A Deal in Darkness (Dark and Devilish #2)

3

A PROPER BEGINNING

ENZO

I drum my fingers on the marble worktop, annoyed but not surprised I’m being kept waiting. Adriana is trying my patience, and the anticipation is excruciating.

She’s had at least three job offers this morning, all from exceptional literary agencies. I know because I damn well checked myself before giving her the courtesy of a few hours to process the change in her situation.

I’d texted her to confirm and given her my address—twice—along with details of the time I expected her to come over for dinner. I’d been unusually generous and not specified what she should wear.

It won’t matter.

She won’t be wearing it for any longer than necessary, anyway.

A deal’s a deal, and when you make one with the devil, there’s no backing out of it. I didn’t lie to her, but I didn’t need to. Adriana made it so damn easy to take what I want without her even bothering to ask questions.

The girl sealed her fate, and now she’s mine.

And I intend to use her well.

She’s fucking stunning, and she’s been the only thing I’ve thought about for the past three months. My dick turns rock hard every damn time and I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve come imagining the things I’m going to do to her.

Starting tonight.

She’s made me wait far too fucking long and I don’t care if she’s ready or not. Adriana made her deal and now I get her. All of her . Her pretty little fingers and her fucking pert tits. Her plump, perfect mouth. Her innocent little cunt that’s just waiting to be defiled. Her ass, but I won’t take that tonight. Not unless she pushes me—and she’s already running dangerously close.

My temper’s beginning to flare and I bite down, remembering that Adriana is inexperienced. She’s going to need guidance and pushing too hard, too fast, will only backfire. She’ll be more willing and learn faster if her first taste leaves her wanting more.

It’s unfortunate that means I won’t get to use whips and chains tonight. As much as I’d like to restrain her and fuck her senseless, she won’t be ready for it and a little kindness should go a long way to turning her into the obedient submissive I want her to be.

I check for any missed calls or messages, irritated that she hasn’t bothered to reply. We’ll be working on manners soon enough. Once she understands a few basic rules.

The loft is strangely empty and I check that everything’s arranged for the evening. It’s clean. It’s tidy. It’s got flowers, and the temperature is set for her. Dinner’s warming in the oven and the wine cellar is stocked.

Adriana is late.

My teeth grind against each other as I wonder what the fuck she’s playing at. The thought of her nervously pacing the pavement, anticipating a damn good fucking makes my cock twitch. I grab the phone, dial her number, and instantly regret it.

She picks up.

“You okay?” I ask.

She’s silent, except for the quiet, frantic breathing she’s trying to conceal.

“Adriana?”

She swallows. “I’m here.”

“You’re not here,” I reply. “Do you need me to come and get you?”

A tiny whimper hides itself in her sharp inhalation and it turns my dick rock hard. Fuck, she’s special. The kind of special that makes me want to ruin her over and over until my cock’s imprinted on her cunt.

“I…” She pauses, trying to calm herself down. “How did you do it?”

“We can talk about that tonight. But I need to know you’re safe.”

It’s a lie and a necessary one. I need to slam my cock into her pussy and make her scream my fucking name. I need to paint her with my come until she’s marked as mine. I need to screw her so damn hard she can’t get out of my bed, and then I need to fuck her some more.

I want her sore. I want her aching. I want her body to remember every thrust of my cock as I take her fucking virginity.

“I’m fine.” Her voice trembles.

“You’re not. You’re also not here. Come over. We’ll talk.”

A moment of silence passes and it screams that she’s afraid. Uncertain. Excited too.

“Are you going to hurt me?”

“No.”

Yes .

I’m going to fucking hurt her. In ways that make her scream and writhe for my pleasure, as she cries and her mascara runs down her pretty, innocent face. I’m desperate to see those big, round, blue eyes as her makeup smudges and she pleads for mercy.

“I don’t know…”

“We have a deal, Adriana. Let’s talk about it. Tonight.”

I hear her nod and I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Where are you?”

“Outside,” she says in a whisper.

“I’ll let you in.”

She whimpers again and my cock strains against my trousers. I won’t hold back if she keeps making that adorable, arousing sound. It’s driving me to distraction, and it’s got my mind running away with itself, imagining the other noises that are going to be coming from that mouth of hers.

Tonight.

I walk to the door and press the intercom, opening the outside gate. The warehouse has its own entrance and Adriana ought to find her way here through the courtyard garden.

Seconds turn to minutes and my eyes close in frustration.

I march back out of the kitchen area, storming towards the garden as I see her edging nervously into the courtyard. She’s nervous, glancing at her surroundings like she’s expecting to be attacked.

She’s also fucking stunning.

Her long blond hair falls in perfect waves, and her bright blue eyes are dazzling. They’re impossible to ignore and I’m desperate to have them look up at me as I make her come. She’s going to learn to thank me for her pleasure, thank me for her pain, and for everything else in between.

It’s going to be exhilarating as I defile her, shaping her into my perfect little submissive. I’m going to enjoy every second of her struggles, and the pain will make it even sweeter.

Adriana startles, finally catching sight of me. She’s going into flight or fight mode, freezing instead of doing either. I’ll teach her not to do this, but for now, I just need to coax her inside.

I smile, and she smiles back. Her hand waves awkwardly. I nod my head and open the door, dropping my shoulders to make myself seem smaller.

She walks past me, and I close the door, shutting her in the lion’s den.

“Wine, Adriana?”

This time, she has the sense to decline. I extend my hand, offering to take her coat and her eyes narrow, suspicious of my gesture.

“There’s a cloakroom over there.”

She bolts into it and I grab my phone, messaging Byron with instructions to clear out her room in the flat share she’s been enduring. I doubt there’s much of any value, but she might have some sentimental items, and upsetting her will only make this harder.

Adriana won’t need the clothes for much longer. I’ll make sure her wardrobe is appropriate for when she’s outside—and inside—my loft. The open spaces won’t leave her many places to hide, and I intend to make damn sure she’s exposed.

Because it pleases me.

It lets me use her when I want, how I want.

Fuck, she’s been inside for seconds and I’m resisting the urge to haul her ass over the kitchen counters so I can pound her pussy until she begs me to stop.

“How did you do it?” she asks, nervously walking over.

I sit at the kitchen island, pouring myself a large glass of red wine. “I make things happen. I made this happen for you. It was a little inconvenient, but the reward is worth it.” I savor a mouthful of wine, noting it’s the same color as her bitten lips. “You’re worth it.”

“I’ve changed my mind.”

I smile. I’d expected this. “It’s too late, baby.”

“I’m not your…”

“You’re whatever I want you to be, Adriana. Our deal was simple. I get you. All of you.”

She swallows and her hand trembles. “You can’t expect me to…”

The angle of my eyebrow cuts her off.

“Enzo, this isn’t…” Her eyes dart around, searching for something to save her. “I’m going home.”

The muscles in my face tighten as Adriana defies me. I dislike disobedience, but I’ll grant her a little leeway for now. Just enough for her to feel safe. Not enough for her to get confused about who’s in charge.

“This is home.”

Adriana’s eyes meet mine and they’re flooded with panic. She steps back and I get up, calmly walking toward her. She’s holding my gaze, but only because the color of my eyes is changing, deepening as I use the darkness I was born from to hold her in my thrall.

“You made a deal, sweet girl. There’s no escaping the devil now.”

She pales and shakes her head, pleading for mercy.

“You are mine, Adriana. The sooner you accept that, the easier this will be. For you, more than me. I assure you, I have enough patience to endure whatever fight you want to put up—and I’ll enjoy every second as you struggle against me.”

Her foot edges back and my jaw ticks.

“You can’t keep me here.”

I nod. “I don’t want to. I want you to have that career you’re so desperate to have. You can go to work and even evenings out, with my permission, but you will return here. Every night. Unless I say otherwise. Don’t bother running. You’ll find I have the resources to track you down and the punishment will be unpleasant.”

Her defiance is impressive. Most crumble when I use the dark within me, but not Adriana. She’s holding my darkness back enough that I have to work for it, and the challenge has me more interested in her than ever.

I’m going to ruin her.

I’m going to fuck her until she knows she’s mine. Until she knows I own her.

I’m going to make her want to do demeaning, despicable things to please me and it’s going to be a fucking high I’ll never want to come down from.

Her tits heave as she draws a stuttered breath and I want to shred her fucking top and bite down on her pert little nipples. She’s got a lot to learn about pleasure, pain, and the heady mix of the two.

Her panic is about to send me into a fucking frenzy and it’ll make her fear me in a way I don’t want. She’s not ready to handle me when I’m completely unhinged and it would be a cruelty even I wouldn’t force on her if I made her first time that extreme.

“Please.”

The quiet, almost pathetic cry for help threatens to break my control, and I turn, marching back toward the kitchen.

“Come here.”

I don’t turn around, opening a drawer and pulling out the small present I’d planned to give her later. The carefully wrapped package isn’t as beautiful as what’s inside it, but it’s caught Adriana’s attention—and now I need to reel her in.

“I thought we should begin properly.”

“Which part of you tricking me into this arrangement is beginning properly?”

I ignore her petulance and offer her the box, smiling as she eventually reaches for it and gives in to her curiosity.

“It’s for you.”

She smiles before clamping her teeth together. “What is it?”

“Open it and find out.”

Adriana’s fingers toy with the ribbon wrapped around it as she hesitates. She’s learned her lesson from last night and her guard is up. She’s wary, and I can’t blame her. I would be too if I were in her position.

She’d be even more wary if she knew what I really was.

The poor girl thinks the references to Faust and the devil are metaphors, and she’s in for a short, sharp shock when she discovers they’re not that far from reality. Demons aren’t fallen angels, but we’re just as beautiful, and even more vicious.

I will her to open it and she relents, pulling at the ribbon and tearing the intricate paper away. The jewelry box opens and her eyes widen as she stares at its contents, almost forgetting to breathe.

The gold chain is crafted with my magic, and it’ll offer her some protection. It’s beautiful, and it’s drawing her in, but more importantly, it’s a signal that I fucking own her and anything that wants to touch her will have to deal with me.

It’s a collar in all but design, and Adriana is putting it on before she leaves here.

Preferably now.

Before my dick explodes in my fucking trousers as I fantasize about corrupting her. She’s so damn innocent and those big blue eyes only make her look more pure. More divine. More fucking tempting.

“It’s pretty,” she mumbles.

“It’s yours,” I reply. “A gift. I want you to keep it on unless I tell you otherwise. Unless you’re wearing other jewelry I’ve given you.”

Her fingers shake as she traces the metal necklace. “Other jewelry?”

I hum and nod, touching her fingers as I reach for the box. She startles a little and her eyes snap back up to mine, and I offer her my most reassuringly soft gaze.

“I intend to gift you lots of jewelry, baby.”

Necklaces. Earrings. Rings and bracelets. Nipple clamps with jewels. Definitely a butt plug. And a fucking clit clamp too. Maybe even a clit piercing so I can clip a leash to it and have her crawl around behind me as I walk her like a fucking dog.

My hands lift the necklace out of the box and I raise my eyebrows, silently asking her to turn around. She obeys, like the good little submissive she’s desperate to be, and holds her hair up, exposing the curve at the back of her neck.

I slip the chain around her neck and fasten it, thrilled we’ve taken this first step. Adriana doesn’t understand it, but she’s done it anyway, and now she’s more mine than ever.

“Are you hungry?” I ask, resting my hand on the small of her back.

She shakes her head. “No. You?”

“I’m fucking starving.”

I grab and spin her around before she knows what’s happening. I’ve waited far too fucking long to claim her as mine. I’m aroused and I need to make her mine. It’s in my nature to be possessive and I’ve held back for her, but it’s impossible to deny the feral desire rising in me.

She squeals as I pick her up, ignoring every scream and punch and kick as she tries to escape. Her fight is adorable, and it’s only turning me on more.

I’m going to fuck the living shit out of her, and I’m going to love every moment of it. I’m still rational enough to know it’ll be better for me if she enjoys it and I stop when we reach my bedroom, aware her screams have turned frantic.

“What are you doing?” she screams. “Please, don’t…” She tries to pull back. “I don’t want this, I don’t…”

I arch an eyebrow and grab her wrist, stopping it before her fist connects with my chest.

“We have a deal, baby. I’ve kept my end of it. Now it’s time for you to keep yours.”