Chin glistening with my slick nectar, Hagen lifted his head and placed playful kisses along my belly and around my navel. I tried to catch my breath and clear the fog of lust clouding my judgment. Vaguely, I was aware of him unzipping his pants and freeing his cock.
My eyes widened at the sight of his massive tool. I'd never seen a dick that big, let alone had one that close to me. I gulped as fear and desire rushed through me. I felt sure it was going to hurt to have that huge rod battering my pussy but I had to know what it would feel like. I needed to know.
His big hand stroked the length of his shaft. Clear droplets of pre-cum dribbled from the tip and rode the curve of his ruddy head. "You on the Pill?"
I couldn't drag my gaze away from his thick cock. "Yes."
"Good." Cock in hand, he moved close enough that our bodies touched. He dragged the crown of his dick through my slick folds. I gasped at the wild sensation of his cockhead circling my clit. In the back of my head, I knew this was dangerous, that we were playing with fire, but I couldn't bring myself to stop him. He eased just the blunt tip of his dick inside me. My tight pussy instantly protested.
"Ow!" I tried to pull back but he held onto my hips. "Ooh! It hurts."
"Easy, sweetheart," Hagen gently cooed. "You can take me. Relax." His thumb brushed side to side across my clit, lessening the discomfort of his intrusion. He found just the right rhythm and pressure. In no time at all, my wet pussy welcomed him. "There you go, Cassie. Take me. Take my cock."
"Ah!" I threw my head back as inch after inch of his massive tool penetrated my snug passage. My pussy gripped his shaft. His fingertips manipulated my clit skillfully, coaxing even more of that slippery honey from my core. Soon, his dick was coated in my slickness. He moved easily within me, his cock gliding in and out of me in a way that gave us both pleasure.
"Yes!" I clutched at his forearms and grasped the fabric of his shirt in my fingers. "Oh! Oooh!"
The unexpected ripples of an orgasm ripped through me. I couldn't believe how quickly he'd taken me over the edge again. His fat cock stroked all the right spots. His fingers strummed my clit, working the tiny pink nub until I was gasping and begging him to stop, to let me have a moment to come down from the heights of pleasure.
Hagen bent over me, his body covering mine completely, and captured my mouth in a punishing kiss. I clung to him as he smothered me with his kisses. I wrapped my legs around his waist and lifted up to meet his deep thrusts. It was wicked and wanton and I couldn't get enough.
Rising to his full height, Hagen grasped the backs of my thighs and pressed my knees toward my chest. Fully exposed to him now, I felt impossibly tighter and experienced every swift penetration with newfound sensitivity. He pounded my pussy relentlessly. The desk squeaked noisily and started to jump. I gripped his arms and held on for dear life. His fingertips bit into the flesh of my thighs. No doubt I'd be sporting fingertip bruises by the time I left his office.
With a growl, Hagen slammed balls-deep. I slid up the desk an inch or two from the force of his final thrust. He jerked as his cock shot spurts of blazing hot semen inside me. The warmth spread through my core and left me trembling with aftershocks.
Hagen gathered me up in his arms and flopped down into his chair. Our bodies still intimately joined, I ended up straddling his thighs. He tangled his fingers in my blonde hair and made love to my mouth. His erotic kisses washed away the lingering sensation of cheapness. Our illicit tryst may have begun on seedy terms but it had ended on a much different note.
As our body temperatures cooled, our kisses grew languid and easy. Reality started to intrude. A quiver of regret and embarrassment pierced my belly. I started to climb off him but Hagen stopped me. His big hands cupped my bare backside. He forced me to meet his hard gaze. "Don't even think about it."
"Think about what?"
"Jumping off my lap and running out of here." He rubbed my lower back. "You're going to clean up in the bathroom and then we're going to talk."
There was no refusing him. I nodded and let him lift me up from his lap. I tugged down my dress and grabbed my panties from the desk. Seeking refuge in the bathroom, I made quick work of tidying up and stepping back into my cotton hipsters.
Back out in the office, I found Hagen leaning against the wall. He dangled my shoes from his fingertips. After grabbing my purse from the chair and placing the envelope of cash back on his desk, I joined him near the closed office door. I took my ballet flats from him. He held my hand as I stepped into the shoes. Cupping my chin, he turned my face towards his. "What are you doing tonight?"
A white-hot frisson seized me. I could be coy or outright refuse him. Instead, I chose the most practical option. "You tell me."
He laughed. The grin lighting up his face made him seem so relaxed and friendly. Maybe there was another side to this man. "I'll pick you up around eight. Wear another dress—but no panties."
I quirked an eyebrow. "No panties?"
"Well there's still quite a balance on your brother's debt…"
His reminder of the coercion behind our quickie should have bothered me but it didn't. His teasing tone told me that this thing blossoming between us wasn’t just about the debt anymore. I let my fingers walk up his chest and toyed with the top button of his shirt. "And how much did I just work off that debt?"
His sexy grin warmed me. "Let's call it five."
"Five, huh? Should I be flattered?"
He dipped his head and claimed my mouth. "Absolutely."
I took a step back and patted his chest. "I should go."
He nodded and opened the door. "I'll see you tonight."
I stepped through but he snatched my wrist. I glanced up at him. "What?"
His expression had morphed into one of pure business. "Tell your brother this is the end of our business."
The painful intrusion of reality made my gut clench. I gave a terse nod. "I will."
His fingers slid down my wrist to my hand. He gave my hand a squeeze before letting go. I hiked my purse up higher on my shoulder and turned away from him. I could feel his gaze searing my back as I walked down the corridor and disappeared into the bar. The goon gave me the look but I ignored him.
Instead of shame, I experienced the strangest sensation of lightness. I'd always been the girl who played by the rules, who did the right thing and never veered off course. I'd always prided myself on being such a good girl.
But being bad? Who knew it would feel so ridiculously good?
CHAPTER TWO
"I can't believe you went to his bar! What the hell were you thinking, Cass?"
I swiped the makeup brush across my eyelid and avoided my brother's angry glare reflected in the bathroom mirror. "I was thinking that I wanted to keep you out of the emergency room or the morgue, Ronnie."
"I told you I had this under control!" His voice was laced with stress.
I dabbed my makeup brush in the darker eye shadow pigment and tapped it against palette's edge to dislodge the excess. "You've been hiding in my bedroom closet for a week, Ronnie. I hardly call that under control."
"There you go again!"
I zeroed in on his perturbed reflection in the mirror. "What?"
"You're always throwing my mistakes in my face. You've always got to prove how perfect you are! How fucking responsible you are!"
I frowned at his wild outburst. "What the hell are you talking about? I've never thrown any of your mistakes in your face, Ronnie."
He knew it was true but wasn't about to let it go. "Maybe not out loud but I know you're thinking it!"
I rolled my eyes. "Oh, so now you're a psychic?"
"Don't be a bitch, Cass."
"Quit being a dick about this, Ronnie." I shot back in frustration. "It's done, okay? You're safe now. The debt is paid. Just let it go."
"I can't." He ran his fingers through his hair, making a mess of the thick brown locks he hadn't cut in months. "I did this to you. I turned you into a whore."
"Excuse me?" I whir
led on my older brother and jabbed the pointy end of my makeup brush into his chest. "I'm not a whore, Ronnie. Nothing terrible happened, okay? I gave him the cash I'd scraped together. That's it."
"Bullshit, Cass. I know this guy. I know what he's like. He's not going to just write off a thirty thousand dollar debt because you paid him four grand. I know you traded something for it. What? A blow job? A quickie in the bar's back room?"
I couldn't lie to him but I couldn't tell him the whole truth. "It wasn't like that, Ronnie. Yes, we were together but not in the way you're imagining."
"You fucked him, Cass. For money. For my debt," he added in disgust. Destroyed, he fell back against the wall and clutched his chest. "I did this to you. I turned my baby sister into a mobster's whore."
"Stop saying that!" I fought the urge to smack him upside the head. "I'm not a whore!"
"I'm sorry." He looked abashed. "You're right. You're not. He took advantage of you. These people, Cass? They're dangerous. And you? You're sweet. People like Hagen? They can smell innocence a mile away."
I didn't doubt that but said, "I'm not innocent, Ronnie. It's not like I was some lily-white virgin."
He scoffed. "One guy? You may as well have been a virgin. That's why he seduced you. You're a prize to a man like Hagen."
"Look, the whys and how of this don't matter, Ronnie. Okay? Your debt will be cleared. You don't have to keep looking over your shoulder. You can start over."
"Wait." He pushed off the wall and straightened up. "Will be paid? This isn't a done deal?"
"No. Well. I mean…we're going out tonight. I think maybe after tonight he'll consider it done."
"And if he doesn't?" Panic invaded his voice. "What if he wants another date or two or three?"
My body practically vibrated with the memory of my tryst with Hagen. "I guess that wouldn't be so bad."
"Wouldn’t be so bad?" Ronnie parroted in shock. "Cassie, listen to yourself! Are you hot for this guy? For this loan shark?"
I shrugged and turned back to the mirror. "Maybe."
"Fuck, Cass. You're out of your mind."
"Why?"
"Why? He's up to his eyeballs in the mob, Cass. This guy hurts people."
"He didn't hurt me."
"Oh, well, that just makes it so much better, right?"
For a long moment, we stared at one another. I knew he was right. I was flirting with danger. Hell, my knees had been knocking together when I'd walked into Hagen's office earlier. Now my belly trembled with need and desire for the man who had basically threatened my brother over a gambling debt.
Ronnie was right. What the hell was wrong with me?
"I don't want you to go tonight, Cass." Ronnie ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head.
"I have to go, Ronnie."
"Have to or want to?"
I swallowed hard as my brother asked me the same question I'd just asked myself. "Both."
He swore under his breath. "At least you're being honest with me."
"It's not easy." I dropped my gaze to my collection of makeup and picked out my favorite mascara. It was one of those ultra-expensive brands I reserved for special occasions. As I started to apply it to my lashes, Ronnie exhaled loudly and headed out of the bathroom. I called after him. "Hey! Where are you going?"
"Out."
"Out where?"
"You're not my mom, Cass. I'm a big boy. I can handle myself."
I wanted to beg him not to go to one of the underground casinos but didn't. He was on edge. An argument wouldn't make matters any better. Besides, I'd been begging him to get help, to go to gambling addiction meetings or counseling, for months. He hadn't listened then. He sure as hell wasn't going to listen now.
I doubted he could get any credit from the other loan sharks in town. Whatever he had in cash wouldn't get him far. At least he wouldn't be able to get back into much debt if he did cave to his craving for the rush of betting.
"Are you coming back tonight?"
"Why?" He popped back into the bathroom. "You planning to bring your date back here?"
I narrowed my gaze. "Don't be a jerk, Ronnie."
His jaw tightened. "Yeah. I'll be back later."
"I'll leave a light on for you."
"Yeah. Great. Whatever."
He disappeared from view. Seconds later, I heard the front door to my small apartment slam shut. I blew out a noisy breath of irritation and finished applying my makeup. I quickly styled my hair and left the bathroom. It was just a few steps to my bedroom.
As an undergrad on scholarships who worked part-time in one of the astronomy labs on campus, I couldn't afford much more than this tiny box of an apartment. It was cozy enough and in a safe neighborhood. I was luckier than a lot of my classmates.
I stepped inside my small closet and flicked through my hangers. I only had two little black dresses that were appropriate for a date. I didn't really get out much so I'd never bothered to spend much money on that kind of a wardrobe. Jeans, tees, comfy skirts and casual dresses were staples in my closet. Short, sexy and sassy? Not so much.
My ears perked to the sound of the front door opening and then footsteps in the living room. Certain Ronnie had come back to ask for money, I rolled my eyes and announced loudly, "There are a couple of twenties in my wallet. That's all I have."
"Thanks for the offer, sweetheart, but I'll pass."
Hagen's low timbre startled me. I jumped and spun around to find him standing in the doorway of my bedroom. He looked impossibly huge and filled the space with his wide shoulders and imposing height. His eyes glinted with amusement. "I like that look on you."
I gripped the edges of my fluffy turquoise bath robe and tugged them together to cover my nakedness. "How the hell did you get in here?"
The expression of amusement on his face was quickly eclipsed by one of displeasure. "You left the front door unlocked."
I groaned. "Ronnie."
"Your brother left the door unlocked?"
I nodded. "He was kind of pissed when he left. I guess he forgot to lock it behind him."
"I'm so glad he cares about his little sister's safety."
"He's not like that normally. Really," I added quickly. "He's a good brother."
"Who gets into debt and sends his little sister to clean up the mess?"
My lips flattened into a grim line. "Please. I just—not tonight."
His face softened. "All right."
"Thank you."
"But, Cassie, you need to know how lucky you are."
Now it was my turn to frown. "Lucky?"
"Do you have any idea what the Russians or the Mexicans do to people who owe them the kind of money your brother owes?"
I shook my head. "No."
"They go after the family. You're lucky I'm such a gentleman."
I couldn't help myself. I snorted in a very unladylike fashion. "Um, you do remember extorting me earlier today, right? You know, in your office. On your desk?"
Hagen had the decency to look contrite. "But I gave you the choice. Other guys?" He shook his head. "They take. They injure. They kill."
His ominous tone filtered through me. I didn't doubt his warning. There had been snippets in the local papers about the increase in violent crimes, many of them involving foreign mafia types.
"I suppose I should thank you."
"You will. Later," he said with a tilt of his head. "What are you wearing tonight?"
I showed him the little black dress I'd chosen. "This one."
"Very nice." He fingered the fabric and then touched my robe. "Take this off."
A quiver of anxiety pierced my belly. Even after our impromptu sex session this afternoon, I still felt shy about revealing my body to him. I placed the dress back in the closet so it wouldn't get wrinkled. My fingers trembled as I untied the belt of my robe and slipped out of the plush fabric. I placed it on the hook near my closet and turned to face him.
Hagen's hungry gaze roamed my naked curves. He palmed my breast and bru
shed his thumb over the soft flesh. His thumb coaxed my nipple into a tight peak. He pinched it lightly, making me gasp and rise up on my toes. Ever the gentleman, he soothed the sharp twinge with a tender kiss.
As he kissed my nipple, Hagen enjoyed my body. His big hand slid down my back to cup my bare bottom. I felt so small and vulnerable. He dragged me closer and slipped his fingers through my hair. He dipped my head back and claimed my mouth in a possessive kiss.
Desperate for something to hold onto, I gripped the lapels of his suit jacket. His tongue touched mine. He nibbled my lower lip. Breathless and needy, I gazed up at this dangerous man and wondered how he made me feel so safe and secure.
"You're shaking." He sounded concerned. "Are you still afraid of me?"
"It's not that kind of shaking."
His lips curved upward. "Ah. I see."
I inhaled a sharp, shocked breath as he swung me up into his arms. With two steps, he reached my bed and gently deposited me on the tiny twin surface. Reality cut through my haze of need. "We won't fit."
He laughed. "I've squeezed into tighter places."
I pursed my lips in annoyance at his double entendre. "I'm being serious. You're, like, seven feet tall."
"You're about seven inches too big on that estimate," he said and knelt at the edge of my bed.
I squeezed my knees together. "Wait. We can't. My brother—"
"Is not here," he interjected.
"But he could come back!"
Hagen leveled a stare my way. "Do you honestly think your brother is going to come up the stairs to your apartment after spotting my men in the breezeway?"
He had a point. Knowing Ronnie, he would tuck tail and run the other way. "No."
"Exactly." He pushed my shoulders toward the mattress. "Now hush and let me eat this sweet little cunt of yours."
I gasped at his explicit instruction. Lower belly wobbling like a bowl of gelatin, I clutched my bedcovers in both hands and prayed I wouldn't make too much noise. The idea of Hagen's men hearing me in throes of passion again wasn't one I relished. I could only imagine what they thought of me. Probably the same thing Ronnie had. Whore.