I loved the way she twisted her nipples. Self-conscious at first, she was reluctant. But when she saw how hot she made me, she gave it a try. She twisted her nipples fearlessly, causing enough pain to make her wince but enough pleasure to make her moan. The sensitive skin around her nipples reddened, and the sight aroused me further.

Her virginity was initially a disappointment, but now I enjoyed teaching her new positions. When she straddled my hips, I could tell it was something she’d never done before. But she listened to my instruction and allowed me to guide her, to teach her how to sheathe my cock over and over again. I showed her how to grind her clit against my pelvic bone, a new realm of pleasure for her. She was a quick learner, and by the end, she was a pro.

Once I knew she was open to the idea, I pinched her nipples.

I didn’t do it as harshly as I wanted, but I still tested the waters to see her reaction. Thankfully, she liked it, biting her lip in a sexy way that turned me on like nothing else. She had the innocence of a virgin but the courage of a warrior.

That gave me hope.

She looked at me differently from the way she used to, offering me a new level of trust she’d never shown before. She was at ease around me, unafraid to express her true opinions. But the best part of all was her vulnerability.

There wasn’t a single wall inside her heart.

I had her exactly where I wanted her.

After a few months of getting to know one another, I would finally tell her what I wanted. And I had faith that our mutual feelings would be enough for us to achieve that new level. She wouldn’t let anyone else tie her to a headboard or spank her ass until it was red—but she would make an exception for me.

After dinner, we went into my bedroom on the top floor and dropped our clothes once more. I wanted to keep going earlier, but her devotion to not wasting food interrupted the heat of the moment. If she were anyone else, I would have commanded her to remain on my dick and not allowed her to leave until I gave her explicit permission.

But Rome was different.

I got her on her back in my bed, her tits firm and perky. Instead of sliding into home plate, I lay on top of her and cherished her with endless kisses. I tasted every inch of her skin, enjoying the hint of vanilla from her lotion. When her nipples were in my mouth, they pebbled into a point, and I sucked them harshly until she winced. I wanted her nipples to ache for the rest of the night and the following morning—so she wouldn’t forget about me. My mouth moved to her ear next, breathing deeply into her canal. “On your knees.”

She dragged her nails down my back, comfortable underneath me with her ankles hooked around my waist. I liked her there too, but I wanted her ass in the air. I wanted to stare at that gorgeous asshole while I fucked her from behind.

When she didn’t move, I breathed into her ear again. “Now.”

She cupped my face and gave me a slow kiss, one full of tongue and desire. She breathed gently into my mouth, her moans audible from the inside out. The kiss was so sexy I forgot about the command I gave her altogether.

She turned over and separated her knees, looking at me over her shoulder with her lips parted. Those green eyes sparkled in the dim lighting of my bedroom, silently begging for my cock to enter her.

I’d never been with a woman who wanted me more.

The fact that she wanted me because of me, not my wealth or looks, just made it better.

I leaned back on the balls of my feet and slipped into her, my head pushing through her tight channel and inching deep inside. She was soaked for me—constantly. I pushed until I was balls deep, stretching her deliciously.

I grabbed her by the back of the neck, my fingers squeezing her hard. I took a deep breath and forced my fingers to relax, knowing I couldn’t be so firm with her yet. I pressed her head to the mattress, her ass sticking up farther in the air.

I planted one foot on the bed then gripped her hips as I thrust into her, fucking her hard. I took her gently earlier because that was the particular mood I was in. But now, my dominance was in control, and I wanted to take her roughly and make her scream.

My hand ached to slap her ass.

In fact, it burned.

I rubbed her cheek as I thrust into her, loving the petite muscles of her back and shoulders. She was slender but defined with strength. Her hair was sprawled out on the sheets with her face pressed to the mattress, her moans sometimes muffled against the bed.

My hand shook as it caressed her cheek. When my control slipped away, I slapped my palm against her ass—mildly. It wasn’t nearly as hard as I wanted to strike her. It was just a test, to see her reaction over something minor.

She moaned a little louder, her reaction to the touch not exactly clear.

I leaned over her, my chest pressed against her back. The sweat from my body rubbed against hers, our hot and writhing bodies working together to heighten the sex. She turned her head over her shoulder, her mouth open and begging for a kiss.

I crushed my mouth against hers and shoved my tongue into her throat, swallowing her moans. My cock buried itself inside her with every thrust, wanting to go deeper. She was always so wet for me, making it possible for me to push so far inside her. I had worried her little pussy would never take my fat cock with ease.

I grabbed her wrists and held them behind her back, owning her more intimately. An image of rope appeared in my mind, and I imagined it tied around her petite wrists, the painful friction rubbing harshly into her skin. I imagined her as my prisoner, with no escape unless I permitted it. It didn’t matter if she had somewhere to be. She would only walk away when I gave her permission.

The thoughts made me so goddamn hard.

I squeezed her wrists tighter then spanked her again, this time, a little harder.

“Calloway…” She let out a scream as she came, exploding on impact. Her back arched as she absorbed the pleasure, the mattress muffling her screams as she writhed underneath me. The orgasm seemed to stretch on forever because it was a full minute before her screams died away.

Now I wanted to release. I gripped her wrists tighter and gave her a few more pumps, finding my threshold almost instantly. I shoved my cock all the way inside her, nearly hitting her cervix as I came with a moan. “Vanilla…” I leaned over her and pressed my lips against the center of her spine, feeling my cock release my load into her channel. Every time I filled her, I felt like a king.

And she was my queen.

* * *

When I walked into my office at Ruin, Jackson was already there.

He was sitting in the high-back chair and facing my desk, his blue eyes following me as I walked around and sat in the chair on the opposite side. His fingers brushed against the scruff of his chin, appearing indifferent even though he obviously felt the opposite. “Numbers are the same. We should be growing. That’s what businesses do.”

“We don’t have the room.” I didn’t need to look at the numbers to understand what Jackson was talking about. “If we have too many members, everything will be crowded, and people will stop showing.”

“And yet, gyms do it all the time. Never enough cardio machines, and the weight room is always packed.”

I was used to his sarcasm, so it no longer affected me. “No.”

“Then we should open that second location that we talked about.”

“No.” With two businesses, I was already tied down. Now that I had Rome around every day, my time was even more restricted. It was difficult for me to come to Ruin without Rome figuring out what I was really doing.

“Is that the only word you know how to say?” He straightened in his chair, giving me a hateful look.

“To you, yes.”

He rolled his eyes, clearly pissed off. “Then what do we do?”

“We enjoy the success and live our lives.”

“Dad always said if a business isn’t growing, it’s failing.”

Like I didn’t remember. Our father drilled his experience into me every single day. Like a messiah, he pretended to know all the answers. “We’re fine, Jackson. It’ll only make Ruin more exclusive, and we can raise the prices for members. We can double the revenue without doubling the members. That’s better, if you ask me.”

If Jackson had a comeback, he would have said something by now. But he remained silent in his chair, staring me down with even more rage. He hated me for being wrong, but he absolutely loathed me for being right. Tired of living in my shadow, he let his anger make him do even more immature things.

“So, we’re sticking with our original plan. Things could be worse, Jackson. So, lighten up.”

“I’ll lighten up when Rome is out of the picture.”

I knew he would bring her up. It was only a matter of time. “What’s your problem, Jackson?” He never stuck his nose into my love life, but now he was obsessed with it. I never showed curiosity about the women he dated. I couldn’t care less where he put his dick.

“I told you my problem in the bar weeks ago.” He stared me down with his typical threatening edge.

“She’s not changing me.”

“Fine. Keep lying to yourself.”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but she and I are making progress. When she’s ready, I’ll tell her the truth. I’ll introduce her to the underworld and turn her into the devil himself. I’ll be at your beck and call all over again. So, just chill.”

“Seriously?” He cocked his head to the side, examining me closely.

“Yes. Seriously.”

“What does that mean? She’s into kinky shit?”

She liked it when I twisted her nipples and spanked her ass. She was definitely open to new things besides vanilla sex. When we were in the heat of the moment, she would obey my commands. I wished she would do it all the time, but I’d settle for that. “Something like that.”

“What about Isabella?”

“What about her?” I hadn’t been with her in three months, yet she always came up. Honestly, I didn’t even think about her.

“She still wants you.”

So desperate. So weak. So undesirable. “That’s her problem, not mine. So what’s new with you, Jackson? Who are you humping?”

He ignored the comment.

“Sorry, am I being too nosy?” I asked sarcastically.

“Fuck you, Cal.” He finally walked out of my office, slamming the door behind him. For just a moment, the sound of techno dance music entered my office. The bass thudded against the walls, mimicking the migraine beginning behind my eyes.

“Fuck you too.”