Diosmio. I knew it.

“Gage –”

He smacks the words right back down my throat. I cry out, more from shock than pain. He’s threatened me before, but I never thought he was serious. Does he really think he’s going to spank me? His palm crashes into my other cheek. My ass stings as if he’d met bare flesh.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I rub my cheeks, trying to soothe them.

“Don’t. Move.”

Damn him and that fucking voice! I place my hands back on the wall and he slaps me across the backs of both thighs.

“¡Puta madre!”

He leans in, his lips at my ear once more. “Let’s get this straight. You…are mine. You pull some shit like that again, I’ll use something worse than my hands.”

“I was about to push him away –”

“But you didn’t.”

“Jesus! Why are you so jealous?”

“Jealousy is envy of others’ possessions. I’m protecting what’s mine.”

He grabs my wrist and spins me around to face him. There’s fury in his eyes, but my eyes aren’t focusing on that. His hair is combed, he’s freshly shaved, and he’s wearing slacks and a white, long-sleeved dress shirt. Baby, teenaged, and adult Jesus.

“Fuck…you look…” What’s the word to use? Damn. “...yummy.”

I slide my fingers down his chest and feel his body relax. He wraps his arm around my waist, pulls me against him, and crushes my lips beneath his. He picks me up and takes me to his desk as his tongue unleashes a tornado of sensations on my body. I wrap my legs around him, pulling him to me, moaning as his hard dick connects with my pussy. One hand squeezes my thigh while the other fists in my hair. He trails kisses down my neck, lightly sucking at the base.

“Oh, God. I need you, Gage.”

He sinks his teeth into my shoulder with a growl. “Who do you belong to?”

“You! I’m yours.”

“Never forget it.”

He plunders my mouth once more, and I whimper helplessly. I reach down and he groans as I run my fingers down his bulge. I grip it and for a second wonder how I’m going to manage all of it. The next second, I desperately want to find out. I tug at his belt, but he steps out of my reach. He drags his hand over his face and turns his back to me. Once again, he’s shot me down.

“You know what? I’m done,” I state resolutely.

He spins around, forehead scrunched in confusion.

“The fuck does that mean?”

“It means I’m not begging anymore. From now on, I decide if or when we have sex.”

“If?”

“Yes…if. Pretty soon, you’ll be the one begging me.”

His lips curl up in amusement and he places his hands on his hips.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, Mr. Hunter. Exactly so.”

He steps closer, and I try my best to look disinterested. I hope I’m succeeding.

“There are no ifs, buts or maybes, Miss Alvarez. When the clock strikes midnight on your birthday, I will be inside you.”

Fuck. “We’ll see about that.”

“Yes, we will. Have you been taking your pills?”

“No.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Next week. Dr. E said it becomes effective immediately if I start on the first day of my period.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“Are we all done here? I’d like to get back to celebrating my best friend’s birthday.”

I hop off the desk and pull my dress down back to where it sat, just above mid-thigh.

“Fine. But I’m watching you.”

“Great. I’ll make sure to twerk a little harder just for you.”

“Don’t make me come down there,” he warns.

I turn to him with a smirk when I get to the door. “Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show, papi.”

I grab my clutch and close the door behind me, deciding to make this as painful for him as possible. No more whimpering female. It’s time to turn the tables on the prez.

CHAPTER 8

***Gage***

I take a drink of my beer and impatiently tap my fingers on the bar. I’ve been so antsy these past few days, and I can only attribute it to the fact that I haven’t seen Raven all week. She’s been avoiding me, making all kinds of excuses why we can’t meet up. I know it’s all a part of her plan to make me beg. Fuck if it ain’t working. A ruckus from the boys draws my attention, and I look to the door to see Ellen walking in.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Excuse me, big brother, but I grew up here, too.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. You know you’re always welcome. Where’s Mikey?”

“With a sitter.”

“What sitter?”

“Jeez…I swear you’re worse than Daddy. He’s with Raven. Stop worrying.”

At least I know where she is now. Jesus. I’m like a crack fiend. I need to see her. I slip away quietly and ride out. The closer I get to Ellen’s, the better I feel. This isn’t me. Maybe I do need some time away from her. She’s sucking me in deeper and deeper, and I haven’t even fucked her yet. I should turn around, go back to the club. I should. So why am I pulling into Ellen’s driveway?

I let myself in and find her curled up on the couch with Mikey, watching cartoons. They haven’t noticed me yet, so I take advantage of the opportunity and watch them. She seems so comfortable with him. He’s asking a million questions, and she answers each one with patience and enthusiasm. She’d be a great mother. I make my presence known and she stares at me, surprised.

“Unca!”

Mikey runs to me and I pick him up as I walk to the couch. “Hey, buddy. What you doing?”

“Cartoon.”

The word comes out sounding like “cawtoon”.

“Yeah? Can I watch with you?”

“Yes! Watch cartoon.”

I sit next to Raven and she folds her hands in her lap, keeping her eyes on the TV.

“Hello, Raven.”

“Hello.”

“Unca, I like Waben,” Mikey whispers.

“Yeah? I don’t blame you, little guy.”

He sticks his thumb in his mouth and gives the TV his attention.

“Why have you been avoiding me?” I confront her.

“I haven’t. I’ve just been busy.”

“Is that why you can’t look at me?”

“Of course not. I’m watching TV.”

“If you say so.”

We sit quietly for a while. I watch the images on the screen, not really paying attention. My entire being is attuned to her; I can’t focus on anything else. She finally turns her head but not to look at me.

“He’s asleep. You should go put him down,” she says.

I take him upstairs and gently place him in his crib then turn on the baby monitor. He looks so much like Eddie. It’s all my fault that he’ll grow up without his father. His is the only death I’ve ever felt guilty about. Mikey may not have his father, but I’ll be damned if I won’t be the strong, male role model he’ll need. I kiss his forehead and head downstairs. I find Raven in the kitchen with a bottle of Advil.

“Are you sick?”

“¡Dios! Why do you keep sneaking up on me?”

“Answer me.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Then why are you taking pain pills?”

“Honestly, Gage…there are things that a woman just doesn’t need to explain.”

“Is it your period?”

“That is one of them.”

She walks past me, and I follow her back to the living room. She picks up the remote and starts flipping through the channels.

“When did it start?”

She mumbles in Spanish but doesn’t answer my question. “Well?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“You’re my business.”

“Why do you want to know?”

“Trust me, doll. In a few months, I’ll know your cycle better than you do.”

“I doubt that.”

“Every man dreads that one week where he can’t get no pussy.”

“That’s what this is about? You want to mark the week when you can’t get any sex?”

“Yup.”

I bring up the calendar on my phone and wait, but she’s still not forthcoming with the information.

“Fine. Let me put it this way. When did you start taking the pills?”