I cupped her chin, digging my fingers in as I captured her mouth. She hungrily sucked on my tongue, writhing in my hold. She was without a doubt the most beautiful creature I’d ever set my eyes on. And fucking her made me insatiable.

  The kiss was explosive as usual, the taste of her like fine red wine mixed with strawberries. When I pulled away, she nipped my lower lip, her tooth piercing my skin. She laughed as I broke away, rubbing my index finger through the single drop of blood.

  “You like it rough, baby?” I asked, no longer recognizing my gruff voice.

  “Yes, I do, sir. The rougher the better.”

  After taking a deep breath, I rolled my fingers against the skin of her waist, taking a few seconds to study her with relentless eyes. I tapped my cock against her stomach, slowly allowing my gaze to return to her eyes. “Be careful what you ask for, my pet.” I’d never wanted to fuck anyone as badly as I did at that moment. I’d never been much of a romantic guy, my dominating side too influential for pretend foreplay or feathered kisses for hours.

  While being with her had broken all the rules I’d set in place for myself, I no longer cared. I wrapped her legs around my hips, placing the tip of my cock against her slickened folds and refusing to hesitate for a second. As I drove my cock inside, we both shuddered uncontrollably. The feel of having her muscles constricting around my cock was powerful, so much so I had difficulty breathing.

  I planted my hands on either side of her, pulling almost all the way out then driving into her again. There was no way I could or would be gentle. I needed satisfaction and she was the only woman who could give it to me.

  Alexandra gasped for air, her chest rising and falling as I rose onto the balls of my feet, fucking her hard and fast. The angle was utter perfection, allowing me to drive so deeply inside I was certain I’d entered her womb.

  “Oh. Oh.” Her eyelids were half closed as she tossed her head back and forth.

  Goddamn, I adored her reaction, her breathless sounds making me even more of a crazed animal. When she squeezed her knees against me, I wrapped one hand around her throat, squeezing until she dragged her tongue across her lips. Her eyes were lit with a fire I’d never seen, the roughness satiating the sadist inside. She had no idea the beast she’d lured from the cage, my actions no longer those of a sane, decent man.

  Perhaps I’d never been one.

  In my mind, the same words replayed constantly. She belonged to me.

  As I sensed she was close to another mind-blowing orgasm, I slowed my actions, rubbing my thumb across her jaw. “No man will ever touch you again.”

  “No,” she managed.

  “Say it for me. Tell me you belong to me.”

  Her eyes were dilated, her luscious lips twisting. “I’m yours. No one else… will ever… touch me again.”

  I squeezed my hand around her long throat, thrusting in deep, even strokes as the new wave of pleasure jetted through her. I was so alive that the electricity crackling between us paled in comparison. As the wave tore through her, I plunged long and deep, waiting until she closed her eyes.

  After I pulled all the way out, I wiped my arm across my face then spun her around, immediately grabbing both sides of her rounded buttocks. When I pressed them open, she gasped as she’d done before, doing everything she could to arch her back. Now standing on her tiptoes, she couldn’t have been more ravishing.

  “Yes. Fuck me. Please, fuck me.”

  I cracked my palm against her bottom twice before wrapping my hand around my cock, pressing the tip to her dark entrance. She sucked in her breath, her eyes remaining closed. As I pushed the tip inside, I struggled to keep from driving it all the way in. I was suddenly more predator than anything else, already losing some of the rigid control I usually had.

  Every sound I made was more of a growl, my pulse skyrocketing. This is what the woman did to me. As I pushed past the tight wall of muscle, I threw my head back. Nothing had ever felt so damn good.

  When I finally plunged the remaining inches inside, I wrapped my hands around hers, allowing her to get used to the thick invasion.

  She was shaking, her body melding against mine. I was lightheaded, my cock swelling, the tightness of her muscles almost too much to take. I needed release, my balls already swelling. As I nuzzled against her neck, biting on her earlobe, she squirmed in my hold.

  “Yes,” she whispered, every sound like a soft purr.

  I pulled away, smacking her bottom until she squealed. Then I couldn’t hold back any longer, fucking her so savagely the door slammed against the wall. And still, I refused to stop.

  Lights flashed in front of my eyes, and I gritted my teeth, the sensations roaring through my body boiling my blood. After four additional brutal thrusts, I lost all control, erupting deep inside.

  She lolled her head, half laughing, entwining her fingers with mine. “Do it again.”

  I laughed as I pressed my lips against the side of her neck. “Soon. Very soon.”

  CHAPTER 19

  Jameson

  If you’d asked me twenty years before if I would ever consider myself a businessman, having discussion about financials and quarterly returns, I would have laughed. I’d grown up in an environment where working with my hands was valued more than solving problems with my brain. Fortunately, my mother had encouraged the use of my mind as well as my body, which had also allowed me to obtain the scholarship to the university. Even my coach had been impressed I’d maintained an A average the four years I was there.

  I might not have the affinity for number crunching that Grant did or the finesse in handling members and clients that came naturally to Lachlan, but I knew how to spot a lying sack of shit in one minute flat.

  I’d learned a long time ago that looks could be deceiving and that people were most comfortable hiding behind a computer screen where they could be anyone they wanted. Often that’s why I required a face-to-face meeting rather than by phone or God forbid email. I preferred to cut through the bullshit immediately. Once I did, either I walked out without reservation or joined in the conversation.

  Dealing with Dumas was no different.

  I’d found him to be cordial, intelligent, and cunning, but I’d always known that he kept a part of his life in secrecy, which was fine by me. He’d checked all the boxes during the discovery phase when discussing the possibility of working together. That’s all that had mattered.

  At least on paper.

  What I hadn’t expressed to my partners was my continued concern about his family background. The reports of their ties with the mafia shouldn’t matter since given his status within the family, but it continued to nag at me. Lachlan would find it laughable given his father’s connection to the Scottish crime syndicate, something he almost never talked about.

  “What exactly is this meeting about? You just mentioned some issue with the club itself,” Alexandra asked as I pulled into the parking lot of the location Dumas had selected for a meeting. He’d suggested what would be the true opposing BDSM club when Carnal Sins opened later in the year. Perhaps I should say if it opened.

  “My partners and I sold a franchise almost a year ago to a powerful Parisian businessman. As with any land development in most countries, there are county or city requirements, the approvals obtained before the contracts were signed. Now, we’re within a couple months of opening and there’s been some accusations made regarding his handling of the applications.”

  “Accusations? Like blackmail?”

  “And extortion.”

  “Fantastic,” she said. “Which will sully the reputation of the entire corporation.”

  “Absolutely.”

  She looked at me as I pulled into a space, the overhead lighting adding a shimmer to the cab of the Maserati. “What do you think you can do?”

  “First, I’m going to find out if it’s true or not. I’ll know that by talking with him.”

  “If it is?”

  I yanked the keys from the ignition. “There is a clause in the contract that will immediately be acted upon if he’s found guilty of any crimes. It will be terminated, the money he’s put into the project forfeited.”

  “But you’ll lose millions as well because you’ll have an unfinished building and a tarnished rep.”

  Laughing, I scrubbed my hand across my jaw. “You have a complete understanding of what I’m facing.”

  “I took the opportunity of looking up Mr. Dumas on the plane.”

  “Oh, you did? And what did you find?”

  “His family is highly respected in the wine industry, but it would appear his grandfather was involved with some very bad people.”

  “That is correct,” I told her. There was no reason to keep it from her. “It was made clear that his family business in no way could be connected to the club.”

  “Why do I have a feeling you think there’s an outside influence that has little to do with Mr. Dumas and more to do with your corporation itself?”

  I opened my door, easing onto the pavement. I’d been at the club once before at Dumas’ suggestion. While it was a gorgeous location, they didn’t have the strict rules set in place as we’d established early on.

  She climbed out, smoothing down the dress I’d selected for her myself. I took long strides around the back of the vehicle until I was in front of her. “Tonight you observe. I will be eager to see your reaction. And the answer is that you’re right. There are too many interesting coincidences going on and I don’t believe in them.”

  “Santiago? Could he have connections this far?”

  “That’s what I’m going to find out.”

  “Then what are you going to do?”

  I thought about her question. “I might need to pull out my little black book.”

  “You are full of surprises.”

  “You have no idea.” Dumas had already secured our entrance. However, after finding out where we were going once inside, I was surprised at his choice. The club’s design allowed for a loft overlooking several of the specialty rooms, available only to very special members. It was also in the center of the club, the acrylic walls surrounding the three sides allowing anyone to view who was meeting whom.

  There was very little difference in Paris versus what were considered the power cities in the US. The rich and influential made up the membership. Dumas was sending a message, attempting to draw out who was responsible for putting his life and his career on the line.

  I guided her through the crowd, allowing her to stop long enough to watch a scene being played out. Nothing shocked me any longer, but the use of a bullwhip would never occur in my club or any attached to the Carnal Sins name.

  “That’s crazy,” she said, her body stiffening.

  “And not allowed inside my walls.”

  She turned away and even in the shimmer of neon lights, I sensed her nervousness was shifting into raw fear. “Are you alright?”

  “I can’t do that.”

  I lifted her chin, studying her eyes. “I would never subject you to something remotely that harsh. I need to ask you. Did something happen in your past?”

  Her mouth twisted before she laughed. “Why would you ask that? No man has ever used a whip on me.”

  By the way she made the statement, her words stilted, my anger rushed to the surface. She had been hurt terribly. Now wasn’t the time to find out what she’d endured but I would make it my mission to learn.

  Then I would destroy whoever had hurt her.

  As soon as we walked out onto the platform, Dumas rose to his feet. The man had balls, which I appreciated. The table he’d selected was nestled against the railing. Maybe I liked the man after all.

  He moved closer to Alexandra, taking and kissing her hand. “Une belle créature honore ma présence,” he said as he glanced into my eyes.

  “Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Dumas. I must admit I’ve never been called a beautiful creature before and I am happy to be in your presence. However, you should know that in additional to being Mr. Stark’s administrative assistant, I am also his submissive.”

  Philip pulled away, giving a respectful nod. “Mr. Stark is an extremely lucky man. Where did you find her, Jameson?”

  “At a traffic accident.”

  His eyes opened wide and he laughed as we all sat down. “I’ll need to consider that in the future. I took the liberty of ordering wine. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Perfectly fine.” I waited until he’d poured two additional glasses before leaning forward. “I need to hear what happened detail by detail.”

  “There’s little to tell. I was at the site one afternoon and had a visit from the French police. While they didn’t arrest me, they encouraged me to talk with them. Only after I was inside the station did I realize what accusations were being leveled at me.”

  “And those are?”

  He sat back, taking a sip of his wine. “My father has been good friends with two French officials. Their relationship goes back two decades. Suddenly, that relationship was brought into light as being the reason I won the bid for the land as well as was able to reduce the approval time for the plans from the usual four months to thirty days.”

  “Is there any truth to this? Did your father make a phone call for you?” I could tell he was disturbed by everything that had occurred.

  “I confronted my father on two occasions and he assured me that he didn’t interfere. I believe him since he isn’t a fan of what I’m doing.”

  “Do you have any enemies?” Alexandra asked.

  He tipped his head in her direction. “My family certainly does.”

  “Do any of them extend to America?” she continued.

  “That’s a very good question. Quite possibly.”

  I reached into my suit jacket, pulling out an envelope. “I took the liberty of preparing a list of names you should have checked, perhaps with your father.” I slipped it across the table. “I believe what you’re telling me, Philip. I think that you’re caught in an attempt to shut down our corporation in its entirety.”

  “Why?”

  Laughter almost bubbled to the surface. “Because of some power-hungry people who are terrified of the information that could be leaked to the press.”

  “Ah. Let me take some time with the list. If there is anyone in question, I’ll let you know.”

  “What about the workers on the project? Are they remaining on the job?”

  “So far,” he said. “I was able to offer bonuses.”

  “Were your funds restored?”

  He chuckled under his breath. “I have various sources of income and bank accounts in several offshore locations. While the main fund for the project is still being held, I planned ahead. We have as many corrupt politicians as you do in your country.”

  “Wise thinking. Let me guess. You purposely chose this location to issue a warning of your own.”

  Dumas leaned forward. “You’re not the only man with secure, substantiated data on those who might cause trouble. My father taught me that information is the key to survival, one of the few aspects of my childhood that I still use today.”

  “A wise man. What can I do to provide assistance?” I kept my hand on Alexandra’s leg, stroking her skin. While she attempted to keep her concentration on the meeting, I sensed her increasing nervousness. The scenes were out in the open, some more brutal than others. While there was nothing more I wanted than to enjoy spending time introducing her to additional acts of kink, I sensed an entirely different level of reservations. Whatever she was keeping locked away in her past prevented her from letting go entirely. Maybe a change in plans was necessary.

  “Take a look around you, Mr. Stark. We have people watching us as we speak. It is entirely possible that prior to you returning to the States, we’ll know who is behind the obvious attempt at derailing everything I’ve worked for. I don’t take being threatened kindly.”

  “When were you threatened?” This I didn’t know.

  “The day I won the auction for the land. And before you ask, it came in the form of an anonymous source.”

  “But you suspect who it is,” Alexandra piped.

  “Yes, cherie, I do, although I can’t prove it.”

  I had the distinct feeling he wasn’t going to share with us who he believed was behind the threats. “It may be necessary to talk with the French officials on your behalf.”

  “Trust me. You don’t want to do that. They will only dig in deeper. However, if information is discovered, I know the right people to talk with in order to make this problem disappear.”

  I studied Dumas for a few seconds before leaning back in my chair, tapping my fingers on the table. “I think it’s prudent to have a meeting with the officials. However, take the evening to see if you can make connections. Then we talk in the morning. I’ll need to return to Miami as soon as possible so this incident must be solved.”

  He dragged his gaze toward Alexandra and for the first time, I noticed real emotion on his face. He’d been stoic, cold for almost every meeting.

  “Very well, Jameson. I need this club to work. It’s the only thing that is truly mine and I won’t let it go down in flames. Now, may I suggest you enjoy some of what Club Noir has to offer. I should make a few phone calls. Whatever you would like will be taken care of. It’s the least I can do for dragging you to Paris.”

  “It’s always enjoyable to come to this vibrant city.” I lifted my glass in recognition, noticing we’d drawn more attention. There were several men at another table watching us intently. I could only imagine what they were concluding.

  He took another gulp of his wine then moved back from the table. “Alexandra, you are a true beauty in a sea of loneliness. I hope you find my beloved city to your liking.”

  “Very much so,” she said. “Thank you.”

  Dumas smiled, giving me another nod before moving away from the table.

  Alexandra settled into her seat, turning toward me. “Are we staying?” Her question was hopeful but laced with uncertainty.

  “I was originally planning on indulging your fantasies, but I have a better idea.”