Athena
Rough knuckles grazed my back, gripping the straps behind them firmly, yet surely. Every brush tingled, sending ripples of warmth and shock through my skin. I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath until he leaned forward, his lips grazing my ear lobe.
“You play a very dangerous game, Raven Gonzalez. What is your aim?”
“Aim?” I forced myself to sound as sure and confident as I could, ignoring the heat that threatened to swaddle me whole. This was what I wanted, wasn’t it? Heck, I was sure my undercover colleagues in the hall were grinning triumphantly. But it was so damn hard.
Luciano”s fingers pressed against my back, toying with the knot he had just made. Just one tug, One tug at it all would unravel the dress. He knew it. I knew it too. I leaned into his touch, the public melting away until it was just us.
“I assure you, sir, I bear no ill will,” I added
“Except for the will to drive a man crazy, I suppose.” He replied, hands reaching up to slide my hair away from my neck, exposing it to his gaze.
I leaned my neck to the side and he growled quietly, burying his face into the nape of my neck.
“Oh,” I sighed unconsciously.
I hadn’t meant to enjoy it. But the feel, freak, the feel of his face buried in my neck, his warm breath covered places I hadn’t even known were sensitive. My back arched as I tried to sink deeper into the warmth he provided.
‘Kill him now, Thena’, My mind pushed. He’s so close, end him. End him already.
I reached for the small knife hidden underneath my dress, patting it lightly as if to assure myself that it was still there. A slash across the carotid was all it would take.
But I…His lips grazed my neck and he groaned as if in pain. I shuddered, forgetting all that I had been thinking about. God, he felt so good. No one had ever felt this good. I might as well enjoy it before I killed him right? Besides I still had to get the information Frederick needed and I sure as hell couldn’t get that if I stuck a knife in his throat.
His wet tongue darted out, licking at my neck. That took me by surprise. I tossed my head back and gritted my teeth to stop myself from moaning out loud like some depraved whore. My thighs clenched in response, a wet pool forming between them. He gave another soft groan and turned me around so I could face him.
Dark eyes washed all over me like melted chocolate. I held my breath in anticipation. He looked feral, with his hair scattered and tousled in all directions, His eyes burning with a desire that threatened to engulf me as well. I licked my lips baiting him, urging him to take what he wanted.
“Boss?” Marcus’ annoying voice breached through the haze that surrounded us and I swore under my breath.
I saw it the minute the spell around us was broken. The fire in his eyes died a cold death. He looked quite disgusted and I wondered who exactly he was mad at. Taking my cue to leave, I stepped away from him and would have walked away when he spoke.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
Clearing my throat, I gave him a wane smile. “To see that your event runs smoothly Mr. Morettti,”
His eyes narrowed into slits, regarding me fiercely despite the cold look on his face. And then as if he was done analyzing me, he looked away, at Marcus. “Get a ladder,”
“Boss?” Marcus looked confused and I shrugged. Whatever it was didn’t seem to concern me.
“I’ll take your leave-”
“Take a step, Miss Gonzalez and you’re fired.”
Welp, that I hadn’t seen coming. My face scrunched up in confusion as I tried to figure out what the brute, standing before me, wanted.
“Marcus, Get a freaking ladder. I presume you’re not deaf?” He bellowed. Marcus coughed awkwardly, gave his boss a nod, and tossed me a scathing look before walking to fetch a ladder from who knows where?
Luciano turned to me then. Anything that showed that a few minutes ago, we had shared a moment, was gone. All that was left was the cold expression on his face and a wicked glint in his eyes.
Ah shit! Just when I thought I had made progress.
“Do you know how to fix a light bulb, Miss Gonzalez?” He asked and I frowned.
“What?”
……
“I’m assuming you haven’t done this before,” Marcus yelled from below me. Holding on to the ladder, I looked down at him with a glare.
‘Oh, what gave it away?” I spat, my voice heavily laced with sarcasm.
The jackass chuckled, thoroughly enjoying my plight. He was every bit as infuriating as his master! I stared at the bulb in my hands and shook my head. No, his master was way worse. The bastard had made me climb up a ladder in the presence of everyone, to do what? To fix a fucking light bulb. There were no words to describe the burning humiliation I felt at the moment. Everyone had seen him take me in his arms, and now they watched as he made me suffer.
I laughed dryly and looked up at the weird conical bulb that I was supposed to change. How the hell does one change a lightbulb? I could infiltrate hideouts, breach through security guards, snap a man in half but a light bulb?
“Dammit!” I hissed through my teeth.
“Miss Gonzalez. We do not have all day!” The Devil himself spoke up. He sat on a chair at the high table, watching me make a fool out of myself. I must look quite a sight. Dressed in a fancy gown, hanging onto a ladder to fix a bulb in the gigantic hall. I’d bet he was pleased with himself for causing a spectacle. This was punishment. Punishment for seducing him.
Cold bastard!
I considered tossing the light bulb at his head, but it most likely wouldn’t reach so I settled with a glare. “We have handymen for this, Mr. Moretti. I’m sure they’ll be happy to do their jobs.”
“Why, Miss Gonzalez, one would think you couldn’t handle such a simple task. Make it snappy, I have guests arriving in the next twenty minutes.” He snapped.
Marcus snickered then and I growled in anger. Resolve be damned, I would not be treated like this.
“What is your fucking problem?!” I yelled. “Just because I work for you, doesn’t give you the right to treat me like this!”
“Then Leave.” His eyes were dead ass cold when he said those words.
My eyes widened at the challenge. That was what he aimed for. He wanted me to leave on my own, didn’t he?
I cocked my head at him, arching a brow. “If you want me gone, you can just fire me. This is pointless Luciano.”
He reared to his feet then, eyes blazing with anger. “You do not get to bandy words with me. Fix the fucking light bulb, Gonzalez.”
“I can’t,” I said simply.
“You will!” He bit out coldly. “If we have to hold the event with you standing up there like the fucking Statue of Liberty, we will!”
“You won’t risk that!” I yelled and he gave me an unbothered look as if I had just said something completely irrelevant.
“Try ME,” He challenged.
Ah shit! I had picked the wrong day to mess with him. I glared at the bulb above me and sighed deeply. It would seem, I had no other choice. Under the pretext of rubbing my ear, I tapped on the device stuck in it. “Help me, Frederick,”
He had to be somewhere around because he replied with a “Sure thing Kiddo.”. His voice came out tight with anger. “I’m sorry you had to go through that,”
I hummed and listened as he gave directions on how to replace the bulb. It took quite a while, but after several trials, I finally fixed it. As I climbed down the ladder aware of everyone’s eyes on me, I managed to get down as gracefully as I could. Feeling even more confident, I turned to face the man who had just subjected me to shame, anger burning in my veins anew.
“What more do you have for me, Mr. Moretti? As you can see, I have no intention of leaving. You might as well take your chance to get rid of me now.” I said with a haughty sniff.
Luciano chuckled then. It wasn’t the humorous one I had heard in the elevator days ago. It was a cold surly laugh that told me I was in deep shit.
“Letting you go will not be as amusing, Raven,” He replied. “I’d like to see how much of that arrogant spirit I can break.”