Chapter 56
“Lessie,” Carlo says, “I don’t know how you feel about losing your father…” but Bruno cuts him off and lays a big paw on Alessio’s shoulder. My oldest prince, the most senior, looks into Bruno’s eyes with a nod of appreciation. His eyes are almost watery.
Bruno keeps his hand and his eye on Alessio. He says quietly, “Don’t try to do sensitive, Carlo. Especially if you’re not feeling it. You’ll manhandle it and fuck it up. Perception, intuition, deduction and strategy. Those are your things.”
Alessio’s voice is clearing already. “You read feelings really well, Carlo. But it’s like you’re reading a map of a foreign territory.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I keep my voice gentle. “Carlo handles my feelings pretty well.”
“We’re all interested in your feelings, Princess,” Bruno says. “You’re our common interest.”
Carlo looks in my eyes, “You’re the power source that’s got us all lit up.”
“Is that right?”
Looking from one to the next and back, the hungry, smoldering glow in their eyes makes my breath catch and thicken. I chew my lip. Alessio with all the power. Bruno, built out of strength and sensual passion. Carlo’s dark knowledge and wisdom.
Three rough, hard, ruthless mafia guys. Men of power. My princes.
And here I am, crowded between them.
We’re all eyeing each other. My heart is in my mouth and I can feel a moment coming.
We’re all thinking the same things. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my whole life. I never wanted anything more, either.
They’re all looking at me. I look back at them. I’m remembering the shape, thickness, length, curve and taste of each of them. Not the most appropriate thoughts, possibly, all things considered. But as they say, The heart wants what the heart wants.
My heart hammers. No doubt about that. And it can see what it wants. All three of them.
Carlo puts it into words. “All four of us. Nobody else in this big house.”A sinful glint lights his eye. “All alone, together at last. What shall we find to do?”
“Shall we start in order of seniority?” Alessio asks, “Or merit?”
Bruno looks at Alessio and shakes his head. Then he looks at me. “We want you on our team, principessa.”
Carlo says, “We all do.”
Alessio nods in agreement. All of their eyes are blazing, and their mouths peel open.
Even if the rights of succession remain to be decided, the power of a top-table mob is between the hands of these three massive hunks.
“Yeah,” I tell them. “That’s not the way it’s going to be.”
My three protectors. Alessio says, “This is where we first teased you.”
I catch the spark in Bruno’s eye as Carlo speaks up, “You two assholes did.”
A leer slips into Bruno’s voice. “You would have too if you’d gotten here.”
Carlo chews his cheek. I tell them, “That’s not the point.”
“No.” Bruno agrees. “Back then, none of us had any clue that you were such a badass.”
Alessio lets out a dark chuckle. “The day you came here, you already took two guys out. That morning.”
Carlo nods. “Before breakfast.”
Bruno’s head shakes slowly. “Damn, girl.”
Alessio moves closer. “That was one hell of a power move.” Puts his hand on my waist. Pulls me toward him. “Your daddy let you go, right after that? He didn’t appreciate what he had.”
I nod. “Worse, he threw me out because of it.”
Carlo comes closer. “Idiot. Sorry. No offense. But that’s why your daddy is third tier and always will be. Right in front of him and he can’t even see the talent.”
Bruno moves in. “You didn’t flinch, and you didn’t even need to brag about it. I would have torn it up in the Astra Bar. I would have been so pumped, I wouldn’t have been able to keep it in.”
I shrug. The air around me is getting hotter, with three hugs men filling more and more of it. I’m hemmed in. Trapped.
Carlo says, “You stayed so deadpan.“ He strokes my neck. “I really love that,” and he squeezes, just enough to choke off my air a little. “All that you told us was true. You didn’t lie, you didn’t make up stories, you just kept your cards close to your chest.” His hand slides down to my breast. My heart hammers as he squeezes. “And you kept a poker face that would land a whale.”
Alessio reaches to grip my ass. “You thought that was teasing when you first arrived here?” He pinches. Hard. Hard enough to make me squeal. “Now we’ll give you a proper tease.” He takes a firm hold of my throat, while his other hand leaves a sharp slap on my ass, then slides around to scrape on my thigh.
Bruno comes in close behind me. Grips my ass. Kneads my cheeks, letting his fingers slip into all the cracks and crevices. Making me lose my breath. And his other hand comes round to start to undo the buttons of my soft shirt.
Carlo strokes my breasts and my chest. While Alessio strokes my thighs, forcing them apart, making me shudder and shake, and Bruno squeezes my ass and my juices flow like ripe peach nectar, Carlo’s fingers flit and patter so lightly, he’s making me tremble. I start to tell him, “No. No, Carlo. I’m ticklish.”
He knew. The evil look in his eye tells me I’ve made the most terrible mistake.
All of their eyes light up. I struggle.
“No!” Trying to shove my way out, I’m lost in a sea of hands.
When I try to pull my arms down by my sides, they go for my back and the backs of my legs.
“No!” Fingers are on all of my soft spots. Inside my thighs. My ears. No! Up the sides of my ribs. My armpits. I’m wriggling and shaking. I have to get free. Shaking with uncontrollable laughter doesn’t help.
I collapse, dropping almost into a ball. Shoving between Bruno’s legs, I bite his cock on my way through. Just to give him something to think about. It distracts me, too, though. Damn, it felt good.
But they’re all turning. The looks in their eyes are merciless. I have to get away. I run, pelting up the stairs. Head down, running as fast as I can. I don’t dare look back. At every turn of the huge staircase, I catch a glimpse of one or two of the big men.
They’re coming closer. They know the house too well. And I don’t have a plan.
All I can do is run. On the second landing, I pick a hallway and sprint down it, still shaking, but loving every minute of it. I don’t even know these corridors well enough to know where I’m going. I find a smaller staircase at the back of the house. The carpets muffle my steps. Maybe they can’t hear me.
The narrow stairs turn. Bruno’s strong legs are beating down the stairs toward me. I turn, so fast I almost lose my balance. Alessio is coming up behind me.
I’m trapped.
“No!”
“Oh, yes.” From farther down the stairs, Carlo’s voice is thick with menace. “Bring her to me.”
“NO!” Hysterical panic starts to sweep through me. I’m losing control.
I turn, but Bruno is already on me. I turn back, but I’m too late. Bruno takes hold of me under my shoulders, tickling my ribs for good measure as he does. Alessio cackles as he lifts my feet.
My legs judder as I try to thrash and kick. Alessio’s grip on my ankles is too strong, though. I squirm and shriek with pleasure and anticipation.
“Yell, Princess.” There’s a merciless laugh in Carlo’s voice as I’m carried back down the stairs. “Shout and scream all you like. There’s nobody who can hear you.”
“And they wouldn’t help you if they could,” Alessio says.
“No.” With relish, Bruno adds, “Whoever there is for miles around here works for us.”
“What shall we do with her?” Carlo asks.
“Oh, I think her fate is sealed,” Bruno says, “Carlo, you’d better fetch the equipment. We’ll hold her tight until you get back.”
“Where to?” Alessio asks, theatrically.
“There’s only one place,” Bruno’s voice is solemn. “We’ll stretch her out…”
“NO!” I shake my arms and legs.
“…in the chamber of doom!”