Taken: A Mafia Romance Page 10

“Really? What did you do here?”

  “I started with installing security systems. Then, I invested my mother’s life insurance money in buying the business.”

  “That’s great.” Fascinated with the glimpse he's giving me into those years after he left, I let him reveal it to me at his own pace.

  He looks around as if he's picturing it still intact. “I designed my own security system that got a lot of attention.

  “Oh?”

  “You know Graham Hayes?”

  I tilt my head, giving him a ‘What kind of Mafia daughter do you take me for?’ look. “Um, yes. Dirty Guys Do It Better? I used to love that show.”

  “He hired me to do his.” He laughs to himself. “Then he told a few of his movie star friends, and the rest is history.”

  I cross my arms, looking around and imagining a young Xavier working here. “So that’s what you do?” I smile when he nods. “I always figured you’d be a baseball star someday. But this makes sense.”

  “Baseball was a hobby,” he says, and a bolt of heat courses through my body as he walks around, his smile growing by the second as he remembers his first business. “This was my real passion.”

  “So, you probably know a lot of movie stars?”

  “A few,” he answers, smirking.

  How cool is he? I hate to say how proud I am of him, given the circumstances, but I am. So proud.

  “I’m proud of you, Xavier. I always knew you were destined for greatness.”

  He moves closer, sliding his hands in his pockets. “I think you are too.”

  “Thanks.” Like fog on a mirror, all the good feelings dissipate, leaving harsh reality staring back at me. “Will you vote for my husband?”

  He shakes his head. “Rhi,” he whispers. “I know you’re angry because you were running away from your life, but he would have just found you.”

  “You don’t know that for sure.”

  He moves closer, stalking, watching, and I swallow—hard. “I do know.”

  “You know what? You’re crazy. One minute you’re this sweet Xavier I remember from growing up, and the next you’re the biggest asshole.” I take a deep breath. “And then, you act like I should be thanking my lucky stars because you kidnapped me?”

  He blinks, moving closer.

  “Don’t.” I hold up a hand to block him from coming to close. “You don’t get to sit here and pretend like you’re some white knight rescuing me. You kidnapped me and stopped me from finding my greatness.”

  Our eyes battle each other, and he finally relents, letting me win a war I am clearly losing. “You want to leave?”

  “Yes. For the millionth time, yes.”

  Because the longer I stay, the more I forget about why I should be leaving.

  22

  Xavier

  God, she lights my blood on fire. And makes my heart pound out of my chest. And if she wants to run, fine. I want to tell her everything, but I won’t. I can’t.

  “Let’s go,” I bite out, wrapping my fingers around her arm.

  We get in the car, and I peel out of the parking lot.

  She’s pretty when she’s mad. Her pursed, pink lips frown as she glares out the window.

  And I curse myself silently for my straying, rampant thoughts. I curse myself for the hold she has on me. She's not the prisoner; I am.

  “You still want to run from me?” I ask.

  She doesn’t answer but turns slightly in her seat to look at me with loathing.

  “Do you?” I ask again as I drive further down the road toward my estate. I’m not far now.

  She still doesn’t say a fucking word.

  “Answer me. You want to run?”

  “Yes,” she shouts, and I pull the car off the road.

  “Get out.” I throw the car in park and unlock her passenger door. “Go.”

  Her wary eyes hold mine, and she hesitates before her hand lands on the door handle.

  “Run,” I urge her.

  She opens the door, one leg out, eyes pinning me to my seat, daring me to beg her to stay, or worse: chase her. She opens her succulent lips, as if to say something, but decides against it.

  And then she takes off.

  “Fuck,” I shout.

  I step out of the car, watching her legs take her as fast as they can through the countryside.

  She makes it into a thicket of bushes and out of sight as I check my watch.

  I lean against the hood of the car, crossing my ankles and pull out my phone. After returning a few emails, I glance up.

  And then, there she is, and I can’t breathe.

  She sees me, and tears fill her eyes, and I rush to her, swooping her up to cradle her in my arms.

  “I’ve got you.” I carry her and place her in the passenger seat of the car.

  “You done trying to run away from me?” I ask when I pull into the driveway of my house.

  She doesn't look at me. “Yeah, I’m not going to make it very far on foot.”

  I carry her into the house and straight into her bathroom.

  I set her down and move to draw her a bath. “Get undressed.”

  She doesn't move. Just watches me with large questioning eyes that pierce me right in the chest. Because I can't answer what she wants to know. I squeeze a few drops of some bubble bath shit sitting on the edge of the tub into the water.

  “Get undressed,” I repeat.

  She hesitates. “I can take my own bath.”

  The dark smudges under her eyes are making me want to take care of her; protect her. It's a feeling I've repressed since she's been around me. A feeling I used to succumb to regularly when we were kids. Rescue the princess. She never knew the number of assholes I punched in the face defending her honor.

  “You’re tired.”

  She waves me off. “I’m fine.”

  I sit on the edge of the tub, dipping my fingers in to check the water.

  “Do I need to help you?”

  She grabs the hem of her shirt, exposing her toned stomach, and before she can raise it over her head, she stops. “Turn around, please.”

  My heart slams against the confines of my chest. My dick springs to life, begging for one touch of her.

  I stand and turn my back to her, closing my hungry eyes and denying them the chance to feast upon her.

  A little splash lets me know she’s in the tub.

  “Ok, you can turn around now,” she whispers.

  When I turn back, her body is hidden beneath a mound of foam. Damn, the bubbles were a bad idea.

  I shake her from my head. “Finish up and get a good night’s sleep.”

  She watches me closely as I exit the bathroom.

  It takes everything in me not to turn around and slide the bubbles away from her sweet tits and suck them into my mouth. I head to my room across the hall and change into black gym shorts and Dodger’s t-shirt, ready to work her out of my pores in the basement gym. Hours later, still hard as a rock from imagining her running her hands all over that fine body, I decide I'm going to hell anyways. What's one more sin?

  Her room is dark when I let myself in.

  Like a damn obsessed stalker, I pull back the covers.

  Motherfucker.

  Two large pillows under the down comforter are all that occupy the bed.

  My eyes search the room, and she’s nowhere in sight.

  I slam my fist against the wall.

  Where did you go? I glance around the room, looking for any small clue she could have left behind. There’s nothing.

  “I’ll find you,” I mutter to myself.

  I leave the room in a flash and head to my security center to look over the footage.

  “She’s gone,” I announce to the small group of men watching the grounds. Justin, swivels around in his chair.

  “She won't get far,” he assures me.

  After several minutes of scanning footage, my irritation rises. I'm not a patient man. “Anything?” I ask.

  “Nothing. It’s like s
he’s vanished.”

  A million dollars’ worth of monitors and not one of them has her on it.

  “Play back the last half hour. Find her.”

  Thirty hidden cameras in the halls and common areas. None in any of the bedrooms.

  I stalk back to my office, passing by her room along the way.

  There’s a frenzy outside—the lights are on; the dogs are out. She has nowhere to go.

  Nowhere to run.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a flash of red hair rushing out of her bedroom door.

  There she is.

  I follow her.

  She has no idea I’m behind her.

  She tiptoes, turning each corner carefully. I stalk her like the prey she is. Oh, Rhiannon.

  She thinks she can out master me.

  I’ll admit, it was smart of her to hide in her room. Then, when the frenzy starts, slip out.

  We’ve been focusing on the outside as she makes her way through the house.

  Clever girl.

  She reaches the side door that leads to the to garage and waits, finding a small alcove to hide herself. Going for a car, smart.

  “Hello, Rhiannon. Going somewhere?” I lean against the wall.

  She jumps at my words and then brushes her hair over her shoulder. “Actually, yeah, I am. I’m leaving. This is getting real old, so don’t try to stop me, Xavier.”

  I laugh. “Rhiannon, sweet little Rhi, I’m not only going to stop you, but now I’m going to punish you as well.”

  Her eyes widen. “I’ll put up a fight.”

  I swoop in and lift her by her legs, draping her over my shoulder.

  “Oh, I hope so. I really hope so.”

  23

  Rhiannon

  Punish me? It’s no use trying to wiggle free. The only thing it's getting me is half naked. All the bumping and jostling has my black tank pushed up to my armpits and my yoga pants easing down.

  The dark wood floor of the hallway passes quickly beneath his angry strides. I've no idea where he's taking me, but I'm not giving up without a fight. So, I balance on his shoulder as best I can and reach down his broad back to slip my fingertips beneath his shorts, right to the edge of his briefs. And then... I grip the cotton band and give a yank.

  Hard.

  Take that, asshole.

  “Goddammit, Rhiannon,” he spits out.

  I nearly let go when he slaps my ass. The sting is sharp, and he lands another one when I tug with all my might. “What are you fucking five?”

  “What are you? A Neanderthal?”

  Another slap lands before tiles blur as he stalks faster, and then I'm forced to let go when he maneuvers and drops me on the granite countertop of his kitchen.

  The air sizzles between us. “What's wrong? The big bad Xavier doesn't like wedgies?” I taunt.

  I'll admit, I've never been truly afraid of Xavier until this moment. It's not fiery anger igniting in his blue eyes, it's glacial iciness. Anger I can handle, form a defense against. This cold silence, with his chest rising and falling, scares me.

  “Give me your shirt,” he orders.

  “What?”

  “Do it.”

  Pick your battles. This isn't one I'm going to win, so I remove my tank, and I really should listen to myself, because I don't place it in his outstretched hand, nope, instead I fling it at his gorgeous face. He's not too happy when he snatches it off his head.

  Before I can blink an eye, he twists it around my wrists, binding them.

  His eyes drop to my lacy black bra before he steps between my legs, bracing his hands beside me. “You're going to regret that, Rhi,” he warns, barely above a whisper. “Bad girls get punished.”

  That line coming from his lips, scares me more than what he's become. It does something to my insides, causes a flutter low in my belly. I shouldn't like the way it sounds. The goal is to get out of here, once and for all, not get turned on.

  Before I can think of a plan, he flips me over and bends my upper body against the counter until my cheek rests against the cool surface.

  Everything happens so fast.

  So fast I can't think.

  A drawer slides open and my pants are yanked down, exposing my ass. Something solid and wooden thwacks my left cheek. Five times. Each harder than the last. My ass is on fire, but I refuse to cry out. He repeats it on the right cheek, then drapes his body against my back. I buck against him. My movements come to a confusing halt when I feel his hard cock press against my bottom.

  He whispers in my ear, “Ten more to go. Not so funny now is it?”

  As much as I dislike him right now, my body reacts to his hand massaging my cheek. His touch is sensual, caressing the tender skin until the burn subsides.

  “Maybe I like it,” I pant out, not wanting him to have the satisfaction of thinking he's winning. But, god help me, he is. I'm wet. The more his large hand strokes, fondles, and squeezes, the wetter I get. These are the fantasies I used to have of Xavier. Fantasies I've fought hard to put behind me. I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't take the pain to experience the pleasure of what he's doing right now.

  The weight of his body leaves me, and I grit my teeth through ten more punishing spanks.

  “Are you done?” I ask, biting back a moan as his fingers erase the pain.

  “You have a really nice ass,” he murmurs. “I’ve always thought about it.”

  Why did he have to say that? Memories of an uncorrupted Xavier flood my mind. And then the worst thought enters my brain: what if I can save him from this?

  He flips me over and lifts me onto the countertop, then leans in to whisper in my ear. “I'm not done with your punishment yet. Although, this may not be quite a punishment.”

  “What do you mean?” My hips grind into him a little.

  He slides my pants off and licks his lips. “What do you do in a kitchen?” he asks.

  “Cook?” I answer like a nitwit.

  He shakes his head and runs his hands up my thighs, creating a frenzy of chills to race along my skin. My breath catches when his thumb strokes along my pussy. “You eat.”

  24

  Xavier

  “Technically, you cook too,” she wisps out with wide eyes.

  Starved for her, I glide my thumb along her pussy.

  “Please,” she says on a whisper.

  “Please what? Beg me for it.” I move a little closer and suck along the soft skin above her collarbone.

  “I’ll never beg.”

  Her defiance turns me on. But, I didn’t abduct her in the middle of the night so I could have my way with her. As bad as I want her, she’ll have to beg me for it.

  She’s a sexy, feisty woman, and I am once again no longer in control. Well, I need to get the control back. Let her know that she isn’t the one I’ve been pining after all these years. That I’ve moved on. And I can fuck her and leave her. And she means nothing to me.

  I run my hand down her neck, to the column of her throat, and down the side of her chest, grazing my thumb along her breast.

  “I want to make you feel so good, Rhi,” I say.

  She doesn’t move as her eyes gaze into mine. My cock throbs, and I’m half-tempted to walk away and finish off the job in the shower.

  “What do you want to do to me?” she asks, so innocently.

  I’m leery for a moment. Is this another ploy to attempt another escape?

  I trace my fingers along her ankles, up to the back of her knees, and then, into the inside of her thighs. She doesn’t move a muscle, just watches.

  Her black, lace panties is the icing on the cake for my cock. He’s hard and ready to pound his way deep inside her.

  I run my thumb over the panel of her soaked panties and offer her a smile. “Are you wet for me?”

  She nods, biting her lower lip, and it drives me insane.

  She asks again, “What do you want to do to me?”

  I slip my finger past her panties and plunge it deep inside her. So fucking wet. “Every
thing, Rhiannon. I want to do everything you imagined me doing back then.”

  Her eyes glisten with understanding, and she grinds against my hand. “Xavier...” her voice trails off.

  “Give me it. Give me everything tonight.”

  Her eyes bore into mine as I continue to work her pussy. “Ok.”

  She gives me her blessing, and I’m already pulling her panties down her legs. I toss the thin, black lace over my shoulder and smile in appreciation.

  In one quick motion, I have her legs spread. Her eyes are wild with lust before she closes them.

  “Open your eyes, Rhiannon,” I demand.

  I open the freezer next to me and dish out one small ice cube.

  Her leg flinches when I bring the cube to touch her inner thigh. “That’s cold.”

  “Do you like this?” My fingers trace the cube closer to her hot heat.

  She arches her back. “Yeah,” she breathes.

  I follow the ice’s path up her leg with my tongue, drinking the wetness from her soft skin. I’d imagined this scenario in my head a million times in the past. I never thought I’d ever be this lucky.

  I run the ice cube along her seam and circle her clit.

  She moans, loud, and her eyes slam shut. “Xavier, please,” she begs. Ah, there it is.

  I crush my mouth over her pussy, warming her skin with my hungry mouth. The ice cube clinks against the steel of the sink when I toss it and continue sucking her.

  I enter a finger into her again, she’s so tight, and toy with her clit, sucking it between my teeth.

  Her hands fly into my hair, digging into my scalp.

  She grinds her body against my face, her pussy wanting more. And I give it to her. But not all just yet. I edge her closer to her orgasm, and then pull back a bit to let the desire build.

  I grip her thighs, spreading her legs, and continue eating her in my kitchen as if this whole fucked up situation doesn't exist.

  I suck, nibble, and lick my way to her satisfaction. Who knew Rhiannon would have such a little wild streak?

  I’m so fucking hard. So turned on. And all I can think about is sinking into her heat.