I took a long shower and an even longer walk through the estate's corridors after the brush with Sabrina. Fuck, I could still smell her on my fingers .

Scared, sexy, and so damned tempting. I inhaled her scent until the shower washed it all away, wishing I could get rid of the ridiculous hard-on pulling at my skin just as easy .

I should've fucked her. I wanted to. Temptation clung to my gut like an angry dog, hounding me to march back there and put my dick where it belonged .

She'd be the best fuck of my life. I knew it. And if it wasn't for those big dark doe eyes drilling into my soul, I would've already found out how hard her pussy clenched around my cock when she came .

Shit, let's be honest. Any pussy would've been divine after three hundred and ninety days in Correctional. But hers tapped buttons no other bitch would ever reach because she was so innocent, so taboo, so fucking wrong for me. My dick begged me to jerk it off the entire time I washed my hair .

I resisted. I wasn't taking my nut until I blew it all over that girl locked in the chamber attached to mine. I'd give her a few days, maybe two or three, to settle in. All the time I had left before my cock overrode everything else in my skull and fucking her was as much a need as sucking oxygen .

Also about the time I estimated I'd need to get her on my side, to make her want it and want me without hesitation .

Lev and Daniel were waiting for my plan. I knew I'd have to explain what good the girl was now that I'd busted out, and why we shouldn't just shoot her dead and dump her carcass in the closest landfill .

I dried my hair, dressed, and took the long way through the big house. It used to be my old man's, a vacation ranch spun off to a family friend after papa's murder. The cops would be too busy the next week or two combing Chicago for my escaped ass. They'd go after all the obvious places first, and there were a lot of them with all the warehouses, bars, and lounges under our name. They'd never look here, or not when it mattered .

By the time I was back in the city, it was gonna be for a quick hit and run. If it went off as smoothly as my jailbreak, the Ligiotti clan would be decapitated, and I'd be on my merry way to blow this country and leave Uncle Sam hanging with his dick in his hand .

Clear your fucking head, man, I told myself. The tension rolled through my body like a razor blade riding my bones. There were about ten reasons why my fists were hard as hammers at my sides, and they all had to do with her. Shaking off the adrenaline rush of fucking my way out never felt like this .

I took an extra lap down the hall, shaking off my wood. I pinched my teeth together. The only thing my brothers would find funnier than my weird obsession with this chick was walking into the dining room sporting dick like a goddamned horny teenager. I shook off my erection before the meeting .

I rounded my way back, opened the door, and saw them sitting at the long dining table. My seat was at the head of the table. An honorable gesture from both those beautiful bastards .

No sooner than I was in my chair, Lev looked at me with his eyebrows up. “Did you fuck her yet ?”

“You think that's really my first thought after breaking out of prison? Jesus Christ. It's been boring as fuck behind bars, but I'm still man enough to put business first .”

A smile spread across his broad face. “Brother, we both know what's on your mind. I can't fucking imagine being denied pussy for a year. You're a braver man than me .”

I suppressed a growl and turned my chair, looking at Daniel. He was all business, same as usual, his attention on some paper in front of him .

“Well, what's the fucking story? Have we got the guys in place for this ambush before old man Ligiotti hears I'm a free man ?”

“Financials aren't a problem. Neither is manpower.” Daniel looked up. His face looked like a smoother, slightly younger mirror of my own. “Only problem is getting close to him. If he'd showed up last time, like we planned, we wouldn't be having this fucking do-over right now .”

I slammed my fists on the table. “Like I don't know that! It wasn't my fault. We all signed off on the intel that said he was supposed to be at Club Duce. Gioulio was due to be greeting those sick fucks before he turned his new girls loose. Somebody tipped him off .”

“Got a feeling all our asses would be in jail if you'd triggered the blast a minute or two later,” Lev said, wagging his finger. “The girls were on their way. Just them and their handlers. Gioulio changed plans at the last minute .”

I shrugged. “Might've been a mercy if they'd died there. You guys got me out of prison, quick and easy. Those girls he's got chained up? They're the ones who're really suffering. The bastards keep them in cages like dogs 'til they're brought out to suck and fuck .”

“Yeah. If only that was the only thing going on at Gioulio's parties.” Daniel stopped short of listing the sadistic shit we'd discovered .

It nailed me in the fucking chest to this day. No, we weren't out to play hero. Killing the head of the Ligiotti family and taking their business was priority number one. It was a selfish goal to enrich our family, secure ourselves. But just between us brothers, we'd hoped killing those fucks with a well timed explosion would set the women free too .

We'd slaughtered their asses before the women showed up, so that was something. None of the girls died that night. It even gave the bastard pause from everything we'd heard, rattled him so bad he let the sex ring languish for a couple months. Too bad it didn't last. Gioulio started pimping them out to a new line of Chicago scum the day after I went behind bars. The city's filled with fucking rats, always ready to come outta the woodwork and do favors for anyone willing to satisfy their psycho needs .

“Look, Anton, we've been working on the logistics of a follow up hit the whole time you've been behind bars,” Daniel said, reaching across the table to freshen his mug with more hot water from the samovar in the center. “Hell, we would've taken that bastard out ourselves by now if we didn't have to worry about somebody killing you dead on the inside in retaliation .”

“You should've done it anyway. I could've handled myself in there .”

A white lie. Yeah, I knew how to fight. I'd broken the bones of any fuck who tried to get smart or slip their dick into my ass in jail. But there were other tortures I didn't handle so well .

Solitary was hell. All three times I'd been there, my mind went crazy, wondering if I'd ever see a human face again. It was worse being caged with a cellmate, which was fucking plenty to deal with by itself .

I had to be out in the world. I was too used to business and play, killing and fucking, laughing with my brothers and looking for a chick worthy of expanding our family with my wild seed .

Never again. I'd never let those fuckers drag me back to that place for defending my family and butchering some dirty bastards with lived like angels and pleasured themselves like pigs. I'd do this shit with my brothers, accomplish the mission ahead, or die trying .

“Whatever. What happened – or didn't happen – is all done. We're here tonight to figure out how we're gonna dig Gioulio's grave .”

“Right,” Lev agreed. “Is that where the sweet ass hanging out in your bedroom comes in ?”

“We should've drugged her and dumped her on the way here. Bitch is Ligiotti trash. I'm glad she was there to help you out, but I don't understand why the fuck you wanted to keep her here. She's a risk .”

“Because she's gonna be our Trojan Horse,” I growled, half a heartbeat away from slamming my fists on the table again. Couldn't believe how callously my brothers were talking about that girl. Vengeance is some poisonous shit .

“Yeah? And have you got a plan, or are you just bullshitting as you go along?” Daniel quirked an eyebrow .

“Nobody knows what we're up against like I do, D. I read about her old man and his asshole brother. I know what happened. And I definitely know the right questions to ask to get her on board .”

Lev shook his head, downing the shot of vodka waiting in his glass. “You think she'll turn that easy? Especially when the hard questions are coming from you? Why the fuck should she trust anything coming outta your mouth ?”

I nodded, anger bristling in my veins. “She will. You forget I've already sat down a time or two with this girl. She knows me .”

Not to mention laid her down, pinched her ass, made her gush and twitch on my hands, I thought. Fuck, what I would've given to do a whole lot more with her that instant .

“I know what makes her tick. She's not complicated. Her uncle never told her shit about the family business. Fucker tried to keep her outta it. Not outta kindness neither. He's got plenty to hide to keep his ass whole, prevent any shakeups in his crew. It's up to me to show her all the dirty laundry that's been stuffed in her closet all these years .”

“Just remember we're trusting you on this, brother,” Lev said. “You're trying to turn blood against blood, and history tells us you've got stiff fucking odds of pulling it off .”

His hand moved for the vodka bottle again, but I was faster, pulling it towards my chest. My brother glared jealously .

“You think the odds weren't total shit for me breaking outta prison? We made it work, Lev. We always do. We owned those fucking odds and bent them to our favor. Division of labor. You boys keep figuring out the best way to drop that fucker, and leave the rest to me. I'll have Sabrina Ligiotti begging me to help kill her uncle in a week .”

Just as much as she'll be begging for my dick, I thought, feeling more hellfire churning in my balls .

* * *

I t was a short, fitful sleep. The only kind I'd expect my first night as a free man .

Knowing she was right next door, ripe and ready for the plucking...fuck. I woke up six or seven hours later with my dick beating beneath the sheets like a second heart. Took a few minutes to clear my head, get the hard-on under control, and then dress .

Shit. Light streamed in through the enormous window overlooking the countryside, a pale October sun peaking over the horizon .

I waited an extra minute for my cock to stop straining in my pants before I went to the door joining my room with Sabrina's. Hoped to hell she'd have a talk with me on peaceful terms. Pinning her to the nearest wall and pinching her swollen little clit between my fingers would be fun, sure, but I didn't think I'd be able to control myself again .

Next time I got my skin on her pussy, I wasn't gonna be able to hold back 'til I conquered every inch of her. I had to fill a hole, and my dick would have his pick. I'd fuck her mouth 'til she gagged, take her ass 'til she screamed, fill her sweet fucking pussy up 'til she –

No. Stop it, you bastard .

You gotta treat this just like the prison break. This is business. This is a job. You can get your dick as wet as rain after Gioulio Ligiotti's choking on his own blood .

There are hundreds of chicks who'll be glad to fuck and suck. There always are .

I steadied one hand on the cherry wood door, feeling for the silver knob with the other. The thoughts weren't much comfort .

Yeah, pussy always came fresh and easy ever since I'd been old enough to pump lava outta my balls. But there wasn't much to admire about the girls who sank to their knees right away, wet and moaning before they even felt my fingers, my hands, my lips .

I liked it rough. Challenging. I liked to fuck the girls who didn't admit how bad they wanted it – and the dark haired Italian thing behind the door had every reason in the world to hate my guts .

Too fucking bad. Ready or not, here I come .

I didn't knock. It was my fucking house, my rules, and nobody matched my dominion here except Lev and Daniel .

My dick started throbbing against my zipper again. So much for settling the fuck down .

The curtains were still drawn around her bed. I quick stepped my way over there and ripped the partition at the base open, hoping I'd see her naked .

“Goddammit. What the fuck?” The bed was empty .

For a second, I rushed out, stalking the room like a wolf who'd caught a rabbit's scent. My brothers had this room cleansed of anything heavy and sharp she could pick up and use against us before she arrived .

Where the fuck could she go? There was no place to hide, nowhere to roost for an ambush .

A low growl slipped out my throat. Then I noticed the big vanity, where she'd shed her gown, an empty glass of water next to it .

Of course. I felt like a fucking idiot. Old Grigor, the family servant, had been through already, or else had one of his underlings take her down to breakfast. I'd overslept .

Snarling, I stepped out and punched the code into the panel, opening the locked door and stepping into the hall. It was a quick march down to the dining room, all while I wondered how long I'd been off in la-la land dreaming about all the dirty shit I wanted to do to this chick .

The double doors to the big dining room swung open. There she was – right next to my two brothers near the head of the table – a nice spread of food, juices, and coffee laid out for the trio .

“Good morning, Anton.” Daniel smiled coolly .

I stepped over and took the seat next to her, glancing at her face as I sat. She was red eyed, frustrated, like she was holding in tears or volcanic rage. Maybe both .

“What the fuck's going on here? Somebody should've woke my ass up so we could all sit down together .”

“You needed your beauty sleep, brother.” Lev grinned. “We thought we'd better let you rest while we met the house guest ourselves. It's only been twenty minutes or so. You came down sooner than we expected .”

I looked at her. “What did they say to you ?”

“Your brothers...they're complete assholes, ” she said, a hateful glint in her eye. “Just like you .”

The anger stabbed deep. But what really got to me was seeing the little plate beneath her, a few orange slices and a muffin sitting on it. All untouched .

I bolted up and slammed my fists on the wood. “Breakfast time's over for you two fucks. Go work on the shit we discussed last night. I told you I'd handle the rest – and it's gonna get handled a helluva lot easier without you fucks rubbing your noses in this shit .”

Daniel stood first, crumpling his tablecloth and throwing it on his empty plate. He took a couple steps away from the table, passing me on his way out, and paused .

“I trust that's the old attitude talking, the one you developed wearing orange. I get it. Going behind bars makes a man angry and a little crazy .”

I growled, giving my brother the evilest eye I'd produced in my whole fucking life. “Shut up. Do what I say. Leave her to me .”

“We will, brother. We will. I just wanted her to know how lucky she is being here .”

Before I could grab him by the neck and throw him against the wall, he was on his way out. Lev was smart enough to keep his distance, heading for the door with the table between us .

He looked at Sabrina. “Remember what we discussed, love. You do everything Anton says. Everything we ask. That's the price for keeping you alive and breathing. Any other Ligiotti would've gotten their head popped and dumped in the nearest ditch on our way home after breaking out Anton .”

She shook once. No fear, but rage. The door shut and he was gone .

Fucking assholes. It was in their nature. I didn't expect anything different – especially because they sure as shit didn't have the same weird connection with this chick I did. But fuck, sworn enemy or not, when did my brothers forget how to treat a woman with basic civility ?

When did I ?

Obviously when we looked at her. Their blood roared with hate, venom, vengeance. Mine stormed pure lust, a barbaric need to fuck her, more than I wanted her uncle dead .

I walked to the other side of the table and sat down with her, still pondering that shit. I tapped the table several times with my fingers 'til she took her face outta her hands .

“Look at me, Sabrina. We've got shit to discuss. Before we do that, I wanna give you a chance to eat to your satisfaction .”

“I'm not hungry,” she snapped .

“I don't give a fuck. You're gonna keep up your strength because we both have jobs to do. Pick something up off that table and take it bite-by-bite. I don't wanna have to force anything down your throat .”

Bullshit. There was one thing I wanted to force through her lips more than anything else. Cold, stoic war crept back in my heart, but it hadn't turned me to total ice. I wasn't so far gone I'd throw the food off this table if she disobeyed, throw her down flat, and fuck her right there .

No. Not yet .

“Do it for me, babe. Do it for yourself. Let's go. I want you talking to me with a full stomach. You'll be way more pissed and irrational if your belly's running on empty .”

She stared at me for a good long while with the same hateful eyes she'd aimed at my brothers. Finally, she moved her hand to the plate, took the muffin, and chewed an angry bite outta it. I would've laughed if she wasn't seeing red and I didn't have a deadly serious mission here .

“I overslept,” I said, watching as she swallowed and took another bite. Good. “If I'd been down here on time, I wouldn't have let them get away with that disrespect. They give you any trouble in the future, Sabrina, you let me know. Promise me .”

My fists tightened, and I leaned forward on the table. She set her half eaten breakfast down and took a gulp of tea before answering. “Why bother? Stop acting like you're here to do me any favors. I know a good cop, bad cop thing when I see one. It's how you tricked me to come back for that followup .”

Fuck. The girl was smarter than I'd given her credit for, at least in hindsight .

“Fine. You wanna play rough instead of treating this like a civilized business arrangement, I can do that .”

She snorted. “Civilized? I don't think violating at least ten Federal laws and keeping me hostage fits the definition. Neither does blowing up my uncle's nightclub downtown and killing twenty well respected men .”

It was my turn to laugh, letting the derision roll out. Incredible. She still had no clue – no fucking idea – what I'd really done .

“Come on, babe. You wanna be a part of the media, I get it. Just thought you'd know by now half the stuff you read about's pure bullshit .”

She narrowed her eyes. “What? Are you going to tell me the bombing didn't happen and it wasn't you? I never figured you for the tinfoil hat type .”

“No. I didn't tell you a single lie during our other talks, except for the fact that my Uncle Volodya's place wasn't really called the Red Eagle, and he never died on a Wednesday. That was code for Lev and Daniel to break me out.” I paused, reached over to the coffee pot, and poured myself a tall mug. “I blew that fucking place to kingdom come, and the only regret I've got about it is not having your asshole uncle there to die with the rest of those freaks .”

She shook her head. “Great. So you admit you're a killer .”

“Admit it?” I blinked. “I've never denied that shit once. I own the fuckers I kill. What you don't get is that every asshole I'd knifed or burned or shot has always had it coming. You really don't know shit about the underside of your family's business, do you? If you did, you'd know the guests Gioulio has at his parties are some of the most sadistic, twisted motherfuckers in the entire city .”

She looked at me like I'd just spat out a tall fucking tale. Okay, maybe I had, but this one was all true .

“What are you talking about? Don't tell me this is some kinda Eyes Wide Shut crap. You killed them in cold blood. All because my uncle was your target .”

“No. I wanted to make sure I killed all those fucks. I just missed a couple when Gioulio and his guards didn't show up on schedule. You're missing the point – none of them were collateral damage. All twenty of those assholes deserved to be executed. You don't know them. I do .”

Another shake of the head. Another flick of that dark, smooth hair. Fuck, how good would it feel to just grab it while I shoved my cock between her legs? I'd hold on and rock her, pluck it like reigns, just short of ripping it out while we fucked .

“If you want me to even consider a word you're saying, you'd better tell me what's going on .”

I folded my arms. “Not 'til you eat some more breakfast. Go on. I'll fucking wait .”

She glared. At first, I didn't think it was gonna work. But then her small hands reached for more muffins in the center of the table and another orange. I watched and waited as she ate, sipping my coffee, trying not to admire the cleavage peeking through her top too close .

Grigor and his maids did a good job picking out her wardrobe. Shit, she was dressed a lot like the Latvian girls I'd fucked a couple years ago, two dark haired, blue eyed chicks straight from the old world. They barely understood a word of English and even less Russian, but their cunts understood my dick pounding them to blubbering pieces. One of them tore stripes in my back when she clawed me, and a few warm streams of blood poured down my ass .

It was the roughest, craziest fuck of my life. And I had a damned certain feeling it wasn't half as intense as what I'd feel unloading my balls inside the Italian girl playing bitch across from me .

Sabrina's fork clanged on the ceramic plate when she was done. She blotted her mouth dry and then looked at me .

“There. Is there anything else you'd like before you can trust me with an adult conversation, instead of treating me like some little girl you've got locked up in your tower ?”

The poison on her tongue made me grin. “Babe, you're gonna stay locked up for a good long while. Even when I tell you the crazy fucking truth, it's gonna take you time to chew on it. Digest it. But you'll turn on that fucker. You'll help me kill your uncle. I know you will .”

She waited. I swore I heard her foot tapping on the tile underneath the table .

Impatient. I liked that .

All right. Enough fucking around. It was time to let her know what really happened that night .

“It was an assassination, plain and simple. My brothers and I had enough intel to know how Gioulio ran these parties. Shit, he'd been doing them since your old man died and there was nobody left in the windy city to stand in his way. Drugs and guns are the bulk of this business. Always have been, always will be .

“But that shit's hard money. Your uncle wanted to diversify into something easier. Nothing like trafficking with some rich, well oiled assholes to bring in a few easy million more .”

I watched her jump and squirm in her seat. Heard her swallow before she spoke .

“Trafficking? Like...women ?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Seems like no matter where you go, powerful fucks like to play devil when they're done pretending to be angels all day in front of the public. It's not all about the money either. By giving the high and mighty an outlet for their depraved desires, your uncle gave himself something sweet to hold over their fucked up heads if this city ever gets a mayor who wants to go tough on crime. Probably part of the reason Ligiotti business has been smooth as ice since your old man died .

“Gioulio's got himself a stable of girls he keeps for his boys. Slaves who have to do anything and everything short of holding out their throats to get cut .

“Not that there's a helluva lot of difference sometimes. You should've seen what that banker, Wilkins, did to this Sicilian girl your uncle imported...left her bleeding and infected for weeks with the chunks he tore outta her with his teeth. Then there was that fuck on the city council. Bastard liked to put out his stogies on fresh young skin. My boys told me the last chick he had needed plastic surgery after the fucker was done with her. Gioulio charged his ass a hefty damage fee and an extra premium for the night I blew him straight to hell .

“Then there was that real estate mogul, Chuck Winston Mayhar. You know you're dealing with a bastard when a man flaunts three fucking names. Too many business trips to Japan for that boy, where he got into some really sick stuff he saw in his comic books. He couldn't even get your uncle to say yes to half the twisted shit he wanted, but damn if he didn't keep trying. The boy picked this pretty little blonde from a shelter in Rome, had her shipped back here by Gioulio, and –“

She'd been reaching for the tea, and the half-empty cup crashed on the table. Sabrina was red in the face, bunched up like her seat turned into needles. She almost leaped halfway to the ceiling when the china smashed .

“Enough,” she said weakly. “You made your point. Please, I don't want to hear anything else .”

Fuck. I kinda felt bad for her. But only a little bit .

I'd done my fucking job. I'd planted the seed of doubt by shining the bitter truth right in her eyes. And shit, that wasn't even half of it. I'd read the files my brothers collected before we put the bombing together .

Every one of those sick motherfuckers was the kinda stomach turning shit no sane prostitute would ever do. All the money in the world wouldn't buy them what they needed to get off from any regular escort service. That's why they went to Gioulio, the magic man who could fulfill their depraved desires, all because the girls he pimped didn't have a choice .

I'd stopped trying to figure out why some dudes needed to torture and kill to get their nut. All I needed was right across the table, staring at me with huge, tormented eyes, and a pussy that would rocket me to heaven when I finally got it wrapped around my dick .

I reached across the table and grabbed her hand with both of mine. I held her, refusing to let go, lacing my fingers through hers and stroking up her arm .

“Don't worry about the mess. Housekeeping will take care of it. Look, I'm not saying this shit to hurt you, Sabrina. I'm trying to make you understand there's more to every story than what you read. I've done terrible things to terrible people. I don't regret a goddamned thing .”

She took a long, ragged breath. Her lips opened, like she wanted to say something, but she couldn't get it out. A fast moving tear swept down her red right cheek .

“I need you to help me because you're different, babe. Your asshole uncle knew that. It's why he kept you sheltered. If you were remotely like him and his crew, you wouldn't be crying over this shit. You'd be feeding me excuses .”

“I don't...I don't know what to believe,” she forced out .

I tightened my grip on her. “You will. Very soon. It's been a long morning for both of us, and yesterday was even longer. Come on. Lemme walk you back upstairs so you can get some rest .”

I wasn't gonna drop the rest on her when she was like this. That was for later. I had to chisel away every evil piece of Ligiotti bullshit left in her, everything Gioulio had hidden and twisted inside her .

She walked limply in my arms as we headed up the stairs, back to the big bedroom. I got her into the chamber and laid her on the bed, pulling off her shoes .

Two black heels with straps. Didn't know the girls in charge allowed her such luxuries. Didn't know she'd choose that kinda shit to wear around here either .

Maybe she was hoping to use them as a weapon – whack me in the head or take out an eye when I wasn't looking. Whatever the case, she wasn't gonna do a damned thing now .

I let her smash her face into the pillow while I stroked her back. Soon, her breathing grew slower, more normal, and I lightened my caresses .

It wasn't easy to walk away while she slept, but I fucking had to .

This job was far from over. And if I'd stayed there another minute, I knew my dick would rip right through my pants and plunge into what she had underneath that sleek purple skirt, pulling me into her like a fucking magnet .

I'd hurt her enough for one day. I did what I had to. The only screaming I wanted her to do was the kind she made when her mind was exploding with a good, deep fuck .

God willing, we'd get there soon .

I headed for the gym. I needed some time to think, something to distract me from the lust boiling my blood. I walked into the spacious exercise room, stripped off my shirt, and went to work on the punching bag .

Everything Sabrina stirred up came ripping out in my punches. The ceiling rattled with my blows, angry and hot, filled with all the obligations and vows I had left to fulfill .

Too many promises were piled on my back. Heavy, heavy promises, one-ton obligations, ready to snap my fucking spine like a brittle twig if I took a single step outta line .

Oaths to my family, oaths to my brothers, oaths of seething vengeance .

Vows to my flesh, my blood, my heart .

I had no guilt, despite the way I'd stolen her and blown apart the only world she'd ever known. Dealing with Gioulio and his boys was the first priority, yeah, but fuck if I wasn't gonna make her whole .

If I could make her work with me, see me for the man I really was, then I'd remake everything she knew. I'd push my dick in that hot, wet space between her thighs, that pink slit I craved worse than freedom itself when I was behind bars. I'd fucking brand her, own her, fuck her 'til she opened her eyes and saw exactly what I wanted her to see .

This girl was gonna see the stone cold truth soon, the truth about me and everything else .

I hit the floor, sweating and shaking, totally spent. The black leather punching bag bobbed in the air, the impressions from my fists fading like evening shadows .

This was my chance to start over, living like a free man, and no fucking way was I gonna squander it. I wouldn't let Sabrina waste a minute more of her life without a good man, hiding in the dark from her fucked up family .

I couldn't make any promises about being good. But I sure as shit was the man she needed, and soon she'd see it, plain and pure as the sweat sliding down my chest .