver!” Finn called out over his shoulder. “Take Maisie back home.”

The moment was done. Finn headed upstairs without a second glance, leaving Maisie standing there, her eyes trailing after him. But then, her gaze flicked back to me. And the second he was out of sight, her mask slipped.

She moved closer, her heels clicking softly against the hardwood floor. When she reached me, her hands settled on my shoulders, her touch featherlight but deliberate. Her lips brushed my ear, and her whisper sent a jolt of electricity straight down my spine.

“The only reason I’m getting married to Finn,” she murmured, her voice low and breathy, “is so I can be with you.”

For a moment, my brain short-circuited. Really? Was that what this was? I leaned back slightly to meet her gaze, searching for a crack, a hint that she was bluffing, testing me. But her eyes held nothing but defiance, a fiery determination that matched her words.

Maisie wasn’t playing games anymore. She was laying down her cards. And that? That was dangerous. Dangerous, but undeniably fucking thrilling.