“I’m glad we have each other too, kitten.” His dark eyes burned into me for a few intense heartbeats before his lips quirked in a sinful smirk. “I should have captured you years ago. I’m sorry I waited so long.”
I rolled my eyes. “You could have just asked me on a date, you know. Normal men don’t kidnap women when they want to fuck them.”
He chuckled. “I’m not a normal man, pet. And I want so much more from you than just a good fuck.” He pressed a kiss against my lips before nipping my lower lip. “But you already know that. I think you just want to hear me say it again.” His stubble lightly scratched my cheek, and he whispered a dark promise in my ear. “I own you.”
A small shiver raced over my skin, and my core heated. The proprietary words had become a visceral trigger, and I was developing an unhealthy addiction.
Being owned by Stefano meant that I was safe. It meant that I wasn’t alone anymore.
“I own you, too,” I reminded him breathily.
The concept was still somewhat bizarre. I never would have imagined that sociopathic Stefano Duarte would be capable of admitting that he belonged to anyone else. I wasn’t certain if he fully understood it himself, but I suspected that I wasn’t the only one who’d been lonely over all the awful years that had separated us.
“Yes, you do, you saucy minx.” He admitted to my ownership with a sharp bite to my earlobe. “That doesn’t mean you’re in control. But you already know that, too. You’re getting very transparent in your attempts to bait me. If you want an orgasm, you could always simply beg for one like a good little pet.”
Heat pulsed between my legs, and my nipples tightened to hard peaks. “Never,” I hissed, catching the shell of his ear in a vicious bite of my own.
His fingers tangled in my hair, lighting up my scalp with sparks of pain. My lips parted on a gasp, and he plundered my open mouth in a punishing kiss. He kept me locked in his cruel embrace for long minutes, finally breaking away when I became so lightheaded that my knees sagged.
His eyes were black with lust, his hard cock pressing into my belly. A triumphant smile twisted my lips, even though I was in an equally needy, frustrated state.
“Now you know how I feel.” I declared my breathless victory. “Have a nice day, darling. And hurry back to me.”
He barked a laugh, insanely delighted by my ruthless game. “Naughty kitten. I’ll have to think of an extra-special punishment for this. You’ll get your wish. I will definitely hurry back to you as soon as possible. Although I’m sure you’ll be cursing me for hours before I finally let you come.”
The erotic threat made my skin pebble, but I managed a smug smirk. “Whatever you say, dear.” I was certain I could break him of his plans to delay my orgasm.
Well, not immediately. But I doubted he would last hours. Stefano liked seeing me scream in pleasure far too much to deny himself for that long.
His laugh was roughened by a groan. “You’re going to kill me, kitten.” He petted my hair, his lips softening in a fond smile. “Death by Carmen Ronaldo. What a way to go.”
My heart swelled in my chest, and I crushed my mouth to his, the only way to prevent the words from forming on my tongue; I love you.
Eventually, he extricated himself from my arms. “I’ll miss you today, too,” he said, unashamed of his admission. “Behave while I’m gone. Bandit will keep you company.”
“I’m sure he will, and I make no promises about my behavior.”
He shot me a rueful grin and stepped into the elevator. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, my mischievous pet.”
My wide, silly smile faded a few seconds after the silver doors closed, hiding him from my sight. I really did hate being cooped up by myself all day.
Bandit bumped against my ankles, immediately offering me companionship in the absence of his deranged master. Sighing, I bent down and scooped him up, carrying him over to the couch with me. I arranged his furry little body on my lap and picked up the tablet Stefano had given me, resolving to make the final selection for my coronation gown.
Less than an hour passed before the elevator doors opened again. My heart leapt for a moment, anticipating Stefano’s return. It dropped back to my chest when I noted Marisol’s pinched features.
She wasn’t alone.
I scrambled to my feet, sending Bandit flying. Before I could consider making a dash for the bedroom to retrieve my phone and call Stefano, Daniel Vera raised a weapon and fired directly at me.
Marisol’s soft cry sounded over my shocked gasp at the punching impact with my shoulder. Dread weighed on my gut as I recognized the familiar sensation of the tranquilizer dart injecting insidious drugs into my system, rendering me helpless to defend myself.