RUTHLESS KING

15 SHE HAS ME BY THE BALLS

Luca
I stare at the clock on the nightstand and hiss out a breath. I’d barely slept
all night. Every creak had my heart jolting up my throat. Despite the
security system and Alberto being stationed on the ground floor, I was
terrified Stella would escape somehow.
The idea of losing her sends a stab of pain through my chest. Which is
insane. I’d only just moved her in yesterday. How could her potential
absence send me into such a panic? I don’t get attached; I’m never
encumbered by bothersome feelings. After ten long years, this girl shows
back up in my life, and I’m already breaking my rules for her.
I wasn’t lying yesterday, if one of my guys had disobeyed me the way
she did, they would’ve lost a finger. Or a toe at the very least.
My mind flickers back to the tub, to her naked, wet body covered in
those indecent bubbles. God, it had taken every ounce of restraint not to
jump in there with her. Every so often, her pretty pink nipples peeked
through the foam, and I imagined dragging my tongue over them, tasting,
nibbling, until I teased them to tight peaks.
My cock hardens at the vivid images. I groan and bury the thoughts to the furthest corners of my mind. This is
Stella, cazzo. Vinny would fucking kill you if he were alive. Only he’s not
….
I reach for my phone on the bedside table and open the home security
app. Flipping through the cameras, I stop at the one in Stella’s room. She’s
splayed across the bed wearing my shirt and boxers. Damn, she looks good
in them. My tee rides up just under her breasts giving me a perfect view of
her fine torso, that slim waist and those curvy hips. My boxers have slid
down low, giving me a sneak peek of her lacey panties.
Shit. I’m hopelessly hard now.
What is it about her that drives me so wild?
I slide my hand beneath the sheets and throttle my dick. Beads of
moisture already cover the head, and I glide my palm up and down,
imagining my cock buried deep inside her. I haven’t even touched her yet,
and I already know she’ll feel like heaven and taste like sunshine and
rainbows. My sweet, innocent Stella.
I’d ruin her.
A hint of movement draws my eye to the video as I continue to stroke
my dick. Her eyes open, and she stretches leisurely. Then her hand skates
down her stomach, and her fingers sneak beneath my boxers.
Oh, merda.
Heat rushes down my cock as she wriggles on top of the sheets. Her
hips begin to move and mine pick up a matching rhythm as I fuck my palm.
I turn up the volume on the camera, and her faint moans fill the air. Her free
hand closes around her breast over my t-shirt, and she pinches her nipples to
tight peaks. Fiery heat blazes through my veins.
Is she thinking about me?
I close my eyes and picture her pretty little mouth on my cock, licking
and sucking, lapping me up.
Shit, I’m going to come. My head tips back, and I let out a grunt as an orgasm rips through me.
It’s so violent and powerful, my free hand clenches the sheets, nails digging
into the mattress. Cavolo, I can’t remember the last time I came so quickly.
I draw in ragged breaths as I watch her pleasure unfold. She wiggles
and grinds her hips against her palm, and I imagine my fingers inside her,
coated in her fragrant juices. A few minutes later, she cries out as she
orgasms, riding the waves of pleasure, and I picture my name on those lips.
A deep, dark part of me wants to be the one coaxing those sounds out of
her. My cock buried balls deep in her slick heat.
Porca miseria. What have I gotten myself into?
She’d never agree to my rules, never be okay with my darkest desires
… would she?
I shake my head, tossing out the impossible thoughts. No. This is a
business transaction and nothing more. I need a woman on my arm, and
she’s the perfect fit. She doesn’t belong in my fucked-up world, and I won’t
give into temptation because I already know one taste of Stella would never
be enough.
I wouldn’t just ruin her, she’d devastate me.
When I finally abandon the safety of my bedroom, I find Stella propped on
a barstool at the oversized marble island. She’s still wearing my shirt and
boxers, and I’m instantly hard again as images of her wiggling on the bed
when she touched herself fill my mind.
Magda shuffles around the kitchen, banging plates and cupboards,
dragging my thoughts to the present. The savory scent of bacon and eggs
fills the penthouse, and my stomach growls. I usually only have coffee for
breakfast, so she must have prepared all of this for my new roommate. Magda drops a brimming plate of food in front of our new houseguest, and
Stella rewards her with a warm smile.
Come to think of it, she’s likely only a few years older than Stella. “I
take it you’ve met Magda?” My gaze darts between the two women.
“Yes, she’s been quite lovely. She even gave me a tour of the penthouse
this morning, something you conveniently forgot to do last night.”
“Perhaps I wouldn’t have forgotten if you hadn’t shot me and then
attempted an impossible escape.” The corner of my lip twitches, unbidden.
Magda’s eyes widen for only a fraction of a second before she schools
her face to neutrality. The young woman has been under my employ for
nearly five years now. Her mother worked for my father, and when she
turned eighteen, she inherited the role. There isn’t much that surprises her.
I’d sent her a message last night and warned her of our surprise guest.
Stella’s appreciative gaze rakes over my suit until she catches me
staring. Her lips pull into a frown, and she returns her focus to her eggs. “So
where are you going?” she asks without looking up.
“It’s seven-thirty in the morning on a Wednesday. I’m going to work,
princess, where do you think?”
“What am I supposed to do?”
My lips purse as she eyes me. I hadn’t actually considered the day-to-
day logistics of her stay. “Whatever you want, I suppose.”
“Can I go home?”
“No,” I growl.
Magda reaches for a yellow envelope on the counter. “Mr. Tony
dropped this off last night with Mr. Alberto, Signor Valentino.”
I rip it open and a small white and orange cannister rolls out. I’m
tempted to test it out to ensure it’s not pepper spray in the guise of a
harmless inhaler. Instead, I hold it out to Stella who snatches it from my
fingers. “You’re welcome.”
“Thank you,” she hisses. Grabbing my phone from my jacket pocket, I scroll through the
notifications then scan my calendar. The Heart Ball is right around the
corner. At least an outing would give Stella something to do.
“Magda, would you like to accompany Clara and Stella today to pick
out a couple gowns for the next few events?” Along with my security team.
The more eyes on her the better if she’s leaving the safety of the penthouse.
Maybe if she’s busy, she’ll stay out of trouble.
The woman’s pale gray eyes sparkle. “It would be my pleasure,
signore.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Stella responds around a mouthful of bacon.
“Since Tony is so familiar with my apartment, he can just go pick up my
clothes.”
“I already told you—”
“How do you know I don’t have any fancy gowns?” she snaps before I
can finish.
I roll my eyes and heave out a breath. “I don’t, but I’m giving you the
opportunity to pick out new ones. Anything you’d like.”
Her brows slam together, and unexpected irritation darkens her
expression. “I don’t want anything from you. We already owe you enough, I
don’t need to add to the debt.”
“This is a gift.”
“Why?” she shouts.
The elevator dings, drawing my attention away from this ridiculous
argument. My executive assistant, Clara, looking flawless as always in a
perfectly tailored Chanel skirt suit, saunters into the foyer and makes a
beeline straight for Stella.
“Grazie a Dio, Tony wasn’t exaggerating, é bellissima, just gorgeous.”
My overly eager assistant squeezes Stella’s hands and spins her on the
barstool. Stella’s eyes grow wide as she swallows down a big bite. “Who are
you?”
“Scusi, bella.” She swats at my shoulder and tosses me a glare. “I
thought Luca would have told you about me. Where are my manners?” She
extends a hand and a beaming smile. “I’m Clara, Luca’s executive
assistant.”
“She’ll be taking you shopping today,” I add.
Both women stare at me like I’ve grown a second head.
“It’s been decided. No arguments.”
“But Luca, I came to discuss the matter Tony has been working on….”
“I’ll handle that, Clara, you handle this.” I jerk my thumb at my
scowling princess. “And keep a firm grip on her while you’re at Bergdorf.
She has a tendency to run.” I pin Stella in my dark gaze, clenching my jaw.
“Mario will escort you, and if I hear you gave him a hard time, I will punish
you for real this time, princess.”
She snorts on a laugh, staring up at me defiantly. And damn, if that look
doesn’t make my dick twitch.
“Clara, you have the social calendar, please make sure the gowns are
appropriate.”
“Of course, signore.”
My gaze lingers on Stella for a long moment before I reach for my
briefcase on the table and force my feet toward the elevator. “I’ll see you
tonight,” I murmur over my shoulder.
She doesn’t respond, or perhaps I don’t hear it with the elevator doors
gliding closed. Either way, the moment I’m alone an unfamiliar emptiness
invades my chest.
Cazzo, one night alone with this woman, and she already has me by the
balls.