Chapter 19
Jaxon
Desire could be considered a double-edged sword, especially in my world where greed met corruption in a tireless dance of authority.
I wasn’t unlike any other red-blooded male. I craved satisfaction if only for an hour or two. Any longer than that and I opened myself up to feelings I no longer wanted as well as complications if not danger.
My strict personal rules of engagement didn’t allow for relationships of any length, let alone the promise of either protection or monogamy.
Which was why the dark cravings I had for Anna continued to baffle my mind.
Not because she wasn’t the most evocatively stunning woman I’d ever met or because I didn’t enjoy her company. In truth, I found our argumentative banter wholly fulfilling in a way that couldn’t easily be explained.
I also found her beauty irresistible, an intense craving that doubled every time I was around her. Tonight was no exception. While I’d been angry, even vengeful in seeing her with Damien, the oddity as to why had been a shocking exposure of my thoughts and yearning.
Because in my mind they were lovers and I was jealous that she hadn’t picked me.
Had I reverted to some lovesick teenager? The thought that she could wreak havoc on my world hadn’t even entered my mind.
So much for rules and training.
As soon as both she and Zorro were safely tucked away inside, I locked the door, rearming the security system and tossing her duffle bag on the floor.
Anna backed away from me in the dark, using slow and steady footsteps to navigate in the unfamiliar location.
Woof.
Zorro’s call for attention went unheeded as I took a step closer. With a laugh, I yanked off my jacket, tossing it aside. Whether it landed on the chair or the floor I just didn’t give a shit.
Anna tugged the band holding her hair hostage in a braid, pitching the long strands over her shoulder while she raked her fingers through the curls. The moment she tossed her head backwards, my balls swelled, my aching dick pressed against my zipper.
We repeated the heated dance several times until her lithe form was highlighted in the stream of moonlight shimmering through the open living room blinds.
She laughed softly when I loosened my tie, tugging and almost strangling myself before ripping it from under my shirt collar. I even took the time to unfasten my shirt including my sleeves, when I rolled up and over my elbows.
Zorro had followed us further into the living room, sitting on his haunches and whipping his tail back and forth.
The movement was a reminder of how much he adored her.
Given he was the best judge of character, I allowed myself to believe she wouldn’t attempt to kill me inside my own house.
The knife currently residing in the pocket of my trousers was sharp and could certainly do some damage, but I doubted she was a practiced killer.
Her look of satisfaction was entirely too heated, the ache in my joints and deep within my shaft turning into blinding pain. No woman had ever gotten that kind of rise from me.
Not even the single woman I’d cared for in the past.
The Italian princess had a way about her that screamed of success and confidence.
But I could tell she craved the darkness of domination much more than she was willing to share.
That was fine by me. I’d peel away every layer, exposing not only her latent desires but every vulnerability she was hiding.
Her story had been touching, an admittance that she’d lied about her past to Emmeline. That didn’t bother me in the least. We were all taught if ever finding ourselves as a captive to deny our true heritage.
Doing so not only confirmed my suspicions about the fact she was playing a game and hiding her identity but also solved another piece of the puzzle. Her family was similar to mine. What were the odds she was Italian mafia?
Finally, my handsome boy decided enough was enough, leaving the living room to the two electrified adults. When she’d reached the couch, I sensed her game-playing style continuing. Somehow, I anticipated correctly, moving exactly the opposite of what she’d anticipated.
When I had her in my arms, she immediately shoved her palms against my chest, creating as much space between us as possible.
Her breathing was as labored as mine as the heated hunger swelled between us.
The moonlight created a perfect reflection, a delicate shimmer dancing across her porcelain skin.
Somehow, the limited light also accentuated her sultry features.
Long, dark eyelashes skimming across her cheeks.
The way her top lip was upturned, forming a stunning heart.
The adorable nature of her soft moans forming a siren’s call.
And the backlighting illuminated her hourglass figure perfectly. While she was slender as most ballerinas usually were, every feature was built with a man’s needs in mind.
My thoughts were primal, without a sense of remorse and finished with any concept of patience around her.
She’d awakened a beast who deserved to be fed.
With her fingers kneading my shirt, I slowly lowered my head. I’d never felt either this connected or this desperate for more than a simple taste.
When she wrapped her long fingers around my shirt, she cocked her pretty head before dragging just the tip of her tongue back and forth across the center of her lush bottom lip.
The defense system she had in place remained, the woman believing that she could push the start and stop button whenever she decided.
Wrong.
As soon as she twisted her hands, dragging herself closer and onto her toes, I fisted a handful of her hair, yanking her the rest of the way. The moment she was crushed up against me, I was driven past the point of no return by her exotic fragrance alone.
I captured her mouth, immediately thrusting my tongue inside. She wiggled in my hold, her ragged moans slipping past the heated kiss. I slid my other hand down her back, cupping her bottom and lifting her completely off the floor.
The taste of her was insanely good, even more so than before. Dominating her tongue, I explored every inch of her mouth. She raked one hand over my shoulder, tugging at my shirt.
While the moment of intimacy seemed to catch her off guard, that lasted only a few seconds. She snaked her hand around the back of my neck, tangling her fingers in my hair. When she threw a leg around my hip, I turned in a full circle, taking long strides toward the stairs.
She was having none of it.
Her shove was more powerful than before, her laugh keeping my dick at full attention. She was playing with fire and whether on purpose or to push me to the point of no return didn’t matter. We shifted back and forth and around furniture until I’d had enough of her games.
As soon as I sidestepped the chair, I had her in my arms, tossing her over my shoulder.
Her fists hammered against my back in a perfected beat as if a musician with a drum. Everything about my desire for her was uncivilized, more sadistic than I was used to, but the woman brought out emotions I’d never known I had.
She continued wiggling, somehow managing to drive her foot into my groin.
While the pain was minimal, her reaction required punishment.
So I smacked my hand on her bottom, even yanking up the way too short skirt to crack my palm against her naked behind.
Even in the moonlight, I was able to catch a glimpse of the G-string perfectly positioned between her ass cheeks.
“Stop!” Her moan was vibrant, not at all reflecting a woman in pain.
“That’s not going to happen. Not until you calm down.”
“That is not going to happen. You kidnapped me.”
“For your own good.” I’d almost reminded her once again that it was also for her protection. While I instinctively knew that to be the truth, without knowing the reason why, I was at a disadvantage.
Whatever secret she was hiding had already taken a toll.
Whoever had battered her face would do so again, when they discovered where she’d run to.
If that was the reality of her situation.
The other possibility was she’d been told in no uncertain terms to infiltrate the Prince Empire.
The ruse had been tried before with great success.
While the attraction was off the charts, I was no fool and would need to handle her carefully.
That didn’t mean I had no intention of enjoying her company while I shattered every resolve, breaking down every wall.
By the end of the night, she would tell me the truth about who she was.
I was almost to the stairs, issuing several additional swats, shifting from one side to the other when for the first time in my adult life, I was floored.
The darkness prevented me from realizing she was swinging her body. She pushed up from my shoulders, the move done with enough force she managed to curl her legs, shoving off my chest with her feet.
With both her quick reflexes and superior leg strength, when she dismounted for lack of a better word, she pitched me back by several feet. While I tripped over the bottom stair, I caught myself before I hit the floor.
Anna landed on her feet, hopping back a few inches. The flash of moonlight indicated she was wearing a wide smile.
That was it. The time for playing games was finished. Fury swept through me, the kind that usually meant the person on the receiving end of my annoyance should be afraid. In the case of my guest, my carnal needs outweighed everything else.
I shoved myself off the wall, ignoring the pain in my hip from being slammed into the banister. I had a smile on my face and one hard cock as I approached, anticipating her every move. Along the way, I snagged my tie from the floor as I made my approach.
I also turned on a light. I wanted there to be no mistake that she was required to obey me. And I craved seeing every expression on her pretty face.