Page 38 of The Brat's Bargain

"Binding our families together like this... it's asking for trouble."

Carmine, the old Lombardi soldier who'd spoken out earlier, raised his voice. "And what happens after, assuming this all works out? Are we just supposed to pretend everything's normal, that the heir to the Benedetti empire isn't fucking a Lombardi?"

The room fell silent, all eyes turning to Antonio and Damien. Antonio felt his cheeks burn, a mixture of embarrassment and anger bubbling up. But before he could retort, Damien stepped forward, his presence commanding attention.

"What happens after," Damien growled, his voice low and dangerous, "is none of your fucking business, old man. Antonio and I will lead our families into a new era, whether you like it or not. You don't have to understand it. You just have to fall in line."

The threat in his tone was unmistakable. Antonio felt a thrill run through him at Damien's possessive display, even as he worried about the backlash.

Vivian cleared her throat, breaking the tense silence. "Perhaps we should take a break. Give everyone a chance to... process."

As the meeting broke up, groups splitting off to handle various tasks, Antonio found himself cornered by a cluster of young Benedetti soldiers. Their leader, a cocky bastard named Joey, sneered as he looked Antonio up and down.

"So this is the boss's new piece of ass," he drawled. "Gotta hand it to you, kid. You must be one hell of a lay to have Damien Benedetti wrapped around your finger."

Antonio's fists clenched at his sides, rage bubbling up his throat. "Fuck you," he spat. "You don't know shit about me or Damien."

Joey's grin widened, cruel and mocking. "Oh yeah? Then prove it, pretty boy. Show us you're more than just a convenient hole for the boss to stick his?—"

The rest of his taunt was cut off as Antonio's fist connected with his jaw. Joey stumbled back, shock quickly morphing to fury. He lunged forward, meaty hands reaching for Antonio's throat.

But before he could make contact, a large figure interposed itself between them. Damien's voice was low and deadly as he addressed Joey and his cronies.

"Touch him," he growled, "and I'll cut off your hands and feed them to you. Understood?"

The group paled, mumbling apologies as they scrambled to retreat. Damien watched them go, tension radiating from every line of his body. When he turned to Antonio, his eyes blazed with a mixture of pride and exasperation.

"You okay, baby boy?"

Antonio nodded, adrenaline still thrumming through his veins. "Yeah. Thanks for the save, but I had it handled."

Damien's laugh was low and warm as he pulled Antonio close. "Oh, I know you did. My fierce little brat." His hand came up to cup Antonio's jaw, thumb brushing over his bottom lip. "But nobody threatens what's mine. Nobody."

Heat pooled in Antonio's belly at the possessive words. He leaned in, voice dropping to a husky whisper. "Prove it, Daddy. Show me I'm yours."

Damien's eyes darkened, pupils blown wide with want. Without warning, he spun Antonio around and marched him towards a nearby supply closet. The door had barely clicked shut behind them before Damien was on him, pinning Antonio against the wall with his considerable bulk.

"Is this what you want, baby?" Damien growled, one large hand wrapping around Antonio's throat. "Want Daddy to remind you who you belong to?"

Antonio whimpered, grinding back against the hard line of Damien's cock. "Please," he gasped. "Need you, Daddy. Need to feel you."

Damien's free hand made quick work of their flies, shoving Antonio's pants down just far enough to expose his ass. Two thick fingers, slicked with spit, pressed against Antonio's entrance.

"So greedy for it," Damien purred, working Antonio open with ruthless efficiency. "Such a hungry little hole, always begging for Daddy's cock."

Antonio keened, pushing back onto Damien's fingers. "Please," he babbled. "More, Daddy, need more?—"

His pleas were cut off as Damien withdrew his fingers and replaced them with the blunt head of his cock. He pushed in slowly, giving Antonio time to adjust to the stretch. But once he was fully seated, all gentleness vanished.

Damien set a punishing pace, each thrust driving Antonio further up the wall. One hand gripped Antonio's hip hard enough to bruise, while the other fisted in his curls, yanking his head back.

"This what you needed, baby boy?" Damien growled, lips brushing the shell of Antonio's ear. "Needed Daddy to put you in your place, remind you who you belong to?"

Antonio could only whimper in response, lost in the overwhelming sensations. Every snap of Damien's hips sent sparks of pleasure shooting up his spine, the drag of that thick cock against his prostate reducing him to a quivering mess.

"Words, sweetheart," Damien demanded, punctuating the command with a particularly hard thrust. "Tell Daddy who you belong to."

"You!" Antonio cried out, fingers scrabbling for purchase against the smooth wall. "Yours, Daddy, only yours. Always yours."

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