Chapter 16

Hailey

I gasped, moaning as Giacomo’s mouth sucked at my nipple, his fingers stroking indecently between my legs. I was holding on to his shoulders because I did not know where else to put my hands. The smooth warmth of his skin under my palms was intimately exciting, even though I did not want it to be.

But I did not have control over my body.

He had all the control, and not only because he was on top of me, but because I had no defenses against the way he made me feel, the physical sensations he stirred in me. My nipple throbbed in his mouth, my pussy quivering from his attention, and deep down… I didn’t want him to stop.

Despite everything he’d done to me last night, I wanted him. I just didn’t want to admit it.

Which was why he was currently driving me wild.

Letting my nipple release from his lips with a soft pop, he lifted his head to look at me, dark eyes pinning to the bed. I whimpered as his finger circled around the sensitive bundle of nerves that ached for his attention, squirming to try to get the firmer touch that I needed.

“Tell me you want Daddy’s cock, little girl,” my husband demanded.

Pressing my lips together, I shook my head, closing my eyes against the demand in his gaze. He chuckled and slid a finger inside me, drawing a reluctant moan from my lips as his thumb teased my swollen nub.

“Tell me, little one.”

I made a whining noise as he stroked my insides, hating the need that was growing inside me.

“Can’t you just do it?”

That startled an actual laugh from him.

“I could. But I want to hear you say it. You’re going to have to say that and much more very soon.” He was referencing the bargain we’d made.

But I didn’t have to yet. Mrs. Smith wasn’t safe yet, though she and Arthur were safe for tonight, spending it in one of the many guest rooms in the house. She and Serena had bonded instantly, and Serena had been thrilled to spoil Arthur, even managing to get him to play. He was such a serious child, it had been a joy to see him finally relax enough to be silly before Giacomo had come to fetch me.

I shook my head again, even though I knew I was not going to be able to hold out much longer. The strain of needing to climax while he tormented me was driving me batty.

Then a finger brushed against my bottom hole.

“If you don’t ask for my cock in your pussy, then I suppose I could put it here again.” His finger pressed on the crinkled rosette that he’d ruthlessly invaded last night, and my eyes popped open in horror.

“No! Daddy, please, I need your cock in my pussy!” The words tumbled out, one over the other. Saying them to save my bottom from having to take his cock again was more than worth it, pride be damned.

“Since you insist.”

The wicked way he said it made it sound like he thought I really meant it… and I might have. I needed the erotic torment to end, and if this is what it took and what saved my bottom, then so be it. His fingers slid away, and suddenly, he was looming over me, trapping me beneath him, the head of his cock rubbing over the slick seam of my pussy. I sucked in a breath, then moaned as he thrust in, filling me in one hard stroke.

My fingers flexed on his shoulders, hips lifting upward to meet his thrust as he stretched me open.

It felt so good.

Looking up at him, I could see the possessiveness in his gaze—the way he looked at me claimed me even more than his cock inside me did. I was pinned beneath him, surrounded by him, filled by him, and when he began to move, the surge of pleasure that crashed through me was shocking in its intensity. I hung on for dear life as he began to move, his cock stroking back and forth inside me, his body rubbing against mine every time he thrust inward.

My nails dug into his shoulders as he began to move harder, faster, using me for his pleasure even as my own grew to greater and greater heights.

“Good girl,” he growled as I moaned again, shuddering beneath him. “You love Daddy’s cock, don’t you?”

I wanted to say no, but his hand pressed against my hip, his thumb rubbing against my swollen clit, and the answer was lost to a wild cry. It would have been a lie, anyway.

I did love the way he felt inside me. I loved the pleasure that was growing, the way he handled my body, the oncoming climax.

But I hated him.

I think.

“That’s it, little one. Come for, Daddy. Come on Daddy’s cock.”

Filthy, lewd words that pushed me over the edge. I was as perverse as him—my pussy clenched at the depraved commands, the ecstasy flowing over me, exploding inside me.

“Oh Daddy… Daddy!”

I was out of my mind, that was the only explanation for it, but I couldn’t hold the cries back. His words had stuck with me, and that’s what was at the top of my thoughts. Calling him Daddy just felt oddly natural.

It had an immediate effect on him as well. His thrusts became wild, driving me higher and higher, and I screamed with passion as he impaled me again and again, finally burying himself inside me. Wet heat throbbed within me, and I clung to him, an anchor in the storm of sensations threatening to drown me.

Every part of my body felt so exquisitely sensitive, and I was quivering like a tuning fork as he slumped over me. The heavy weight of him felt oddly comforting as I panted for breath, shuddering with the last waves of rapturous pleasure.

When he wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight to fall asleep, I didn’t fight him.

Jack

The commotion outside drew everyone’s attention from the breakfast table.

“What is he saying?” my mother asked, frowning. Normally, the paper was delivered quietly, but whenever something of particular note happened, the paper boys would go running through the streets shouting to get the attention of passersby and those inside.

“I’m sure we’ll find out in a minute,” my father replied, glancing at me as he looked up from the paper that had already been delivered before dawn.

The presses must have been working overtime this morning to print a new edition… but if it was what I suspected, then it was very big news indeed. Tomas did very quick work.

My mother narrowed her eyes, looking between my father and me and pursing her lips. Her gaze darted down to the end of the table where Mrs. Smith and Arthur were sitting. She was quietly trying to get him to eat while he poked glumly at his eggs. Hailey was seated with them, though she’d been trying to peer out the nearby window onto the street. Something must have alerted her attention to my mother’s scrutiny because she turned to look at us.

I smiled at her and took another bite of my breakfast.

The suspicion in her gaze deepened.

I was already looking forward to my reward this evening. Last night had been very nice, likely partly because she was beginning to trust me, at least a little. Saving the mayor’s wife had opened her up to me. Now, I would prove to her that I keep my word.

There was a knock at the door, then Gio strolled in, holding up a fresh news sheet.

“Addition to the paper this morning,” he announced. “Mayor Smith was found dead this morning.”

At the end of the table, Mrs. Smith jerked her head up, her mouth dropping open to match Hailey’s similarly shocked expression.

“Gio, have a care!” my mother scolded, tipping her head toward Mrs. Smith and Arthur. The mayor’s newly-made widow looked poleaxed, completely frozen in shock. The child, however, had perked up.

“Father is dead?” There was no mistaking his tone for anything but hopefulness.

“My condolences,” Gio said. “And my apologies for the insensitive manner of my delivery.”

“Thank you,” Arthur said automatically. Looking down at his plate, he suddenly began eating, as if his appetite had returned.

It made me suspicious that things at home had been far worse than Mrs. Smith had dared to tell Hailey. Or perhaps she had not known. Arthur had already shown himself to be protective of his mother, like a good son. I suspected yesterday had not been the first time the mayor had been free with his fists to the child, just the first time Mrs. Smith knew of.

“He’s…” Hailey started to say, then stopped, her eyes widening as she looked down the table at me. My moment of glory was distracted when Mrs. Smith broke into noisy tears—whether they were grief, relief, or most likely a combination of both, she drew Hailey and my mother’s immediate attention.

Knowing I would want to see it, Gio moved over to hand the broadsheet to me. It was a short, concise story—they did not have much information at the moment. The mayor’s body was discovered early in the morning by his assistant, who had arrived for a dawn meeting and found him there, dead of a single gunshot wound to the head. The note on his desk beside his body declared that he could no longer take the pressures of his job and apologized to his wife and child for his actions. Until a new mayor could be elected, the Public Advocate would step in as acting mayor.

I looked up from the paper and handed it over to my father to read. Mrs. Smith seemed much calmer now, though still caught between grief and relief, tinged with a heavy dose of guilt. She was safe from her husband, though, which was what Hailey had requested of me. Whatever emotional repercussions there were for her, those were for her to handle on her own.

“You can stay with us for as long as you need,” my mother was telling Mrs. Smith. My father rolled his eyes, but he didn’t protest. He knew it would be pointless. If my mother wanted Mrs. Smith and Arthur to stay as our guests, that was what would happen.

Hailey was still staring at me, suspicion in her eyes. I smiled at her and lifted another forkful of food to my lip. If I was eating, I couldn’t answer her questions. Though hopefully, she would know not to ask them in front of our guests, anyway.

She pressed her lips together.

In the distance, I could hear a sudden pounding at the door, then it being answered. Curious, I tilted my head, my guard going up… and then back down when Hailey’s friend Clara burst into the room, Mrs. Valachi right on her heels and appearing slightly disapproving. Clara had the news sheet in her hand.

“Hailey! Hailey, did you hear… Oh, hello, Mrs. Smith.” Loud and impetuous, Clara came to a grinding halt as she took in the sight of everyone at the breakfast table—especially Gio, who had not sat down yet and was already sidling closer to her. Reaching up to run a hand through her short blonde hair, Clara blinked and smiled. If she was aware of Gio’s interest in her, she didn’t show it. “I’m so sorry to barge in. I just really needed to speak with Hailey about… well…”

Her hand dropped down as she hesitated to announce the demise of Mayor Smith in front of his wife.

“Is it because Father is dead?” Arthur asked, looking up from shoveling food into his mouth. I choked on a laugh, and Gio reached up to cover his mouth. Even my father had to cough to cover his reaction. Gallows humor was strong in our household, but it was also Arthur’s matter-of-fact delivery that made it so hard not to laugh despite the seriousness of the situation.

“Oh, Arthur.” Mrs. Smith covered her face with her hands.

“Um, yes,” Clara said. She eyed Gio, who had managed to make his way directly to her side, in her space, and delicately stepped around him. If she was unnerved by the way he was eating her up with his eyes, she didn’t show it. “I wanted to make sure that Hailey knew since she’d been trying to help you and your mom.”

Arthur nodded.

“She did help. We’re safe now. We’re going to stay here.”

“We can’t stay here forever,” Mrs. Smith said, lowering her hands. Her cheeks were bright red to match her nose eyes and puffy eyes. “But yes, likely for a day or two, at least… if we can avoid the press…”

“The press and the cops. We’ll have them come here to talk to you. I’m sure they’re going to want to, but I’ll be by your side the whole time,” my mother said reassuringly. My father would not have told her about our involvement in the mayor’s demise, but she knew.

There was nothing to tie it to us, though, other than my mother hosting a new friend at her house in a time of grief. The police would not give her any trouble if she was with us. All of which should make Hailey happy.

“Um, Clara, can I speak with you privately?” Hailey asked, frowning at Gio as he sidled closer to Clara again. He was not doing anything except standing beside her, but apparently, Hailey did not approve.

“Of course,” Clara replied cheerfully. She turned and nearly ran into Gio. Without stepping back, she tilted her head up to look him in the eye, despite the height difference between them. “Move, please.”

Bemused, Gio stepped out of her way so she could pass. Hailey was hot on her heels, my mother watching both of them thoughtfully before sending a glance my way. I shrugged. Gio could manage his own affairs, though if Hailey tried to involve herself in whatever was going on between him and Clara, I would step in to put a stop to that.

“Sit down, Gio, and have some sausage,” my mother said, gesturing to the seat Hailey had just vacated. In a flash, Mrs. Valachi had Hailey’s plate cleared and a fresh one in its place before Gio even managed to seat himself.

His attention wasn’t on the food, though—it was on the door the two ladies had just left through. As was mine… but I knew I’d find out what they said to each other sooner or later.