Prey: A Dark Mafia Romance Read online

  “Does that mean that I’m under arrest?” Did she hear the man chuckling? “Answer me.” Asshole. God, the number of words she wanted to spew at him could burn the place down with their vehemence.

  “We will see based on your behavior.”

  “My behavior?” She was dealing with an overt amateur.

  “Yes, vital to my determination of what’s going to happen.” He pressed the button for the elevator, pulling her against him.

  This time, she could swear the man had a throbbing hard-on. Fantastic. She’d managed to find the one officer in all of Monte Carlo with a sick sense of humor.

  Or worse.

  She tapped her heel against the aging marble, trying her best to keep her mouth shut. She was losing precious time. From everything she’d been told, the hit was going to occur sometime tonight. If she fucked this up, she could kiss her career goodbye. As they stepped inside, she had a terrible feeling that this night was going to go straight to hell. There was only one man in the hotel who knew her real identity and he’d need to pull some serious strings in order to keep her out of jail and allow her to keep her passport.

  Whatever punishment this man had in mind, she had a terrible feeling she was bound to submit to him. While the thought should be nothing but revolting, she found him far too attractive for her own good. Damn it.

  He kept his hand on her arm, his fingers digging into her skin. She inhaled and his exotic scent filled her nostrils, making her pussy clench.

  “Did you know that corporal punishment is the preferred method in Monte Carlo?”

  The tone of his voice was like smooth velvet brushing ever so lightly against her naked skin. She shuddered as his hot breath skipped across her neck, tickling her ear. Swallowing, she tried to rationalize exactly what he was saying. Everything in her mind was muddled at this moment, preventing her from thinking clearly. Or rationally. “Corporal punishment?”

  Ping.

  The sound of the elevator made her jump. She noticed they were heading straight up.

  “Yes, I think you can appreciate what I’m saying. Can’t you, Ashley?”

  Even the way he said her name was sexy as fuck, forcing her body into a complete state of arousal. Her nipples were fully erect, scraping against her thousand-dollar dress. Her instinct told her that she’d made a terrible decision in going through with this. The fact she’d been taken to the penthouse suites was a dead giveaway. This had nothing to do with being arrested in the traditional sense.

  “I demand you take me to your superiors,” Sophia barked. Everything about this was very wrong, her hackles raised. When the doors opened, she managed to wrangle out of his grasp, kicking him square in the groin. The force was enough to thrust him against the piece of antique furniture positioned next to the wall, the lamp crashing onto the floor.

  “Fuck!” he exclaimed, wincing as he went down.

  Come on. Come on. Even with her hands behind her back, she was able to get to the controls, pressing the close button with her elbow. She hit as many floors as she could, laughing when she noticed the shocked look on his face. “Take that, sexy man.” Taking several deep breaths, she continued struggling, trying desperately to get herself out of this predicament. Thank God the cuffs weren’t that tight, allowing her after several breathless seconds to wrench one hand free.

  That’s when she noticed the elevator wasn’t moving. The second she slapped her hand against a series of buttons, the door opened, revealing one grinning officer.

  “Did you miss me, sweetheart?” This time he wasn’t alone, several obvious tourists stepping inside, their gazes immediately falling to the loose handcuff.

  “Not even one little bit,” she hissed through clenched teeth. “I don’t think I like your form of foreplay, baby.”

  “Oh, come on, darling. You said you enjoyed the rough stuff.”

  The few gasps were followed by the entire group of four sliding all the way to the rear of the elevator. She knew better than to make a scene, at least not right now.

  Officer Renier pulled her into a hallway, whispering in her ear, “Nice try. Now your punishment is going to be significantly worse.” He said nothing as he halfway dragged her down the hall, shoving a keycard into the mechanism of one of the hotel room doors as he darted looks down the corridor.

  “What’s wrong, Officer? Don’t want to get caught taking a poor, unassuming American to a hotel suite?” She heard the low-slung growl coming from his throat and when he pushed her inside, she jerked around to face him. The single light on in the room highlighted his displeasure, accentuating the rise and fall of his chest. The man was arrogant, egotistical, and damn if she didn’t want to suck him off. She bit back a laugh at the thought. Maybe she did like the rough stuff after all.

  There was no hiding the look of desire on his face or the way his eyes undressed her, his gaze roaming all over every inch of her body. “You’re lucky I don’t punish you in front of our guests.”

  “You wouldn’t dare.”

  He took two steps closer until he towered over her. “Would you like to try me?”

  Sophia rubbed her wrist, finally holding out her other hand. She was quite cognizant that the drapes were fully open, several buildings within throwing distance and balconies full of people. There was something quite shameful in the concept of exhibitionism. “Uncuff me.”

  “Do you really think that demanding is going to garner you any favors?” He visibly winced, shifting his hips as he brushed both hands through his disheveled hair.

  “For an officer of the French police, you seem out of practice,” she countered. “Did my itty bitty push do the poor boy some damage? Do you need a medic?” She adored the way his entire body puffed up from her comment. The man certainly wasn’t used to being around a strong woman.

  He muttered in another language and she could swear it was Italian and not French. All the little red flags that had kept her alive over the years were flying high.

  While she adored toying with him, she couldn’t lose sight of the single reason she’d been sent to a foreign country on a whim.

  “Who are you really, Pierre, if that’s even your real name?”

  “Who am I?” he asked as he sauntered forward, removing a small key from his pocket. “The man who might keep you out of prison. That is, if you do exactly what I say.”

  She’d challenged him and lost, regretting that she’d left her weapon in her hotel room safe. The night wasn’t supposed to turn out like this. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

  “Are you going to obey me, or do I need to shackle you to the bed?” He grabbed her wrist, the force just enough she yelped.

  “What do you want from me?”

  “What do I want?” He chuckled darkly as he slipped the key into the small hole. The single click as the handcuff was released gave him a smile. Lifting her arm, he examined the wrist she’d removed herself. “Very cagey. Where did you learn that trick, in prison?”

  “I have many skills, Officer Renier.” She yanked her wrist for the last time, almost tumbling over the corner of the couch. After reminding herself that she was a trained officer of the law, she scanned the room as casually as possible, looking for another way out.

  “I assure you, Ms. Harper, that there is no way past me.” He took off his jacket, laughing the entire time.

  Sophia watched him, marveling at his broad shoulders and thin waist, the way his shaggy hair held a slight curl. “Then name your terms. I have other business to attend to.”

  He removed his jeweled cufflinks, carefully placing them on the coffee table, his eyes never leaving her. As he rolled up one sleeve then the other, he hummed a sinfully melodic tune.

  “What are you doing?” she couldn’t refrain from asking. He seemed so casual about this, as if he did this kind of thing all the time.

  “Preparing.”

  “For?”

  “Why, your punishment, of course.” His eyes sparkled when he was finally ready, taking a decided step closer. “Strip.”
r />   There was no way she’d heard the single word. She had to be dreaming. A nervous laugh popped out of her mouth and she almost doubled over. “What did you say to me?”

  “I think we need to get something straight, Ashley Harper. I caught a thief red-handed. You accepted the terms of your punishment without, I might add, asking a single question. Therefore, you will do exactly as I say. Now, given the fact you already attempted to escape, the punishment you receive will be severe.”

  Heat rushed up from the swell in her breasts to her neck, creeping up ever so slowly to her cheeks. A slight ringing sound tickled her eardrums and her panties were now more than just damp. “I don’t understand.”

  “Oh, I think you do. I will ask this one more time. If you don’t obey me, I’ll rip that lovely dress from your body. Strip.”

  She blinked several times. Nothing in her career had ever prepared her for something like this. She’d been tossed into a cage by a nasty kingpin, thrown off a bridge, left in the trunk of a car for two days and suffered not one but two gunshots. But this was... deplorable. “I... can’t.” Her mouth was completely dry. Had she even spoken the words at all?

  “I know you can. You’re a smart lady, beautiful and feisty but certainly very intelligent. I suggest you do as you’re told. I’ll be right over here, but I suggest that you do not keep me waiting for long.” He showed off his pearly whites as he passed, allowing his fingers to brush across her skin.

  Another shiver tickled her spine, popping all the way down to her legs. She was shaking all over and her condition had nothing to do with the temperature in the room. This was beyond acceptable, but she could see no other way out. You can do this. You’re a professional.

  Yeah, of what exactly?

  Swallowing twice, she turned away from him, kicking off her shoes. She was going to kill the director for this. When Officer Renier started humming again and she heard the sound of ice clinking in a glass, she almost lost it. How dare this... fucking asshole do something like this. If only she had her weapon.

  “I’m waiting,” he said in a singsong voice from behind, the sound so goddamn seductive.

  Why did he have to be so good-looking?

  She managed to unzip her dress, wiggling until the material slipped to the floor. Almost immediately she slapped her arms over her breasts, fighting the urge to hurl.

  “Panties as well, although I do admit, they are very sexy.”

  “God! You’re an asshole.”

  “Trust me, sweetheart. I’ve been called so much worse.” He snickered in the background before continuing to hum the ridiculous tune.

  “Fuck this. Fuck my life. Fuck everything.”

  “And you’re a woman who could use a solid mouth washing. For a lady to say such things is profane.”

  Sophia snarled loud enough he was able to hear before sliding her fingers under the thin elastic of her panties. Nothing had ever been this humiliating in her entire life. When she was completely naked, she knew there was nothing she could hide from the man. “I will get you for this one day, Officer.” She turned very slowly, scrutinizing his every action, trying to gather a bead on just who this man really was.

  And how he’d managed to force her into such a vulnerable state.

  “And you know what? I look forward to the day you attempt to follow through with your retaliation. Oh, and you might as well call me Pierre since we’re going to get to know each other quite intimately.”

  “Is that a threat?”

  “I never make threats, sweetheart, only promises.”

  She wanted to rip his eyeballs out and feed them to some animal passing by.

  He surveyed the room, rubbing his jaw with his index finger and thumb, finally yanking the hardback chair from under the desk. “This should do nicely. Oh, and let’s see.” He moved through the room, checking drawers then going into another room.

  This would have been her opportunity to bolt.

  If she wasn’t stark naked.

  The irony of the situation made her sick to her stomach. This wasn’t anything she was going to put on her report, no matter the circumstances. After a quick glance toward the chair, she realized exactly what the man was going to do.

  “Oh, fuck, no.”

  A spanking. The asshole was going to give her a hard spanking. Corporal punishment, my ass. The thought rocked her entire world. No one in her life had ever laid a hand on her, other than criminals and they’d been put in their place in a flash. Backing up, she was mortified at the thought, already humiliated enough she couldn’t think clearly.

  Her behavior had been akin to a rookie, not a seasoned pro.

  Pierre returned a few seconds later, twirling a wooden brush in his hand. “Perfect. I think a spanking is required to be severe in order to get the meaning across. Don’t you?”

  She had no idea what to say and no sassy retort.

  “I can see that you agree. Come on over here.” He walked toward the chair, plopping down and patting his lap. “This is going to hurt me more than you. No, that’s a complete lie. This is going to be very painful for you, but you deserve it. Don’t you?”

  Sophia managed to open her mouth, but the ugly whimper made her slam it shut. Holding her head high, she sauntered toward him, making certain she kept her attitude intact. “You’re never going to get away with this.”

  His gaze moved from her polished toes all the way to her eyes, lingering on her pussy and breasts enough that she almost flew off the handle. “I guess we’ll see, Ms. Harper.” In a swift move, he snagged her wrist, yanking her over his lap, the brush coming down instantly.

  “Fuck!” she moaned, wiggling and flailing as he slapped the brush across her bottom, moving from one ass cheek to the other in rapid succession.

  “Bad girls need regular punishment,” he commented as he rubbed the brush against her skin.

  “What? No!” She jerked up, almost able to get away from him. With one hard yank, he had her over his lap once again, one leg folded over hers as he continued her punishment.

  “You do that again and we’ll move onto the belt.” He proceeded to smack her several times.

  “What?” Groaning, she slapped her hands against the floor, taking several deep breaths as the pain turned into blinding anguish. The man knew what he was doing. Every concept of shame and humiliation thwarted her senses even as a fire ignited deep within her. She could tell he was aroused, his throbbing cock pressing against her belly and she was hot and wet, terrified of her reactions to him. This wasn’t right. How could she be turned on when he was giving her a fierce spanking?

  He rubbed her bottom, taking his time caressing in such a gentle manner. “You’re doing very well, which surprises the hell out of me.”

  “You’re still an asshole!”

  Her retort brought another very harsh wave of solid smacks, the thudding sound mixing with her wails, no matter how hard she tried to keep them from exiting her mouth. She was shaking, her mind in the gutter, envisioning his cock sliding in and out of her pussy.

  Even her ass.

  No. No! She couldn’t think this way. This was crazy. Already exhausted, she hung her head, unable to fight any longer.

  Yet the round of punishment continued, the brush hitting her upper thighs and buttocks over and over again. The man was on a mission, determined to provide his own brand of justice. She’d never been this turned on, her nipples aching, longing for him to pluck and twist. Mortified at her thoughts, she tried to think of anything else.

  Violent crimes.

  Drug rings.

  Anything.

  Nothing worked. All she could think about was his twinkling eyes and the way his cock continued to swell. When she heard him drop the brush, she almost lurched off his lap, but he was determined to have control.

  Over her discipline.

  And over her body.

  Fisting her hair, he yanked her into his lap, his breathing ragged. “Now, I take exactly everything that I want.”

  “And w
hat’s that, lover boy?”

  “You. Every. Single. Inch.”

  Chapter Two

  I am an assassin. I was born into the profession. There was no choice given, no question of what I preferred to do when I was growing up. I am royalty. I am privileged. And I am my father’s son, expected to follow in his path as well as that of others, dominant men ruling the world with an iron fist. The consortium holds the most powerful countries in the palm of their hand, their plan to eradicate respected leaders and those who stand in their way on track. I am merely one son, one heir to a throne consumed by evil, an indentured servant to the Dark Haven. I am also the darkness, a hunted man. What no one knows is that I am lost, a weakness I can’t afford.

  One day, I will find her. The one who will pull me into the light.

  One day...

  The words had haunted him for years, leaving the kind of sadness that could be career-ending. But not on this night.

  Wrath had never felt so exhilarated in his life, although the fact he’d not only interfered with what had to be a shakedown but decided to take matters into his own hands could place his life in danger. He had an assignment to finish and instead, he had a naked girl on his lap, her provocative and stunning body more powerful to him than the five hundred thousand dollar prize he was expecting. As he wound his fingers around her silky strands of hair, leaning dangerously close to her voluptuous mouth, he counted all the reasons this was ridiculous.

  The mark could get away.

  His cover could be blown.

  He could be arrested and spend the rest of his miserable life languishing in prison.

  Or worse.

  He could be eliminated by one of the eight men who comprised the Dark Haven for simple betrayal.

  Right now, he didn’t care about any of them. He wanted her. He was determined to dominate her.

  Ashley took several deep breaths, her eyes darting back and forth across his.

  “We’re not finished yet, sweetheart. We’re just getting started.” He crushed his mouth over hers, inhaling the sweet essence of her feminine wiles as well as her expensive perfume. Everything about this woman was exotic, forbidden, and the fruit was too ripe and lush for him to resist.