Concealment (The Cassano Series Book 1) (18 page)

Adrian

Victoria’s eyes are keen with desire as her teeth drag over her full, cherry lip. I already want to taste it again, but it’s her wet pussy I want to taste more.

“Close your eyes and relax. I’m going to show you what pleasure my tongue can give.”

She inhales long and slow. My arms bend, lowering me closer to her, so I can take one of her rigid nipples into my mouth.

I suck and pull, then let go and repeat. Victoria’s whimpers become strained from her breaths quickening, the guttural noises flowing erotically from her swollen lips.

“Fuck … that sound.”

A chaste kiss lands on her mouth before I give the other nipple its turn. My open, wet lips glide along her stomach, feeling it flinch below me.

Climbing off the bed, I pull on her black lace panties, the material brushing her skin on the way down.

I grasp her hips and push her up farther on the bed, spreading her legs wide. She sucks in a sharp breath as the sight and sound of her steal mine.

“
Christ
,” I say through a hiss as two of my fingers slide into her. “I’ve never wanted to taste anything more.”

Victoria

Adrian’s fingers slip in and out of me at a teasingly slow pace. His other hand spreads me open, his tongue working over my flesh.

“Pink, swollen and dripping wet,” he murmurs against me before he’s sucking my clit into his mouth.

The shock of the intense contact sends my fingers into his hair. My nails dig into Adrian’s scalp as growls roar atop my moans of pleasure.  

The tip of his tongue returns to circling, the touch a feathering, enough to drive me insane.

I’m struck with stinging sensations, a storm of ecstasy pooling, and I feel my control slipping away. Every flick is electricity, like caffeine to an already wired body.

It drives me to the heightened peak where the crash should be a welcomed release, but I can’t let go of my control. I can’t.

“Adrian, no, I’m going to come.”

“Yes, Victoria. That’s exactly what you’re going to do,” he says muffled before he’s burying his face against me, his smoldering breath setting ablaze the last of my restraint.

Each convulsion riddles my body with undulating pleasure I can’t deny, and it’s magnificent.

I feel the absence of Adrian and hear a drawer open on his nightstand. The display of colors dancing behind my eyes is beginning to fade as his heated body comes to rest on top of mine.

“Open your eyes,” he says.

Excitement stares back at me when my lashes flutter. His forearms are holding him up, fingers tracing the space behind my ears. Lord, the stubble on his handsome face is sexy.

My forehead is kissed, his lips hanging on tenderly. Nose and both cheeks have the privilege of experiencing it next.

“Your skin is soft, and you smell like roses,” he mumbles before he kisses my chin and trails his lips to my ear.

“You’re all I see, hear, feel or smell, and now, I’ve had a taste. You own my senses, Victoria.”

His attentiveness has me feeling something other than the heat of lust. He’s a well of gentleness, his reverence a gift of reassurance to my untrusting soul.

It accepts his gift in exchange for my heart, which I’m discovering must go with him whether it’s ready to or not.

Adrian covers my ear with kisses. “You’re my exquisite pearl,” he whispers. This man doesn’t only look at me; he sees into me. Is it truly possible someone is looking past the annoying flaws of my personality? Past my impulsive, difficult behavior?

Hips shift slightly between my thighs before he’s patiently pushing his rock-hard cock into me.

Although there is evidence that it’s difficult for his eyes to remain open, his gaze never falters.

“You. Feel. Fucking. Amazing. Don’t fight this, Victoria. Don’t fight us.”

Lips press to mine, and I wrap my arms around his contoured back. Pulling out, he thrusts back into me.

My back and head arch, and he shoves his face into my neck with a groan. We move in rhythm, and I find I’m losing myself once again.

Since I couldn’t be more in the moment, it’s not that I’m slipping away. It’s more like I’m trapped in a space with no exit. A place of bliss that somehow terrifies me.

Adrian lifts his head and kisses me, but I have to pull away when I feel my body seized by another orgasm.

Air evacuates from my chest, and I’m unable to suck in more during the time I’m drowning in all-consuming ecstasy.

“Damn, watching you come beneath me is magnificent.” His words trail off into a low growl as he unravels, too.

Fingers tangle in my hair while mine feel the sweat beads on his toned back.

Luckily, I’ve managed to suck in a breath before he falls onto me and burrows his face into the crook of my neck.

My hands glide upward, delving into his coal colored strands. Adrian croons against my neck, pleased with the movement of my fingers.

After several minutes, he begrudgingly moves away and climbs off the bed to dispose of the condom. His tanned, bare body strides back, and I watch with every step.

My face flushes when he reaches the mattress and flashes a wicked grin.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been checked out so thoroughly.”

Grabbing a pillow, I launch it at his face. In a split second, I’m flipped onto my stomach, and he’s straddling me. I giggle and squirm in a feigned attempt at a getaway.

“I’ll just have you know that I could be out of this position in a second if I wanted.”

“If you wanted …” His nose starts at my outer shoulder and skims across my skin until it reaches my neck. He inhales a breath and sighs. “But you don’t want to be out from under my hold.”

“Hmm … maybe I don’t.”

“Maybe you need another orgasm to catch on to what I’m wanting to hear.”

“What is it you’re wanting to hear, Mr. Cassano?” I ask with a giggle.

Shifting off of me, Adrian rolls me over. He lies down and turns on his side to face me, so I roll toward him. One hand cradles my face and all humor disappears from his.

“Be mine, Victoria, and tell me you won’t see any man but me.”

Adrian

Victoria’s playful smile weakens as she ponders over my statement.

“There is no one else I want to date, but we barely know each other. I mean, there are things you don’t know about me that could change your mind.”

“I think about you every waking moment of my day. You invade my nights when I should have a reprieve from your gorgeous face.

“I discovered upon seeing another man’s hands touching you that I’ll hurt the next one who tries. That’s all I need to know, Victoria, to give us a chance.”

She’s worried that once she tells me she’s in law enforcement, I will end this. What she doesn’t know is that the heaviest burden lies on me.

The fact she’s a cop means she’ll never approve of my operation here at Submission. Caring for Victoria doesn’t benefit my family or my cause.

It could hurt everything my brothers and I have worked toward, but I’m willing to risk it all to have as many days with her as she’ll allow. For once, there is something–someone–I want for only me.

Her warm palm presses to my chest.

“I’ll be yours, Adrian, for as long as you want me.”

My body covers hers again, and I feed her my appreciation through a kiss. For the first time in years, I’m holding on to a future that isn’t being built off the blueprints from a past.

This future is about Victoria and me only, and I refuse to let external bullshit come between us.

Victoria

After lunch, I’m typing up a report at my desk, struggling to stay awake. Adrian and I had sex more than once last night, just as he stated we would, so I didn’t get much sleep.

My phone vibrates, so I pull it from my pocket.

Adrian:
Juice Box, tonight is too far away. I’m seeing you before your shift.

Me:
I won’t have time.

Adrian:
I won’t need much time. Hard and fast, Victoria. Then tonight, I’ll make it up to you, slow and deep.

That woke me the fuck up.

Me:
Um, OK, I’ll come at five.

Adrian:
Damn straight you will.

Giggling loudly at my desk, I look up to see Tucker and Reggie glancing over at me. I must have the guiltiest look on my face as the redness paints my skin.

Me:
You’re making me smile.

Adrian:
You’re making me stupidly happy.

Me:
Don’t dumb down too much. I’m growing fond of our deep conversations.

Adrian:
I’m grinning goofily. See, JB, stupidly happy.

An unexpected sigh drifts out as I reply to his text with a few emoji hearts.

Jesus
, a lovesick sigh and hearts.

I must be a masochist for the pain I’m setting myself up for when he finds out about the day job I keep.

***

Reggie and I were held up in a meeting at work, so I don’t arrive at Hotel Submission until five minutes after five in the evening.

There is no way I can get to Adrian’s penthouse and back down to work by five-thirty. As I dart inside from the bus stop, I hit send on a text message, informing him of the disappointing news.

I don’t hear back, so I figure I will have some making up to do when I get to the penthouse tonight after my shift.

Hurriedly, I freshen up and change before stuffing my belongings into a locker. I hear the door to the room open as I turn around.

Startled, my hand lands on my chest.

“Adrian, what are you doing? You can’t be in here.”

“It’s my building.”

I know we’re alone, but the nervousness of him being in the women’s locker room has me glancing around. “Are you wanting a lawsuit from a female employee?”

He scrunches his forehead. “No one is in here, and you didn’t come see me.”

“I told you I didn’t have time.”

“And I told you it would be hard and fast, Victoria.” Just like that, he’s pulling me behind him to a door I’ve never noticed.

It’s a dressing room with an attached bench. This would’ve been handy to know before the times I struggled to pull on thigh highs without falling into a toilet.

In a split second, he has turned and is locking the door behind me. He plunges his ravenous tongue into my mouth, and squeezes my ass beneath the frilly skirt of my uniform.

His masculine scent, with the bite of citrus, awakens my desire, and I want this. Reaching for his pants, I unhook his belt and undo his dress pants.

His light growl vibrates against my mouth as we both step until he falls back onto the bench. He jerks his pants to his knees and pulls me to him by gripping the back of my thighs.

“Condom,” I whisper anxiously.

“Shit,” he says as he shoves a hand into his pants pocket. I swipe the package from him and tear it with my teeth. He fights a groan as I slide the condom onto his erection.

Climbing onto his lap, my fingers shift the silky fabric of my black panties over, and I sink right onto him. He shoves his forehead against my collarbone, muffling his growl.

Fingertips pressing deep in my ass cheeks speedily lift me and bring me back down onto his stiff cock.

Repeatedly, he drives into me until he’s holding me down hard, bursting inside.

I start to move off of him after he recovers, but he tightens his hold. His hand moves to my front, his fingers rubbing my pussy until I’m burying my face, too, stifling the moans generated from an intense orgasm.

I lift my head for air, and he gazes at me with a look of amazement. “You’re making me reckless, Victoria. I don’t know if there is anything I wouldn’t do to see you.

“I’ve got it bad for you. I’m in fucking deep.” He brings me to his chest and hugs me as he kisses my hair.

“Me, too, Adrian … me, too.”

Victoria

The last few days have been overwhelming. Adrian has consumed my thoughts and all of my nights, but I love it.

Knowing only a couple of floors separate us while I’m at work in the lounge has my heart rate picking up speed.

“Are we going to get manis and pedis again tomorrow?” I ask Tara as we stand at our lockers before our shift.

“I don’t know.” She’s short with me, which was the attitude I received from her last night.

“What’s up with you?”

“Why should I answer that? You don’t share what’s happening in your world.” She roots through her bag that is sitting on a shelf inside her locker.

“What did you hear?”

“That this is your last week.”

“I’ve been trying to find a way to keep my job, so I was hoping I wouldn’t need to tell you I was quitting.”

Shifting to face me, Tara hugs her hip with a hand. Her lips purse, confusion and suspicion evident. “Rumor is, it was your choice to leave.”

“I’m seeing someone from here, OK? It’s not an ideal situation now for me to work in Elite.”

“Whatever. I thought we were becoming friends, but you keep wanting to dance around the truth.” Her locker slams hard before she starts toward the door to the lounge.

I’m going to have to tell her about Adrian. I’ve grown to like Tara, but I’m struggling to get close to her since that will only mean I’m betraying another person on a deeper level.

I grab her wrist to stop her.

“Ouch!” she cries out. Abruptly, I let go, and she rubs her wrist over her wide bangle bracelet.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think I grabbed you that hard.”

Her gaze plummets to the floor.

“You didn’t. I um, hurt my wrist.”

Seeing that she’s wearing wide bracelets on both of them, I take hold of the one on her right wrist and slide it upward.

I spot the band of bruising before she pulls it away and winces. Grabbing her left forearm, I repeat and spot the same bruising.

“Who the fuck did this to you?”

“It’s nothing.”

“That’s a load of shit. Who did this to you?” I point my finger at her. “Hold on. You’ve been seeing Mr. Glover outside of here.”

“Let it go, Vicky.”

“He did this to you, didn’t he?”

She turns swiftly on her heels and exits into Elite, so I follow her.

“Answer me, Tara.”

Swinging her body around, she halts and narrows her icy blue eyes on me.

“Let this go. I knew what I was getting myself into, and I’m fine with it.”

“Bullshit. You wouldn’t ask for those bruises.” She stomps away, and I’m not getting anything else out of her tonight.

***

I’ve tried to let the anger go, but it’s impossible. Tara is young and on her own completely. Who is going to look after her if I don’t?

Mr. Glover has been staring at her every free minute he gets, and the hunger in his eyes makes me want to burn them with a fire iron.

The night is winding down, and when I see him fold his hand of cards and rise to leave, I go to the bar.

“Sebastian, if anyone asks, I had to go downstairs for something. I’ll be back.”

“Sure thing, sweetheart.” He nods his short, strawberry blonde hair my direction and smiles as he wipes down the counter.

I follow Mr. Glover to the elevator and step inside with him. Sampson is manning it tonight, so I greet him with a grin and a hello.

Mr. Glover purposely stands against the side, so he has a view of me. I know this since his eyes are taking audit of my assets.

The overhead lighting shines down on his mostly blonde hair, bringing attention to the grey strands woven throughout.

This also reminds me of the thirty year age difference between he and Tara, and I feel my blood roar to a full boil.

When I look back at his face, I discover while I’ve been studying his hair, he’s been taking mental snapshots of my tits. His muddy brown eyes tilt up at mine and give a suggestive look.

Motherfucker. He has no clue what he’s in for.

“Vicky, right?”

“Yes, and you are?”

“Phil Glover. I haven’t had the privilege of your service, but I’ve definitely noticed you. Maybe your presence could turn my luck around.”

Oh, my presence is going to turn his luck, but not in the direction he’s hoping for.

I giggle, bat my lashes, and grin like there are no fucking brains above the tits he won’t stop stealing glances of.

Sampson clears his throat as we exit the elevator. Dammit, he probably thinks I’m a cheating whore. He has escorted me up to Adrian’s penthouse the last two nights after I’ve gotten off work.

Mr. Glover makes a point to stroll beside me to the parking garage. “Phil, what do you drive? I’m a sucker for a cool ass car.”

As I flirt, he grins and hands the valet guy his ticket. “I own a Porsche.”

Damn, there will be witnesses to my actions, which usually means consequences. I shut off the thought since I desperately need to release the anger I’m feeling toward this disgusting man.

“Oooh, can I see inside it?” I ask with my hands clasped in front of me. I wonder if he is even mindful that I have no belongings with me.

“Of course. I’ll give you a ride if you would like.” His muddy eyes are now a darker shade, and I can’t wait to punch his face.

I give him a sultry look, leaving a touch of mystery there by not replying to his offer. A Riviera Blue Boxster S Porsche pulls up in front of us, saving me from his ballsy small talk.

He gets an “A” for his effort
in seduction but a big, fat “F” for delivery. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the valet guy open the passenger door for me.

“Let me take you for a ride,” Phil says before leaning over to my ear. “I’ll even show you where I live.”

“You asswipe. I can’t believe you think I’d go anywhere with you, especially after what you did to Tara.”

Locking my fingers behind his neck, I pull it downward and knee him in the groin. Hmm … it must get that anatomical title from the sound men make once it’s injured.

He begins to fall forward, so I use that opportunity to land an uppercut to his nose. His head flies back, and I hear the “Oooh, damn,” come from one of the valet guys.

One of Mr. Glover’s hands is on his junk, his balls now properly at his throat, not far from where his other fingers are covering his bloody nose.

My mouth moves to his ear as he stands stunned and in pain. “You put another bruise on my friend, and there won’t be a spot on your body without one.”

I leave him alone and march back into the hotel. My blood is still racing, but the fire has weakened.

Before I reach the elevators, Kruse and Simon are hastily coming toward me. Oh, shit.

“What the fuck did you do?” Simon asks.

“Laid the ground rules.”

“You’re nuts. Kruse said you hit a client. Come with me.” He’s grabbing me by the bicep, leading me back toward the scene of the crime.

“Yes, we have her, and she appears fine,” Kruse says into his earpiece. I bet he’s chatting with Adrian. I’m in major trouble.

“I want charges pressed against her,” Phil says as he holds a white … well, white and bloodred, handkerchief to his nose.

He’s pointing at me with his other hand before he leans over and presses his palm on his knee.

“Do you have a clue to the amount of damage control I have to do now because of you?” Simon sneers in my ear as he squeezes harder on my arm.

“Let me go, and he doesn’t need to be a client here, anyway. He put bruises on Tara.”

Simon stops and glares at me. Our faces aren’t far apart, and it feels too similar to when I’ve been this close to Adrian. We’re about twelve feet from asswipe, Glover.

“You’re going to apologize for hurting him. I do
not
want police at my casino.”

If I had dog ears, they’d be shooting straight up. “Why is that?”

He huffs. “I just don’t want them here.”

“I’m not apologizing.”

“Get your hands off of her!” Adrian demands, the thundering sound echoing in the space of concrete and vehicles. I don’t need to turn around to verify that voice.

Simon releases my arm. “She has caused a shitload of trouble.” Along with his opinion, he is sharing his glare with Adrian, and I can picture the one he’s getting in return.

“Take Mr. Glover to the medical office. Ms. Stuart is coming with me,” Adrian says.

“I want charges filed against her!” Phil shouts.

Adrian walks over to the man still somewhat doubled over and exchanges words. No matter how hard I strain, I can’t hear them.

“Come with me,” he says after returning and taking hold of my hand. His tone is devoid of emotion, and I only have the privilege of seeing his dynamic eyes for a moment, his gaze indifferent.

This is an Adrian I can’t read, and frankly, it scares me a little.