Page 50 of Heart of Stone

“Make it a stiff one,” I said, and followed him back inside.

I pulled one of the stools down from the bar and took a seat. Matteo ducked down behind the counter, and I could hear the clinking of glass. When he stood, I saw that he had managed to produce a couple of old fashioned lowball glasses and a bottle of Knob Creek, despite his limited stock.

“The liquor license just came through and I have yet to order the really good stuff. It’s not the expensive reserve that you normally drink, but it’ll still do the job,” he joked. After he poured us each three fingers, I took the glass and downed it in one shot without even flinching. Matteo’s eyebrows went up. “Wow. Last I checked, bourbon was supposed to be sipped. This woman must have really gotten to you.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, refusing to comment. He took the glass and refilled it, but I pushed it away.

“I don’t want anymore.”

I was annoyed. Aggravated. Frustrated for so many reasons, but I couldn’t pinpoint what was bothering me the most. The last thing I needed was another drink.

“Alright. Then what do you want? Besides thebella donna,” he added, reminding me of just how beautiful Krystina truly was.

I eyed him ruefully, trying to determine how much I wanted him to know. Matteo and I had a business arrangement, but first and foremost, he was a longtime friend. He was a keen observer, and he was smart. I knew that I could count on him to cut out the bullshit and give it to me straight.

“She bugs me, Matt,” I admitted bluntly. He started choking on the swallow of drink he had just taken.

“Come again?” he asked incredulously.

“I want her, but she fights me every step of the way. Normally I’d just say forget it and move on. But I can’t with her. The more she pushes, the more I want her.”

“I can see why you do. She’s young and smokin’ hot. What’s your dilemma?”

“She’s…” I struggled with putting my thoughts into words, which was another rare oddity for me. “She’s work. She’s stubborn and snappy. Strong, yet she seems fragile. I don’t know…”

“So that’s it. For once, you can’t weasel your way into someone’s head,” Matteo said with an easy laugh.

“No, it’s more than that. I just haven’t figured it out yet. I get the impression that she’s got a story. A past. I just don’t know what it is.”

“Well, let me give you some advice then. She’s not for you, man. She doesn’t strike me as the type to be into your thing. She seems too innocent.Candida. You’d better be careful with that,” he warned.

Matteo had hit the nail square on the head. Krystina was captivating, so much so that I found myself paralyzed with lust, fantasizing about her almost to the point of obsession. However, the look of total disbelief that came over her face when I told her that I was a Dominant, said that she wasn’t worldly to my more unconventional ways.

“I’m not a fucking moron, Matt. But I don’t think she’s that innocent,” I told him, trying to convince myself of that as much as him. “She just needs training, that’s all.”

“Why would you want the hassle when you can just hit one of your clubs? There are plenty of willing Subs there.”

I frowned at that, as I had been asking myself the same question for days. If I had a bug to get out of my system, going to Club O was the simple solution. The exclusive BDSM nightclub would have a plethora of submissive women that were ready to play. And it was safe. The women there appreciated the need for discretion.

“That’s just it. I don’t want just another Sub.”

“Si, si.But you must remember, Krystina may not be willing. Have you thought of that, my friend? Have you told her what you are?”

“I did. She wasn’t the most receptive, but I could sway her easily enough,” I said with a shrug.

“You are like an ape. Such arrogance you have,” Matteo chuckled, shaking his head back and forth.

“An ape? This coming from a hairy Italian?”

“Ah, now you only wish you had this chest! I am a natural Dominant! All the ladies bow to me!” Matteo began beating his chest like a gorilla ready to exert his power.

“Yeah, right! You – a Dominant! You don’t have to balls for it. Not enough confidence,” I goaded. However, another thought came to mind, interrupting our wisecracks and causing me to sober.

“What?” Matteo asked after seeing my change of face.

“If this were all about confidence, it would be easy. But the situation is more complicated than that.”

“How so?”

---