14. Zeke

14

ZEKE

V ito swallowed around me, and I groaned, pulling back enough to let him gasp for air. After a moment, I demanded, “More.” He let me take it, opening his mouth so I could thrust into him again and again.

My vision clouded and stars burst in my mind. I thrust against his mouth, coming again and again. He took every drop, never once trying to push me away. He was so fucking beautiful there on his knees, accepting whatever I gave him.

I’d bound myself to him like a fool, but God it felt good. Accepting his help was a terrible idea. I wasn’t solving my problem. I was making a worse one here in my new town. This was my last fucking chance, and I might screw it up, but I hadn’t been able to stop myself.

When I was completely drained, I let go of Vito and dropped back against the couch. I closed my eyes, not sure I could look at him. He laid his head against my thigh, trying to catch his breath. Without conscious thought, I began finger-combing his hair, like I was trying to soothe him. In reality, I was trying to soothe myself with the feel of him. This was all so fucked up.

Vito pulled away from me, and I let my hand drop. I kept my eyes closed, but I heard the sound of his zipper going down. I couldn’t keep myself from looking as he pulled out his cock. It was hard and red, and I could see a vein throbbing along the top.

“Take off your shirt,” he ordered. “I’m going to come on you.”

I suddenly wanted that more than anything. I wanted to wear him on my body. If I was going to be his, I wanted to immerse myself in it, utterly. I wanted to wallow in the filthiness of it. I was giving myself over to this man, and I was going to enjoy it. I loved sex and I was fucking done going without. I pulled my sweater and my T-shirt over my head, then slid down further, opening my legs even more.

“That’s right,” Vito growled. “You know what you need, don’t you?”

“Yes, please.”

“You want my cum on you.”

I nodded.

“Say it.”

“I want…yes.”

He shook his head, and his hand slowed on his cock. “Tell me exactly what you want.”

I closed my eyes as I forced myself to say the words. “I want your cum on me.”

“Better. Next time you’ll have to look at me when you say it.”

“Nex—” The words caught in my throat. “Next time?”

“You told me you understood my terms.”

“Yeah, but I just… This is a lot to get used to.”

“It’s going to be a lot to take. I’m a lot to take, but you can handle it.”

I had a feeling he meant that in more ways than one. He braced himself with one hand on the back of the couch and leaned over me as he pumped his cock faster and faster. I watched a flush run over his neck and face.

“That’s it,” I said. “Come on me. Cover me in it.” He growled as he coated my chest with cum.

I ran a finger through it and brought to my mouth, and his cock twitched one more time as he watched.

“You’re fucking amazing.” His words were low and rough.

People had praised my hockey skills, though not so much lately. But I was rarely complimented on anything else. I knew he was just praising my sexual abilities, but it felt like he was telling me he approved of me, like he actually saw me .

I was probably being ridiculous. He’d fixated on something, and all I could do was enjoy the perks of that for as long as it lasted.

After we’d both cleaned up, Vito sat down across from me, reached into his suit jacket— which he’d never removed—and pulled out some folded sheets of paper. He opened them and handed them to me along with a pen.

I studied them for a moment. It was the fucking contract. “You brought that with you?”

“Of course I did. I came here to get you to sign, but I saw you leaving and followed you to the bar. Thank God I did.”

Even though he’d saved me from Benito, I wanted to complain. I wanted to tell him he was crazy, that he couldn’t follow me like that, couldn’t come to my home. I should’ve called the police instead of falling into bed with him, but the police weren’t going to help me with the problem I’d created in Vegas.

So I picked up the pen, scrawled my signature across the line, then dropped the pen as if it were burning me. I’d either saved myself or brought about my final destruction.

I looked up and Vito, and he met my gaze. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you.”

“Is that what this is? Business.”

He wrapped a hand around my throat and squeezed. I grabbed his arm and tried to pull it away, but he was so fucking strong. I’d have to truly hurt him to free myself.

The pressure increased until I couldn’t breathe. “Stop fighting me.”

When I did, he eased up, but he still held me tight enough that my heart hammered in my ears.

“I just watched you fall apart as you used my mouth, then covered you in my cum. Do you really think this is all about business? Don’t insult me like that again.”

I looked at him, my eyes full of unshed tears. When I nodded, he released my throat and used his thumbs to brush away the tears.

“This is crazy,” I said, my voice hoarse from being choked.

“I know.”

“You don’t really know me.”

“I’ve been watching you for a long time. I knew you were something special the first night I saw you out on the ice. I needed to have you.”

“I’m not just a possession for you to take. I’m a grown ass NHL player.”

He smiled. “Yeah, that makes it even hotter.”

Why did I want him when he was so fucking insufferable? “I’ve got a game tomorrow.”

“I know.”

“We’re home this time, but Sunday I go on the road. What’s going to happen then?”

“I’m going to go with you.”

I shook my head. “That’s not possible. I….”

“You what?”

How did I tell him I couldn’t be seen with him, that I needed to be on my best behavior, not dating a criminal. “I’ve not got the best reputation, but I’m trying to change it. I’m not gambling, and I’m not chasing men.”

“Damn right you’re not, because you’ve got one.”

“Vito—”

“Any needs you’ve got, I can satisfy them better than anyone else you’re going to find and way better than some crazy ass fan that just wants to throw himself at you.”

I smiled then. “Isn’t that kind of what you are?”

“I’m so much more than that.”

His words made me shiver, and he pulled me close and kissed me softly. The gentle touch had me confused. Was there more here than a crazy man deciding to stalk me? Did I want there to be more?

Maybe.

I tried to deepen the kiss, but he pulled back. “Let me take care of your problems my way.”

I was going to have to spell things out and hope he didn’t get too offended. “I can’t openly date a mobster. Not when I’m trying to beat my reputation as a gambling addict and a manwhore. If I drag this team into some kind of scandal, my career is over.”

“We don’t have to be together publicly. I’ll have guards with you.”

Was he really going to agree that easily? “You aren’t going to insist on being the one who’s by my side?”

“I want to, but I’m not going to fuck up your career. You deserve a chance to be a star, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to help you get there.”

For the first time, I believed there might actually be more to his interest in me than horniness and a desire to conquer.

“So, if you have guards watching me, are you still coming to my games?”

He smiled. “Damn right I am, but I don’t have to be seen with you unless you’re in danger. I will take any action necessary to save you.”

I wasn’t going to argue with that. I couldn’t play hockey if I was dead. “Don’t you have work to do for your family? Can you really be near me all the time?”

“I’ll manage, and when I can’t be with you, I’ll leave your safety in the hands of someone I trust.” The doorbell rang. “That should be Six and Muffin. I trust them to have my back, so I trust them with you.”

Those were sure interesting names. He headed to answer the door, and I followed. “Sit down. I’ll take care of this.”

“I’m capable of introducing myself to a bodyguard.”

“These are my men, and they take orders from me.”

How did he go from making me swoon to pissing me off so fast? “That’s enough with the controlling shit.”

“You don’t know anything about control yet.”

“Vito—”

“Tell me you didn’t love what we just did?”

I refused to answer.

“That’s what I thought. Let me take care of this.”

Vito stepped out into the hall with the men for a few minutes. When he came back in, they followed. Both men were well over six feet tall, and their shoulders were as wide as the doorframe.

“Zeke, this is Six and Muffin. Six is going to stay here in your apartment whenever I can’t be here, and Muffin will man the building’s perimeter.”

I said hi, and both men nodded. I supposed they didn’t do a lot of talking in their line of work. Having the two of them standing in my living room made it feel half its usual size. How was I going to get used to having intimidating strangers around all the time?

Vito sent Muffin back outside and Six began inspecting the apartment to see how secure it was. Vito pulled me to him. “I’ve got to leave. I need to go talk to my family since we’re going to need their help to take care of Benito.”

“When are you coming back?”

“As soon as I can. It’ll probably be late, but I’ll try to hurry. Believe me, I don’t want to leave you at all.”

I stared at him trying to comprehend. “You’re saying you’re going to come back and stay here?”

“That’s right. I’ll send Six outside, and I’ll be here to guard you.”

I frowned. I couldn’t be hearing him right. “You’re moving in with me?”

“You need a bodyguard twenty-four seven.”

“I thought that’s what Six was for.”

“I don’t want another man in your apartment all night.”

“Vito, this is too much. You’ve been following me, spying on me. You forced your way up here today.”

He held up a hand. “You invited me.”

I rolled my eyes. “You coerced me into inviting you up here today, then you….”

“Sucked you off until you were begging for more?”

“Yes, but this is all too much, too fast. I didn’t agree to live with you.”

“You need protection. I told you I would do that for you.”

“I didn’t think you meant?—”

He placed a finger over my lips. “I’m staying here to protect you. Everything else can go at whatever pace it needs to. I’ll wait as long as I need to, but you will be mine.”

“You’re crazy.”

“You’ve got to stop saying that, baby. You’re going along with it all. Does that mean you’re crazy too?”

“I’m a fuckup.”

He cupped my head and made me look at him. “No, you’re not. You’re a talented hockey player. You’ve worked your way up to get what you wanted. You’ve made some mistakes. We all have. We’re going to fix those, and you’re going to be able to do everything you’ve ever wanted.”

“Why are you so sure about that?”

“Because I believe in you.”

“Why? You know how badly I fucked up.”

“I don’t need to know anything other than what I know already. I know how hard you’re trying. You deserve help. You deserve someone to take care of you.”

“So, you’ve decided to be that person, and I don’t get a choice.”

He stroked his thumb over my cheekbone. “Do you really want a choice?”

I tried to remember how to breathe as I looked into his eyes. I couldn’t do anything but shake my head. “No.”

“That’s what I thought,” he kissed me softly, said goodbye to Six, then left. I sat there awkwardly, staring at the man who was apparently going to be sitting in my living room with me until Vito came back.