Chapter 18: 20 years ago*

In a secluded corner of a luxurious Parisian hotel bar, Maxwell De Venti sat, his presence commanding respect. The weight of his power, acquired after assuming control from his adoptive grandfather five years prior, still settling upon his shoulders. With a contemplative sip of his whiskey, he reflected on the decades spent proving his worth to the De Venti family.

Ten years had been dedicated to showcasing his indispensability, followed by another decade proving himself as a noble heir once adopted into the family. Now, at the age of 44, he could confidently declare that most of the empire lay under his influence. Yet, there were still pests to deal with—rats scurrying in the shadows.

This was precisely why he found himself in Paris; intelligence had led him to believe that some of these vermin were lurking within the city's confines.

Exhausted, I released a heavy sigh and loosened the knot of my opulent suit, glancing wearily at the time displayed on my excessively expensive Rolex. Deciding to draw the evening to a close, I lifted my glass to finish the drink.

Suddenly, the attention of myself and numerous other men in the room was captivated by the entrance of a woman. Clad in a stunning red gown, her black heels softly clicking against the floor, she adjusted the luxurious white fur coat adorning her shoulders.

My gaze lingered on her form; the dress she wore left little to the imagination, revealing every curve in exquisite detail. As my eyes traveled over her, I couldn't help but stifle a moan at her stunning appearance; she was well aware of the effect she had. With green eyes scanning the room and blonde hair bouncing with each step, she emanated an undeniable allure. When her gaze met mine, she began to make her way towards me, her presence magnetic and impossible to ignore.

"Is this seat taken?" she asks, smoothly sliding into the empty space next to me. I briefly ponder the idea of indulging her, even though I have a 'fiancee' waiting for me back in Italy. The mere thought of her incites anger; she is the only daughter of the former De Venti leader, and I am supposed to be with her to solidify my position. But as I gaze at the captivating woman before me, all thoughts of my fiancee dissipate into the air.

"Of course," I reply, signaling to the bartender.

"Give her whatever she desires," I request in French.

She picks up my drink and takes a sip, leaving a trace of red lipstick on the glass. It's considered impolite not to make eye contact with a lady while speaking, but that etiquette seems irrelevant in the presence of such a walking temptation.

Engaging in small talk for a while, my patience wears thin. Leaning in close, I whisper to her, "I have a penthouse suite in this establishment. Would you care to join me for a more private drink?"

She meets my gaze with a dazzling smile, replying, "I thought you'd never ask."

In a swift motion, I scatter a generous handful of bills onto the table, likely far more than necessary, but such details are the furthest from my mind in this moment.

Leading her into the private elevator, we ascend to the suite. As we step inside, I head straight for the bar area, feeling parched. Shedding my tie and jacket, I catch her amused gaze.

She's toying with me, and she knows it.

Draping her fur coat over a nearby chair, she begins to move towards me in deliberate, slow steps, each one laden with intent.

Standing beside me, she turns, and the tension between us is palpable.

"Are we truly here just for a drink?" she questions, her arm slipping around my bicep, giving a gentle squeeze.

She turns to me, her voice low and enticing. "Be a dear and help me with my dress, won't you?" With a graceful gesture, she sweeps her hair to the side, exposing the ties at the back.

I carefully untie the strings at the top, the fabric almost slipping but she skillfully holds it in place, her green eyes watching me intently, questioning my resolve as I struggle with the task.

She walks away towards the bedroom, her allure pulling me like a magnet. Finishing the last swig of my drink, I unclip my cufflinks and remove my Rolex, setting them aside. With a deliberate motion, I turn off my phone, my desire practically emanating from me as I follow the seductive siren to the bedroom.

***Warning smut of some kind, absolutely adds nothing to the plot it's a flash back***

Seated on the edge of the luxurious bed, my green eyed blonde beauty was a sight to behold. Her long hair cascaded down her back, framing her delicate features perfectly. She wore nothing but a black lace little panties, and my breath caught in my throat.

I groaned as she stood up, her body swaying seductively with every step she took. She walked towards me, her eyes never leaving mine. I could feel the heat radiating off her, and I knew that tonight was going to be one of fiery passion.

She knelt at my feet, her hands resting on my thighs. I could feel her warm breath on my skin, and it sent shivers down my spine. She winked at me, a mischievous glint in her eyes, and I was a goner.

" Let's what you've got hidden here." she says, her voice husky with desire.

The power women possess to be on their knees yet still hold you under their control, is so mysterious because I feel like I would do anything for this female stranger right now,my thoughts are a jumbled mess.

She licked her lips in anticipation, her eyes never leaving mine as she reached into my briefs and wrapped her arms softly around me. I couldn't help but groan loudly at the feeling of her touch, my body reacting to her without any hesitation.

She gives me a light squeeze and stands up?!!! I look at her confused, pleading.

I'm feeling like a ball of yarn in a cat's paw the way she's treating me.

"It's not fair , I'm the only one naked right now." She whispers in my ear.

At the speed of light, I discard my clothing.

"On the bed." She commands.

Yes ma'am.

I watched in amazement as she peeled off her black lace panties, revealing her perfect, naked body to me. She crawled towards me on the bed, her eyes never leaving mine.

I was in a trance, completely fixated ,she straddled my lap, and we both moaned as our lower bodies made contact. I couldn't resist reaching for her breasts and squeezing them, teasing her nipples between my fingers.

She kissed me so roughly that I saw stars, and I couldn't help but grind against her, small little thrusts against her.

Soon small, turns in major thrusts.She smiles, a wicked and seductive smile, and starts moving faster, her hips grinding against me. The pleasure is overwhelming, and I can feel myself getting lost in it, in her.

For a while we're stuck in this dirty cycle of grinding and thrusting but not full on sex, I want it to stop so bad, I also want to be here forever.

I can feel her body tense up, and I know she's close. I want to be the one to push her over the edge, to make her scream.

I flip us over, wanting to be on top. She looks up at me, a mixture of triumph and desire.

So this was her plan to push me to the edge?

I flipped her over and teased her opening with my tip, watching as she squirmed and writhing on the bed.

"Please" She says begging.

"Not so fun on the other end huh" I ignore her and continue my actions.

Unable to take it anymore, I give in and punishingly thrust deep and hard.

She screams and moans, I can't hold back by grunt.

I lean in for a kiss, not you'd call it a kiss, it's messy sloppy and wet while punishing her with hard and fast thrusts and she loves it.

She's so loud, she's scratching by back , she's moving her hips against mine.

This must be the sex men kill for I think, unable to stop my movements even if I tried.

I'm so close, I move my arms to flick her nipples and lower I press on the magic spot.

She's cuming and join her and fill her with everything in me.

I plop my body on hers exhausted.

A few minutes later, she's up and active again, I don't think I have it in me but all she does is ride my remaining brain cells away.

***

I wake up with a jolt, my heart racing and my senses on high alert. Something is tight around my neck, and I struggle to free myself. Panic sets in as I realize that I can't breathe. Thoughts rush through my mind, wondering who is attacking me, I successfully kick off my attacker.

I scan the room, my eyes darting back and forth, trying to make sense of what just happened. I see a figure running away, and in a split second, I realize who it is - the woman I spent the night with.

Anger and humiliation rises inside of me as I struggle to stand, still feeling dizzy from lack of oxygen.

I find my pants on the floor discarded from last night. I quickly put them on and clench my fists on my way out going after the woman.

I find her just standing there, with a knife in her arm, clad in MY white shirt, with MY briefs peaking out from under the shirt.

"What the hell?!" I scream at her angry.

Her gaze is fixed on me, her eyes cold and calculating. A shiver runs up my spine.

"Nothing personal. Just business, Mr. De Venti,"she replied with a cold, calculated tone, raising my alarm bells.

Before I could think further, she lunged at me with the knife, aiming for my heart. I dodged her attack and countered with a punch to her stomach. She stumbled backwards but quickly regained her balance and charged at me again.

"How can you hit a lady Mr De Venti?" She says panting, looking for an opening.

"I think there's special circumstances, for instance if she's a maniac waving a knife at my heart." I respond looking for a way out.

I manage to disarm her, and the knife thrown across the room.

I could feel my heart racing as we continued to fight, each move more aggressive than the last. The adrenaline was pumping through my veins, giving me a heightened sense of awareness. I was fully focused on the fight, blocking her attacks and trying to find an opening to strike.

We fought like two wild animals, destroying everything in our path. Furniture was smashed, and the once luxurious room was now in shambles. She was fast and agile, but I was strong and strategic.

We both had our strengths, and it was a close match. Even match if I'm being honest.

We rolled around on the floor, both of us trying to gain the upper hand. The room was in shambles, furniture knocked over and shattered glass everywhere. But we didn't care, we were too focused on defeating each other.

She grabbed a vase and smashed it against my head, causing me to loosen my grip on her.

She took the opportunity to get out from under me and stood up, her dagger now in her hand.

I overhear my men knocking on the door and she looks at me slightly panicked.

She comes closer, I do a sweeping kick, knocking her off balance. She falls to the ground, dropping her dagger in the process.

I wast no time and grabbing her by the collar, pulling her up to her feet.

I see no fear in her eyes as I pressed the knife against her throat.

"Do you surrender?" I asked, my voice filled with authority and murderous intent. I want to kill this bitch but who hired her.

She glares at me, her expression full of malice. "Never," she spits, elbowing me to the gut, the second I lose my grip, she effectively disarms me and stabs me in the stomach.

I scream out in pain.

"Don't be a baby" she says further twisting the knife.

"This isn't over Mr De Venti. I suggest you upgrade your security from today on. " She heads to the hotel window, and jumps out.

I will kill that bitch. I think and pass out from pain.