Caged and Tamed, page 3
He wanted to shock her. Fine. She could handle it. “Soldiers are the mafia’s workhorses, the soldato, the wise guys or made men.”
“Hmm.”
She hadn’t given him enough. “A picciotto is a low-level soldier,” she continued. “That’s probably what those who killed Konga were.”
“Why’d they do it?”
“Because someone told them to. They might not have been given a reason. An underboss issues an order to a caporegime or crew chief, but the caporegime doesn’t do the dirty work. The picciottos handle that.”
A short nod from a weary man said she’d either impressed or surprised him. “How do you know that?”
“None of your damn business.”
“The hell it isn’t.”
“The hell it is.”
She’d had enough of this big, sexy man. He had to be aware of his impact on women. Undoubtedly he’d relied on his sex appeal for so long that he expected her to sink to her knees and beg to suck him. Well, he had another think coming. Even though sexuality practically oozed from him, she wasn’t about to let him know she was aware.
“No matter how much I tried to back him into a corner, Ricky refuses to finger the four who came after him and Konga. I’m sure he knows who they are but he’s convinced himself he’ll rise in the ranks if he keeps his mouth shut.” Caleb pressed his big hand to the back of his neck. “I tried to remind him what jail’s like, but he has his defenses up. He thinks being in prison—if he thinks about it at all—will give him more cred.” He stopped pressing. “He shut down when I tried to make him understand that he’ll be treated like fresh meat. I can’t get through to him. His damn pride’s in the way.”
“I know.”
“Do something,” he snapped. “Don’t let him throw his life away over this. The two of you aren’t estranged, are you?”
“No.” Not really.
“What about your parents? Any chance he’ll listen to them?”
The detective cared about Ricky, damn it. She didn’t want him to, didn’t want him scaring her.
“Our old man’s dead and our mother…”
“What about her?”
“Keep her out of this. And don’t try to pull any stunts on me.”
She wanted nothing to do with this man. At the same time she had no doubt tonight would stay with her for a long time. He was rough around the edges and the same in the middle. There was nothing by the book about him. Nothing gentle.
“Stunts?” He moved toward her.
“I don’t want you here.” She refused to back away from this two hundred pounds of raw masculinity. “My brother is who he is. He doesn’t try to change me. I leave him alone.”
“You’re going to get him killed.”
Of all the things he could have said, that was the worst. She’d punched his shoulder with all her strength before she realized what she’d done. He didn’t move.
“Fuck you!” she shouted. “Fuck—”
Before she could land another punch, he wrapped his arms around her and held her so close she heard his heart beat. Keeping her against him, he sank into the overstuffed chair. Then he maneuvered her so she was belly down over his thighs.
“I’m done talking,” he said calmly.
“What? Let me—”
He pressed his large palm against the small of her back and yanked up on her nightshirt exposing her bare ass. Yelping, she tried to twist around, but his hand kept her in place. They stayed like that for a moment while her heart thudded and her breathing snagged.
Then an open palm collided with her left ass cheek. He struck her once, twice, three times. Shocked, she grabbed his ankles and tried to lift herself off him.
“What the—”
“I’m done playing games,” he interrupted. “You’re going to listen to me. Hell, forget listening. It’s time for your first lesson.”
What did he mean by first? She was trying to put voice to the question when he struck her again. The big, strong man wasn’t simply disciplining her. His commanding hand attacked her naked, vulnerable ass.
“Stop. Please, stop!” The fight had gone out of her, replaced by something she didn’t comprehend.
“Not until you listen.”
He continued to punish her, the blows not as rapid as at first but harder. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d cried and wouldn’t now but her bottom felt like it was on fire. She wasn’t enraged as much as dumbfounded. This couldn’t be happening, damn it.
But it was.
No matter that she now felt the sharp strikes all through her, she continued to grip his ankles. If she kept this up she’d strain some muscles, maybe break some fingers, but she hadn’t been spanked since—since ever.
The harsh sensations were beyond comprehension, her body under assault. A single-minded beast of a man was exacting his brand of justice on her for reasons she didn’t comprehend. Maybe he believed she belonged to him, that she existed for him. Never!
“Stop! I’ll sue. I’ll—”
“I’m willing to take the risk.”
Why, she wanted to demand but the question would take more self-control than she was capable of. Agony didn’t describe what she was feeling. The more times his hand collided with her burning flesh, the less control she had over her response. He was in charge, not just of her buttocks, but her whole being. Her muscles danced for him while her nerves sent endless messages to her overwhelmed brain.
But that wasn’t all, damn it.
Her pussy was in on it, experiencing and exploring. Needing punishment maybe.
She wasn’t into pain. No way. Being held hostage by a powerful body was more than her system could handle, that’s all. Things would go back to normal the moment her bare belly was no longer in contact with his barely covered thighs.
That and the inescapable reality of her wet folds within his reach.
“Let me up!” Her voice was high pitched and thin. “I’ll sue.”
He rested his hand on her buttocks. “Fine. For the record, the spanking will continue until I have the information I want.”
“Damn you,” she muttered with her head down and her fingers trembling from fatigue.
Pain was still the operant word but the intensity had faded. Her body hummed from waist to knees. The throbbing reminded her of what her vibrator accomplished. Somehow she had to keep him from figuring out what she was going through, unless it was too late.
“Are you having second thoughts about this suing nonsense?” he asked.
She didn’t recall having first thoughts about anything except helplessness. He might start spanking her again but she’d embrace these moments. Moving would take too much effort. Besides, the heat flowing between them fascinated her. It was almost as if her body had been designed to fit over his. He was a stranger all right. In control. Not doubting his actions.
“Why?” She squeezed her eyes shut to keep a tear from getting away. “What did I do to—”
“You haven’t done anything and that’s the hell of it.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do, just like you understand this.”
By way of explanation, he worked his hand between her thighs and touched a finger to her pussy. She felt her slickness, the hot proof of arousal.
The pressure against her labia increased, prompting her to grind her teeth together. She didn’t want him to understand her reaction to his domination. Arousal shouldn’t be part of this—this what? There was nothing sexy about what was taking place between them, or was there?
“Think about this.” He slipped a rough finger into her, let it invade and settle in her most private place. She fought a faint whimper, lost the battle. “I heard that. Just wanted you to know.” He bent his finger, nearly destroying her.
“Stop!”
“Sorry but I can’t.” A callused fingertip stroked her inner wall. “This represents the connection between us. Our relationship. We can’t walk back the last few minutes. The only thing we can do is acknowledge and build on them.”
He was talking nonsense. As soon as she’d pulled her mind and the necessary words together she’d let him know. Unfortunately she didn’t see that happen for a long time.
Officer Caleb Roth had claimed her. She’d let him.
Wanted him.
Another whimper escaped. She had no choice but to acknowledge what it represented—need.
“I’m done,” he said as he shoved her away.
She landed awkwardly on thin carpet, too disbelieving and worn out to think about pulling her nightshirt down where it belonged. Her pussy clenched repeatedly as if seeking the invader while her juices coated her inner thighs. There was no denying the tell-tale scent.
“Done?” He remained a blur. Maybe he was a product of her damn unreliable imagination.
“Finished using this means to get your attention.” He held up a glistening finger. “For the record, this wasn’t on my agenda when I realized I had no choice but to see you.”
No choice? “How did you know where I live?”
Why couldn’t she stop looking at his finger to say nothing of this single-minded focus on where he’d placed it?
“I’m a detective.”
“Yes.” She settled herself on her knees. She wanted to stand but didn’t feel strong enough. “You are.”
“And you’re a nurse whose kid brother is well on his way to throwing his life away. That’s what’s behind my urgency. Things went a little off track when you opened the door and I saw you standing there alone.”
“What does my being by myself have to do with anything?”
He shrugged. “Your father’s dead. You don’t want to talk about your mother. You don’t have any other siblings, do you?”
“No. What’s your point?” She tugged on her hem. How had the damn thing gotten so short?
“My point?” His gaze locked on what she was doing. “I’m trying to keep Ricky alive. You saw what was done to Konga. You tried to keep enough blood in him to sustain life. You don’t want the same thing happening to a member of your very small family.”
“It already did.” As her throat threatened to close down, everything else moved to the back of her mind.
“I’m sorry.”
His voice had faded much as like hers had. The single-minded determination that had ruled him had been replaced by something she didn’t dare believe was compassion.
“I’m not going to tell you how my father died. Figure it out on your own if you have to.” She concentrated on filling her lungs. “What I need to know is whether I’ll see you again.”
“I haven’t left.”
“But you will. Eventually.”
She set her mind to determining how much effort it would take to reach her couch but even if she succeeded, could she handle sitting? As much as she needed to touch her butt to see what it felt like, she didn’t. The less she challenged her nerves let alone her responsiveness the better. These moments had nothing to do with sex, damn it! He hadn’t aroused her, damn him.
“I take it Ricky’s in jail.”
“Yeah.”
“What are you going to charge him with?”
“I’m considering my options. I’m in no hurry to let him go.”
“Why not?”
“Come on, surely you can figure it out.”
“Tell me.”
“He’s safer where he is.”
For the second time in a few moments, she had to work at speaking loud enough to be heard. “Off the streets you mean?”
“Where Konga’s killers can’t reach him.”
Lightheaded, she nodded. Whatever it took, she wouldn’t let him see how much hearing that scared her. It wasn’t as if she could turn to Caleb Roth for protection. “What about bail? Once that’s been set, you can’t keep him.”
His eyes now more closed than open, he leaned toward her. “Will you pay it?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm.” He rubbed his thighs as if determined to get the circulation going. The burn in her rear end wasn’t letting up. Neither was the hunger in her core. She hadn’t had sex for so long. “Answer me something. Do you want to?”
She grit her teeth as she concentrated on standing. She didn’t want to think about what she was exposing, not that it mattered. After all he’d seen her pussy. Manhandled it.
“I don’t want any part of this mess, including you,” she said. “Maybe mostly you. If I don’t do what I can to get him out, it’ll scar our relationship. He’ll hate me. I want to keep the communication between us open.”
His eyes still hooded, he watched as she tried to ease onto the couch. It hurt too much. Cursing, she stood.
“Do you want me to apologize?” he asked.
“I want you gone.”
“More than you want an explanation of why I did what I did?”
Weariness warred with her abused ass and overwhelmed mind. She didn’t know how to handle this man, or herself.
“You’re a sadist,” she declared. “You get off from throwing your weight around.”
He shook his head. “Not really. However, the real question is whether it worked.” He yawned. “Look, nothing more is going to be accomplished tonight. I just wanted to get the point across that Ricky needs to cooperate with law enforcement if he hopes to stay alive. Right now you and I need to get some rest.”
Rest. What a joke that was.
“I won’t let you in if you come back.”
“You might not have a choice.”
When he stood, she memorized his every move. He put her in mind of a big cat, a predator. If she needed protection she’d choose him.
Only she wouldn’t because it was vital that she protect herself and Ricky from him and what he represented.
“There’s something I hope you can convince your brother to tell you.” His voice was low, masculine. Nerve scraping.
“What?”
“Why Konga and he were targeted.”
Her mouth sagged. She concentrated on closing it. “He and I have already talked about how he’s living his life.”
“You have?”
“You’re surprised? Maybe you think we don’t discuss that kind of shit.”
He frowned. “What shit are you talking about?”
Fighting thoughts she wanted no part of, she licked dry lips. “You already know the answer, don’t you?”
“Maybe.”
“There’s no maybe to it.” As a result of the life she lived, she could talk about things beyond the comprehension of most law-abiding people. “Something big recently took place in the mafia world. As a result, there’s cracks in the organization’s hierarchy.”
“It didn’t take long for you to bring the mafia into the conversation.”
“Now you’re surprised.” Regardless of how he’d treated her, she was far from cowed. He didn’t know who she was beneath her skin, her strange, twisted life. She wished she could walk away from it, pretend it hadn’t happened. Maybe get to know him like an ordinary woman would.
“How much does your brother share with you?”
“As little as he can get away with. And to stop you from asking, I make a habit of not pushing him.” She studied her hands with their short, naked nails. “He tells me what he thinks I need to know. Otherwise, we live separate lives.”
“If that’s true you’re making a mistake. If I was you, I wouldn’t take bets on how long Ricky has to live.” He closed in on her, compelling her to step back. “Dig and dig deep into what he does.”
“You’re trying to scare me.”
He snagged an arm and reached around her so he could pat her ass. She couldn’t think how to resist. Maybe she didn’t want to.
“I hope to hell I’ve succeeded. I’m not joking.” This time he did more than pat.
“Stop it!”
“I will, for now. Here’s what I’m going to leave with you.” He dug into a pants pocket and pulled out a business card, which he placed on the arm of the chair he’d used while disciplining her. “This one is for him. Insist that Ricky tell you, in detail, everything he knows about how things are currently operating within the mafia. Make him focus on the upheaval. As soon as you believe you’re on the right track, I want one of you to get in touch with me. It might be easier if you share what he tells you with me.”
“You want—after what you did to me?”
“Yeah.”
“Why should I?”
His eyes became slits. “Because if you don’t, you’ll never forgive yourself.”
Chapter 3
“I’m starving.”
“I figured that’s what you’d say,” Mia told her brother as they waited to exit the jail parking lot. “You owe me lunch.”
“I’m broke.”
“No, you aren’t. I have a pretty good idea what you get paid for what you do.” She gripped the steering wheel and carefully repositioned her still sore buttocks. Thank goodness Ricky didn’t know what they’d been subjected to. If he did, he’d vow to avenge her mistreating. “Did you get any sleep?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
She waited until she’d merged into traffic. This wasn’t the first time she’d picked her brother up at the jail. Neither was it the only time she’d forked over what it took to free him. She wondered if it would happen again. Probably. Unless he was dead.
Stop fucking with me, she silently demanded of Caleb.
“How do you feel?” she asked in an effort to push the cop out of her mind.
“Fine.”
“Don’t give me that. I didn’t treat you, but I talked to Anna. She said one of the cuts came within an inch of severing muscles and blood vessels. Speaking of the extent of your injuries, do you think you might have deliberately been spared what happened to Konga?”
“It’s possible.”
Surprised by his honesty, she decided to keep pushing. “Before I drop you off, you’re going to show me the stitches.”
“How come?”
“So I can make sure there’s no infection. I don’t suppose I can talk you into staying with me for a while.”
Ricky stared at the floorboard. “I don’t dare.”
“What are you talking about?”
