Held Firm: A Dark Mafia Romance, page 20
“You have nothing to worry about,” he promised, guiding her to a chair. “Your husband is a hero and I’ll make sure he receives the care he needs. I can’t go into details, but he would have saved my daughter’s life if I hadn’t found out what was happening in time. You should be very proud of him.”
“Thank you, Mr. Albertini,” she replied, shocked but greatly relieved. “I couldn’t have asked for a more devoted husband and father, then suddenly, everything changed. Can you tell me what happened to him?”
“He was an innocent victim, and even though he was suffering through psychotic episodes, his good heart prevailed,” Lorenzo said solemnly, placing a thick envelope on the desk in front of her. “That should see you through until he returns to work, and rest assured, he’ll always have a special place with my family. If you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. My door will always be open.”
Relieved tears spilling from her eyes, she nervously stared at the package.
“It won’t bite,” Lorenzo said with a chuckle, “and it’s the least I can do. Please take it.”
“Thank you, Mr. Albertini,” she managed, picking it up and dropping it in her handbag. “I really am very grateful. Things haven’t been easy.”
“I’m sure, but it’s over now. In a few weeks Mike will be home and you can put this all behind you. Alfredo will show you out, and remember, anything, anytime, you just get in touch.”
Five months later
Though Bianca was in culinary school, she often worked with Nick in the evenings. On several occasions her photographic memory had proven invaluable, and she had a knack for eliciting information from people. Her busy life was a far cry from the one she lived in Vegas, and she loved every minute. Now with Christmas around the corner, the school had closed for the holidays, Nick’s business was winding down, and she was looking forward to relaxing and catching up with Sammy.
Though they spoke often, she’d only seen him a few times. He had fallen in love with a bodybuilder he’d met at Muscle Beach, and the happy pair had moved into a trendy condo in Santa Monica. Between her classes and working for Nick, and Sammy busy with his new life, it had been tough for the two of them to get together.
Arriving home, ready for a long hot bath and a glass of wine, she drove her BMW into the garage, walked inside, and wearily climbed the stairs. But as she entered the bedroom, she found Cindy waiting with a suitcase.
“Cindy! What are you doing here? What’s going on?”
“Surprise!” Cindy exclaimed. “You have fifteen minutes to take a shower and get changed before Nick arrives to pick you up.”
“But—”
“Don’t ask, I know nothing,” Cindy said with a grin, holding up her hands in surrender. “He didn’t trust me to keep the secret. Can you believe it?”
“Yeah, I can,” Bianca said with a knowing smile. “I have a gift for getting people to talk.”
Following the town car as it rolled to a stop in front of his home, Nick drove his Porsche into the garage, and parked it next to Bianca’s BMW. Grinning excitedly, he hurried into the house and found Bianca waiting in the living room with the suitcase beside her.
“Hey, you!” she declared, moving quickly up to hug him. “Where are we going and why?”
“You’ll find out,” he replied, kissing her quickly and picking up the luggage. “Come on, we have a flight to catch.”
“This is crazy,” she exclaimed, following him out the front door and down the path to the sidewalk.
“Crazy can be good for the soul!” he retorted as he handed the suitcase to the driver, then opening the back door, he ordered her into the car.
Though she did her best to get him to divulge the details, Nick didn’t waver. But when they arrived at LAX and the car drove to the private terminal, she began badgering him. It was only when they boarded a sleek private jet and were served a glass of champagne he offered her a tidbit of information.
“Okay, Bianca, your parents and mine joined forces and organized this Christmas holiday for us, though initially I turned them down.”
“Why?”
“You know I don’t like accepting favors, but you can thank Cindy. She reminded me sometimes it’s wise to say yes.”
“I love that woman. Do you know how lucky you are to have her?”
“Absolutely, she reminds me all the time,” he replied with a grin.
“But how did it come about? Did Dad just call you, or—?”
“No more information until we get where we’re going,” he said firmly, cutting her off.
“Which is where?”
“What did I just say?”
“You can’t blame a girl for trying,” she shot back with a giggle.
“Here’s to venturing into the unknown,” he declared, raising his glass and clinking hers. “Drink up and stop asking questions, or I’ll put you over my knee and spank you in front of the flight attendant.”
Several hours later, the plane began its descent. Watching Bianca stir from a deep nap and look out the window, he knew she’d realize they were flying into a tropical island paradise.
“Nick, are we in the Caribbean?”
“The Bahamas,” he replied. “We’re staying at—” but throwing her arms around him and smothering his face with kisses, he couldn’t finish. “The Four Seasons,” he finally added as she pulled away.
A limousine transported them to the five-star resort, and they were shown to a luxury suite overlooking the ocean. Though it was late and they were tired, they sat on the private balcony, held hands, and let the tropical air kiss their skin.
“Will you please give me more details before we go to bed?” she pleaded. “I won’t be able to sleep if you don’t.”
He turned and stared at her. “Yeah,” he murmured, thinking he couldn’t wait another moment, “but I have to fetch something first. I’ll only be a minute.”
Walking back into the suite, he picked up what he needed from his bag, took a deep breath, and returned to the patio.
“There’s quite a bit to tell you,” he began, settling back in the chair beside her. “You asked how this trip came about. It started with a call I made to your father.”
“About what?”
“I, uh, I needed to ask if he’d give me permission to marry his daughter. He said yes. Will you?” he asked, opening his hand and revealing a small black velvet box.
“Nick…” she whispered, happy tears unexpectedly springing from her eyes. “There’s not a single thing in the world that would make me happier.”
“You’ve always reminded me of one of those trendsetting, independent girls from the roaring twenties,” he said softly, lifting the lid and exposing an art deco, emerald and diamond ring. “This was made during that era.”
“Oh, my gosh, it’s absolutely gorgeous.”
Removing it from the box and sliding it on her finger, a wave of emotion rose up from his soul, and he had to swallow back the heat in his throat, but as she hugged him fervently, he lost the battle. For the first time in many years, a single droplet spilled from his right eye.
“I only have one request,” she stammered, pulling back and wiping her wet cheeks.
“Name it.”
“I don’t mean to get ahead of things, but can we please have a small wedding someplace, maybe even on the beach in front of your house where we met? Just our parents, brothers and sisters, and Sammy, of course, and a few close friends. I’ve been to those crazy Italian events and it’s not for me. I want something special and intimate.”
Relieved and grateful, Nick smiled and nodded his head. “I knew you’d feel that way. I do too, and I’ve already made a deal.”
“You have?”
“I told your father and mine there’d be no huge gathering with a zillion people, and if they didn’t agree, we’d fly off somewhere and come back married. There was one small compromise I had to make.”
“Oh, no, what?”
“I had to agree to accept this trip, and they’ll be here to spend Christmas with us. Sammy will be here as well. His new boyfriend has to go back to Wisconsin for the holidays.”
“That’s fantastic, this will be an amazing holiday,” she said happily, then pausing, she tilted her head to the side. “Just out of curiosity, what would you have done if I’d said no?”
He paused, then sliding his fingers into her hair, he gripped it tightly and moved his lips to her ear. “I would have spanked you hard, tied your legs wide apart, then held a vibrator against your pussy and kept you on the edge until you said yes.”
“Nick, I’m suddenly not sure about things,” she murmured. “Maybe you should ask me again tomorrow after I’ve had a good night’s sleep.”
The End
AFTERWORD
Stormy Night Publications would like to thank you for your interest in our books.
If you liked this book (or even if you didn’t), we would really appreciate you leaving a review on the site where you purchased it. Reviews provide useful feedback for us and our authors, and this feedback (both positive comments and constructive criticism) allows us to work even harder to make sure we provide the content our customers want to read.
If you would like to check out more books from Stormy Night Publications, if you want to learn more about our company, or if you would like to join our mailing list, please visit our website at:
http://www.stormynightpublications.com
MORE STORMY NIGHT BOOKS BY MAGGIE CARPENTER
Her Officer in Charge
As a stage hypnotist accustomed to playing for crowds at military bases, wrapping men in uniform around her little finger was a way of life for Bella Montgomery… until she met Captain Vince Valenti and suddenly the tables were turned.
Though he serves in the US Marine Corps, Vince is no ordinary officer. After working for months to track down the operative who has been stealing sensitive documents from military bases across the West Coast, the last thing he needs is a sassy showgirl interfering in his investigation. Yet from the moment he sets eyes on Bella when she arrives to perform for a gathering of fellow officers, Vince knows there is something special about her.
But when Vince catches Bella sneaking around his base unescorted after her performance, he is forced to detain her. Though a brief interrogation confirms for Vince that she is not the culprit—and in fact she confesses that she was only hoping to see more of him—her trespassing cannot go unpunished. Soon enough, Bella is blushing red as her jeans and panties are lowered, then squirming and begging as her bare bottom is spanked long and hard.
While the handsome captain’s firm discipline leaves Bella sore and deeply ashamed, she yearns to experience more of his dominance, and before long she finds herself bound, naked, and quivering with need as she awaits his orders. But there is still a dangerous traitor on the loose, and despite Vince’s best efforts she remains a suspect in the eyes of his superiors. Is she just a pawn in a larger game, or can she truly put both her heart and her fate in the hands of her officer in charge?
Buy on Amazon
His Willful Bride
For nineteen-year-old Charlotte Winthrop, there is nothing quite so irksome as putting up with the tedious attempts at courtship of one nervous young suitor after another. Having grown up without discipline since the death of her parents when she was a child, Charlotte’s sharp tongue and often less-than-ladylike demeanor have caused her hapless aunt and uncle no end of grief, and they have all but despaired of finding her a proper husband.
Lord Edward Pemberly III is no timid schoolboy. He is a man of the world, both a gentleman and a businessman, and from the moment she meets him Charlotte’s heart is set racing. Edward quickly makes it clear that once they are wed, he will not hesitate to correct her whenever and wherever he sees fit. On the day of their wedding she misbehaves and he backs up his words, delivering a sound bare-bottom spanking that very evening.
Edward’s plans for Charlotte extend far beyond just spanking, and she is soon kneeling naked at his feet, her beautiful body and bright red, well-punished bottom on full display while he inspects what is his. Though her face burns crimson with shame as she is tied to his bed, spread open and fully exposed, she cannot help quivering with desire and even begs for more as her husband claims her fully.
With every new experience, every blushing climax, and every stern chastisement, Charlotte finds herself falling deeper in love with her handsome, dominant husband. But when a jealous, vindictive woman seeks to come between them, can Charlotte keep her wits about her and trust that Edward is hers forever, just as much as she is his?
Buy on Amazon
His Petulant Bride
Indulged since childhood by a doting father and a modern-minded mother, twenty-year-old Miranda Witherspoon is accustomed to neither discipline nor disappointment, yet despite her life of privilege her greatest desire continues to elude her. She is determined to marry a man with a title, but so far no such man has taken a lasting interest in her.
When Miranda is invited to the grand country home of Lord Edward Pemberly III for a weekend, she accepts the invitation in spite of the grudge she holds against Edward’s wife, Charlotte, and it is there that she is introduced to Lord Walter Danby. From his newfangled motor car to his confident, witty charm, the tall, dashing lord is unlike any man Miranda has ever met, and though their first encounter is tempestuous, she quickly finds herself utterly captivated by him.
In spite of—or perhaps because of—her sharp tongue and fiery temper, Walter is instantly drawn to Miranda. Her obvious need of taming only increases his interest, and upon learning of Miranda’s past ill-treatment of his beloved cousin Charlotte, Walter takes it upon himself to chastise her properly. After a painful, humiliating bare-bottom spanking, Miranda is left with blushing cheeks, a burning backside, and an intense desire for Walter that has nothing to do with his title.
Charlotte is furious that Walter and Miranda are spending time together, but Edward warns her not to interfere, assuring her that he will handle the situation. When he catches her snooping in Miranda’s guest room, Charlotte faces a severe punishment, but will a well-spanked bottom be enough to convince her to let go of the past and share in her cousin’s happiness, or will her meddling bring things to a tumultuous head?
Buy on Amazon
Her Doctor in Charge
It doesn’t take long for Dr. Daniel Dupont to come up with a diagnosis and treatment plan for his new patient, the beautiful Lady Sybil Sinclair. The free-spirited daughter of the aristocracy has been drinking and partying too much while eating and sleeping too little, and in his best medical judgment what she needs is a good, hard, bare-bottom spanking.
Not only is Daniel a man who enjoys a challenge, he also finds the petulant young miss quite appealing, so he casts professional decorum aside and makes it clear to Sybil that if she wants him as her doctor, she will be expected to submit to the spanking she deserves. Sybil nervously agrees, and Daniel soon realizes that the appropriate course of treatment for her will require much more than just a properly reddened backside. What his headstrong patient needs is a man bold enough to take her in hand and dominate her completely.
Soon enough Sybil finds herself shamefully on display on the handsome doctor’s examination table, her well-spanked bare bottom fully exposed and her cheeks burning with humiliation as her temperature is taken the old-fashioned way. Daniel’s thorough exploration of her most intimate charms leaves her trembling with desire, and she begins to wonder if he might be the man she’s been hoping for.
As he gets to know her better, Daniel quickly recognizes that there is much more to Sybil than just a silly girl who likes to party, and his passion for her only grows deeper when he learns the truth about her past and the price she has had to pay to follow her dreams. But when it comes to light that the men Sybil works for are far more dangerous than either of them could have imagined, will Daniel be prepared to stay by her side no matter the risk?
Buy on Amazon
Amanda’s Dominant Daddy
Beautiful, ambitious studio executive Amanda Anderson is used to getting her way in Hollywood, even if that means occasionally using her fiery temper to manipulate those around her. What she is not used to, on the other hand, is being asked out for coffee by a man as devastatingly handsome as up-and-coming actor Braxton Carter.
In spite of her attraction to him, Amanda is doubtful of his intentions and she blows him off. But after an inept valet wrecks her car and Braxton offers her a ride home, she finds herself inviting him in and cooking dinner for him. A passionate kiss leaves her yearning for more, but what truly sets her blood racing is the quiet, confident dominance which he makes no effort to hide.
Braxton soon proves more than ready to take control of Amanda in a way no one else ever has, and when she throws an unexpected tantrum, he warns her in no uncertain terms that in the future he will not hesitate to bare her bottom and spank her soundly if he feels it necessary. She soon puts him to the test and ends up over his lap for a painful chastisement. Being punished like a spoiled child shocks her but also arouses her more than anything she can remember, and when Braxton decides that what Amanda needs is a firm daddy she cannot resist the offer.
Spending time as Braxton’s little girl awakens a part of Amanda that she has hidden away for years, and she delights in his attention as he bathes her, dresses her in cute clothes, and holds her in his arms. Even the spankings she gets when she is naughty remind her that her daddy loves her. Amanda has never been happier or more fulfilled, but after a misunderstanding convinces her that Braxton is using her to advance his career, she is devastated and refuses to listen to his explanation. Can he find a way to win back his little girl’s love and trust?
