King’s Demands by Piper Stone

Chapter 9

“A truly submissive woman is to be treasured, cherished and protected, for it is only she who can give a man the gift of dominance.”—Anne Dexter

Julieta

Dominance.

My God, the man wanted total control of everything and everyone around him.

Including his brothers.

Including me.

He’d said nothing during the ride home, keeping his eyes glued to the road, but I could tell by the way he clenched his jaw the entire time that he was barely containing his brusque emotions. He’d stayed consumed as we went for ice cream, the chill between the two brothers remaining.

“If you’d like a drink, feel free. I’m certainly going to have one.”

Dante’s anger had remained, although I’d been able to tell he’d done his best to hide it from the children. He was tenser than before, cursing under his breath as he walked directly toward the bar.

“I’m fine,” I countered.

He chuckled before yanking a glass from the shelf, reaching into the icemaker then tossing cubes into the thick crystal.

I watched from a distance as he poured a hefty amount of scotch into his glass. “Why are you so angry? I’m the one who should be enraged at everything that’s happened.”

“I’m not angry.”

“Then why is your voice getting louder?”

“Leave it alone, Julieta.”

The husky growl he emitted was a clear statement to stop hassling him, but that wasn’t my personality. I took long strides closer, flanking his side. “I don’t understand you at all. You live in a gorgeous condo overlooking one of the most incredible cities in the world. You have expensive cars and money to do whatever you want with. Plus, you actually have a family you can share all these horrible tragedies with that I keep hearing about. What in God’s name could they be, losing a million dollars in some drug deal? Or are we talking about you or one of your family members didn’t get to purchase the giant estate you had your hearts settled on? What bullshit, Dante.”

When he turned toward me, I was floored to see the remaining fury in his eyes. As he walked toward me, a sudden chill swept down my spine. I wasn’t afraid of him, but his defense mechanisms meant he was close to the edge.

“Which tragedy would you like me to tell you about, Julieta? Let’s see,” he started as he rubbed his clenched jaw. “Oh, I know. How about the fact my sister was murdered by an enemy on an outing to get ice cream? Or how about the fact that Michael’s first wife was in a tragic accident later found to be caused by someone who wanted to bring sorrow to our family? Then there’s the fact my father had almost been murdered on several occasions? Am I getting warm enough for you?”

I stood my ground, my heart racing.

He crowded the distance, his chest heaving as he peered down at me. Just the way he twisted his mouth sent both tremors down my spine as well as electricity through every muscle. When he reached out, brushing his knuckles across my cheek, I shivered to my core.

“You’re so damn beautiful,” he whispered. “So incredible.”

The man was confusing.

And haunting.

And infuriating.

And suffering.

“What about you? What have you suffered?” I could barely recognize my voice.

“What have I suffered? Nothing in comparison to my brothers.” Sighing, he looked away, acting as if he wanted to answer just as he had before. The man refused to trust anyone, including himself. His hand dropped away from me slowly.

“Tell me, Dante. If you want to gain my trust, I need to know what makes the man tick inside.”

After taking a gulp of his drink, he gazed at me longingly before turning away. “There’s nothing to tell. I lost a buddy overseas. I couldn’t save him.”

I could tell there was more to the story, but I didn’t press him. A man like Dante King would only say or do what he felt was necessary and only when he believed it was in his best interest.

He returned to the window, gazing at the world as if he believed he was missing out on so much. But I’d seen the guilt in his eyes, the burden he’d been carrying since leaving the military. I knew about the trauma soldiers went through just from what my brother had endured. Sadly, I had no experience in being able to comfort anyone going through this.

“Why don’t you turn in, Julieta. We have some things to do in order to plan this godforsaken wedding.”

“If you hate it so much, then why are you bothering?”

“Because it’s in the best interest of the family. Whether you believe me or not, we’ve all made extreme sacrifices in order to please our father as well as protect what he and my grandfather worked so hard to achieve. This is what must be done. There is no other choice. I will make certain you have everything you need. At least that much I can promise you.”

“But not anything from you. Right?” I challenged. “No love. No friendship.” From where I stood, I could see the side of his face. Goddamn, the man was stoic as shit, so cold that I couldn’t stand to be around him right now.

He concentrated on staring out the window, never blinking. “I’m not a man capable of love, Julieta. I did that once. It was taken from me, although not by something as tragic as death. That’s something for you to remember as well. As I told you, I will honor my vows, but don’t expect me to suddenly turn into a romantic. That’s not within the King blood.”

Really? Is that why when Michael mentioned Daniella he lit up like a firecracker? There was no sense in muttering those words.

“You know what, Dante? I’m so sorry that marrying me is so atrocious and that I’ll make you unhappy for the rest of your life. As you might imagine, this is not what I expected for my life either. Then again, I doubt you care.” When he didn’t say anything, I backed away, finally heading for the stairs. There was no logical reason for tears to form in my eyes. I’d been a fighter all my life, rarely crying over anything. I’d learned to keep my chin up, as my father used to tell me. That had certainly made a portion of my life easier.

Yet here I was, a single tear slipping past my lashes. As I moved to the landing, I brushed it away fiercely, chastising myself for the tenth time that day. I wasn’t going to get through to him. We weren’t going to be a couple by any means.

“I do care. I’m not good at showing it, but I am sorry that you’re going to be forced into this arrangement. However, you did come to me for help.”

The words hung in the air. My God. I’d seen the light inside of him briefly, but he’d shut down. My guess was that had been his single moment of weakness.

It would never happen again.

“You’re right, Dante. It’s my mistake. I’m the fool. Now, I’m just going to have to live with it.” I stormed up the stairs, stopping just before reaching the top. Then I turned around slowly. He hadn’t budged an inch, but I could sense his increasing tension. I held onto the railing, twisting my hand around the banister.

His condominium suited him. Cold. Stark. Uninviting.

But I sat down on the gorgeous wooden stairs, the iron railings allowing me to watch him from afar. Within seconds, he turned out the light in the room, yet the bright neon lights from the world below managed to cast a colorful glow into the oversized window. I didn’t make a sound, simply sitting and watching him for a full five minutes.

Given what Michael had said at dinner, whatever had occurred with the buddy overseas was indeed eating Dante alive. He hadn’t forgiven himself for the man’s death. There had to be a story, a situation that he couldn’t face.

I’d never been the kind of woman to back down from anything. If I was going to be forced to live with him, I refused to start now. After removing my shoes and placing them on the stairs, I tiptoed down, taking careful steps as I moved behind him. I knew the second he could see my reflection in the shimmering illumination, his breath instantly ragged.

I stayed where I was, able to catch an outline of his face as he stared out the window. He was a handsome man on every level, his high forehead and gorgeous aristocratic nose matching his long dark eyelashes and chiseled cheekbones. I could only imagine what he looked like without his clothes.

Muscular.

Sculpted.

Delicious.

As I finally walked closer, my fully aroused nipples brushed back and forth across the thin material of the dress. The instant sensations dancing all throughout my body were breath stealing. A deep feeling of hunger threatened to shatter all the anger I’d felt earlier. I moved even closer until I was only a few inches away from him.

The silence wasn’t just awkward. It was even more arousing and that didn’t make any logical sense to me. A part of me simply wanted him to know I was here if he wanted to talk. That also made no sense. He’d confirmed we weren’t going to be friends. Why bother trying to be his confidant?

After a few seconds, he sighed, swirling his glass and allowing the ice to clink against it.

“Have you ever met someone in your life you knew was perhaps the nicest person in the world? You know the kind, the one who would give you the shirt off his back or the last dollar he had in his pocket?”

“Sadly, no, I haven’t, other than maybe my mother,” I answered as quietly as possible.

“Well, that’s sad. I was lucky enough to meet and spend time with one. He was…” Dante laughed. “I guess what people would call a baby soul. Always eager to learn new things. Refusing to believe anything but the best in people. He would volunteer for the shittiest jobs just to make yours easier. And his laugh. He could light up the world with his laugh.”

“What was his name?”

He took another sip of his drink and I was able to see his hand shaking. “Private Brad Martin. He was one proud Marine.”

Swallowing, I tried to think of what to say. I could tell this was the very story and the person he’d been unable to get over. “He sounds like an amazing friend.”

“He was. For some ridiculous reason, that man worshipped the ground I walked on. He thought I was the best damn soldier. He’d bugged me to learn everything I’d been taught and to teach him how to be a better soldier. Poor bastard.”

“He didn’t know who you were.”

“Isn’t that interesting? He was good and I was pure evil. The funny thing is that if I would have told him everything about my life, I think he would have just stared at me with his big brown eyes and smiled. There would have been no condemnation, no begging me to change my ways. Isn’t that ridiculous?” Dante laughed bitterly.

“That’s what friends do, real ones I mean. They don’t care who you are or how much money you have, or even that you might have done some terrible things. They just value what you share together.”

He hesitated before responding. “I guess you’re right. I was taught never to trust anyone and here he was trusting a monster with his life. Well, he fucked up. He died. I should have done everything in my power to save him.”

I moved to within only two inches of him. “You’re not a monster, Dante, just a man in need of finding himself. My guess is that you did do everything in your power to save him.”

“Yeah, well, tell his widow and baby daughter that. Goddamn it. He wrote to his wife every day. Longhand like the old way. They were so freaking poor that she didn’t have a computer. Given we never knew when we’d have an internet connection, she couldn’t even go to the library. But that didn’t matter to him. He wrote her every night by flashlight to make certain he kept his promise. That man told her everything. Everything.”

No wonder the news about his brother’s children had troubled him so much. I was beginning to understand just a little bit more about him. The man with two sides.

Good versus evil.

“That’s what real love is, Dante. When a man and woman want to share everything together, no matter how painful or disturbing.”

He tilted his head, taking several deep breaths. “The sad thing is, that’s not me.”

I ignored his comment, refusing to allow him to slide back into his padlocked box.

“I bet his wife and little girl would love to tell you how much what you did meant to Brad as well as to them.”

“Oh, I doubt that.”

“Why?”

Even in the shadowed light of the window, I could see the pain on his face. It was even stronger than before.

“Because I failed him, not just because I didn’t save his life.”

“Then why? What happened?” I placed my hand on his arm, keeping my touch light. “Why, Dante? I won’t criticize you. We’ve all done things we regret.”

He polished off the rest of his drink, acting as if he wanted to toss the glass through the window. I shifted my hand to the glass, taking it out of his fingers. An agonizing sound slipped up from his throat.

“He gave me a note to take to her on the night he was killed. She lives in Louisiana, for God’s sake. I didn’t honor his request. I can’t. I’m a fucking coward as well as murderer. Now you know, Julieta. Is that what you wanted, to hear just how weak I am?”

“That’s not weak, Dante. You’re allowed to feel anger and sadness, hurt and guilt, but at some point, you need to learn to heal. My mama used to say something every time I had a wound. A wound is the place where the light enters your soul. I think that might be something for you to think about.”

He jerked around to face me, and I could swear he was going to react violently. “Do you really think it’s that easy?” His anger was right at the surface.

“No, of course it’s not, but it is something you have to take seriously. It seems you don’t want to heal.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“From what I’ve gathered, you never had any intention of working in your family… empire. But here you are. I’m not a psychiatrist, but my bet is that you came back here, embracing the brutality of your family’s ways because you wanted to use the violence you knew existed. You craved it in your black soul in order to find a way to cope with what happened.”

Hissing, he crowded so close I was able to gather a whiff of scotch on his breath. “Is that what you really think?”

“Yes,” I said, refusing to back down or show him any sign of fear.

“Then…” he whispered, his chest heaving. “Then you’d be wrong.” The savage man fisted my hair, yanking me against the extreme heat of his body. As he lowered his head, I pressed my palms against his chest, kneading his muscles through the thin fabric of his shirt.

I was lightheaded, butterflies rushing into my system, the electric jolt even more magnificent than before. “I’m never wrong.”

A slight chuckle pushed past his lips before he crushed them over mine, dragging me onto my toes as he thrust his tongue inside. Within seconds, the moment of intimacy became a wild telling of hunger and desperate need, two broken people longing to find solace in each other’s arms.

He growled past the kiss as he dominated my tongue, smashing it back and forth as he drank from me.

As I clung to him, I clawed his shirt, pulling and tugging as my thirst for him increased. I was just as wild as the merciless man, longing to have his cock shoved inside of me. He bent my back, yanking on my hair until I was forced to arch my neck. The way he devoured my mouth wasn’t just savage.

It was primal.

I’d never been so attracted to a man, every cell in my body on overload. I was breathless as the rough kiss continued, whimpering enough the sound slipped around the tight capture of his mouth over mine. I continued to claw at his shirt, finally managing to tug the hem away from his tight jeans. When I slipped my hand underneath, the single touch of his skin was enough to scald the pads of my fingers.

Dante sucked on my tongue for several seconds before breaking the kiss, placing his open fingers on my cheek and jaw as he stared into my eyes. Even in the dim lighting, I could see the intensity of his stare, as if he would never take no for an answer.

As if he owned me.

Then he issued the single word that sent shivers down my spine.

“Mine.”

With a single yank of my hair, he exposed more of my neck, breathing heavily as he blew across my skin.

My purrs floated around us and I closed my eyes, barely able to catch my breath as he brushed his lips across my pulse of life. He had me exactly where he wanted, his ability to take and taste, fuck and use more exciting than I’d ever be able to admit to anyone. My mind was a blur as he nipped and licked my skin, shifting his hips back and forth.

His cock was so hard, throbbing against me. My mouth watered at the thought of sucking him, taking every sweet drop of his cream.

“Oh… So good,” I whispered.

“You haven’t seen anything yet.”

A slight smile crossed my face as he peppered kisses from one side of my neck to the other, finally mouthing my jaw as his fingers dug into my face. He was so powerful, able to strip me of what was left of my armor. I could no longer prevent him from dragging me into his darkness.

His desires.

His needs.

Panting, I blinked several times, the illuminated light shifting colors into my mind. I wrapped one leg around his thigh, rubbing my hand down the length of his arm. I was trembling in his hold, barely able to feel my legs. He had some crazy kind of hold over me, keeping my longing on edge and my mind in a dark and filthy place.

I wanted more.

So much more.

As he shifted his body, crouching lower, he used his teeth to lower first one strap on my dress then the other until my breasts were exposed. Another shudder coursed through me, the dazzling sensations of electricity like a burst of firecrackers dancing across the sky.

“I’m going to feast on every single inch of you.”

I couldn’t stop the lingering moans from his words. As I struggled to slide my hand between us, he nuzzled against the crest of my breasts, inhaling in an exaggerated manner. Every sound he made was carnal, every touch breathtaking.

“Then I’m going to fuck you.”

Even the inflections in his deep baritone left me aching inside, my pussy clenching and releasing from the power of his voice alone. Every rational part of me wanted to hate him, but the explosions in my body refused to accept reality.

The moment he eased away, he rubbed his hands down my arms, taking the straps with him. I couldn’t stop tingling all over, goosebumps following the trails of his gentle touch. My body swaying, I was forced to take shallow breaths. “Mmm…”

His nostrils flaring, he let out a series of dark and husky growls then yanked my dress to the floor. For a brutal man like Dante, the way he explored my skin, rolling his fingers over my shoulders then slowly down to my breasts was so enticing. A sly smile curled on his lips as he swirled the tips of his index fingers around my nipples.

I closed my eyes, trying to control my breathing. This was so unexpected, not anything like the man who’d taken me like an animal before. I dragged my tongue across my lips, my throat tightening as I grew more lightheaded. The moment he pinched my hardened buds between his fingers, twisting and pulling until pain washed over me, several whimpers escaped my mouth.

“Do you like pain, Julieta?”

“I…”

Chuckling again, he pinched until the pain shifted into anguish. I slapped my hands on his wrists, pursing my lips. “I assure you that pain can lead to the greatest pleasure.”

He cupped my breasts, lowering his head then sucking on my nipple, taking his time to slide his tongue back and forth. The wash of relief shifted into raw pleasure, lights flashing in vibrant colors in front of my eyes.

My pussy quivered, the scent driving me crazy, juice soaking my panties. I was completely under his spell, unable to force myself away.

As he brushed his lips to my other breast, I struggled to free his shirt completely.

Growling, he stepped back, yanking it over his head before sliding his fingers under the thin elastic of my panties, slowly rolling them over my hips. When they dropped to the floor, I shivered, kicking them away.

Then he stepped completely back, admiring every inch of my body before allowing his gaze to shift to my face, his eyes piercing mine. “Stand in front of the window, Julieta.”

“What?” I glanced toward the huge panes of glass, able to see certain portions of buildings below.

“You heard what I commanded. Don’t make me say it twice.”

I gave him a look of defiance before obeying him. The last thing I wanted was another round of punishment. As I headed to the window, the glaring lights becoming more pronounced, a wave of embarrassment shot into me. His condo started on the third floor. If anyone was looking up, there was a strong chance they’d see me.

“Place your hands on the glass,” he further instructed, his voice so gravelly my mouth was suddenly dry.

Trembling, I did as he asked, my fingers tingling from the action.

“Feet apart.”

I cringed but widened my feet, taking several deep breaths in order to calm my nerves. I heard nothing for what had to be five full minutes, almost ready to turn around when I finally figured out that he was finishing undressing. Every part of me wanted to turn around and watch, finally able to see his entire body.

But I was good, straining to see his reflection. He was still too far away, taking his damn sweet time to come closer.

“Tell me what you see in front of you,” he instructed. Why did his voice have such a powerful effect on me?

I shifted my gaze down below, so cold from the humiliation and slight fear wrapping together, clawing my insides. “The entire world.”

He chuckled darkly, taking a few steps closer. I could see his shadowed form; broad shoulders and a slender waist, long muscular legs, and just a slight glimpse of his gorgeous cock standing at full attention.

“Maybe not the entire world, Julieta. How many people are down below, walking the streets as they get ready to enjoy a night of food and drink?”

“Dozens. Hundreds.”

“Do you think they can see you? Do you believe they know what’s about to happen?” Dante took several additional steps closer. Now I was able to see a portion of his face, the slight smirk he continued to wear.

“Yes. They can see me.”

There was something so sensuous about his deep growls as they filtered into the space around me. I continued swaying, terrified I would fall to the floor. I was tense all over, struggling to obey him.

To be a good little girl.

The thought was both disgusting as well as electrifying.

“That’s good. They’re going to watch as I thrust my cock deep inside that tight little pussy of yours. Would you like that?”

Swallowing, I wasn’t certain I could think clearly any longer, let alone provide any kind of an answer.

But I did.

“Yes.” The sickening truth was just as riveting as what he was about to do.

Ravage me.

Use me.

Humiliate me.

Something had to be wrong with me. I’d never been like this, hungering to show off my body in such a lewd manner. Yet I couldn’t get over the fact I was excited, my breath skipping.

He advanced even further until he was standing just off to the side and only inches away. I allowed my gaze to fall all the way down his sculpted abdomen to his perfectly carved thighs. He was absolutely gorgeous, a powerful man with a stunning body.

“Good girl.” When he wound his fingers in my hair, tugging slightly, I issued a soft purr. Inhaling, he held the deep breath as he shifted my twisted hair to the side, sliding a single finger down my spine, slowing down as he brushed it along the crack of my ass. The look on his face was even more carnal than before, pushing me into a heightened state of frenzy.

“I just…” I laughed nervously, uncertain of what I was going to say.

He shifted all the way behind me, obscuring his sexy body. As he kicked my legs open even wider, he blew across my shoulders. “You just what?”

My heartbeat was pounding in my ears, my pulse racing. I couldn’t move or speak as he danced his fingers down the back of one thigh then up the other. “I just can’t understand you.”

“Then don’t try.” In a sudden move, he dropped to the floor, yanking my hips further away from the window. “Stay right where you are.”

“Yes, sir.” Why the words slipped out of my mouth easily was beyond me. I had no intention of treating him like my master on any level. He didn’t deserve that kind of respect, nor could I surrender to any man on any level.

But I was.

Submitting, just like my mother had done with my father. Just like I’d been bred to do.

Just like the gorgeous savage wanted.

When I closed my eyes, trying to make sense of what was happening, I heard his rough voice as he gave yet another command.

“Watch everything in front of you, Julieta. Don’t take your eyes away from the action below.”

I bit back a series of moans as I scanned the street, hoping that no one dared to look up. The way he slipped his fingers along my inner thighs was so provocative, creating even more butterflies in my stomach.

“Are you wet for me, Julieta?”

“Yes.” There was no way I could lie.

“Mmm…” The single syllable was so telling. He yanked me further away from the window, forcing me to arch my back.

I slapped the glass, gasping for air. There were dozens of people on the sidewalks and I could hear the sound of music coming from at least two locations. I was pulled into a lull as he blew hot air from one leg to the other. My God. The man could make me climax with nothing more than what he was doing.

The second he slipped his tongue between my legs, slowly swirling the tip around my clit, I couldn’t hold back a strangled yelp, blinking furiously. “Oh. Oh. Oh…”

“Good girl,” he murmured then dragged his tongue up and down my pussy, darting the tip between my swollen folds.

My hot breath was already fogging the clear glass and as I pressed my face against it, the cool surface gave me a crazy moment of relief. I had no idea how long he teased me, driving me to the point of madness, but I was almost ready to beg him to allow me to come. He brought me to the edge then pulled back several times. I was aching all over, my hunger off the charts.

As if realizing he was making me crazy, he started licking me furiously, driving his tongue as deep inside as possible.

“Oh. My. God.” I rose onto my toes, clawing the glass as the sensations increased, taking over every inch of my body. There was no way I could concentrate on obeying him, watching a crowd of people even if they gathered to stare at me. “I’m going to come.”

“Not yet. Not until I allow you to.”

“Beast. Just a… beast.”

He replied by thrusting several fingers in beside his tongue, driving them in hard and fast, pushing me to the point of no return.

“No, I can’t…”

“You will!” he commanded, the voice even more dominating than before.

Panting, I tossed my head from side to side, grimacing as I tried to hold back. The vibrations turned into jolt of electricity searing every cell and muscle. I was no longer certain I remained standing, my body now swaying from side to side.

I was intoxicated by his scent combining with my own, the coupling keeping my body on fire. This was crazy. This was blissful.

“Please. Please…”

Dante waited another ten, twenty, or thirty seconds, refusing to give in.

There was no way I was going to be able to hold back any longer.

“Please!” This time, my scream was loud and proud, begging a man I wasn’t even certain I could stand.

“Come for me, sweetheart. Come.”

He didn’t have to tell me again. The moment of ecstasy shoved me into a sublime state, pushing my limits.

“Yes. Yes. Yes!”

He gripped my legs, digging his fingers into me as he buried his face in my pussy.

The single climax blew into a second, the tidal wave smashing over me until I couldn’t take a deep breath. I was lost in the moment, shifting into paradise.

And he refused to let me go, flexing his fingers open as he plunged into me savagely. The wave continued until I was left aching all over. I eased my face against the cool glass again, no longer able to control my breathing.

When he finally freed his fingers, a cry erupted from my mouth. I never wanted him to stop, but my hunger was far too great. I craved his cock. I needed him inside of me. I longed to feel the explosive heat of his body cradled against mine.

As he stood, towering over me by several inches, I managed to lift my head. There was something about our combined reflection that was both haunting as well as titillating.

Dante tangled his fingers in my hair, lowering his head until he was able to whisper into my ear, the words just as defining as the way he was taking me.

“You belong to me. If any man tries to take you away, they will die.”

It wasn’t a threat, just a promise.

One I knew he would keep.

And one I had no doubt would be challenged.