32
Lucia
Lying under the blanket with Damien feels like being inside an oven. Muttering sleepily, I’m about to scoot closer to him when a strange feeling creeps down my spine. My eyes scan the room unconsciously, looking for the source of my discomfort.
“Oh, my—” I cry out, jumping to sit up the moment my gaze falls on a dark silhouette of a man seated on a nearby couch.
Damien stirs. “What’s wrong?” he asks in a rough voice.
“There’s...there’s someone watching us,” I blurt, pointing toward the man in the shadows who doesn’t move an inch. For a moment, I wonder whether my sleepy mind is imagining things.
Damien flips on several switches, bathing the room in bright light.
A gasp escapes me the moment I stare at the man before me. He’s completely drenched from head to foot in...blood.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Damien growls.
“I was bored,” Leon says with a shrug.
I stare between them. Neither of them acknowledges Leon’s gruesome appearance.
“Are you hurt?” I ask, trying to understand why Damien isn’t reacting to his brother who’s soaked in blood.
“Relax,” Damien says in a deep, cool tone. “It’s not his blood.”
“Then, whose...?” My question dies on my lips. The memory of those three men in the dungeons, hanging from chains and bleeding out, rises in my mind. Looking toward Leon, I ask, “Are they dead?”
“Yeah,” he replies casually. “Their slow deaths better get the message to the bastards planning to turn against us in the future.”
“You need to take a shower,” Damien says, running his fingers through his dark locks. “That couch is probably ruined.”
The cream-hued leather couch has smears of crimson all over it.
“I didn’t know it was so lightly colored,” Leon mutters. “It was kinda dark in here.”
“Again,” Damien says with an exaggerated sigh. “Why the fuck are you here?”
“I was bored,” he retorts. “I like watching her sleep.”
“Have you ever watched me sleep before?” I ask curiously.
Leon winks. “I’ve lost count by now, Princess.”
“But how...?”
“You’re still questioning my abilities?”
“How could you watch me when I was shut at home most of the time? You had to be there to watch me. There’s way too much security at our home for you to go unnoticed.”
“I watched your brother punish the eunuchs who used to guard you. Why should it be difficult for me to spy on you?”
My lips part from shock. There’s no way he could’ve known that about my brother’s guards.
“How did you—”
“I watched him beat the shit out of those poor bastards,” Leon says in a grim tone. “Seriously...how much did he pay them to part with their balls?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know how he found them or where he recruited them from. Callum just wouldn’t allow me to be alone with another male,” I say in a bitter tone. “Maybe they were already that way when they got hired or maybe he was sick enough to force them into castrating themselves.”
“Your brother is sick,” Damien growls from beside me.
“Is yours any better?” I ask, gesturing at Leon.
Lightning flashes in Damien’s icy-blue eyes. He’s suddenly pouncing on me, his fingers curling painfully around my wrists as he throws me onto the bed and climbs on top of me.
My heart pounds against my chest as my eyes meet his enraged gaze.
“My brothers don’t hurt innocents. They don’t treat their sister like a possession,” he growls, pinning me with his weight. “Don’t ever compare my brothers to yours.”
Regret washes over me. Damien is right. There’s absolutely no comparison between our brothers.
“I’m tired,” Leon says with a yawn. “I haven’t eaten or slept in over twenty-four hours.”
Damien loosens his hold on me and allows me to crawl from underneath him. Sitting up, I glance at Leon. “You’ve been with those men all this time?”
“Yeah. There’s nothing more cathartic than seeing the life drain out of their eyes. Some people smoke pot to relax. I like watching people meet death.”
Leon is a monster to live this way but it was Callum who made him this way. I glance at Damien who’s climbing off the bed. The scars on his face are a constant reminder of Callum’s cruelty and the reason why Leon is so unhinged.
I watch as he walks toward the bathroom. He doesn’t bother putting his clothes on, giving me the opportunity to ogle his naked, muscular body. He might have the face of a monster but his body is that of a Greek god.
“Stop staring at my brother’s ass like that,” Leon mutters from the corner.
“He’s beautiful,” I say with a smile.
“You should be telling him that.”
“I want to but I don’t know if he’ll believe me.”
Getting to his feet, Leon walks over to me and sits down on the edge of the bed. The white sheets instantly get stained crimson. Reaching out, he sweeps the back of his fingers over my cheek.
“We were such fools to fall for you,” he says in a low voice so only I can hear him. “You were a princess and we were a couple of homeless kids. Only an idiot would believe he has a chance to be with someone like you.”
“I’m no princess,” I say with a bitter chuckle. “Stop thinking of me that way.”
“It’s hard not to,” Leon says, swiping a finger over my lips, making me taste the tang of blood. “Our world is very different from yours. We keep wondering whether we’re deluding ourselves into thinking you’ll ever fit in.”
The sound of running water reaches my ears. Damien is either showering or running a bath.
“Can you give me a chance?” I ask in a grave tone. “A real chance where you’re not bullying me or hurting me?”
“This is your chance, darling,” he says, leaning in to kiss me.
I question my own sanity for kissing a crazy guy whose hair is dripping blood onto my cheek. He tastes like blood and death but his kiss consumes me, lighting a fire deep in my core.
We break away when Damien’s voice calls him from the bathroom.
“Lucia, get in here too,” Damien’s commanding voice calls me next.
I glance at Leon. “Why me?”
He grins. “He’ll bathe us both, darling. Come on, let’s go.” Getting to his feet, he heads toward the bathroom.
My cheeks heat at the thought of being cleaned by Damien while Leon watches. My core throbs in response. I’m just as depraved as them for getting aroused at the idea of being watched.
Grabbing onto a sheet, I climb off the bed and wrap it around me like a toga. Bloody shoe prints on the pristine marble floor guide me toward the bathroom.
Damien stands inside the shower stall in the corner, scrubbing his luscious, muscular body while Leon is busy taking off his blood-soaked clothes. My nose scrunches up at the thought of having to clean up all that mess but it’s worth having them both here with me.
Leon shows zero embarrassment as he walks to the tub naked and immerses himself in the steaming water. A deep sigh escapes him as the water rises to his chest.
Crimson mixes into the water and within seconds, turns it a deep red. His amber eyes peek from the gaps between the strands of his soaked hair.
“Get rid of that blanket,” he says with a smug smirk. “It’s not like we haven’t seen it all before.”
Heat rises to my neck and cheeks.
“Get over here,” Damien says, drawing my attention to him. Droplets of water drip from the planes of his muscled torso as he stands by the shower door.
“Yeah, get over there,” Leon adds. “I’ll join you shortly.”
My core throbs at his implication. They’re both going to take me in the shower.
Sucking in a breath, I let the sheet fall off me.
Damien’s gaze grows warmer as he steps under the shower again. Steam clouds the glass walls and billows all around his tall, powerful body. His wet dark strands look blacker than ink.
My gaze shifts lower to catch a glimpse of his long, thick cock. It’s already semi-erect and curving upward.
I enter the stall and move under the shower, letting the hot water soak into my hair and scalp. It’s a struggle to overcome my shyness and act normal while his heated gaze stays fixed on me.
Water drips from my eyelashes as Damien comes closer and cups my face in his hands. My lips part on their own accord as he draws closer to kiss me.
His tongue swirls around mine as he pulls me closer. Our wet bodies press together and his cock wedges itself between our stomachs.
Damien’s kisses and touches tell me cares for me, but when he speaks to me, all I can hear is his doubts. There’s still a hint of mistrust in the way he talks and acts around me.
I desperately want him to see how much I still care for him, that his ruined face doesn’t make a difference to the feelings I held onto all these years.
Water pounds on our shoulders as we kiss and press our naked bodies together. His hands move down to my ass, palming each cheek, making me moan into his mouth.
Breaking away suddenly, he reaches around me to grab a bottle of body shampoo. Squirting a large dollop onto his palm, he works up a lather.
The scent of strawberries wafts into my nostrils, calming me.
I stand still as he begins washing my body, starting with my breasts. My nipples harden as his warm hands slick all over my heavy globes.
A moan escapes me as he proceeds to the flat of my belly and further between my thighs. His lathered fingers swipe over my seam and my inner thighs, taking care of the mess he’d left there earlier.
I look up at him, taking in the way water drips down his dark strands. His face is a canvas of cruel lashes but I still find him beautiful.
No matter how the world sees him, Damien is my beautiful monster.
I grab the body shampoo and proceed to clean him as well. He watches me intently as I lather up his chest and taut abs. My palms smoothly glide over his skin, enjoying the hardness of his muscles.
Moving lower, I wash his thick cock and heavy balls. A groan escapes him as my fingers curl over his shaft.
Tightening my grip, I pump him harder, drawing more groans from him.
Kneeling before him, I take care to wash the suds off his thickly-veined shaft. Feeling bold, I swipe my tongue over the head.
Damien’s groans grow louder.
Smiling to myself, I proceed to take his shaft into my mouth. My lips stretch wide to accommodate his thick girth as I suck him.
“Fuck, Lucia,” he moans, his fingers digging into my wet strands.
Feeling more confident, I swallow him in deeper. His thick head slips into my throat, making it hard to breathe, but the noises Damien makes drive me on. It feels like I’ve come across a secret to gain some control over him and make him thrash and groan on my whim.
“Your mouth feels so good,” he says through clenched teeth. “It’s tight and hot, just like your sweet pussy.” His hips jerk and thrust forward, slipping deeper into my throat, making it difficult not to gag.
Tears run down my cheeks, mingling with the water from the shower but I soldier on. He has to know what I’m willing to do to show how I feel for him.
“Fuck, stop!” he hisses, suddenly drawing out of my mouth.
His cock slips from my lips, leaving behind a string of clear liquid dangling from my lips. With a sudden move, he pulls me to my feet and captures my lips. His tongue sweeps over mine as he kisses me deeply.
The strong aroma of dark chocolate and bourbon cuts through the fragrance of strawberries. Damien’s pheromones soak the air around us, heightening my arousal.
His fingers grip my chin as he breaks away. “You nearly made me come without getting a taste of your hot pussy,” he growls, his eyes shining with an intensity that sends my heartbeat racing.
Without warning, he spins me around and I’m forced to extend my arms to take support of the wall. My palms lie flat against the wet surface as Damien positions himself behind me.
“Your ass looks so pink,” he says in a hoarse whisper, his hands cupping each of my ass cheeks. Pulling them apart, he drops to his knees behind me.
A shiver goes through me as his mouth hovers over my pussy, his tongue flicking out to lick between my seam. His teeth nip my pussy lips gently.
I groan and push back on his face, loving the feel of his hot, wet tongue on my folds. My nerves are so fired up, I can reach my climax with only a few strokes on my swollen clit.
I try to reach my pussy but Damien slaps my hand away.
“Only I get to touch you,” Damien growls.
I brace myself with both my hands on the wall as his fingers dig into my hips. It’s hotter to surrender to him and let him take me to a higher peak of pleasure.
Damien straightens, his chest pressing into my back. His cock prods between my thighs and I push back, eager to have his smooth, hot rod inside me.
I almost feel the head prodding into my wet folds when the door of the stall suddenly opens. Leon stands there, his body completely damp and without a spot of crimson on him.
“You were about to start without me,” he says in an accusing tone.
I’d almost forgotten about him!
“You’re going to have to wait for your turn,” Damien hisses, pushing him.
“No way!”
“I can’t wait either,” Damien grates through clenched teeth. “She nearly sucked me dry.”
“Looks like we’re going to have to go in together then.”
Two pairs of eyes settle on me.
My feet unconsciously step away but there isn’t much space to retreat. My back hits the wall as both men prowl toward me.
Damien gets to me first and captures my lips in a searing kiss. Bending down, he aligns the head of his cock to my entrance and thrusts hard, slipping inside me fully.
I gasp as he fills me up, leaving my mind trapped in a haze of lust. My nipples press against his hot, hard chest as he thrusts in again.
“Oh, Damien,” I moan, feeling an intense throb in my clit.
Damien’s powerful arms wrap around my hips and lift me off my feet so he can keep me at a good angle for him to drive deep. My arms lock around his neck to stay erect while he thrusts into me.
Damien’s movements are slow at first, drawing out of me and slamming back in.
I feel every inch of him sliding between my pussy lips as he plunges inside me, balls deep. Each penetration shoves me against the wall at my back, making me cry out. My arms tighten around his neck as he rams his cock into me at a relentless pace.
Damien shifts his position, taking me along with him. He turns us both around so that my back is facing Leon.
“I can work with this,” I hear Leon say from behind me. His warm hands caress my back and slowly settle over my ass.
“Oh god!” I squeal when I suddenly feel Leon pushing a finger inside my tight bud. “What are you doing?”
“I need to be inside you too,” Leon growls. “So, just relax and let me help you.”
My thighs are already trembling from the force of Damien’s thrusts. Can I bear to take Leon inside me at the same time? The idea is both terrifying and exciting.
I feel a cold trickle on my ass crack. Next moment, Leon is massaging something slick and oily around my ring and pushing his fingers deep inside me.
“What is that?” I manage to say in between the moans escaping me.
“There’s no lube here, so I’m improvising with some body oil.”
My arms tighten around Damien’s neck as I feel Leon’s cock trying to get through my tiny hole. His rough hisses fill my ears as I cling to Damien.
“It hurts,” I whimper.
Damien becomes still at once, allowing me to catch my breath.
“Just relax,” Leon whispers, dripping more oil at my entrance. “I’m going to loosen you up some more.”
“No,” I sob. “I’m scared.”
“Trust me, Lucia,” Leon says in a warm voice as he stretches my hole with two fingers. “I’ll make you feel good, darling. I promise.”
Slowly, I begin enjoying the feel of his fingers inside my tight channel. Damien’s cock pulses against my walls, leaving my insides clenching and throbbing.
My breathing relaxes and I begin missing the hot friction of Damien’s cock.
“Let’s try this one more time,” Leon says, withdrawing his fingers from inside me and replacing it with the head of his cock. With my body relaxed, he’s able to thrust in and slip several inches inside me.
“Oh, goddess,” I moan as my body feels impossibly full with two cocks buried deep inside me.
Damien and Leon start moving inside me. The tight, hot friction in my ass heightens the pleasure in my pussy, making it clench harder.
“Fuck,” Damien gasps, his eyes screwing shut. “How could you get tighter?”
“It’s my cock in her ass that’s making her feel so good,” Leon replies.
I want to agree with him but all I can do is moan and cling onto Damien’s shoulders. Leon’s pheromones, smelling of warm cinnamon and cloves, mingle with Damien’s dark chocolate and bourbon. Locked between them, I feel like I’m sandwiched between the most delicious, sinful treat.
My stomach muscles tighten. Each thrust inside my ass and pussy makes my eyes roll with pleasure. Water continues to pound over us, making me suck in lungsful of steam.
Both their movements soon grow faster and more desperate, their balls slapping against my tender skin. My climax knots inside me, gathering into a storm that threatens to sweep me away.
A final slam of both their cocks is enough to make me lose control. My inner muscles pulse and ripple, drawing rough grunts and growls from both men.
Pleasure bursts through me, drowning every thought in my head. Nothing matters at this moment than the feel of the two men buried deep inside me.
“Oh, fuck,” Damien groans against my neck.
“Shit, I’m coming,” Leon growls and bites into my shoulder.
Their bodies slam into mine simultaneously. They shudder against me, their orgasms sending aftershocks through me. Their white-hot essence fills me up and spills over my thighs.
It’s a while before I’m able to breathe without panting. When the haze of lust clears away from my mind, I realize that Leon has already pulled out of me. Damien is still buried inside me but he’s growing soft.
Pulling out, Damien gently lowers me on my feet but has to catch me around the waist almost immediately. My legs feel like jelly, refusing to hold my weight.
Leon moves closer and leans in beside me. Bending slightly, he hauls me into his arms and carries me out of the shower.
My body feels cold as soon as he moves away from the stream of hot, steamy water. I press my face against his heated chest, feeling completely relaxed.
Leon lays me on the bed. Damien is right behind us and moves forward with a towel to dry me.
The two men make me feel like a true princess as they fuss about me. While Damien dries my hair, Leon massages lotion into my skin.
“I want to go back to sleep,” I moan.
“You need to eat breakfast first,” Damien says in a commanding tone.
I groan, sinking into the soft, mattress.
Leon chuckles and grabs my wrist, pulling me up in a sitting position.
“Have you forgotten you’re naked?” he asks, licking the corner of his lips. “If you don’t want round two of what we just did, you’ll get dressed.”
His heated gaze is enough of a threat that I grab a sheet to cover myself. My entire body feels sore but I make the effort to walk to the closet.
Picking out a simple shirt and jeans, I start getting dressed for the day. Every movement makes me groan. I’m hungry but given a choice, I’ll choose to sleep.
Damien is fully dressed but Leon lounges around in a towel that he’s tied low around his hips. The urge to lick those perfectly chiseled abs overwhelms me at once.
Cool yourself , I chide, exasperated by my sore but hungry pussy.
A knock sounds on the door.
Damien strides forward to open it. I walk behind him, eager to know if Lilja has come around to call me for breakfast.
A strange man appears at the door, holding the handle of a food cart.
“Thanks, Scott,” Damien says, taking over the cart and wheeling it inside the room. “Close the door,” he adds to me.
Obeying him, I follow him to the couch in the corner.
“Sit down,” Damien orders. He opens the lid off the dishes one by one, filling the room with the aroma of freshly made coffee, pancakes, and eggs.
I take a seat beside Leon who throws an arm around me and pulls me close.
“What about Lilja and Mikhail?” I ask as Damien hands me a loaded plate.
“They’re not home yet,” Damien says, handing Leon a dish of red stew.
“What are you having?’ I ask curiously as the scent of warm spices wafts into my nostrils.
“Chicken paprikash with rice,” Leon explains. Spooning the rich stew, he holds it out to me. “Want to try?”
I wrap my lips around the spoon. At once, my tongue is hit with the warmth of peppers and garlic. I also notice a tang of sour cream and a hint of parsley that helps to cool my palate.
“It’s delicious,” I say, eyeing the massive bowl in his hand.
Leon chuckles. “I’m surprised you don’t mind the spice.”
“I used to love Middle Eastern food,” I say with an enthusiasm I haven’t felt in years. “Dad used to take me to this restaurant in town where they served kebabs and all kinds of lovely curries and stews. They were my favorite growing up.”
“Let me guess,” Damien says in a deep, grim tone. “Callum put a stop to that too?”
“Not exactly,” I say, frowning. “I never told him about that restaurant. If I had, he’d have spoiled my happy memories of the place by dragging me there. I learned to bury my secrets quickly.”
“Eat,” Damien says shortly and continues eating his plate of scrambled eggs.
I glance over at Leon. He’s wolfing down a plate of rice and the chicken stew like a starved man. It’s a moment before I realize that he has been starving over the past few days.
Damien gets done with his food first. Leaving the plate on the coffee table, he goes over to the TV and picks up the remote.
To my surprise, he flicks on a local news channel.
At first, I ignore the thick banners of breaking headlines scrolling across the screen but soon enough, my gaze falls on a familiar face. Putting my coffee down, I pay more attention to what is being said.
A female reporter stands inside a posh room. Four grown men sit at a table behind her while cops and investigators swarm around them. The strange scene makes no sense until my gaze falls on the headlines.
The men of the Morelli family have been killed and the murderer staged them in such a way that it looks like they’re all passed out from drinking. That’s how I know him , I realize, remembering a party from a few years ago when Callum introduced me to the elderly man as a “close friend”.
“Their drinks and food were not poisoned according to preliminary investigations,” says the reporter. “The family and the people working in the villa didn’t see or hear anything strange last night. It’s as if these men simply fell dead.”
“Nice job,” Leon says in an appreciative tone.
“Thanks,” Damien replies, giving him a rare smile.
“Wait a second,” I say, staring at Damien. “You did this?”
He nods, his lips twisting into what I imagine is a smug grin.
“The Morelli family was involved with the criminal syndicates of Ashville, Chicago, and New York City,” the reporter continues. “The police will need time to investigate and search for the killer. As of now, they have no substantial leads to follow.”
“They will search and search,” Leon says with a chuckle and takes a swig of his coffee.
“Why did you kill them?” I ask, glancing at Damien.
Even though the reporter gave out facts about the Morelli family’s involvement with the mafia, she couldn’t stop hinting at the mysteriousness of the whole situation.
“Your brother used them to attack us,” Damien says. “They had to pay for their crimes against the Volkovs.”
“That small army was sent by them?”
“Those greasy bastards thought Callum’s money would help them buy more land and weapons to encroach on some territories in Chicago,” Leon says through gritted teeth. His amber eyes gleam with malice. “If Damien gave me another day, I’d have done the same to those bastards as the guards your brother bribed.”
“I couldn’t wait for you to deal with them,” Damien says. “It was bad enough the Morellis thought they could attack us and get away with it. I had to send the message out to everyone who thinks they can fuck with us.”
“How did you kill them?” I ask curiously.
“Poison,” Damien replies shortly.
“That reporter said the police found no traces of any poison in the house.”
Damien glances at Leon and they both exchange a knowing grin.
“We don’t give up our trade secrets,” Leon says, leaning in to lightly bite my bottom lip.
“Can I ask you guys something else?” I ask.
Damien mutes the TV and fixes me with his piercing blue eyes.
“How did you survive what happened to you?” I ask slowly, glancing between Damien and Leon. “Callum was sure you guys were dead.” Gesturing over at Damien, I add, “What he did to you...you could’ve died from blood loss alone.”
Damien glances at Leon and a concerned look comes over him.
“I’ll tell you what happened,” says Leon. A dead, detached expression descends into his eyes. “Damien and Mikhail were unconscious through most of it.”
Wariness spreads over me. Did I make a mistake by asking that question?
Leon’s butterfly knife is back in his hand. He rotates the handle at blinding speed, turning the flashing blade into a blur. His facial expression remains neutral but I can tell he’s affected by the memories surfacing in his mind.
“Callum’s men threw our bodies in a garbage dump outside town,” says Leon. “They beat the crap out of us, giving us so much internal and external injury, they were sure we’d die within hours. We would have if someone didn’t fish us out and operate on us immediately.”
“Thank God,” I breathe, looking between the brothers. “Who was he?”
“He was one of those people who searched the dumping ground for fresh dead bodies. It’s not uncommon for corpses to appear in a place like that. He was an organ harvester. People like him hunt for corpses so they can harvest the organs to sell on the black market for millions.”
Ice flows through my veins. I expected to hear about a good Samaritan who saved the lives of those three young men but I should’ve known better. There are no knights or angels in their tale. Only monsters in human skin.
“He wasn’t even going to wait for us to die,” Leon says with an icy chuckle. “He was about to cut up Mikhail when I spoke up. Could barely do that though with a punctured lung at the time.”
“It’s not funny,” Damien says in a grim tone.
“It kind of feels funny now,” Leon says. Shrugging, he continues. “I showed the man my family tattoo. Luckily, he recognized the Volkov mark.” He points at a small tattoo of a snarling wolf just below his collarbone. “The fucker was smart enough to make a deal with me.”
“What kind of deal?” I ask.
“I told him we’d kill every person he wants dead for free,” Leon says. “He just had to make sure we were all alive and well.”
“Nothing’s sweeter than revenge,” adds Damien.
“So, you followed the deal and killed strangers for this man?”
“That’s what we do,” Damien says in a low, grim tone. “We’re assassins. We kill for money, power, or favors. That’s the kind of men who possess you, Lucia.”
I gaze back at the TV screen where the news is still showing footage of the Morelli assassination. Morality has no place in the criminal underworld. You either kill or get killed.
The only thing that disturbs me is Callum’s involvement with these men. Dad never dealt with such people. Why did Callum need them on his side? Were the atrocities against Damien’s family just the tip of the iceberg?
I feel the sharp prick of Leon’s blade on my throat.
“What are you thinking about?” he asks in a soft, seductive tone.
“Nothing,” I say, intently holding still until he decides to remove the blade from my neck.
“Nothing?” Damien questions with a raised eyebrow.
“I’m glad you’re all here,” I say truthfully. “You have no idea how many nights I prayed for you all to be safe. Eventually, I stopped though. When the years rolled on and you guys never showed up, I started believing Callum. I believed you were dead.”
Surprise flickers in their eyes.
“It pained you to think we were dead?” Leon asks.
I glance between him and Damien, and nod, hoping they’ll believe me.