Dante informed me that the doctor had been by and had successfully administered the shot into Muse’s arm. There was usually a delay, but it wasn’t her time of the month to get pregnant, so she was ready to go.

I was still finishing up my masterpiece.

The white lingerie felt like a rose petal through my fingertips. I had the finest Turkish material flown in overnight so I could make this special piece of clothing. Nicole had retrieved the diamonds from my favorite jeweler, collecting all the flawless gems that I could sew onto the small straps of the material.

I wanted my muse to look more beautiful than she ever had.

If she wanted a special night, I would give it to her—this one time.

I’d broken the one rule I always held—no kissing. But when she turned into my mouth and gave me such soft lips, my restraint slipped. All I could think about was how good she felt, how much my lips ached for hers. I’d fantasized about kissing her, dreamed of touching her like that, and once it was happening, I couldn’t stop it.

I completely lost control.

It’d been over five years since I kissed a woman like that. Every other act of affection was a kiss on the cheek or the shoulder. But the kiss I had with Muse compensated for my long abstinence. It was the best kiss I’d ever had, the deepest and most erotic.

I never wanted it to end.

I’d eaten her pussy, tasted her skin, and felt her warm mouth around my length. But I’d never been as hard as I was when I kissed her. My fingers burned as I touched her soft hair. My breathing turned haywire, rugged and out of control. My finger was in her wet pussy, but that wasn’t even the best part.

The kiss was the best part.

I felt her mutual arousal, felt the way she gripped me with her nails. And her pussy…was so fucking wet.

I could have fucked her then, and she wouldn’t have stopped me.

But I knew if I did this right, she would be mine forever. She would listen without pause. She would obey blindly. She would be even more indebted to me than she already was. If I gave her this one favor, it could result in a lifetime of convenience.

Once the piece of lingerie was completed, created to her exact measurements, I hung it up on the mannequin. It was a piece of art, simple, elegant, and pure. Muse was my woman now, and I wanted her to wear something spectacular as I took her innocence. I wanted her to be bedded the way all women wanted to be bedded.

I wanted her to feel special.

---

I waited for her on the terrace by the pool. The sun was about to go down, and there was a chilled bottle of my family’s wine on the table. Despite the importance of the evening, I was in a black t-shirt and jeans.

Didn’t see the point in dressing up if I was just going to take everything off anyway.

Dante led Muse outside to join me for dinner, a single candle on the table along with a red rose.

She was in the black dress Dante left on her bed. It was dropped off by Nicole, who was ordered to pick up something nice but sexy. It was a backless dress that was tight over all the curves of her body. It showed off her petite waist, incredible tits, and her nice hips.

Muse was a smart woman, so she must have connected the dots by now.

She knew what would happen once dinner was over.

This time, she wouldn’t say no.

I pulled out the chair for her, being a gentleman for the special occasion. Once she was in her seat, I gently scooted her in before I returned to my seat. I placed the linen napkin over my lap, and I poured the wine.

Her hair was in big curls, and they trailed down her chest. She wore the diamond earrings I gave her as well as the diamond necklace around her throat. She looked like the mistress every man would dream of, gorgeous and perfect.

She was all mine.

I didn’t give a damn about dinner or the breathtaking view we got to enjoy.

There was only one view I looked forward to.

She rested her hands in her lap and held my gaze, seeming unaffected by the plans we had for the evening. Maybe she felt like she had some power now that I’d agreed to kiss her. Maybe that gave her the sense of value that she needed to rationalize what she was doing. This situation was anything but rational.

But it was reality.

She was worth a hundred million dollars—and I would get the most use out of her.

“You look beautiful tonight—just like every other night.” I took a drink of my wine, something Dante found in my wine cellar, next to the garage underground.

“Thank you.” She spoke with a steady voice, not nervous like she used to be. She wasn’t timid around me at all anymore. “You look nice too.” She drank from her glass, her lipstick leaving a mark.

She’d left a similar mark on my dick the last time she sucked me off.

Dante brought our dinner a moment later, roasted lamb chops, asparagus, and a side of sweet potatoes. He excused himself silently, trying to be as invisible as possible.

I’d told him to stay out of our way tonight.

She held her knife and fork appropriately and cut into her meal with the perfect elegance. If I brought her to a dinner party or some other function, she would do well. Not only would her beauty impress everyone there, but her charms would be enjoyed as well. All the men would look at me and wonder how it felt to fuck a woman like that every single night.

But I would never tell.

I considered making conversation with her, but I didn’t know what to say. All I was thinking about right then was sex. My hands shook at the thought of her knees pressed into her waist to accommodate my hips. Adrenaline surged through me as I imagined trying to shove my big dick inside her. Inexperienced and innocent, she would hold on to me until it was over. She might cry from the pain, but she’d definitely moan at the pleasure.

My chest ached because I was so excited.

I finally got to claim my prize.

The second Muse walked into my life, I’d been the only person to take care of her. I gave her money when she didn’t have anything else. I gave her a job under the table when no one else would. And when she took off, not only did I let her go, but I had an envelope with twenty thousand euro to help her out. When she was captured, I was the one who saved her from a horrific fate.

If anyone deserved to take her virginity, it was me.

It was the least she could do for me.

Now she would have a comfortable life living in my mansion. She would never worry about money again. Whatever she wanted, she could have. A lifetime of protection from one of the most powerful men in the world, it was every woman’s dream. Most women would give anything to be here right this very moment.

To have me in a way no one else ever did—with my kiss.

She didn’t make conversation either, her heart probably slamming in her chest. She must be nervous, afraid of the unknown.

But she had no reason to be nervous. I would guide her every step of the way. All she had to do was let me have her.

And I would make it everything she wanted it to be.

When our glasses were empty, I refilled them. I only finished half my dinner because I didn’t want to feel sluggish when we went to my bedroom.

Muse didn’t seem to care. She ate everything, either because she was starving or because she was nervous.

Some observers might say it was awkward to have dinner with someone without speaking. But I actually enjoyed it. I liked the fact that our relationship had progressed to a certain level of comfort. She didn’t ramble on about stupid shit that I didn’t care about, and I didn’t fill the empty silence with random comments.

I liked it this way.

Normally, Dante would come out and clear the table and ask us if we’d like coffee and dessert. I told him to skip that part and give us privacy. He could clear the dishes once we went upstairs.

She wiped her small mouth with the linen napkin and set it on the table.

“Did you enjoy your dinner?”

“It was delicious…like always. You?”

“I wouldn’t keep Dante as the head of the staff if he wasn’t the best.” I left the chair and extended my hand to her.

She eyed it for a moment before she placed her slender hand in mind.

I pulled her up and guided her into the house. My fingers interlocked with hers, and I kept her close to me, treating her like a lady every step of the way. I controlled the shake of my hand to hide my excitement. Now, the boring part of the evening was over, and we could get to the good stuff.

The night I’d been waiting for.

I took her to the third floor and stopped at the double doors of my bedroom. The pulse in her wrist had picked up as we got closer to my bedroom. Now it was pounding loudly, her heart working in overdrive. Her skin was warm, and there was a distinct color to her cheeks.

I turned to her and circled her waist with my arms. “I left something for you on my bed. Put it on. I’ll be there in a few moments.” My lips brushed against her hairline, and then I angled my neck down to kiss her. It was supposed to be a quick embrace, but the second my mouth was on hers, I kissed her harder than I should. My hand moved into her hair, and I gently sucked on her bottom lip. My tongue emerged next, greeting hers.

Her pulse slowed as our mouths moved together. She breathed into me slower, calm spreading through her body. She got lost in my kiss the way I got lost in hers. I pulled her tighter against my body, her tits pressed against my chest in the thin dress she wore.

I pulled away before I fucked her right against my door. I turned away harshly, giving her my back because I couldn’t even look at her right now. My hands formed fists, and I had to steady my aggression before it couldn’t be controlled any longer. If I weren’t trying to be a gentleman tonight, she’d be on her hands and knees in the hallway right now. I’d be ramming her from behind, my hands gripping her luscious cheeks.

The door clicked when she shut it behind her.

I leaned against the wall and massaged my knuckles to pass the time. By now, she would have seen the white rose petals on the bed, the hundreds of white candles the staff had set up for me. There was a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries on the table, something we probably wouldn’t even get to.

It was the most romantic night she’d ever get.

Knuckles would have fucked her in the ass by now.

I waited five minutes—and not a second longer. I stepped inside my bedroom with a raging hard-on in my jeans. The living room was lit with white candles, and there was a line of petals acting as a path to my bedroom. I followed it, removing my shirt and undoing my jeans as I went.

My shirt dropped on the floor, and I crossed the threshold.

She stood in the white lingerie, the short dress showing the white lace panties underneath. She’d positioned her hair perfectly, arranging it down her chest. The diamond necklace glowed in the light of the candles. The diamonds along the straps did the same thing. Her lingerie was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and she was the only woman who would ever wear this one-of-a-kind piece.

My eyes roamed over her body, seeing her hard nipples through the fabric. Her petite shoulders were held back, and her long legs stretched out until her bare feet hit the rug next to my bed. She stared at me, partially nervous and partially confident.

I’d seen her in lingerie before, but she’d never looked as beautiful as she did now. I’d seen her walk the stages with dozens of lights shining on her, but she’d never looked so stunning. The white color complemented her tanned skin perfectly. Her dark hair contrasted against the brightness as well. Her eyes were on me, roaming over my chiseled physique.

I couldn’t wait to take that lingerie off. She looked exquisite in it, but she would look even more beautiful with nothing on at all. That bronzed skin would look beautiful by candlelight.

I crossed the space between us, my feet feeling heavy against the floor. My heart was unnaturally slow because the climax of this moment was surprisingly calm. It felt like a dream, a fantasy I’d wanted to experience for so long. Ever since I’d laid eyes on her in that auditorium, she’d suffocated my thoughts. The more I looked at her, the more she called me an asshole, the more my obsession began to grow.

Just as my dick had.

My hand moved into her hair first, pinning it back so I had full access to her lips. The second my mouth was on hers, I was a goner. Even if she told me to stop, I wouldn’t. At this point, it was all carnal instinct. I wasn’t a person anymore, just a man who needed this woman.

My other hand gripped her ass and played with the lace of her panties. My tongue danced with hers and encountered the same enthusiasm I felt. Our mouths clung to each other, broke apart, and then came together again in a heated embrace. I could feel her pulse in her neck with my thumb, feel the energy rushing through her veins. The smell of her perfume tingled my nostrils. I gripped her ass cheek and then hooked my finger into her panties. I slowly tugged them down to her thighs.

Her hands undid my jeans, getting them loose around my narrow hips.

I loved it when she undressed me.

I grabbed the bottom of the lingerie and pulled it over her head, revealing the firmest tits I’d ever seen. Some of the girls in my show, like Lacey, had boob jobs and liposuction in their hips and thighs. But Muse was all natural, perfect just the way she was.

The lingerie was dropped on the ground, and my mouth was all over her neck and shoulders. I gripped her hard and pulled her into me, devouring her like she was prey and I was the predator. Her panties were still at her thighs, so I pushed them down as I lowered myself to my knees, trailing kisses over her tits and stomach as I moved. I moved down her long legs and her knees, kissing and sucking her skin.

When I rose to my feet, I pushed my jeans and boxers down and kicked them away. I lifted her into my arms, carrying her like she was a feather, and laid her on my bed. Her light body hit the sheets, and her legs immediately opened to me.

I crawled on top of her, my hard dick oozing from the tip. My weight hit the mattress, and it slowly began to sink underneath her, slightly curving around her body. My knees separated her thighs, and I moved closer to her, my spine tight with adrenaline. My cock couldn’t wait to feel that wet and tight pussy. I couldn’t wait to slide through her slickness, to listen to her cry as she tried to take my enormous dick.

Her hands snaked up my back, and she pulled me closer to her. Her fingertips reached the back of my neck, and she pulled me in for a kiss. When she kissed me, her lips showed all of her arousal. There was tongue, heavy breaths, and heat. She twirled my strands around her fingertips as her thighs squeezed my waist.

My hand dug into the back of her hair, and I got a tight grip as I kissed her harder, pressing her into the mattress. My dick rubbed against her swollen clit, rubbing her stimulated nerves and making her moan involuntarily.

My body got carried away as my mind no longer controlled it. I tilted my hips and pointed my cock at her entrance. It was tight right from the beginning, just like last time, but I slowly pushed.

She didn’t stop me this time.

I pinned my arms behind her knees and widened her legs, spreading her wide apart so I could fit inside her a little easier. I could kiss her at the same time, but I wanted to enjoy her reactions to me. I wanted to savor every second of this moment, to commit it to memory.

I pushed farther inside her, greeted with the wetness of her pussy. I slowly inched deeper inside, feeling her tight channel resist me. It wouldn’t stretch, no matter how aroused she was. I kept going, moving farther and farther.

She breathed deeply as she felt me, her nails digging into my biceps. Sometimes she winced when I pushed a little too hard. All of the emotions were written on her face, the pleasure as well as the pain.

I wasn’t even halfway in yet.

I pushed again, slowly getting more traction now that her body had acclimated to mine. I hit resistance at that point and knew exactly what was blocking my path. I pressed my mouth over hers and kissed her as I gave a quick thrust, breaking through her virginity and finally getting my dick inside.

Her mouth trembled against mine as she released a whimper of pain.

Fuck, I was so hard.

I sucked her bottom lip and moved inside until I was balls deep. Her entire channel was still tight around me, constricting me like a snake suffocates its prey. My hand cradled her head, and I looked into her eyes. Then I started to move.

I started to thrust.

I rocked her on my bed, moving her back and forth as my hips thrust. My cock slid in and out of her, covered in her arousal as well as a few drops of blood. The explosion of goodness was deep in my gut, the distant beginning of a climax that would make me shake with pleasure. I already wanted to explode because this moment was so damn good.

But I held on.

My eyes locked on to hers as I enjoyed her pussy, sliding in and out at a greater speed.

Her eyes welled with moisture until two tears streaked from the corners of her eyes.

I knew I was the biggest asshole in the world for enjoying it. I liked watching her cry, liked watching her struggle to accept my fat cock. I liked claiming her in a way no other man could. If none of these bad things had happened to her, she would still be in New York. She would have fallen in love with someone and given herself to him.

But I took her instead.

The asshole inside me was as rampant as ever, but a softer part of me still existed beneath the surface. She brought out that gentleness in me, made me care about her pain when I shouldn’t. So I slowed down. “Doing okay, Muse?”

“It…it just hurts a little.”

My spine tightened again, the arousal pooling in my balls. “You want me to stop?” I shouldn’t even give her the option. I should just fuck her as hard as I wanted to. In time, she would stretch, and it would get easier. So she should deal with it. I shouldn’t give a damn how she felt.

“No…it feels good.” Her arms hooked over my shoulders. Another tear slipped down her cheek. “It just hurts too.”

I kissed the tear on her cheek before it could reach the sheets. “It hurts the first time…especially since I’m a big man.”

Her tits shook every time I thrust into her, and her fingers dug into my hair. She breathed through the pain, moaning sometimes and wincing at others.

I didn’t expect to make her come, not when it was her first time and she was struggling so much. But I wanted to make her enjoy it, to make her look forward to the next time I would have her. Because I could tell in that moment I would want to fuck her forever. All she did was lie there, and it was still the best sex of my life.

I repositioned myself so my pelvic bone would rub against her clit. I ground against her forcefully, pressing into her clit harder than I would with my fingers. The muscles all over my body were tightening in anticipation, and I couldn’t hold back much longer. I wanted to come hard, to get my first return on my investment.

She breathed more heavily, and her tears stopped. Her nails started to claw at my back, and she widened her legs farther, doing what she could to accommodate my girth. Her eyes closed, and she arched her back just as her pussy tightened around me.

Thank god.

She came all around me, her pussy squeezing me as she dragged her nails down my body. Her come sheathed my dick, and her hips bucked automatically. Her mouth trembled against mine, and her moans were a hundred times louder than the other times I made her come. She was in pain, but the pleasure far outweighed the discomfort. “Conway…”

She said my name. I didn’t have to ask her to do that.

I gave my final pumps, this time fucking her as hard as I wanted. I pushed through her cream then shoved my entire dick inside her. Like my body was a gun and my dick was the barrel, a bullet erupted out of my body. I filled her with everything I had, dumping her with more come than my body had ever produced. I gripped the back of her neck and deepened the angle, obsessed with giving it all to her. I wanted her to sleep with my come inside her. I wanted her to feel me even after my dick was gone.

Sweaty and warm, our bodies were satisfied and exhausted. I stayed on top of her because I wasn’t ready to leave yet. My dick was still softening, and I treasured how good that orgasm just felt. I moved my mouth to hers and kissed her softly, trying to make up for the cruel way I fucked her at the end.

She kissed me back, her kiss just as enthusiastic.

I slowly pulled out of her, feeling the air against my wet dick. A spot of blood was underneath her, but I liked the stain. I wasn’t in a hurry to change my sheets, not when I had a nice memory like that.

She brought her knees together and lay there, relaxing now that it was over.

I pulled her legs apart and stared at her pussy, seeing the white come accumulated at her entrance. I closed her legs again. “My come is staying inside you all night.”

She propped herself on her elbows and looked at me. “Okay…”

I moved to the head of the bed where the pillows were, then patted the spot beside me.

She crawled over the sheets then lay next to me.

I didn’t sleep with women either, but I thought I could make an exception this one time. I wanted to give this woman what she wanted since she gave me something so incredible. I positioned her against me, her arm draped over my waist and my arm hooked around her shoulders.

I was tired from the anticipation for the night, and I knew she was sore. Otherwise, I’d be fucking her again right now. But I didn’t want to push it. I enjoyed seeing her in pain, but I didn’t want to hurt her more than necessary.

I wasn’t that big of an asshole.

---

The only reason why I woke up so early was because my phone was ringing on the nightstand.

I squinted my eyes to stare at the screen, barely making out the name.

Dante.

I answered and put the phone to my ear. “Hmm?” I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and glanced at the alarm clock. It was nine in the morning, hours after I would normally be awake. I turned over and stared at Muse, who was still sound asleep. Her hair was all over the place, and her hand was still reaching out for my stomach.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, sir. But Carter is here to see you.”

I growled into the phone. “Tell him to fuck off, Dante.”

“I knew you would say that, so I repeated it. But he said it’s important.”

If Carter said it was important, then it was the real deal. He didn’t say things like that often. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Alright, sir.”

I set the phone on the nightstand and made sure she was still asleep. I wanted her to rest as long as she needed—so we could get back to fucking when she was well rested. I had a lot to teach her.

I pulled on sweats and a t-shirt before I made the walk from the third floor to the entryway.

Carter stood in jeans and a t-shirt, his hands in his pockets and his eyes on the painting of my mother on the way.

I reached the bottom of the stairs. “Everything alright?”

When he looked at me, his visage was guarded. He glanced to the other side of the room in search of Dante.

Not that Dante was a person we needed to be concerned with.

“Let’s talk in the front.”

We moved to the large porch and the roundabout full of trees. The gate had been closed and locked after Carter pulled inside in his Ferrari. Bright red and loud, it was the perfect car to get attention.

“What is it?” I asked, wanting to get this over with quickly. I had someone waiting for me, a white rose that had blossomed for the first time last night.

“I heard some talk last night. Word on the street is Knuckles is pissed.”

Was that supposed to mean something to me? “He looks like a guy that’s already pissed.”

“Well, he’s more pissed than usual.” He slid his hands into his pockets then walked toward his car. “And I hear he’s bad news. He’s claimed the Eastern territory of the States for a long time, and he’s held on to the domain in horrific ways. He’s not a guy you want to cross.”

“Good thing I didn’t cross him, then.”

Carter turned his gaze to me. “You did when you bought Sapphire.”

“He had a fair opportunity to win her—if he put his money where his mouth was. I paid the higher price and claimed her. That’s how the real world works. If he really wanted her, he should have paid more.”

“Maybe, but I don’t think he sees it that way.”

“If he’s invited to the Underground, then that means he adheres to the conduct rules. There can be no violence over the exchange of slaves. The winning bid is respected. He can’t take her or threaten me for her. If he wants to keep his reputation, then he’ll have to let it go.”

Carter stared at my gate and slightly shook his head. “I’ve got a bad feeling about him, Conway. It’s a feeling in my bones, you know.”

“If he wanted to be the one fucking Sapphire every night, he should have paid more for her. He has the money. Not my fault he didn’t think she was worth it. And yes, she’s definitely worth it.”

Carter would normally make a joke at my comment, but this time, he didn’t. “People think he’s up to something.”

“Like what?”

“Something bad. That’s all I know. That’s enough for me.”

“You’ve never been intimidated by anyone, Carter. Why are you scared now?”

“Because you’re my family,” he snapped. “Because I actually give a damn in this case.”

“Carter, I’ll be fine. I’m not afraid of him. I’m one of the most powerful men in the world. I make my money honestly, have a famous face. He’s just some asshole that creeps in the shadows.”

“And pays off all the cops and the detectives…”

“Like we haven’t done the same.”

“But he threatens cops in ways we never do…like threatening to kill their wives and kids. He’s a different breed, Conway. Maybe he’ll respect the code, but maybe he won’t. You should watch your back.”

“I always do.”

“Or even just sell her to him…”

That wasn’t an option. “No.”

“Is a woman really worth the—”

“I’m not selling her.”

Carter finally dropped it. “Maybe we should tell our fathers.”

“Why the hell would we do that?”

“I know they don’t talk about it, but they’ve been through shit like this. They might have some advice.”

“There’s nothing to ask them about. All you’ve heard is a rumor. And most of the time, rumors stay rumors. I wouldn’t involve my father anyway. He left that life behind decades ago. I’m not dragging him back into that. I’m a grown-ass man, and I don’t need my father for anything. He should be coming to me for help—not the other way around.”

“I get what you’re saying,” Carter said calmly. “Just don’t want to underestimate this guy.”

“I’m not afraid of him, and you shouldn’t be either, Carter.”

---

When I returned to my bedroom, there was a breakfast tray in the living room. One plate had been devoured, and only a few crumbs remained behind. The coffee had been drunk, and she’d used all the cream in her coffee.

“Where were you?” She stepped out of the bedroom in one of my t-shirts, probably because she didn’t want to put the formal dress back on. And her lingerie didn’t cover anything anyway.

Seeing her in my t-shirt only made her look sexier. I walked to the bedroom, my hands itching to take off the piece of clothing that reached all the way to her knees. I grabbed the material and pulled it over her head, revealing her naked body and her white panties. “Doesn’t matter.”

“You left pretty quickly.”

My arms wrapped around her waist, and I guided her to the bed. “Carter came to see me.”

“Everything alright?”

I backed her up to the bed, the backs of her knees touching the mattress. “Nothing you need to worry about.”

“That’s not a good answer…”

“He said he’s worried about Knuckles. Heard some bad things about him.”

All the color immediately drained from her cheeks. “Does that mean he’s coming after me…?”

The second I saw the fear in her eyes, I wished I hadn’t said anything. “No. And even if he was, you have nothing to worry about.” My hand wrapped around her neck, and I squeezed her until I could feel her pulse beat against me. This woman never had anything to worry about as long as she lived. As long as she was mine, no other man would touch her. I was the only man she would ever have between her legs. She could go wherever she wanted—because she was invincible.

That didn’t allay her fears. “You don’t know him the way I do…”

“And you don’t know me the way my enemies do. You’re safe with me. I promise you.”

Her eyes shifted back and forth as she looked into mine, her breathing still escalated.

My hand cupped her cheek, and I pressed my mouth close to hers, close enough for a kiss. “Muse.”

Her fingers wrapped around my wrist.

“I don’t make a promise I can’t keep. I can’t promise you happiness, but I can promise you that you will always be safe with me. So don’t think about him again. And don’t ever think about him when you’re with me.”

Her fingertips tightened on my wrist, and her eyes became steady. She looked at me with a new ray of hope, like she finally believed the promise I just made to her. She rose on her tiptoes slightly to kiss me.

I should pull away. I should end the kisses now. I only did it to make last night enjoyable for her, but now that fairy tale was over. It was just fucking and coming from now on. But when she kissed me like that, I felt powerless to stop it. I wanted her to keep kissing me, to keep giving me her tongue as she searched for mine.

And I wanted to kiss her back just as much.