Chapter 17
Jasmine
My whole body feels like jelly, as I wake from a deep sleep, turning onto my side to check the alarm clock on the side table. It’s five o’clock in the morning and still dark outside.
Kane shuffles in the bed beside me, drawing my attention to him.
He smiles at me through the darkness. “Morning, baby girl.” He brushes my cheek gently. “Are you okay?”
I nod, feeling exhausted and ridiculously sore. After everything we did and the amount of times we fucked, I feel like I’ve been through the wars. “A little sore.”
Kane kisses me softly. “I know what will help.”
I narrow my eyes at him, hoping he isn’t going to suggest tying me up again. I’m not sure my body can take anymore right now.
“Come on,” he says, shifting from the bed and walking toward the en- suite bathroom. Despite my aching muscles, I force myself out of the bed and follow him. I can’t help but smile, as I step into the bathroom, seeing him running a bath. “This will help,” he says, looking up and letting his eyes drop over my naked body.
I shiver at the look in his eyes, feeling my body react to him, despite not being ready for anything sexual right now.
“What are you waiting for?” He nods toward the warm water. “Get in.”
It feels weird taking a bath at five o’clock in the morning, but I get in any way, sighing the moment the warm water encases me. The bubble bath smells of strawberries, which I wouldn’t expect Kane to bathe in, but I like it. The warm water eases the aches and pains. Kane’s rough hands settle on my shoulders, kneading them gently.
This man is far gentler than I’d ever expected when we’re behind closed doors. He can be gentle and rough, in the most perfect ways.
Kane clears his throat. “Can I ask you a question?”
I nod, wondering what he’s going to ask me. “Where is your mom?”
My stomach churns at the mention of the woman who died last year. I hadn’t even cried when she overdosed, and a small part of me wondered if there was something wrong with me. “She’s dead.”
Kane’s hands still for a moment. “I’m sorry.”
I shake my head. “Don’t be. We weren’t exactly close.” Kane sighs heavily. “At least you got to meet her.”
I swallow hard, wondering what happened to his mom. In the time we’d spent together there had been no mention of other family. “What happened to yours?”
His hands tighten on my shoulders, almost hurting me. “I don’t really know. I was one-year-old when she died.”
My chest aches hearing that. “Does that mean Rick and Leo are your half-brothers?”
“Yeah, couldn’t you tell? We look different.”
I shrug, as I hadn’t considered it. He has darker skin than his two brothers. “I guess.”
He chuckles gently behind me. “Why weren’t you and your mother close?”
I picture her drawn out, pale face in my mind, trying to remember a good memory with her. There were a few over the years, but not many. “She was a drug addict and carted me around from drug den to drug den, sometimes to a new step-dad’s houses for a while.” I play with my hair as I remember the first time I met Alex. “When she met Alex, I thought she was finally getting her life on track. I mean compared to the other men before him, he seemed like a damn saint.” I sigh heavily. “Until I realized he was as bad, if not worse than the others. He supplied her more drugs than she had ever got her hands on before. Then last year she overdosed on heroin.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.
Kane’s hands still again on my shoulders. “I’m sorry, that sounds shit.” He continues kneading my shoulders again, working out the tension. “Did you ever know your father?”
I shake my head. “No, my mom didn’t even know who got her pregnant and was probably on drugs. She said he was a junkie.”
“What was your father like?” I ask, remembering many stories about Giovanni Romano. He was more brutal than any of the Romano brothers today. I shiver at the stories I’d heard, unable to process that the same man brought up the one behind me. He loved causing pain, so much so it became almost a pastime.
“He was a fucking bastard, and I hated him.” Kane tips some water over my hair, slowly washing it for me.
I sigh as he rubs his fingers into my scalp, getting the water right through. I don’t expect him to say anymore but he does. “I never wanted this life, but he never gave me a choice.” He grabs a bottle of shampoo from the side and squirts some into his hand, slowly working it into my hair. “I tried to leave and go to college, but he stopped me.” There’s a tightness to his voice. “I spent two weeks in the basement of this house, locked up and beaten until I accepted my role in this family.”
I gasp at that, trying to turn my face to look at him, but he holds me firm. “Why would he do that to his own son?”
“To teach me a lesson, according to him.” There’s a long silence until Kane breaks it. “He took me out of the basement and put a gun in my hand, forcing me to shoot a guy who had crossed the family.” There’s so much emotion in his voice, and I just want to hold him. “He was the first guy I ever killed.”
Those words hang heavily in the air. I know what Kane has done to people. I know he has killed people, but hearing him say it out loud is another thing all together.
“How many people have you killed?” I ask, my voice tiny.
His fingers still on my scalp and he reaches for the bowl of water, pouring it over my hair and washing the shampoo out. “I’d rather not say. This isn’t a life I would have chosen for myself, though.”
“What were you going to study at college?”
He laughs. “You probably won’t believe this, but I was going to study accountancy.”
My eyes widen. “Wow, I can’t imagine you as an accountant.”
“I was different back then. Eighteen years old and a good kid, excelling at high-school.” There’s a short pause. “I got into Stanford.”
“Holy shit, you must be intelligent.”
He chuckles at that. “I’m good with numbers.”
A small silence ensues as he continues washing my hair. “Did Alex treat you well?”
“To be honest, he wasn’t as bad as most of them.” I shrug. “When I was fourteen, he used to take me and my mom up to a cabin he owns in Heartacre Woods. We used to vacation there, and he spent time with me, teaching me survival skills and how to fish.” My brow furrows slightly as I remember it. “But, when my mom died he started being more of an asshole.” Kane finishes washing my hair, moving to my side so I can see him. “He made me work in the bar illegally and didn’t even pay me, apparently I was working for my keep.”
Kane sighs heavily. “I can’t believe he gave you to me.” There’s a long silence. “Although, I’m glad he did.” He clears his throat. “I used to vacation up at Heartacre Woods too,” he says, eyes full of fond memories. “Rick, Leo, and I used to camp up there and loved it.”
“Maybe we can go up there together some time?” I say.
He smiles, pressing his lips against my forehead. “Definitely.”
My stomach flips as I realize how deep I am into this. Kane was going to let me go two nights ago, and now I never want to leave his side. We haven’t discussed what this means or what will happen.
The last time we discussed it, I said I’d go to Ethan’s once he’s back, but I don’t want to. The thought of leaving this man makes me hurt.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, clearing noticing I’d fallen deep into thought.
I shake my head. “Nothing, are you getting in too?” I ask, signaling at the bath which is big enough for two.
He smirks, fingers hooking into the waistband of his boxers. My pussy aches at the sight of his hard length, erect and ready. I was sure I’d had too much before this bath, but as I stare at him the stinging ache turns to a deep need for him inside of me. He slips into the double bath by my side, and moves me onto his lap, facing him.
I groan as his thick length presses into my wet lips.
“Don’t worry, I know you’re too sore,” he whispers, kissing my neck. “I just want to hold you.”
I whimper at that, shifting against his cock to find friction. “No, please, Kane,” I moan, letting my head fall back as he closes his hand around my throat gently.
“What do you want?” he purrs.
“Fuck me, please,” I moan, rubbing my slick lips along the length of him.
He groans against my jaw, kissing and nibbling at me. His hand shifts between us and he thumbs my clit, making me cry out from the instant pleasure. I groan as his fingers dip inside of me, and he growls as he feels how wet I am.
Without a word, he lifts me up and adjusts his length, allowing me to slip onto him slowly. He goes slow, gently fucking me with quick, shallow thrusts. It’s as though he knows my body better than me, knowing I can’t take it hard, not after what we did last night.
My orgasm builds as he continues to fuck me slow. It feels more intimate as he stares into my eyes, keeping a hand possessively wrapped around my throat. I come hard all over his cock, pulling him off the edge with me. He explodes deep within me, shooting his seed and filling me with his cum.
We collapse, breathing deeply in the water. A comfortable silence encasing us as we enjoy holding each other. There’s a nagging doubt beneath it all. A worry about how long we can keep up this charade, and when it will end.
The problem is I can feel myself slipping deeper and deeper into his spell, feeling things for him I’ve never felt for anyone.