Chapters One - Four - Obsessive Thirst (Book 3 Rough Redemption Series)

Tessa, Chapters One & Two: The Incan sun god taunted me, unaware of the Glock in my purse. He should have sensed my present mood — pissed off.

Perilous.

Where was Bobby?

I wasn’t sure who I’d kill—him for worrying me sick—or whoever held him captive. (If there was such a person. It was more than likely that he got stuck between the legs of some pot princess).

My fiancé was “missing”— again.

Three days this time.

Longer than ever before.

On former occasions when he forgot to call, at least he showed up in time for breakfast. I’d be angry as a hornet, imagining all night the trouble he was in, but at least I knew he was alive.

This time neither Tribal Police nor the Sheriff’s office were eagerly pursuing his whereabouts, and I could read the writing on the wall.

They figured he’d run out on me.

Not that they were unkind. Patting me on the back, and speaking in soothing tones, “He’ll show up, Ms. Bancroft. Always does, right?”

The Incan god’s eyes flashed green in front of me, and his head spun in circles. I took a bitter sip of my rum and coke, noting its effect on my head.

Calming.

Anesthetizing.

Exactly the point.

Meanwhile, the sun god was tripping, flashing “One last pick!!!” on the screen.

This was it.

If Mr. South American Cranky Pants sucked up my money on this final spin, I’d be the last in a long line of suckers who’d come to the casino with a few hundred bucks and left with none.

I crossed my fingers and looked around, wondering if the pensioners surrounding me, sitting at blackjack tables, roulette wheels, crap tables, but mainly perched on their cozy betting stools like me in front of blinking lights, were here for the same reason I was.

Company.

Pathetic.

This blinking, beeping, teasing machine was a hell of a lot better than sitting at home alone. Even if I did have to feed it money to hang out.

Except that now something was going on. I wasn’t a big gambler, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that the machine was reaching some kind of climax.

“Oh, you got the bonus. Last time I saw that, the lady hit a mega win.” My slot machine neighbor leaned towards me in her peach-colored sweat suit, adorned with painted roses, butterflies, and sparrows. Her earrings and lipstick matched the fabric. Suddenly she shouted in my ear, “Horace! Horace, get over here. It’s another big win.” She leaned closer still; the spinning gold coins on the display put her in a trance.

Horace shuffled up behind her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders and murmured, “Here it comes.” He pulled a long drag on his cigarette. “The burning hot jackpot challenge. Hold on to your hats, ladies.”

I wasn’t wearing a hat, but noticed I was out of drink and swung my right arm towards the server, requesting another rum and coke.

“Hey,” said my peachy neighbor, “You gotta press the button to spin the wheel.”

Apparently I wasn’t excited enough to befit the circumstance, and that’s how I liked it.

Three drinks in. No worries, no expectations.

No disappointments.

“Okay, okay. Hold your horses.” I said, tapping the big button to see if I got past the forty thousand credits just wracked up by the bonus. I should be excited, right? If those credits equaled dollars, I could pay off my points to the Dragos. I owed them back pay for leasing the coveted spa-space in the casino, and the ruthless businessmen had been uncharacteristically understanding about my tardy payment.

Their patience wouldn’t last forever.

So why didn’t my blood pump faster, imagining what could happen if this machine paid out?

No more being afraid to come to work, in case they were tired of waiting for their percentage and decided to break my fingers as a warning.

No more begging Bobby to bring money home for a change, instead of spending it on whatever it was out there that sucked up his take on the cannabis grow like a seventies disco diva sucked up blow.

The Incan god grew agitated, shooting off flames behind the giant spinning wheel that promised winning prizes in different sizes: mini, minor, major… and I’ll be damned if the blasted thing didn’t come to a painstaking stop, landing on “grand.”

“Holy shit, does that number mean what I think it means?” I put my fingers up to my mouth, rubbing them back and forth across my lips.

“If you’re thinking seventy thousand big ones, you’re darn tootin’.” Horace sounded as pleased as if he won the money himself. “All you have to do is hit that pay out button and claim your prize. Here comes one of the floor managers to help.”

My eyes locked on the numbers over my head, as if they might puff away like a cloud of smoke, “I don’t know what this little guy’s name is,” reaching a hand up to the screen, I stroked the intimidating, gilded-faced dude with the green flaming hair and skeleton teeth, “But he’s beginning to grow on me.”

Tomorrow, I thought.

Tomorrow my feelings will kick in.

Give it time.

“Apu-punchau.” A familiar voice husked the name, and before I could stop it, my pussy was purring in response.

Not that he needed to know that.

“Gesundheit.” I said.

“Apu-punchau. The name of the god bringing you good luck tonight. Yours is the biggest take of the evening so far.” His words vibrated through me, and for the first time since Bobby’s disappearance, I wanted to feel my existence. Even though his next words were more of a promise than a threat, “Just in the nick of time, Tessa. I kept them at bay as long as I could, but we’re not running a charity operation here.”

His hot breath landed on my bare shoulder, and a hum of pleasure slipped from my lips; my entire body longed to slip into him like a warm tub.

It wasn’t right.

I should be in mourning, or at the very least, sick with worry.

Not luxuriating in the sweet sensation of Enzo Drago’s voice dripping all over my skin.

He reached out his hand to pull me off the stool, the inked bands which looped around his bulging arms concealed beneath the premium quality business shirt, sewn in Europe. Every inch of me lit up like a slot machine flashing the high winning payout, with the burning, urgent need to possess him.

WTF?

Fiancé missing.

One day I’m in debt to the Drago’s and the next I have everything I need to pay the bills.

Thrilling at the thought of my dad’s best friend moving inside me should not be at the top my agenda right now.

I needed another drink to calm my ass down.

“Come with me to claim your winnings, Tessa.” The cut of his tux, and the regal assurance that all Drago men possessed, as if they exited the womb a burning hot jackpot winner, intoxicated my senses like rum had replaced all of my blood.

I stumbled a little, getting off the stool, and he grabbed my elbow to lead me past the crowd that gathered, steadying me.

It wasn’t the best idea to follow him like a lost puppy, given my outstanding debt to his family’s empire.

But that was before I learned he controlled not only the stakes, but also the rules of the game.

Enzo had already made his mind up to treat me like a toy. He’d play with me even though my fiancé, Bobby, was a missing person who nobody, besides me, missed at all.

Chapter Two:

It was embarrassing having the hots for your dad’s best friend.

But that’s the only way to describe it.

He made me so hot.

Every time I saw him, every time I thought of him.

And now, following his huge form down the fancy luxurious hallway, to the private elevator, up to a room I’d never visited even though I was in the casino almost every day.

I may want to jump a Drago’s bones, I may lease my business space from the same family, but that didn’t give me the right and privelege to enter their private sanctities.

Any girl in their right mind would describe Brando Drago as handsome, and more in my age range than his Hulk-like relative.

Granted, he was married now.

But he would have made a much more sensible choice as the object of my lust while Enzo was off God knows where fighting terrorists and saving the world.

Four long years without him.

It felt like twenty.

“To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?” Brando asked, after his brother Tony, another irresistably handsome man who did absolutely nothing for my libido, let us into the palatial office.

“Get you a drink?” The casino boss approached a side bar, pouring himself a tumbler of liquid the color of oak hardwood floors.

“Sure, thanks,” I said, but my words were drowned out by the deep voice behind me.

“She’s had enough. She’s here to settle up.” Said Enzo.

I concentrated on walking a straight line to Brando, and said, “A rum and coke would be lovely. Thank you.” As evidenced by my choice in fiances, my judgement was faulty. Otherwise, I never would have challenged him in front of his mobster peers. Big mistake. Behind me Enzo made a rough sound in his throat.

I turned to look and nearly backed down at the black curtain of anger that fell over his eyes. “Did you just growl at me?” I asked.

If I were honest with myself, my sexual frustration was getting the best of me. Bobby and I hadn’t been active, that way, for longer than I could remember.

This man, whose face was predatory, primal, but never without compassion, just did it for me.

But I wouldn’t let him see that.

“Have a heart, Enzo. Her fiance is missing.” Said Tony.

I always did like the man.

Brando began to pour me another, and my chest felt light with the anticipation of a bigger buzz, and a head more numb.

Only he gave it to Enzo instead.

“Your father’s best friend is like a brother to me. I won’t go against his word.” Said Brando.

“Tell him what you came here for.” If I didn’t know Enzo since forever, his tone of voice would have scared me shitless.

He would never lay a finger on me.

I’d tried plenty to make him.

It was like he was made of stone.

Treating me with respect. No matter how short my skirt or push-up-bra-high my boobies. He kept his distance.

He surprised me by walking over to the couch, “May I?”

These Dragos. They’d pull a trigger at the drop of a hat to take out an enemy, but their manners were courtly and refined towards each other. What you would call old world mafia. Their money was just as old.

“Please,” Brando replied. His house, his rules. He beckoned me to follow and I sat as far away from Enzo as I could on the other end of the couch, making my point.

My drinking game was not to be fucked with.

“Tell him what you came here for, Tessa.” I hated the way Enzo spoke to me as if I were a child.

I was a grown woman. Licensced and trained in cosmetology with an AA in business. My books were balanced like an acrobat on a tight rope. It wasn’t a lack of financial acumen that made me late with my payments.

It was Bobby.

His non-profit was his newest passion and its mission was to help local sex workers learn new skills, and find employment that didn’t put their lives in peril. A great cause. And the donation that I made last month, put me way behind with the Dragos. Even though Bobby swore he’d get my money back two weeks ago, my account was still in the red.

Until tonight, when I’d be paying the Dragos back with money made on their machine.

“You’re aware of course it is strictly forbidden for Diamante staff and tenants to gamble on site?” Tony grimaced in distaste when he asked the question.

Fear knotted inside me and my mouth watered as the rum had its way with my stomach. “No, I was not. I’m sorry, I never would have done it had I known.”

I darted my eyes at Enzo. He wouldn’t let them hurt me, would he?

For the first time ever, I saw contempt and disdain on his features, directed at me, and a gruesome feeling of regret washed over me.

“You still want to take care of it like we said?” Brando asked.

Ice shivered down my spine when Enzo responded, “She deserves punishment. The only way she’ll learn.”

He turned to face me where I sat on the couch, six feet away, and his stare burned with such potency I felt my soul shiver.

Tony spoke next, “We’ll let you take care of your debt to the Dragos using your winnings, if you accept your penalty.”

Having these drop-dead delicious men in suits talking about me this way should have scared the shit out of me. Things could be worse, I could be looking down the barrel end of a gun, or tossed over the Redwood bridge into the river below.

Instead, I got the feeling they had something kinkier in mind.

And the thought made my nipples tighten to stiff peaks.

“Will you do the honors, Enzo?” Asked Brando, who locked the office door, and took a seat across from the couch, in an armchair next to Tony. “A flogger seems most appropriate in this case. One for every G she owes us. Then she can pay us the full amount for her back-rent.”

Enzo frowned with displeasure, and my heart weighed heavy in my chest. He’d never been unhappy with me before, and I realized I’d do whatever it took to make him look upon me fondly again.

“Please. I’ll pay. Is the flogging really necessary?” I asked, telling myself I should fight him.

Fight. Struggle. But the embarrassing truth of it all was I didn’t want to. I was too turned on. Too excited to find out what he was going to do to me.

“You’re getting off easy, Ms. Bancroft. Forty spankings. You could probably do that in your sleep.” Enzo’s hand felt rough on my skin when it encircled my wrist and pulled me across the couch to lay over his lap. Beneath me, his thighs were keenly muscled like the rest of him.

Three Dragos, watching me be humiliated before them in a public flogging. Shame choked me and the words wouldn’t come to argue or fight back. Tony handed the flogger to my punisher, and my heart pounded in my chest, anticipating the first blow.

Then I felt it.

The amazing, thick hardness of him, shoved against my ribs. Only the two of us knew, his blazer hid any side view of his arousal, and I couldn’t say anything aloud about feeling it press against me.

But I knew.

He was turned on.

By the fact that he was going to chasten me in front of his gangster colleagues across from us who were sipping scotch as if on the sidelines of the Belmont stakes. Completely civilized and totally out of context considering the fact that Enzo was now wrenching my skirt up over my hips.

“Hey!” I protested.

He dropped the flogger on the cushion beside him, covered my mouth with his huge hand and said, “You can either behave yourself, or I can get a ball gag for you. Is that what you want?” He asked.

I shook my head, unable to speak under the covering confinement of his giant hand. We breathed together like that for a few moments, and I took in every aspect of him touching my body. His huge bulging bicep alongside my head, his massive forearm pressed against my cheek, and that bulge in my side which for the life of me seemed to be getting bigger.

Down below, I was growing damp. Of course, today of all days, I had to wear a thong. They were reserved as a last resort when I needed to do laundry. Otherwise, the uncomfortable instrument of torture would never have been barely covering my pussy, and certainly not my ass.

The three men could see my bare bottom splayed beneath Enzo.

The novacaine effect of my earlier drinks had completely left the building, and I squirmed a bit on his lap thinking of him sliding his huge fingers inside me.

What was I doing? Bobby was missing. Getting turned on by a guy many years my senior, who was about to discipline me in front of his relatives meant I had surely hit rock bottom.

But not before he whalloped the hell out of me. His arms weren’t just ornamental, he raised the flogger in the air and brought it down on my bare skin, again and again, making it sting and burn with the force behind it.

I would have screamed or yelled, but was powerless to do so with his relentless hand over my mouth.

My hips twisted to get away and he stopped. I had twenty lashings to go.

“Don’t move.” He chastened me, but I could hear the hungry groan beneath his words.

Glancing to the side, I noticed that Tony and Brando maintained their scornful expressions, as if inflicting pain on women was par for the course in their business negotiations .

A flush of shameful red spread over my cheeks. I had to come back here tomorrow to work. I’d never be able to look them in the eye after this.

The hot slap of the flogger came down again and Enzo uttered barely audible grunts with each blow, maintaining his cool distance in spite of me being red-bottomed and sore, beneath him.

I wanted him to touch me in a different way. The effect of alcohol helped the burn, but it seemed to amplify my need to have him explore me with his tongue, and helped me forget all about the fact that I should be worrying about Bobby.

Bobby who?

“That’s forty,” said Tony, which meant he was counting.

Apart from the raging hard on poking at my side, Enzo remained cold, ruthless, with no spark of evident passion. Meanwhile, I was throbbing between my legs and needed to take care of it, stat, I thought as he yanked my skirt back down.

I stood up on two unstable feet, and felt dizzy, swaying a little. He didn’t take my hand or help me steady myself but said, “You can cash your check below, forty thousand goes to the house.” He wouldn’t meet me in the eye, “You might even have some left over after taxes.”

His icy demeanor repelled me.

There was one sure-fire way to warm myself up. I’d head downstairs and order another drink.

No way could I go home alone with the memory of being spanked hard while three man-candy males watched as if I were their spectator sport.

Enzo, Chapter Three

Of course I escorted her to the cash box; acommpanied her from a distance.

And I watched.

Waited.

Protected.

Like so many other times in my life.

I did so from afar, while she was unaware of my observation.

It was creepy.

Inappropriate.

And I couldn’t stop myself.

I’d given up pretending a long ago that I didn’t want her.

I craved her.

She didn’t belong to me.

Try to tell that to the voice in my head, the one that roared every time she was in sight, crossing my mind, or simply a fantasy figment of my imagination.

The voice that said, “Mine.”

There was nobody to blame but me. I could have gone a million places instead of coming home. Black Zone, the government contractors who hired me, couldn’t take me back after what happened. My stint with them overseas did open doors. Plenty of my buddies offered jobs, even a place to stay.

But as soon as I could get on a plane, I returned to Briarville. Perhaps Black Zone no longer considered me combat material, but that didn’t keep the Dragos from using me as their soldier.

Who was I kidding? I came back for Tessa.

It was impossible.

Her father was my best friend. He was a Marine, and if he knew the thoughts I had about his daughter, wouldn’t hesitate to kick my ass.

The daughter who shoved the remnants of her winnings into her handbag and headed to the bar.

She had enough to drink.

I made one last perusal of the casino floor before deciding it was time to go after her and, once again, make myself known.

I walked to the edge of the darkened room, allowing my eyes to adjust from coming off the brightly lit gaming area, Tessa was sitting at a side table, talking animatedly to a group of three guys.

Three lecherous, ogling men.

Trust me. I got it. Tessa’s wasn’t a body that could be overlooked. Sure, it may not have met the fashionable beauty standard set by fashion designers who wanted to see straight sticks in their clothing rather than women with curves and selected their models accordingly.

Tessa was all woman. Nothing to apologize about. Her breasts, shoulders, stomach, legs, and ass were a delicious, looping roller coaster ride of sin. Not a flat plane in sight on any of her edible curves.

I ought to know. I’d photographed, imagined, and daydreamed about her enough to be able to bring forth every sexy serpentine facet just by closing my eyes.

I knew I was out of control, and got a job with a private military company because of her. Mercenaries were more powerful than experts realized, a whole different genus and species of fighter.

I memorized her, carried her into battle, marched her across The Crucible, flew with her out of many an air station, and dammit I didn’t have to do so tonight because she was sitting here, entertaining yet another group of men after being reprimanded right in front of Brando and Tony.

Sane people would call me a stalker.

Obsessed.

Fixating so hard on one girl I had to leave her behind or end up defiling her.

“Guess your lesson upstairs didn’t give you your fill of being on display.” My words sounded feral, like I felt.

She was sloppy drunk, sloshing a bit of her cocktail on the table before picking it up. She listed slightly from side to side, and one man pulled her possessively onto his lap.

“Oh, no you don’t.” Tessa slid away from him on the bench, and he grabbed the back of her dress, pulling her towards him.

Her garment slipped sideways to reveal a bare breast so perfect and proud, so suckable, I strained body and mind, fighting the rush that built within me to take it in my mouth right then and there.

The exclamations of the younger men with her jolted me out of it. “Holy Christ, look at that!” The loser held up his phone and snapped a picture of her nip slip.

Before I could stop myself, I tossed my blazer over Tessa, grabbed the photographer’s phone, dropped it on the floor, and crushed it beneath my dress shoe. Not exactly an expeditionary boot, but they got the point across. “You fellas have had enough fun for the night. Time to go.” I said.

“He’s right, gentlemen.” Tony’s voice spoke behind me. “Out.”

“Not so fast, gentlemen.” Tessa was holding a very unsteady Glock on the budding cameraman. “Eye for an eye,” she slurred. “You know who controls this joint, don’t you?”

“The tribe owns it. The Dragos help. True?” I actually felt sorry for the guy she’d pinned her gun on. His voice quivered as he spoke, and I just hoped we wouldn’t have to get housekeeping to clean the upholstery because of his loose bladder.

“Strip. All three of you. Some nerve trying to take my picture when I’m intoxicated and half naked.” Ordered Tessa.

“I don’t think she’s kidding boys.” I said, letting them remove their shirts while she sat watching as if she were at the movies. While she was distracted, I snuck up beside her and plucked the pistol out of her hand.

“Hey! That’s mine.” She protested, flinging grabby hands after it.

I held the Glock out of reach and watched her bounce on her toes and crash against my chest, her glorious mounds bouncing and heaving within grasp.

“It’s yours. I’ll keep it safe for you.” I responded.

Once the three of them had dressed and gone, Tony turned to me and suggested, “It would seem our spa owner is almost looking for trouble tonight.”

“She’s had a tough time lately. I’ll take her home.” I responded.

“I don’t need a ride.” She said, as if the nipple incident never happened. “I can drive myshelf!”

“Nope.” I announced. “Not going to happen.”

Tony pulled me to the side, out of earshot, while I kept an eagle eye on Tessa. “You know, Enzo, people are saying maybe Bobby’s disappearance wasn’t an accident. She thinks her fiancé’s grow was legal, but he was working an illegal operation with some pretty nasty characters. Word is, he owed them money.”

“Let’s keep that to ourselves for now, Tony. She’s dealing with enough as it is.” I said.

“Of course. Just wanted you to be aware.” He rubbed my shoulder in the friendly way we had between us.

There was no reason for me to insist she hold my elbow, even though her gait was far from straight. The effect of the alcohol must be wearing off some, as she stayed upright in her heels.

A gentleman would have delivered her to her door and parted ways.

Not me. I was taking her to my home. No way would I leave her alone in her state. It wasn’t safe.

That was the problem with me, telling myself it was for her own good when I knew it was a bald faced lie.

She’d squirmed and wiggled her bottom while I spanked her beautiful, plump ass. A plan forged in my mind, which was now at the point of no return. I had her in my clutches at long last, and there was no turning back for me. Every step she took coaxed me toward climax, and I’d make sure I reached it tonight.

With Tessa in my bedroom.

The one.

The smell of my obsession on my sheets.

I’d store every memory of her like a treasure, and pull it out to fondle later on.

Tessa staying the night.

Only, she wasn’t exactly all there.

The solid wooden door that my cousin Dante had installed with the proceeds of battle pay swung open. It was a custom home, where I stayed when working late nights at the Diamante. Tessa tripped her way across the tiles, unsteady.

“You can have the master bedroom and I’ll sleep in the guest room after I set out clean towels for you.” I told her.

It didn’t seem like she heard me. She pulled back the covers, threw herself backwards on the mattress and pleaded, “Help me.” She kicked her heels to impart her meaning. I removed her shoes and set them to the side, pulling the blankets up over her. Damned if I was going to help take her clothes off.

A man could only be so strong.

In fact, it was my weakness that made me do it. She fell asleep in seconds and her mouth dropped open — perfect blow job pose. As quickly as I could, I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and took a picture. It was the closest I’d ever been to her while snapping photos to create Tessa porn.

The money shot was completely worth the risk, I thought in the middle of the night, laying naked while looking at her open mouth on my phone.

As if on her knees, being my good girl like I’d train her to do one day.

Mine.

Fuck it. If I stayed in bed, I’d end up spilling on the sheets.

I rose went into the bathroom and remembered watching her ass, years earlier, in a bikini as she practically thrust her behind at me, daring me to take her right there in front of her father who had invited me to the family picnic.

I should have spanked her harder tonight.

My cock strained in the mirror, aching for release. It was nearly purple, and pornographic in appearance as I pumped the hard flesh, urging it to action.

I imagined I was stroking her during her flogging, pinching her pillowy inner thighs until they bruised. I’d listen to her beg for it, and hold off, not giving her what she needed. Then she’d know what I felt like all these years she’d been denying me.

My mouth twisted cruelly in the mirror at the injustice of it. With mounting fury, teeth grinding, muscles tensing, I wrapped a fist around myself, moving it up and down, and picked up my phone.

I flipped to the last picture I stole of her with her mouth open in invitation, and her eyes squeezed shut. The perfect pose for this girl forbidden to me; my best friend’s daughter. First, I’d pin her to the bed with my dick, then come all over her and make her lick the remnants off my pulsing cock.

My erection was now hard as a baseball bat in my hand, and I was getting close. “That’s right.” I said aloud. “Suck it.”

I jerked myself into a frenzy, giving her imaginary orders, and my cum spurt in a jet stream at the bathroom mirror, in which, Tessa’s reflection stared back at me, her mouth agape in disbelief, holding nearly the same pose as the one on my phone.

Hot seed coated my hand, the sink, and the mirrored glass, and I imagined it on her breast. It would be the perfect contrast to her Greek goddess olive skin and dark hair.

My body shook in an aftershock of pleasure, and she remained standing there, staring.

There was nothing to say. She caught me in the act, but at least she didn’t see her picture on my phone. Nor did she know of my Tessa Files. Thank God for small favors, for if she did, she’d be sick at the sight of me.

My breath came out ragged from my orgasm, and still she stood there with me, buck naked in front of her, cum all over my hand.

“Enzo?” she asked, color spreading across her cheeks.

I stared at her, mentally calling myself a fool, speechless.

“Who were you talking to when you said ‘suck it’?” She asked.

Tessa, Chapter Four

Enzo’s erection made me realize I’d been flying economy class my entire life.

It was the kind of hard-on you saw in porn movies and wondered if special effects were involved. God had sized his penis for an ovulating pachyderm instead of a homo sapien female.

No way would that thing ever fit.

Then he started really jacking it, his face pinched in an expression that looked like agony, and a torment I wished to relieve for him. More than anything, I needed to pull him into the bedroom and help to ease his pain.

Instead, I froze in place, waiting to see the grand finale in the same way onlookers in Yellowstone await Old Faithful’s gush.

Enzo’s orgasm was particularly fulfilling. His creamy cum shot out of the tip like a fire hose, landing on the mirror in front of him with a liquid splat, spraying the sink, and enough left over to coat his hand with the milky stuff.

The biggest turn-on of all came before the climax.

He saw me staring at him—and he didn’t stop. His strong, massive-knuckled grip pulled his shaft down to reveal the beautiful pre-cum slicked head while he stared at me in the mirror.

Uncertain if it was a challenge, or a dare, I couldn’t walk away. I only met his eyes for a second.

No way I was missing this show.

It was an act that didn’t disappoint, but when he slumped against the counter, huffing like an angry bull in the aftermath of his orgasm, I wanted him to keep going.

Observing him burned an uncomfortable heat between my legs. I had to shift on my feet, trying to make the sexed-up feelings go away.

That’s when I came out of my baby-maker stupor (it was still unfathomably large in its state of rest) and noticed his leg, or rather, his lack of leg.

Enzo stood on one lower limb, his other missing in action. It might seem strange, but the revelation made me shyer than walking in on his jack off session.

How could my father’s best friend be sans a limb without me knowing about it?

Unthinking I blurted, “What happened to your leg?”

“Tessa, what are you doing in here? I thought you were asleep.” He started scrubbing his hands under the water and I checked out the flex and tautening of his gluteus maximus and beyond. No denying this Drago was one fine specimen of a man. And obviously, I needed to get laid.

“Sorry I walked in on you.” Note to self, I wasn’t leaving. “Does it hurt?”

He caught my eyes in the mirror, absently wiping his direct hit off with a tissue, and stated, “Yes.” His gaze practically smoked, so molten was his stare. “You want to kiss it and make it all better?”

His words set my body on fire with pleasure and left ashes of desire and longing in their wake. For the first time, Enzo Drago suggested something to me which went outside the boundaries of appropriate, polite behavior. As if he thought of me sexually.

I was sick and tired of him treating me with kid gloves, ever the considerate, diligent guardian. How could I get him to use me and abuse me in the same way I dreamed about?

His body was made to ravish. Huge, muscled ropes covered every square inch of him.

What was it like to be at the mercy of that strength? I’d been waiting forever to find out and now, my wish was coming true. I had to wonder, was it the flogging incident that set him off?

What dirty thoughts compelled him to head to his bathroom and wrap his hands around his erection while thinking of me?

“And what if I don’t?” I asked. “What are you going to do?” I turned my tush towards him and stuck it out. “Spank me, again?”

It was my first time seeing a one-legged man naked. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world. He certainly didn’t appear any less of a man without it. He was still the same larger-than-life gladiator that haunted my dreams since I met him. When he was overseas, there was no other way to be with him than conjure him in my sleep.

During that time Bobby came into my world, and I told myself it was meant to be.

It caught me off guard when Enzo took a single-legged hop to reach me where I stood in the bathroom doorway, getting so close that his chest hairs practically tickled the front of my wrinkled dress. The heat of him stroked me through my clothes, and even though my eyes were blinded with desire, I acknowledged that his admirable member was once again growing hard with arousal.

“Don’t tempt me, Tessa. It was the memory of spanking your fine ass that wound us up here. I thought of you laying on my lap, making my cock swell, me sliding my fingers inside your sweet pussy while you were in that position—it’s what made me come.”

God, I wanted to taste him, to have him in my mouth. It all hit me like a brick wall of lust. I ached to kiss my way up his remaining leg and attempt to shove my lips over his dick. Then I’d ride it and bounce on it while he held my hips for handles, slamming me up and down on that Olympian shaft.

Instead, I came out of my penis trance and said, “It’s late. Better get back to bed.”

I reminded myself I was engaged. Fucking Enzo Drago would be wrong, so incredibly wrong. My feelings for him were so strong, I was afraid they’d take over my entire body.

Walking away from that fine example of a man was the hardest thing I’d ever managed, and I pat my own back about it while unzipping my cocktail-stained dress and climbing under the covers.

Tomorrow is another day.

Or so I told myself while wondering what I would have done if I’d heard Enzo say, “Suck it, Tessa, drink my cum.”

* * *

The next morning, I woke to a bird song outside the window. Fucking countryside. Every damned animal flaunted their springtime mating rituals right in your face. They practically shouted, “I just got laid!” or “I’m about to!”

Nature understood.

Animals didn’t put off what needed tending to. Biological urges were a priority.

A vision of Enzo straining against the counter in the bathroom last night flashed across my mind, his massive shoulder bunching and coiling while he yanked on himself, coaxing out his semen.

Oh my God, I saw him come.

Worse yet, I’d seen him without his leg.

“But why doesn’t he limp?” I wondered out loud.

I observed two horny hummingbirds chase each other outside the window.

He told me to “kiss it better” and he ordered someone else to “suck it.” Were both statements directed at me?

“Wishful thinking,” I declared aloud.

A soft knock jolted me out of my pervy speculation. “Tessa? Coffee’s ready.” He announced in his gravelly voice.

“Okay. Be right out!” The crumpled cocktail dress was stiff against my skin. There was a brush in the bathroom, so I ran it through my hair, and swished my mouth with toothpaste and water.

It was different facing the cold light of day. He had spanked me with a flogger in front of two other men. They’d seen my bare ass. Enzo masturbated to finish while I watched, and the apex of my thighs hadn’t stopped its heated beat ever since.

He wore a light blue button up which contrasted with his dark, Italian features and made him appear the upstanding businessman he was, instead of a male who would leave the door open while jacking himself off.

“You take cream?” He raised a burgundy pitcher.

“Please.” My face heated, and there was an awkward pause between us which we filled with long sips of coffee. “Thank you for coming to my rescue against those three jerks last night.”

He regarded me with suspicious eyes, “If you ask me, it was them who needed rescuing.” Scowling, he said, “You pulled a gun on them, Tessa. In the Diamante.”

“I know. Will you forgive me for being a perpetual fuck up?” I asked.

“Tell you what I will do. I’ll take you home and help you get an update on Bobby’s whereabouts. You don’t want to miss a visit from law enforcement if they stop by the house,” he said. “And another thing…”

These gangsters. It was always the other thing that did you in.

“What’s that?” I asked, smearing my toast with blackberry jam, taking a nice big bite and using my tongue to clean the corners of my mouth of the sweet spread.

He stared at me like I was all he wanted. All he could think about. His eyes clearly honed in on my tongue as it lapped up the purple smears around my lips. I kept chewing, daring him to tell me something as juicy as the sight of him stroking himself.

“Your days for screwing up without consequence are over. First you failed to pay the Dragos rent, and then you let some man expose your breast in a bar.” He reached around and gripped the ample flesh of my ass so hard it almost hurt.

He frowned, and I remained silent, unsure what to say. “Later on, you’re going to let me film you crawling on hands and knees for me, ass wiggling. When I’ve had my fill of that, I’m going to smack your butt, on camera, just to see it ripple. I’ll look at that video whenever I need to come.”

He held up his phone, and I blushed, cursing myself for loving his words and how they made me wet. “Just like last night.” He said, displaying the photo on his phone, which was of me. In the picture, my eyes were closed and my mouth open.

I was wearing the same cocktail dress I had on now. Meaning he took a picture of me when I passed out in his bed.

“Are you saying…” I began.

“That’s exactly what I’m telling you,” he interrupted. “I fisted myself to orgasm, pretended you were on your knees before me, and came at the sight of your open mouth. I plan on doing it over and over again.”

I shoved my chair away from the table so fast that the legs scraped and squawked against the floor. “Will you please take me home so I can get an update on Bobby?” If I didn’t leave now, I’d end up begging him to shove his giant, throat-clogger in my mouth.

“As you wish,” he said, not sounding at all upset like I expected. Whenever I made a request Bobby didn’t like, he’d piss and moan or give me the silent treatment—refusing to touch me until he got his way.

Enzo wasn’t fazed by my appeal. “Sure thing. Then we’ll take care of matters at hand.”

“Matters?”

“Yes, Tessa. It matters when you’ve been a bad girl.” An amused smile played across his lips. “In fact, I realize now that I’ve done you no favors keeping my distance. I should give you the education only a dominant can. Training that will wipe that bratty little attitude right off your face.”

I felt so weak and turned on listening to his words. They didn’t seem real. In one day, he’d gone from being my platonic protector to someone who wanted me to pull down my panties and have me open my mouth to receive him.

“Well, alrighty then.” I said, snapping my cloth napkin several times in succession and smoothing it into sharp folds on the table, doing the only thing I knew how in an uncomfortable situation like this.

I pretended not to be turned on and instead acted like a smart ass. “Now that I know where you stand, I’ll be a good girl so I get stickers on my reward chart.”

He scrutinized me curiously. “Trust me when I say, Tessa, you’ll learn to crave me telling you what to do. Soon enough you’ll beg me to be rough with you.” He smiled lazily over his own deranged thinking. “If you have energy after our looking into your ex today, I’ll tie you up and tease you until you implore me to release you. And you’re going to love it like a cat loves cream.”

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