Page 78 of The Beast Who Bought Me
“Alright,” he says, concession in his tone. “Since you’re being such a good boy.” His grip changes. He’s not playing anymore. His thumb finds that spot under the head, rubbing hard, fast circles. My balls draw up tight, and I’m just about there?—
“Come on,” he coaxes, all traces of teasing gone. “Let it all out.”
The water churns around me as my hips jerk, and I come with a rising, helpless cry as he strokes me through it, the bathwatersplashing in a tiny tsunami. When it’s over, I sink back, marinating in my own mess.
Goddamnthat felt good.
But more importantly, for the first time, I’ve successfully manipulated Damiano Orsini with my sexuality. Made him see me as helpless. Needy.
Another one of those broken things he instinctively collects and cares for.
He helps me from the tub and wraps me in a soft towel. Leads me back to his bed where he makes sure I sit up gently, arranging pillows behind my back with care.
Food is waiting on a tray beside the bed, so I assume Rosa must have come in while we were in the bathroom. I hope she didn’t hear—well, no point worrying about that. I’m too hungry, for one thing, eagerly taking up a bowl of rice and soft chicken in a broth scented with lemon and herbs. The kind of meal that’s meant to heal, to comfort.
To help Damiano maintain his property.
I eat, letting it soak into my bones. Damiano watches me the entire time, as usual.
The silence stretches out between us. It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s also not helping me any. “You could have left me down there in the basement to die,” I say at last, deciding to push a little. “Why didn’t you?”
“I told you. I don’t plan to kill you.”
“And why is that?” I raise an eyebrow when he doesn’t reply. “Why is that, Dami? You said yourself you don’t care about thecontract. And you made a big deal out of telling me you wanted revenge for your father when you first bought me. He’s dead. So why aren’t I?”
Nothing. But I figure my fainting spell has won me a little more leeway than usual. So I keep going.
“And what was that in the bathtub? A reward?”
He gives the tiniest flicker of the eyelid, but I catch it.
“Or was it an apology orgasm?”
“It was supposed to shut you up.”
At last I’ve provoked him to speech. “Was it Darla-sanctioned?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Then—”
“Enough,” he cuts in, folding his arms over his impressive chest. “My turn. What were you doing at my new property the night your cousin got iced? Your grandfather’s townhouse,” he adds as I look at him blankly.
Oh,fuckthis guy. And if we’re going into that, I want something back. “I’ll tell you if you answer a few questions of mine, Dami.”
“We’re not bargaining here, golden boy. You belong to me, so?—”
“Ibelong to you. My knowledge does not. So if you want to know what I know, Dami, you’ll need to give a little yourself, or torture it out of me—but in that case, Imightjust die on you.” He says nothing, but it’s not a refusal. “Come on, Dami. Two heads are better than one.”
He sighs. “Fine.”
CHAPTER 29
DAMIANO
The Clemenza picksup his bowl again and takes another mouthful, as though rewarding me for giving way. I hope he realizes I could force all that food into him if I wanted to.
The problem is, I know how stubborn this little snake can be. And I don’t have time to waste. Seb wants a result, and it’ll be hard to keep my investigations quiet once I start poking around.
