“Open your eyes and look at me right now,” Massimo hissed.
“I will not. You can’t make me,” I replied with a croaky voice, barely audible.
“If you won’t look at me right now, I’ll lie next to you and she’ll finish the job rubbing against you. Your choice, Laura.”
The threat was enough to make me open my eyes again.
When my stare met his, I could see the satisfaction in his eyes. His parted lips spread into a faint smile. The Man in Black rose from his seat and moved closer to me so the girl kneeling before him was now sitting with her back to the bed, some five feet from me. My hips were moving of their own accord, brushing against the satin sheets. My tongue trailed along my parched lips. I wanted him. If not for the fact that I was tied down, I would probably have thrown that woman out and finished what she had started. And Massimo knew that. After a while, his eyes grew darker and emptier, and beads of sweat formed on his chest. I knew he was going to come. The movements of the girl kneeling in front of him grew faster.
“Yes, Laura, yes!” Massimo moaned, as all the muscles in his body tensed. He came, flooding the girl’s throat with sperm.
I was ecstatic, burning up with desire. I felt like I was orgasming with him. A wave of heat crossed my body. Massimo’s eyes didn’t waver even for a second—he was looking straight at me.
I breathed out slowly, relieved that the show had come to an end. The Man in Black barked something in Italian and the woman pulled away, got up, picked up her dress, and quickly left the room. Massimo left, too, disappearing into the bathroom. I heard the sound of the shower. A few minutes later, he emerged and walked over to me again, rubbing his head with a towel.
“I can put you at ease, baby girl. I’ll lick you slow, make you come. I’ll make it last. Unless you prefer to feel me inside you.”
I opened my eyes wide. My heart was thundering fast and hard, like applause after a Beyoncé concert. I wanted to defy him, but I couldn’t speak. Not even a word came out of my mouth.
With a quick snap, Massimo tore the sheets from over me and untied the bathrobe I was wrapped in.
“I like this hotel for two reasons,” he said, taking a seat on the bed. “First, it’s mine, and second, it has this apartment. I’ve been looking for the perfect furniture for it for a long time.” His voice was calm, sexy. “You see, Laura, you’re immobilized now so efficiently that you have no chance of escaping or offering any resistance.” He licked the inside of my thigh. “At the same time, I can enjoy each and every part of your gorgeous body.”
He grabbed my ankles, spreading my legs wider. The telescopic rod snapped a couple of times and locked in place, holding my legs in the shape of a very wide V.
“Please,” I whispered. It was the only thing that came to my mind.
“Are you asking me to begin already? Or stop?”
This was a simple question, but the answer to it wasn’t coming. I only let out a soft yelp of resignation. The Man in Black crawled toward me and hovered over my face, pinning me with his eyes. His lower lip brushed against my nose, lips, cheeks.
“I’ll fuck you so hard, all of Sicily will hear you scream.”
“Please, no,” I croaked with the last of my strength, and squeezed my eyes shut. They were watering. Complete silence fell then. I was too afraid to open my eyes—terrified of what I’d see. I heard a click and felt my right hand falling to the mattress, free. Then more clicks. After a while I was completely free.
“Put some clothes on. We need to be in one of my clubs in an hour,” Massimo said, leaving the bedroom, still naked.
I stayed on the bed for a moment longer, analyzing what had happened. Suddenly, a tsunami of fury rolled over me. I jumped to my feet and rushed out, chasing him. He was already standing in his suit pants and sipping on champagne.
“Would you care to explain this to me?” I shrieked as he slowly turned, hearing me stomping out of the adjoining room.
“What is there to explain?” he asked, nonchalantly leaning against the table.
“That girl took your interest? She’s nothing but a whore. I own a few brothels and you didn’t want to help me blow off some steam. The bed and the toys on it didn’t seem to be to your liking. That doesn’t require any further comment, does it? Just like Veronica and what she did. Judging by your reaction, at least.” He lifted his brows. “What more is there to say?” Massimo crossed his arms. “I won’t force myself on you. Not before you give me your consent. I promised. It’s hard for me to control myself fully, but I won’t rape you.” He turned away and headed toward the door. “Despite that we both know perfectly well that it would be the best sex of our lives. And that you would beg for more when it ended.”
I stood rooted to the spot, not able to deny what he was saying. He was right—there was no point fighting the obvious. Back in the bedroom, he had been just a couple of minutes from finally making me cave in. What Massimo wanted, though, was for me to give myself over out of love, instead of animalistic desire. He wanted to possess me whole. Sticking his cock inside me wasn’t enough. God, he was devious and manipulative. After what he had said as he was leaving, I wanted him even more. Now it was I who needed to keep it together, just to stop myself from throwing myself on him on one of those gigantic sofas. I screamed, helpless, balling my fists. Then I went to take a cold shower. It was what I needed. When I left the bathroom, I met Domenico in the living room. He was leaving another bottle of champagne on the table.
“I’m surprised you aren’t sick of him yet,” he said, pouring me a glass.
“Who said I’m not? And you never ask me what I’d like, instead making me drink all those fizzy carbs all the time,” I said with a laugh, sipping the beverage. “What is this place we’re about to go to?”
“It’s called Nostro. Massimo’s favorite club. He keeps an eye on all the comings and goings personally. It’s a pretty classy spot. Only politicians, businessmen, and…” He trailed off, making me all the more curious.
“And who? Their whores? Like Veronica?” I spun on my heel, facing him.
Domenico sent me a probing look, as if checking my bluff. I didn’t allow my face to show any emotion, instead focusing on rummaging through my clothes, pretending to look for something appropriate for the evening. Once in a while I pressed the champagne glass to my lips, sipping.
“Maybe not exactly like Veronica, but yes. It is a place for people who cannot act as freely anywhere else.”
“After she sucked Massimo off in front of me, I had the impression she knew him well. They probably spent some quality time together in that club of his, eh?”
I said it. I had meant to think it only, but it came out aloud.
Now I didn’t know what to do. I shrugged and went to the bathroom, silently scolding myself. I didn’t close the door and, after a while, as I was doing my makeup, Domenico appeared at the door and leaned against the wall. He couldn’t hide his amusement at my sincerity.
“You know, it’s not really my business who blows whom. Or employs, for that matter.”
“So, you’re telling me you’re not even interested in how you get your recruitment done?”
Domenico raised his brows and burst out laughing.