Page 3 of Dark Desire

She held my gaze, searching my eyes for what I wasn't sure. Everything about her had me feeling on edge—which was completely unusual for me. She might not know it yet, but this woman may very well hold the power that would be my undoing. My cock pressed against the leather, begging to be let loose of the confines of leather. I needed to know she was willing to belong to me—even if it was for only tonight.

Like a rubber band being stretched to its breaking point, I snapped when she spoke the one word it took to release the monster, pleading to be let out.

“Yes.”

Two

Riley

My mind wandered to my night at Fantasia, making me heat with excitement. I took a risk joining the club, but I needed to let that part of me out or it would interfere with my whole reason for being in Vegas. My blooded burned as I recalled the way he commanded my body. He didn’t know who I was, but I knew everything about him.

Vincenzo Anastasi.

It was a shock seeing him at Fantasia when he sat down next to me at the bar. For a second, I was paralyzed with fear he'd recognize me. His family, the Mafia, controlled Vegas. They owned the club, the restaurant I was working at, and the construction company his brother owned. It gave them more power than anyone. But Vincenzo… he screamed something other than power. He screamed danger.

Danger that I should've avoided but didn't. And now, I couldn’t stop thinking about him, even though I knew it was wrong. If he knew it was me at the club or who I really was, he'd have my head removed from my body. Stripping my clothes off, I stepped beneath the warm spray of my shower. I had to push the thoughts of my night tied to the bedposts at his mercy deep down in the recess of my mind, and step into the version of me everyone else thought they knew.

My need to be dominated in the bedroom was a part of me I kept hidden. In my line of work, I needed to command respect. If my coworkers knew what I did in the dark, they would no longer show me the reverence I needed to run a kitchen.

Stepping out of the shower, I dried myself off and wiped away the fog covering the glass on my mirror. Staring at the reflection looking back at me, I wondered how I managed to pull off living two lives this long. My hair hung against my skin as the water dripped down my back. As I brushed through the tangled locks, my mind raced with today’s events.

I was working at Bellissimo as an assistant to the head chef. I trained as a sous-chef in another lifetime, a life I often pushed from my mind—it was one that was filled with pain I preferred not to remember. It was a hell of a lot easier to keep it buried than face the evil that tainted my past. I closed my eyes as the memories washed over me.

“What do you mean, he’s dead?” I paced the hallway of the emergency room.

“We’re sorry, Ma’am. The wounds he sustained were grave. We couldn’t do anything to help him.”

“This can’t be right, please. My father can’t be dead.”

The doctor placed his hand on my shoulder. “The police would like to speak with you when you’re ready.”

“Fine.”

I shook the vision from my mind. It was the last thing I needed clouding my judgement right now. Today, I needed to embody the part of me that would allow perfection if I was going to play the part of a chef. Quickly pulling my blonde hair into a tight braid, I hurried to finish getting ready. Glancing at the clock, I noted I needed to step it up, or I was going to be late. I pulled on a pair of black pants and a white blouse that matched the black heels on my feet, giving me a sophisticated look. One I hoped would give me an edge.

I opened my closet, letting my hand graze the white jacket that held my past’s pain. It had been a gift from my father when I graduated from culinary school. He'd been so proud that day, watching as I slipped on the embroidered coat for the first time. Inhaling a deep breath, I pulled the jacket from the hanger and slipped it on. Feelings of uncertainty plagued me as I fastened the buttons.

I grabbed my keys, slipped my phone into my pocket, and hurried out the door. My new apartment was close enough that I could walk to the restaurant. The streets of Vegas were alive already as I stepped out onto the pavement. Sounds of the casinos wafted through the air, mixing with the scent of stale cigars and alcohol.

Crossing the road, I hurried inside. I was pushing against the clock and wanted to be on time. Stepping into the nearly empty restaurant, my eyes searched, looking for something—no… someone.

“I see you’ve graced me with your presence early.” His mocking tone rubbed me wrong. It was as if he intentionally tried to get under my skin.

“Fuck off, Vincenzo. I always come on time." I realized how loaded my words were when he tensed.

A moment of lust flashed in his eyes before he schooled his expression. “Yes. It would seem you do. Now…” he turned and headed into the kitchen. “We have a lot of prep work to do, and I may need to leave. I’m awaiting word on my brother. As you know, he was involved in an accident while on vacation.”

I hurried behind him, keeping my distance. Even in the kitchen, he commanded the room and was not someone to trifle with. “How is he, your brother?”

“Alive.” Vincenzo let his guard down for a moment, allowing me to see a softer side of him.

“Good. If you need anything, let me help. That’s why you hired me.”

His cellphone vibrated in his pocket. “Excuse me, I need to take this.” He turned his back to me and slipped the phone out. I tried not to eavesdrop, but he didn’t make any attempts to be quiet when he spoke.

“Vincenzo.” He barked into the line. His brow raised in surprise as I moved toward him. “Yes. Give me a few moments to finish up with Riley and I’ll meet you there.” He turned and smiled. “I’m sorry. I need to go in a moment.”

“No worries. I’ll take care of everything. I hope everything is ok with your brother.”

---