Fourteen #2
Carlo frowns. “What kind of fights?”
“They throw two desperate girls in a ring to beat each other to death. The loser gets gang-raped after.”
I scoff, pouring myself a drink. Motherfucker still hasn’t learned. The door knocks, and Lorenzo reports that Ava’s arrived at the casino. I leave Carlo with his brother and head to my sexy little strawberry, ready to finish what we started.
***
I hand the keys to the valet, place my hand on Ava’s lower back, and walk beside her toward the entrance. Music is pounding through the lavish lobby, echoing off marble and glass. The doorman recognizes me instantly and welcomes me with a smile.
We stop at the coat check, and I help Ava slip off her long black trench coat.
The short red dress clings to her pale skin, perfectly matching her hair.
My gaze lingers on her curves, blood rushing harder to my cock.
Before the situation in my pants gets obvious, I grab her hand and lead her toward the red double doors.
It’s a busy night. The main floor is packed with people dancing under swirling blue, purple, and red lights from the mirrored balls hanging from the ceiling, moving to the beat of the music.
Not a single stool is free at the bar. One of the staff spots me and hurries over, respectfully escorting us to the VIP section.
I settle onto the plush velvet couch beside Ava, scanning the room. Ivan, the club’s owner, is at one of the tables with three girls.
“Why are we here, Maxim?”
Ava’s voice pulls my attention from Ivan. I look at her stunning face, wearing soft makeup. Her hair is pinned up on the sides, cascading down her back, begging to be touched.
I brush my thumb across her cheek and murmur, “A few reasons, strawberry. Drinking, dancing, and fucking.”
Her pale skin flushes with embarrassment, and she glances around. She locks eyes with me, trying to seem defiant, but it only makes her more irresistible.
“It’s cute you think I’d let you grope me in front of all these people.”
I slide my arm around her waist and pull her against me, burying my face in the crook of her neck. “It’s cute you think you have a choice.”
She shoots me a small glare, and I nip her earlobe. “When I’m done with you, you’ll be begging me to fuck you.”
The shaky breath she takes makes me chuckle, but I say nothing, planting a kiss on her neck.
A tall blonde in nothing but a bikini approaches us.
“Welcome, Mr. Moretti. What can I get you?”
I glance at Ava. She clearly doesn’t have anything specific in mind. “A scotch and a cosmopolitan.”
“Maxim! You bastard, where the hell have you been all this time?”
It’s Ivan, striding toward me with open arms. He’s wearing a black vest over his chiseled frame, finished off with a fedora straight out of an old mob movie. I stand, slapping my hand against his in a firm grip.
He snaps his fingers at the staff and calls out, “Champagne!”
Then his gaze drops on Ava and stays there. “I see you brought your snack. As always, great taste.”
I sit back down beside Ava and drape my arm around her shoulders. Ivan’s leering stare on her body makes my blood boil, but I keep my voice controlled. “Eyes on me, Ivan.”
He extends his hand toward Ava with a sleazy grin. “This view’s more interesting. What’s your name, angel?”
Ava shakes his hand, but before she can introduce herself, I cut in with authority. “Her name’s the mother of Maxim’s daughter, Maxim’s private property, with a giant fucking warning sign around her.”
Ivan isn’t a desperate man. He doesn’t drool over pussy, he has every kind of woman crawling into his bed.
Given my track record, he has every reason to think he can flirt with any woman by my side.
I trust him completely, and I know this one warning’s enough.
His eyes widen in surprise for a moment, and he looks at Ava again.
Ava rolls her eyes, then turns to Ivan. “I’m Ava. Nice to meet you.”
Ivan returns to his usual cool, bows politely, and kisses the back of her hand. “Ivan.”
He sits a bit farther away, his lively spirit returning. “Damn, Maxim, you’re full of surprises, man.”
I take a sip of my scotch. “What can I say? You’re not wrong.”
“So when’s this lucky kid due?” Ivan lowers his voice, as if he doesn’t want Ava to hear, but I’m damn sure she does. “I was just chatting with your little actress at another table. She didn’t know a thing.”
“The kid’s two years old already.”
Ivan cracks up, pouring champagne into our glasses. “I’ve got no clue what’s going on anymore, man, but congrats.”
He clinks his glass against Ava’s. “To you too, gorgeous.”
Ava stays silent, downing her entire glass in one go. Yep, she definitely heard. One of the staff whispers something to Ivan, and after ordering more drinks for us, he leaves us alone.
“I’m not your private property,” Ava snaps.
I take another swig of my scotch, then turn slightly toward her. I grip her neck, pulling her face closer, and lean in to kiss her, but she stubbornly presses her lips shut and jerks her head back. I tighten my hold on her neck until she gasps, and that’s when I claim her mouth in a hard kiss.
“Yes, you are. You’re mine, and you know what, Ava? You love that I’ve made you mine.”
She snaps, her voice dripping with heat, “Your narcissism is starting to make me sick. What’s so thrilling about being one of the women in your harem?”
I don’t budge against her attempts to pull away, keeping her face close to mine. I set my glass on the table and trace my fingers along the curve of her neck, down to the delicate line between her breasts.
“Don’t be jealous, my little red vixen.” I call her a vixen because she’s as sly and captivating as the foxes I saw in the Alpine forests, just as cunning, just as alluring. I nip her lip gently. “Do what I did. Claim me. My body, my soul. Take it all.”
I slide my hand to her hip, pinning her against me. I lock eyes with her, her gaze brimming with need, and let out a breath. “I’ll give you everything. All of it.”
Her body softens, her breaths growing shallow. “Why?”
I drag my lips across the soft skin of her cheek. “Because I want you like a fucking savage.”
I hook her leg over my thigh, pressing her lower body against mine so her core grinds against my hungry cock. “Because you’re the woman who’s defied my fate. You’ve turned my life upside down, and instead of wanting to kill you, I’m consumed with a mad craving to fuck you.”
Her hands grip my shoulders, her eyes closing in a blissful trance as she exhales her trapped breath across my face. I toy with her parted lips, tasting her as I whisper, “Trust your instincts and burn me, Ava. Fire doesn’t need a reason to blaze.”
I take her lips, soft and deep, and she digs her fingers into my flesh, returning my kiss with fierce, insatiable heat. I wrap one arm around her waist, the other behind her neck, pulling her tight against me, savoring the taste of her.
And the night has only just begun.