Cruel Betrayals (Savannah Sharks Hockey and Mafia #3)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

ALEXANDRA

My desk vibrates for what feels like the millionth time in the past ten minutes. I don’t need to pick up my phone to know who is calling and messaging.

It’s the same person it’s been all day. Hell, all week, month, and year.

Joseph Marino.

My heart races just thinking about him, just like it has since the day I started working for his father two years ago.

I flip my phone over and ignore all the calls and text messages. He’s just downstairs practicing with the team. If it’s important, he will find me.

I verify the last Saturday of the month’s date before filling out the paperwork for the new club’s grand opening.

My desk phone rings. Glancing at the caller ID, I see Arturo’s name pop up.

“Good morning, Sir.” I say as I pick up the phone.

“Alexandra, you are like a daughter to me. Must you keep calling me sir?”

“I’m sorry, sir.” I let out a small chuckle. “I only mean it as a sign of respect.”

“I know that. It’s one of the reasons I keep you around.”

His deep chuckle warms my heart. I’ve seen every side to this man.

I’ve seen the way his heart melts every time he donates to the children’s charity and the way his expression instantly hardens when he has to keep his men in line.

I’ve seen him exhausted from his many responsibilities, and I’ve seen him pissed beyond belief when someone crosses him.

Not once has he ever talked down to me or demanded me to do unreasonable tasks.

He likes his coffee hot, his meetings set on a reminder, and his personal life kept a secret.

Joseph is the exact same way. He lives a private life away from his teammates. He doesn’t date in public, and he doesn’t discuss his family’s affairs.

Unlike his father, Joseph does things to me that no other man has with just a single look. He turns my insides to goo and my brain to mush.

I clear my throat and focus on the matter at hand. “What can I do for you, sir? Uh, Mr. Marino?”

“When it’s just the two of us, call me Arturo. When we are around others, you can call me sir or Mr. Marino. Okay?”

“Yes, sir.” I shake my head while laughing. “It might take me a little while to adjust.”

“How is the paperwork coming along?”

“Great, sir. I just finished and am going to reply to the caterer to finalize the details for the grand opening.”

“Great. Thank you for taking care of it.”

“It’s not a problem, sir. That’s what I’m here for. I’m your executive assistant, after all.”

“You are more than that. You’re irreplaceable.”

“I appreciate you saying that. I would do anything for you and your family. I’m grateful for the opportunities you have given me.”

Maybe it’s because it’s getting closer to the day I ran away from home, but I’m feeling more emotional than usual. This time of year is harder on me. It’s harder for me to face the past and everything I’ve been through.

It’s easier to pretend.

“Are you alright?” His voice is soft and caring, like a father worrying about his child.

I want to tell him the truth, but I can’t. I won’t. It’s my burden to bear.

“Everything is fine. I’m just extremely grateful, and I don’t think I say it enough. Anyway, back to the grand opening.”

I swipe at the lone tear that falls down my cheek.

Get it together Alexandra. He doesn’t have time for your problems.

“Ah. yes. I’m about to step out of the office for a private meeting. Do you need anything from me?”

His definition of a private meeting is that absolutely no one knows about it. Not even his children. It must be an important business meeting because this is the fourth one in a little over a week.

“Yes, sir. Just for a quick moment, and then, you can be on your way and I’ll forward your calls to my desk. The new manager for the club was wondering if you were going to make an appearance for the opening, and if you are, how big of a party will there be for the VIP section?”

“I’m not sure I’m going to make it, but Joseph and Francesca are more than welcome to claim the VIP section with their dates. After all, the club is their inheritance. You should take the night off and join them.”

Dates.

That one word causes my stomach to perform somersaults like it’s the Olympics and my heart to constrict with pain.

I don’t want to imagine Joseph with a date, let alone see him with someone.

If he’s with anyone, I want it to be me.

It should be me.

“I’ll pass along the word to your children. Will you be out for the rest of the day?”

“More than likely. If you have anything that needs my immediate attention, email or fax it over to the house.”

Joseph barges into my office with a glare that could kill. I place my hand over the microphone so Arturo can’t hear me.

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be practicing with the team?”

He doesn’t speak. He continues to glare at me as if he’s waiting for me to hang up.

Getting back to Arturo, I say, “Yes, sir. Will do.”

I hang up the phone and sigh. “You can’t just barge into my office, Joseph.”

“I can and I will. You’re mine, Alexandra.” He grunts out.

Spinning around, he closes and locks my office door before turning off the overhead light. The few rays of sunlight peeking through the dense clouds filters in through the blinds, letting us see just enough of each other.

He presses his lips together in a tight, thin line as he stalks across the office to me.

“You were ignoring my calls and texts. Why?”

“I was busy.”

It’s mostly a lie, but I can’t tell him the truth right now. He’s standing too close to me. Close enough to smell the citrus scent of his cologne with hints of smoke, and right now, my body is reaching out to him.

Craving him.

Begging him for just one more time.

His hand wraps around the back of my neck, squeezing ever so slightly. “You will not ignore me again, or else.”

He doesn’t need to finish that statement. I know what he’s saying. Or else he will punish me.

I gulp. My chest heaves as I struggle to get air to my lungs. My back arches and pushes my breasts into his chest.

His deep, commanding voice goes straight to my core.

The last time he punished me, I was on my knees with a vibrator pressed against my clit as he shoved his cock down my throat.

My tongue snakes out and runs along my bottom lip. I moan at the memory, needing it to be a reality again.

“You’re thinking about the ‘or else’, aren’t you?”

I nod, afraid of my voice cracking if I dare to speak.

“I bet your cunt is dripping for me. I bet it’s begging to be stretched wide and filled with my cum.”

With one long swipe of his arm, the edge of my desk is cleared. The stack of paper scatters to the floor. I can’t be mad, though. I know exactly what’s about to happen.

Joseph lifts my pencil skirt, exposing my most intimate area, and pulls off my lace panties before tucking them into his pants pocket. “On the desk. Now.”

I position myself on the edge of my desk in front of him. He kneels on the plush carpet and eases my legs open.

Joseph fucking Marino, the mafia prince, is between my legs, eyeing me like I’m the most decadent dessert he’s ever seen.

I close my eyes and tilt my head back. My heart can’t take much more of this- seeing him eager to bring me pleasure.

“Open your eyes and look at me. Watch me feast on your pussy. Watch your arousal coat my face.”

Oh, fuck.

My arousal leaks from me, slickens my pussy and coats my lower lips. His eyes watch me like a hawk for a moment before he dives in.

His arms hold my legs open as he licks my slit.

“Oh, fuck.” I moan.

It hasn’t been long since I’ve been with Joseph, but it feels like an eternity. His tongue lashes at me, leaving searing hot pleasure in its wake.

He sucks my clit into his mouth, and I practically leap off the desk.

“It’s too much.”

It’s too sensitive.

Too much pleasure.

Is that a real thing?

“Please, just fuck me.” I beg as his tongue circles my clit before thrusting inside my pussy.

“Not until you come all over my face. Let me taste you.” His fingers replace his tongue, fucking me and bringing me closer to the edge.

He continues to deliciously torture my clit, and as hard as I try to resist, I can’t. As the edges of my vision blur, I squeeze my eyes shut and cry out. Waves of pleasure crash into me.

“Open your eyes,” Joseph commands.

I do as he says and watch as he pulls his fingers from my pussy and shoves them into my mouth. I suck his fingers into my mouth, tasting my arousal.

“Good girl.” He praises as I let his fingers go with a resounding pop. “Now turn around, so I fuck you.”

I climb off the desk and turn around, leaning against the cool wood.

The sound of his zipper lowering is the only sound in my office beside the blood rushing through my ears.

He grips my hip with one hand and rubs the head of his cock through my juices before slamming all the way inside me.

My walls stretch around his cock. He doesn’t give me time to come down from my high. He pounds into me like a man on a mission.

With one hand on my hip, the other hand reaches around my body and grips my throat.

My whole body hums like a live wire. Everywhere our bodies touch burns.

“Fuck, baby girl, you’re so tight.”

I arch my back and push against him, giving him as much as he’s giving me. The fire burns in my belly as my need for release grows.

His thrusts get erratic the closer he gets to his own release.

“Come for me again, baby. Tighten your perfect cunt around my cock. I want to feel you milk every drop.”

His words spur me on. I want him to fill my pussy with his cum. I want to feel the warmth coat my walls.

I need it.

Clamping my eyes shut, I give in to the pleasure and scream out my release. Joseph releases his grip on my throat and covers my mouth to keep me quiet.

His thrusts stop as his cock swells and spills inside my pussy. His grip on my hip tightens until he falls forward, leaning against my back.

Male voices echo in the hallway before stopping right outside my office door.

Please don’t knock.

Please don’t try to open the door.

Just keep walking.

Their voices drift off as they turn around and head back the way they just came.

“It’s probably Montgomery or Reed looking for me,” Joseph whispers into my hair.

He reaches around me and grabs the box of tissue. After pulling out of me, he gently parts my legs and cleans our combined juices.

“What about my panties?” I ask while pointing to his pocket.

He smirks. “I’ll keep them safe.”

I roll my eyes and fix my skirt in silence. My heart grows heavy with what I’m about to say.

“I can’t do this anymore.” I turn away from him, not wanting to see the look in his eyes.

“What? This or us?”

“Both.” My voice is barely above a whisper. “I want more than this. I want more than quickies in my office and booty calls at random. I deserve more than the occasional sext when it’s convenient.”

His face instantly hardens. “You know I can’t give you what you’re looking for. With my family’s lives on the line, the future of the business up in the air, and my demanding hockey career, this is all I can offer.”

“Bullshit.” I mutter as tears sting my eyes.

“What?” His hand wraps around my arms, spinning me around until I am face to face with him.

“It’s an excuse. It doesn’t have to be this way.”

He growls. “No, it’s not. This is the way it is. If you don’t like the way things are, then leave.”

“It doesn’t have to be this way.” I repeat. “Look at Rhett and Spencer. They both found a way to balance a love life, hockey life, and mafia life. Their girlfriends understand their hectic schedules.”

“They aren’t the heir to the empire. They don’t share the same responsibilities as I do.”

“I get that. I really do. I’m not trying to monopolize your time, but I can’t keep us a secret. I don’t want to keep us a secret anymore.” I let out a sigh as more tears blur my vision. “So this is it, then?”

He crosses his arms. “Only if you say it is.”

“I want more with you, Joseph Marino. I want to go out on dates with you. I want to tell our friends we are together. I want to have hope for a future together.”

His gaze darts to my office door. “That’s never going to happen, Alexandra. Not as long as you are with me.”

He grinds his teeth together before continuing. “You need to find someone who can give you everything you want and need because I’m not the man for you.”

He walks over to my door, unlocks it, and leaves without giving me another glance.

My heart shatters into a million pieces. I knew this was a possibility when I decided to confront him, but I didn’t expect to feel this torn.

I don’t want to be a secret any longer, and if I need to pick myself up and move on, then I will.

As of this moment, Joseph Marino is dead to me.