Kingpin's Property, page 13
“Because I want to hold you,” I told her in a smooth, hypnotic cadence. “Do you have any objections?” I provoked her with a smirk, a hint of teasing to make her feel like she was putting up a show of resistance. She was more amenable when I allowed her the pretense of defiance. It seemed to soothe her pride, and I relished the push and pull.
Her lush lips pursed, and her dark brows drew together. I doubted that she realized that her irritated expressions had evolved into an adorable pout over the last week.
“Of course I have objections,” she replied tersely, her steps never faltering as she continued to close the distance between us. “You just don’t want to hear them.”
A lazy grin stretched my features, and I made no effort to hide my slow perusal of her body. Carmen had barely put up a fuss about the decidedly indecent clothing options I’d selected for her. Tonight, I’d dressed her in nothing but a silk robe, the bold shade of crimson setting off the bronze glow of her complexion beautifully. Only a single knot in the sash around her waist separated her soft skin from my plundering hands, and I intended to take full advantage of her scant clothing.
“On the contrary,” I countered, taking her delicate hand in mine, “I want to hear all of your opinions.”
“I don’t know why I even bother engaging with your insane games. You only want to hear my opinions so that you can irritate me by ignoring them.”
She rolled her eyes, but her breath caught when I guided her to sit on my lap, tucking her against my chest. She turned her cheek toward me, softening in my arms when she inhaled my scent. I wondered if she knew that I had noticed this sweet little habit of hers.
I chose not to tease her about it, because I didn’t want her to stop. She’d developed the habit since the night she’d awakened from the dark dream, locked in some unseen horror that I couldn’t pry out of her, no matter how subtly I went about it.
Despite the fact that she was generally less thorny and more receptive to my kisses and possessive touch, I hadn’t learned anything significant about her since that night.
I wanted to understand her mind, because the more time I spent with her, the more fascinated I became. All these years, I’d obsessed over learning everything about her that I possibly could. But knowing that she enjoyed a good mezcal and which brands of clothing she preferred didn’t really tell me anything about her. I could see that now that I had her all to myself.
I chuckled and brushed a doting kiss over her forehead. “You enjoy our games too, my clever kitten. But don’t worry. I won’t spoil our fun by making you admit it aloud.” I placated her before she could protest, running my fingers through her silky hair. As I did so, I deftly worked my way over each little pressure point that enforced her relaxation. She hardly made an effort to pretend that she didn’t like it.
Every day, she yielded a little more control, but it wasn’t enough. Not only was I suffering considerable physical discomfort from denying myself, but my glacial progress with Carmen was not going over well with my associates, particularly Arturo Flores. Even that little upstart, Daniel Vera, had dared to make a comment supporting Arturo in our last meeting.
They wanted a public demonstration of her submission. Everyone needed to see that I had conquered Carmen Ronaldo. That was the whole purpose of her capture.
Only, I had to think long-term. Dragging Carmen out to show her off now would humiliate her, and she would hate me forever.
That wasn’t an option.
I had tried to be patient, to lure her into accepting that she was more secure as my pet than anywhere else in our criminal underworld. She’d slipped up and revealed more than she intended when she’d wistfully described what home might feel like: It’s supposed to feel like safety, I guess.
She would come to understand the gravity of my power over her, and she would surrender more of herself to me. Only then would she be fit for me to take out in public. She would lean into my touch, openly accept my kiss.
No one would dare to harm her, because they would know she was mine.
I would provide Carmen with the safety of the home she yearned for, even if I had to employ subversive methods to achieve it.
“Time for dessert, kitten.” My voice dropped deeper, lust influencing my demeanor. My cock stiffened beneath her pert ass, but she didn’t try to squirm away; she’d become accustomed to the sign of my keen desire, and I’d never forced myself on her.
She might have gotten used to it, but no amount of time would ever help me mitigate the discomfort of painful arousal without release. Tonight would be the last night I endured this particularly cruel brand of self-imposed suffering.
Bracing one arm around her shoulders, I reached out with my free hand and removed the silver dome that covered the small dessert plate.
Her brow furrowed when she noted the meager offering: a single strawberry and a small pot of warm chocolate sauce. “Is that for you or me?” she asked drily, attempting to mask her curiosity with disdain.
“It’s definitely for me, pet.” I didn’t bother to hide the truth from her.
She huffed. “At least you’re not pretending this time,” she said pointedly. “You like to offer me things you think I’ll enjoy, but they’re always meant for your enjoyment. You want to lure me into liking you. Underneath it all, you’re a selfish bastard.”
“Right again, clever girl.” Carmen understood how I operated, and I relished the opportunity to completely be myself around her. “I can’t help but notice that you forgot to mention that you hate me.” I leaned in close to whisper my declaration of triumph in her ear. “Because my tactics are working, kitten. I think you are starting to like me.”
“Asshole.” The insult left her lips on a breathy gasp, her anger softened by my swift bite to her delicate neck.
I hummed my approval, soothing the area I’d bitten with a flick of my tongue. She shivered in my arms, and the budding tension melted from her frame.
“This is for me, but you’ll enjoy it, too.”
I plucked up the strawberry, dipping it into the chocolate sauce before offering it to her.
“Open your mouth, pet.”
She eyed me with suspicion. “I thought you said that was for you.”
I trailed the berry across her pouty lower lip, tempting her with sweetness.
She remained resolute, refusing to taste the chocolate I’d painted on her pretty mouth.
I fixed her with a steady stare, my features shifting to a stern mask. “Open.”
I hadn’t used this forbidding demeanor with her in days, gentling her with subtler commands. That tactic had made her more malleable, and instead of bristling at my order, the distrust cleared from her expressive eyes, and her lips parted.
“Good girl.” I guided the berry into her mouth, pausing when the widest part hovered between her teeth.
“Don’t bite into it.” I imbued the words with the full force of my will, no longer mitigating my desire to dominate her completely.
She froze in my arms, her thick lashes flying wide at the shock of my sudden intensity. I leveraged my control over her and pushed harder, determined to make her bend.
“Hold this, but don’t bite down.” I shifted to the silkier, dangerous tone I used when terrifying my enemies. Carmen trembled, affected by my threatening menace. “If you do, I will punish you.”
A small whimper teased around the berry in her mouth, but if she wanted to offer any words of protest, it was too late; she was effectively gagged, and disobedience would earn my retribution.
She could try to behave, but she would suffer the consequences eventually. I understood her mind, and I knew she would be more resistant to punishment than obedience. Not because she feared pain, but because she feared surrendering more of herself to me. For days, she’d mentally evaded me, complying and pouting just enough to prevent me from pushing hard enough to break down the barriers she tried to keep between us.
She thought she’d discovered a way to manipulate me, but I’d simply been biding my time. My poor little pet didn’t stand a chance of avoiding the punishment I had planned.
But it would be amusing to see how long she managed to cling to her defiance.
My cock strained against my slacks, the heady rush of controlling formidable Carmen Ronaldo flooding my system. The next few hours would be painful for us both, but the savage pleasure I found in her helpless surrender beneath my ruthless hands would be far more powerful than any discomfort that might disturb me. If anything, the pain added a crueler edge to my game with her, and she would ache all the more keenly for it.
I touched two fingers beneath her chin, tipping her head back to expose her throat. I lingered there for several minutes, stroking the column of her neck with a feather light touch. Her skin pebbled as her senses awakened for me, her physical responses already conditioned by days of subtle manipulations.
She’d always been susceptible to the chemistry between us, but I’d spent the last week mapping out each of her sensual triggers, slowly training her body respond at my whim.
I toyed with her at my leisure, stimulating her with the lightest touches on the most innocent areas. I didn’t have to tease her more obvious erogenous zones to incite her lust. She wouldn’t be rewarded with direct contact to her nipples or her tight little pussy until I was prepared to devastate her.
Her lips softened around the berry, so she could draw in little panting breaths through her mouth. Her teeth remained delicately closed around her gag, but she resisted the impulse to bite down. The effort caused her muscles to flex, suppressing the instinct to clench her jaw by redistributing the tension to other areas of her body.
I didn’t stop my slow, torturous exploration of her throat and shoulders until her fingers curled into my shirt. She held on to me as though I might prevent her from falling over the cliff’s edge, when I was the one slowly pushing her toward the precipice.
I allowed myself a cruel grin, and her pretty eyes rolled back on a low moan of tormented desire.
“You can close your eyes, but you can’t hide from me, kitten,” I warned her darkly. “Not anymore.”
She shuddered, her fists clenching my shirt tighter. My defiant little pet had gotten confused over the last few days. I’d allowed her to continue with her verbal sparring, and that distraction had caused her to become far too comfortable in the cage I’d designed for her. The quick-witted mind that I coveted was now locked within a body that was thoroughly under my control.
I shifted my hold on her, arranging her exactly as I wanted. Even when I parted the silk robe, she offered no resistance. She shivered as I revealed her breasts, pushing the silk aside without touching her peaked nipples directly. All of her obstinate focus centered on preventing herself from biting down rather than hiding her nakedness from my hungry gaze.
“Such a stubborn little pet.” I chuckled as I laid her back on the dining table, dragging her ass to the edge so I could notch myself between her spread thighs. “But so confused. I don’t think you realize how well behaved you’re being right now. I ordered you not to bite, and you’re trying so hard to obey.”
Her eyes snapped open, glinting with a sudden surge of anger.
I savored her defiance, drawing it to the surface so that I could shatter it. For too long, she’d kept herself aloof from me, allowing me to caress her but not surrendering any more of her mind. I would coax out every ounce of her defiance until she had none left.
“Go on, kitten,” I taunted. “Bite down, and see what happens. Of course, you could just spit it out. I dare you.”
She growled around the berry, and I pressed my palm against her throat just in time to prevent her from lashing out at me. Her hands closed around my wrist as I applied enough pressure to restrict her breathing, and I allowed her to struggle. She would work all of the aggression out of her system.
I picked up the small porcelain pot that held the rest of the chocolate sauce, holding it high above her, so she could see what I was doing. I stared down into her lovely eyes, watching her emotions flicker across them: anger, lust, and a hint of fear.
She recognized the merciless intent of my game now, the ruthless tactics I was using against her. The knowledge of her weakened state alarmed her, but her pussy was already hot and wet. I could feel my slacks growing damp from her arousal, and I pressed my erection against her core, a dark promise of the inevitable.
“I haven’t had anything sweet yet,” I told her with mock reproach before fixing her with a brutal smirk. “My turn.”
I tipped the porcelain pot, moving so slowly that she quivered in anticipation. Her back arched off the table when the first drop of chocolate hit her sensitized flesh, the force of her sensual reaction proving how tightly wound she’d become. She writhed as I poured a steady stream of sweetness over her chest, decorating her breasts with delicious warmth.
My mouth watered, and I bit back a growl. Her wriggling stimulated my dick, her hips undulating against me where I trapped her thighs wide open.
I leaned over her, my fingers flexing on her neck in warning. Her hands released their grip on my wrist and flew to my shoulders, clutching on tight. She stilled, her body trembling and her eyes dark with need.
I brushed my thumb over her mouth, inspecting the berry for damage. Her teeth sank into the soft flesh, leaving a hint of juice on her lips. But her gag was still intact, and I intended to leave it in place until she completely lost all control.
I lowered my face to hers, flicking my tongue over her lips to let her know that I could taste the first sign of her surrender.
“Naughty pet,” I chided. “You can do better than that.”
A broken, frustrated whine caught in her throat, her mind torn between rage at her enforced obedience and stubborn refusal to allow me to punish her.
Other than the sound of her anger, she made no move to fight me off. Her fingers sank into my shoulders, her nails digging in through my shirt.
I clenched my teeth around a hiss, my hard shaft throbbing in response to her carnal aggression. I wasn’t certain if she wanted to hurt me or hold me closer, and I didn’t think she knew, either.
A shred of my own control slipped, and I attacked without finesse, sinking my teeth into her shoulder and sucking at the drop of sweet chocolate I’d left there.
She cried out and jerked beneath me, but I held her fast with my hand around her throat, pinning her without restricting her air supply.
I released her from my bite and soothed the abused flesh with a kiss before drawing back slightly to check her response.
The berry was still whole, but her lips had closed around it, sucking at the sweet juice. Her throat worked beneath my palm as she swallowed, indicating that she was tonguing her gag. Her eyes were a little glassy, the lustful glaze convincing me that she wasn’t toying with the berry to tease me.
But the thought of her lips sucking at my cock, her tongue tasting me like her favorite treat, was wanton enough to make me grind my erection against her.
I growled a curse and escalated my ruthless agenda for her. I couldn’t withstand much more arousal without my control snapping entirely.
I licked at the chocolate on her skin as though I was starving for it, my teeth dragging against her flesh with each stroke of my tongue. Her soft, keening cries fueled my savagery, and I bit down hard on her tight nipples before I could strategically plan the proper moment for my assault.
She arched toward me with a harsh shout, and her fingers tangled in my hair. I snarled against her tender flesh and held her in my punitive bite, punishing her for my days of unfulfilled lust.
Her cry ended on a whimper, the sudden change drawing my focus back to my game. I dropped quick kisses on her tormented nipples before easing back to study my pet’s predicament.
The berry was destroyed, a tiny bit of juicy flesh with the stem left between her teeth.
My lips spread in a merciless grin, heady triumph flooding my system until I became almost drunk off the high.
I plucked the stem from her mouth and tossed it away, savoring the trepidation that flashed across soft gray eyes.
“Go on, pet.” My command was roughened by feral lust. “Swallow.”
A soft whine teased between her lips, but she finished consuming the berry and complied with my deviant demand.
My fingers tugged at the knot on her robe, working it free.
“Do you know what I’m going to do to you now, kitten?” I goaded her as I slowly pulled the silk sash from around her waist, taking the length in both hands and doubling it over.
Her tongue darted out to catch the last of the juice on her lips, and she shook her head wordlessly.
I slipped the sash around the back of her neck before feeding the loose ends though the loop I’d created at the middle. I tugged the length, so she could feel the noose around her neck.
“I’m going to tame you.”
Too late, she realized what I’d done. She shrieked in defiance, clawing at the collar I’d secured to her throat.
Before she could get any leverage, I grabbed her hips and flipped her onto her front. One hand settled at the small of her back to pin her down, while the other remained firm on the sash. I pulled on the silk, increasing the tension around her neck and forcing her to arch back so she could breathe.
“You were always going to end up on my leash, Carmen,” I rumbled, nipping at her ear. “You’ll learn to like it.” I pulled harder on her collar, preventing her from speaking as I pressed my palm against her soaked cunt. “I think you already do.”
A protest strangled in her throat, and her hands scrabbled against the polished, mahogany dining table. I grabbed her wrists, forcing them behind her back and binding them together with the end of her leash. When I released her from my hold, she jerked against her bindings. Her struggle pulled the collar tighter around her throat. She choked and immediately went still, settling into the only position that enabled her to breathe.
