Restless Longing

POV Valerie

Peaceful sleep eluded me. I tossed and turned in my king-sized bed, tangling my legs in the expensive sheets as my mind raged in a chaotic battlefield. Every time I managed to close my eyes, Trent’s vicious voice echoed loud and clear in the dark room.

*You are worth nothing. No real man will ever want you. They just want to get their hands on your dad’s endless money.*

The cruel insults played on a relentless loop, only to slip right into vivid erotic dreams. Suddenly, I was back at the underground club. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome stood over me, his dominant presence consuming the space. He was flogging my bare back without mercy. The sharp, biting sting of the leather against my skin sent a rush of heat straight to my core. I yearned to let go. I wanted to give Sir my complete submission and drown in his dark eyes. But right on the precipice of falling into sub-space, my eyes would snap open. I jolted awake, clutching the damp sheets and breathing hard in the empty bedroom.

By three in the morning, I stared at the ceiling and accepted defeat. There was no point in fighting it anymore. I surrendered to the restless night, threw on some comfortable clothes, and grabbed my keys. I drove my Audi through the deserted Vegas streets, letting the cool night air wash over me through the cracked window.

The bakery offered a quiet, familiar sanctuary, a place where I was in total control. I slipped in through the back door, cranked up the music, and drowned my racing thoughts in hard labor. I measured flour, cracked eggs, and mixed thick batter until my arms burned with the effort. Dozens of batches of cupcakes went into the industrial ovens, the heat warming the chilly kitchen. As the sweet smell of vanilla filled the air, a heavy dread settled in my stomach. Tonight was the high-profile black-tie outing with my dad. He would hate seeing the dark bags forming under my tired eyes. I had the perfect designer dress to wear, but I was going to look dead on my feet. He expected flawless perfection, and my physical exhaustion was a glaring flaw.

At four-thirty, the jingle of keys broke through the upbeat music. Martha unlocked the front door and stopped dead in her tracks. She stood by the counter, staring at me as I iced the cooled batches of cupcakes.

"Morning, child. What time were you here? How in the world are you going to get through tonight's party?" She took in my pale face and slumped shoulders, shaking her head.

I sighed and set down the heavy piping bag. "I have no idea. Trent kept me awake. The things he said just wouldn't leave my head." I omitted any mention of my mysterious, commanding Dom or the erotic dreams that left my body aching for a stranger. Martha didn't need to know about the dark desires clawing at my chest.

Martha gave me a sympathetic look, pulling her apron over her head. "Oh, Val. You look dead on your feet. Did you at least get a dress?"

I picked up a damp cloth and began scrubbing the steel prep counter. "I did. It is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen, but I know I will not look great in it with this exhausted face."

We baked up a storm to prepare for the morning rush. I barely survived the intense breakfast crowd and the brutal lunch rush that followed right after. My body ached, and my eyes stung with a lack of sleep. Swallowing my stubborn pride, I grabbed my phone and called an upscale spa downtown. I dropped my powerful surname without a second thought to secure a desperate, last-minute VIP appointment. I silently prayed to God they could work a miracle with my hair and makeup to hide my red, puffy eyes before the dinner. I grabbed my purse, said a quick goodbye to Martha, and headed straight out the door.

POV Cassio

I had been in a foul mood since Saturday morning. If I was being honest with myself, I missed Tessa. I only played with her that one single time, but she remained firmly stuck in my head. Unlike all the other desperate subs who practically begged for my attention and clung to my every word, eager to please, she refused the burner phone I offered. She walked away without a backward glance, and it drove me insane.

Tonight was my formal welcome-home dinner hosted at Milo’s extravagant house. It was a stuffy high-society event I wanted to cancel. I sat quietly in my dark office, rubbing my jaw as I stared at the wall. My circle of wealthy friends likely suspected my vast businesses were not above board. They knew I had too much cash flow for a simple club owner. They just lacked the concrete, legal evidence to prove that in my dangerous underworld, I was the undisputed King who pulled the strings. None of those cowards had the guts to ask me to my face, preferring to whisper behind their expensive champagne glasses.

I turned my attention back to the glowing laptop screen. I was orchestrating my complex money laundering operations. I needed to tie a massive amount of illicit cartel funds to an upcoming, fictitious bachelor party placed on my strip club's official ledgers. I scrolled through the digital books, scanning the dates and revenue projections. The numbers blurred together for a moment before I finally found the perfect spot in the accounts to wash the cash without raising a single red flag.

I leaned back in my heavy leather chair, running a hand through my hair. I was just starting to relax when my secure cell phone rang. The harsh sound shattered the quiet office. I glanced at the screen and saw Dominic’s name. He was my unreliable cocaine supplier.

His voice was tight and tense over the encrypted line. "Cassio, I urgently need to see you. I have a massive problem with the next shipment coming in."

I gripped the phone tight as my irritation spiked. "Fuck. Why didn't you say so earlier? When exactly do you want to meet?"

Dominic insisted. "I can only see you on Friday night."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, wanting to scream at the idiot. Friday night was supposed to be my night. "It is fine. I will change my plans. Meet me at the strip club at ten in the evening."

"That will work. Thank you, Cassio."

I disconnected the call and slammed the phone onto the heavy mahogany desk. I wanted to hurl something heavy across the room. I had planned to go to the BDSM club this Friday night. I wanted to stake the place out just to see if Tessa would show up. I needed to see her again, to figure out why she ran and pull her back under my control. Now I had to sit in a smoky back room, surrounded by thugs, and deal with my incompetent drug supplier instead. My blood boiled at the sheer inconvenience of it all.

I stood up and paced the length of my office, glaring at the dark city skyline through the window. What the actual fuck? Does the universe not want us to be together? Is that the massive problem here? I fumed in the shadows, my fists clenched, furious at the invisible forces keeping me away from the only woman who held my interest. The irony was suffocating. I controlled everything in my city, yet I could not get to her.