5. Massimo
“It seems you had an eventful morning,” Stefano drawled as Evelyn and I took our seats at the massive dining table. His black eyes raked over my face, studying me with intensity that might’ve made a weaker man squirm. He noted the small cut on my brow. “But you got out mostly unscathed.”
“Yes,” Carmen added with a bright smile. “We’re so relieved that our friends are all right.” She placed her hand on his arm, a subtle restraint.
Duarte was pissed that our trip had been delayed, and he was probably also angry that Crawford wasn’t dead yet. His wife was attempting to smooth his harsher edges.
They made a formidable team.
Carmen’s gaze slid to Evelyn, and her overly bright smile softened into something more genuine. “How are you doing, Evelyn? I’m sure it must have been a difficult situation.”
My delicate little butterfly lifted her chin and laced her fingers through mine beneath the table, squeezing in a pulse of reassurance.
“I’m okay,” she said, the promise meant for me more than for our hostess. “Massimo protected me.”
Carmen nodded her approval. “You see? I told you our big Italian friend would keep you safe.”
I blinked at the women. Was that what they’d talked about at Duarte’s party last night? I’d worried that Carmen was trying to take Evelyn away from me, but it seemed the cartel queen might be on my side.
“I never doubted it,” Evelyn asserted. She squeezed my hand again, a silent promise of sincerity.
I brushed my thumb over her palm, marveling at the delicate beauty who’d captured my full attention. She feared the cartels, and she’d made it clear that she was uncomfortable around Duarte. But here she was, pledging her confidence in me for all to hear.
My chest swelled with pride, and my cock stiffened. If I didn’t have an obligation to stay for dinner, I would’ve thrown her over my shoulder and carried her away like the precious prize she was. I wanted to bury myself inside her and hear her scream my name as she clenched down on my dick.
“You’ll take the helicopter to the airport in the morning and then the private jet to Colombia,” Carmen continued, satisfied that Evelyn wasn’t traumatized by what’d happened with Los Zetas. “No one will ambush you on the road again, and Stefano will be traveling with you. I’m staying home this time.”
“Yes,” Stefano agreed coolly, “we wouldn’t want to put our friends at risk. The city can be a dangerous place if you cross the wrong people.” He kissed Carmen’s cheek. “I know you’ll defend our interests while I’m gone, my love.”
“You’d never allow Los Zetas to step into your territory and live,” I said, reminding him that they were his enemies too. I’d promised to kill Crawford for him, but his issues with the rival cartel were a larger problem for his business. Duarte had a reputation to uphold, and he would defend his territory with swift brutality, regardless of my presence.
Duarte’s head canted to the side, and his dark eyes considered me for a long, uncomfortable moment.
“Of course not,” he allowed after several heavy beats of silence. “And when we return from Colombia, I’ll tie up any loose ends in that regard. I’m sure you’ll be happy to help, won’t you, Massimo?”
“I look forward to it,” I replied with savage sincerity. Once I sealed the deal with Adrián Rodríguez in Colombia, I would return to Mexico City, and I would make sure to kill George Crawford slowly.
“Enough business,” Carmen declared. “I’m famished.” She signaled at a server, and plates were set.
I turned my attention to Evelyn, satisfied that we’d passed Duarte’s scrutiny. Over two dozen of his associates were present, so the focus was off us for now.
I brushed a kiss over her soft cheek. “You did so well, farfallina. You make me very happy.”
She turned her peridot eyes on me. “I meant what I said,” she replied without any guile. “I know you’ll protect me, Massimo. I’ve always known that. There’s no doubt in my mind.”
I lifted our joined hands and pressed another reverent kiss to her knuckles.
How had I gotten lucky enough to ensnare the brave devotion of this stunning woman? She’d looked a cartel king and queen squarely in the eyes and declared her loyalty to me. She feared them, but she was passionate enough to boldly advocate for me.
My chest warmed. I’d never known a connection like this. I’d never shared the secrets of my past with anyone. In my world, women were fleeting indulgences, a way to attain carnal satisfaction through exerting my control over their pleasure. I didn’t have time for distractions, so I liked submissive women who obeyed me without question.
Evelyn had dared to defy me a few times, but I found that I enjoyed her fire. I relished the challenge of dominating a woman with such strength of character. It made her submission so much sweeter.
The raw honesty I’d shared with her in the wake of my nightmare should unnerve me, but I found that I only craved her more. I wanted more of her tender, soothing touches, more intimacy. It was utterly foreign to me, and if I stopped to consider how deeply I was trusting her with my secrets, I would probably be scared out of my mind at the vulnerability. As it was, I was too obsessed with her to care.
I fixated on her, studying the dainty way she held her champagne glass as she took a careful sip. Her every move was elegant and graceful, like a dancer.
I suddenly needed to know more about her. I’d seen glimpses of her sweet soul, and I was enamored with her beauty. But she now knew some of my darkest memories, the ones that still tormented me in my sleep after all these years. I needed her to be vulnerable with me too. The desire to possess her completely consumed me. I would learn every one of her secrets, just as I’d entrusted her with mine.
“Tell me about your family.” I didn’t bother to soften the command to something more conversational. She would tell me everything about her. I’d coax her if I had to, but in my eagerness to know her, I couldn’t summon up any finesse.
She dropped her gaze, her expression smoothing to a neutral mask. Her hand tugged free of mine so that she could cut into the fresh melon on her plate. She took a bite before she answered me, and her eyes briefly closed in a moment of blissful enjoyment.
I wouldn’t allow her to hide from me, even if that expression of bliss made me want to pull her into my lap and feed her from my own hand.
“Are you close with your parents?” I pressed.
Unease nipped at me. Was that why she’d demanded to go home to America? Because she wanted to be with her family?
The prospect made my stomach churn. I didn’t want to make her unhappy, but it hadn’t occurred to me that I might be causing her pain by separating her from her loved ones. I was so accustomed to my own lack of parental attachments that I hadn’t stopped to think about hers.
I reached out and trailed my fingers down the column of her throat, drawing her attention to me. She shivered, and her stunning gaze snapped to mine. Her eyes were dark with pain, and an echo of it knifed into my chest.
“No,” she replied softly. “We’re not close.”
“Are they dead?” I could’ve asked in a gentler tone, but my nightmare about my parents’ murders was still close to the surface. If someone had dared to deprive Evelyn of a loving family the way my enemies had taken my parents from me, I would make them pay.
“No,” she said again. “We just aren’t close.”
She was shutting me out, withholding the information. If they were still alive, I didn’t understand why they wouldn’t be close. Any parent would be lucky to have Evelyn as a child. They should adore her.
My jaw firmed with determination. She wouldn’t escape my questions so easily.
“Why not?”
Her eyes darted around the table, anxiously taking in the other guests.
“Don’t look at them. Look at me. They don’t matter.” Something like jealousy burned in center of my chest. Her full focus should be on me, not them. Just as she’d captured my full attention. I couldn’t stand the imbalance between us. She would reveal her secrets.
“I don’t want to talk about this here,” she murmured. Her eyes were pleading when they snapped back to mine.
I took a breath, mastering my roiling emotions. My possessiveness was driving me to the edge of my control. I was skilled in compelling people to tell me what I wanted to know, whether through charm or interrogation. I’d honed my skills over the years; they’d helped me survive.
My obsession with Evelyn was close to madness. I wouldn’t force her to talk with crude demands. Especially not when she was clearly distressed at the prospect of being overheard.
I could question her more deftly, and I’d save my most intense queries for when we were alone later.
“All right, dolcezza.” I smoothed her shining hair back over her shoulder, revealing my mark that was still visible on her slender neck. The sight of it calmed me. Every man here would know that this stunning woman belonged to me. There would be time for me to learn her secrets later.
“Enjoy your meal,” I prompted. She hadn’t touched her melon since I’d started questioning her, and I wouldn’t neglect her needs. I’d pledged to take care of her, and I intended to keep her comfortable and happy with me.
Dutifully, she took another bite. Again, her eyes closed, and a serene expression chased away the lingering tension around her lush lips.
I watched her with rapt fascination. Her features softened into something almost orgasmic. My cock stiffened, and I craved to hold her close while she indulged in her sumptuous meal.
“You like it?” I asked, my voice slow and deep, like I was drunk on her pleasure.
“Yes,” she replied before taking another bite. She tried to keep her eyes on me when she answered, but her attention returned to the dish that was bringing her such bliss.
“If I’d known how much you liked melon, I would’ve ordered some for you sooner.” I’d have more brought to the suite later. I had a few wicked ideas about tasting the sweet juice on her pouty lips.
“I don’t get to have it as often as I’d like,” she confessed. “My stepsister had a lot of food allergies, so my options were very limited when I was growing up. Since leaving home for college, I’ve tried to enjoy more of a variety, but money has always been tight. A delicious meal is an indulgence. And George…” her eyes darkened with pain again, and I had to tamp down my answering rush of murderous rage. “Well, he controlled our budget. He earned more than I did on my teacher’s salary, so I couldn’t complain.”
“It’s a man’s job to provide for you.” My hatred for the cowardly piece of shit roughened my tone.
“That’s a very outdated view.” She sounded disapproving. “I contribute what I can. I’ll never take more than what I earn for myself.”
I cupped her nape, keeping her locked in my steady stare. “You’re with me now. I will provide for you. Anything you desire is yours.”
She shifted, strangely uneasy in response to my declaration.
Irritation needled me. She would accept what I offered.
“You don’t have to work another day in your life,” I asserted. “You don’t have to scrape by anymore. I will take care of you, Evelyn.”
Her brows rose. “And what if I want to work? What if I want to pay my own way? I don’t want to owe you anything, Massimo.”
Her defiance set my teeth on edge. She was rejecting my offer to provide for her. I wouldn’t fucking allow it.
“Do you want to be a teacher?” I asked. “Because if teaching is your passion, I won’t stop you. But you don’t need to earn a salary anymore.”
Her full lips pressed to a thin line. “You’re being very presumptuous. What makes you think you can stop me from doing anything?”
“You’re mine.” The declaration left me on a growl, and a few of the other guests turned to stare. I tried to soften my tone to something more human. “You will never want for anything. So, if you want to teach, you are welcome to pursue that career.”
Once we were in Naples, she could go to work as a teacher, as long as she shared my bed every night; as long as she understood that her home was with me.
She huffed an exasperated sigh. “I don’t particularly care about teaching. It just paid the bills. But you can’t order me around like this. I can support myself.”
I caught on the small admission. If she didn’t want to work, why would she? “And what would you rather do with your time?”
All she had to do was name it, and I would make it happen.
“I studied Photography, but that’s just a hobby,” she replied. “I’m not really qualified to do anything other than teach. It’s not like I could ever make a living off my art.”
Something about the way she said the words sounded rote, like she was repeating a truth she’d heard often.
Suspicion stirred, and I didn’t think I’d like her answer. I asked anyway. “And who told you that?”
She shrugged and dropped her gaze, hiding from me again. “It’s just a fact. Art degrees don’t pay.”
“Who told you that you’re not good enough?” I compelled her to reply, leaving no room for evasion or defiance.
Her cheeks flushed. “My parents,” she mumbled. “George. But they were right. It’s just a silly hobby. I’m not a real artist.”
I gnashed my teeth and tasted copper on my tongue. I resolved to gift her with a camera at the first opportunity. Then I would see her talent for myself.
“You studied Photography at university?” I prompted. “You got a degree for it?”
She shook her head even as she answered, “Yes. But I?—”
“Then you’re an artist.” It didn’t surprise me. Evelyn was observant and a bit reserved at times, quietly assessing the world around her. I remembered how she’d studied the wares when I’d stalked her through the market, as though she saw the beauty in every item. She’d snapped a photo of some flowers with her phone, and that motherfucker, Crawford, had said something to make her frown. She’d quickly hidden it, replacing the sad expression with a sunny smile. But he’d upset her.
My fingers itched with the need to wrap around his throat and squeeze the life out of him.
I was distracted from my mounting fury when the main course was served. She took the first bite and released a low hum.
Fuck, I needed to take her somewhere private so that I could give her a full orgasm while she was enjoying eating from my hand.
I leaned close so that I could murmur in her ear. “Finish your meal, farfallina. We’re having our dessert delivered to the suite.”
She blinked at me. “Why? I don’t mind getting out of here, but the food is so good.”
“You’ll like it better when we’re alone together. Or would you prefer for me to hold you in my lap and make you come all over my hand while I feed you? I wouldn’t mind every person here seeing how I make you come undone for me.” I nipped at the shell of her ear, and her cheeks turned pink.
“Massimo!” she hissed, squirming in her seat.
I hummed against her neck. “Are you intrigued by the idea, dolcezza? Do you want to make every man here jealous of what’s mine?”
“We can’t,” she whispered. “Please…”
I nuzzled her hair, breathing her in. “You’ll be begging a lot more once I get you alone. We’ll save public play for another time.”
“What?” she asked on a little puff of air, her face slack with shock.
I chuckled and brushed a quick kiss over her heated cheek. “Be a good girl and finish your meal. I’ll make you come soon enough.”
She shuddered, her entire body reacting to my promise with visceral desire even as embarrassment flooded her. It seemed my sweet little butterfly got off on a hint of shame. She’d come so hard when she’d rubbed herself against me in the elevator last night, watching her wanton actions in the mirror.
I studied her as we finished the main course. I barely tasted my own food; I was too enamored with her. She savored each bite, even as she shot me heated glances. My promise aroused her, and she was clearly torn between enjoying the sumptuous meal and her eagerness to be alone with me.
When dessert was served, she looked longingly at the chocolate mousse.
Unable to resist a moment longer, I grasped her hips and lifted her from her chair. She gasped and wriggled, but I easily maneuvered her so that she was sitting on my lap.
“What are you doing?” she asked, breathless. Her cheeks were the most gorgeous shade of pink, and she looked wildly around the room, anxiously taking in the other guests. Carmen winked at her and then returned to her conversation with Stefano.
Other than a few furtive glances, the rest of the guests remained focused on their own dessert. They knew better than to gawk at us, and I’d clearly staked my claim over Evelyn with my mark on her neck. Any signs of disrespect would be met with swift, violent correction. None of the men were foolish enough to test me.
I wrapped my arms around her quivering body, caging her in a firm embrace.
“You wanted to enjoy your meal, dolcezza.” My voice held a taunting edge, and I grazed my teeth over her ear as I teased her. “Let’s see if dessert is as sweet as you are.”
“I thought we were going upstairs,” she whispered, shifting on my lap.
My cock stirred, my erection pressing into her pert ass. She let out a mortified squeak and went utterly still.
“I’ve decided that I want them to watch,” I murmured, kissing my mark on her neck. “And you want them to see, don’t you?” I placed my hand on her thigh just above her knee. I skimmed my palm over her silk, emerald-green gown, allowing the satiny material to tease over her sensitive flesh. “Are you wet for me, farfallina?”
She closed her eyes, as though she could hide from the truth of her arousal. I’d been right; Evelyn liked a hint of shame with her pleasure. That suited my twisted desires. She was so perfect for me, my innocent, perverted angel.
“Please…”
“Please, what?” I asked, easing my hand higher, teasing my fingertips between her thighs. No one would see how I was touching her beneath the table. “Please, let you come? None of them will know if you stop blushing and squirming like that.” She let out an adorable whimper, and I pressed a kiss to her temple. “You’re being such a good girl for me.” I kept my voice low and deep, just for her. “Do you want a reward?”
“Massimo…” She said my name in a ragged whisper, torn between embarrassment and desire.
Keeping one hand firmly on her thigh, I reached for the dessert with the other. Her eyes were still squeezed tightly shut, so she didn’t see when I scooped a dollop of the mousse onto my forefinger. I lifted it to her lips, and her eyes snapped open as she gasped in shock. I pressed my finger between her parted lips, teasing her tongue with the chocolate.
“Was this the reward you wanted?” I asked, squeezing her thigh.
She released a broken moan and licked the mousse from my finger.
My cock jerked against her ass. Fuck, I needed to bury myself inside her and feel her writhing while I drove into her tight heat.
I focused on her complete helplessness and mastered my most primal urges. Her desperate arousal and conflicted feelings were more intoxicating than any drug. She wanted me to toy with her, but she was ashamed of her wanton desire.
“Keep your eyes on me,” I commanded. “They’re all watching you, but they don’t matter. Only me.”
In truth, most of the men were still studiously avoiding staring at her, but my low order seemed to intensify her lust. My sweet girl got off on being watched and admired.
“You are so beautiful. And you’re all mine.”
I brought more chocolate to her lips, and she boldly sucked my finger clean, her glittering eyes focused on me as though I was the center of her universe.
“Do you like that, dolcezza? Tell me. Tell me how much you love being mine.”
She shivered, and her cheeks flamed. Still, she didn’t look away from me. I couldn’t have torn my eyes from her any more than she seemed to be able to break contact with me. We were lost in each other, both swept up in our electric chemistry.
“Tell me,” I prompted darkly, my fingers biting into her inner thigh hard enough to give her a nip of pain.
“I’m yours,” she gasped. “Massimo…”
“What do you need?” I purred. “Are you aching for me?”
Her eyes were feverish with need, but lines of strain appeared around them as she warred with herself.
“I’ve got you,” I soothed her, tracing her lips with a brush of sweetness. She licked it away, and her pupils dilated. “No one will touch you,” I promised. “Only me.”
“I can’t,” she said in a strained whisper. “Not in front of all of these people.”
“Stay very quiet and still. They can’t see what I’m doing with my hand.” I released her from my harsher grip and resumed stroking her, roving higher to the edge of her pussy.
“But they know,” she squeaked.
“And you’re loving every second of it.” She couldn’t hide from me. I saw straight into her soul, and she let me. Her wide eyes held nothing back.
I lowered my mouth to hers so that our lips brushed as I spoke. “It’s just a kiss. That’s all they’ll see.”
I waited three racing heartbeats, giving her a moment to say no.
Her chin tipped back subtly, an invitation. I caressed her lips with mine, tasting the chocolate on her tongue. As I stroked into her mouth, my thumb found her clit, and I pressed down on the hard bud through her thin dress and lace panties. I rubbed her in a firm, circular motion. She was so on edge that she orgasmed almost immediately, gasping into my mouth.
My good girl was quiet and still, enduring the pleasure rushing through her without crying out in ecstasy. My control over her went straight to my head. The rush of power was more intense than any physical release I’d ever experienced.
She softened in my arms, her kiss turning languid. I slowly pulled my hand away from her clit. She would be overly sensitive, and I wouldn’t torment her. Not when she’d been so well behaved for me.
I pressed a final kiss to her swollen lips. “You did so well.”
She melted against me, clinging to me for comfort in the wake of our intense exchange. I could feel the heat of her cheek on my neck, and I decided to have some mercy on her. She would need reassurance and privacy to process what we’d just shared.
“You’ll have to excuse us,” I said to Stefano and Carmen, but I didn’t take my eyes off my precious prize. “Evelyn is tired.”
“Of course,” Carmen replied, her voice lilting with amusement. The cartel queen clearly didn’t have a problem with our activities at her dining table.
I helped Evelyn to her feet, and to her credit, her knees didn’t shake. Placing a bracing hand on her lower back, I guided her out of the opulent dining room. Once we reached the privacy of our suite upstairs, I’d reassure her and lavish her with praise. Judging by the way she leaned into me, she wasn’t upset by what we’d just done. She might be embarrassed and a little confused at her lustful reaction to my sensual game, but she wasn’t distraught.
I pulled her close as we stepped into the privacy of the elevator. “You’re perfect, Evelyn.”
I sealed my promise with a fierce kiss.