Page 9 of Dark Desire

“You’re wrong. It’s always been me.” I left Antonio standing in front of the warehouse and headed toward my bike.

I always carried hand wipes and a shirt in the backpack strapped to the seat, in case I had to get my hands dirty. The blood stained the white cotton, turning it a deep shade of pink as I rubbed away the evidence from my hands. I stripped off the carnage-stained shirt and pulled on the clean one. Shoving the wadded-up wipe and stained shirt into the bag, I tugged on my helmet and straddled my bike. The rev of the engine rattled my bones. The power beneath me grounded me in ways I sought after I fell into the obscurity of death. Antonio was right. I was teetering on the edge of being lost to my past all over again. La Lama, a nickname I earned for all the bloodshed and destruction I left in my wake when I was younger, was blossoming again.

My father knew if he needed someone eliminated, I was the person who could get in and out. They called what I did with my blade an art. I called it the Devil’s handiwork. I still felt the need to dominate, to feel someone beg for mercy. As I pulled out on the main road, my bike had a mind of its own and headed in the one direction I could hear pleas of mercy without murder on my hands.

Parking my bike at the back of Discoteca, I slipped my leg over the seat and unstrapped my bag. Walking past the bouncer, I let myself in ahead of the crowd gathering at the door. No one dared to say anything to me since they all knew who I was. Massimo was leaning against the bar, his hand resting against Madison’s hip. They glanced in my direction and nodded. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone. I was on the edge of losing it, so I dipped my head and headed to the elevators. What I needed was on the second floor. There, I could let the demon out and not be scrutinized. I dug the key card out and pressed it to the sensor and waited.

“Vin.” Massimo step behind me.

“Not now, Massimo.” I growled, not looking in his direction.

“I’m worried about you. Antonio called me. He told me what happened.”

“And? You both knew what would happen if we ventured into my past. A past I begged you to leave alone.”

He blew out a frustrated breath. “I didn’t think you would fall into that life again, Vincenzo.”

“You didn’t think a part of my life I worked hard to bury would rear its ugly head when I was forced to become that again?”

“No. You’re not him anymore.”

I finally turned toward him, pinning him with a glare. “That’s where you’re wrong, Fratello. La Lama is and will always be a part of me. Burying him was never meant to be permanent. I just thought he would stay buried longer. But we resurrected the devil thanks to Dmitri—and now…” I stepped into the elevator and turned to look at him. “Dmitri will get what he wanted. La Lama will come for him and destroy him.”

The doors closed, leaving Massimo stunned on the other side. I hated to be so blunt, but it was the truth. There would be no peace for anyone as long as the darkness was streaming through my veins. Until my knife was slipping through the soft flesh of Dmitri’s neck, La Lama would stay risen.

Six

Riley

“Do you have any information yet?” Jackson's brooding voice filled the line.

“Nope. He’s very private and is not amicable when trying to get him to open up.” The truth was, I hadn't been trying hard to get close to Vincenzo.

“Riley, you’ve been on the job for over a month. How is it you have nothing yet?”

“You’re right. I’ve been at it for a little over a month. That’s hardly enough time to earn his trust. You knew this would take time, Jackson.” I huffed in frustration.

“Fine. Find me something, Riley, and soon, or Pritz is going to pull you off this assignment.”

“There is no need for that. Give me more time. I’ll get the information we need. I promise.”

Jackson's irritated tone did not go unnoticed. “Time is of the essence, Riley. It’s the only way we can bring them down.”

I agreed to up my game and disconnected the call. Tossing my phone into my bag, I pressed my hands to my face and screamed. My body craved control—the control I had been getting at the hands of the very man I shouldn’t be. Guilt plagued me as I rode in the cab toward Fantasia. How had I made such a mess of my life? I was only supposed to gain his trust and find information that would give the FBI evidence they needed to link him to La Lama—one of the two hitmen we knew the Mob used. For the last eight years he avoided, rather, evaded authorities. La Lama was as sought after as the Prizrak, Dmitri Ivanov. Neither of which I was any closer to finding.

I climbed from the confines of the cab and quickly headed toward the club. I needed to give over my control. Truthfully, what I needed was to be commanded by his touch. I knew he would be there. Once he knew I would show up after midnight, he was always there waiting.

Just as I suspected, he was siting at the bar when I arrived on the second floor. I followed him into the playroom, stripped naked, and dropped to my knees. Vincenzo ran his hand along my bare back as he prowled around me.

“Good girl.” He paused in front of me. “Now take off my pants and show me how much you desire me.”

I reached up and eased the zipper of his leather pants down. My heart raced with a beat that rivaled even the fastest horse. Everything about this was wicked. I should've walked out the door and not looked back. Instead, I hauled him free of his pants, his cock pleading for my touch as it pulsated against my palm.

My core quaked with need as I slipped his bulbous head into my mouth. The salty taste of his pre-cum battered my taste buds as I swallowed him deeper. His moans only fueled my yearning as I moved against him. My body inundating with need as I sucked him off.

“Stop.” He drew away, his cock slipping from between my lips. “Stand.” He ordered as he backed away from my spot on the floor.

I stood and waited for his orders. My body was burning with want as I watched him sheath himself in a condom and stride toward me. “I need to punish you tonight, Red. Can you handle the pain?”

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