Chapter 3
Massimo
I watch from a distance as the deputies push the stretcher out of the diner. Hadley’s stare is locked on the scene, even though the fucker’s body is fully covered from view. I know this is tearing her apart… a first kill is one that will stick with you until you take your last breath. Taking the opportunity to observe her without also pretending I’m not, I watch her closely. I open my phone and pull up the app that allows me instant access to every camera I have placed. The file labeled ‘Hadley’ is still open, so it doesn’t take much for me to find the correct feed. Now I have an up-close view of her, and I can also hear everything that is being said.
Hadley leans against the outside wall of the diner, not saying a word when she’s being asked questions. She’s obviously in her head about what she’s done even though the result of the night is no different than it would’ve been.
He was going to die tonight.
He might’ve conned her out of a meal and a view all damn day, but he didn’t fool me. I had Big John on the phone before I walked out of the diner earlier, pulling up everything he could find on the guy. The hitchhiker bit was too damn convenient. John confirmed my suspicions before we finished the phone call.
“Ma’am. I need you to tell me what happened.” The fat fuck grabs her shoulder to pull her out of her trance, only sending her into instant fight mode instead. She’s yanking her shoulder out of his grip and screaming before the poor idiot has a chance to realize what he’s done.
I try to ignore the ping in my chest as I watch her trauma response unfold. Hadley has seen some shit in her life. I know this. I don’t even think she’s remembering half of it… but that doesn’t mean she can’t be triggered into allowing those memories to resurface.
“Fuck.” The urge for me to walk over there and handle everything with just the mere presence of showing up is tugging at me. But… I don’t care about this girl. I don’t care what happens to her once I’ve gotten what I need from her, and I sure don’t need to tie myself to her in public with absolute fuckin’ chaos going on.
I watch the video feed intently as a female deputy approaches Hadley. “Can you tell us what happened?” Her tactic to get Hadley to talk is a little softer, encouraging her to share her story as another female wraps a blanket around Hadley’s shoulders.
“He came around the counter with a knife and I shot him. I was scared.” Hadley can barely be understood through her sobs, making her story one hundred percent believable.
“Good girl.” She said exactly what I told her to say.
“Why don’t you come over here and we’ll get the report written up. Then we can let you get out of here.” They guide her to the back of an ambulance and hand her a clipboard. I can’t hear anything, but I can imagine it all as it plays out. The medics begin to look her over while she stares at her clipboard, no doubt deciding if she’s going to lie on paper.
I answer my phone when it rings without taking my eyes off Hadley. “Costa.”
“Mission accomplished,” Emilio says, only two words before he hangs up. He’s pissed at me for pushing him to get the job done without fucking bothering me, but that didn’t keep him from taking care of business and handling a crisis on his own. He knows the way we work better than anyone, and with this shit going on, I needed him to get our guys back without pulling my attention away from this.
It's almost an hour later when one of the deputies begins to walk Hadley to her car. Her slow steps and the way she’s carrying herself tell me she doesn’t want to get into her car. She actually does get in, and as I watch her still idling her car after about five minutes, I decide to take this opportunity to get a little closer to my prey.
She’s looking down at her hands when I park beside her, so I roll my window down, waiting until she glances in my direction. She must recognize my SUV because she immediately opens her car door to talk to me. “Get in… I’ll take you home.” I nod to my passenger seat and then watch her ass as she leans into her car to turn it off.
She doesn’t say a word until I pull out of the diner parking lot. “I know he was going to attack me. That look…” she stalls mid-sentence, and I can imagine her mind drifting back to what happened.
“He was here to take you, Hadley.” She whips her head to look at me, with fear and uncertainty in her eyes.
“What?” Her voice is shaky, and if it wasn’t entirely silent, I wouldn’t have heard her ask.
“He was sent to kidnap you.” I don’t say the part where he was to deliver her to the most notoriously ruthless and vile humans to ever walk this Earth. That she could easily be one of the most valuable marks in the crime world if the buzz got out about who she is.
“Take me?” Her eyes swell with tears as she stares at me for clarification. “How do you know this?” She quickly looks down at her hands, her mind obviously going in every direction while she tries to make sense of what’s going on. She’s most likely regretting the fact that she got in a vehicle with me… as she fucking should be.
“It’s my job to know.”
I turn right, taking us toward one of my houses instead of driving straight in the direction of her house. “Where are you taking me?”
“You can stay at my place tonight. You’ll be able to rest knowing you’re safe.” She nods and watches out the windshield, not making another sound until we pull into my garage. She walks slowly toward the door while looking around at the cars surrounding us. It’s when her eyes lock on my Bugatti that I give her my full attention.
“Holy crap, it’s beautiful.” She holds her hand just inches away as she fully circles the car, never touching the paint. It’s the tease of her touch that sends chills up my neck and the rush of hardness over my dick. I don’t even try to block my imagination from going wild about the idea of fucking her in that car.
I stand beside her and can’t believe I feel proud of her amazement. It’s not as if she truly knows the rarities in her presence. The Bugatti is just a fucking sharp car that draws the attention of everyone around it. It’s one of many that I own and not even my favorite in the collection.
My favorites are housed below my mansion. I haven’t had the time to drive many of them lately. Business has kept me from having as much playtime as I would like. I refuse to boast and brag about what I own, so I walk through the doors, leaving her to drool for as long as she wants while I reel my shit in.
“You did not bring her here to fuck,” I mumble under my breath as I pull some blankets out of the hall closet.
“Are you talking to me?” She comes up behind me and surprises the shit out of me. I feign ignorance and walk past her with my bedding for the couch. I’m kicking myself for taking the extra rooms in this house for selfish reasons. It’s pretty pathetic for a five-bedroom house to only have one bed to sleep in, but I felt like having an office, gym, and two fuck rooms was more important since that’s what this place is for. I’ve never had my son here, and I’ve never taken a girl to the mansion. I don’t plan on changing that anytime soon.
“You can shower in here. You’ll have to pick something out of my closet, but it should work for the night.” I hold my hand out to show her the correct door to enter my bedroom. She doesn’t walk through the door, and I start to wonder if she’s misreading my intentions.
“What are you not telling me?” I was hoping she’d hold the questions off until another day, but I understand tonight was a lot for her.
“What do you mean?”
“You know about the guy I killed tonight. Why do you know him? Why were you there so quickly to swoop in and make sure I could get away with what I had done? Why are you lingering around a murder scene until I get released?” She holds out her fingers, counting the questions as she asks them. “Why did you bring me to your house instead of my own? Why are you pretending to take care of me while at the same time talking to yourself about not fucking me?”
I close the distance between us, my hand going around her neck until she’s backed against the wall. Tightening my grip, I stare into her eyes, contemplating what I’m going to do next. What explanation am I going to give her for any of the questions she has asked?
“You ask too many fucking questions,” I grumble, my mouth just inches from hers.
She quickly jerks her head up, challenging me and bringing our lips even closer. “You don’t get to play games with my life.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I can do what the fuck I want.” I speak slowly, my threat simply a promise we both know is true.
“Then do it.” Her eyes darken in rebellion, intriguing me even more than her defiant response.
With my eyes wide open, I nip her bottom lip and watch her response. Her breath brushes across my face from her sharp exhale while she slightly shifts her face upwards, inviting me to do it again.
She slips her bottom lip between her teeth and watches me intently. Her body squirms under my hold while she impatiently waits for my next move.
I drag my thumb over her bottom lip, forcing her to release it and end the tease. “It’s you that’s playing games,” I whisper between us before I quickly nip again. She meets me this time, her tongue slowly sliding up over my lips. God damn. So fucking sexy.
It’s in this moment that I snap. My grip on her throat grows tighter while our kiss becomes chaotic. Both of us fighting to get closer; neither backing away as if our very lives depend on consuming the other.
She slides her hands under my shirt and up my back, her nails digging into my skin and escalating every fucking sensation I have. I can’t stop the groan that escapes while a part of me awakens that has been dead inside for years. Reaching for my shirt, I pull away and allow her to writhe between my body and the wall that I have her pinned against.
She drags her nails down my chest, making my dick harder than I thought possible. Fuckkkkk. I glance down and notice the whelps beginning to form immediately. I had no idea Hadley would be brave enough to be like this, but I can’t say I’m disappointed to find out there’s more to her than I thought. And trust me… I’ve fucking thought a lot about her lately.
I lift her shirt over her head and start tugging at her pants, wanting nothing more than to see her naked when she rides my dick. She’s pulling at the button on my jeans at the same time I’m unsnapping her bra, both of us rushing like time will run out on us.
When all of our clothes have hit the floor, I’m right on her, lifting her legs around my waist, making her almost face to face with me. My dick bobs below her, teasing us both. Our heavy breaths blend for a moment before I start kissing her again. She rotates her hips and grinds against me, proving she’s just as impatient as I am. Her body is begging to be fucked… and so is mine.
Hadley
I’m frustrated.
I thought I would stop thinking about today if I allowed myself the distraction of sex. Massimo should be the perfect interruption from the memories that are swirling around in my mind, but I can’t seem to shake the image of the guy from the diner coming at me. Or the fact that Massimo knows who he was and that he was there to get me. Why would someone target me specifically? I’ve never seen that guy before.
I haven’t showered. They allowed me to clean up at the scene, but I’m far from cleansed of the living nightmare I’ve been through today. Even though challenging Massimo was supposed to allow me to escape it all, it seems to have made the commotion in my head even louder.
Massimo can definitely kiss. His body is perfection, and the way he is effortlessly walking toward the bed with me wrapped around his waist is so very promising of the amazing sex I’m definitely due for.
The tip of his dick brushes my pussy, making me clench. I want to put everything out of my mind and just get fucked. He would no doubt be the right man for the job. I can tell by his grumpy demeanor that he would go all in without any strings attached—a perfect scenario for me.
But I can’t.
I wait until he sits at the end of the bed before I place my index finger over his lips, stopping him from kissing me. His blue eyes lock with mine while I glide off of his lap. His cock twitches as I slide over it, causing both of us to hold our breath simultaneously.
His stare is hungry. He’s anticipating my next move, but I can promise by the lust in his eyes that he will not see this coming.
I take a step back and appreciate one last glance at the hot, naked man who was just about to fuck me before I turn to walk into the bathroom and lock the door. Half-expecting him to storm in behind me, I turn the water on and get in the shower.
He gives me the time I need to decompress, not interrupting me even though I’m in there long enough for the water to run cold. I used all of his manly scented products, scrubbing every inch of my body while I tried to come to terms with everything that happened.
Once I felt thoroughly clean, I wrapped up in a towel and opened the door. His powerful scowl stopped me dead in my tracks. How can his irritated glare be so sexy? He should probably scare me… but he doesn’t.
I catch the flex of his arm that’s propped up against the doorframe. “Are you done playing games?”
“I just needed a minute.”
“I gave you sixty.”
“Thank you for that,” I say softly, finally breaking eye contact with him.
“I take it that was your first kill.” I nod at his statement, only looking up when he leads me with a single finger under the chin.
“His fate was already sealed. He was a dead man.” He steps closer, guiding me into a kiss. I allow it for a few seconds and then pull away with another question.
“Why? How did you know about him?” He whips me around until we’re both looking into the mirror. He’s tugging my towel loose while my mind goes wild with all the other questions I have for this man. Always Mr. Mysterious.
“How about I make you a deal. You can ask questions as long as my dick is inside you.” I squint my eyes at his obnoxious response. He’s such an asshole. A sexy asshole… but still an asshole.
“Do women really fall for that?”
“Is that another question?” He watches me in the mirror, waiting for my answer. I contemplate whoring myself out for information when I had already planned on having sex with him. The chemistry is definitely there if I can get out of my head long enough to be focused on the present.
“Yes.” I hold my head high, accepting his bullshit deal.
He slides his arm in front of me, his fingers moving to my clit to rub circles and awaken my entire body once again. It doesn’t take much since I’m already worked up from before.
“You have until I make you orgasm.” He dips his hand further between my legs, two fingers sliding inside of me. We both stare at our reflections in the mirror, moving between staring into each other’s eyes and the movement of him finger-fucking me.
I’m waiting until he’s inside me to ask a question, knowing if I tried to ask earlier, he would renege on the deal. When I’m close to soaring over the edge, I push his hand away. Luckily, he moves to stroking his cock while we continue to watch each other. The moment is raw and pure, empowering me to be brave.
Sliding my hand down between my legs, I match his show of boldness and tease him just as he is teasing me. I know this is counterproductive to me getting the information I need, but I do it anyway. I can’t have him thinking he holds all the power.
I’m about ten seconds into my show when he whips me around again, sliding me down onto his cock without warning. I’m making noises somewhere between gasps and moans, trying to get myself together enough to form a fucking sentence.
“How…” He fucks me faster and deeper. So deep that I gasp again. He repositions me in his palms so that he can lift and lower me with ease.
I’m about to continue my question when he slams into me even harder, hitting me in that oh-so-perfect spot that makes everything else unimportant.
“Fu…ck.” Hearing him stuttering too makes me proud in the moment, and for the first time tonight, I’m not thinking of anything other than this man’s cock deep inside of me.
He fucks me hard.
Raw.
Fast.
And deep.
So damn good.
I am literally hanging onto his shoulders for dear life while he relentlessly fucks the care right out of me. I don’t get any questions out before we’re both moaning through an orgasm at the same time. The release of tension is unmatched and exactly what I needed to sleep through the night.
Both of us are breathing heavily when he walks me to the bed and sets me down. He tosses me a towel from the dresser before he walks into the bathroom and closes the door.
I wait until I hear the water running before I rush around the room to find my clothes. The smell of diner food on them makes me almost gag, but I put them on quickly, knowing I don’t have much time before he will be done.
Massimo is hiding something big, and I can’t stay here and wait like a dumb damsel who can’t take care of herself. I have to protect myself, and I can’t do that here.
His pants are piled near mine, so it’s easy to find his keys. Luckily, I paid attention to how he closed the garage door, so it’s only a few seconds before I’m hopping on one foot, trying to put my shoes on while I skim by his ridiculously expensive cars, just so I can steal his blacked-out SUV.
I squeal the tires when I back out in a hurry. He’ll be pissed… but I don’t care. I’m pissed that he keeps playing games when it involves my life.