"Because I couldn't. Because..."
"Because you don't trust him entirely," I answered, half laughing. "Because he's not the man you believed him to be. My guess is that during your investigation, you found out some aspects about your father that concern you." I knew she wasn't ready to tell me everything, so I was going to have to venture several guesses.
She looked away before finally shaking her head. "Just stop, Lorenzo. As you might imagine, everything is muddled. I'm not certain who to trust. What I do believe given my thorough investigation is that there is an underlying current of corruption in this city. You would certainly know something about that. What your pride may not allow you to believe is that you and your powerful family might not be the only fish on the block."
Her accusation was biting, her assumptions remarkably accurate. "I would value learning everything that you know. I also never claimed to be a decent man in business or in pleasure, Sierra. Keep that in mind."
"Then you're doing a great job," she snapped.
I clenched my fist, realizing that her tenacity and stubbornness was the very reason she'd gotten herself into trouble in the first place. She needed a hard spanking.
"Where's the weapon you said you had with you?" I asked after taking several deep breaths.
She bit her lip, her body shaking again.
"Tell me."
"I don't know!" she snapped.
I rubbed my jaw, realizing that the shit could be worse than I'd expected. "Jesus. You were careless all across the board. The cut on your hand. How did you get it?"
She held up her arm, staring at the bandage she'd obviously found, wiggling her fingers. "I'm not certain."
"Well, you need to be certain. Did you fall, scrape it on the pavement?"
When she narrowed her eyes, I realized that she likely didn't know for certain. "Um..."
"Sierra, that looks like a cut from a knife, one with a jagged edge. Did Axel use that kind of a weapon?" I realized I'd raised my voice, my tone commanding.
"I think so," she half whispered. "Yes. Yes, he did."
"Then not only do you have a weapon with your fingerprints on it out there somewhere, but there very well may be DNA at the scene of the crime."
"So what?" she hissed. "I didn't kill Lucas. That... bastard did."
"Yeah, well, if you've been investigating corruption within any section of law enforcement, someone might take the easy way out."
She opened her mouth twice, her eyes flashing. "My father would never allow that to happen."
"Are you certain of that? What if your father is in over his head, pressured into covering up for the Movinos or buddies of his?" I pressed harder, trying to force her to realize the predicament she was in.
"Stop it! That's not going to happen."
"Why? Because you believe in his goodness? You need to come to terms with the fact that your father might be exactly like me, only if so then he has no honor. He betrayed his country and his own daughter."
"Just stop it! We don't know that. God, I really hate you. You're a monster, a beast pretending to be the almighty king. One day, I'll have the pleasure of watching you taken down, your world crumbling around you." She exploded, pummeling my chest, her face reddened from fury. While I allowed her to vent, the moment she reared back, her fist clenched, I grabbed both wrists. "You're exactly what my father said you were, evil and disgusting."
I realized I'd gone too far over the edge, saying things that she certainly didn't deserve hearing, even though they could be true. Maybe I was simply far too excited at the various possibilities that had been dropped in my lap. I was a true monster.
I growled the second she attempted to knee me in the groin, my need for total control all consuming. Even as she continued to struggle, I managed to drag her arms behind her back, shoving her over the edge of my desk. "I told you that you're required to obey and respect me."
"Fuck you."
"That's no way to treat the man you considered your only possibility of saving you."
Sierra kicked out, twisting her body until she actually managed to free herself. I was momentarily shocked when she issued a hard punch to my gut. Immediately she turned in a full circle, gaining momentum as she kicked out in a martial art move.
But I was too quick for her, snagging her ankle and tossing her for the second time over the edge of my desk. And this time, she wasn't going to be able to get away. I thrust my pelvis against her tight little ass, rubbing my groin back and forth. "You may think you still have some level of control, Sierra, but you're wrong. With bad behavior comes the need for harsh punishment."
"Fuck you."
"Oh, trust me, doll. That will come." I yanked first one of her arms over her head then the other, easily holding both in one hand as I ripped the sweatpants down to her knees, exposing her rounded bottom.
"What are you doing?" she demanded, her voice dripping with the kind of sensual and alluring sound that drove me to a barbaric state of mind.
"Giving you exactly what you deserve. And what you crave." I inhaled, drinking in her scent, immediately intoxicated from the indulgent fragrance of her wet pussy. My cock throbbed to the point of anguishing pain, pushing hard against my zipper. I became a wild man, my needs and desires overwhelming my sense of conscience.
Then again, I was a man who had no conscience.
"Don't you dare!" She continued wiggling, her efforts only reinforcing my decision. She was going to learn the hard way. "I'm not some little girl." I unfastened my belt as she ground her ass against me, sucking in my breath in an effort to calm my raging libido. Flashes of light flew across my field of vision, the vibrant colors almost instantly giving me a headache. I'd never wanted her as badly as I did at this moment. "If you'd behave then I wouldn't have to treat you like a little girl. However, I will issue a solid and hard spanking every time you don't until you learn."
"No. No! That's not fair."
"What's not fair is you coming into my home and begging for my help then treating me with a lack of respect." After finally freeing the buckle, I yanked at the thick leather strap, taking deep breaths in order to calm down. I was a merciless man in business and in pleasure, but I refused to hurt her given my penchant for total domination.
"You can do what you want, but I will never surrender to you."