Wicked Liar by Faith Summers

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Candace

The buzz of Dominic’s phone pulls us apart.

It’s morning again.

He moves away from my lips and picks up his phone on the nightstand.

I sit up and pull the sheets over my breasts, holding my breath when he looks at the screen.

Every time his phone rings, I wonder if it's someone with news of Richard. Or news of Jacques. I know Dominic is investigating him too, although he hasn't told me so. It makes sense he would, and it's a good thing.

“I’ll be back in a bit,” he says and walks out of the room.

I wait eagerly and mull over what's going on. It's now Tuesday and I feel more like I've been on a mini break. Being here in this awkward situation has thrown me off tangent but I think I might have needed the downtime.

God... it's crazy. All of it. I'm here because Dominic won me in an auction, but it's like I'm automatically giving him that second chance. Sure, I am bound by a contract I foolishly signed to do as he says but giving him another chance is a matter for my heart to decide. Not something he can tell me to do, even if he has, and even though I've been having sex with him.

My brain burns when I think of all the things I've done with him. I'm embarrassed that it feels like I've hardly put up a fight when it's not that at all. When it comes to Dominic, I'm fighting against what my heart wants.

Despite the reasons that brought me here, telling him about Richard Fenmoir has made me trust him again. Especially knowing he'll specifically be making time to help me outside of everything else going on.

When he comes back into the room, my heart does a flutter and my nerves hitch.

He's wearing that expression of worry again. He looked like that earlier when I woke.

“I have to go out for a little while, but I’ll be back later,” he says.

“Where are you going?”

“It's business.”

“Oh. What kind of business?"

The look he gives me is one I’m used to. It’s the look the brothers all give me when they’re off to do something dangerous, and I’ve asked a question I shouldn’t. Or one they can’t answer.

"The kind I don't want you worrying about. I just have something important I have to check out."

"Okay." I tuck a lock of hair behind my ear.

He moves back to me and brushes his thumb over my cheek. “I’m still working on Richard Fenmoir, so don't worry. I did some digging around last night when you went to bed and didn't find much, but that's not something you didn't know. It's gonna take time, but I promise I'll keep you updated every step of the way."

"Thanks, I really appreciate that."

“I know you do.” He straightens. "Cory is going to stay here with you until I get back.”

“Shouldn’t I just go to work today?”

"Nope, you can relax and make sure you eat." The corners of his lips turn up into a sexy grin.

"I can't just stay here and relax and eat." I chuckle.

"Yes, you can because you have to do as I say. I'm a tits and ass kind of man. I'm obsessed with yours. You didn't eat much yesterday and I don't want you to lose weight or go fading away on me. In case you didn't notice, my new favorite hobby is exploring your body."

While I turn crimson, he simply laughs.

I don't think I've ever met anyone who could switch between personalities so effortlessly and seamlessly, and creatively. He manages to shock me every time he speaks. It was the same when we were kids and he'd talk about something he was scheming. His crude sexual language and dirty mouth are, however, miles different from his childhood plights of trouble.

I stare back at him and narrow my eyes.

"Don't look at me like that." He shakes his head at me then walks over to his wardrobe.

"Like what? Like I'm shocked by you? And still mad you insist on holding me here under this contract?"

He laughs. "You're not mad about that, and I'm not holding you here. I'm not doing anything you didn't agree to."

"You don't care that a piece of paper forced me here?" I challenge.

He inclines his head. "I don't. It's a path. You and I both know it's not about the paper and if I wanted to, I could free you. But I'm just a selfish bastard who's trying to get his girl back. People like me don't care about how we do things, just the end result."

I can't get over how determined he is.

"What if the end result isn't what you want?"

"Candace, you act like you just met me yesterday. Baby, you know I always get what I want." That sounds like another vow, or a warning, just like last time. "I may have been away, but that hasn't changed about me."

I bite the inside of my lip and watch him as he grabs a long-sleeved gray t-shirt and shrugs into it.

As I continue to stare, I realize I haven't asked much about anything in relation to where he went and what he did for two years. It wasn't that I didn't want to know. It was more the case that I was trying to shut him out.

"Where did you go?"

He narrows his eyes, but he knows exactly what I'm talking about. "I went straight to rehab. It was a clinic in Holland. I was there for almost a year because I went in twice."

My lips part in surprise and I feel guilty I didn't ask before. If he was in rehab for that long, then he was definitely as bad as what he said. I've only heard of the worst cases taking that long.

"Then I went to Tibet for a different kind of treatment."

"What kind?"

"I don't know what to call it, but it healed my mind."

Now for a question that's been bothering me. "If you didn't know your brothers were in danger, would you have come back when you did?"

He stares at me, and when he doesn't say anything, I know the answer.

"No," he confirms, and I glance down at the sheet.

"So, I probably would never see you again?" I keep my focus on the silky sheet and catch the edge folding over my lap between my thumb and forefinger.

"You would have seen me again. It was just hard to know when I could class myself as being ready to come home. And since everyone looked like they'd moved on in life, I didn't want to come back and cause a stir."

I look back up at him. "We couldn't have moved on until you came back to us."

He hesitates. "You looked like you moved on."

"What do you mean?" I narrow my eyes in confusion.

"You looked happy when you moved into your new place."

I raise my brows. I just moved into that apartment six months ago. He wouldn't have seen me at all.

"How would you know?"

"I have my ways of doing things."

Of course, he does.

"And seeing things, seeing people," he adds.

"You saw me?"

He nods.

"Do you plan to leave again? I mean, when things calm down?" These are important questions I feel I have to know.

"No." The answer is so simple, but it grips something inside me I can't quite describe. He walks back over and lowers to kiss me, and I kiss him back. "Doll, I gotta go. Make sure you eat; I'll want you when I get back. Capisce?"

"Capisce," I answer, desire thick in my throat.

With a wink, he leaves, and I stare after him. I continue looking at the empty trail long after he's left as I contemplate how this will all play out. I'm still hot from his words and he hasn't even touched me. A sure sign I want him.

This is the first time Dominic has left me alone since Saturday and I can't deny that it feels weird knowing I won't see him until later.

I spend the day answering the million messages I have from my friends on my phone. It's been switched off for the last few days so when I turned it on it buzzed with notifications for at least fifteen minutes.

I responded to Helen's messages first and promised to catch up with her when she gets back from her vacation in a few weeks. The rest of the time was spent on Emelia and Isabella.

By seven, I start to worry when Dominic hasn't returned. I was downstairs for most of the day with Cory keeping me company but went back up to the bedroom when night fell.

I assumed my post of watching through the window. I'm just at a different window this time. Not the little window in my parents' cottage in Stormy Creek, but I'm doing the same thing, watching and waiting for the same guy.

It's not until eight when he returns and the instant our eyes connect, I want him all over again. He knows it too.

I stand when I see him and as he approaches me, I can see he's had a rough day. There's a bruise over his eye and on his chin, and blood on the edge of his shirt.

He puts his hand out to me, beckoning me closer, and I go to him, reaching to cup his face and look over his bruise.

"You're hurt," I rasp.

"You should see the other guy."

I run my finger over the bruise on his chin and he catches my hand. He brings my hand up to his lips to kiss. It's not in the creepy way Jacques kissed my knuckles. When Dominic does it, it's sexy and has the effect of pulling at my insides.

We then automatically move into a kiss that whispers memories of last night. I melt against his chest when he slips his hand behind my head to knit his fingers through my hair. Desire curls low in my pussy when he presses his cock into my belly. It's then that my mouth waters with a hunger to taste him.

"I want you, take your clothes off." He cups the back of my head and takes a fist of my hair.

Greed burrows through me, making me crave being with him. I realize at that moment I can't fight this. I can't. And the reason isn't that I'm not trying. It's because I don't want to.

I instinctively don't want to resist him because I've always wanted him.

He gives me a look of raw hunger when he releases my hair. I don't hesitate to obey and pull my tank top over my head and take off my bra. By the time I step out of my skirt and panties, his lust filled stare intensifies to a degree that makes me so wet I'm worried I'll start leaking.

A dark smile of carnal satisfaction spreads over his handsome face and he circles me, looking me up from head to toe. On his second round, he runs a thick finger over the flat plane of my stomach and around to my back where he lingers on my ass. When he gives me a gentle smack my body jolts and my lips part in surprise.

"Did you eat today?" he asks, grabbing my ass.

"I did," I answer, and he crouches down to kiss over my skin where he smacked.

"We're going to have a very interesting time over the next thirty days."

"Are we?" I glance down at him.

"Yes, we are. There's a lot I have to teach you."

I was going to answer, but the words fade away from my mind when he moves his finger from my asshole to my pussy and starts to rub over my clit.

"A lot I want to do to you," he adds.

He stands up and makes his way back in front of me, stretching out his arms on either side.

"Now take off my clothes," he commands, and I flush crimson again.

Me, take off his clothes?

The thought excites me but unnerves me as well, which is crazy given the number of times I've seen him with his clothes off.

I step closer and take off his jacket first. It drops to the floor with a thud and I allow myself the pleasure of scanning over the thick ripple of granite muscle pushing through his t-shirt. I take that off too and run my fingers over the line of his abs and over to his happy trail. Down I go until I tug on his belt buckle and undo it along with the zipper on his slacks. It feels like an adventure, and I hit the jackpot when I push his pants and boxers down, freeing his straining cock.

It juts out to me in a display of thickness and size, bouncing when he helps me out by stepping out of his shoes and clothes.

"What do you want to do with me, Candace Ricci?" He fills his palms with my breasts and squeezes. "You looked like you wanted to eat me when I first walked in, so I thought I should ask first just to be polite."

I bite back a smile. "There's nothing polite about you, Dominic D'Agostino."

"No, baby, there is not, but every now and again I shock myself. Like I am now."

"What are you going to do to me tonight?"

"Fuck you until you can't walk. Your sweet pussy will be so sore I'll have to lick it better." There's no point in being shocked by his crass words, although like always I am. "So, I'm giving you this round by allowing you to do what you want to me."

When he steps back and my eyes drop to his cock, I lick over my lips and I know what I want.

I want to taste him. When I suck his cock, he's different. It's like I'm in charge and I want to feel that kind of power tonight.

I move closer and his eyes widen with need when I get on my knees and reach for his cock.

"Fuck," he breathes out, returning his hands to my hair.

Taking hold of the base of his length, I pump up and down slowly, pushing out a bead of pre-cum that seeps out of the fat mushroom head.

When I bend my head and take him into my mouth, he groans and suddenly he feels like mine.

I have that feeling I craved, of being the one in charge.

I suck him hard at first then slowly, then purposefully slower when I see the thick veins in his neck strain.

He reaches down and starts massaging my breasts. Between us, caressing each other, we create the perfect rhythm of giving and taking. Until greed possesses me and I start sucking his cock like I want to own him. Greed is accompanied by desperation to taste his cum. He's never finished in my mouth.

He grabs my hair once more and starts fucking my face, his thrusts so relentless I have to tilt my head back to take him deeper and the speed of his pumps.

A tear streams down my cheek at the same time his cock stiffens in my mouth and he shoots his load, hitting the back of my throat.

It's warm and tastes like salt and sex. Like man, like him.

I take it all and swallow, closing my eyes to savor the flavor. When I open my eyes and see him watching me with a half shocked, half pleasure-filled expression I release him.

"I'm having that mouth of yours again, but I want you up against the wall in the shower."

I answer with a kiss and laugh when he scoops me up. I wrap my arms around him as he carries me away.

He studies me then, and I realize this is us as a couple. That’s what we feel like.

The moment the thought hits me, that guard I thought I placed up fades and my mind opens to the possibility of trusting him with my heart again.

My mind opens because my heart is begging it to.

Only God knows how much I would love for this fantasy to be a reality.

I'm just afraid to try.