Vow of Seduction: A Dark Mafia Romance, page 18
I took a few seconds, gawking at the girl in the foggy mirror before turning away in disgust. I didn’t even recognize her any longer. When I opened the door to the bathroom, the sight of clothes laid out on the bed took me aback.
But the second I walked into the room, my blood turned to ice. He stood in the doorway in all his glory. Alexander. He looked like Adonis, his dark curly hair more tousled than before, the sharpness of his strong jaw covered by a slight shadow of stubble adding to his sexy aura. While the waning afternoon sun managed to capture the deepness of his eyes, the fact they were twinkling indicated his amusement. That quickly faded as he tore his gaze down the length of me. When he returned to my eyes, the torrid of heat pulsing from his body toward mine was explosive.
“What are those?” I asked, staying right where I was. The dress was turquoise in color, the floral print a further indication of the location I’d been taken to. Tropical. Romantic. Relaxing. I felt nothing but blackness. Shoes and lacy panties had also been provided. What did the bastards really think? That I would fall for them head over heels? What did they hope to accomplish? Unless they believed I was involved with someone else, a real assassin determined to make them pay for their sins. That was the only thing that made any sense.
“What you asked for. Clothing.”
He’d changed shirts, the crisp white of his button-down rolled up at the sleeves, accentuating the ink covering one of his powerful forearms. I was thrown by just how good-looking he was, forcing myself to turn away. “If you expect a thank you, that’s not going to happen.”
“Suit yourself, Dahlia. Just as quickly as you were provided with privileged items, they can be taken away.”
“You’re such a bastard.”
“How quickly you can learn.”
We glared at each other for a few seconds until he turned his attention to the uneaten food.
“You need to eat.”
“I’m not hungry.” Every horrible thing I’d wanted to say to him, to all of them, tripped against my tongue. I couldn’t do it. There was no doubt I’d face his wrath and at this point, I needed to garner a certain level of trust if I wanted to get away.
“Suit yourself for now, but you will eat dinner with us tonight.”
Even the way he issued the words meant he wouldn’t take no for an answer. I wouldn’t put it past him to tie me down and force feed me. I continued glaring at him, making no move toward the clothes. “I already told you. I’m not hungry.”
Sighing, he leaned against the doorjamb, acting as if he had all the time in the day. “We can continue playing this game for a very long time if that’s what you’d like, but at some point, you will tell us what we need to know.”
“No, I won’t.”
His laugh was heartier than before, the deep baritone sending a shower of skitters down from my neck to my legs. I felt dirty all over again. He’d been the first to strip away my veneer, able to sense at least one of my vulnerabilities. He’d tasted all of me and the way he was looking at me now was a clear indication of what he planned in the future.
He didn’t argue with me, but we both knew I couldn’t win the fight. When he walked closer, I backed away again until I finally hit the wall. And still he continued to move closer until the heat radiating from his body became even more suffocating than what I’d experienced in the shower. When he lifted his hand, curling his finger and reaching for my face, I darted my head as far to the right as possible, taking shallow breaths.
“Don’t touch me,” I hissed.
“I have every intention of touching you, Dahlia, just like I did before. I long to taste your sweet pussy and give you several orgasms before sliding my cock into your wet heat. You seem to forget that you and I have a history together, a beautiful memory that lingers in the forefront of my mind. Now, we’re creating more as a foursome. Doesn’t that excite you?” He managed to brush his knuckle across my cheek and even though I winced, he refused to stop.
Excite me. Yes. Yes! My heart raced as visions of the incredible moment pushed into the forefront of my mind. How had the three of them broken me down so easily? The sound of his voice was so sensual, the deep baritone sliding over me, the soft velvet creating prickles dancing down my throat.
My skin crawled, but not because I was repulsed by his touch. He excited me as he’d done before, the rich intensity of his aftershave creating flutters in my stomach. I fought to keep from reacting at all, but the nervous tic in the corner of my mouth likely gave me away. I could tell by his deep sigh that he was disappointed by my reaction.
Still, the bastard took his time gently rubbing my skin, moving his hand down, using the same finger to caress the pulse in my neck before trailing his fingernail down my arm. I used my other hand to tug on the towel again. It didn’t matter that he’d seen me naked before, I refused to allow that to happen again. To hell with him and his authority.
His breathing ragged, he lowered his head and pressed his lips across my temple, remaining in position for a full five seconds before pulling away.
Only when he’d returned to the doorway did I manage to take a deep breath. I sensed his disappointment I didn’t respond like some silly fawn.
“I’ve taken the liberty of providing you with several pieces of clothing. I hope they are to your liking. You’ll find a bag of cosmetics and other toiletries in the closet as well.”
When I didn’t acknowledge him in any way, he took a deep breath, then turned toward the hallway.
“And you will join us in two hours, Dahlia. I will send someone for you.”
I almost lurched forward, begging him not to close and lock the door, but when I heard the steel being engaged, I could do nothing but stand and shiver. The man was intent on breaking me because of the information I’d locked away.
He also intended on keeping me.
Alexander
I glared at my phone as it buzzed, moving away from the others to handle the call. My Capo’s call was long overdue. “About time, Steven. What the hell did you find?”
“You ain’t going to like it,” he said gruffly.
“I’ve run out of patience. Talk.”
“You were right. You got trouble brewing. Rocco Luciano is spouting off shit about taking over your empire. He’s finally seeking revenge for his father’s murder. That’s what I heard from two sources anyway. I did confirm he’d be in town from Chicago.”
Rocco Luciano. Son of Carmine Luciano, one of the men I’d assassinated for my father. While my father had assured me that the Luciano family would be decimated, and they had been, I’d known better. Rocco had been a classmate of sorts, running with an entirely different crowd. He’d been no threat to me then, the gangly kid nothing but a computer nerd. I’d paid him little mind after taking over my father’s organization, absorbing a good portion of the Luciano fortune as well. I should have learned that enemies never sleep, they just lie in wait.
“Has he made any moves?” I asked. What I knew about Rocco was that he took his time, just like he’d done when he took over Chicago. I’d considered his sudden move to another city cowardly. Then he’d gathered enough forces to take over almost half of Chicago. I had to give the scrawny nerd credit. He’d become a force to be reckoned with, but he would not take down my city.
“No. I made certain your father knew. He’s got round the clock security,” Steven said. “He’s just waiting to see what you’re going to do.”
Of course he was. My father always looked for an excuse to hold something over my head.
“Good. Am I to assume the situation involving my death remains a secret?”
When Steven hesitated, I snarled.
“Yeah, but we got people demanding to see your body, including a pesky detective. I just hope no one looks too closely at the photos I doctored.”
“Make certain and keep tabs on Rocco. I want to know where he is at all times. If you hear one word that my secret has leaked, contact me immediately. Is that understood?”
“Don’t worry, boss.”
As I ended the call, the sick realization that I’d been blindsided pissed me off. While I doubted the bastard would dare make a move on the island, this wasn’t the location to hold a standoff.
The only question that remained was whether the lovely Dahlia had been coerced by Rocco. He’d certainly changed over the years, but was her performance just that? It was time to find out.
I’d acted like some lovesick fool, ignoring the training I’d received from my father as well as during certain classes at the university. I laughed softly to myself, wondering what my father would say at my childish behavior. I had no doubt in my mind Rocco had one of his men fire the shot at Daniel.
This was an act of retaliation. But the question remained, was this about Carmine Luciano or Garrison? Or maybe it was about both.
That made keeping Dahlia that much more desirable. I envisioned her in a beautiful gilded cage, waiting for our arrival. I knew my thoughts were sick, but I already felt like she belonged to us and always had.
Daniel’s gruff voice drew my attention.
I stood staring at my almost straight and narrow friend as he headed to the deck to take a phone call. He’d been the one least likely to succeed out of all of us, a kid with a complex from day one after being forced into a situation where eighteen- to twenty-five-year-olds were nothing more than animals, spawns of mobsters and cartels, hackers and assassins. His daddy was considered the lowest of the low, even beneath the kids of politicians. His father had been a police commissioner, one so highly respected the man had to squeak every time he walked. The men who ran the university must have had a sense of humor to allow kids from those families to walk the hallowed halls.
The first day Daniel had arrived on campus, four kids had beaten the scrawny eyeglass-wearing patsy to a bloody pulp. There’d been no reason for me to help the kid, but for the first time in my life, I’d felt some odd sense of compassion. I’d dragged his limp body off the sidewalk and given those four bullies the kind of lesson that to this day hadn’t been forgotten.
One of them likely never regained use of his arm. I hadn’t given a shit about him or anybody else at the time. That hadn’t changed much, except I did give a damn about the two men standing in my presence. I’d never told them that. I’d been taught that you never acted like you gave two fucks about anything or that would be showing weakness. That had been lesson one after a student’s arrival at the university. Lesson two? That you needed to watch your back at all times and that no one was your friend. But that wasn’t entirely true. I’d die for these two men.
Seeing Daniel after all these years had brought up far too many memories, most of them as twisted as the man I’d become. At least he’d changed for the better. While it was obvious that he’d kept some of what I’d taught him in the back of his mind, including how to survive, he’d honed his skills to near perfection, fighting crime with the same vigor I’d used to suit my needs and pad my bank account. In my mind, he was even more powerful.
Hissing, I looked away, gulping half the glass of scotch. I ached inside, burning with need. For her. For the woman who had no real identity.
For the liar.
Yes, for the woman who wore her agony in her eyes. I wasn’t immune to her sadness. I’d just chosen not to care.
But that had failed too. I ached for her, needed her. I didn’t give a shit about the rhyme or reason. Nothing mattered but being with her. There was no doubt both Daniel and Brogan felt the same. Rocco Luciano would not take her from us. Us. I’d used the word again. I tried to laugh, but I remained enraged from learning the news.
There were still far too many things bothering me.
I continued to sort through my memories, trying to determine why she seemed so familiar, but I’d shoved aside so many people in my jaded life that she could be anyone.
Except she wasn’t.
She was special. Just thinking about her made my skin tingle and the rush of emotions something I’d only felt once before. Seeing her wrapped in a towel and nothing else had almost broken me. I adored Dahlia, her spirit as well as her body. I wanted to become the man she needed, but every time I thought about how I could change in order to do so, my thoughts drifted to the only other woman I’d almost fallen in love with. Almost. I hadn’t had the capability of understanding, let alone showing, love so young. Was I any different now? The jury was out.
I’d never admitted to anyone how much I’d cared about Emily. Breaking her had been a requirement of the powerful club, molding her into what I thought she should become a necessity. But I’d been wrong.
Finding her happy in a new life had brought another wave of jealousy that had almost derailed me, but I’d left her alone. I had to. Then I’d realized what we’d shared years before had been nothing more than a fantasy. Four powerful men indulging in a single woman.
This was reality. If we broke Dahlia, I knew she would never be the same. She was fighting us with everything she had, and I couldn’t blame her, but the connection between us was too strong. She was the one. Perfect in every way.
And I was sick inside thinking about how much we could damage her vibrant personality.
“How long are you planning on keeping her locked away in her room?” Brogan asked, his disdain for my insistence pissing him off.
“As long as it takes to learn the truth.” I heard the difference in my voice and sighed. I couldn’t stand to keep her locked away. “It’s imperative that we learn what she knows. However, we will need to leave the island soon enough.”
“You say that like something has changed.”
I glanced in his direction then toward Daniel, who was engrossed in his call. “I have some news.” I wasn’t usually in the business of sharing my enemies’ actions, but the threats necessitated they know what the hell was going on.
“You damn well better tell us this news,” Brogan hissed.
Snarling, he walked closer, the hard look he gave me one I remembered from the very beginning. He’d been the bully, hiding behind years of pain, but he’d never let on what his father had done to him. I’d learned that myself. His father was a high-ranking Capo in my father’s army. Only three men close to my father had earned the kind of perks our family had, and that included sending their kids to the university. His father’s nickname was a clear indication of how brutal the man was with his profession and with his family. The Undertaker.
The day I found out how abusive his father had been all of Brogan’s life was the day he’d earned my respect. He’d kept another secret from the world, one costing him years locked away just like Garrison. All because I’d used the blood oath in the pact to force them into protecting all of us, no matter the circumstances.
And by convincing Garrison and Brogan to work by my side after graduation, doing the dirty work I should have done myself, that had made me feel like a king. Such bullshit. Both men had garnered my respect for keeping their mouths shut, accepting punishment for following orders. However, I’d had no intention of Garrison dying in that hellhole of a prison. I’d never found out who’d issued the orders to end his life, but I would one day.
And right now, my gut told me Garrison’s murder had been ordered by Rocco in a fit of retaliation. If so, the fucker had just started a war.
My thoughts drifted to Garrison for a few seconds. Cringing inside, I almost threw the glass against the wall. Maybe the sound as it shattered would dull the agony. He’d been pushed into trying to find his place by his father, a man with no regard for the law even though his place as a long-term senator should have turned him into one of the white knights. Exactly the opposite had happened, leaving Garrison floundering to please his divisive piece of shit for human flesh who’d birthed him.
“I can be an asset,” Garrison had insisted. “I’m a blackbelt in karate and know how to shoot. I’ll be your enforcer.”
I could never forget the kid’s eager face, his cornflower blue eyes beaming at me as he offered his services. I’d laughed at him at first, until he’d proved his worthiness by providing a beat down to another one of the students, a kid from another mafia family who thought his shit didn’t stink. I’d been a fool to allow him into the fold. Even Brogan and Daniel had tried to convince him otherwise, but the kid hadn’t budged.
Then because of my arrogance, I’d been the reason Brogan had gone to prison in the first place. At least the rogue soldier in my employ who’d dared to accost a mark before bringing her to me had been disposed of, but the consequences had been too great.
Garrison had taken the fall for an assassination I’d been responsible for, stepping in and accepting blame before I’d had a chance to stop him. The fact my father had forbidden me to intervene had left me emotionless, turning even colder than the young man I’d been when I’d left the university.
Christ.
I was the true epitome of a monster.
“She’s fragile. She’s not a killer and you know that. Daniel is right about everything. Someone else is out there with their finger on the trigger. It’s only a matter of time before they succeed. Get your head out of your ass, Alexander. Your powerful family doesn’t mean shit at this point.” His response didn’t surprise me. He’d been the one to gravitate toward wanting Emily for more than just a good time over the other two of us. He hadn’t been as career or money driven. He needed love. Hell, I couldn’t blame him. He’d watched his mother being strangled by his father, for God’s sake.
The world was truly evil.
“She did this to herself, but she isn’t the only one involved. I’m certain of that now.” My usual clipped answer didn’t suit him any more than it did me. Her pain was raw, blistering beneath the surface, festering to the point her need for revenge had swept through her life, derailing the sweetness and light that sweltered around her like a golden halo.
As Brogan bristled, fisting his hand, Daniel managed to interrupt before things got ugly.
“Just stop the shit right now,” Daniel huffed.
“He has news,” Brogan shot out.
