Luca frowned as he sat me down. “Do you know how conflicted I am?”
His confused face nearly had me giggling. I was determined to control it as much as possible as I knew he was being serious. “What do you mean?”
“You were turning that man on in there.”
“Probably,” I said, smiling.
“Clara, I’m being serious. You were inflicting punishment on someone, and he was enjoying it.” Luca pushed his hardness up against me.
“Yes, but I didn’t enjoy it. I don’t feel anything about it. It’s just a means to an end, and it makes the client happy.”
Grinding his erection into me, Luca breathed, “Yes, but that’s Belinda’s job; it’s not yours. Your job is the give me pleasure, not someone else. Never anyone else. I thought I made myself clear on that front.”
“Crystal clear. You remind me all of the time—or have you forgotten?”
Pulling his hand up my dress and pushing his fingers through my panties, Luca stroked my clit. I gasped as he placed a finger inside me. “I think I need to remind you again of who you belong to.”
I moaned, my breaths harsh against his chest. “You fucking loved finding me in there with that man at my knees, didn’t you?”
Luca growled. “Never again.” His breathing was becoming just as harsh as mine.
“Did you find it sexy, Luca? Did seeing me have power over that man make you horny as fuck?”
Luca growled again and thrust his finger deeper inside me. I knew what he saw was having an unwanted affect on him. Pulling his head to mine for a hungry kiss, I glided my hand down towards his hard cock and squeezed him. Luca moaned.
“Did you like seeing him at my mercy? Did you like knowing your woman was in control? Did it turn you on to see that man at my feet? Did it make you want to fuck me then and there?”
That was the last straw for Luca. He growled again and practically ripped his trousers down. Soon my panties came flying off, and before I knew it, Luca had me up against the wall and was thrusting his hard cock inside me.
“Don’t.” Thrust. “Ever.” Thrust. “Do that again!” Thrust.
I knew what he was doing. This was punishment for my actions. He was marking me and reminding me of whom I was to him. I was his. He was regaining his power over me, and he was making damn sure I knew it.
Grabbing my head, we met each other for a violent kiss. With each powerful thrust of his hips against the wall, I knew it wouldn’t take long for me to blow. He was masterful—powerful. He loved to know he had the control, and boy was he controlling me.
“I hated seeing you give pleasure to that man. I hated knowing that what you were doing was turning him on. At the same time, I can’t get the image of how goddamned sexy you looked with him at your feet out of my head. The way you controlled him… The way you commanded him… I could have fucked you right there.”
“Luca!” I screamed, my orgasm rising quickly.
“What do you say, Clara?”
Knowing exactly what he was trying to convey, I shouted, “I’m yours, Luca! Only yours!”
Luca pushed on harder than ever and that was it; I knew I was going to go. The beautiful rhythm of his hips was in perfect tune with my body. He knew exactly what it wanted and delivered it every time. With each of his grunts and moans, the feeling just grew that much stronger.
“Now, Clara. Now!”
My body obeyed him instantly. I was off screaming his name as my walls closed down on his cock, milking him for everything he had.
Luca grunted, “Fuck!” as he slammed into me one last time before his eruption. With a few more token thrusts, he was done, breathing heavily at my neck.
“I never know whether I’m coming or going with you,” Luca admitted. Pulling my head back, I looked at him with a smile. “Okay, I get it wise-ass. It’s much better if I’m coming, right?”
I gasped. “You took the words right out of my mouth.”
“I’ve never known anyone quite like you, Clara Murphy.”
The sincerity in his eyes nearly had tears springing to my own. I wasn’t an overly-emotional person, and I never had been. My parents saw to that when they thought beating me instead of hugging me was the way to bring me up.
I smiled brightly, trying ever so hard to fight back the tears. “I could say the same for you.”
Carefully pulling out, Luca gently put me back on my feet. I winced. I was sorer than I had ever been. Only now was my body deciding to tell me.
“What’s the matter? Have I hurt you?”
“No,” I said, blushing. “I’m just a little sore.”
Luca smiled. “I’m sorry, bella.”
I laughed out loud. “No, you’re not. You’re proud of the fact you’ve made me sore, aren’t you? You little shit.”
“I could never be proud of hurting you, amore mio. I will look after you tonight. I shall bathe you tenderly and take care of you. No more sex.”
My eyes nearly fell to the floor. “You’re denying me sex?”
“I’m not denying you. Your body is telling you it needs a rest, so let’s answer it by cooling it until you’re better.”
“You make me sound as though I’m ill. I’m not ill, Luca. I’m sure my body will eventually adjust to the new regime it’s just started.”
Pulling me to his lips, Luca kissed me hungrily. “I like the sound of your body adjusting to mine. I like to know that there hasn’t been anyone for so long that your body has to cope with your ‘new regime.’ It makes me feel proud that you’re all mine.”
“I think my body is adjusting to yours a little too much.”
Luca kissed my nose and sighed. “Too much is never enough.”
Three months later
The following few months were a whirlwind. Business was doing better than ever, the girls were happy, and Luca and I were just as infatuated as ever. We could never seem to keep our hands off of each other, and it showed. I think everyone knew by now that we were a couple, and because of that, I was left alone. Even Jeffrey had stopped calling. Whether that was because he knew about Luca and me, or whether Luca had had a word with him about it, I didn’t know. To be honest I wasn’t bothered that much about it. I would do it if I wanted to, but never felt a need for it. It just made Jeffrey happy, and I thought there was no harm in it.
I hadn’t heard a word from Rachael, and I was glad of that. I thought with her spitefulness and her “you’ll live to regret it” comment, I would have bumped into her. Maybe she had moved on and decided it wasn’t worth it. That was what I hoped for anyway.
My Aunt Trudy was out of rehab and was doing much better. Both Luca and I visited as often as we could. There seemed to be a mutual admiration between my aunt and Luca. It was nice to see and often had my heart swelling. It did, on the other hand, frighten me when I felt this way. I had a feeling of immense joy and excitement whenever Luca was around, but it scared me to death. I didn’t like feeling this vulnerable around him, and I didn’t like feeling such emptiness whenever he wasn’t around. My body, mind, and soul called out to him whenever he was away from me, and I hated myself for feeling that way. I wasn’t sure what that feeling was, but the alien nature of it had me petrified beyond words.
“See, I told you she was cock-whipped.”
The sudden outburst from Samantha had me on full alert. Belinda and Mia giggled as we sat, drinking coffee in a local café. We had just been shopping in the town centre, and I was beat. I didn’t know shopping could be so exhausting.
“What do you mean cock-whipped?”
With a silly grin plastered on her face, Samantha looked at Belinda, then Mia, and then back to me. “You’ve been staring off into the distance with a dreamy look on your face. I wonder who you were thinking about.” They all giggled again, but this just got my back up a little.
“I’m not fucking cock-whipped. What’s the matter with you all?”
“Oh no, of course not.” Belinda smiled and with a gruff voice, said, “Clara, who do
you belong to?” In a squeaky voice, she answered, “You, Luca—you fucking arsehole!”
All the girls threw their heads back in laughter, and I couldn’t help smiling at their joke. They were right of course.
“I just love it when you give in, but you’re still calling him arsehole or shit-head. It always gets the girls going.” Mia looked at me with an amused smile as I shook my head.
“You girls! Have you got nothing better to do than stand outside my door with your ears pressed to it, so you can hear Luca and I having sex?”
“My goodness!” Belinda shouted. “We don’t need to press our ears against the door at all. You two are loud enough for the whole fucking castle to hear.”
Staring in disbelief, I felt my face blush. I didn’t realise we were that loud.
“Yeah,” Samantha began. “All we do is grab a bottle of vodka and some popcorn, sit outside your door, and enjoy hearing the show. It’s like one of those silent picture films, but the other way around. We have to use our imagination, but it certainly doesn’t take a bright spark to realise what’s going on in there.”
“Oh,” Mia piped. “My personal favourite is, Luca!” and then all of the girls joined in, “Speak to me in Italian!” The girls fell about giggling again as I sat, uncomfortably shifting in my seat.
“Oh, fuck off,” I said, unable to hide my smile. They were picking on me; I knew that much. But, it was all in jest. They would never ever be vindictive or nasty towards me. They were my girls, and we had each other’s backs. No matter what. “I’m going to the toilet, and when I get back, I suggest you three think of another topic of conversation.” With a quick, defiant nod of my head, I went in search of the ladies. Once I was done, I opened the door and bashed into someone’s chest.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said absentmindedly.
“That’s quite alright, Clara.”
Looking up, I was amazed to find Antonio Cavelli blocking my path back to the girls. “What do you want?” I felt anger rising through my veins. It still pissed me off every time I thought about what he did.
Antonio looked stunned. Genuinely so. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realise you were so angry with me. Tell me what it is that I’ve done, so I that can correct it right now.”
I almost stomped my foot I was so steaming angry. “How dare you come here and corner me like this? You know very well what you did. You lied to me about those two monsters at the club. They weren’t working for Luca at all. They were just scumbags. Pure and simple. In fact they’re both locked up as we speak.”
With an air of nonchalance, Antonio replied, “I do apologise for that. I could have sworn those two boys worked for Luca. I do know a lot about Luca, though. A lot of actual facts. I’m sure some of it would make your head spin. And such a pretty girl as well. You shouldn’t be wasting your energy on him.” Antonio smiled somewhat suggestively and stared at my breasts.
“My face is up here, arsehole. They won’t talk back to you.”
Looking back at my breasts again he said, “Hmm, that is a shame.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh please, spare me. I haven’t got time for this. I’m off.” I tried to sneak past him, but he blocked my path again. “If you don’t move out of my fucking way I’m going to make sure that for the next couple of weeks your dick will be out of action. You get me?”
My words just seemed to heighten his excitement. Oh please, he’s not another Jeffrey is he?
“You’re so feisty. I love it. No wonder Luca never lets you out of his sight. I’m surprised you’re alone now.”
Getting beyond pissed off I said, “Do I need to remind you of what I just said?” Blimey, I was sounding like Luca now.
“No, of course not.” Antonio moved to let me pass and I almost hesitated, wondering why he was suddenly so accommodating.
Thinking it wasn’t worth deliberating over, I made a move to pass him. It didn’t take long for the dick to change his mind. He was there again, all up in my face.
“I know you want to go, but just one more thing before you leave. I understand you think I’m a lying bastard, and I can fully understand why you would feel that way. Our first encounter didn’t exactly go off with a flying start.” I huffed my annoyance at him, but all he did was smile.
“There are things you don’t know about your boyfriend. Things I personally think a lovely young girl like you would run a mile from. He’s not the man you think he is.”
Standing my ground, I glared at him. “I’m not blind, Mr. Cavelli. I understand the kind of work Luca does for a living.”
“Of course not. I was never insinuating that you were stupid. I can tell you’re a very bright girl. The thing I want to ask you is: What do you really know about Luca? You’ve been together, what? Nearly four months now? How much do you really know about your boyfriend? Oh, I’m sure you know him very intimately, but it really ends there, doesn’t it, Clara?”
Stunned by the force of his words, I stood my ground. “What I know about Luca is none of your business. What Luca and I do is none of your business.”
Smiling and staring at my breasts again, he said, “Of course it isn’t. I just don’t want to see a nice girl like you getting hurt. He has secrets, Clara. Dark ones.”
Not wanting to hear anymore, I pushed past him. “I think you’ve said quite enough.” With a triumphant smirk, he nodded his head and let me pass.
I was wound tighter than a monkey’s nuts. I was pissed off that I had let him get to me. Pissed off at the way he was leering at me the whole time. Most of all, though, I was pissed off because what he said was true. I knew nothing about Luca other than what we had together. He knew my past, knew what I had been through, and yet I knew nothing about him.
Getting back to the table, I grabbed my coat. “We need to go.” Sensing my sudden anger and unease, they all rose from their chairs, and we quickly made a beeline for the road.
Once we got out onto the noisy street, Belinda grabbed my arm. “What happened in there?”
“Antonio Cavelli happened in there! How on earth did he get past us all without anyone noticing?”
They all looked stunned. “He certainly didn’t come past us while we sat waiting for you. He didn’t hurt you, did he?” The look of care and annoyance on Samantha’s face made my anger calm a little.
“No, he didn’t. It was what he said that pissed me off.”
“What did he say?”
Looking down the end of the road to the car park, I spotted Tony getting out of the car to get ready for us. I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at the three of them.
“He just said some shit about me not knowing anything about Luca, that’s all.”
Belinda shook her head. “I wouldn’t listen to a word that arsehole said. Remember what he did last time? He’s a lying piece of scum.”
I scratched my head. “I know what you’re saying.”
Belinda’s eyes widened. “You believe him, don’t you?”
I sighed. “Well, come on, Belinda. I probably know as much as you do about Luca. What the fuck do I know about him? He seems to know the ins and outs of me, but I know sod all about him.” I often did wonder at times, but because I was having so much fun with Luca, I never pushed it.
Grabbing my arm, Mia looked me in the eye. “Look, I know what you’re saying, but one thing we all know for sure is that Antonio Cavelli is a bad man, and he seems intent on breaking you two apart. Are you going to let him do that? Again?”
Sighing, I looked down to the floor for a moment before meeting Mia’s sparkling, bright eyes. “No, you’re right. No wonder Alessandro loves you so much.”
Mia’s eyes twinkled ever brighter as she blushed. She and Alessandro had been going just as strong as Luca and I. She had given it all up for him of course. She didn’t want to leave, and I wasn’t about to let her go, so I offered her a position as the right-hand woman to my right-hand woman, Belinda. Both girls have been doing a stand-up job running the place, and as for me, my job has been so muc
h easier. Half the time, I could just sit back, relax, and let the money roll in. It got me antsy at times as I was still used to doing it all myself. Letting others take control was not easy for the first couple of months, but I had been learning to live with it and had even been enjoying myself a lot more. All of my girls thought Luca was a blessing in disguise for me. They thought I’d become a changed woman—in a nice way of course. Rachael didn’t feel the same, but the others have welcomed the change.
“See, there’s the smile we all know and love. Don’t let what that bastard said get to you. I know you, Clara. You’re going to stew on everything he said, but don’t let it rule you. He’s won if you do.” I smiled at Samantha, but noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. It would seem Tony had noticed our little huddle and knew something was wrong.
“What’s happened?” He could definitely tell something was up.
“It’s nothing, Tony. Let’s go home.”
Tony stood strong. “Something’s happened. What is it?”
With a shy smile, Mia looked up to Tony. “Antonio Cavelli happened.”
I glared at Mia. I didn’t want to be starting trouble. Not here.
“Where?” Pretty soon there were two others joining him. Did they have fucking radar? “In the café down the road there,” Mia pointed to where we had just been. “He cornered Clara when she came out of the toilets.”
Feeling a little annoyed, I said, “Okay, Mia. I think I can speak for myself.”
Belinda and Samantha smiled knowingly. Yeah, I was being the alpha female again. I didn’t like people speaking for me. Not when I had a perfectly adequate tongue in my mouth.
“Yes, of course. Sorry.” Mia looked away timidly, and I felt like such a shit.
“Did he hurt you?”
Snapping my attention back to Tony, I shook my head. “No, he was just being a prick.” I smiled trying to lighten the mood, but Tony and the others were off. I knew it would be a wasted journey. Antonio would be long gone by now.
With a sigh, we all walked towards the car. I pulled Mia into my shoulder and planted a kiss on her head. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.”