And everyone would know I was her king.
“Uh…I’ll pass.”
I pushed the laptop away, my eyebrow rising. “I apologize for making you think you had a choice in the matter.”
Her eyes flashed in anger. “I don’t want to go, Bosco. I’m not meant for a world like that.”
Carmen wasn’t scared of anything, except for me and my underworld. “You underestimate my power. You can’t grasp it because you can’t understand it. There’s nowhere you can go, including the casino, where you aren’t safe. You’re coming with me—and you’ll enjoy it.”
She held my gaze but didn’t challenge me, understanding she would never win any of these battles.
“You gave me your complete cooperation for three months,” I reminded her.
“You’re confusing cooperation with obedience. They’re completely different.”
I stopped myself from smiling, always impressed by her quick intelligence. “Why don’t you want to go?”
“Why?” she asked incredulously. “You said all the members are criminals, murderers, thieves, rapists… Do I need to continue? Why would I want to be in the same room with a bunch of men I despise?”
“Because there are a strict set of rules that comes with their memberships. No one is armed. There is no violence. The dancers are off-limits. I run a very tight ship, and if anyone steps out of line, they’ll face the consequences. But no one steps out of line, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
She still wasn’t convinced, judging from her hesitation.
“Beautiful.”
She sighed the second she heard the nickname.
“You have nothing to be afraid of. I promise.”
“Do you bring other women there?”
I wanted to pretend I didn’t so we wouldn’t have to talk about it, but my commitment to honesty forced me to tell the truth. “Often.”
“And they were fine with it?” she asked, not a hint of jealousy in her voice.
“Most of the women I bed want to go to the casino. They want the whole experience, my money and my power. The underworld excites them. My authority excites them. They know they’re untouchable under my arm.”
Her shoulders lost their tension when she heard that reassurance. “After being in that alleyway with those four men, I guess I’m a little paranoid…” It was the first time she’d admitted that night shook her up. She’d brushed it off like it was nothing, keeping up a brave front. I knew it bothered her, and now she was being honest about it. “I just don’t want to be in that position again.” When she looked at me, there was a hint of sadness in her eyes, like the memory still disturbed her.
I never wanted her to feel like that again. I would never let anything happen to her—ever. Even if she wasn’t mine, I would cover her in my invincibility. “Let’s not forget who chased those men away—with just a few simple words.”
She set her spoon down and kept looking at me.
“As long as you’re with me, you never have to worry about a thing. I don’t know how many times I can say it, how many times I can prove it.” I was the most powerful man in this city, and that was something I didn’t need to say once—especially not more than once. She was a descendant of a powerful family that had a respectable reputation. The Barsetti brothers were formidable opponents, but frankly, they were nothing compared to what I had. Maybe if they’d stayed in the business, things would be different, but now they were two simple men with simple lives.
Carmen didn’t press her argument because she didn’t have one. “Alright.”
“We’ll leave when you get off work.” I carried my dishes to the sink then walked into the bedroom and to get ready for my workout. I pulled on a pair of running shorts and a white t-shirt. I wore different shoes for running and for lifting, so I started with the running shoes first.
Carmen walked in a moment later, her long legs peeking out from under my t-shirt. She watched me sit at the foot of the bed and tie my laces.
I sat up straight and met her look, unsure what she wanted to say next. There was nothing she could do to change my mind about my decision. She was my property now, and I could do whatever I wanted.
She walked toward me and stopped when she stood between my knees. Then she lowered herself to the floor and pulled my shirt over her head. Plump tits were revealed, along with perfect nipples. She had a large bust in comparison to her small rib cage. She was petite everywhere else, except for her perfect rack and beautiful ass.
She grabbed my shorts and boxers and pulled them down, revealing my throbbing cock. I was hard for her at any time, so whenever she was ready, so was I. She ran her hand through her hair and pulled it from her face. Her tongue swiped across her lips before she lowered her mouth to my head. She opened her mouth wide and took me in deeply, pushing me to the back of her throat.