Seduced by the Loan Shark Read online

  But Hagen didn't. Of that, I was absolutely sure. Somehow knowing that he didn't consider me a tramp made it all okay.

  I moaned as his tongue fluttered between the lips of my sex. He discovered the pink kernel hidden there and lapped gently at the tiny nub. I relaxed under his skillful ministration and let him have his way with me. Those big hands clasped my inner thighs and shoved them wide apart, opening my pussy for his exploring tongue.

  He licked and flicked at my clit. When he sucked the swollen kernel between his lips and rolled his tongue across the sensitive bundle of nerves, I clapped a hand over my mouth and cried out against my palm. Sparks of ecstasy snapped in my core. It wouldn't be long. Another lick… Just another…

  "Hagen!" I shouted his name, the sound muffled by my hand. He attacked my pussy with his mouth. The first waves of orgasm had just started to fade when he forced me into another climax with that expert tongue of his. I reached down and scratched my fingernails along his scalp as he drove me crazy. "Oh! Yes! Yes!"

  I thrashed atop my bed and reveled in the wicked sensations his lips and tongue created. When my orgasm finally left me, I sagged against the bed. My whole body felt limp and liquid. I couldn't even move when he stood up and walked away from the bed. I watched him disappear into the hallway and return with a damp wash cloth and a hand towel.

  "You don't have to—"

  "Sh." He silenced me with a look. Ever so gently, he cleaned between my thighs. He dropped the towel and cloth onto my bed. Grasping my hands, he tugged me into a sitting position. I was suddenly eye-to-eye with the bulge in his pants. Thinking that he wanted me to return the favor, I reached for his fly. His hand snatched my hand and stopped me. "No."

  I frowned up at him. "But you just—"

  "I just indulged my craving for your pussy," he said matter-of-factly. "You've been driving me crazy all day thinking about it. This?" He gestured to his erection. "This can wait."

  "Are you sure?" I couldn't believe he was turning down the offer of a blow job. Most guys would have been yanking out their cocks and shoving them in my face by now.

  "Positive." He touched my cheek. "I like the anticipation."

  "Oh."

  "Where do you keep your lingerie?"

  "Lingerie?" I blinked at him. "I keep my bras and panties in that drawer."

  He followed my pointing finger to the small dresser against the wall. It was a thrift store find I'd repainted a creamy white to fit my style. He dug around in the drawer and produced a simple black bra. "Is this all the lingerie you have?"

  "You do remember that I'm a college student, right? I'm scraping by on scholarships and work a part-time job on campus to survive. I don't have money to waste on sexy bras and panties that no one is ever going to see."

  Hagen grunted and walked back to my side. "Stand up."

  I quickly complied. My eyes widened when I realized he wanted to dress me. "I'm a big girl, Hagen. I know how to put on my own clothes."

  "Indulge me."

  His soft tone won me over. "All right."

  He slipped the bra up my arms and into place. "Why are you on such a tight budget, Cassie?"

  "My scholarships cover my tuition and most of my books and other fees. I make enough doing part-time work in a lab to cover my living expenses and the premiums for a crappy student health insurance plan. I guess I could work more but my class load is heavy. I'm trying to maintain a 4.0 GPA for grad school."

  He grabbed my dress from the closet and unzipped the back. "Your parents didn't have life insurance?"

  My gaze jumped to his. Suspicion was easy to read on his face. "I'm sure you know the answer to that one."

  He exhaled roughly. "Ronnie spent your portion of the life insurance."

  I nodded reluctantly. "Our parents didn't leave a will. I was underage and he became the executor of our family estate."

  "And you trusted him?"

  "He's my big brother. He wasn't like this back then."

  "And now?" He touched my arm.

  Now I know better." At his silent urging, I lifted both arms overhead. I would have preferred to step into the dress but I wasn’t about to correct him. He seemed to enjoy this simple act so much. I didn't want to ruin his moment

  Hagen pulled the dress down over my head and adjusted the fabric. He swept my hair free from the neckline and placed a ticklish kiss on my nape. "That's a hard lesson to learn."

  "He wasn't always like this, you know. The accident…"

  Hagen zipped the dress and gently turned me. He tipped my chin up and peered down at me. "He was driving?"

  "It was raining and there was this stupid deer…" I couldn't finish the tale. The sickening crunch of metal, the taste of blood in my mouth, the stink of gas and vomit—they all came flooding back to me. "It was awful. I was in the hospital and rehab for months. He walked away with a few cuts and a dislocated shoulder and elbow. He blames himself for all of it. This gambling thing? It's the way he escapes from the guilt."

  "It's going to put him six feet under if he's not careful."

  Hagen's warning scared me. I understood what he meant. He wasn't going to hurt Ronnie because he wasn't about to loan Ronnie any more money. Ronnie wouldn't be able to get any action in Hagen's underground casinos or poker games either. But other loan sharks? Other bookies and mobsters? They would happily take his cash and extend him credit.

  "I've tried to help him. I've set up counseling. I've dragged him to meetings. I've threatened him. I've screamed at him. I've begged him." I gulped down the pain threatening to choke me. "It doesn't work. He can't change until he's ready to change."

  Hagen started to say something but clamped his lips shut. Finally, he said, "Let's pick out some shoes. We don't want to be late for our dinner reservation."

  I wanted to know what he'd just self-censored but figured it was something I wasn't going to like to hear. I didn't push him to reveal the thought he'd quashed. There was something oddly sweet about the way he wanted to spare me from any more pain.

  He stepped into my closet and crouched down. His wide shoulders barely fit in the tight space. "So—these strappy sandal things or these high heels?"

  "The strappy sandal things," I said, pointing to the metallic slingbacks he waved overhead.

  He brought them back to me and knelt at my feet. I put my hands on his shoulders to steady myself and let him slide the shoes into place. I watched him fiddle with the tiny buckles and tried to suppress a smile. With those big, thick fingers, he struggled to fix them. "Let me."

  I sat down on the edge of my bed, near the spot where he'd just ravished me with his mouth, and fastened the small buckles. "There. All done."

  Kneeling at my feet, Hagen caressed my calf and cupped the back of my knee. He pressed a gentle kiss to my thigh. "Cassie, I would take care of you, if you let me."

  His comment surprised me. I gazed down at him, saw the sincerity in his dark eyes and knew I was in big trouble. I'd always been the kind of girl who stood on her own two feet, who worked hard, who scrimped and saved and clipped coupons just to get by. Now I had this ridiculously sexy and dangerous man kneeling at my feet and promising me the world. All I had to do was say yes.

  And I'd never been more tempted by such a devilishly easy offer in my life.

  "Hagen," I said carefully. "I—"

  He cut me off with a kiss. "It's not a time-sensitive offer, Cassie."

  The pressure alleviated, I nodded. "All right."

  He stood and extended his hand to me. I welcomed the warmth of his fingers enveloping mine. "I'm going to spoil you tonight."

  Somehow I didn't doubt that.

  CHAPTER THREE

  "Come home with me."

  I glanced at Hagen and tried not to be seduced by the yearning in his voice. He toyed with the loose waves of my hair as his driver expertly navigated the tricky late-night downtown Houston traffic. "I should go home."

  "No. You should come home with me." He grinned sexily and gave my hair a playful tug.r />
  After the best date of my life, I was finding it hard to say no. The most deliciously exquisite meal from Houston's hottest restaurant had set the tone for the night. I hadn't quite known what to expect after dinner. To say I was stunned to pull up to the city's finest art gallery was an understatement.

  Somehow he'd discovered my love for modern art. To be so close to a Basquiat that I could reach out and touch the painting trumped any date I'd ever had. Honestly, he'd set the bar high enough I wasn't sure anyone would ever top it. The ice cream and coffee after had been the perfect ending to our night.

  Except that it seemed Hagen wasn't quite ready to say goodbye.

  "My brother is expecting me." The excuse sounded lame even to me but I tossed it out there anyway.

  "He's a big boy, Cassie. I think he can manage brushing his teeth and getting into bed all by himself."

  I tried to find another excuse to say no but came up empty. Truthfully, I wanted to say yes. I wasn't ready for my night with him to end either. It was crazy and out of character for me but I couldn't get enough of Hagen. He made me laugh. He made me feel safe. He made me feel sexy. He made me hot.

  He nuzzled his nose against my neck. "Come home with me, Cassie."

  Goose bumps blossomed on my skin. Heat and need pooled low in my belly. "All right."

  He grinned triumphantly and peppered ticklish kisses along the curve of my throat. Our driver effortlessly switched lanes. I had no idea where we were going now. Hagen hadn't volunteered his address or neighborhood. I started to ask but decided I liked the excitement of the mystery more.

  Besides, I had other questions that needed answers. His big hand started to ride the soft flesh of my thigh but I stopped it, placing my smaller hand atop his huge paw. "Hagen, what are we doing?"

  His brow furrowed. He gave my thigh a playful squeeze. "I think that's fairly evident."

  I smiled at his teasing reply. "I'm serious. I mean—what is this? Is it really just my brother's debt or is it something else?"

  His needful gaze seared me. "What do you want, Cassie?"

  "I don't know," I admitted on a whisper. "You confuse me. You make me want things…"

  "Is that so bad?"

  I shrugged. "It wouldn't be if you weren't a loan shark. How the hell do I let myself get even more involved with someone who does the kind of work you do?"

  He didn't even flinch at my blunt remark. Instead, he questioned, "And what if I wasn't a loan shark anymore? What would you say then?"

  I narrowed my gaze. "I'd say I want to know more before I make a decision."

  He stroked my cheek. "This economy, it's been bad for a lot of businesses but for me? I've never been so flush. I've discovered plenty of new opportunities over the last few years."

  "Opportunities?"

  "Legal opportunities," he explained. "When banks aren't lending and people need an influx of cash for their real estate developments or their businesses, guess where they come?"

  "To you?"

  Hagen nodded. "It started slowly. Quietly," he added. "Now I have three personal finance companies spread across the city. I've bought into a few payday loan places. I'm getting out of loan sharking for gamblers and lowlifes. I'm selling that side of things back to the man who got me started. He's got a nephew who needs an entry-level job. These days I can make a hell of a lot more money doing it legally."

  "I'm sure you can." I'd seen the payday loan places around campus. Their ads were all over the television. Their flyers showed up in my mailbox. They charged exorbitant amounts for small loans. Still, desperate people flocked to them for help.

  "What is it?" His thumb caressed my chin. "Payday lending doesn't sit well with you?"

  I shook my head. "It's usury."

  "It's legal."

  "Lots of shady things are legal, Hagen. That doesn't make them right."

  "I'm not holding a gun to someone's head and forcing him to take the payday loan. I'm providing a vital, needed service for people on the fringe."

  "And enslaving them to your god-awful interest rates so they have to roll that tiny loan into another loan and another loan." I flicked his chest hard enough to make his jaw twitch. "You forget that I'm pretty good with math. I know just how long it takes to pay off those loans."

  "I didn't forget. I think your math skills are sexy as fuck." His lips skimmed that sensitive spot just beneath my ear and I shivered. His mouth moved closer to my ear and his hand escaped mine, his wide, rough palm gliding higher along my thigh. His hot breath tickled my ear as he whispered, "Maybe later you can recite amortization tables while I use my tongue to make you come again and again."

  "Hagen," I said on a shudder. Cheeks pink with embarrassment, I dared to glance at the driver. Thankfully, he seemed totally oblivious to what was happening in the backseat.

  Hagen chuckled and nipped at my earlobe. "I'll behave—but once we get to my place, all bets are off."

  He wasn't joking. I'd barely stopped gawking at his ridiculously huge house and perfectly manicured lawn before he was trying to unbuckle my seatbelt. His driver pulled into the circular driveway and we slipped out of the backseat. A split-second later, Hagen grabbed my hand and practically dragged me into his home.

  "Hagen!" I gasped his name as he scooped me up just over the threshold and tossed me over his shoulder. Mounting the steps two at a time, he carried me up the staircase to the second floor, hooked a right and marched into a master bedroom that was probably three times as big as my cramped apartment.

  I squealed with surprise and delight as he dropped me onto his massive bed. I bounced a few times. He crawled onto the bed, pinning me between the mattress and his huge body. Our mouths met in a wickedly sensual kiss. His fingertips brushed my face and trailed down my neck to the front of my dress. He cupped my breast through the thin fabric and plunged his tongue deep inside my mouth. I arched under him and scratched my fingernails down his back.

  "On your side," he urged and rolled off me just enough to allow me to move. He jerked down the zipper on my dress and worked it down my shoulders to my waist. He expertly unsnapped my bra and freed me from the simple black garment.

  Grasping my shoulder, he pulled me onto my back again and threw his leg over me. Up on his knees, he captured me beneath him and dropped his lips to my chest. I groaned with sheer pleasure as his mouth followed the dusky outlines of my nipples. He licked and nibbled and sucked until I was panting and grasping at him.

  He wore far too many clothes for my liking. I made my preference known by jerking on his suit jacket and tie, ridding him of them in the same urgent way he'd gotten rid of my bra and lowered my dress. He sat up and hurriedly flicked through the buttons lining the front of his dress shirt. I watched the shirt fly and assumed it landed somewhere close to his tie and jacket.

  Naked from the waist up, he hovered over me again. The crisp hairs on his chest teased my stiff nipples. Pinned beneath him, I realized just how big he truly was. Yet I didn't feel scared or uncertain. It was the strangest thing. Like earlier in his office, I felt safe. Secure, even. It didn't make sense to me. I hardly knew him—but I couldn't deny what he made me feel.

  With one swift move, Hagen flipped our positions. I ended up straddling his waist. He grasped my hips, his long, thick fingers spanning my abdomen. His huge cock stretched taut the fabric of his pants and jutted against my backside. I wiggled a little and made him growl. His eyes were dark with lust. "I need you, Cassie."

  Suddenly, it struck me just how much power I had over this man. Never in a million years could I have ever imagined that I could have a powerful man like Hagen wrapped around my little finger. What he saw in mousy, geeky me I'd never understand. Whatever it was, it made me feel special. It made me feel wanted.

  Grasping my dress, I pulled it up and over my head. I tossed it over my shoulder bfore I slid down his thighs and unbuckled his belt. Far from experienced, I betrayed my poor seduction skills with my trembling hands. He seemed amused by my slightly fumbling attempts
to get him out of his pants. I pulled off his shoes and socks and finally managed to drag his pants and boxers down his hips.

  Straddling his thighs again, I stared at his big dick. I still couldn't believe that thing had been inside me earlier today.

  "I have condoms in my bedside table," he said. "I'm clean," he assured me. "I haven't—I mean, it's been awhile since my last relationship. I was tested a few months ago and I'm good."

  I was surprised he'd been celibate for months. He didn't strike me as the kind of man who had a hard time finding a date. With as much power as he wielded within Houston, he must have had women throwing themselves at him. "Why?"

  His brow furrowed. "Why what?"

  "Why haven't you been with anyone in months?"

  "Sometimes you just need a break from it, Cassie. I was tired of the scene. I wanted something none of those women wanted."

  "And what's that?"

  "Something real," he said, his voice soft. He stroked my bare belly with his fingertips. "I want something that's going to last. I want someone to spoil and take care of and love. I'm looking for the right girl this time."

  I didn't know what to say to that. Did he think I was that right girl?

  Not letting me dwell on that thought, he asked, "Are you sore? I lost control there at the end."

  "Not really," I said. Truthfully, I was a little sore from our wild, frantic coupling on his desk. My pussy just wasn't used to that kind of abuse. But I couldn't wait to get him inside me again. I wanted to feel his huge cock stroking me, filling me, stretching me. I knew if I said anything, he'd be super gentle and easy with me. That wasn't what I wanted. I wanted him to be wild and rough with me, to mark me as his, to make me feel.

  But first…

  Hagen cursed as my tongue flicked along the underside of his cock. I grasped the base of his shaft in one hand, my fingers unable to close around him, and traced the head of his dick with my tongue. The ruddy crown throbbed against my lips. I'd only given head a few times. I hoped Hagen would find my attempt acceptable.

  My fingers loosely gripped his shaft and stroked up and down. I wet my lips and sucked him into my mouth. His impressive girth stretched my mouth wide. Using my hands and lips and tongue, I worked his cock. He sighed and groaned with pleasure.