Willing Beauty

When the man standing next to her had gotten a little too handsy, I figured it was past time for me to do something about it. Plus, she looked miserable talking to him. She had that trapped look that said she’d literally rather be anywhere than in this room.

When her current companion looked up and caught my stare, it took only seconds for him to get the message that I wasn’t to be fucked with. Either he knew me by reputation or he had excellent skills at reading dangerous body language. Either way he abruptly excused himself and disappeared back into the crowd.

I couldn’t lie. I’d done some crazy things in my life when it came to getting the girl. Although I thought those days were behind me. Until now. Until her.

I’d always had a voracious appetite for sex, but I also prided myself on my discipline and discretion. Since I had been a teenager, I lived and breathed the fight. That singular focus kept me on top and undefeated for the last two decades.

But getting close to this woman… My heart raced.

My thoughts were as erratic as my heartbeat as I awaited her response.

“That seems unlikely since I don’t even know you.” She looked me straight in the eyes as she spoke low. Discreet enough that no one else heard while at the same time utilizing a bold fire in her gaze that made me want to pin her to this very wall and split her in half with my cock.

“You’ve been watching me all night.” I’d seen the coy looks at every turn. Not to mention the downright stares when I’d been in a heated discussion with Dante Landucci. That prick. Call it intuition, but I had a feeling he and I were going to have “family” issues.

She tilted her head and a throaty laugh tumbled from her lush red lips. It was the perfect reaction to distract me from my violent thoughts. Did she know what affect her mouth had on men? No, not men—me.

How many times in one night could a man like me envision fucking that mouth and be expected to stay sane? I didn’t think many because right now I felt anything but sane.

“I don’t know what you mean. This is a party. By its very nature, it’s about watching the people in the room. It’s nothing personal.” She played coy and that was fine by me. If she wanted to play, I’d play—for now.

“What’s your name?” I already knew it, but I wanted to hear it from her almost as much as I wanted to hear my name from her when I made her come.

Fuck. I really did have a one-track mind tonight. My thoughts had dived deep into the gutter the moment I’d stepped into the stuffy ballroom and caught sight of her leaning against the far wall with a glass of champagne dangling from her hand. The same glass she’d nursed all evening. Yes, I had noticed. Details like that were important to me. They always were.

Plus, there were my intentions to consider. With what I had in mind, I had to factor in her level of inebriation before I moved forward. Not only did I not normally pursue women, I sure as hell didn’t fuck them drunk. I had dark desires that came with rules and some were absolutely not meant to be broken. Not even for her.

“Does a name really matter in the grand scheme of things?”

Her mouth tightened into a tiny frown, causing something dark to twist in my gut. Whatever or whomever had made this woman unhappy tonight might have just become my enemy number one. I should have attempted to lighten her mood by teasing her or giving her some kind of witty retort about how a name meant everything.

But I didn’t.

Light and easy were not my style and I was too far gone.

Hours had passed and my night hadn’t exactly started off grand either. I’d long passed the point I needed to punch someone or fuck someone. Alcohol might have taken the edge off, but drinking had not consumed my thoughts as the night wore on.

She did.

“Okay, how about I call you Princess and you call me Sir?” I was taking a gamble on whether or not she would get my meaning, but I wasn’t one to hold back. If she bit, it wouldn’t be long before I laid it all out for her. Line by line if need be. With any luck I’d have her tied to my bed before the sun came up, and she’d be begging me for more.

She hesitated for a moment before she let out a nervous laugh. However, I did not miss the tiny hitch of her breath that came during her pause. Or the ever so slight widening of her eyes. She knew exactly what I’d meant, and it fucking turned her on. She could try to hide by laughing it off, but it was too late. I’d seen the reaction with my own eyes, and this night was about to go down in the history books if I had anything to say about it.

“Too much?” I asked, even though I knew it wasn’t no matter which way she answered.

“Maybe a little. I think I’d like to know a little more about a man before I call him sir. Unless he’s titled or a lot older than me, of course.”

It was my turn to laugh as the sound rumbled through my chest. I was really going to like her. Especially after I introduced her to my filthy ways. “I’d offer to buy you a drink so we can get to know each other better but— ”

“It’s an open bar,” she broke in, even though that was not the direction I’d been going in. Although it would work—for a start.

I nodded, letting my other thought go for the moment. “I do, however, know of a quiet spot nearby where we can talk in peace.”

She arched an eyebrow, but after only two heartbeats she seemingly abandoned her attempt to throw up her guard. “Okay, lead the way. I could definitely use a break from the usual vultures.”

Ignoring that minefield of a comment for now, I offered her my hand and waited for her to accept. The soft smile that crossed her glossy red lips as she settled her hand in mine transformed her whole look.

Fuck. Devastating was no longer a strong enough word. Before I found myself backing her up against the nearest wall for a taste, I turned and led her from the too crowded room. Even the fact that she’d so easily gone along with my impromptu plan made me appreciate our connection even more.

Not to mention most of the regret for coming here had instantly disappeared. Whatever this strong reaction was, I’d decided there would be no fighting it. That would be asinine.

Now I just had to find the right words that would get her from the party in the house to the villa I’d been assigned to at the opposite end of the property. For this to go as well as I believed it could, I’d need every second of the remaining night.

Outside on the terrace, I beelined for the most excluded table I could find. If we were going to get to know each other, we’d do it away from prying eyes. I hadn’t been in this world for long, but I did know that the Rossis were a paranoid bunch and would keep tabs on me in any way that they could.

By the time I got her seated and I took the one next to her, my cock had lodged tightly against the seam of my pants with no apparent relief in sight. I needed to get this shit under control or I’d be blurting out words like get down on your knees so we could skip the formalities and get right down to the instinctual need coursing through my body. Said need being my dick in her body every which way it could.

“Are you married?” she asked before I had a chance to ease us into a conversation. At least I didn’t have to worry too much about going slow.

“That’s the first thing you wanted to know?”

She nodded, licking her lips. A move so fuckable I practically groaned.

“Why?” The answer may have been obvious, but I still wanted to hear the words. She’d allowed me to drag her to a dark corner away from the crowd and hopefully any prying eyes that would report back to the illustrious capo. The last thing I needed was the head of the family to find a way to use what was about to happen between us against me.

“Because if I think what is going to happen, happens, I want to make sure there’s no wife and kids whose lives I will fuck up. Nor do I have some sick fantasy about becoming the other woman in some screwed up triangle. I know how the men in this organization think. Nothing is off limits and a lie is fair game.”

Those were strong words from such a beautiful woman. I shuddered to think what incident or incidents might be behind them. Although I wasn’t about to unwrap that package any time soon. One thing at a time. Especially when the caveman part of my brain had started to take over and demand I make a claim.

When I didn’t answer right away, she stood from her chair and turned to walk away. But she wasn’t quick enough and I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back against the table a little rougher than I’d intended. To her credit, fear did not flare in her eyes. Instead, challenge did and I immediately accepted.

Although I was rethinking that drink. A strong glass of whiskey would give me the perfect opportunity to slow things down and give me the time I needed to behave rationally. My heartbeat thumped against my chest as I tried to decide if this was all some kind of desperate act or if she truly was the perfect woman in the ideal package. A few more seconds passed silently between us before I let the moment take over.

Fuck it. Why slow it down when we were so obviously on the same page. It was time to lay it on the line and take a calculated risk. If she wasn’t ready for the rope, I’d sure as hell find out what my handprint looked like on her ass. A lovely shade of pink, I imagined.

“I’m not married. Nor am I looking for a wife. But I am intrigued by your desire to get straight to the point and would very much appreciate if you’d stay with me.”

I released her wrist and turned my hand over instead, offering it to her in a delayed gesture of gentleness.

To her credit she only hesitated for a moment before she placed her hand in mine. That slight moment of trust and acquiescence warmed my sometimes cold heart. I wanted to kiss her then. So thoroughly we’d both be reeling from the intensity. But there were prying eyes everywhere and I had a feeling the wait would be well worth it.

I turned us toward the terrace stairs that would lead us into the garden instead of back through the house and the crowd that would most definitely be interested in the two of us leaving together.

“Where are we going?” she whispered, her voice husky and filled with as much need as I felt.

Fuck. I needed my hands on her. No, scratch that. I had to get inside her in every way possible.

“I have a villa not far.”

While she didn’t exactly try to stop me, I felt the tug of indecision anyway.

“I probably should…” She didn’t finish her sentence, but she didn’t have to.

“Second thoughts?” I don’t know why I asked a question that gave her a way out. I didn’t want her to leave. I rubbed my thumb across the baby soft skin of her fingers. Damn. When she wrapped those around my balls, I was going to lose my fucking mind.

“No. I—I just. Never mind. Let’s go before I change my mind.”

I knew I should have questioned the hesitation. At the very least known more about what I was getting into. But this woman…

Yeah, I wasn’t going to lose this opportunity, no matter the cost. Whatever it was, I’d pay the price.

Later.

After she’d come so many times she couldn’t remember her name and mine was burned forever into her brain.