Chapter 3

Daniel

For all Maria's words of hatred, the look on her face as she licked her lips was anything but that of a woman who loathed the man she'd just married. Yet I did adore her rebellious attitude, the way her lower lip protruded when she was frustrated or flustered. I'd seen it a dozen times at the reception, her attempts at keeping her heated gaze off me amusing.

While I was the hunter of our newly formed family, somehow, she'd already managed to draw me into her lair. Maybe she was a black widow, and I was nothing but a tasty morsel.

My brother had attempted to tell me that behind every powerful man was a woman who really ran the show, her support and moments of comfort allowing beasts like us to engage in whatever ruthless activity was necessary more easily. I'd laughed at him, the words nothing more than trying to force me to accept this was in my best interest, not just that of our empire.

Even heading to the wedding, I'd tried to pass off the situation and the moment, determined our required marriage was nothing but a business arrangement. Yet seeing her in the stunning white dress, candles flickering in the massive Catholic Church had shifted my perspective entirely.

I'd wanted nothing more than to rip off the expensive frock, desecrating her in front of our one thousand guests. Maybe I'd do that later, after the dust had settled. For now, I simply wanted to consummate our wedding vows, laying claim to her voluptuous body. At least she no longer seemed utterly terrified of me, which had been the case during our first and only other meeting.

I issued a heady groan as I gazed at her, the rumbling sound tightening every muscle. The temptress was still rolling her tongue across her lips, the twinkle in her eyes entirely different than the way she'd looked at me during the ceremony. We didn't know each other. I barely had any information on her life in Sicily. All I knew is that she was supposedly a spoiled rich kid from the most powerful family in all of Italy.

Her father had glared at me with disdain on our first meeting, acting as if I wasn't good enough for his only child, even though he'd contacted my older brother in hopes of making this unholy alliance.

With our marriage, we would tighten the noose more tightly around the necks of our enemies, and given our powerful hold on Kansas, Missouri, and other parts of the Midwest, adding another layer would continue bringing more wealth into our coffers.

And add to our dangerous reputation.

As long as the marriage lasted.

"Come here," I beckoned.

She shook her head.

"You heard me." Yes, I did enjoy toying with her, pushing her little buttons to see how defiant she could become. When she crawled further onto the bed, I was certain she was prepared to surrender like a good little girl. However, I was wrong. She was quite nimble, her long legs giving her a clear advantage and she was able to bolt off the other side of the bed before my think muscles could react. I was delighted by the sound of her squeal as she flew toward the bathroom, acting as if she would find some solace or a way to run away from me from behind the door.

I allowed her to slam and lock it, enjoying the moment of being that hunter I was thinking about. Then I simply kicked in the door, grateful I was considered the carpenter of the family, capable of repairing the damage I'd just caused. The beautiful filly was still defiant, even though her yelp indicated a sense of surprise that I'd dare ignore her fight for privacy.

She didn't know me at all or what I was capable of. I was also competitive as hell, refusing to allow any situation to beat me down. I grinned, issuing a deep, husky growl as I allowed my hungry gaze to peruse her stunning curves that she'd tried to hide away from me by use of a fluffy towel.

When I crowded her space, she threw out her hand, the animalistic sound she muttered as much a sweet surprise as everything else about the delicious woman. "You can't hide from me, lovely wife. Remember, I own you."

"Never. I'll never give you anything. You'll have to take it."

Her challenge was accepted. Without hesitation, I ripped off the towel, tossing it over my shoulder. That brought another lovely squeal pushing past her lush lips.

"Stay away from me." Her defiance was even more delightful than I'd anticipated, the fire in her eyes setting off several of my own.

"That's not going to happen." I wrapped one hand around her forearm, easily managing to toss her small body over my shoulder.

"Let go of me, you brute."

"I don't think so, il mio amante, la mia donna. Not until you're learned your lesson and I've left you freshly fucked." Calling her my lover, my woman was possessive as hell but that's the way I'd always been. While Constantine had been groomed to become the Don of our family, the brutal leader who would stop at nothing to erase our enemies, I'd been allowed to explore more pleasurable pursuits. That had included learning several languages as well as refining my adoration for animals.

It might be considered strange for the second in command of a mafia family, but to me, my other pursuits allowed my mind to stay fresh. Besides, who knew that boning up on my Italian language skills would come in so handy. I grinned as I stormed out of the bathroom, ready to give my bride her first lesson in the fact I was now her master.

The term was amusing to me since the last woman I'd dated for more than a couple of weeks had walked out after slapping me across the face, calling me unredeemable and far too controlling.

"I'll make you pay for this," she promised, which of course made my cock twitch even more. It had been brutal not to come down her throat or to rub my seed all over her rounded curves. Maybe I'd do that for breakfast after shackling her to the bed. The thought kept a grin on my face.

"I'd love to see you try."

"You don't know what I'm capable of."

I wanted to say the same thing about me, but she knew. She'd been brought up in a vile situation, her father murdering dozens of people himself. Or so I'd read in the reports my brother Constantine had provided. Sadly, I was certain she'd seen her share of bloody victims by the time she was a teenager. I wasn't that kind of man or leader, although I also couldn't lay claim to the fact that I was a good man.

That would be a lie and my mother had taught me never to do that. I could kill, maim, torture, or otherwise claim a life, but lying wasn't allowed. I'd found that logic amusing over the years.

I spun my bride around in a full circle, trying to decide if I'd use the belt on her rounded bottom. When I spied the brush I used far too infrequently, I couldn't help myself, grabbing the wooden handle. Tonight, the round of discipline would be completely intimate, even more so than driving my cock deep into her swollen and glistening pussy would be.

"What is that for?" she demanded, as if that was going to win her any points.

"A method to calm you by."

"What the hell does that mean?"

Before I even bothered to answer, I sat down on the edge of the bed, tossing her over my lap. "A hard spanking, which is exactly what you deserve."

I brought the wooden implement down on one side of her bottom then the other, rewarded almost instantly with curse words. I was almost surprised she was spouting them off in English, amused to hear her call me every name under the sun.

"Bastard. Asshole. Son of a bitch. Jerkoff. Pissant. Coward. Thug."

"Thug," I repeated. "That is quite honestly something I've never been called before." I smacked her bottom several times, falling into a perfect rhythm. How long had it been since I'd spanked a woman? Too long. I'd been far too busy with business and day-to-day activities at the ranch to bother with dates or what my sister would call hook-ups, something my twin sister Danika had teased me about relentlessly.

At least she appeared happy I was finally settling down, as if that was really going to happen. But that didn't mean I couldn't enjoy taming the woman I'd married. I had a feeling no one had been able to do so, including her parents.

"That hurts, you brute," Maria purred and I licked my lips, hungering for her even more than before.

"It's supposed to hurt, la mia donna," I growled in response, unable to keep a grin off my face when she almost managed to jump from my lap. I yanked her back, drinking in her wafting desire, my entire mouth watering from the sight of her slickened pussy. The taste of her lingered deep in my throat, the essence of freshly picked cherries with a hint of vanilla. Who the hell had I become?

"I'm not your woman."

"According to the vows you took, you are." I continued the spanking, enjoying the warm blush covering her skin as it shifted from light peach to a fire engine red. I wanted her to have a difficult time sitting down for at least a day or so. Maybe that made me a savage beast after all. So be it. I certainly had been called much worse.

I threw my leg over hers, scooting her even closer to my overheated body. I was forced to fight the urge to fuck her right away, cracking the wooden piece down a few more times instead. However, her moans were already driving the sadistic man I was back to the forefront. I wasn't going to be able to resist her for long.

I twirled the brush once again, my hunger becoming lost in the moment. "You're very wet for a wife who hates her husband."

"Not because of you."

"Mmm… You're a terrible liar, my darling wife."

She struggled in my hold all over again but her bumping and grinding only had the effect of arousing me even more. I rubbed the handle of the brush down her spine, drinking in her sweet essence. I hadn't been this turned on in a very long time and I planned on taking full advantage of it.

When I dared to dip it between her legs, she instantly froze, doing her best to push up from the bed. "You're so…"

"Go on, Maria. Tell me exactly what you think of me. That only proves to arouse me more than you already have."

"Bastard."

"You can do well to expand your vocabulary." I eased my leg away, using the brush to open hers. The moment I pressed the handle against her swollen folds, the sound of her whimpers threw gasoline on the fire. All control was lost around her, which I found fascinating. As I rubbed the wooden end up and down her slickened pussy, she bit back all her strangled sounds.

Or so she thought.

I could tell how much she craved my domination, even if the feisty woman wouldn't admit it just yet. I would eventually have her eating out of my hand. The imagery was spectacular, keeping my balls aching. She bucked hard once again and I drove the entire length of the handle into her tight channel.

I was so used to women who fought for control, doing anything and everything to climb the ladder that her sweet actions of vulnerability were a pleasant surprise. It was also more to my liking, bringing out a protective side I hadn't known I had.

Her yelp brought a smile to my face. She was wet, the sounds of her pussy clenching and releasing tainted yet perfect music. I could listen to the melodic strains all night long. I pumped the brush in several times while my cock continued to throb, losing my grip on what little control I had left. When I could take it no more, I pulled the brush away, turning her over and righting her on my lap.

She dared to try to slap me, but I grabbed her arm, yanking it away.

"That wasn't very nice of you, darling wife."

"Who said I was nice?"

"Valid point. Open that pouting mouth of yours."

She glared at me as if I'd asked her to jump off a building but seconds later, she did as I asked, never blinking as she tried to figure out what I was going to do. When I taunted her by rubbing the soaked wood around her lips, her eyes opened wide. I could tell the hint of fear had returned, but not enough to shove aside her defiance.

God, it would be fun to break her down little by little until she begged me to fuck her. When I pushed the handle into her mouth, she kept it open.

"I don't think you want me to use the belt as a second round just yet. Now, do you? Suck for me. You need practice." That was a lie. Her hot, wet mouth had almost brought me to climax immediately.

I couldn't have been more surprised at her obedience, the sounds of her sucking perhaps the best thing I'd heard all day. I enjoyed toying with her even more than before, driving the brush against the back of her throat as I'd done with my cock. Her eyes were suddenly glassy as she began to accept that she wasn't going anywhere unless I allowed her to.

Somehow, I doubted her sweet and innocent act would last for long. Lucky for her, I was a fighter, the kind of man who refused to give up when he set his sights on something. After all, I was the brooding and rebellious type.

We were strangers but after tonight, I'd make good on my promise of making her entirely mine. When I'd had enough foreplay, I tossed the brush away, ceremoniously dumping her onto the bed my housekeeper had adorned with rose petals. Obviously, the woman was under the assumption our marriage was on the up and up.

It was a nice touch, more so than I would have admitted before.

When I crawled onto the bed, Maria chewed on her lower lip, bending and folding her legs to the side.

"What now?" she was silly enough to ask.

"Now, I fuck you."

Maria

The arrogance of the man was outrageous.

Daniel had spanked me.

He'd licked me until I'd… been driven into pure ecstasy.

And the bastard had fucked me with a brush. I clenched my fists because every action he'd taken had excited me even more. Was I losing my mind?

I'd never yearned for possession, and I certainly had never been forced to endure a spanking by anyone. Not my father. Not a useless boyfriend. No one. The fact this… man had done so with little provocation had infuriated the hell out of me, but as Daniel crawled onto the bed, hovering over me like the predatory beast I knew him to be, I couldn't deny that there was something attractive about him needing to dominate me.

The thought was crazy, more so than I could fathom, but here I was gasping from the round of pleasure and pain, breathless in wonderment of what would come next. I'd valued being independent for as long as I could remember, but he'd managed to strip that away within seconds of being led into this room.

Who was I any longer? I was certain I wouldn't recognize the girl staring back at me when I peered into the bathroom mirror. He straddled me with ease, the glimmer in his eyes more intense than before. I'd tried to think of him as a soulless man but as he peered down at me, his icy blue eyes allowed me to see straight into his mind and world as if they were windows into the inner sanctum that fueled him.

I was expecting many things from the brutal man but was still unprepared when he grunted like a savage, dropping his head and clamping his teeth around the skin of my neck. He was far too close to my pulse of life, a reminder that he could just as easily end my life as keep me safely tucked away in his estate. The barbaric sounds continued as he sucked, no doubt capable of leaving a hickey. It was a ridiculous action. We were adults, not kids hiding in the backseat of a car, but I found myself leaning into the moment, gasping for air as an entirely different wash of pain swept through me.

This wasn't about romance and I certainly wasn't na?ve. If I didn't give him what he wanted, I wouldn't get my prize either. I pressed my palm against his chest, but there was no sense of getting any space around him. When he brushed his hand under my chin, I felt another wave of heat and electricity tearing through me. No man had ever pushed me into a fiery need like Daniel had, and it would forever be confusing.

Within seconds, I found myself relaxing around him, unfolding my legs so he could ease his massive body between them. There was a strange eroticism between us that couldn't be explained even though a gnawing sense of trepidation tried to eat at my defenses. I closed my eyes as he took full control, the feel of every touch creating explosive goosebumps.

"I love having the taste of you on my tongue," he whispered in my ear before driving the tip into the shell.

I couldn't stop myself from shuddering, turning my head to try to get enough air in my lungs. As he pressed the full weight of his body against mine, I fell into a sweet haze that I hoped would keep me from losing what was left of my mind and my courage.

"Later, I plan on feasting for hours, my lovely wife. Is that something you can handle?"

"Yes."

"Is that something you want?"

Swallowing hard, I wanted to scream out the single word ‘no,' but I couldn't because he'd awakened something deep inside that I'd thought would never happen. "Maybe."

"Then I guess I'll need to shackle you to my bed until you relent." He breathed across my neck and over the area he'd bitten until butterflies swirled up from my stomach.

I couldn't get over the lightheaded feeling or the sense of nerves. I'd expected him to take me brutally, but he was taking his time, allowing me to get used to the feel of having his throbbing cock pressed against my sex.

"So wet for me. It's going to be incredible to be inside of you, burying myself into your tight little pussy."

When he pushed the tip of his cock against my throbbing folds, I sucked in my breath, every muscle in my body tensing. He wasn't finished yet, using his knee to open me wide in preparation for his claiming of me. The moment his shaft was positioned exactly where he wanted it to be, all he needed to do was to jut his hips forward, breaching my tight channel.

I clawed at his arms, instantly marveling at the tightness of his muscles.

He threw his head back, taking a single deep breath and holding it. The smile crossing his face kept me entranced, clinging to him as if my life depended on it. I was surprised all over again when I wrapped one leg around his thigh, pulling him even more tightly against the heat of my body.

As he dropped his head, he allowed his breath to trickle down my face, his expression one of amusement. "For someone who hates me, it would seem your pussy is happy to have my cock inside."

He couldn't help himself, throwing my supposed loathing back in my face. Sadly, he was right, my body betrayal something I couldn't take back or avoid. I struggled with the ugly thoughts in my head even as the pleasure he was providing exponentiated. It was as if he'd known my body for years, providing exactly what I needed. While I was still thrown by the complexity of our strange, budding relationship, I couldn't ignore the connection we shared.

Although I'd never admit it was as if we were destined to be together. That simply wouldn't be true, not even if I wanted it to be.

He pulled almost all the way out, plunging into me again, the hard push driving me into the soft comforter. Seconds later, he yanked my other leg around his, easing onto his forearms as he continued. As he'd done before, he never blinked, trying to catch my every emotion as he powered into me.

I realized I was digging my nails into his skin, a single drop of blood appearing from how hard I'd clenched his arms. If he noticed, I certainly couldn't tell by the famished look in his eyes, yet it was entirely different than before.

The look was one daring me to lose myself in him.

To fall into the darkness of sin.

He was the kind of man any woman would find herself craving, his shallow dimples providing a less dangerous appearance but there was no mistaking who and what he was.

Somehow, his look of utter desire pulled me in a little closer, the scent of him stronger.

He rolled his hips, developing a perfect rhythm, my entire body responding. There was something almost desperate about his need to fill me with his seed.

I was immediately taken to a moment of bliss, unable to come down from the high plateau he'd placed me on. Within seconds, I knew I was losing the battle of trying not to satisfy him or myself, the extreme pleasure tipping the scales.

As another orgasm pounded my system, I did what I could to bite back a cry.

"That's it, la mia donna. Come for me. Come on my cock. I adore the way your face writhes when you do."

The way he continued to call me his woman almost felt like a reprimand, but when he used the name Maria, I felt like a fraud. Besides, there was no way of stopping the powerful release, the scream erupting from the depths of my being as unexpected as the climax had been.

"Good girl. My very good girl."

I didn't want to be his good anything but as the wave continued rolling through me, my toes curled from the extra sensitivity I was experiencing.

And the bastard knew it too, the explosive grin on his face one I wanted to wipe off.

He thrust hard and fast, keeping me on the edge of ecstasy for what seemed like twenty minutes, his stamina as shocking as the moment.

But he wasn't ready to erupt deep inside just yet, instead using his upper body strength to return me to his lap as he lifted himself to be able to sit on the bed. A single whimper escaped my mouth from his actions, another more bountiful wave of excitement coursing through me.

"I'm not done with you by a long shot," he whispered, the husky sound ringing in my ears.

As we locked eyes again, I rolled my arms over his shoulders, tangling the fingers of one hand in his hair, no longer able to blink even if I wanted to. It was as if he was challenging me to do so, daring me to be the first one to break our electric connection. I refused to give him the satisfaction, finding myself bucking hard against him instead.

If that was my attempt at taking back control over the situation, not allowing him to get under my skin, I was hopelessly doomed. We rocked together for several minutes and the way he slid his hand down to the small of my back was more protective than I'd expected. Only seconds later, I was certain he was going to come.

A part of me wanted to continue this delicious but awkward game of seduction, but I knew I wouldn't come out the winner. His raw magnetism was too overpowering, his needs too intense.

And now his expression was one I couldn't read, as if the charming man was deciding between kissing or killing me.

He made the decision, dipping his head, allowing another growl to slide up from his throat as he captured my mouth. There was no hesitation, the man immediately thrusting his tongue inside. I could taste myself on him and it disgusted me, but there was no turning back now, no chance to return to the life I'd been living only four weeks before. The kiss was more savage, his claiming of my mouth exactly as he'd done to my body. Only there was something more ferocious about his actions, a dance of ownership that kept me breathless.

I marveled in the way he held me, undulating my hips as his cock throbbed deep inside.

When he finally allowed me to swim up for air, I laughed before gasping, struggling to do something simple like learning how to breathe all over again.

As every muscle in his body stiffened, I lolled my head to the side, suddenly more exhausted than I'd ever been in my life. Yet I managed to squeeze my pussy muscles, clamping around his shaft like a tight vise. And in those few precious moments of feeling like I had control, he erupted deep inside. Somehow, I knew it would be short lived.

The man would never allow his wife to be in control of anything.

Especially if he learned the ugly truth, the one that would sign my death warrant.