Chapter Thirteen
Beth
The next day, my manager called and told me not to come into work. I was disappointed – rent was coming up, and I had nowhere near my half of the apartment to hand over to Heather. Still, it was nice to have a day off. After I got off the phone with my manager, I went back to sleep and stayed in bed until after eleven-thirty in the morning.
By the time I finally got up, I was feeling pretty rested and calm. I took a long bath with my favorite lavender shower gel and read the first three chapters of Wuthering Heights. At first, when Michael had died, I’d never felt like reading fiction again. Whenever I read a love scene, his face popped into my mind. But now I was really feeling like a new person…almost like Michael hadn’t existed at all.
The only thing keeping me from really enjoying my day was knowing that I had to go downtown and speak to Detective Aberson. I wondered what kind of questions he’d ask. I also couldn’t help worrying about Alessio’s thugs – would they come after me again? I’d told the detective that I wasn’t afraid, but the truth was that I was pretty frightened. After all, it wasn’t like I had the Bennett security or money to fend off attackers anymore. Douglas had given me a measly check of five hundred dollars. He’d informed me that had I actually married his son, I’d have been entitled to half of Michael’s fortune in the event of his death.
Part of me almost wished that we had married before the accident, if only to stick it to Douglas’s greedy self.
Heather was out. She was still a little miffed from the night before. After I’d gotten off the phone with the detective, I hadn’t come out for dinner. I knew that I’d hurt her feelings, but I was still trying to decide how the hell I was going to tell her about everything going on. I wanted her support, obviously, but I also didn’t want her jumping to conclusions when she didn’t know very much.
To be honest, I was also afraid of Alessio finding her…and hurting her, as a way to get to me.
I decided to hop over to my favorite coffee place and get a drink before I was expected downtown. Who knows, I thought as I breezed down the street. Maybe caffeine will help me calm down.
The coffee shop was crowded – lots of students, people working from home, and tired commuters in wrinkled suits. I waited in line, then ordered a caramel and peanut butter latte. The barista was someone I’d seen before, and we made small talk. It felt good to be doing something so normal in the midst of my life’s total chaos.
“Don’t look now,” the barista said, leaning close. “But that guy over there is staring at you. Do you know him?”
I shook my head. “I don’t,” I said. I glanced over my shoulder and shivered. There was a man watching me. He had olive skin, white teeth, and dark eyes that managed to look menacing even in the dim light of the shop.
“Well, he looks kind of creepy,” the barista said. She handed me my latte and I took a sip. “I’d keep an eye out for him.”
I frowned. The only empty seat left in the shop was right next to the man, but I didn’t want to risk him trying to speak with me. Instead, I walked over to the other side of the shop and leaned against the wall. A group of college students was complaining about a professor’s ridiculously difficult assignment and I pretended to listen, nodding and bobbing my head along with the conversation.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching me. When I glanced up, I saw the man staring at me with the same creepy, broad smile.
What do you want, I thought as I glared right back. A tremor of fear crossed my heart as the man raised his eyebrows. He went from looking scary to truly demonic in that second, and my latte trembled in my hand.
“Hey, lady, shove off,” one of the college kids said. “We don’t know you, go away.”
“Sorry, sorry,” I mumbled. I tripped over my foot and fell, spilling my peanut butter latte all over my new shoes and the dirty floor. “Shit!” I yelled.
One of the college girls rolled her eyes. She handed me a wad of napkins and knelt down, blotting the coffee until the napkins were stained tan.
“Don’t mind him,” she said, jerking her head towards the kid who’d asked me to go away. “He’s a jerk.”
I blushed. “I really am sorry,” I said. “I just wanted to avoid that guy over there. He keeps staring at me.”
The girl glanced up. She narrowed her eyes, then turned back to me. “What guy?”
“That guy,” I said in exasperation. I stood up and pointed towards where the man had been sitting.
But there was no man there.
My heart leapt into my throat and I spun around, wildly looking in vain for the creepy man. When I saw him, I let out a little scream. He was standing closer than ever – so close that I could smell his tobacco.
“Oh, had a little spill, did we?” The man stepped closer and leered at me. His white teeth were gleaming in a scary, unnatural way and his beard was greasy.
“Leave me alone,” I stammered. “I don’t know who you are.”
The man grabbed my wrist and pulled me close. “You know exactly who I am,” he sneered. “And trust me, you little cunt – you don’t want to mess with the Amoruso family.”
I shivered and tried to pull my arm away. The man was strong, and he tightened his grip until my hand went numb and I cried out in pain.
“Leave me alone,” I growled. “Or I’ll scream!”
The man snickered. With his free hand, he pushed his coat to the side. I saw a gleaming silver pistol tucked into his waistband. Gasping in fright, I finally yanked my hand away from him and stumbled backwards, crashing into a nearby table and falling to the ground. The man didn’t take his eyes away from mine as I tumbled and landed with my limbs akimbo.
“That man,” I stuttered, pointing towards him. “He’s threatening me!”
One of the college kids darted over and grabbed my hand, pulling me up and back on my feet.
“Did you see that man?” I asked breathlessly. “He’s following me! He won’t leave me alone!”
The kid glanced over her shoulder. “I don’t see anyone,” she said. “Are you okay? Do you want me to call an ambulance?”
Heat rose to my cheeks and I flushed angrily, biting my lip. “No, never mind,” I said, pushing her hand away. “I’m fine, just leave me alone.”
My heart was still racing in fear but as I looked around the shop, I realized that the man had vanished. A cold chill ran down my spine and I grabbed my bag and darted outside. I knew I had to make it to the police station soon.
If I didn’t, the man would be able to find me. Suddenly, I felt terrified and agoraphobic. Most of the time, I felt nothing but comfort from walking alone in New York City, because I was never truly alone. I liked all the pedestrians and all of the cars – they helped me feel safe, like I was part of something truly larger than myself.
But now, knowing that there was a man out there who wanted to hurt me was terrifying. I realized that he could snatch me and it was likely that no one would even notice. New Yorkers are noted for always keeping their heads down, and I feared that if I was the victim of something horrible, it would happen in plain daylight.
I pulled the collar of my coat up around my ears as I stalked forward. Come on, I urged myself. Just a little bit longer. I kept whirling around and looking behind me, but the man was thankfully nowhere to be seen.
Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched.
My phone buzzed in my purse and I paused, reaching and trying to dig for it at the bottom. People jostled and crowded around me – some even barked commands at me to get out of the way – and I took comfort in that, almost like I had a human armor.
Someone grabbed my arm and yanked.
“Hey,” I snapped. “I’ll be out of the way in a second, god! Just wait!”
The person yanked me backwards. My phone fell from my hands and clattered onto the pavement. I screamed as my body flew through the air. The hand gripping my shoulder was strong and muscular and I tried to fight it off but the grip only intensified. When my feet touched the ground again, I realized I was being pulled away from the street and towards an alley.
“Help!” I screamed. “Somebody, help me! I’m being attacked!”
“Shut the fuck up,” a voice hissed in my ear. Before I could react, the hand left my shoulder and I heard a hard punch. I whirled around and saw a man dressed all in black, leaning over another man on the ground and threatening him with a fist.
“You leave her alone,” the man in black growled. “You stay the fuck away from this one!”
Before I could react, the man in black grabbed me and dragged me to the side. I cried out in protest but he was strong – even stronger than the first man who had grabbed me – and he tossed me around with ease, like I was a rag doll.
Suddenly I flew through the air. My back slammed hard against a solid brick wall, knocking the air out of my lungs. I gasped and coughed and covered my mouth with my hand as a large figure loomed in front of me.
“Hey bitch,” the man said. He grinned. “Long time, no see.”
“Oh my god,” I muttered softly. “It’s you.”
Alessio grinned. “Didn’t think it would be so easy for me to find you, huh?”
That was when everything turned black.
--
“Hey, wake up.”
Groggily, I opened my eyes. My head ached, and there was the scent of something strong and faintly alcoholic under my nostrils.
“You’re up,” Alessio said. He grinned in smug satisfaction. I coughed and blinked, glancing around. I tried to lift my hands but they were so heavy – finally, I looked down and realized they were tied together in my lap.
“Why…” I trailed off. My throat was killing me. “What are you doing?”
Alessio smirked. “I’m here to make sure you don’t do anything stupid,” he said. He raised his eyebrows and gestured towards my ankles.
I groaned when I realized my ankles were taped loosely together. I was sitting on a plush bench.
“We’re in my car,” Alessio said. He raised an eyebrow. “Don’t worry, bitch. I know white limos are tacky. That’s why I only ride in black ones.”
I bit my lip, tasting blood. “How…how long was I out?”
Alessio leaned forward. He shook his head. Somehow, he looked even more handsome and scary than he had before. His dark hair was pushed away from his head with pomade and his dark eyes glittered in the semi dark of the limo. He was wearing a white shirt that made his tan look deep and tropical, and he smelled expensive – like cigars and smoke and cologne.
“It doesn’t matter.” Alessio bared his teeth. He moved closer and I shivered when his hand landed on my shoulder. “The thing that matters is you, girlie. You ain’t gonna say nothin’ against me, now are you?”
I flared my nostrils. “That’s exactly what I’m planning to do.” My heart thumped as fast as a drum.
Alessio grabbed me and pulled me close. A thrill of fear and something else, something moist and hot and unrecognizable, soared through me. Suddenly, I was very aware of his deep, dark eyes.
You hate this man, I thought as I blinked and blushed. You can’t stand him. He murdered your fiancé. You want him dead, don’t you?
“You’d better not,” Alessio growled. His voice sent shivers down my spine…shivers that weren’t entirely from fear. I shivered and tried to pull away but he was too strong and he easily crushed me to his body. I could feel the rhythm of Alessio’s heart pounding beneath his massive, brawny chest.
I realized I wasn’t the only person who was nervous.
For a moment, we stared at each other, holding one another’s gaze. The limo disappeared. New York disappeared. All that was left was Alessio Amoruso and me, nervous little naïve Beth Wilson.
Alessio’s grip loosened but I didn’t move away. When he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine, a spark shot between our bodies. Liquid fire replaced the blood in my veins, searing through my body and leaving me unable to breathe. As his tongue pressed into my mouth, I moaned.
Part of me was horrified. Part of me wanted to revolt, to scream and cry and punch Alessio until he stopped touching me. But the other part of me – the dominant part of me – didn’t want him to stop. My lower belly was twitching and shifting with fierce arousal. My clit was as hard as a tiny pebble inside of my panties, and I could feel my pussy juices soaking my thong and dripping down the insides of my thighs. The inside of the limo was filled with a musky scent as Alessio pushed me back.
Moaning, I tried to grab him. I’d almost forgotten that my hands were bound, but somehow that just made me feel even more aroused. Alessio pulled away. He bit my lip until I moaned and tasted blood. When he leaned down to my body and kissed my neck, I thought I would come right there. Finally, he pushed my head backwards and ripped the shirt away from my body. Cool air hit my exposed breasts and I moaned as my nipples stiffened. Alessio ran his hands over me, pinching and prodding and caressing my pale breasts. I’d never had someone touch me like this before, like they owned me. Like I’d always belonged to them, and they were just exerting their power.
We didn’t talk. We didn’t speak as Alessio ripped the rest of my shirt away and tossed it to the side. He grunted and bent over before ripping the tape between my ankles. I spread my legs as far as I could. My skirt rose up high over my belly, exposing my thighs to Alessio’s fierce caresses. When his muscular, calloused hand touched the inside of my thigh, I blushed so hotly that I thought my veins would burst.
Molten lava flowed through my body as Alessio shoved his hand inside of my panties. I was so wet that his hand was instantly covered in my pussy juices, and he shoved two fingers inside of me, beckoning the walls of my pussy in a way that made me gasp and tremble. Alessio rubbed my clit with his thumb until I was screaming with lust. I wanted him to take me. I wanted him to fuck me raw, until I couldn’t walk.
My wrists were still bound as Alessio grabbed my hips and flipped me around. My ass felt dangerously exposed and I couldn’t even balance against the seat as Alessio yanked my panties down. I felt his warm breath on the backs of my thighs and I shivered and shoved my ass in his face, desperate for more stimulation. He growled, then dug his hands into the cheeks of my ass and spread me apart until I was blushing furiously against the seat. When I felt Alessio’s tongue licking a wet trail from my asshole down to my pussy, I screamed and moaned and thrust my hips into the air like a bitch in heat.
Alessio grunted again. He moved away and I heard the snapping of his belt. When he looped the strap of leather around my neck and gently tugged, I moaned. Not being able to breathe deeply made the sensations rushing through my body seem more powerful than ever before, and I gasped and choked as Alessio tightened his grip.
When his cock slid inside of my pussy from behind, I screamed in pleasure. I couldn’t maneuver around to see Alessio from the front, but his cock was big and thick. It filled me completely, in a way that Michael never had. Alessio began slamming his hips against mine, savagely fucking me as he pressed me against the back of the limo seat.
Pleasure exploded in my body and I moved and moaned and cried out for more. Alessio must have taken my cries as struggle, and he tightened the belt around my neck. Gasping for air, I felt my lower belly tense and spasm and shake. Alessio reached a hand around my body and started rubbing my clit until tears of pleasure and lust came to my eyes. Every time his thumb grazed my swollen nub of pleasure, I moaned and cried and bit my lip. Soon, actual tears were streaming down my face. I could barely breathe as Alessio humped me faster and faster. His cock slid in and out of my soaked pussy and I could feel his balls slamming against my clit with each thrust.
“God,” I screamed loudly. It felt so fucking good that I could hardly stand it. My whole body was buzzing and tingling with the most insane pleasure that I’d ever felt before, and I was powerless to stop it. I couldn’t even move my hands – I was rooted to the spot, leashed like a bitch in heat while the most powerful man in New York City fucked my brains out.
A feeling started to rise in my belly and I whimpered, thrusting my hips back and forth. Alessio pinched and rubbed my clit harder than ever. His teeth clamped down on the back of my shoulder and I moaned with pleasure as a fierce orgasm began to tear through my body. It felt like a tidal wave of pleasure was cresting over my head, like someone was gripping me relentlessly and refusing to let go.
Alessio’s cock spasmed inside of me. I could feel his cum splashing the inside of my pussy, coating me with lust. He groaned and grunted with pleasure, biting me hard enough to break the skin. I screamed as our bodies slid and moved together against the back seat.
For a few moments, the air was silent and heavy with the scent of my arousal and Alessio’s sweat. Then he grabbed me and flipped me on my back. Between my legs was raw and stinging, but I couldn’t help wanting more – my clit was still swollen and begging for more attention. Alessio grinned at me. He reached forward and grabbed my wrists, ripping the tape with one easy motion.
When my wrists were freed, it was like the spell was broken. Immediately, I blushed and began to tear up, horrified and guilt over what had just happened. I yanked my skirt down to cover my ass and grabbed my ruined shirt, shielding my bare breasts.
Alessio smirked. “So,” he said. “You ain’t gonna be testifying against me.” Naked, he looked like a Roman god – all muscles and cock and shining body.
“I can’t say that,” I said shakily. I licked my lips and cleared my throat, still shaking from the powerful orgasm that had just rocked my world. “I can’t agree.”
Alessio sneered. “Oh yeah?” He got close to my face and I shivered. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and pull him close, but everything in me was telling me to get away from him as soon as possible.
Alessio’s dangerous, I thought as I gasped for air. He’s dangerous. He practically raped me! And it doesn’t matter that I enjoyed it, I thought. He had Michael killed. What will he do to me?
“Fine,” Alessio said. He raised his eyebrows. “But just know, girlie – I’ll be watching you. And you’ll make the right decision.”
I bit my lip and shook my head. “We’ll see about that,” I said warily. “We’ll just see about that.”