Red

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y N I N E

I glanced at myself in the mirror, analysing the extent of my injuries.

“Shit.” I whispered.

I opened my top drawer and took out a ball of clean socks, placing them between my teeth and biting down extra hard as I slammed my dislocated shoulder back into place.

I had a bleeding graze to the right of my head, Flávio stitched it up right after he removed the tracker from my neck.

I took hold of my brunette mane and lifted it away from my skin. I had hickies and grip marks covering my flesh and everything felt tender.

Then I turned my head slightly to the left, eyeing up my already bruised, swollen jaw. I wiggled my lower mouth, feeling pain and stiffness.

Ace had punched me without holding back, I was honestly surprised it wasn’t broken. I held my fist to the bruise, my hand was substantially smaller than the mark on my face. He had big, strong hands.

My whole body felt like it had been ran over by a truck. I removed my clothes to find bruises forming all over, painting my tawny-brown skin tone with colour. I popped two anti-inflammatory pills, poured myself a bottomless wine and ran myself a warm bath.

I sat hidden among the bubbles, letting the warmth soothe my aching joints and ease the swelling. I spied all of the grab marks on my arms and placed my dainty fingers on each one. Sizing up the difference between his hand and mine.

My phone started ringing so I leaned over, flicking the water off my hands and glanced at the screen ′Toni.′

“Yeah?” I asked, it hurt to talk.

“Where are you?” He spat out in an aggressive panic.

“At the safe house.” I placed my wine glass down on the side table and sat myself upright more.

“He’s here and he’s asking around about you. I think you just became the number one target.”

“Alessio didn’t kill him?”

“Willa, Alessio is off the grid, nobody has heard from him in a few hours.” I sat up too rapidly, bathwater spilled over the edge of the tub.

“arrivederci Toni.” I hung up and released the plug, letting all the water drain away.

I chugged back my wine, coated my body in makeup to hide the contusions and dressed in all red lingerie.

The only black thing I wore on my body was the hand pistol strapped to my thigh.

By time I reached the club adrenaline was feeding me through my veins, excitement rushed to my toes. Gary, the large bouncer took one lingering glance down my body and shook his head.

“You’re not in uniform and whores go in weaponless.” He stated, returning his eyes to the alley.

“Good thing I’m not a whore then.” I tried to walk past him but he grabbed my arm and with that I flipped him over me and dug the heel of my stiletto into his neck. “Don’t move, I don’t want to ruin my shoes.” I warned.

But in a rookie mistake he grabbed my calf so I added pressure, piercing his neck until he started bleeding out on the cobbled ground. I blotted my lips together, evenly spreading my Scarlett lipstick around and then I entered the establishment with one man on my mind.

As I walked in, I drew a lot of attention immediately.

Everyone wore black, it was uniform. The guys stopped their conversations, the girls stopped their dances, nobody drank, nobody served. The joint fell silent, apart from the porn soundtrack. It was a power move, a act of disobedience and dominance. Simple but wildly effective.

Of course, I ignored all eyes and strutted my way towards the bar, to Aces booth. His eyes lifted from his mojito and settled on me. Carnal and dangerous but at the same time, he checked me out. Adding a little bit of colour clearly captured his attention.

He loosened his tie and then stood up, rolling his shirt sleeves to his elbows. I smirked at him but his lips didn’t even twitch, they remained straight and serious.

“Heard you were looking for me?” I asked, hiking a brow. His eyes narrowed at me from beneath his mask. “Well, here I am. I don’t hide.”

“I can see that.” He glanced around the room slowly, there was not a single pair of eyes in this whole place that were not set on us. “Bold of you to turn up here, in enemy quarters. One signal to them and they’ll blow your brains right out.”

“I like my chances.” I admitted cockily.

His eyes gleamed, sparkled with wild delirium. So blue and deep, like a majestical ocean whirling and lapping the shore. His lip curled, only slightly but it gave away his amusement.

“We have much to discuss, privately.” He grabbed my arm aggressively and dragged me towards the office. He threw me in across the room and slammed the door closed behind him.

“Where’s my father Ace?”

“Shh, I don’t wanna talk.” He replied snarky.

“You just said-”

He paced the floor towards me and grabbed my waist, pushing me backwards on his desk. My eyes fleeted to his lips, his beautiful full lips.

He didn’t hesitate, he didn’t wait for me to protest. He just crashed his lips down on mine and tugged my lip with his teeth, I gasped into his mouth and he took that as his opportunity to kiss me. Long. Hard. Demanding. Fucking wonderful.

“God Red.” He panted, pulling my bra strap lower on my arm so he could pepper soft kisses along my neck, collarbone and shoulder. I tilted my head back, the tips of my hair tickling the skin of my lower back. “You’re ballsy as fuck.” He spoke into my ear, nibbling my lobe a little. “You’re gonna get yourself fucking killed, probably by me.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” I tugged his waistband towards me and started undoing his belt and trouser clasp. When I grabbed a fist full of his dick he jolted in my hand and released a small moan. “But it’s gonna be the other way around.”

He placed his two hands on the underside of my hair, lifting it through his fingers and he settled his brooding gaze onto mine, “work with me.” He demanded.

“Never.” I licked my lips, I could still taste him. Peppermint mojito, power and Ace.

“Then I’ll kill you.” I jerked my hand up his shaft and he rolled back his eyes sexily and pressed his forehead against mine, inhaling through gritted teeth.

“You sure?” I questioned.

“Yeah.” He moaned.

I smiled sadistically and pushed on his chest so he leaned away from me a little then I lowered my head and kissed my way down his dick, taking him into my warm mouth inch by inch.

“Jesus.” He swore, his hands automatically grabbing the back of my neck and pushing me further. My tongue flattened against the ridges of his head and he fucked my face, hard.

“You sure?” I repeated the question, pulling him out of my mouth with a popping sound. This time he didn’t answer but he looked to be thinking.

“This is the last time.” He stated. “After this, we drop whatever it is we’re doing. We stop playing around and get down to business.” I smiled up at him.

“Better make it count then.” He grabbed my jaw and forced a kiss upon me. I could already feel that this time was going to be the best time.

My panties were soaked, my hormones were raging and I wanted him with every molecule in my body. I wanted him naked, pinning me to the desk, slamming into me from every angle. I wanted him demanding and rough, sensual and slow. I wanted orgasm after orgasm after orgasm, brought on by his mouth and his dick and his hands. I wanted Ace in every and any way I could possibly have him.

And then, I will have had my fill and we could go back to being enemies.