Page 23 of Bought (BOUGHT TRILOGY #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Erin

Even with the grocery store behind me and the Cabriolet speeding off toward my apartment, I’m still trembling. When Lucian suddenly appeared at the store a few moments ago, I thought everything had finally blown up in my face.

As terrifying as the thought was, I was almost relieved to be done with the lies.

Even though their paths didn’t cross, I can’t get my heart rate to slow down. It’s unbelievable how deeply I’ve involved myself with not just one crime family in this city, but two.

Two deadly mafia families who are at war with each other.

I’m living with one and sleeping with the other.

I never should have agreed to dinner.

Ryan’s only three.

Three-and-a-half; he’d correct me if he were here.

He doesn’t know Bambi’s last name, and I doubt he could pronounce it even if he did. Ryan already enjoys saying Lucian’s name as ‘loo-shan’ because it lets him get away with potty talk.

The confrontation at the store was nerve-wracking.

The upcoming dinner with his family is just terrifying.

I now have to face the family of the man I met when I sold my virginity in a bidding war.

Tonight could be the end for me.

My palms are sweaty against my thighs, and I can’t stop fiddling with the hem of my dress. Lucian notices. Of course he does. He’s always watching out for me. His hand stays warm and steady on my knee, grounding me.

“Stop fidgeting,” he says softly. “You’ll be fine.”

Easy for him to say. He’s not the one walking into the den of wolves. Though technically, I’m the predator.

I can’t seem to stop reliving that terrible moment.

“Pretty.” The word is thick, hot like molten lava. “Who are they for?”

I turn over my shoulder to find a strange man, broad with dark features and sharp eyes.

“Oh, just for me.” I swallow the bile as it creeps up in my throat.

He moves closer, now standing only a hand’s breadth behind me. When he speaks again, the lava is so close it’s seeping inside my ear, draining down my spine.

“Are you celebrating a win?” he asks. “’Cause me and the boys had one the other day.”

“Oh yeah?” I manage. “What was that?”

“We learned you girls have a new address. We know where you’re headed.

” He reaches out and dares to drag his thumb over the bare skin at the back of my neck, sliding my hair over my right shoulder.

“I’m sure Caleb would love to have your new digits.

Want me to invite him to the housewarming? I hear the Hoax is big on parties.”

My blood runs ice cold. He’s never brought up Caleb’s family ties before.

I need to please him. “I’m with Lucian right now. He’s taking me to meet his family.”

I hope that’s enough to buy me some time.

It’s not. His finger joins his thumb. He squeezes, and suddenly I’m seeing stars. My right knee gives out, and I’d hit the floor if he didn’t grab my waist to steady me. I don’t know what I hate more, the pain he’s inflicting or how close he’s holding my body against his.

“Look, last night, I think I found it—he came in the room before I could grab it.” I lie to buy more time. “One more sleepover, and I’ll have it.”

I can’t stop fidgeting.

Giving up with a sigh, I lean over the console. “Are you sure about this?” I whisper. “I feel like that’s a lot of pressure on you. If the invite was just an offhand comment you made when you showed up at my door?—”

“Key words. Showed up at your door.” He flashes me a panty-melting smile, adding to the heat as he cups my thigh tightly. “I’ve never done that with anyone. So, yes, I think I can handle dinner with you.”

“Okay, then,” I say, trying to hide the huge smile spreading across my face.

It’s impossible.

His tone drops, gravelly with need. “I was desperate to be back with you.”

I’m burning now, fire licking inside and a pleased flush creeping in my cheeks. “That’s sweet.”

“Try to relax.” He runs that hand of his higher up my thigh. I lean back against the plush leather. “There’s a good girl. Don’t worry, my family will behave,” he says, with his hand sliding higher under my skirt. “And now it’s time for you to behave and be a good girl. Do just as daddy says.”

“That’s filthy,” I suck air in between my teeth. “Stop that.”

“Be good, little girl.” I get a hard squeeze, fingertips digging into the soft flesh of my inner thigh till I’m pressing the balls of my feet against the floor of the car, “Don’t talk back.”

I try to steady my breathing, but his touch sets off sparklers. The city outside blurred into a stream of buildings, a dizzying backdrop to his relentless hand.

My muscles tense as his fingers inch higher, a mix of anticipation and defiance coiling within me. We’re pulling up to a red light. I try to push his hand away. “Anyone could see!”

He stops the car, shooting me an icy gaze. “Move that hand. Now.”

I look at his face, all sharp angles and stern lines, except for his eyes. They're soft, hungry. I pull my hand back and let him do what he wants.

The leather seat beneath me feels smooth and cool, sharply contrasting with the heat radiating from his palm. I notice the faint scent of his cologne, something dark and spicy that makes me want to lean in closer, despite the threatening words coming out of his mouth.

“Be good.” The light turns green, his hand buries into me as the car jolts forward. “Don’t make me pull over and spank you.”

Heat and shame. He’s so filthy. ‘Daddy,’ I think, tasting the word in my mind. It's wrong, isn't it? Then why does it seem to be turning me on?

His wandering fingers brush the lace of my panties, tracing the edge lightly and teasingly. I can't help but squirm, a mix of tension and anticipation growing inside me.

Another red light. A curious gaze from the car beside me. I do my best to ignore it so I can stay sane. He leans in, his breath hot on my ear. “You're making this harder than it needs to be,” he says in a low rumble. “Let daddy make it all better.”

His fingers press against the lace, applying a gentle pressure that makes me gasp. He circles slowly, deliberately, his eyes never leaving mine. “You're burning up, little girl,” he whispers with desire. “But I know how to make you combust.”

With a deliberate slowness that makes me want to scream, he hooks his fingers under the lace and pulls it to the side. Wow.

His fingers, confident and sure, trace the most sensitive part of me, making me draw in a sharp breath. “That's it,” he croons. The velvety purr of his voice is like a vibrator, sending pulses through me that thrill me just as much as his touch does.

“Just relax for daddy.”

“Stop calling yourself that,” I hiss through clenched teeth.

My defiance earns me a sharp smack on the top of my thigh. “No more talking. Just breathe.” I gasp in pain, but the sting quickly turns into liquid heat.

His fingers move slowly, deliberately, as if he's mapping out every curve and line of me. I respond to his touch and his words, despite the alarm bells ringing in my head. “If you have a hard line, tell me. But I want to push you places you don’t think you can go.”

He’s teasing me faster, with more persistence, and I cling to him with one hand, nails digging into his arm. The other hand grips the car door handle, my knuckles turning white.

The city outside blurs into a sea of color and light, the hum of the engine a distant drone. Everything narrows to this moment: the eruption building inside me, the tension tightening. Every muscle in my body tenses as the pleasure mounts to an almost unbearable level.

“You're so soft, little girl.” His fingers continue their exploration. “So sweet. I can’t wait to taste you again.”

“That's it, little girl,” a low growl in my ear, “let it go. Come for daddy.”

My breath hitches, and the world erupts in a rush of sensation. Waves of pleasure crash over me, drowning out everything but him and the fire inside he promised to ignite. The tension breaks, and I'm left trembling, my muscles turning to water as I slump against the leather seat.

His hand slows, then stops, but he doesn't pull away. Instead, he rolls to a stop at a light and leans in, his forehead gently pressing against mine. I can feel his breath, ragged and warm, mixing with my own. The scent of him surrounds me.

“Good girl,” he murmurs. And then he’s off again, pulling smoothly down the street.

Leaving my tension behind.

“I can’t believe I let you do that,” I breathe out, doing my best to discreetly slide my hands up my skirt and fix my panties back in place. I lift my ass, dragging my skirt back into place.

“Let me?” he dares with a growl.

“That was incredible,” I add quickly. “But never again.”

He reaches out, smoothing a strand of hair back from my face. “Dirty daddy talk too much for you?” he asks.

That’s an understatement. “Yes.”

“You’re still my good little girl, though, aren’t you?”

Heat flashes over my face. I can only answer with a whisper. “Yes.”

“Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” But his wicked smile offers nothing close to an apology. “I’ll keep pushing your boundaries. I love discovering what turns you on, what you like, and more importantly,” his hand returns to my thigh with a squeeze, “what makes you beg me for more.”

“Trust.” The word slips out of my mouth before I even realize what I’m saying. Freudian slip? “I just mean you have to have a high level of trust to play these kinds of sexy little games.”

“Absolutely.” He pauses for a moment before saying, “I don’t want us to lie to one another.”

My heart stops.