Indebted: A Dark Irish Mafia Romance Read online

  I tightened my hold, pushing her even harder against the thick marble.

  “There is no escape, Alessandra. None. If you attempt again, I will not hesitate to remove all your privileges, including clothing. If you could ever manage to get away, I would use all my resources to hunt you down. Then your life would be all about understanding a true cage, sequestered behind cold, hard steel. This is the last warning, the very last time I will tell you this. I am your master. I own you, every inch. I paid for every inch of you with my money, my time, and my trust. You are mine. Make no mistake, I will do everything necessary to keep you trained, well cared for and alive. But I am not a man to be fucked with. I will hurt you.”

  Chapter Nine

  Gabriel

  “Lift your gown.” My command was simple, easy to follow, yet she refused until I smacked her hard on the bottom.

  Alessandra issued no whimpers, no sounds of any kind, the venom returning to her eyes as she finally obeyed me.

  I rubbed my hand down her spine, thinking about this particular round of punishment. “Open your lovely ass cheeks for me.”

  This time, a slight whimper escaped her mouth, but she leaned forward, easing her arms behind her. I studied her beautiful long fingers as she grasped either side of her buttocks, spreading them wide open.

  I opened one of the drawers, retrieving exactly what I was looking for from my collection. The anal plug would provide a constant reminder, something that was obviously necessary. I held it up into the light, watching as her eyes opened wide before reaching for the lubricant.

  She swallowed hard, finally looking away from me.

  “Do not take your eyes off what I am doing, sweet girl. You need to understand why this is necessary.”

  Hissing, she did as she was told, her nostrils flaring with fury.

  I took my time lubricating the entire rubber piece, satisfied that she would soon better understand her place. As I twirled the plug, studying the bulbous toy, my hunger began to creep in from the darkness of my core. I ached to take her again, to plunge my cock deep inside her pretty pink pussy. The sight of her wetness, the light glisten on her swollen folds as I moved in back of her was almost too much to resist.

  “You are to wear this at all times, only excepting necessary relief. I will require inspection every day, switching the plug to a larger variety when I feel appropriate. Understood?”

  She gritted her teeth, nodding before bothering to answer. “Yes. Sir.” Her defiance was nothing but a continued challenge; however, in my mood I wasn’t prepared to endure much of her sass.

  I pushed the tip to her entrance, twisting back and forth as I pressed my hand on the small of her back. There was no resistance, her dark channel prepared to accept her first form of punishment.

  Then she gasped, dropping her head, her entire body shaking.

  “Breathe for me.”

  Her snarl was quickly sucked in, her glare cold and angry.

  As I pushed the last of the implement inside, she dropped both hands onto the counter, taking several deep breaths. “Soon I will fuck you in the ass once again.”

  She laughed, pursing her mouth as she found me in the reflection. “Why the hell not? Sir?”

  If she wanted to rile me, she’d succeeded on several levels. I couldn’t allow her egregious attitude to go without acknowledgment, round two of her required discipline in order.

  “You are difficult,” I said quietly, still twisting the plug in an effort to calm my anger.

  “That is what you get, Mr. Masters. You may own my body, but you will never own my heart or soul. That’s not possible.” She gave me another nasty glare then closed her eyes. “Sir.”

  I ripped open another drawer, grabbing a hairbrush. I’d equipped several rooms with various implements, but this was my private space, the brush used for the usual purposes. Why did she continue to mouth off? What did she hope to gain? I fisted her hair, forcing her to look at me once again. “I suggest you apologize to me.”

  “Wasn’t it you who said the time for apologies had passed? Then why bother? How about fuck you?”

  There’d been the few moments the night before I’d almost felt her melting in my arms, as if she could even learn to enjoy the arrangement that been made. Now I realized I was sorely mistaken. “Open your mouth.”

  “Fuck you.”

  My God. The audacity was unbelievable. I plunged the plug in and out several times, watching as her eyes glossed over from both anxiety as well as pleasure. “Open. Your. Mouth.”

  She did so without hesitation, sticking out her tongue in the process.

  I dropped the hairbrush, sticking my hand inside the drawer and searching blindly. Spots roared in front of my eyes as the rage continued to increase, my body shaking as the adrenaline rush crushed down on every blood cell. The soap was easy to find, my nails digging at the paper until I was able to free the bar, slamming my wrist against the lever on the faucet.

  She finally realized what I was doing, her hands clawing at the mirror, her entire face beaming from the warm flush creeping up from her neck.

  Yet she would not be broken, her attitude remaining, worn like a badge of honor.

  I doused the soap with water, giving her a commanding look that needed no explanation. She stuck out her tongue, cursing at me with her eyes as I ran the bar back and forth across her tongue, finally sticking the soap further into her mouth. “Bite down.”

  Alessandra did so begrudgingly, her body sagging as she hung her head.

  The feel of the wooden handle was exactly what I needed, my hold becoming white-knuckled. My entire life had been about accepting the man I’d become, learning to control the anger that had taken everything from me. On this bright morning I’d already failed as I’d done from the moment she’d walked into my life. She was my possession, but I couldn’t forget that she could bring my whole world crumbling down.

  She was my obsession.

  The kind of sickness that was unforgiving, never allowing any breath or life, merely taking at all costs. I wanted her. I needed her.

  I smacked the wood against her bottom without reservation, moving from side to side, immediately enjoying the shade of blush forming. I concentrated on my efforts as she struggled to keep her own level of control, the whimpers around the soap strangled.

  “You will learn. You will obey. You will follow my rules. Period. There is no other choice. None. None!” I loathed the rattled sound giving away my angry desire, the sadistic portion that had nearly destroyed me. I’d pushed that man down deep into my psyche, cutting off his air by shutting down his needs. But he’d found a way to the surface, taunting me with his ability to provide warmth and caring as necessary, all the while lurking in the darkness, waiting to strike at the perfect time.

  I wanted her to understand, to finally accept my utter control. Only then she would learn how much I cared and that I would protect her. The words swam in my mind as I brought the brush down several more times, finally jerking away from her and wiping my mouth as lights flashed in front of my field of vision.

  The air in the room was suffocating, the heat far too intense. Growling, I was forced to catch my breath, the guttural sounds I emitted not ones I could control.

  And she heard them, every raspy sound and every gasp for air. She watched, studying the man unraveling in front of her. There was no pity on her face or even amusement, just a concentrated need to understand.

  I laughed, turning away for a few seconds. She’d had enough. I tossed the brush into the drawer, crowding her space once again, caressing her bruised bottom. “You could never understand how important you are to me, Alessandra. There are things you simply will never know. Open your mouth.”

  She blinked several times as she obeyed, a single tear slipping past her lovely long lashes.

  I backed away, tossing the soap into the trash. “Rinse your mouth. Then come into the bedroom.” I couldn’t stand to watch as she regrouped, or while she wiped away her tears. There was no poi
nt in attempting to console her. She wasn’t the kind of woman to be cajoled by niceties, although dear God, I wanted her to have lovely things.

  Laughing, I walked past the bed to my window, touching the ridiculous heavy fabric that shut out almost every scrap of light. I’d been in the dark for so long that I had no idea how to handle facing the sun, experiencing the warmth of a summer day. As I shifted to the center of the window, I could remember clearly how much I’d enjoyed the outdoors as a young man. Every sport. Every challenge. I accepted them all, loving every minute of the adventure.

  Hell, now I wore dark glasses when leaving the house, no matter the time of day. As I pulled back the edge of the curtain, a slender hint of light floating into the room, I was forced to take a deep breath.

  “Why do you like the darkness so much?”

  Her voice was unexpectedly soft, the inflection almost as if she gave a damn. I knew better. The greatest ploy in the world was pretending you cared. Make certain the abductor believes you are falling for them. I wasn’t in the mood. “Why? It doesn’t matter to you.”

  “What if it does? If I’m to be your wife, then I should understand what I’m going to face. Sir.”

  I laughed softly, shaking my head before dropping my hand and turning around. “That’s a nice try, Alessandra, and I actually appreciate your sudden change in attitude, but I’m not easily fooled.” Damn if she didn’t appear like some beautiful angel, the gown not just drawing my attention but tightening my balls.

  Her hands were together, her body tense as she walked a few feet closer. “No, Gabriel, I don’t understand any of this. Not a single thing. My father must have hated me in order to do what he did. I will have to face that issue myself. I can’t say I will ever trust you or even myself again. I can’t. I won’t. But I can tell how much you’re hurting inside. Maybe that’s something that I can help with. I don’t know if I can, but we have to talk. Who are you? This is a family enterprise, that much I know, but why are you here in the United States?”

  I laughed again. “To garner a share of the market here in America. Why else?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t buy that. You’re obviously successful, wealthy beyond anything I’ve ever known, but you’re so desperately unhappy. Why? Don’t you have family who cares about you?”

  “Leave my family out of this!” I snapped then yanked back my unbridled emotions. “They mean nothing to me. Nothing. This is my success entirely.”

  “Success means nothing if you can’t share it with someone.”

  Her words were cathartic. “Maybe so.”

  “You can’t truly want to keep me locked in a room for the rest of my life. Do you? Don’t you want to share a portion of your life with me, your wife, instead of staying alone in the dark?”

  My God, her eyes were imploring, pain riddled in every word even as she attempted to pretend, to maintain a sense of strength. I wanted to take her into my arms, shower her with whatever normal emotion I could salvage, but hell, I had no idea how to do that. None.

  “The darkness is simply a place of enjoyment, Alessandra. You are allowed to open your curtains, but you cannot touch mine. This is my house. Mine.”

  “That means it will never be mine on any level. A big old house with a hundred rooms, the most beautiful furniture so gloriously designed, and I won’t be able to see any of it? Is that what you’re telling me? I won’t be able to go outside in the gardens or take a swim in your gigantic pool? Is that what you want for us?”

  I couldn’t answer her. I had nothing I could say. There was nothing that would make any sense.

  “I see,” she huffed. “If you plan on simply caging me with a view from a window, then you might as well kill me, or I will find a way to do it myself.”

  Another round of anger crept up inside, but this time because of the man I’d become, the loathsome bastard that had been born on the very day I’d stood in my father’s office. On the very day he’d altered my life forever.

  Her glare was just as venomous as before, only this time she smiled as she stood in her usual defiant manner. Even in her bare feet and a gown highlighting what God had given her, she wasn’t afraid of the beast. No matter the punishment that I’d doled out, the fact I’d shoved her into a basic prison cell.

  She wasn’t afraid.

  I rushed toward her, grabbing both her arms and yanking her close. I gathered the sweet stench of the soap I’d used as well as the bottled shampoo I’d deemed acceptable to be placed in her small bathroom. Even as I pulled her onto her toes, likely forcing weight on the injury she’d received from the result of my disturbing behavior.

  She. Wasn’t. Afraid.

  I was beside myself with grief and guilt, anger and passion even as the desire I felt for her became all consuming. I crushed my mouth over hers, wrapping one arm around her tiny waist and holding her against me. I needed her to feel my excitement, the thirst that would never be quenched. As I swept my tongue over hers, the taste of soap remaining, I was troubled beyond my capabilities of understanding.

  She struggled in my arms, pressing one hand against my chest as she moaned into the kiss. Her whimpers were strangled but her body reacted to mine as it had before, the shift of her hips back and forth driving me to the point of sheer madness.

  I gathered a scent of her sweet pussy, the taste that had lingered on my tongue long after the first glass of bourbon the night before. I wanted to taste her again, to have her fragrance stain my skin for the remainder of the day.

  And I wanted to fuck her.

  Her hand relaxed, her fingers clawing my shirt as I dominated her tongue, exploring the dark recesses of her mouth. The entire world seemed at a standstill, my heart beating rapidly, the adrenaline rush eating at every tendon and muscle as the electricity exploded between us. I was lightheaded, allowing my fingers to crawl the silk up the backs of her thighs, shifting my hand underneath.

  Suddenly, the world was spinning as the passion intensified.

  That is until she shoved her hand against my chest, breaking the connection and stumbling back several feet. She laughed before wiping her mouth, the shimmer in her eyes showing her revulsion. “I would rather be dead than spend the rest of my life with you.”

  The slight snap in my mind was actually audible, the range of emotions and dazzling sensations I’d felt shut down in an instant. I took two giant strides in her direction, wrapping my hand around her wrist. “You want to know what the rest of your limited world is going to be like for the next few weeks? Do you long to know how a monster lives? Is that what you want?”

  “Yes!”

  I laughed bitterly, nodding once. “Fine. Then so be it.” As I dragged her out of the room, her single moan was my reward. I was blinded by my fury and by the damning hunger that remained lurking in the shadows. I yanked her down the hallway, her long legs finding it difficult to keep up with me.

  We both flew down the massive set of stairs and I jerked her into one of the rooms. “This is the game room, a place I’d hoped I could share with members of my family, employees from my corporation during times of celebration.”

  She took several deep breaths but said nothing, although her eyes were wild as she glanced at the space that I’d never spent more than ten minutes in.

  I took her next to the wine tasting room, the very location I’d designed myself, my taste in merlot and cabernet driving me. “And this is one place I hoped would be filled with laughter and joy as well as bottles of the most expensive wines from exotic locations. The wine is here. The laughter has never been and never will be.”

  I shot her a look, waiting for her rebuttal. There was nothing but a glazed look on her face. Inhaling, I slammed the door before guiding her to the executive dining room, throwing open the door. “And can you just imagine the festive dinners, the holidays spent with family and friends, even your American holidays. Ham and turkey, filet and smoked salmon. All served on expensive china. Not once has anyone eaten at this table.”

  She
finally uttered a single whimper, the sound more haunted than I could tolerate. I continued my path, showing her the library full of rare books, the fireplace that was as pure as the day the house had been finished.

  Then I dragged her into my office, the same one I’d spanked her in the day before. “My office is my respite, one of the few places I’m comfortable in this massive house where I chose to live alone.” I let her go, moving to my chair and easing down. At times like these, I wished I smoked cigars, although the stench alone made me sick.

  I swept my arm across the top, giving her a wide grin. “Maybe this will be enough for you to understand that you need to follow the rules. Or maybe, you’ll continue to believe that I am nothing but a monster. That is your choice and yours alone. I honestly don’t give a shit.”

  The silence was deafening, although the rapid beating of my heart echoed.

  She tilted her head, taking careful steps onto the rug that had defined her strength. Her fear of snakes was something I could understand, had even planned on using if necessary. The thought alone made me sick inside. Those were the tactics my father would have used. Was I nothing but a carbon copy of the bastard who’d tossed his son away like trash?

  “Living can be wonderful, Gabriel. There is joy in simple pleasures, but you have to allow yourself to savor the moment.” Alessandra took rebellious steps into the center of the rug, closing her eyes. “Or do I always need to call you sir?”

  She was chiding me, pushing every button. I continued to have difficulty breathing as I longed for her, every muscle tense.

  “I see a field of green with wildflowers and butterflies, a beautiful rainbow in the sky. I can smell sweet jasmine and freshly cut grass as the sun is just beginning to peek out from the clouds,” she whispered, her voice even more lilting than before.

  The simple words were almost too much to hear, the quiet way in which she spoke them unlike anything I’d said to her. I wanted to live, sharing moments of laughter and joy. She had no idea how I’d craved those things, the house once meant to be a respite, a place of true tranquility. Now it only represented all the things I couldn’t have.