FIFTY - NINE

FIFTY - NINE
CELESTIA

The earth was moving rapidly, or I was swaying. Either way, it was not good. Raffaele was there, right in front of me. Groomed, powerful, and every inch of the business mogul that he was. He was also the paradigm of sin and heartbreak.
Expensive shoes slapped against the tiled floor as he closed the distance between us. Instinctively, I stepped away and raised my palm against the wall of his chest to push him away. “St—Stay away from me. I—”
“Never,” he determined. In a flash, he grabbed my hand and yanked me off balance. Long, masculine fingers wrapped around my wrist and settled into an unbreakable grip.
The pulse rushed, making me heady. Whatever little resistance I had was slowly crumbling around me like a house of cards. How could I be so weak? Tears threatened and voices croaked, and yet I managed to shun him out. “Why do you care now?” I tried to glare despite the pearl of water sliding down. “Let me go, Raffaele. Let me go.”
A slow smile appeared on his lips, but it did not reach his eyes. With the back of his hand, he swiped away the teardrop, whispering, “Oh, I don’t think so, bambi. I am not letting you go.”
“I am going to scream,” I threatened.
This time, he cackled. “Baby, this is a BDSM club. People are accustomed to hearing all sorts of noises, and especially the screams.”
A gasp drew as I tugged on my hand—hard and in vain. “Why are you doing this? If sex is all you want, you can summon any woman. They would probably fall at your feet. What do you need me for?”
He slowly let go of my hands, but when I tried to slip away, ruthless fingers closed over my waist and pulled impossibly closer to him. “I am sorry, Celestia.” A finger traced the hairline and smoothed down the side of my face in apology. “I should not have let Kyla take you away from me. I should have stopped you somehow.”
The truth in his words was reflected in his glassy grey eyes, but his actions still hurt. “Why didn’t you stop me then?”
“I didn’t because I may have been a crazy person when it comes to you, but I am also a businessman. And so is your mother,” he said cryptically.
Naturally, I frowned. “What is that supposed to mean?”
He eyed me for a long time as if he was contemplating to reveal that he knew. Emotions warred, but he finally gave in with a sigh. “Kyla made me sign a paper when she paid in full. One of the clauses enforces that I can never come near you or contact you in any way. Not only me, no one from the Roselli family or a representative of us can contact you.”
If Raffaele was not holding me down, I would have fallen. “Mother never told me this,” I mumbled more to myself. She fed me all sorts of information against Raffaele and yet never told me of this stipulation.
He scoffed. “Of course she would not, what do you expect?”
Maybe she still thought that Raffaele could harm me?
But how could he sign that wretched papers in the first place? And took the money too.
Like I was something he could buy, rent, or give away for cash.
Anger spiked anew as I glared at him and jabbed a finger into his chest. “Don’t go around blaming the other person when you are much at fault. She made you sign? What are you, ten-year-old? And what about the money? You shamelessly accepted that in exchange for me.”
A haughty brow lifted and arched me a menacing look. “Did I now?” When I did not say a word, he pulled out a folded paper from the inside of his suit jacket and handed it to me.
What the—
“This is a bank account on your name that you can access anytime from any corner of the world,” he supplied as I perused over the words and numbers.
Fifteen million. The exact amount Kyla gave it to him.
I finally met his eyes, still dazed and numb. “Why would you do this? And then send me away from you. I…I was happy and then…” It was impossible to remain articulate about words and sentences when emotions collided inside my head like missiles.
And everything within quietened when he hugged me tightly and kissed the top of my head. “I never intended to send you away, Celestia. I was only protecting you and buying us some time.” Raffaele pulled back a little to look into my eyes. “Know this: there was no force in the world that could keep you away from me.”
He wanted me. The realization sank in, levered down like tranquil water, and then made my heart soar.
“I don’t want the money,” I mumbled.
“Keep it, at least for safety.”
I nodded. Erratic thoughts scrambled together like a well-matched puzzle, and a small smile clicked. “That is assuring. I have missed you too.”
“Did you?” He gave one of his arching rhetorical looks. A hand snaked around, grabbed a fistful of hair and yanked. “Your visit to a BDSM club does not exactly justify that statement.”
“That is because you were an ass,” I told him good-naturedly.
“Baby, you have one of hell a punishment coming for you. Don’t make it worse by calling me names or hitting me.”
It was not the fear that made me tremble in his arms, but the possibilities and extent of his ablaze lust and need glossing in his eyes. Whatever insecurities that made me desolate were all banished with that look.
Tiptoeing, I pressed my lips against his and planted a harsh kiss. He returned with the same fervor and passion that melted me on the spot.
And harden my nipples at the same time.
When the kiss ended, I wriggled out of his touch, and surprisingly he let me do it. “It was nice meeting you here, Mr. Roselli.” I beamed mischievously. “But I have to leave now. I gave my new bodyguard a nice slip, and before he calls my mother, I need to go back.”
A smirk crossed his handsome face. “So I have been told.”
I did not like that one bit. “You are hiding something.”
“I hired Alec. He works for me.”
“You...you..” I gaped and gawked for a long moment before collecting my wits about it. But Raffaele beat me to it.
“What if I drop you home?” he offered.
The possibility seemed…ludicrous, but I quickly shook away the thought. “You can’t come anywhere near me. You signed a contract. Remember?”
“This is Las Vegas, sweetheart. Kyla Donovan cannot outmatch my hold and power over this city,” he said arrogantly.
“Then why did—”
“She can take you out of Vegas,” Raffaele reasoned. “In that case, it will take me some time to pull in favors. It won’t be impossible, but it won’t be very swift.” He took in a long breath, transforming his mood.
“Now enough about your mother.” His stormy eyes morphed from deep and smoldering to bright and glittering, and his composure coiled that of a predator—a hungry wolf as he approached. “Strip for me. I intend to see all that I have been missing.”
Reaching behind, I quickly unzipped the dress because Raffaele has a record of tearing the fabric, and I would very much like to go back home dressed properly. Next, the push-up bra came off.
“Come with me,” he ordered hoarsely and led me to a far wall of the room. Facing me towards it, he urged a flat palm to the small of my back and pressed me flat against it.
“Put your arms above and hold on to the hooks,” he guided next, and the wrists were promptly restrained.
My mind went nonplussed as I frantically looked over my shoulder. “Raffaele...I...”
“Shh, baby.” Two masculine paws grabbed my breasts, encouraging the nipples to harden into rocks. “I am right here. Just giving you a little taste of bondage. Think you can handle it?”
My mouth has gone dry, so I bobbed my head.
“That’s my good girl.” More kneading, more of his raunchy touch. “Give me a safe word. Something you can promptly remember if you truly want me to stop.”
I felt dyslexic. Letters danced in my head but finally managed to blabber out, “Vegas.”
“Hmm. Vegas,” he hummed his approval, letting go of breasts and lowered down. The lack of sight was driving me crazy. “I am going to remove your panties now, and then you will spread your legs nice and wide for me.”


Thank you for reading the story. Hope you have enjoyed the steam.