Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Liesel
While the three guys work, I spend an hour mulling over what to tell my onkel. I can’t keep what’s going on from him any longer. Jorge hasn’t suggested he’s involved, and I have no reason to suspect it on my own.
“Jorge, I have to call Onkel Clyde. We’ve said nothing to him yet. I know we should’ve. But I don’t know—I guess I didn’t want him to interfere in case he’s part of this, and I know he still could be.”
“No, it’s time, Liesel. Make the call.”
“I’ll have to speak German, or he’ll immediately suspect something’s going on.”
It only rings twice before I hear his gruff voice on speakerphone. It’s always that way. I suppose that’s why I expected Jorge’s uncles to sound similarly, but his greeting is warm.
“Onkel Clyde, I need to tell you some things that’re very upsetting. Somebody kidnapped Papa four days ago.”
“What?!” He explodes; I knew it was coming.
“I went back to the office after lunch, and there was a box with his hand inside. It had his wedding ring on it.”
“And you didn’t call me immediately?”
“No, I didn’t. To be honest, I was too stunned to think very clearly at the time, but I have a friend here in Frankfurt who I suspected could help me. I went to him.”
“Jorge Diaz.”
I’m shocked he guessed. I look over at Jorge, eyes wide in confusion. He nods and taps the air with his palm, reassuring me.
“Anneliese, I know about the Diazes’ potential investment and what was going on. Your father told me about it. The only friend you could have who’d know any way to approach a situation like this would be him. Hola, Jorge, I’m certain you’re listening.”
“Good evening, Clyde.”
There’s a protracted silence before my uncle speaks again.
“I don’t want to imagine where this conversation is going, but I’m glad Anneliese has you. You certainly aren’t the first person I’d think of for her to rely on, but you’re certainly the best while I’m here in Munich.”
“Thank you.”
I share an abridged version of what happened with my mother and sister coming to stay with us. I keep my breakup with Bastian short and to the point before I tell him where my mom, Heidi, and Friedrich went.
“Jorge, I’m not shocked you have connections with Hisham. I appreciate he offered all of you sanctuary.”
My gaze meets Jorge’s. I don’t know what to say next, so he takes over.
“Clyde, we know both Anneliese and Gunter have questionable clients. I know what’s going on with Anneliese and her Swiss accounts.”
There’s another uncomfortable silence before my uncle relents.
“If you use this information against us, Jorge…I’m only telling you because I have faith you can help find my brother.
We began receiving threats from someone about a year ago.
They’re the people who’ve been extorting Anneliese.
When she brought it to Gunter’s attention, he downplayed it.
He didn’t want whoever this is to know Anneliese told him anything.
He thought we could collect information—insurance—against them to extricate all of us. ”
None of this sounds like the onkel I grew up with.
The one with whom I have so many happy memories.
The one who used to walk around with my standing on his feet, pretending to be a giant.
The man who’d let me curl up on his lap and tell me stories about when he and Papa were young boys. That was a lifetime ago for both of us.
“Who could this be?”
“Anneliese, I honestly don’t know. You’ve sprung this on me, and as you know, it’s a lot to take in. I need to consider all the players in this situation.”
“Onkel Clyde, be careful. I don’t know if they might come after you too.”
“I know, Anneliese. I’m glad you have Jorge there. Listen to everything he tells you to do. Jorge, do you have family coming, or is it just you and whatever guards you have?”
“A brother and a cousin are here.”
That’s all he shares. He doesn’t mention which ones, and he doesn’t admit they’ve heard this conversation. I hang up with my onkel. He took that far better than I imagined, but I’m certain he’s reacting now that we’re not on the phone.
“How’re you doing, chiquita?”
“Better than I thought I’d be, to be honest. He’s more upset than he’s letting one.”
“I know he is. He’s German. He’s genetically programmed to be stoic.”
Jorge flashes me a grin before leaning around me to look at Joaquin and Alejandro. They’re busy and minding their own business. Jorge slides his hand into mine and leads me up to the bedroom. Once we’re there, he shuts the door.
I slip off my shoes and so does he. He scoops me into his arms, and I wrap mine around his neck.
He presses a gentle kiss to my forehead before brushing my lips with his.
He sits on the bed and places me next to him.
We shuffle around until he’s sitting against the headboard, and I’m on his lap.
He offers me a tender kiss on the lips, and I sigh.
I burrow against him, but it doesn’t feel like enough for either of us.
“Strip, chiquita.”
“What? Right now?”
His soft smile reassures me. “I won’t fuck you right this minute, unless that’s what you want. But strip.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
I climb off the bed while he does the same. I shed my clothes without hesitation.
“Trust me about this, little one.”
“I do. Completely.”
Heat suffuses my chest, knowing how truthful I am.
“Chica, only my family says that to me. No one else is stupid enough to have that kind of unconditional emotion toward me.”
“I can guess why, Jorge. But I know my faith isn’t misplaced.”
“Do you feel so far over your head that you’re drowning, and you don’t know how to swim to the surface?
“Yes.”
“Give me control for a little while, chiquita. Let me take care of you and show you I’m here to do that. Let yourself focus on something other than your fear.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve spanked you in the past as a punishment. It can also be for pleasure.”
“As a distraction?”
“In this case, it is in a way. It can be so much more. It’s about letting me take the lead without you fighting for control over something you can’t. All you have to do is concentrate on how you feel when I touch you.”
I look at him skeptically, but he knows when I accept this. I’m at least willing to try. I nod and step closer to the bed. He sits on the edge and taps his lap. Rather than sit on it, I lie across it. His hand grazes over my ass, his fingertips like feathers.
What I wouldn’t give for him to have one of those right now to see how my body would react to that sensation. React to Jorge wielding it.
Goosebumps rise on my skin. He fills his palm with my right ass cheek and massages, squeezing and rocking. He gradually tightens his hold on me.
“You’re mine now, chiquita. Mine to take care of and to pleasure. Mine to punish when you lose your way.”
I inhale a shuddering breath as he switches to the other ass cheek.
“There are dirty, dirty things I want to do when I fuck you, little one. There are sweet things I want to do as I worship you.”
His fingers slide between my ass cheeks, and my instinct is to clench—but only for a moment.
I relax, and his fingers inch farther down.
He glides his index and ring finger along the outside of my pussy lips three times before he lets his middle finger dip into my cunt—but only to his first knuckle.
I moan and shift restlessly. He feels how wet I am already and how much wetter I grow as he continues to tease.
“This fine ass is mine to spank, squeeze, pinch, and fuck whenever I want.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
I agree without hesitation. I hope my tone tells him I’m being honest and not just responding to dirty talk in kind.
He uses the cream on his middle finger to slowly circle my clit as his other hand reaches beneath me to tweak my nipple.
He pinches and tugs before rolling it between his index finger and thumb.
“These tits are magnificent. I’ll suck and bite and fuck them whenever I want. They were made for my enjoyment, little girl. They’re mine just like the rest of you.”
Perhaps one day we’ll watch a baby we make together nurse from them. I’ve never pictured that—not even had a hint of an image of that—with another man. Not even Bastian to tell the truth. I would’ve run for the hills if I had this early in another relationship. Now the thought makes my cunt ache.
He lets go of my nipple, trailing his fingertips up and over my collarbone, then down past my shoulder blades.
His whole hand glides along my back until his arm wraps around my waist. His hand rests on my belly for a few seconds; his possessiveness clear, if only implied.
As he draws it back, I reach for his wrist and press it against my taught stomach.
“Daddy, please.”
I don’t know what I’m asking for. The words tumbled out of my mouth.
It could be several things. My spanking.
His possessiveness. Our baby. The first two for sure, but the third is far too much.
Hell, maybe all I want is an orgasm. I turn my head to look up at him, and his gaze is so heartfelt that he might give me all four right now if I wanted them.
He dips the single digit all the way into my cunt.
He does nothing, and I whimper. He draws it out, and my right foot tries to stomp, but only my toes touch the floor.
He makes sure his finger’s covered in my cream before tracing a line between my ass cheeks until he reaches the place my body hides from him—for now.
He presses against the hole, the pad of his finger easing into the tight opening.
“Can you guess how many times I’ve pictured a plug in your ass? A secret only we know about. One that makes you desperate for my cock every time I put it in. One that prepares you just for me.”
“Fuck, Jorge. That’s hot.”
“That’s because you’re hot. You’ve filled many of my nights, visiting me in my dreams and dancing in front of my eyes as I jerk myself off.”
“I’ve—I’ve—”