Page 9 of Caruso (Vegas Mafia #3)

Chapter Nine

Taylor

I ’m not sure what’s happening, but I like it.

I like him. I never expected to. From what I’ve heard, he’s not a man who is easily liked, but he has proven his critics wrong.

He is a gentleman. I killed one of his guests, and he treated me like a princess.

I’m not used to that. I’m not used to men like him.

Men in my world are rough, cruel and unforgiving. They take—not give and demand, not ask. Matteo had every opportunity to take and yet gave back instead.

Perhaps it’s because I’m not his usual type. I’m no supermodel, actress or heiress. I’m from the streets, and the rougher ones at that.

He wants to educate me—what does that even mean?

He is gazing at me as if I’m a project. His project and something curls inside me that feels a lot like desire, pleasure and need.

I have never met a man like him in my life. Why would I? I don’t mix in these circles, and I shouldn’t be here now.

The meal ends, and he fixes me with a firm gaze, one that slides across my soul like a serpent, slithering over every nerve I possess, threatening to cause irreparable damage.

“Follow me.”

He stands and holds out his hand, and as mine slips into it, he squeezes it hard, almost as if he owns me now.

My breath hitches as I sense something happening I have no control of and if I did, I would want anyway. I am putty in his hands for him to mold into shape, and I’m curious about that.

He doesn’t lead me onto the terrace, to stare at the bright lights of Vegas while my dress lies in tatters on the floor. I half expected that, but he is a man of surprises, and I wonder what he has in mind.

I follow him along a marbled hallway toward another door set in the opposite direction of the room he had shown me to earlier. As we step inside, I’m surprised to find myself in an office of sorts. His den definitely.

It reeks of masculinity, and I take a deep breath because Matteo appears to be all man, a vibe I am beginning to love above anything else.

Despite how terrifying this man’s reputation is, I can’t escape my fascination with him.

I crave his masculinity and his compassion in equal measure.

I crave him, which is why I asked him to be my first. I thought he’d relish the chance, but apparently virgins aren’t his thing.

He points to the chair in front of his desk .

“Sit.”

Nerves coil around my ability to speak as I wait for his judgment. He may have decided to call the cops after all and I must be prepared for that, so I sit, twisting my fingers nervously in my lap as he takes the seat opposite me.

He stares at me with a grave expression, and my heart beats frantically faster.

“You asked me for one thing earlier. To take your virginity. Why?”

I squirm in my seat. “I told you why. You are the first man I have met who I wanted to ask, and I’m scared it won’t be my choice.”

“Your stepfather?”

“No.” I shiver with revulsion. “I’m never going back there, but if he finds me, I may not be so lucky.”

“But you can defend yourself; you demonstrated that earlier—very well, as it happens.”

I shrink in my seat. “I’m not sure I can defend myself against him.”

Matteo’s jaw ticks angrily, and a thunderous expression reflects back at me. It’s now that I see the man he is—the reputation that precedes him. I stare in awe as his features tighten, and darkness enters his soul. Murder shines in his eyes like a promise, and it terrifies the shit out of me.

“Your stepfather.”

The word hangs between us as I struggle for air, and his fist clenches as he hisses, “I’ll help you with your request, but in return, I have one of my own. ”

My throat dries as I sense a request I may not be able to honor, and my voice shakes as I whisper, “What request?”

“You allow me to take you home for a visit.”

Sweat slides down my spine, drenching me in fear, revulsion and distaste grows in my heart as I picture Matteo anywhere near the man who terrifies the shit out of me.

The thought of just seeing him again chokes the air from my lungs, and I suddenly realize that four years feels like four minutes as my insecurities come back with a vengeance.

He weakened my spirit through years of mental and physical abuse, and my mind screams in terror, forcing me to stay seated when all I want to do is run.

Matteo leans forward, his expression dark and ominous, and he growls, “Do you trust me, Taylor?”

I shake my head. “No.”

A faint smile edges his lips. “Good answer. Your instincts are right. Never trust a man who runs a crime syndicate. They didn’t get there by playing nice.

He taps his fingers on his desk and speaks in a measured, businesslike tone.

“Here is the offer on the table. Your job has changed. Your new one is as my apprentice. I will tutor you in surviving my world, facing your fears and building your strength. In return, you place your trust in me. Never question me, talk back or refuse my requests. You are mine to control, and in return, you live here and enjoy my protection and a salary of one hundred thousand dollars per week. ”

I stare at him in shock as he leans forward and whispers, “You will give me your soul, and I mean every single part of you. Do you agree to my demands?”

My mind spins as I contemplate his offer. It sounds too good to be true for a woman who has lived in the gutter for far too long already.

His eyes burn a trail deep into my soul and sets it on fire.

“How long?”

The words burn on my tongue as I attempt to make sense of what’s happening, and he shrugs.

“For as long as I deem fit. One week, one month, one year or one lifetime, you see, Taylor–”

He grins, but it has no humor in it, just the satisfaction of someone who knows my answer before I do.

“I will take your fear and turn it around. Build you up with the promise that I can tear you down just as easily. I’m guessing you don’t have many offers on the table after this one, and so I would advise you to think long and hard about it.

However, when the devil claims your soul, it may burn, and you must be prepared for that.

I will turn your world inside out and demand things of you many women would consider impossible.

You know what I am; now it’s my turn to discover what you are made of. ”

His eyes gleam in the warm glow of light, and I shift on the edge of my seat as his words dance around my mind, challenging me to accept a deal with the devil.

Live here.

With him.

Face my fears, of which there are many. One hundred thousand dollars a week. Hell, two weeks would be enough to set me up for life. How bad can it be?

I would be a fool to refuse him.

You are a fool if you accept.

My inner voice berates me while my heart shivers with glee.

Be his for as long as he wants me. Surely that’s better than fielding the advances of the down and outs who usually hit on me.

Call me foolish, call me stupid, but I made up my mind the second he asked.

“I accept your offer.”

The air stills between us as my voice grinds against common decency because I’m not a fool.

I’m aware of what this deal will mean. He wants the whole of me, and yet what he doesn’t realize yet is that I came here for the whole of him.

The Caruso brothers are my last hope because I am down to my last card.

I need them to rid me of the cancer in my life, and as soon as I heard of their unusual brand of justice, I made it my mission to orchestrate a meeting, and even I never realized that killing a man would be all it took.

His eyes power down to my core, and the air shifts between us. He nods and then surprises me by pulling a file from his desk and removes a piece of paper.

He slides it toward me along with a silver fountain pen and says in a brisk, businesslike manner, “Our contract.”

“Really?”

I blink as the words swim before me .

He wasn’t kidding. It is a contract where he has full rights over me.

My eyes scan the pages, and I wonder if this is a usual occurrence for him because as the words dance before my disbelieving eyes, I consider retracting my agreement.

It’s a mass of legal terms and clauses that I don’t understand, but the main points are listed in bullet form in red, and they are pretty self-explanatory.

Do not question anything.

Do not speak unless asked.

Obey orders or suffer a punishment.

Be available at all times.

Do not disclose any details of the Caruso organization, even under oath.

Any failure to comply with the above is punishable by termination. No comeback.

The Caruso organization retains the right to terminate this contract with no notice.

If you wish to terminate this contract, you must give a good reason and one month’s notice.

There will be four weeks’ paid leave per annum at the discretion of the Caruso organization.

I glance up and whisper in horror, “Is this a joke?”

“Am I laughing, Taylor? ”

Matteo stares at me long and hard, causing me to swallow nervously.

“Where will I live?”

“Here in the penthouse, unless we head to my estate in the mountains or one of our other homes.”

“Other homes?”

“We have many avenues of business, Taylor. You will be required to travel with me.”

“As your um, housekeeper?”

I’m still not certain what my job role will be, and he shakes his head.

“No. I am your educator, and you are my pupil. To achieve that, you must always be with me.”

“All times.”

My mind is working fast. This job seems impossible.

“What are my duties?”

“Whatever I want them to be.”

He leans forward, and as our gazes connect, a shiver passes through me, and it’s not one of fear.

He is a man of many layers, and right now he has peeled one back that interests me—a lot.

The expression in his eyes right now is one of desire.

The flame is burning bright, and I clench my thighs together as he whispers, “Earlier tonight you asked me to help with your virginity. I haven’t forgotten that, and yet it will be on my terms. I’m not the kind to take something of value on a whim.

It will be given the respect it deserves.

However, there is also the fear you hold inside you from the past. You are running from it, and I’m not okay with that. We will deal with that first.”

“How?”

My mind is scrambled as he states facts and he growls, “We take you home for a visit.”

“We?”

“I’m bringing my brothers along for the ride.”

The blood on his brother’s hands earlier informs me of my stepfather’s fate, and a strange thrill passes through me.

I have never had the courage to move past self-defense with him, but I’m guessing the Caruso brothers attack rather than receive.

Offensive rather than defensive and I can’t help wondering when all of my wishes came true.

This is what I wanted. A stronger bully to stand up to the one who haunts my nightmares, and it appears that if you wait long enough, three come along at once.

I lift the pen and scrawl my signature on the line, printing my name and dating the signature as requested. I don’t hesitate. The offer is too good, and if it requires sacrificing my soul to three demons, I’m already living in hell, anyway.