“And let’s be honest,” he says, looking down at me with pupils blown black, “you’re not even worth half that, are you, little prince? Despite what I paid for you.”
The casual cruelty barely registers, because I’m too focused on the way his hips are moving, the way his cock feels like it’s swelling so much my jaw might unhinge. Because despite my inexperience, despite how clumsy I am, I’m affecting him.
And despite everything he’s done to me, I want to be good at this. Want him to lose control…and let me take it.
“Twenty million going once…going twice…”
His balls are tight and hard, the flesh in my mouth impossibly swollen. I prepare myself for what’s coming, hope I won’t choke?—
He pushes me away, his cock falling out of my mouth as I go back on my heels, gasping and confused, saliva and pre-cum gushing down my chin.
He tucks himself away.
“Sold! Twenty million dollars to bidder number seven!”
Damiano reaches out to end the call with a sharp tap.
“But you didn’t finish,” I say stupidly.
He looks down at me. “Finish? From that pathetic attempt? It’s a good thing you never whored yourself out on the streets, Clemenza. No one in their right mind would pay for your skills. Lucky for you I’m—how did you put it that first night? Oh, yeah.” He leans forward. “Fucking insane.”
“I’m sorry,” I hear myself saying.
I’m not sorry. Heisfucking insane.
And he’s a fucking liar, too. That might not have been the best blow job he’s ever had, but he wasintoit.
“The townhouse is mine,” he continues, standing and straightening his pants. “And it could be yours, at the end of our year together. But not with a performance like that.” He shakes his head with a disappointed sigh, and then heads toward the elevator. He pauses there, looking back at me, still kneeling on the floor. “Maybe next time you’ll put a little more effort into showing yourrespect.”
I’m left alone once the elevator ascends, kneeling on hard concrete, mouth still wet, a dull throbbing between my legs. And something burning inside me, something close to hate.
But not quite hate.
I wipe my lips with the back of my hand. Twenty million dollars. Twice what he paid for me. For a townhouse he claimed not to want, and hasn’t even guaranteed to hand over to me. I paid a high price.
But it was worth it.
Because I know for sure, now. Idoaffect him. I have power over him, even if he won’t admit it.
And twenty million dollars says Damiano Orsini is upstairs right now watching me, watching my reaction. For the first time in days, I feel my fire returning.
I look directly at the camera in the corner, the one angled at the bed. I hold its eye the way I held his. And I let one corner of my mouth lift.
He wants to play games?
Game fucking on.
CHAPTER 18
DAMIANO
I go directlyto the viewing room in my quarters, where I settle into the leather chair, loosen my pants again, and turn on the monitors. I don’t think. If I think, I’ll stop, and I don’t want to stop.
Didn’t want to stop just minutes ago when his mouth was on me, when I had my hand threaded in his bright hair, a prince on his knees for me.
Caligula Clemenza is still kneeling right where I left him, lips wet, looking straight at the camera.
I lean in closer. He’s hard.