Home > Dark Ruler (The Bennett Duet #1)(5)

Dark Ruler (The Bennett Duet #1)(5)
Author: Xavier Neal

 

Now, Mamma is another story.

 

Having her return to Italy to spend the rest of her days living with my father’s second – the love of her life – and her brother – Miko’s father – and his wife, Felia, is something that actually hurts.

 

Miko thinks this is just a long, overdo vacation for her.

 

 

That she’ll return once I settle down and my wife bears our first child, but I know Mamma.

 

Her fleeing from the country wasn’t done in search of rest and relaxation.

 

It was done in liberation.

 

She’s finally released from a world she never wanted to be in.

 

Her state of captivity cloaked as a cordial marriage is one of the reasons I refuse to marry someone who is unfamiliar with this life.

 

I’m not interested in repeating that mistake.

 

I carry enough burdens just being a Bennett without needing to add to it.

 

Miss Brooks swallows whatever it was she was originally going to spew to say something on subject instead. “Perhaps it’s far-fetched, but I can’t shake this gut feeling that someone is doing this deliberately. That they want you to appear weak, which you are not.”

 

“Far from it, mia bella.”

 

My beautiful.

 

Miko’s body cranes itself around hers to better showcase his skeptical stare.

 

Yes, I heard the term that left my mouth.

 

I don’t regret it.

 

Though, I probably should.

 

I’m, theoretically, due to marry someone pre-approved by the families we are in shop with, not fantasize about long-legged, brown-skinned beauties whose kneeling before me to lick my balls would, most likely, cause an embarrassing coming incident I haven’t experienced since I was eleven.

 

I could easily propose a mistress scenario.

 

It wouldn’t be unheard of. After all, Father had one paired to every major hub in the world.

 

Much like the females I already have attached to where we most frequently visit for work. Adding a new face to the surplus of women to simply fuck or suck me, when and if I have time or the urge, is certainly not unimaginable.

 

But it is unquestionably beneath her.

 

And, despite my own selfish instincts to keep her any way possible, she, without question, only deserves to be worshiped as an equal rather than stomped down to a side piece.

 

“This,” Miss Brooks’ finger motions towards the file, “situation also makes me look weak and like an easy target to blame this bullshit on when and if it ever came to light. And it is not my fault, Mr. Bennett. I didn’t-”

 

“I believe you, Miss Brooks.”

 

Her mouth stays frozen in its parted position prompting my dick to thump itself against my zipper once more.

 

“I appreciate you bringing your concerns for this company and my credibility as the one who now leads it to my direct attention.” My hands fold together in front of my crotch to shield the stiff nature it’s showcasing. “I’ll review your reports and come to a conclusion of my own.”

 

Miko doesn’t hesitate to mock my retort, “Una conclusione sui suoi rapporti o sulle dimensioni della sua tazza è qualcosa su cui puoi lavorare?”

 

A conclusion in reference to her reports or your feelings on her cup size?

 

His snide snip has me flashing him a toothy smile at the same time I state, “Sta 'zitto.”

 

Shut up.

 

My cousin rolls his eyes and keeps the shit-eating grin on his face.

 

I redirect my gaze to meet hers. “Please, do not hesitate to bring any future findings of this nature to my attention, Miss Brooks.”

 

“As long as you allow me to keep my clearance, that shouldn’t be an issue, Mr. Bennett.”

 

“I’ll upgrade it.”

 

A faint hint of red burns her complexion for the briefest moment, and it’s a sight so beautiful I literally forget how to breathe.

 

“L'aggiornamento a-”

 

Upgrade to-

 

“Sta 'zitto, Miko!”

 

For fucks sake, why does it seem like his juvenile, jovial nature is in extra childish mode all of a sudden?

 

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Bennett,” Miss Brooks politely states on another respectful nod. “Have a good evening.”

 

Unable to fathom how I can keep her around any longer without it being an obvious ploy for more of her time, I quietly concede to letting her leave. “You as well, Miss Brooks.”

 

She spins on her heels and struts across the room for the door.

 

Being fully flashed the perky plumpness that I want bent over my lap as much as I want it sitting on my face, results in growls grating against the back of my throat and my cock hardening to the point I could successfully fucking hunt moose with it.

 

And I’ve hunted moose.

 

They are bastards to take down.

 

Miko opens the door to allow Miss Brooks to exit, which reveals two members of housekeeping already scrubbing away blood splatters. She carefully maneuvers around them, apologizing for stepping on their clean floors and interrupting their work. They seem confused by her mannerly behavior and say so under their breath in Spanish.

 

My second closes us back off from the world, locks the door, and slowly moves towards me shaking his head. “I don’t like that look, Beni.”

 

“What look?”

 

“That look.”

 

“What. Look?”

 

“Non mi guardare,” he gripes first in Italian and then promptly in English for added emphasis. “Don’t what look me. You have a stupid fucking grin on your face.”

 

I clear my throat in an attempt to banish the expression I wasn’t aware I was displaying. “I’m just…pleased…to have such a dedicated employee.”

 

Miko grabs his balls at the same time he grunts, “Dedica queste noci a quella merda di merda.”

 

The brash blow that implies I can dedicate his balls to the crock of shit that just left my mouth causes me to lightly laugh.

 

I’ve never hidden anything from Miko.

 

Fuck, I’ve never even bothered to try.

 

He’s practically my fraternal twin, and being such has given him the privilege to know more about me personally than most seconds should – or at least according to my father. They should have enough information to protect you but never enough to be or overthrow you. Thankfully, Miko isn’t the type to want to lead or rule anything. Too much responsibility. Fuck, just being a second is more responsibility than he ever saw himself having, but it was an easy place for him to take and an even easier one for him to oversee. He’s gone everywhere with me, literally, since we were born and his father was assigned as a part of my father’s plain clothes security detail unit, a position he steadily worked himself up from. Miko’s been getting my ass into and out of trouble for decades. We both knew what he was destined for the minute we understood how the organizations worked.

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