Controlled: A Dark Mafia Romance

Chapter 28

Bella

Love.

How could I sense it in a man like him? It wasn’t possible. Was it? When I sensed Creed had turned to leave, I couldn’t help myself turning around to watch as he did. He was still wet from saving my life. He was disheveled and riddled with rage, determined to hunt and kill the people who’d done the terrible thing.

And in my wacked-out mind, he was the most handsome man on the face of the earth. Whatever that made me, I wasn’t certain I cared any longer.

A pang of guilt tore through me. I had every right to be anxious and angry. Didn’t I? I’d almost been killed. Again. Because of him.

Or maybe it had nothing to do with him at all but was because of who my real father was. Accepting that, believing that, dealing with that had nearly torn me apart from the moment I’d learned the truth. It was bittersweet on every level, my mind still reeling.

But it was my heart that troubled me the most, the ache intense. I cared about the man more than I wanted to admit to myself.

I was twisting my hands, furious that nothing in our ugly worlds could be normal, but there was no doubt he’d experienced his own level of terror when he thought me dead. I wasn’t certain what was right or wrong any longer. I couldn’t ascertain how the blow of knowledge would settle or how I’d handle the future.

But I knew one thing for certain.

I was falling for the man. Good. Bad. Ugly. I didn’t care. He’d awakened the woman inside just as I’d awakened the good side to him. And yes, there was one. I’d seen it. I’d felt it. I’d… enjoyed it.

“Wait,” I said before I could stop myself.

Creed stopped short, taking a deep breath. “I don’t want to hurt you any longer, Bella.”

His words were more emotional than any he’d said up to this point. I walked closer. “Then don’t.” When I dared touch his arm, he slumped as if the touch was burning his skin. Maybe it was given the tips of my fingers were seared from the white-hot heat we’d always shared.

There was no turning back at this point and I knew that in the back of my mind. To allow him into my life, into my world meant we would be together. Did I want marriage? Maybe. Did I believe he was capable of being a decent husband? I wasn’t certain. What I did know was that I wanted him in my life. I wanted to show him that some of the best things in the world had nothing to do with money.

As he cupped the side of my face, I was thrown as always by the excitement surging through me.

“Fuck, baby. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone in my life. Anyone. You’re perfect. So special. Everything I’ve ever dreamt about.” His grip tightened as he closed the distance, rubbing his thumb back and forth across my jaw.

I was torn by the beautiful moment but only for a few seconds. As he lowered his head, both of us breathing raggedly, I could tell he was waiting for me to give my full agreement, to give in to our almost desperate need for each other.

My answer wasn’t one I’d expected at all. I ripped at his shirt. That was the only okay he needed. As he crushed his mouth over mine, I no longer cared about any of the horrors or fears, only longing to have the naked skin of our bodies pressed together.

Creed swept his tongue into my mouth, taking his time to enjoy the moment.

Meanwhile, I was far too eager, yanking his crumpled polo from his shorts. As soon as I was able, I slipped my hands underneath, marveling in the heat the man exuded. I was no longer thrown by the way I felt about him or the way my body reacted. As the electricity turned more explosive, he rolled one hand over my shoulder, raking his fingers down my back and cupping my buttocks.

When he lifted me into the air, I felt like I was flying, free of the chains that had been my life. How could one man do that to me? The taste of him was spectacular as usual, releasing pheromones as if they were going out of style. He tangled his tongue with mine like he was doing with the fingers of his other hand in my hair.

He spun me around and I pressed my knees against his thighs. Every sound he made was about full possession.

Only this time of my heart.

The light breeze and the tiny bit of remaining light added to the moment of passion, the backdrop of the lake spectacular.

Even if I’d almost lost my life in the murky water.

When he broke the kiss, he was the one taking gasping breaths and within seconds, we were ripping at each other’s clothes. I felt such desperate need I was shocked, laughing softly as I fought to unfasten his shorts after tearing off his shirt. I hadn’t realized I’d used so much force when tossing his shirt out of my way until out of the corner of my eye I noticed it billowing over the balcony railing.

He laughed with me until another growl took over and he eased me to my feet, jerking my shirt off with his own heightened level of ferocity. I sensed the material ripping, which I couldn’t care less about.

Within a few seconds, we were both completely naked, the massive man pressing his cock against me. He certainly knew how to make a girl’s mouth water. As he dragged me toward the bedroom, I didn’t fight him, the need to feel his thick shaft plunging inside my wet, throbbing pussy more intense than before.

I was expecting him to toss me onto the bed. When he shoved me against the wall, his grin positively evil, I clawed his back just because I could.

“Oh, my girl likes it tough, huh?” he asked in his dark, demanding voice.

“Yes. Can you handle it?”

His grin remained as he threw one of my arms over my head then the other, capturing both wrists with one hand. There was no foreplay, no time wasted on romance. He simply thrust the entire length of his cock inside.

As sweet and amazing as our sexual escapades had been before, there was an entirely different feeling with him buried deep inside. We both moaned and he stopped moving altogether, allowing us to catch our breath. I was so lost in the man and in the moment that truly nothing else mattered.

He pulled out, teasing me as he squeezed my wrists, even dragging his tongue from one side of my jaw to the other. With more conviction and need in his eyes than I’d seen before, the building shadows unable to hide the feelings and desires we shared, he fucked me.

But it wasn’t just hard fucking for the sake of sex. It was passionate and full of additional need.

And as crazy as it seemed, it was also full of promise for the future.

As he slid me up the wall, forced to let go of my arms, I couldn’t stop the animalistic moan from escaping my lips. I fisted his hair, wrapping my legs around his waist as the brutal plunging continued. We were both panting like true savages, the need building to a crazy precipice.

I tossed my head from side to side, barely able to think coherently. This man had allowed happiness to sink in. It was wild and unthinkable but electrified in every way.

“So bad,” I whispered.

“So damn good.” He laughed and I shivered at the sound. He refused to let me go, his stamina even more controlled than it had been before. I had no idea how long he’d continued the brutal actions but within seconds, I was thrown close to pure nirvana.

That’s the moment he slowed down, gyrating his hips back and forth.

“You will obey me,” he said, his voice now gravelly.

“You’ll need to think again.”

“Then I will punish you.”

While his tone held a playful tone, I knew he wasn’t teasing. As another wave of electricity shot through me, now red-hot and pushing me into an entirely different stratosphere, I lolled my head to the side. But I scratched my nails down his back, making a new set of marks as if that would replace the agony from the others.

Maybe we could learn to heal together.

As one.

“Oh. My… I, yes.” I couldn’t seem to stop laughing or undulating against him as the climax rushed into me. The way my pussy clenched and released was incredible, the letting go I was able to do pushing me into a scintillating wave of ecstasy. In surrendering to the pleasure, I was also surrendering to the man. That much I knew in my heart and soul.

And it was more than fine by me.

It was joyous, something to celebrate.

“Come again for me, baby. Do it, now.” His commanding voice was as powerful an aphrodisiac as the scent of lake water and exotic spices was intoxicating. Who knew the combination could be so powerful? I obeyed his command, another beautiful orgasm sweeping through me.

“Uh. Uh. Uh. Uh. Uh.” I could only make guttural sounds as he cupped my breasts, switching the angle. It was when he pinched my nipples, twisting my tender flesh that I let off a powerful scream.

And through the haze in my eyes, I could see the hint of a smile on his face.

As I started to come down from the intense moment of rapture, he eased me to the floor, slamming one palm against the wall then the other for effect.

“You are a bad girl,” he said in a more authoritative voice.

I somehow managed to press my hand against his chest, taking gasping breath. “Yep.”

“You ran away, which was against my orders, which almost cost you your life. You did so because you overheard something you shouldn’t have heard and instead of asking me what was going on, you assumed. Tsk. Tsk. Not good all the way around.”

“Hmm…” I dragged my tongue across my bottom lip. “So what are you going to do about it?”

“I’m glad you asked.” Now he took the time to whisk me around, tossing me onto the bed. “Do not move or I assure you that your punishment will be much harsher.”

I teased him instead of attempting to jump off, wiggling my bottom. I hadn’t expected him to grab a belt from the dresser or to whistle while he did as if this was all fun and games. Even after all we’d been through, the man had a truly playful side to him.

He returned within a few seconds, cracking the thick strap onto the floor. I was shocked how excited it made me, even if I knew the spanking was going to hurt like a son of a bitch. As he finally turned on a light next to the bed, allowing me to catch sight of his carved face, I was drawn by the way his nostrils were flared this time. And the way he was looking at me.

This time the thought of his ownership didn’t fill me with anger.

As he rolled his fingers down my spine, I found myself shivering. When he cracked the belt against my backside, I took a deep breath, surprised the pain wasn’t that bad.

Until he smacked my bottom several times in rapid succession. Now it hurt like a son of a bitch.

“Oh, God. Oh…” I threw my head over my shoulder, forming a silly expression from seeing the smile on his face.

“In time you will learn the importance of following my rules. After all, you will be my queen.” As he brought the belt down several times, I found myself floating away but not just from the moment of discipline shared or the intimacy from before.

But from the knowledge that for some crazy reason, I was right where I was supposed to be.

In his life.

In his house.

And in his arms.

Forever.

While the future was as terrifying as my past was haunting, I had a feeling that he would make good on his promise of protecting me against all odds. And maybe in turn, we could both learn to love both ourselves and each other.

Maybe…