Page 25

Chapter 25

Ari

“ Y ou okay?” Lotto asked as he knocked on my office door at the same time he entered.

I nodded, even though I was far from all right. I had never had someone threaten my life before. To have a man look me straight in the eye and?—

“You know none of us would allow anything to happen to you,” he said, closing the door behind him.

“You may not have a choice in the matter when it comes to a Godwin.”

Lotto approached my desk and leaned against it, his arms crossed over his chest. “If anyone touched you, they’d die. If it wasn’t me killing them, it would be Bones or Freakshow. Period.”

I drew a deep breath and nodded, trying to push the fear and anxiety to the back of my mind. I couldn’t let it consume me. I had a job to do, and I needed to focus.

“But you came off as tough in there,” he praised.

“I felt anything but.”

“Even so, you held your own.” A small smile played at the corners of his mouth. “You’re a natural, you know that?”

I looked at him, surprised by his words. “Thank you, Lotto. That means a lot coming from you. I often feel like a little girl playing in the big bad world of boys. And well… I often feel like I’m putting on an act, and you all see through me.”

“You’re not fooling anyone,” Lotto admitted, his smile growing wider, “but that’s not a bad thing. You bring a fresh perspective to the table, and that’s what makes you valuable to us. You don’t have to be one of the boys to hold your own. You just have to be yourself.”

“It’s just a lot of pressure. When my father died, I had several people approach me wanting to buy the gym. All men. All assholes who thought they could run it better than me. I was just a girl. A small and inexperienced girl. If it weren’t for Frankie willing to help me?—”

“You could have done this without Frankie. You could do this without any of us. But…”

Lotto’s words hung in the air for a moment as I considered their meaning.

“But you don’t have to do this alone,” Lotto finished, as if reading my thoughts. “We’re here for you, no matter what. And I give you my word that Bones won’t fuck up. No one will fuck this up for you and your gym.” He reached out and took a piece of my hair into his hand. “Do you remember the last time we were alone in your office?”

“I do.” Heat built inside my core at the memory.

Lotto leaned closer to me, his eyes locked onto mine, and I found myself leaning toward him, my heart pounding. He gently tucked the strand of hair behind my ear, his simple touch taking control over my body.

Lotto’s hand lingered on my cheek, tracing a gentle path along my jawline with his thumb. My breath hitched as he leaned in even closer to brush his lips against mine in a soft, feather-light kiss.

I closed my eyes, savoring the feeling of his lips on mine. It was a moment of pure bliss, a moment where nothing else mattered but the two of us.

When we pulled away, Lotto rested his forehead against mine, his breath warm against my skin. “What did I do to you the last time we were alone?” He pulled back, his eyes searching mine. “Tell me.”

“You… spanked me.”

He leaned in closer to me, his hand still cradling my cheek. “Do you want me to spank you again, angel?”

A warm flush crept up my neck, betraying my embarrassment. But there was something else there, too, something deeper and more primal. I nodded, unable to speak.

“You like it when I take control, don’t you?”

“I do. It makes me feel… safe,” I admitted.

He pulled back and looked into my eyes, his gaze intense and unyielding. “Take off your pants, angel. Bend over and spread your cheeks for me. I want to see you. Present yourself for me.”

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do, but there was something about the way Lotto was looking at me, something that made me feel as if I could trust him completely.

Without a word, I stood up from my chair and undid the button on my jeans. I slowly slid them down my legs, leaving me standing in front of Lotto in nothing but my underwear.

“Panties, too. I want you spread and completely bare.”

I bit my lower lip, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves as I complied with Lotto’s request. I slid down my underwear, stepped out of them and kicked them aside. I drew a deep breath and bent over, gripped the edge of the desk, and spread my legs apart.

Lotto’s gaze on me was tangible, and I couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscious. But there was also something incredibly freeing about being so vulnerable in front of him.

Lotto’s footsteps approached me, and I could feel his warmth behind me. I closed my eyes, waiting for what was to come, then gasped as he rested his hand on my ass, gently caressing my skin.

“You have such a beautiful body, angel,” he murmured, his voice low and husky. “I could look at you all day.”

He trailed his hand lower, and a shiver of anticipation ran down my spine as he brushed his fingers against my entrance. I was already wet, my body ready and eager for him.

Lotto chuckled softly, his breath warm against my skin. “Does the idea of me spanking you make you wet? Do you want my belt or my hand again?”

“I want whatever you’re willing to give me.” My voice trembled with desire. “I trust you.”

Lotto removed his hand, which was followed by the clink of his belt being undone. I tensed up, waiting for the first strike.

The first blow landed with a sharp crack, the pain radiating through me and making me gasp. Lotto didn’t wait long before delivering another strike, and another, each one harder than the last.

The heat was building in my cheeks, the sting of the belt becoming a throbbing ache I couldn’t ignore. But despite the pain, there was something else there, too, something dark and primal that made me want more.

Lotto brought his hand down to rest on my burning skin, soothing the sting with gentle caresses. “You’re doing so well, angel,” he murmured, his voice filled with admiration. “So fucking perfect.”

His words only fueled my desire, and I wiggled my hips, pressing my ass against his hand. Lotto took the hint, tracing a path up my thigh and letting his fingers find their way to my wetness once again. He teased me, gently rubbing my clit in slow circles, making me whimper with need.

“Please,” I begged, spreading my legs wider.

Lotto chuckled darkly, his fingers leaving my heat for just a moment before he spanked me again, the sting of the belt mixing with the ache between my legs. I cried out, my body shaking with pleasure.

“Reach back and spread your cheeks for me. I want to see your tight little asshole.”

I did as he asked, reaching back to spread my cheeks for him. My pulse was racing, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. I was completely exposed to him, vulnerable in a way I had never been before.

Lotto groaned at the sight, tracing circles around my tight hole.

I felt him lean forward, his breath hot as he whispered in my ear. “Are you ready to cry for me again, angel? Do you need the release?”

I nodded eagerly, realizing that was exactly what I needed.

Lotto didn’t disappoint. He applied pressure with his fingers, slowly pushing one inside my ass. I gasped at the intrusion, my body tensing as he began to move it in and out. It was a strange sensation, but it was also incredibly erotic.

“That’s it, angel,” Lotto murmured, his voice filled with approval. “Relax for me. Let me take care of you.”

I tried to do as he said, taking deep breaths and focusing on the sensation of his finger inside me.

“I’m going to give you a real spanking with this belt. I’m going to make you cry, but once you do, I’m going to make all the pain go away and make you feel so fucking good.”

I braced myself for the next blow, my body tensing as I waited for the pain. It came quickly, the belt striking my ass with a force that made me gasp. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I held onto them, determined to take whatever Lotto was willing to give me.

The belt struck me again and again, each blow harder than the last. My body was shaking with the force of each blow, but somehow, I craved more. The pain was intense, but it was also exhilarating. I felt alive in a way I never had before.

I cried out, and then I cried out again, not caring who heard me outside the door.