Protector: City of Sin Page 5

  “Hands forward, Ella,” he commanded, his voice taking on that edge I had come to know and love. I had awoken his inner beast, and he was ready to play. Obediently, I put my hands forward. He skillfully wrapped the rope around my wrists until I was secure. Then he wound it in an X around my body, securing my legs together. I lay helplessly on the bed, completely at his mercy.

  He needs this, I thought to myself.

  The control was cathartic to him, in all areas of his life. Control that had been taken from him at such a formative age.

  I need this.

  The pain, cathartic to me. Bringing my inner pain, suppressed for so long, rushing to the surface. A sharp sting, a dull ache, then finally - release.

  We both need this, we need each other.

  As I watched him, he returned to the bag and took something else out. I was curious - what had he been thinking, what was he imagining doing to me when he packed? When he knelt back in front of me, I realized it was a blindfold. In seconds, he tied it around my eyes and everything went dark.

  “One last thing,” he whispered in my ear. “I have something for that smart mouth of yours.”

  My vision was obscured, and I suddenly felt something smooth and round placed against my mouth. He pushed it past my lips and secured straps around the back of my head. I tasted a mixture of leather and plastic, my jaw forced open by the gag. I couldn’t see, and now I couldn’t speak.

  Beckett pushed me back down against the bed and I gasped, all of my senses heightened once he took just a few away. He held my legs straight up in the air by the rope and effortlessly moved me however he wanted, then he slapped my ass firmly with the palm of his hand. I arched my back, my skin stinging. He chuckled then slapped me again, my ass heating and becoming more sensitive from his rough treatment. My squirming only encouraged him to continue.

  If anyone had told me a year ago that I could get so turned on from being spanked, I would have laughed in their face. Ask me now, and I would blush and squirm in my seat. Whatever chemistry existed between Beckett and I, it was the same reaction a lit match had on gunpowder.

  “Still in the mood to tease me, Ella?” His voice was both amused and aroused.

  I mumbled behind the gag, no Beckett, I want you inside me, but it was helpless. The words came out all garbled. Beckett grabbed my hips and flipped me over, his hands gripping my calves then pushing my knees forward in one swift motion. I was on my back now, my body was completely exposed and on display. I knew that if I shook my head or made three quick noises, our signal meant to replace a safe word when my mouth was blocked, he would stop. That was the last thing I wanted right now.

  Beckett leaned forward pressing his lips against the gag in a kiss, then moved to my neck. “You don’t need to say a word, Ella,” he whispered, nipping at my earlobe. “Your body tells me everything, it can’t keep secrets from me.”

  He dragged his tongue from my ear down my neck lazily, cupping my breast in his hand. He massaged and tugged at my nipple with his fingers, giving me a quick pinch, making me cry out in ecstacy.

  “You’re not the only one who can tease, Ella,” he said, then circled first one nipple than the other with his wicked tongue. He reduced me to nothing then pulled me together again; I could only measure time from one sensation to the next, nothing else mattered. He focused on one breast at a time other, rough one moment, soothing me the next with gentle caresses.

  “What else does your body want to tell me right now?” His voice raspy now, focused. I knew he loved this just as much as I did.

  Beckett ran a finger over my trembling slit, back and forth. I writhed against the sheets desperately, pushing against him, but he kept his fingers right on the edge of my opening. I pleaded, please, but my words meant nothing. He knew exactly what I wanted, he was withholding it on purpose.

  When I tried in vain to sit up he pushed me back down and I bounced against the mattress, then he slid a finger inside me. I groaned as he fingered me finally, sensing some relief from the pressure building up between my legs. The way he talked to me, the way he handled me, it all aroused me more than I had ever been in my life. I wanted this, I needed to feel the depth of his possession.

  “Fuck, Ella, I love the way your body responds to me,” he said, curling his finger inside me. “Do you want more?”

  Mmmmph, I moaned. Mmmhmm, mmmhmm.

  He continued to stroke me inside with his finger, then I felt his weight shift on the bed. When his mouth found my clit I cried out, biting down on the gag in my mouth, as he continued to coax my body to the edge of orgasm. I couldn’t see anything, I could only feel the waves of pleasure he gave me over and over again with his skilled tongue and hands. Each time I felt myself getting close though, he pulled back, keeping relief just out of reach. I wasn’t sure how long this torturous teasing went on, Beckett could be very patient when he wanted to be. It felt like ages and I whimpered in frustration.

  “Should I leave you here like this?” Beckett asked.

  I shook my head furiously.

  “No? Well, I don’t know,” he continued. “I’d hate to get vanilla on you...”

  I moaned as he added a second finger, sliding them in and out of me. I tried to plead, tried to beg, but my words tumbled together into nothing because of the gag. My body was desperate, I needed him inside me. I was going to lose my mind if he didn’t screw me right now. Sensing my growing distress, Beckett shifted on the bed. I felt the tip of his manhood press against my opening, then I groaned with relief and pleasure as he slowly pushed inside. He was rock hard, clearly he needed this just as urgently as I did.

  Grabbing onto the rope tied around my body for leverage, Beckett started to pick up momentum. As he drove deeply into me, his fingers found my throbbing clit. He stroked me in smooth, firm circles and I felt myself coiling tight inside.

  “Come for me, Ella,” he said, his voice deep and thick. He knew. He always knew.

  That simple command was all I needed right now, I had been on the edge for so long. I moaned and let myself go, my denied climax finally rippling through my entire body.

  Gripping my hips, Beckett continued to take me with forceful and determined thrusts, chasing his own orgasm. My heart was pounding and my ears were ringing when I heard him groan, digging his fingers into my skin and finding his own release.

  Beckett fell down onto the bed beside me, letting the air out of his lungs in a rush. He reached behind my head and gently unclipped the gag. Then he softly unwound the rope from my wrists and ankles. His movements were delicate now, a sharp contrast to moments ago. The blindfold was the final thing he removed. I blinked, the light seeming so much brighter after being kept in the dark.

  “Well?” he asked, a satisfied look on his gorgeous face.

  “Definitely not vanilla,” I said, catching my breath. “More like dark chocolate fudge, with caramel. And whipped cream.”

  “I can live with that.” He chuckled, then he pulled me against his body and held me in his arms. I believed these types of blissful moments in life were gifts, and I tried to appreciate every single one. After a lifetime of misfortune, I felt owed a bit of happiness. We both were.

  6

  Beckett

  I was still buttoning up my shirt when Ella came out of the bathroom, dressed in a flowing purple dress that cinched tight at her waist and stopped at her heels. It was sleeveless, giving a hint of cleavage and showing off her beautiful shoulders. She took my breath away.

  “You look incredible,” I said, walking towards her and running my fingers over her hips. She did a small twirl in front of me.

  “You don’t look so bad yourself,” she said with a smile.

  I threaded a navy tie around my collar, looping then pulling it tight at my neck. I didn’t need a mirror; I can tie knots in my sleep. Finally I slipped on my watch and fastened a pair of cufflinks.

  “Ready to go?” I asked.

  “I’m ready,” Ella nodded and picked up her clutch. We went outside, got
into the Mercedes and I navigated us through the streets towards the marina as the sun sank low in the sky. I parked and we got out, then I offered Ella my arm. We walked together down the dock towards the large vessel, up a ramp leading inside.

  “We’re going on a boat?” Ella gasped, her eyes sparkling.

  “It’s a sunset cruise with a live band,” I told her, taking in her reaction. “I thought it would be a nice way to end our evening.”

  “Beckett, this is incredible!” Ella stepped onto the ramp and squeezed my arm tighter. She turned and pressed her lips to mine. “Thank you.”

  We walked up the ramp and headed for the bar where I ordered Ella a glass of champagne and myself a scotch. I passed her the drink and together we headed towards the railing, looking out at the water. The horn blew three short blasts, then the boat started to move out into the open water as couples mingled about the deck. This was more effort than I had ever done for any woman, but Ella wasn’t just any woman. She didn’t want anything material from me, she made no demands. She accepted me for who I was - who I really was. That, to me, was priceless.

  Ella kept her eyes on the horizon, the sunlight slowly turning orange and red as it set, the vibrant glow reflected in the water. The way she focused on beauty in the world was mesmerizing to me. The wind whipped her hair, and I reached forward to tuck a strand behind her ear.

  Holding her small body against me, we listened to the music play as the sun sank even lower, eventually giving way to dusk while stars started to peek out one by one. Day to night. Light, to darkness. They worked in harmony, they needed each other. Like Ella and I.

  “Come,” I said, putting down my glass and extending my hand to her. She wound her fingers with mine and I brought her back inside, onto the dance floor. Holding her body close I guided her as we moved in time to the music. As the singer’s voice filled the air, I held onto Ella while she rested her head against my shoulder.

  “I set something in motion, before you woke up,” I told her.

  She looked up at me.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I took all of the information you gave me and that I could find about Dana, and I hired a private investigator. This will be kept completely confidential, and as soon as they have anything, I will make sure it gets to you directly.”

  “Oh my God, Beckett… I can’t believe you did that.”

  I wanted to give her closure, but I knew that meant I would also likely cause her pain. “I need you to be prepared, Ella. Dana has been missing for a long time, and she was involved in a dangerous profession. I need you to understand, this may not have a happy ending.”

  She bit her lip and nodded slowly.

  “I know. If I’m honest, after all this time, I just need to know. Thank you for this Beckett. I-”

  A ringing interrupted us, Ella looked down and opened her clutch.

  “Sorry,” she said. “Give me one second.” She pressed the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

  Ella walked away from the band to find a bit of quiet. She came back seconds later.

  “Who was it?” I asked.

  She shrugged then walked back into my arms and we resumed dancing.

  “I have no clue. There was no number on the call ID, and whoever was on the other line didn’t say anything. Probably a wrong call.”

  The band started to play When I Fall in Love by Nat King Cole. I smiled, suddenly spinning Ella then dipping her low as she gasped.

  “I love this song,” I told her with a wink.

  “So do I,” she said as she looked up at me.

  We moved in unison, our bodies pressed against each other, swaying to the song and losing ourselves in the melody. Tonight was perfect. It was everything I never knew I wanted with a woman, but now I had it. I used to be a man that got bored easily, who kept everyone at arm's length. I assumed I was broken. Ella made me feel whole again, and it was blissful being able to be out with her in public. I didn’t have as much of a profile here as I did in Vegas. To everyone there, we were just another couple in love.

  A ringing broke the magic of the moment, Ella reached for her bag.

  “I’m so sorry, let me check who this is and I’ll turn off my phone.”

  “It’s okay Ella, I’m going to get another drink. Do you want anything?”

  She nodded, pressing the phone to her ear and walking away.

  I wandered over to the bar and flagged down the bartender. I ordered another glass of champagne for Ella, and another scotch for myself. Waiting at the bar, a couple by the stage caught my eye. The man bent down on one knee, took a small box out of his jacket pocket and he held it open to the woman in front of him. There were smiles and cheers from the crowd when the woman tearfully said yes, then the man rose to his feet and they kissed. It was a beautiful moment that sent a jolt of pain through my chest.

  Was what I could give Ella enough? Wouldn’t she eventually want more? Marriage, children. A normal life. Those were things I could never give her. Considering how dangerous what I did as the Vegas Phantom was, I could be leaving her a widow one day. Worse - I could be putting her and any children we had at risk, all because the burning need inside me to track down and punish criminals was too strong to ignore. If Ella eventually made me choose between being the Phantom and being with her, could I ever bear to let her go?

  I scanned the room for Ella, she still wasn’t back. I carried our drinks and walked out onto the deck. I finally found her; she was standing in the corner with her arms wrapped around her body, staring blankly at the floor and shaking even though the air tonight was warm. I walked over to her quickly, the look on her face told me something was seriously wrong.

  “Ella,” I placed the drinks on a table and stroked her arms. She focused her eyes on me, but they were full of panic. “Ella, what is it?”

  “Someone called again,” she said with a shaky voice. “It was quiet, nothing, and then before I hung up someone said my name. A man. I asked who he was, he wouldn’t tell me, but then he said I was a marked woman and to watch myself.”

  My jaw clenched and my heart started to race. Someone had threatened her?

  “What else did he say?” I demanded.

  “Nothing, he laughed, and then he hung up. That laugh… it was evil. There was no number again. Beckett, it scared me.”

  I pulled her against me.

  “It’s okay. You’re okay, you’re safe. I’ll never let anything happen to you. Do you have any idea who it could be?”

  “The only one who comes to mind right now is Tony Venetti,” she said, burying herself in my arms. “He threatened me at the club. Maybe he’s going one step further now.”

  “They’re just trying to scare you,” I assured her. “If they wanted to hurt you, they probably wouldn’t warn you. Still, I want you to take precautions. And I’m going to start digging into what sort of things Tony has been up to. That fucker is on my radar now.”

  “I’m sorry to ruin our night,” Ella looked up at me, sadness written all over her face. I held her chin, bringing my face close to hers.

  “You didn’t ruin anything. You stood up to a dangerous criminal family, you’re a strong woman, Ella. Tony, and whoever threatened you, they're cowards. We dock in twenty minutes, then I’ll take you back to the Villa. Here, this will help.”

  I passed her the champagne and she drank it eagerly. In one swift motion, she downed the whole glass.

  “Thank you,” she sighed.

  We stood at the railing, looking out at the dark water; stars and moonlight reflected on its rippling surface. I held Ella close to me, as if through proximity I could protect her forever. If this was the work of Tony, and all signs pointed to him, he had just pissed off the wrong man. I was going to make him regret ever being born a Venetti. I didn’t need to involve the police. Dealing with him was something I could do all on my own, by following my particular set of rules.

  7

  Ella

  I’d like to say that I didn’t let the threaten
ing phone call I received ruin my evening with Beckett. I’d like to say that I slept peacefully through the night in his arms, confident in the fact that he could protect me. That I knew it would be okay. But none of those things would be the truth. I lay silently beside Beckett, and as soon as he fell asleep, I gently got up from bed and sat beside the window looking outside.

  I knew that if I had to do it all again, I wouldn’t change a thing. Being a prominent crime reporter in Las Vegas meant I often impacted the income of some of the city’s most prolific criminals. It wasn’t a job for the faint of heart, and when I first started, I figured I had nothing to lose. I was determined to chase down leads, to find a trail that somehow led me to Dana. But now, as I looked over at the man I loved sleeping in bed, I felt like I had a lot to lose.

  Beckett was still a tortured man; there was a darkness and anger in him that didn’t fade once Marco was put away. It didn’t end with the man responsible for his parents death. His hatred for criminals was no longer a raging fire, but it still simmered, a fierce glow of embers after everything else had been burned down.

  He told me that having me in his life brought him a peace that he hadn’t known since his parents were alive. If I wasn’t worried about my life after Tony’s threats, I was worried what would happen to Beckett if anything happened to me. Would he lose his grasp on humanity once and for all? Would he let himself sink completely into darkness, losing all sense of right and wrong? Anger and despair can turn any of us into monsters if we lose all hope.

  I sighed, looking back outside at the water, a dark sheet glistening under the moonlight. Danger always seemed to loom in the distance, as if my entire family had been cursed. Like we were being punished for the sin of being happy, for loving each other and needing nothing more than that. Does anyone get to stay happy forever, before the universe decides to balance things out? Before it decides you’ve had enough? Sorrow found me when I was young, and it never left my side. Even now, with Beckett, there are monsters in my fairy tale waiting to pull us apart.