Page 22 of Whispered Desire

What’s the point of being the master of my world if I can’t do whatever the fuck I want? If that means claiming Allison completely and owning her submission, then I’m damn well going to do it.

Kurie discreetly unfolds the hidden table to our right and delivers a circular charcuterie board filled with fruits, cheeses, and a variety of meats before retreating.

Plucking a purple grape and a triangle of gruyere from the selection, I raise it to Allison’s mouth.

“That won’t happen again. If I’m not around to personally ensure you’re eating, one of my brothers will be, along with our housekeeper, Mrs. Shandy. Now, eat.” Allie stares between meand the food hovering in front of her before tentatively accepting the offering, her lips parting an inch to let me feed her.

“Good girl,” I murmur, warmth spreading through my chest with each bite she takes from me.

I’ve never fed a woman with my own hand before. I’ve limited my desire for dominance to the confines of the bedroom, after specifically arranging for women who understood the score—no-strings-attached sex.

Let me control the scene, and I’ll guarantee your pleasure. But nothing extended past the four walls of whatever hotel suite I reserved for the evening.

The type of relationship I’m interested in isn’t for the casual hook-up, and frankly, it hasn’t been a priority to explore that side of myself within something more permanent. I have my father to take down, along with the rest of The Syndicate. Revenge has been the motivating factor in my life—not settling down.

I wasn't lying when I told Allie how starved I am for an arrangement like this. We skipped the slow build-up of trust and dove headfirst into what amounts to a binding verbal contract in my mind.

Allison proved her trustworthiness by saving my life.

I will repay the favor tenfold by tending to her every need.

In return, the beast inside me that craves the privilege of a woman’s submission—cravesAllie’ssubmission—will be satisfied.

I will finally have something of my own.Someone who is all mine.

For the next few minutes, we continue the process of me choosing her next bite, and Allie quietly accepting it, until she hesitantly stops my wrist and reaches for one of the small bottles of water Kurie left behind with the food.

She swallows a couple of gulps. “Can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“I know you’re on the board of Blackchapel Inc., but is that all? Maybe I’ve seen too many movies, but that drive-by seemed meant for you, and it worries me that I might be getting involved with someone who’s…” Her teeth nibble her bottom lip as she searches for the right words. “Bad for me.”

“Make no mistake. Iambad for you, but it’s too late to turn back now.”You're mine.The decision to bring her into my life might as well be written in stone, but I debate how much to share about my world.

She’ll learn soon enough at the manor.

“My brothers and I run Blackchapel Incorporated, but that’s just a means to an end. Our true purpose is more complicated. The incident in Paris was targeted toward Luca, the man who was with me. His dad arranged it.”

Allie jerks back. “His dad? Isn’t he your dad, too?”

“No. None of us are blood-related, except for Dmitri and Aleksei. Our bond goes deeper than blood because of how we were raised. We’re the illegitimate sons of men who run an organized crime ring known as The Syndicate. I'll spare you the details, but my brothers and I are determined to bring down the organization and ruin our bastard fathers.”

At my admission, her brows practically reach her hairline as she fidgets in my lap.

“I understand the need for retribution after a troubled childhood, but wouldn’t it be easier to move on? It seems too dangerous to challenge a crime ring when there are so few of you. I mean I don’t know how many brothers you have, but I doubt it’s enough to crush something as ominous sounding as The Syndicate.”

“There are seven of us, and we’re known as the Blackchapel Bastards because of our ruthless reputations,” I say. “Blackchapel Inc. is the legitimate side of our dealings. Itscriminal underbelly is Blackthorn, a legion of men loyal to us and our cause, so you don’t need to worry. Decades of training is in our veins. You’ll be kept safe. I promise you that.”

We’ve turned Blackchapel Manor into a monolith of security measures. No one is getting within an inch of the property without us knowing about it.

Which is why my little angel will remain behind its ivy-covered walls until I arrange for her security detail.

I’m not taking any chances of someone stealing her away from me.

CHAPTER TWELVE

LUCA D’AMORA

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