Chapter 23—Persephone

The man escorts me back into the house.

“Is it time to give me a name yet?” I ask him when we step on to the corridor from yesterday. “I can’t come up with anything for you, except ‘the man’.”

He cuts me a sidelong glance and I think he’s going to ignore me until his lips quirk into a brief smile.

“It’s Aleksei.”

“Well now I have a name.” I don’t know why I’m bothering to be pleasant. It’s not going to change my situation one way or another.

They’re not going to let me go.

We approach a large oak door which Aleksei opens.

Lukiyan is inside, leaning over a grand mahogany desk like the one in my father’s office at home.

Home…

I was always going to miss home, but now I miss it even more, and the people inside that I love.

Aleksei leaves us and closes the door.

Lukiyan straightens and gazes at me with those piercing eyes as if he’s undressing me.

“Good sleep?” He studies my face with an amused expression.

“I slept.” The quality of my sleep is none of his concern. “Did you go back to my house?”

“Yes.”

“Are my father and family okay? Did… anyone else die?” I hate the quiver of emotion in my voice.

“Your father is fine. A few of your guards are dead, and Maya was the only maid who was killed.”

My heart shrinks away at the thought of anyone dying, but Maya… I’m so torn. I never realized when I said goodbye that morning she was going to die.

“What do those people want? Why did that happen?” I’m afraid to ask if my father has done something else in case Lukiyan remembers his own vendetta and changes his mind about our agreement.

“They want your father dead, and they’re looking for something valuable he possesses.”

There’s always something to worry about. Father has a lot of valuable possessions. “What is it?”

“Let’s not talk about that.”

I grit my teeth and decide there are more important things to ask. “What does my father think happened to me?” Does he even care?

He knew I was at the house because one of the guards saw me go inside with Lukiyan. The cameras would have also picked us up going through the front doors.

“He thinks you’ve either been taken, or that you used the chance to escape because you didn’t want to marry Antonio.” He blinks, looking fascinated.

This must be perfect for him. My father is no fool. It takes a lot for him to go on assumptions, so Lukiyan deserves an award.

“Is he even looking for me?”

“Of course he is.” He gives me an incredulous glare. “You’re his heir. He has every reason to want to look for you, and he’s asked yours truly to find you.”

“You?” This really is some joke. My father tasked my captor with finding me because he believes someone else kidnaped me, or that I escaped.

“Me, indeed.”

“You must be loving this. Are you just going to pretend you’re looking for me?”

“I’m a busy man, Persephone Vittorio. I have better things to do than pretend. My sister’s killer will be here in three weeks’ time, and since your father is my link, I’ll try to keep him alive until then.”

“What?” My brows snap together in confusion.

“Try to keep up, Princess. Your father just gained an extra pair of hands to help him catch the men who want him dead.” He walks up to me and leans in so we’re eye to eye. “He has one of the most deadliest assassins in the Bratva working for him and he doesn’t even know it.”

My lips part and the blood siphons from my body.

Assassin.

That’s what Lukiyan is?

Only someone like that would think it was okay to kidnap me, run a knife over my naked body, then fuck me to prove myself to him.

“Are you scared yet, Princess?” he intones and I remember with perfect clarity that he said those same words to me back in Brazil.

At the time, I’d said no.

But I’m scared now so I don’t answer.

He brushes over my cheek. “Too pretty to die yet.”

And he’s too pretty to live.

“What happens if you don’t stop the people in three weeks?”

He smiles. “Then your father has a serious problem.”

And Father could still end up dead. What a fucking mess.

I don’t think there’s anything more to do than what I’ve done. Realistically though, my father is one of the heads of the Camorra, he should be able to stop these people. The past shouldn’t have happened either.

“This is strange.”

“Of course it’s strange, because it’s an inside job.”

“Like before?”

“No, not like before, Princess. It appears that was just the start. The past was a failed attempt. Whoever is truly responsible has come back ten times stronger.”

Jesus.

This isn’t happening.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head, Persephone.” He leans closer and licks over my cheek. “The only thing you need to worry about from now on is pleasing me.”

“That’s all you can think about?”

“Yes, especially after last night.”

Fire sweeps over my cheeks at the mention of last night and I wonder how long he plans to keep me.

Lukiyan winks at me then walks back over to the desk to pick up a document that looks like a contract.

“Come here, this is for you.”

“What is it?” I move closer and stop short when I see I’m right. The document is a contract.

A contract for the rights to me.

“You’re making me sign a contract?” I gasp.

“I like to do things properly.” He sets it down on the desk and hands me a pen. “Sign it and our agreement will be official.”

I take the pen, once more thinking of my father, and sign on the dotted line.

The words blur together but I see enough to know that Lukiyan would own me completely and he wants access to my body whenever and wherever he wants.

When I straighten and look at him, his eyes roam over my body and the scandalous look he gives me, makes my entire body blush.

“Wonderful. I own you now.”

“How long for? Until you get bored and throw me away?”

“We’ll see about that.” A sardonic smile dances on his lips.

What a fucking asshole. I can’t believe I’m in this fucked up mess.

“Where is my bag? I want it.” I fold my arms under my breasts and glare at him.

“You will have it back when I decide to give it to you.”

“But it’s my bag. Can’t you stop being such a dick and give me my things?”

He catches my face, making me shudder, and I hate showing I’m afraid of him.

“That smart mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble.” He taps my jaw and issues me a sinful smile.

“I just want my bag.”

“And I told you, you’re not getting it back until I decide to give it to you. I think it’s time we go over some rules.”

“Rules?” Who the hell does he think he is?

“Rule number one. Piss me off and I will punish you. Rule number two, defy me and I will punish you. Rule number three, if you even think of escaping, I will punish you and everybody you know in ways you will never forget. Remember the price you’re paying and my kindness in accepting this agreement of ours. Is that clear, Persephone?”

Is it clear? Of course.

I can clearly see what kind of monster he is and I feel like such a fool for the feelings I developed for him. I made terrible choices right from Brazil, and it all began when I decided it was a good idea to listen to that stupid fortune cookie.

Pretend to be someone you aren’t until sunrise.

As much as my life sucked beyond measure, if I were myself, I would have run far away the moment I sensed he was dangerous.

We would never know each other and the only thing I’d feel for him now is disgust.

Not the other thing I opened my heart to when I gave him that part of me I’ll never get back.

“Answer me,” he prods.

“Yes. I understand.”

“Good, now back to business.” He releases me. “Are you on the pill?”

The question throws me, but I know where he’s going with it and it infuriates me.

“Why do you need to know that?”

“Because I want to fuck you bareback. Now answer the question.”

His dirty mouth zaps a stab of desire straight to my core, making my traitorous body react. As moisture beads between my thighs, I will it away, hoping to pull myself together. And my dignity.

“I have an injection,” I grate out. “I got it a few weeks ago.” Antonio made me get it.

“How long’s it good for?”

“Three months.”

“Have you been with anybody else since Brazil?”

“No.” He’s the only man I’ve ever been with and he seems satisfied to hear it. I want to ask if he’s been with anyone else but stop myself. I don’t want to know. I don’t want to imagine him being with other women when I’ve spent nights fantasizing about him. But that doesn’t prevent me from asking the other important question. “Have you always used a condom since Brazil?”

He chuckles. “So innocent, so pure.”

“Answer the question.” I sound braver than I feel.

“I’m clean.”

It gives me my answer, but opens the door to make me think he’s still been with other women.

It doesn’t matter. I can’t let that matter when there’s so much to worry about.

“It’s time to play with you again, Persephone. Take off your panties,” he orders in a cool, measured tone, tugging on my little summer dress.

I bend down to slide my panties down my legs.

“Good girl. Now sit on the sofa and spread your legs so I can see your pussy.”

Swallowing hard, I make the short trip to the sofa by the window and open my legs for him.

“Prop your legs on the seat so I can see properly.” His voice becomes huskier.

I put my legs up, completely exposing myself to him. He then comes over with a smile plastered on his face.

“Pull the straps down on your dress and take out your tits.”

I’ve never felt so humiliated and shamed in all my life, but I do as he says becoming the whore again.

Lukiyan bends down, getting between my legs and lowers to lick my pussy. I bite back a moan when the pleasure hits me.

“It’s okay to want me, Persephone,” he taunts when he sees I’m trying not to like what he’s doing to me. “Give yourself to me.”

That deep baritone sings to me like the Pied Piper’s song and I fail as badly as I did last night.

Within seconds I’m reeling head over heels in pleasure and I don’t want him to stop.

Briefly he pauses his feasting on my pussy to suck on my nipples then stops again with a wicked smirk curving his lips.

“Now touch yourself.”

“What?” I stutter, my voice thick with arousal.

“Do it.” The rough, authoritative timbre of his voice speaks directly to the need aching in my pussy, and my body yearns to obey. “Touch yourself like you do when you’re alone.”

Lust thickens in my throat when he guides my hands to my pussy and strokes my fingers leading me to touch myself.

I do it and it’s even more arousing to have him watching me the way he is.

When I rub my clit I try to ignore the rising pleasure deep, but there’s no point.

He smiles when I moan and guides me to pump my fingers in and out of my passage.

“Fucking perfect,” he grates out.

I swallow hard, feeling the building orgasm already coiling in my core.

He moves back to suck my breasts while I continue my pumps, but it all suddenly becomes too much.

I come in an instant, gasping for air and he picks me up, bending me over his desk.

He rips my dress, stripping me naked then warm hands splay over my ass.

Jesus, what is this man doing to me?

I catch the reflection of us again in the glass cabinet and I don’t recognize myself.

There’s a look about me that appears wild and free. But how can I look free when I just signed my life away?

Lukiyan pulls off his shirt, and pushes his pants down to free his cock. Then he glides his rock hard erection over my slick opening.

I’m so wet for him he slides right into me and I suck in a sharp breath from the amazing sensation of feeling his bare cock inside me.

He’s aware of it too. I can tell as he grips me tighter and presses his nose to my hair.

“Jesus, woman. You’re going to ruin me.”

Ruin him…

He keeps showing me glimpses of himself, but when I want to look further he manages to maneuver me on to another path.

Like now.

He slams into my body brutally sweeping every thought of shame out of my mind. There’s only the feel of him, his intoxicating scent, and his overpowering presence as he drives into me.

His cock is splitting me apart. Fracturing my mind, heart, body, and soul.

He starts fucking me harder and faster, pushing me into the desk.

I cry out in pain and pleasure as my body shatters into a million pieces and I come again.

Then it’s like time stands still and we pick up where we left off last night, both of us getting lost in the insane sexual rhythm that has captured us.

After what feels like years have passed, he empties inside me, filling me with warm cum that explodes in my body, hot and intoxicating.

When his pumps slow he keeps his grasp on me and rests his chin on top of my head.

I can feel his heart pounding wildly against my back.

Turning me to face him, he cups my face in a hold that feels too sensual for him. It’s too gentle.

Too intimate.

I gaze deep into his bright blue eyes and feel more exposed than I was before.

He can see me now.

All of me.

“I…”

“Shhh… don’t speak, just feel. Feel me, Persephone. I am your Hades.”

His mouth closes over mine and I allow myself to feel him.

What I feel is that I own him too.

He’s as much my captive as I am his.