The second her eager touch found my raging hardness, she shuddered, pressing her ass against me. “Take me. Give it to me,” she moaned. She sounded drunk, loose, horny. I’d never seen her look so pliant or erotic.
I groaned as she fisted me, pumping my c**k hard and harsh. “Goddammit. You’re going to make me come before I’ve even climbed inside you.”
Dropping my hand, I gathered the bushels of material, exposing her just to me. I’d show the world her tits, but her pu**y was mine. Kicking her ankle to spread her legs, I shoved down my boxers and trousers to my quads, leaving me fully dressed in a torn gaping shirt, blazer, and trousers. My c**k was free—that was all I needed.
I plunged my hand between Tess’s legs, clamping hard on my bottom lip when I discovered how drenched she was. My little whore was an exhibitionist. I couldn’t wait to fill her, to make her lose complete control in full view of the public.
Angling the tip of my cock, I found her entrance.
Tess stiffened. “No. Wait—”
I growled under my breath, rubbing the throbbing head of my c**k through her folds. “If you’re having second thoughts too f**king bad, esclave. J'ai besoin de jouir en toi.” I need to come in you.
“I’m not saying no. Just—just hide my face.” She looked over her shoulder, locking eyes. “Please. That’s all I ask.”
I wanted to argue but rationality made its way into my sex-addled brain. She was soon to be the face of Feathers of Hope. What the f**k was I doing putting her in such a compromising position? I had to protect her identity.
“Shit, I’m an idiot.”
The netting of her dress dug into my na**d hips; an idea sprang to mind. With the scissors, I cut the detailing off the dress.
Holding it up, I murmured, “This will stop them from seeing your face, but you’ll be able to see out.”
She nodded, sucking in a breath as I gently placed the black netting over her face, gathering the excess in my fist behind her head.
“Can you see?”
She nodded again.
“Anonymity,” I whispered. “Feel free to let go. Give them a show, Tess.” With one hand, I spread her dress, making sure both br**sts were squashed firmly against the glass. Positioning myself at the delicious epicentre of heat, I bit her ear. “Scream for me.”
A cry tore from her lips as I drove up hard, fast, savage. She bumped hard against the window as her slick wetness welcomed me. I thrust upward, sheathing myself fully. Balls deep. Exactly where I belonged.
“Oh, God. Q. Yes.” Her fingers slipped on the glass, her hands growing sweaty with need.
My eyes fuzzed as her heat fisted around me, sending a ripple of pleasure down my legs.
The reflection bounced back to us—my eyes were dark and wild, my jaw tight and angry. No one could see me behind Tess but there would be no mistaking what was happening to her if they happened to look up.
Look up. See me ravishing this stunning creature. Be jealous.
I pulled the netting tighter across her face, using it as leverage to drive up again. She moaned, thrusting backward, meeting my cock.
The knowledge anyone could look up and watch filled my blood with fire. My belt jangled as I f**ked her—I grew hot still fully dressed but I’d never been so sexually angry—so needful for a release.
She panted, loose and receiving against the window, her mouth parting with every pound. Her gathered dress protected her hipbones from slamming into the glass as I ruthlessly took her.
There was no finesse. No rhythm. It was a straight claiming. Fast and hard.
Fast and f**king hard.
The first spiral of pleasure erupted from my balls. I threw my head back, driving deeper. Tess would have bruises on top of bruises tomorrow. Her face contorted with pleasure-pain as I used her. But every single thrust, she met me. Every grunt she echoed.
Then someone looked up.
A stranger’s eyes locked onto Tess’s na**d br**sts, flat against the glass. I growled, pounding so hard her heels left the floor. She cried out, her fingers scrabbling for purchase.
“Oh, God. There’s someone. They’re—”
Another spiral of bliss shot up my spine. The man frowned, trying to work out what he saw, then took a shocked step when realization hit.
That’s right. I’m balls deep in this woman you can only fantasise about.
Something clicked in Tess and her need turned wild. Her pu**y clenched around me, locking my teeth from the vicious orgasm building in my blood.
Fisting the scissors, I struggled to keep my eyes open from the overwhelming pleasure.
I made my first cut.
Right on her shoulder blade. A shallow, single line welled with black blood, infecting me with power and lust and need.
“Fuck, oh…” Tess cried. Her back arched but she didn’t twist the wound away.
“That’s it. Remember pain, mon coeur. Remember how f**king delicious it is.”
Another man stopped, gawking at Tess pressed hard against the window. He leaned to speak to the other voyeur who hadn’t taken his eyes off my wondrous woman.
I rode Tess like my orgasm rode me. Hard, brittle, existing in the taboo of intensity.
I didn’t have much time.
Four.
I have to finish before I blow.
The second cut was directly beside the first. A long slightly irregular line where a bead of blood rose but didn’t trickle. I didn’t taste, just let the blood glow with sin, intoxicating me more than any whiskey.
A couple stopped below.
Tess moaned loudly as they pointed upward, mouths hanging open. Her pu**y rippled as I planted my feet further apart, pounding upward, chasing my final goal.
Holding the netting harder around her face, I gulped in air, driving harder and harder. Sweat ran down my temples; my heart jackhammered against my ribs, smashing them into dust.
“Q…yes. God, yes. Fuck.” The first band of Tess’s orgasm wrenched a groan from my lips.
“Don’t come. Wait,” I hissed between my teeth. The moment she started coming, I wouldn’t be able to hold back.
I cut her again, clenching my jaw against the unrelenting orgasm gripping my spine. Sparks and tingles and a pain so bright I could barely see held my body hostage.
Tess’s hand suddenly disappeared between her front and the glass. A rustle of silk as she dove into the fabric of her tattered dress, finding her clit. Her spine bowed as she stroked.
“Fuck me, Tess.” I wanted to be down there. I wanted to project my soul to the audience below and watch Tess finger herself to heaven.
I pressed the scissors against her shoulder but Tess let out a scream. Her entire body seized as an orgasm ripped her in two.
I never made the final cut as I fell forward, burying my head in her throat as I let go—allowing the magic to explode out of me and into her, spurt after spurt, mixing our bodies as well as our f**king souls.
Then a soft snick sounded in my ear, cutting my release into pieces. The heat in my blood turned to ice and snow and sleet. A blizzard whistled in my chest, stabbing me with icicles and sub-zero temperatures.
I had to stop. Danger. Stop!
But Tess continued coming, dragging me along with her.
“Fuuuck!” I collapsed forward, slamming a hand against the glass to stop from suffocating her. I. Couldn’t. Stop. My h*ps were demonic, delivering every drop of come I had to give. My fingers dug at the smooth reflection as the final wave drained my balls, stopping my heart with a horrible mixture of panic and relief.
A masculine chuckle entered the sex-hazed world Tess and I existed in, smashing it to smithereens, bringing death and destruction.
A slow clap sounded. “Well, that made me f**king hard, congratulations.”
Double motherfucking shit.
I should’ve stayed on high alert. I should’ve known something was wrong. I should never have let my guard down.
Tess froze. Not breathing. Not living. Shutting down completely.
Terror filled my limbs at the thought of losing her again. But I didn’t have time to worry. I had a murder to commit. Unclamping my fist from holding the netting around her face, I threw it away. Not once looking behind me.
Who the f**k were they? The man from the restaurant? Some other cocksucker who I’d suspected following us back to the hotel?
I knew what they wanted. I wasn’t naïve to know this wouldn’t happen. Hell, I’d been tense for weeks, just waiting for their move. But planning for a future and facing it head on were two entirely different things.
Gritting my teeth, I pulled out from Tess. My body moved stiff, full of ferocious anger as I forced my still hard c**k back into my trousers and buckled up. With infinite gentleness, I pulled Tess’s dress down and reached in front of her, bringing the ruined bodice together as much as possible to keep her hidden.
“Q? What’s going on?” Tess’s voice wobbled.
I kissed her temple. Spinning her around, I looked deep into her eyes. Is this the last time I’ll see her? I’d planned so much—just in case the worst happened. I’d signed my fortune to her—so I’d always know she had money. I’d wanted to marry her to give her the power of my name.
That might not be possible now.
Frederick was right—ever since I’d seen the first article on TV, I’d been fighting against time. Time needed to fix Tess. Time needed to fight her demons before I wasn’t able to anymore. Everything that’d happened to Tess was my fault and I’d wanted to undo my wrongs before it was too late.
The news saved my business but marked me for death.
Fuck, stop those pessimistic thoughts. I would bathe in blood before I let them kill me.
Brushing damp curls from Tess’s cheeks, I murmured, “Trust me. Everything will be okay.” It has to be. I wanted to die as an old married man after living a lifetime with my perfect other. Not here. Not today.
I refused. I f**king refused.
“Mercer!” Franco’s voice cut through my worry just before a fist collided with my cheekbone.
Pain. Hot spreading, throbbing pain.
Tess screamed as I fell to my knee. I shook my head, scattering the stars from taking over my vision.
Blind rage released an injection of adrenaline and I tore upward. My time may be up but it didn’t mean I would give in to the heinous bitch. I had a personal vendetta and fully intended to win.
Another punch landed on my jaw, sending me stumbling into Tess.
She yelled, “Don’t you f**king touch him!”
The ringing in my ears amplified as another man grabbed Tess by the hair, dragging her away. Hurling her to the floor, he kicked her.
I saw red.
I saw blood.
I saw hell.
Launching myself at him, I swung low and hard. My knuckles bellowed as his head cracked backward, eyes rolling with the uppercut. As he fell, I brought his limp carcass forward, smashing my knee hard into his ribcage and dropped every barrier inside.
I lost all sensation of what I did. What parts I tore, what agony I inflicted.
His scream bounced off the walls as I shed all humanity and went rogue.
I’ll kill him.
No one. Absolutely f**king no one would touch Tess again and survive. I would tear their motherfucking heads off.
“Q!”
I ignored Tess, delivering wrath like a devil-filled tornado. Punch. Wallop. Kick. I wanted to turn his body into a lake of blood.
A silenced gunshot went off.
Time stuttered.
Pain.
Lancing horrendous pain sliced into my thigh.
Sickness raced up my back, coating my tongue with bile.
Motherfucker shot me.
I roared with agony, feeding off the hot lick of fire radiating in my leg. Stumbling away from my unconscious victim, I bent over. Pushing a fingertip into the torn flap of my trousers, I found the bloody mess below.
My breath came hard and deep as another flash of pain consumed my system. My finger was torture but I found the exit hole. No broken bones. No severed arteries. A flesh wound.
A wound sending my anger ratcheting from uncontrollable to psychopathic.
“No! Oh, my God. You shot him!” Tess attacked the ass**le who’d lodged a bullet in my limb, bringing a rain of tiny fists onto his torso.
Tess, don’t!
The man batted her arms away, his face contorting with rage. Tess kicked him, screaming.
He slapped her hard, wrenching her neck sideways with force. She went instantly limp, falling into his arms.
No! Fuck no. Not again.
I hurtled toward him, intending to rip his throat out but another man captured Tess, dragging her disorientated body against him. She shook her head, trying to clear the dazed fog, fighting meekly as he grabbed her breast with horrible fingers.
Glowering at me, he yelled, “Stop! Everyone! Behave or we’ll take turns with your little slave before cutting her throat. Got it?”
The threat worked.
I slammed to a halt, breathing hard. Rage siphoned around my body, making me tremble, but I embraced cold calculation.
Glancing around the room, I catalogued everything.
Five men.
A pentagon of doom caged me against the window with Franco in a bloody pile a few metres away. One of his eyes was swollen shut, blood covered his shirt, and he sat painfully, nursing his right side.
Five men.
Three with black hair and smooth blank faces, two with brownish hair and sick satisfaction wrinkling their eyes.
I didn’t recognise any of them.
Red Wolverine?
No, I did enough damage to his operation to risk coming after me so soon.
Emerald Dragon?
No, they were based in Singapore, or was it Hong Kong—either way, I doubted they’d have the resources to come to Rome—not with the heat surrounding their names after I handed over my address book of f**kwit traffickers.
So who are they?
It didn’t matter. Tonight would be the last night they’d be alive. I didn’t need to know any more than that.