Page 61 of Dangerous Deceit

Both of his hands brace my neck, and my clit rubs against his groin, the hair above his dick teasing me closer to the dark oblivion.

“Kenzo—”

“Promise me!” he demands. “If you don’t, I will go find your uncle right fucking now!”

He fucks me, each thrust ruthless and unforgiving, and his grip is so tight around my neck I can’t breathe. Explosions flash before my eyes, heat boiling in my toes and neck, and I’m so close, my heart already knows what I’m going to do.

Everything in my life is about helping my family get to our dream house, our slice of paradise. But this is different. It’s like Kenzo isdemandingmy safety, and if I can’t use my body when Uncle Jay and Patrick have another “friend” who wants to meet me after one too many drinks, then maybe that means I won’t have any choice,butto settle down. To truly be Kenzo’s, even if he’s not around. Maybe we’ll retire like Uncle Jay keeps promising. We’re so close—what does it matter if I seal my sexual fate now?

Possession like this is crazy, but deep inside, it makes me feel safe. Kenzo won’t let anyone hurt me ever again.

I try to speak, but Kenzo’s hands stop me from making any sounds. I can barely mouth the words:I promise.

He lets go of my neck, and his dick slams into me. I gasp, letting that delicious air fill my lungs, my head light and airy. Kenzo’s gaze burns straight inside of my soul.

“Again,” he growls.

“I promise,” I cry.

“Again!”

“I promise, Kenzo! I promise you’re the only person who will touch me for the rest of my life!”

The orgasm takes hold of him, ripping through his body. He pounds into me, making every inch hurt as he howls like a madman, and his curved dick rides against my tender spot. He doesn’t stop; he’s already come inside of me, but he fucks me like he needs me to endure every ounce of pain he has to give, to make sure I never forget it. Stars float in my vision as his come fills me, his grip around my neck constricts, and that oblivion takes over my body, forcing me into the pleasurable abyss. I convulse on top of him until, finally, we stop. My skin tingles; everything is on edge.

Even though we aren’t screwing anymore, Kenzo’s eyes are still completely focused on me, finally back to his relaxed state, like another classic rock song is on the tip of his tongue. These two sides of him are always so close to each other: uncontrolled rage and an easygoing confidence. It’s impossible to tell when he’s going to switch from one side to the other.

As I catch my breath, I lose myself in his brown eyes. I think of all the stupid things I’ve done. The mistakes I’ve made. The promises I’ve broken.

But promising my loyalty to a yakuza gangster may be the biggest mistake of my life.

CHAPTER 27

VI

I wake up disoriented.My body aches like a millennium has passed, but it’s just past midday. Kenzo’s humming floats through the penthouse, mixed with a savory scent. I crawl out of bed, throw my hair into a ponytail, and right as I leave the room, I catch a glimpse of myself in the full-length mirror. Light purple bruises, the size of fingerprints, are scattered along my neck. I should put on a scarf or a choker, but instead, I glance down at the diamond wedding ring on my finger. His bruises on me are more of a demonstration of ownership than this expensive ring.

Not that I want to be owned, but there is a certain appeal to it. Life with Uncle Jay and Patrick means always being on the run, and the longer I stay with Kenzo, the more I think of him as safety, like a home, even if he is crazy.

In a way, his craziness is reliable. I can count on him for it.

In the kitchen, he’s shirtless. Tattoos shade his chest and neck. A koi fish fights against the current of a blue ocean, and a skull breaks up the waves in the middle. His chest flexes, and his singing stops. I sit at the dining table, and he flips to me.

“Damn, baby. You slept late,” he teases. “I’ve already been to work and back.”

My jaw drops. “How?”

“Working on a big deal. Golden Honor Firearms—ever heard of them?”

I’ve been mentally pouring over the papers on his desk since I first saw them.Golden Honor Firearms.How could I forget? I lift my shoulders, trusting my body to do the lying for me. Technically, I’m still on the job. I need to learn as much as I can from him.

“What’s it about?” I ask.

“Guns direct from the manufacturer. If we can cut a deal, we can stop getting our weapons from—” he pauses, his jaw clicking, then he winks. “I’m getting way too damn comfortable with you.”

He almost told me everything.

“You can tell me,” I say. “Besides,” I lower my voice and add a sultry twist: “I already know you’re a bad, bad man.”

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