A Deal in Darkness (Dark and Devilish #2)

18

A SUBTLE KNIFE TO THE GUT

ADRIANA

E nzo plays between my legs, making me moan as I wake. Instinctively, I pull away but his hands hold me in place so his tongue can keep licking my clit. Heat is already rising in my core and I moan again, enjoying a moment of pleasure.

“What are you doing?”

I sound incredulous.

“Eating pussy, sweet girl. Yours is fucking delicious.”

He sounds matter-of-fact.

I groan and Enzo sucks my clit into his mouth, playing with it roughly. I'm still sensitive from last night and I writhe, screaming for him to stop. He laughs and the vibrations travel through me, heightening my arousal before his tongue darts inside me. I clench around him and he plays wickedly, ignoring my protests that I'm too damn sore.

“Daddy will play somewhere else then.”

His tongue moves back and I kick, screaming in panic as he approaches my ass. I don't want this, and Enzo's pushing for something I'm not ready for.

“I'm not fucking kidding.” I scream, and his tongue flicks over my asshole. “I don't fucking want this. No fucking games, Enzo. I said no.”

He flips me over and spanks my ass, hard, on each side.

“I decide what you get and when you get it, baby. Maybe I should have just fucked you in the ass sooner and then this wouldn't have become an issue.”

His hand lands again, and I arch my back, screaming in pain.

“Stay the fuck still.”

Enzo rubs my ass and the pain ebbs away. He's gentle and it's soothing as he massages my lower back and I start to relax. His hand dips between my cheeks and I stiffen as his thumb hovers over my ass. He presses against it, releases, and presses against it again.

It feels weird but not unpleasant and he plays at my asshole, touching it until I'm relaxed and comfortable.

His breathing quickens and the mattress beneath me vibrates as his thighs thrust his cock into his fist. Enzo's touching himself and he's close to orgasm if his hitched breathing is a good indication. I still and wait, focusing on the feeling of his thumb as it probes my ass.

Enzo roars and cool, sticky liquid sprays up my back, splattering as his come coats my body. His thumb pushes into me a little and I moan, unsure about this new sensation.

“Good girl.”

He stops and rubs his come over my back, making sure every inch of me is covered.

“Get dressed. You'll be late for work unless you hurry.”

I whine and haul my ass out of bed, frustrated I haven't come and now I'm covered in his. I pull out a suitable shirt dress, fastening a leather belt around it. I brush my hair and pull it back into a quick ponytail, opting for minimal makeup. I grab some shoes and race for the front door to find Enzo waiting, immaculately dressed, as if it took hours to look that damn good.

“Let's go, Adi.”

I sit in silence on the way to work, trying to think about anything other than this morning. I'm on edge, and not just because I didn't come. Enzo played with my ass and as much as I hate to admit it, it wasn't awful. I know him well enough to know he won't wait long before taking it further. To say I'm not keen is an understatement, but this morning wasn't as terrible as I'd imagined either.

The car pulls up and Enzo grabs my hand, demanding my attention.

“You're forgetting our deal, Adriana. I own you. Your mouth, your pussy, and your ass. I've been generous. I won't be much longer.”

I nod, and he kisses me, dominant and rough.

He calls after me as I step out of the car and I lean back inside.

“Try not to think about my cock too much today, baby.”

I roll my eyes and close the door, regretting I didn't tell him he should try to focus on something other than my perfect pussy. I'm just glad no one else heard and I walk into work, aware the car doesn't pull away until I'm inside.

I find my way to my office, and Lucinda is waiting with a cup of tea.

“You look like you had a long night,” she says, handing me my drink.

“Thanks, I was up late reading,” I mumble, ignoring the backhanded compliment.

I sink into my seat and power up my computer, annoyed that Lucinda's taken a seat without asking. She's staring at my bookcase and her eyebrows rise on more than one occasion, clearly impressed with the collection sitting on display.

“Is that a first edition of Jane Austen?”

I glance at the shelf and nod my head. “It was a gift from my other half.”

God knows how I'm meant to introduce Enzo. Boyfriend? Partner? Demon lover? Fuck god who owns me until he decides otherwise? Filthy rich benefactor who stuck his thumb in my ass this morning?

“You should keep hold of him. It's worth a fortune. Let me know if you're looking to get rid.”

I smile and wonder what she'd give to be in my place.

“We're pretty settled.”

Lucinda sips her coffee and eyes the other books on my shelves. She stops at a fake photo of Enzo and me relaxing on a beach and her eyes flick back to me.

“I'll admit I was worried when you first walked in. My career depends on yours and you didn't seem to have a clue—but you've got good taste. That hunk on your arm will help smooth the way at the fancy receptions and book launches.”

Enzo isn't helping at just the receptions, but she doesn't need to know that. Nor does she need to be such a goddamn bitch, but the girl is determined to act like she owns the place and I'm going to have to find a way of dealing with her. One that doesn't involve Enzo if I want to maintain any self-respect.

“Did you set your profile up so authors can send you their books?”

I shake my head. “It's on the list for today.”

“You need to get that sorted, Adriana. Your clients and your list are everything in this business. I'll get onto it...”

“I'm taking care of it myself.”

Lucinda shakes her head as she stands. “Just get it done. Before Emily finds out you haven't.”

“Something I should know about?”

“She owns the firm but lost a lot of money when the business got into problems. She's floating it with her own cash, and you can't blame her for being ruthless about things when it's her money on the line.”

I arch my eyebrow and nod, surprised that this doesn't fit with the woman I met yesterday. She seemed kind, approachable, and friendly, not at all like a cutthroat businesswoman who'll stop at nothing to succeed. I'm not sure I trust Lucinda, but her warning is worth noting, and I'll be a little more careful around here.

I spend my morning attending meetings and setting the damn profile up. It takes an eternity and I'm just about finished when the office empties for lunch. I'm still putting the final touches on the website when Emily knocks, bringing food with her.

“Working lunch?”

“Perfect,” I beam back. “There's loads to do, but I think I'm getting there.”

“I'd say so. The collection is perfect, by the way. The other agents are already talking about it. I hear there's a first edition or two in there.”

I nod. “Gifts.”

Emily smiles and we talk about books as she runs through the state of the business and her expectations. They're terrifyingly high and the income I need to bring in is a tall order for a new agent, especially one without a single book on her list.

“Better to build a good list than a fast one. Just don't take too long, Adriana. Did Lucinda set your website profile up?”

I nod, then shake my head. “I asked her to do some of the other admin bits while I did it myself.”

Emily stares at me like she's trying to decide if that was an incredibly smart or incredibly dumb decision. Her eyes brim with emotion and my heart races, caught in a whirlwind of its own.

My mouth turns dry and my chest tightens as my heart keeps pounding, trying to escape its confines within my ribcage. My fingers tingle as a shiver rolls down my spine and my core clenches as my stomach ties itself in knots. The hairs on my arm stand on end as the sense of trepidation spreads through me.

It's like someone walking over my grave.

It’s a subtle knife twisting in my gut.

It’s a kiss of death in all but name.

I don’t know what the hell this is, but I recognize something’s wrong. I’ve felt like this once before and I didn’t like it then. I was frightened and foolish, too afraid to question what was happening around me—but that girl has gone, now she knows the world isn’t the way she thought it was.

The knot in my stomach tightens as I remember the last time I felt like this. It was back in Cambridge, on a beautiful summer’s afternoon. I was walking by the river with a friend I’d hoped would become something more, and he was staring at me like he wanted it too. And then the same horrific feeling washed over me and everything changed, and he looked at me like he never wanted to see me again.

It's a moment that changed everything and now I recollect it, things didn’t happen quite the way I thought they did. I remember someone standing nearby, leaning against a fence as if they owned the goddamn place. Their hair was a particular shade of jet black and their eyes burned when they met my gaze, and I recognize the man who’d laughed as my friend made excuses.

Enzo was watching me.

More than watching me—he was making damn sure that no one else stood a chance, and if they got too close, he acted. The ominous feeling washing over me was his magic as it crept into the world and changed something, terrifying the man I’d wanted to take as a lover.

And it’s the same magic flowing into my office now.

The fact of the matter is that Enzo is far too dangerous to trust and too dishonest to believe. He’s determined to take whatever he wants and I’m damn sure that when that turned out to be me, he would have gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure it happened. I was doomed to make a bargain with him, even though I made it easy for him, and suddenly all my failings make sense—he engineered them.

I don’t know enough to know if Emily’s one of Enzo’s underlings, but I assume her involvement isn’t a coincidence. I’m not sure what’s provoked this reaction from her, but I’m certain she’s using her darkness on me. She’s trying to intimidate me, trying to push me into doing whatever it is she wants.

“Adriana?”

My eyes snap back to hers, and her irises are as dark as Enzo’s. Their sparks aren’t as bright and they’re not nearly as beautiful. But it’s enough to convince me she isn’t human and I wonder how many of my coworkers fall into that category.

“Sorry, I was thinking about an email I had earlier.”

“Was it interesting?” she asks, pointedly.

“Very,” I say. “I don’t think I’d normally take an unsolicited email with a manuscript attached, but this one looks good. Really good. I might give it a go.”

She smiles, and there’s a viciousness behind its soft veneer. “Let me know if you like it. This could be a fantastic start. I’m excited, Adriana. Very excited.”

I smile and nod, dreading whatever comes next. I open the file and start reading, enjoying the well-written story with a fast plot that’s full of action and adventure. The fantasy world in the book takes me to a world of mystery and power, where nothing’s the way it seems and magic threatens to tear kingdoms apart. I should lose myself in the story, but my thoughts keep coming back to what happened earlier—both just now and when I was at university.

There’s far too much I don’t know and the biggest question lingering in my mind is whether I should tell Enzo that I think that my boss is a demon. But it isn’t the only question and I dread the answer to the other ones that won’t go away—how long has Enzo been following me and what did he do to make me his?