CHAPTER 12
ANGELO
As much as I want to soothe her nerves about going into this store to pick out a dress and the upcoming party, I can’t. My words won’t mean nearly enough. Not when what she doubts the most is herself.
My woman tenses the moment we step inside the store. It’s all about luxury inside. All of the dresses are one of a kind and made by designers all over the world. Women who can afford it, flock to this store to be dressed for the most elite and exclusive events in the city.
What my woman doesn’t realize is I had the store shut down for her with one phone call. It no longer surprises me what people are willing to do for the right price.
Honestly, I doubt it would surprise Dove either. I’m sure she saw how money talks during her time at Second Circle. Probably before then.
With my hand on the small of her back, I lead my woman farther into the store. Her eyes are wide as her head swings back and forth to take everything in.
The store owner steps in front of us with a practiced smile on her face as my men take up positions around the store. A few women who work in the boutique try to look like they’re working and not staring at us, but they aren’t subtle.
When those women look at me, I can practically see dollar signs in their eyes. But when their gazes shift to my woman, the disbelief and disgust is clear to see.
While I don’t normally make it a habit to kill women, I may make an exception for them. But this is a chance for Dove to spread her wings and figure out just how much power she has.
It’s not going to be easy if the way her shoulders are slumped is any indication.
“Hello,” the owner chirps. She sticks her hand out and introduces herself to us, but I don’t touch her and the moment she says her name, I forget it. While Dove is kinder than I am and shakes the woman’s hand, I can feel how nervous she is about this whole thing.
Is she worried about being in this store or about going to the party?
I’m looking forward to showing my Dove off on my arm. I know she’s going to be the most beautiful woman there.
“What are you shopping for today?” The owner asks and Dove glances at me.
“My woman needs a dress for the Mayor’s New Years Eve party. I’m thinking gold, but really whatever Dove wants is what we’ll get,” I answer, my tone almost bored.
I’m not a man who enjoys shopping, but I’ll do anything for Dove. And after her treatment when trying to buy me a gift, she needs to see that anyone looking down on her will face consequences.
Dove has no idea that the boutique where she couldn’t buy the cufflinks she saw has already been pushed out of business. I bought it and closed it immediately. I’ll never open those doors again as the business it was.
Consequences.
Really, it was fate’s hand at work.
I give my woman a small push toward the owner and give her a soft smile of encouragement. She straightens her back and offers the woman a timid smile. “I’m thinking something fun, but still sexy and appropriate for the party.”
The woman hums and motions toward one side of the store. “Most of our party dresses are over on this side. We could go short and flirty?”
“I’ll take a look,” Dove offers while looking toward me for some sort of approval.
I don’t give her any. This is all about her and what she likes. I’m not making the decision for her and I’m not giving her any direction.
When I spot a bench near the fitting rooms, I head that way and take a seat. The other women working whisper and giggle together while stealing glances in my direction.
The moment Dove notices, I see it. Her eyebrows pull together, and she scowls in their direction. But she doesn’t say a word.
The owner walks Dove through the racks, collecting dresses for her to try on as they go. When they have more than enough, including a flapper style gold dress I already know is the one, Dove is led into the fitting rooms.
I lean back in my seat and spread my legs, the anticipation of the show my woman is about to put on making my cock start to thicken behind the zipper of my pants. It’s been hours since I’ve been buried inside of her and it’s been far too long.
When she has the first dress on, the owner escorts her out of the fitting room to where I’m sitting. She presents Dove like a television game show prize, and I have to clench my jaw to stop myself from smiling.
Dove is pulling at the fabric of the dress which doesn’t flatter her at all. It’s a cream color that washes her out and then there are the shoulder pads which make her look boxy and wider than she really is. It’s not a good look and anyone who looks at my woman would see it.
“What do you think?” The bright question from the owner is directed toward me, but I don’t say a word.
I keep my eyes on Dove who huffs out an annoyed breath and shakes her head. “It’s awful. I’m not sure who this will look good on, but it’s not me.”
With a grin at my woman, I nod in agreement and she’s hustled away.
It plays out in much the same way for the next few dresses she tries on and comes out in. Dove gets more and more frustrated every time she’s paraded in front of me like a show pony. But she doesn’t put the owner in her place.
When Dove escapes back to the fitting room after the fifth dress, I stand up and stalk into the dressing rooms. The owner is there and holding up a bright yellow dress which shouldn’t be anywhere near my woman.
“I think this is the one,” the woman tries to argue.
“I don’t know,” Dove sounds weak as hell, and I ball my fists at my side.
When I step into the space, the owner freezes and Dove looks at me with tears in her eyes, and I know it’s time for me to step in. I don’t even glance at the owner of the shop as I bite out, “I’ve got it from here.”
“We don’t normally allow anyone else in the dressing room area,” the woman tries to argue with me. I don’t say a word and simply direct my stare at her. She takes a step back and her voice wobbles, “But I think we can make an exception, Mr. Amato.”
With a curt nod in her direction, I focus on my woman. She’s tugging on the dress she has on, clearly uncomfortable. The moment the owner walks away, I close in on her.
She looks up at me with wide eyes. “I don’t want to be here anymore, Angelo,” she murmurs. “I have plenty of dresses at home now. I don’t need another one.”
My chest warms when she calls the penthouse her home. She doesn’t even realize how she’s accepted our future as truth.
As I step closer to her, she steps back into the fitting room where all the dresses for her to try on are hanging up. I don’t stop until I have her caged against the wall.
My voice is hard, “What are you doing, la mia pace?”
Her eyebrows pull together, her voice holding far too much vulnerability for my liking, “What do you mean?”
“You’ve hated everything you’ve tried on, probably the moment you saw it.” She shrugs but doesn’t say anything. “If you don’t want to put it on, then don’t. You’re the one in charge here.”
I grip her throat and use my hold on her to tip her head back against the wall until she’s looking up at me. I hate the sadness in the depths of her blue eyes, but I understand why it’s there. She’s doubting herself and I hate it.
“You were testing me earlier with your bargain shopping.”
“No,” she tries to argue with me, but I know the truth.
My fingers tighten on her throat and her lips clamp together. The excitement that sparks in her eyes at the way I’m touching her has my cock becoming a steel fucking rod in my pants. I need to be inside of her, but it will have to wait.
With my hold on her, I move her until she’s on her knees in front of me and trapped between the unmovable force that is my body and the wall behind her. I use my free hand to undo my belt and pants before Dove’s eager fingers reach up and help me.
I let out a groan of satisfaction when my cock springs free. Pre-cum is already beading on the crown and Dove licks her lips as she stares at it like she can’t wait to taste me.
The last thing I want is to make my woman wait.
As I grip the base of my cock, I guide the tip toward her lips. She opens her mouth for me and my length glides along her tongue.
It feels so fucking good that my head falls back on my shoulders and I shudder at the sensation. The need to bury myself in her mouth until I’m lodged in her throat is almost too much to ignore. But I manage.
Fucking barely.
When I tip my chin forward and look down at her, Dove’s blue eyes are already locked on me like she can’t look away. With the way I have her positioned, she probably can’t.
I don’t let go of her throat as I start to move my hips forward, giving her more of my shaft, before pulling back out until she’s only sucking on the tip. Fuck, it’s like she’s trying to suck the cum straight from my balls.
My chest starts to heave slightly with every labored breath I take. I want to fuck her face and the devil on my shoulder is telling me it’s what she needs.
“You need to find your voice, la mia pace. Your power.” I push my cock a little deeper until it kisses the back of her throat and she gags slightly.
My lips stretch into a grin just shy of unhinged. I don’t give a single fuck.
“You tested me and now I’m testing you,” I rumble the words, and she blinks at me a few times.
I keep my movements steady and measured as I fill her mouth and then retreat, the feeling of her sucking on my cock pushing me toward the edge of my control.
“You need to realize who you are and stand tall with your head held high.”
When she moans around my cock, my balls draw up, and I have to take a few deep breaths to get myself under control. Or else I’ll blow my load down her throat far too soon.
“If you wanted to see every person in this boutique bleed out, I would ensure it happens. Immediately,” I promise her.
Even though I’ve said something far from fucking normal, her eyes drop to half-mast while sucking me harder and fighting against the hold I have on her neck. But I don’t let her go.
Her hands come up, and she rolls my balls between her palms gently. The stimulation has me groaning out her name. Fucking loudly.
The way her cheeks turn pink, and she glances toward the door of the fitting room, as if she expects someone to come in and admonish us, has me fucking her face faster.
“You look so damn pretty on your knees for me,” I growl the words. “But you still have all the power, Dove. I’m wrapped around your little finger, and I’ll do anything to show you just how much you’re worth.”
The sounds of her slurping on my cock fill the space as lust takes over. When she moans a little too loudly, I push myself deeper into her mouth. With my cockhead lodged in her throat, she struggles slightly until she freezes as she looks into my eyes.
“You better be careful, Dove,” I warn her. “If you’re much louder then I’ll be forced to kill everyone out there, including my men. No one else hears those sounds. Just me.”
She swallows around the tip of my cock, and I can’t hold back. I tighten my fingers around her throat and thread my fingers through her hair at the back of her head to hold her in place. And then I fuck her mouth, going as deep as she can take me every time I surge forward.
My spine starts to tingle, and my balls draw up. This time, I don’t try to stop it. I need to come and she’s going to swallow every drop.
Our eyes lock as I punch my hips forward just as the first jet of cum hits the back of her throat. She’s ready for it and swallows everything I give her.
With a grunt, I push in a little deeper as she sucks the last of my cum from me. I shudder when I pull out of her mouth slowly and look down at my woman in awe.
I reach over and grab the gold dress I saw earlier and hold it up. Her eyes light up, and I know it’s the right one.
“I’m buying this dress,” I tell her. “Then I’m buying the shop, and you’ll decide what happens to it. If you want to shut it down, you can. If you want to run it, you can. If you want it to keep operating as it has been, that’s fine too. But it’s yours now.”
“You’re fucking insane, Angelo,” her voice is rough with how hard I fucked her throat.
Then she smiles at me, and I know she doesn’t mind my insanity. She doesn’t mind it one fucking bit. In fact, I think she likes it.