A/N Hello! This was written as a gift for Erica (BelleMorte180) for Klaroline AU Season 2021, Week Four: Crime. She listened to me talk endlessly about this one and helped figure out all the twists and turns that needed to happen for this to make sense. Thanks, Erica! I'll be updating every other day for a total of three longish chapters because I cannot be helped and get carried away with everything. Enjoy and please let me know what you think! (No concrit please!)

Chapter One – Forsaking All Others

Three million dollars wasn't enough for a blowjob. Caroline Salvatore sighed to herself as she applied an extra coat of blood red lipstick before fluffing her bright blonde her hair one last time. Her late husband's brother had done some stupid things in the time she'd known him, but throwing down an entire duffel bag of cocaine in a single bet against Kol Mikaelson on an underground fight took the cake. His sole argument was that he wasn't thinking about the value of the whole bag, only that it was all he had left after blowing through $10,000 in $100 bills. As far as she was concerned, his insane troll logic in no way resembled earth logic.

And now, once again, she was stuck cleaning up the mess.

Caroline knew the answer to her problem as soon as Stefan told her what happened, and she was not happy about it. The only man in the city with the power to get back that shipment was Kol's older brother, the head of the most notorious crime family in Philadelphia. Klaus Mikaelson had been infatuated with her for years. She could vividly recall when he'd danced with at her own wedding and let his hands wander just a little bit too low on her designer wedding dress, cerulean eyes completely undressing her. Fortunately, Damon wasn't alive to see the dress she was wearing now. When she'd asked for a meeting, Klaus said to expect a package.

The only thing in that package was the tiniest little black dress she'd ever seen, a pair of strappy stilettos and an address.

The widow Salvatore cursed her brother-in-law all the way up to the top floor of one of Philadelphia's finest hotels. All her carefully laid plans and she'd been reduced to this. She would make him pay – oh how he would pay. But first, she had business to take care of. She'd grown up the daughter of Giuseppe Salvatore's right hand man, Bill Forbes. Bill was a brilliant man and had raised her to be as cunning as she was beautiful. For the first time, she was grateful he'd died when she was twenty. At least he wasn't alive to see her knocking on the door of the penthouse suite, shimmery fabric stuck to her skin like glue as her shiny stiletto tapped impatiently on the marble floor.

"Hello, love." Klaus let his eyes wander over his prize hungrily for far longer than was decent before opening the door for her. "Come in. We have much to discuss."

Caroline flicked her gaze dispassionately over his well-fitted suit and tie before walking passed him. "You know why I'm here." It wasn't a question, just a simple statement they both knew to be true.

Closing the door behind her, the mob boss chuckled. It was a warm yet dangerous sound that rumbled low in the back of his throat and made her lower belly clench with anticipation. Spending the night with Klaus Mikaelson wasn't exactly a hardship; she just didn't like that it was to bail out an idiot. "It's not everyday my baby brother comes home with more than three million dollars in profit from a night of his hobbies."

"Your brother's hobby is watching men fight to the death with their bare hands?" she asked with a playfully raised brow, as though the idea was more amusing than appalling. Kol was a weapons dealer who spent a great deal of time out of town, but his penchant for bloodshed was well known. It hadn't been a shock that Stefan had been at one of his events.

Klaus shrugged as though they were discussing toy trains, clearly holding no remorse for lives lost for his brother's entertainment. "The participants are all willing." After a beat he added with a cruel smirk, "Mostly." Their eyes met and for a brief moment, he thought she might look away in fear. His grin widened when she didn't. He stalked toward her and paced around her in a slow, predatory circle, eyes taking in every inch of barely concealed flesh. He noted the way she shifted her weight, refusing to balk under his scrutiny. Finally coming to face her, he clasped his hands behind his back and smiled pleasantly, dimples cutting into his cheeks beneath his gruff stubble. "So, what can I do for you, sweetheart?"

Caroline smiled sweetly and took a step toward him, breasts peeking out beside the plunging neckline of her dress. "You mean, what am I willing to do for you?"

Klaus chuckled again. "You see, this is why I like you. So much more than a pretty face."

"You're not looking at my face," she teased seductively, wrapping her hand around his silk tie. She inhaled through her nostrils to catch the earthy scent of his cologne and couldn't help but feel a thrill of anticipation for what was about to happen. Men were so predictable. Damon had been easy enough to seduce and dispose of; Klaus would be no different. A few hours out of her day and she would get the duffel bag and her plans would be back on track. And if she enjoyed herself along the way, none would be the wiser. God knows she was long, long overdue for a good time.

The mob boss tilted his head to the side and made a dramatic show of looking her over. "The rest of you is just as pretty." That's when his eyes snapped to hers, a fire burning behind his topaz irises. "I'd like to see more of it."

Smiling coquettishly, Caroline leaned in so their mouths were breathing the same air, her voice a sultry whisper. "And my brother-in-law's shipment?"

Klaus reached behind her to press a hot palm to the exposed skin of her lower back and brought her flush against his chest, their lips brushing when he replied, "I'm sure we can come to an agreement." With her fingers curled around his tie, he closed the space between them in a fiery kiss. His tongue swept across her bottom lip, teeth pulling it down so he could slip his tongue inside her mouth. He wound his other hand in her artfully styled golden curls as he tasted her, breasts pressed hard against the lean muscles of his chest. She gave herself over to him easily and for a brief moment, he could have sworn she was enjoying herself.

All too soon, the criminal king pulled back and whispered in her ear, "Come with me." He slipped his hand in hers and she followed him to the bedroom easily. As soon as he closed the door behind him, she found herself again wrapped in his arms, one fist tight in her hair. He invaded her mouth with his tongue, dominating their kiss as their mouths moved together. She wrapped her arms around his neck, giving herself over to his wandering hands and wicked tongue. He led them backward to the bed, pulling her to straddle his lap as he sat perched on the edge. She reached between them and unbuckled his belt, but he put his hand on her wrist to stop her. Shaking his head, he growled in a husky whisper, "On your knees, Caroline."

The blonde widow fell gracefully to the ground, settling herself between his thighs. He cupped her cheek in his large palm and watched her carefully, pupils blown out with lust. "How far are you willing to go to get back that shipment?"

Caroline tilted her head to drag her tongue up the inside of his wrist, nose crinkling as she grinned up at him. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Klaus raised his brow in challenge. "Prove it. Open your mouth." He pulled down her chin with his thumb and her lips fell open as her eyes fell shut.

The kneeling blonde felt her blood surge in eager anticipation, silently hoping this was just the opening act. She'd cursed Stefan all day thinking about what she'd have to do on his behalf, but now that she was here, she couldn't feel sorry about it. Damon had been a thoughtless lover and they'd only consummated their marriage on a few occasions when too much alcohol had been involved on his end. It had been an arranged affair, as so many were in their world, and sex had been her obligation. There was no love lost between them and she did not mourn his death, although she played the part of the grieving widow perfectly.

Klaus was different than her late husband in the most desirable of ways. Caroline had always felt a magnetic attraction to the head of the Mikaelson empire; they were simply drawn to each other. He was known for having a fearsome temper with wild impulses no one could control. She'd heard many stories over the years and while they should have horrified her, she always found them more thrilling than terrifying. She was a brilliant seductress surrounded by bumbling idiots that made her days as arduous as they were repetitive. Klaus' unpredictable temper made him interesting; stories of him were never boring. Had they not been born into rival crime families, things might have been different.

Maybe in another life, they could have been happy.

In this life, she would settle for a mutually satisfactory alliance behind closed doors. Caroline waited patiently as he stroked her cheekbone with his thumb before pulling his hand away. After several long moments of silence, she peeked open one eye to see him looking down at her with a satisfied smirk plastered beneath his stubble. When she opened the other eye to see him more clearly, he flashed her his dimples before getting to his feet and offering her his hand. "Come. We have much to discuss."

Before Caroline could fully process what was happening, he was pulling her up and linking their elbows to lead her into the sitting area of the hotel suite. "I don't understand." She eyed his dimples warily as he led her to a round glass table with a bottle of very expensive merlot sitting next to an overflowing fruit basket and two bordeaux glasses.

Klaus pulled out one of the plush chairs and held out his hand. "Sit. Join me for a drink." The blonde widow sat and watched suspiciously as he uncorked the bottle and poured them both a glass, waiting for him to take the first sip for good measure. He held the glass under his nose and inhaled the rich fragrance before sipping it lightly and letting the wine roll over his tongue. "Hmm. Crisp. Do you like wine?"

Caroline scoffed lightly, amused but still confused. "We went from blowjobs to wine tasting in under a minute. That's a record."

The criminal king chuckled, flashing her his dimples. "I like to keep my dates guessing."

"Is that what this is?" she asked plainly. "A date?"

"You'd rather we skipped the pleasantries and jumped straight to business, then?"

"I'd rather you quit playing games with me," she replied in a clipped tone.

Her ire only seemed to widen his smile. "That wasn't a game."

"What was it then?"

"Call it an experiment if you'd like," Klaus shrugged. "I wanted to see just how far you were willing to go for your family before I let you know what I really want from you."

Caroline did not like being manipulated. She wasn't an experiment for some mafia king's amusement. Had it been anything less than millions of dollars in cocaine on the line, she'd have slapped him and left. Instead, she bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself in check and forced a smile. "I'm listening."

"Mikael is dead, as is Giuseppe Salvatore," he began, referring to his stepfather and Stefan's. "There are those who would like to see the rivalry between the Mikaelsons and the Salvatores die with them. I'm not opposed to this personally as I see no need to honor the grudges of a dead man. However, the most common way to unite two houses is through marriage. It's been suggested that I arrange my little sister to Stefan to solve the problem, but I refuse to use her as a pawn for my own gain."

"How altruistic of you," Caroline commented dryly, trailing one blood red nail around the edge of her crystal glass of merlot.

"It's not altruism," he corrected her, "it's strategy. Arranging that marriage would produce an alliance, but it would ultimately make Rebekah a Salvatore. This aids my endeavors very little and brings me no closer to my goal."

"And what is your goal?"

"Same as yours, love." She held his gaze as she sipped her wine, waiting for him to continue rather than reveal too much. His eyes never left hers as he carefully gauged her reaction to his next statement. "I don't want an alliance with the Salvatore empire. I want control of it."

If Caroline was surprised, she didn't let it show. His enjoyment grew. "I'm a Salvatore," she pointed out with no emotion, swirling the deep red liquid around the glass as she crossed one barely covered leg elegantly over the other. "Why tell me when I can simply run back to my husband's family with news of your plot to seize control?"

Klaus' smile was wicked, a devious gleam behind his eye making him look a bit maniacal as he replied, "I find that highly unlikely considering your desire for the same is the reason why he's dead."

For the first time, he saw a chink in Caroline's armor. It was a single blink when his words caught her off guard, but it was enough for him to know he was right. "My husband died of a heart attack," she answered simply. It was a line she'd said a hundred times, and while she knew it to be a lie, it was one that came naturally. "The coroner confirmed it during his autopsy and an equivocal death investigation definitively ruled out foul play." She brought the glass to her mouth so while he couldn't see her smile, he saw amusement in her sapphire eyes.

The mafia king's smile widened at her denial. He reached over to the basket of fruit and offered her a piece. "Care for a banana?" he asked innocently enough to fool anyone but her. "Bananas are high in potassium. Interesting vitamin, potassium."

Caroline took the banana and watched him carefully as she slowly peeled it. She brought it up to her ruby lips before replying just as innocently, "Actually, I think it's considered a mineral." Their eyes locked as she seductively wrapped her lips around the tip of the fruit and delicately bit down, his irises dilating with lust as he stared at her mouth until long after she swallowed. "Bananas are good for you," she commented as she took another bite, his heated gaze burning her skin. "The world needs more potassium."

Klaus almost laughed at her utter lack of remorse. "Yes, but too much can kill you. A concentrated shot of potassium chloride can stop a man's heart. But you already knew that, didn't you, love?"

The blonde shrugged, taking another bite and chewing it thoughtfully. "I'm surprised that you do. I thought you preferred your murders a bit more… intimate." She couldn't help the way her upper lip curled as she recalled photographs from some of his work. They should have given her nightmares, but they'd fueled her fantasies about a raging man drenched in the blood of his enemies. He was everything she wished she could be, but being born female meant she had to keep her hands clean. It was very regrettable.

"Poison is a woman's weapon," he replied with a playful wink, both of them knowing she was never going to admit to Damon's murder out loud. "Albeit an effective one."

Setting aside the empty banana peel, Caroline folded her hands on top of her thigh. "What are you proposing here, Klaus?"

"'Proposing' is an interest word to use," he chuckled. "As I was saying, there is no world in which I would marry off my beloved sister to that bumbling fool you call a brother-in-law. Our parents didn't raise pawns; they raised warriors, and she is no different. The little black book she uses to run her escort service could bring this city to its knees. She eats men like Stefan for breakfast and spits them back out by lunch." His eyes shone with pride as he thought about his baby sister. The rate for her girls started at five figures for an hour and jumped to six for a whole night. She had half the politicians and businessmen of Philadelphia wrapped around her little finger.

"Without a marriage, the chances of solidifying an alliance are slim," he continued. "That leaves us to our standing rivalry, something I find as tedious as I do worthless. There is money to be made by combining our empires, after all. The most logical solution is for me to declare all out war on your family and paint the town red with your blood." The barely dressed blonde kept her composure, but he noted the way her eyes briefly widened and breathing hitched even though she remained still. "Unfortunately, that's also very costly and innocents would get caught in the crossfire." She could swear she saw his gaze soften at that as he looked at her from across the table, as though he didn't want her blood in the mix. "So, you can imagine my happy surprise when another opportunity for a marital arrangement presented itself."

Caroline shook her head slightly, blinking a few times. "What other arrangement?" she asked warily, a pit forming in the bottom of her gut.

Klaus smiled at her with his dimples etched beneath his stubble, holding her gaze as he spoke the single word, "Ours."

The widow nearly choked on her wine. Setting down the glass, she looked over at him like he'd gone suddenly insane, but he just kept smiling and waiting for her answer. "You think we should get married?" she asked emphatically, gesturing between them. "As in you and me?"

"You are an eligible Salvatore woman, are you not?" he pointed out shrewdly.

"Not by blood," she reminded him. "Marrying me would give you an alliance, but you wouldn't get any control out of it. I would become a Mikaelson just as Rebekah would become a Salvatore. Either way, Stefan would still be the one in charge of the family business." She sipped her wine and shook her head. "Your plan is flawed."

"Tell me something," Klaus continued, undeterred by her lack of enthusiasm at marrying him, "who really makes the decisions in your family, hmm?"

Caroline smiled her best fake smile and replied in her most practiced voice, "Stefan is the one in charge and he takes care of me now. I'm so lucky to have him."

Klaus burst into laughter at her perfected routine and after a moment, she joined in. "That mind of yours is so precious, sweetheart. The Salvatores deserve what's coming to them for underestimating a woman of your caliber."

The blonde murderess shrugged. "The Forbes have been running the coke trade behind the scenes for decades. It was no different with my father and that old fool Giuseppe. He always told me that I would marry Damon and it would be the same for me."

"Ah, but to live so close to the spotlight but never step in it," he mused, "that must burn."

Caroline looked over at him and sighed, clearly resigned to her fate. "That's the way it is."

"It doesn't have to be." She met his eyes and for a moment thought he was sincere before reminding herself he was just as cutthroat and ruthless as she, if not more. "You don't have to spend your life as nothing more than Damon Salvatore's pretty widow."

"That arrangement was made the day I was born," she countered with no emotion in her tone, as though she was merely reciting facts. "There was never any other path for me."

Klaus tilted his head to the side as he considered her. She was brilliant and calculating and hadn't shown fear in the face of what many would consider a hellish existence. He wanted her to be his and had for a long time. He would have to tell her something, but he took his time deciding carefully how much to reveal up front about his devotion to his plan of making her his bride. "When Giuseppe died, rumor had it that Damon planned to marry the Gilbert girl."

"Elena died in a boating accident," Caroline replied easily and without a trace of emotion for the girl many had thought of as her best friend. "It was tragic."

"As was Giuseppe's car accident." Their eyes met and more untold secrets were confessed between them. She felt her heart rate accelerate as she took in the meaning of his words. He'd killed for her before she'd even known he was looking. For once, she found herself speechless. Sensing her discomfort, Klaus continued conversationally, "One would have thought you'd be free to marry someone else, but then you ended up wedded to Damon less than six months later. I believe I was overseas most of that year on business with my brother, Kol. I remember it all happened very quickly."

"You made it back in time for our wedding."

"Oh, that's not something I would have missed, love." There was something dark about the way the epithet rolled off his tongue that had the hair on the back of her neck standing up; the intensity of it gave her chills. For the first time, she realized Damon wouldn't have lived a long and happy life if she hadn't intervened. The thought of what Klaus would have done to him had her skin warming despite her lack of clothing, a rosy hue staining her cheeks. His eyes roved up and down her body like he was memorizing every line and curve. "The sight of you in a wedding dress, your hair all done up, walking down the aisle… You'll look far better with a worthy groom waiting at the altar."

Caroline had to admit that his silky accent discussing his plans for her was a heady aphrodisiac, but she hadn't made it this far by being persuaded by pretty words. Fighting down her growing arousal, she kept herself calm and aloof, hands on her bare knee as one stiletto dangled above the plush carpet. "As I said, that would just make me a Mikaelson. Your plan is still flawed."

Klaus smirked at the way she hadn't turned him down, only pointed out that which had occurred to him long ago. "Meaning because your brother-in-law would still be in charge?"

The blonde rolled her eyes and released a long-suffering sigh. "Stefan Salvatore is a never-ending thorn in my side."

"All the more reason to pluck the thorn out," the mafia lord commented casually with a pleasant smile.

Caroline huffed a humorless laugh. "If only it were that simple. Unfortunately, Stefan is a necessary, albeit worthless and incompetent, evil."

"What makes him a necessity?" Klaus prodded with interest.

Her sapphire eyes shot daggers at him from across the table. "You know what makes him necessary." He leaned back in his chair, throwing one arm over the back of it as he shrugged with one shoulder. She narrowed her eyes before biting out, "I'm a woman. Without a man in front of me, no one will take me seriously. The entire Salvatore empire would collapse if something happened to that moron."

Klaus shook his head slowly from side to side, sucking his teeth in obvious disapproval. "It's a weak man who oppresses a woman and tells her to be seen and not heard. Mikael was one such man." He picked up the bottle and poured himself another glass of merlot. "I watched for years as my mother lived her life much as you plan to live yours. She had many flaws, the most famous of which was the affair that begat me, but she taught me never to underestimate a woman's ability to be just as ruthless as a man. Our empire wouldn't be nearly what it is had she not been whispering in his ear for so many years. The fact that he was too blind to see her true value was his greatest flaw." When his eyes came up to meet hers, they held that same maniacal gleam that set her skin on fire, his upper lip curling deviously. "A fatal one."

Caroline smiled as she accepted a refilled glass of wine. "I think I would have liked your mother."

"She'd have liked you." He licked a drop of merlot from his raspberry lips before setting down his glass. When he spoke again, his voice held no trace of a taunt and was deathly serious. "Without a living member of the Salvatore family, you will become the heir to the entire empire. Panic will ensue and without my help, the cocaine trade will crumble. With it, we can merge our efforts and rule side by side."

The blonde scoffed and shook her head side to side, golden tendrils framing her face. "You want me to be your partner?"

"I want you to be my queen." His piercing gaze took her breath away and for the first time in her life, she felt seen. He saw the way her facade wavered and leaned across the table to take her hand in his, caressing her knuckles with his thumb. "May I be blunt with you, Caroline?"

"S-sure," she replied even they both knew it was rhetorical.

"I am going to take over the Salvatore empire, one way or another." He was right; that was blunt. She watched him warily, her mind telling her to run even as her body betrayed her. The problem was that she didn't know if she wanted to run away or run toward the most dangerous man in Pennsylvania. So, she did nothing and just listened. "Without me at your side, when Stefan dies – and he will die – the families will split into smaller factions, many of whom will flock to my side for protection and alliances. Within a year, you'll be left with nothing but more debts than you can pay and a name that means less than nothing." She narrowed her eyes and tried to pull her hand away, but he held it in an iron grip as he continued. "Whether you accept my proposal or not, the outcome will be the same. The cocaine trade in Philadelphia will belong to the Mikaelsons."

"The Mikaelsons have never touched coke," she bit out, again trying to pull away. "That's always been ours. Why take it now?"

"Because now I have a vested interested in making it mine."

Caroline dug her bright red nails into his hand to make him let her go. She knew it was petty but didn't care. If anything, it made his sharp hiss of pain when she drew blood that much more enjoyable. "Why bother telling me at all if you have this all planned out?" she spat angrily, refusing to be cowed by the murderous glance coming her way.

Klaus gritted his teeth together as the worst of the pain subsided, little half-moon marks embedded in his flesh. Had she been anyone other than the woman he was courting, she'd be dead. They both knew it and still she didn't back down, just crossed her arms defiantly over her chest and waited for an answer. A tense moment past between them before his lips upturned in his first genuine smile of the night. "This is why I like you," he said fondly as his hand throbbed where she'd impaled him with her nails. "You're strong, brave, fearless. You're also ruthless when in pursuit of your goals, which is something we have in common. In this case, you are my goal, and one I've been pursuing for years whether you realize it or not."

Caroline sat up straighter in her seat and kept her voice even. "You killed Giuseppe Salvatore, didn't you?" She watched his face carefully to gauge his reaction, her tone more curious than accusatory. If anything, she almost sounded impressed.

Klaus smirked and sipped his wine. "I'll tell you about Giuseppe Salvatore when you tell me about Elena Gilbert." Neither spoke as the air between them crackled with sensual energy. In that moment, they both knew the truth of each other even if no confessions were made aloud. They were the same.

And she knew it.

When Klaus reached over to take her hand again, Caroline let him. His tone was softer, reassuring. "I am not your enemy, sweetheart. I asked you here because I think you're-"

"You didn't ask me here," she cut in, realization dawning as her eyes widened. "You set Stefan up, made it so I would have to come to you. Admit it."

The criminal king smiled widely at her accusation, the shine in his eye almost prideful at her ability to piece his puzzle together. "Actually, Kol set him up. I merely gave the order. And I didn't make you do anything. I orchestrated a situation in which you could either choose to play an active role in your family's empire or remain the grieving widow you claim to be to the outside world. I wanted to see what you would do."

Caroline felt his hand hot against hers but she made no move to pull away. For the first time in her life, she was met with a worthy opponent. She should have been furious, bu she found that she was just that much more intrigued by the enigmatic man sitting across from her discussing murder and merges over merlot. "So your brother hustling that jackass out of three million dollars worth of blow was, what, another experiment?" He chuckled at her phrasing but nodded. "And are you pleased with the results?"

"I'm always pleased to know I was right," he replied with an arrogant smirk beneath his stubble. "You did exactly as I hoped. You came to me willing to do whatever it takes to keep your power because that is what you value above all else. I sit here before you offering you more than you could ever hope to have living in the shadow of a dead Salvatore. You're better than that. You know it and I know it. Take my offer and the rest of world will, too. Be my wife and I'll show you what power really means."

It was a good offer. Caroline knew he'd meant it when he'd said that Stefan would die and his empire would fall. Klaus had set it up to start crumbling the minute he'd gotten hold of that shipment. If Stefan didn't deliver, he would have to cover the loss from the family money. It wasn't enough to bankrupt them but he'd never make another deal. No matter how she looked at it, this was the beginning of the end. If Stefan's own recklessness didn't get him killed, Klaus would make sure something else did. She knew trusting him was probably a terrible idea, but her intuition told her that she could. He'd laid all his cards on the table when he didn't have to, had refrained from taking advantage of her when given the chance. And the way he was looking at her… No one had ever looked at her like that before.

The blonde shook her head. She couldn't afford to let herself get caught up in a fantasy. Men were animals, all of them. What he was proposing didn't make any sense. "You don't even know me," she said softly, eyes cast down.

"I'd like to." Klaus tugged on her hand, squeezing it gently so she'd look up at him. "I've been watching you for a long time. I was so sure that there was more to you than meets the eye that I set this up to prove it to myself. And I was right. You came here willing to do whatever I asked because that is what it takes to be a queen. I'm convinced that we could accomplish great things together. You can take control of distribution and make ten times what Stefan is making now. All you have to do is say yes."

"What if I say no? Would you still have an interest in our business then?"

"As I said, cocaine distribution will be taken over by the Mikaelsons. I've been making preparations for that for quite some time." She glared at him hatefully enough that the criminal king sighed and leaned back in his chair, releasing her hand to run his fingers through his tousled dirty blond curls. "As for you turning me down… I will be very disappointed." He looked away as he took a long drink of wine, finishing his glass and setting it down. "As a courtesy, I'll return your shipment tonight and wait six months to make a move on him to give you time to either take what you can and run or marry someone else." A coldness filled his eyes and colored his tone. "I advise highly against the latter."

Caroline smiled at the clear jealousy in the implication. She picked up her glass and swirled the merlot around as she considered his proposal. The Mikaelsons were the most powerful family in Philadelphia, and the only one where she had any chance of getting ahead. Women were considered possessions in their lifestyle, but Rebekah Mikaelson was a force to be reckoned with and belonged to no man, her reputation as fearsome and bloody as each of her brother's. Marrying her to someone like Stefan was laughable. In fact, her brother-in-law marrying anyone was a problem. She'd assumed she would have to do it herself before too long and produce an heir, preferably a male she could mold and shape into the leader the men in his family had never been.

If she had to be married to someone, Klaus was a good option. He came from a big family known for their ruthless loyalty to one another. He wasn't the oldest of the seven Mikaelson children, but he was the smartest and claimed the throne when Mikael died a few years prior. None of his brothers or sisters questioned his leadership because they valued strength over tradition. She could make a name for herself among them and have power that was truly her own. She had power now but it wouldn't last; he'd made that clear. She could take the six months and start liquidating assets so she'd have money, but when it all went down, she'd be left alone with no power. He was right. That was what she valued above all else, and marrying him was the best way to get it.

"I have conditions," she began firmly.

Klaus nodded his head, having expected as much. "Let's hear them, then."

"I want a prenup for the amount of the Salvatore empire as it currently stands, including that shipment."

"Done," he replied without even blinking. "What else?"

"Wait, really?" she blurted out, unable to stop herself.

The mafia king had the audacity to laugh out loud at her shock. "Is that really so hard to believe?"

"Considering you're willing to kill my brother-in-law to get your hands on that money, yeah. Kinda is."

Klaus waved his hand dismissively. "Stefan Salvatore is a means to an end. I could give a damn about his money." His eyes locked on hers and she was once again taken aback by the intensity she found staring back at her. "What I want is worth far more than that."

"You want his distribution ring."

"I want something of his." As his eyes bore into hers, she swallowed down a lump in her throat as the gravity of his feelings for her finally started to take root. He saw it in the way her mouth formed a little 'o' and moved his chair closer to hers. He put his hand on her thigh, his palm hot against her skin. "I mean it when I say I want to know you, Caroline. I realize these arrangements are borne out of practicality over affection, but I will be a good husband to you. Please say yes."

Caroline could feel her walls crumbling, the feeling of his skin on hers overwhelming her senses. Under any other circumstance, she'd have probably laughed at the prospect of Klaus Mikaelson saying please to anyone. He wasn't a man who asked. He saw something he wanted and he took it, and to hell with anyone who got in his way. And now he wanted her. "No mistresses," she said suddenly, the words tumbling out of her. He looked at her with a curiously raised brow at her random demand. "Giuseppe always had them. Lily used to cry about it. I won't be made a laughing stock in my own home."

A feral smile spread across Klaus' face, pupils dilating as he dragged the back of his knuckles down her cheek and down to her collarbone, eyes flicking over her body. "A man has needs, love."

"So does a woman," she replied, voice sultry with lust. She moved his hand higher on her thigh and smiled when he sucked in a deep breath. "How do I know you'll meet all of mine once we're married?"

The mafia king's eyes snapped up to meet hers. "Is that a yes?" he asked tersely, clothes suddenly far too confining.

Caroline sighed in faux-contemplation, fiddling with his tie. "I don't know," she replied playfully. "I think I might need more convincing." She leaned forward to close the space between them, her lips crashing against his as her hands found his short curls. He eagerly returned her kiss, pulling her to his lap so she was straddling him. It was all tongue and teeth as they devoured each other whole, each battling for control. Klaus' hands pushed her tiny black dress up around her waist, caressing and kneading the soft flesh of her ass and thighs. She ground down on top of him and was pleased to feel his erection pressing into her.

The mafia king pushed his cock up against the barely there lacy fabric of her g-string and bit down on her lower lip. "Is this enough to meet your needs, sweetheart?" he growled around their warring tongues.

"Mmmhmm," she hummed before reaching down to quickly lift off her dress, leaving her in just her panties. She let him drink in the sight of her bare breasts before he finally met her eyes to find them filled with lust and desperation. "And Klaus?" She kissed him again before tugging him back sharply by the curls and vehemently nodding as she emphatically told him with wild eyes, "I got a lot of needs."

Klaus would have laughed at the manic way she'd said it, but he was too busy trying not to choke on her tongue. It was clear she'd been starved for physical attention for far too long; it made him glad Damon was already dead or he'd have killed him just for leaving such a beautiful woman so desperate for an orgasm. Chest heaving, he pulled back and panted out, "Let's go in the bedroom and see what we can do about that, shall we?"

Caroline shook her head and crashed her lips back against his. "No. Too far. Table," she commanded in between kisses as she whipped off his tie and pulled open his button-down shirt hard enough to send several buttons flying in her haste to get him undressed.

Klaus was never one to take orders in bed, or anywhere, but he found himself sweeping his arm across the glass table and falling to his knees as she lay down. Fruit and wine went flying, merlot staining the hotel's plush carpet. He'd have to pay to replace it but he didn't care. All that mattered was getting Caroline to come on his tongue. She moved to kick off her shoes but he stopped her with a firm hand on her calf. Shaking his head, he growled, "Leave the heels." Pressing a long row of kisses up the inside of her long leg, he added, "I came on my hand last night while I imagined you wearing them while I fucked you from behind." When he reached the apex of her thighs, he pressed a kiss to the thin scrap of fabric masquerading as underwear right over her clit, making her suck in a deep breath.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we can do that later. Just get these off me," she commanded as she squirmed to get out of her g-string.

With a quick tug, Klaus ripped it off her, leaving her bare core before his hungry eyes. She reached for his head, but he grabbed her forearm with lightning reflexes. Catching her eye, he pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist, silently daring her to grab him again. They both knew she would. "Been a while, has it?" he teased with a knowing smirk as he peppered kisses along her lower belly, nails grazing along the inside of her thighs.

Caroline sucked her teeth and shook her head impatiently. "You have no idea." When she grabbed his curls roughly and pulled his face down again, he chuckled. Klaus nibbled up the inside of her thighs, occasionally biting hard and laving it over with his tongue. When he got to the apex, he separated her folds with two fingers and blew lightly against her opening, making her shiver. She squirmed against the table, trying to close the inch between them, but he pinned her hips down with his forearm, mentally calculating how much pressure the glass table could handle. She moaned loudly when he delivered a long, flat lick to her core, the tip of it flicking over her tight bundle of nerves. She tugged his curls to spur him on, amusing him. Damon Salvatore clearly had not been doing his job. True, he'd been dead for almost a year, but he'd never seen a woman so ready to fall apart. Having her so desperate for him was a heady rush.

Caroline's body jumped and jerked when she felt his tongue enter her wet center, eagerly lapping at her inner walls. He reached up with his free hand to tug and twist at her nipples one by one, palm caressing her breasts as he went. He tongue fucked her hard and fast, expertly building her up as his beard created a delicious friction against her velvet folds. He'd thought about having her this way more times than he could count, but this was better than any of his fantasies by far. Pulling his tongue out of her pussy, he looked up and caught her eye, the sparkle behind his mischievous. Slowly, he entered her with one finger, pumping in and out of her while pressing kisses all around her inner thighs. He added a second and her back arched, hands tightening in his hair. She enthusiastically rode his fingers as he picked up speed, her release imminent. He hooked them to hit her in just the right spot to call out his name and it made his cock twitch painfully in his pants. He bit down sharply on her clit and she came undone, screaming out as she writhed against his face while he eagerly lapped at her sweet arousal to prolong her high.

"Fuck," she muttered when she finally came back down, looking down at him from beneath heavily lidded eyes. She didn't think she'd ever seen a man look so incredibly pleased with himself.

"Feeling better?" he asked with an arrogance coloring his tone, dimples peeking out from behind his gruff stubble, lips glossy with her arousal.

"Uh huh," she mumbled, tugging his hair to bring him to his feet. She grabbed his belt and growled, "Now get these off and fuck me." As tempting as she looked wet and wanting, the mafia king had zero faith in the table's ability to hold their weight. Chuckling, he quickly scooped her up and tossed her effortlessly over his shoulder, making her shout in surprise. "What are you doing?!"

Klaus slapped her hard on her bare ass, chuckling. "For how hard I'm about to fuck you, we'd break the table."

"Didn't think you were the type to care about a little property destruction," she teased, giggling when he threw her roughly down on the bed. She quickly unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants, eager to taste him.

"Sweetheart, that table was glass. It'd have ripped you to shreds. The only thing I want entering you tonight is my cock." His filthy words took her breath away and stilled her hands. He pushed down his slacks and freed his shaft, rubbing it against her lips. "Open your mouth." Snapping back to the present, she parted her lips and darted her tongue out to taste a drop of salty precum leaking from his head. She teased him with licks up and down for long moments before finally taking him in her mouth, dragging her lips down his cock until the tip hit the back of her throat. "Fuck, sweetheart. Just like that," he groaned, bucking his hips forward to get her to take more. She wrapped her hand around the base of him as she worked him up and down, hollowing out her cheeks as she went.

Klaus wound his hands in her hair, pulling out a few bobby pins along the way as he set the pace. It was tempting to just close his eyes and give himself over to the intense sensations washing over him, but he couldn't help but stare at her ruby red lips wrapped around his cock as she sucked hard and fast. He let her go until he felt himself about to slip off the edge before roughly pulling her off by the hair. He was on top of her in an instant, his lips crashing against hers as he pushed his tongue in his mouth. She reached between them to line him up with her entrance, eager anticipation in her lower belly. "Are you on the pill?" he mumbled as he attacked her mouth.

"IUD," she replied, biting down harshly on her lower lip. He nodded, relieved that there would be no babies… yet. He'd wait until they were married for that. All he had to do was convince her. As he pushed into her and she moaned, he was sure he would.

"God, you're so fucking tight," he groaned, sheathing himself all the way in her wet heat.

"Been a while," she agreed with a nod, wrapping her legs around his waist to get him to go deeper. Happy to oblige, he rocked his hips forward, completely filling her with his cock. He pulled out and slammed all the way back in, making her cry out. "Fuck!" He did it again and felt her nails drag down his back, spurring him on. He set a steady rhythm, occasionally surprising her with suddenly harsh thrusts as their bodies rutted together. He trailed his mouth down her neck, suckling at her throat and leaving a mark on her collarbone that he was sure would last for days. Smirking to himself, he did the same to the top of her breast before latching his lips around a nipple. He flicked his tongue over her peak, one hand coming between them to caress her other breast.

Klaus was a passionate lover. He touched as tasted every part of her he could reach as he worshiped her inside and out. His thrusts became more and more erratic as she tugged his curls and dug her claws into his shoulder and back, grunting and groaning in time with the rhythm. Her heels pressed into his lower back and he remembered that she was still wearing the stilettos he'd bought her. Suddenly, he pulled out of her, making her whine loudly at the loss. Before she could complain he flipped her over onto her hands and knees and roughly thrust back into her.

"Holy fucking mother of Christ," she sputtered, ripping at the plush comforter with her blood red nails, bits of his skin caked beneath them. "Fuck, Klaus, harder." Resting his weight on top of her, he reached down and found her clit with two fingers. She came apart instantly, her walls convulsing all around her. He gripped her harshly by the hip, his nails leaving half-moon imprints on her skin as he helped her ride out wave after wave of intense pleasure. "Again, again," she panted, hips rocking back to meet his.

Klaus exhaled hard through his mouth, using both hands to steady her as he forced himself not to let go just yet. He slowed the pace, pulling out and thrusting back in just to hear her shout his name. His eyes roved hungrily over her creamy skin. Unable to resist, he reached up to grab hold of her golden curls, winding them tightly around his hand. Pulling back, he slapped her hard on the ass with his other hand, the sight of her in nothing but shoes he'd selected nearly making him lose it all over again. Their hips rocked together as he began to pant her name. She buried her face in the pillow, elbows giving out. One hand snaked between her legs to find her clit. She rode her fingers as he pounded into her, his cock stretching her like never before. He tugged her hair and the sharp pain pushed her over the edge. She came screaming, hips rutting furiously against his as she swirled her fingers around her rosy bud. He spilled his seed inside her as her walls crashed around him, filling her with his come.

Chest heaving, Klaus collapsed on her back and rolled off, eyes rolling back in his head. She just slumped against the pillows, ass still high in the air for long minutes before she started to come down from the atmosphere. Rolling over onto her back, her eyes snapped open when the man beside her snarled in pain. "Fucking heels!" She looked down and her stiletto had left a deep scrape across his shin. She covered her mouth to stifle her laughter but she gave up after a moment and cackled hysterically. Growling, he sat up and pried them off her, throwing them across the room with a humph.

"You-you're the one who picked them," she wheezed, clutching her sides.

"They looked better when I was fucking you," he spat defensively, rubbing his wound. Looking over at her shining face, he couldn't help but grin. She was beautiful when she let her guard down. Laying back down, he pulled her to his firm chest and kissed the top of her head. "I'll concede that it was worth it. You were bloody fantastic, love."

Caroline looked up at him, mirth dancing behind her sparkling sapphire eyes. He just shook his head at her amusement and kissed her on the lips. "You weren't so bad yourself," she replied coquettishly, smiling with her lips still puffy from the way their mouths had crashed together. The mafia king huffed out a laugh, causing her to glare at him. "What?"

Klaus rolled his eyes, idly stroking her spine up and down as his leg smarted in stinging pain. "I wasn't so bad? Please, sweetheart, you were screaming my name."

"Hey, I deserved a good fuck," she replied totally unapologetically. "I was way overdue."

"Clearly," he snorted, earning him a slap on the chest. "I take it your marriage was less than satisfactory?"

Caroline barked out a humorless laugh, shaking her head in disgust. "Please. It happened like three times and he didn't finish the job once. The last time was so bad that I didn't even bother finishing myself off in the shower afterwards."

"Hmmm," he mused, secretly delighted with her answer. "I probably would have killed him, too."

"I never said I killed him."

"Well, it certainly wasn't your love life that stopped his heart." He raised his brows at her in amusement and she buried her smile in his chest, nuzzling against his tattoo of a feather bursting into a flock of black birds.

"Alright, that's fair," she said after taking a moment to compose herself. She felt positively giddy. Her husband had been dead for almost a year and they were married almost that long. She'd forgotten how good sex could feel. She definitely added it to the pro side of her pros and cons list of reasons to marry him. "But you know what isn't?" she asked, shaking her head as she rested her head against his shoulder so she could see his face. "I did everything right. I played the perfect wife even though I hated the guy. I mean, you'd think if I had to get stuck with a loser husband, I'd at least get one who wanted me to be his sex poodle or something, but no." With a humph, she looked off the side bitterly as she remembered all the times she'd been forced to listen to Damon go on about losing Elena. "I got stuck with a limp-dick whiner who just wanted to get drunk and cry about the woman he wished he'd married instead of me."

Klaus pulled her closer and nuzzled her hair, kissing the top of her head. "If you accept my proposal, I'll make you my sex poodle."

Caroline looked up at him pityingly for a moment before they both burst into laughter. "For the sake of our marriage, we're going to pretend you didn't just say that," she wheezed, shaking her head in amusement.

"So, you accept, then?" he asked hopefully, causing her to roll her eyes.

"Yes, Klaus, I accept your proposal," she replied since he obviously hadn't figured that out for himself. "Happy now?"

The mob boss's Cheshire grin indicated he clearly was. "Ecstatic." He leaned down to kiss her again, but she pushed him away and sat up, legs hanging off the edge of the bed.

"No, thank you," she said with a firm shake of her head. "My vagina is closed for business. You wore me out." He laughed out loud at that, immensely pleased with his powers of persuasion. She got up and looked around the room for her tiny dress. Finding it, she pulled it over her head. "Besides, if I leave Stefan alone too long, he might burn the house down trying to boil water or something."

"Oh, surely he can't be that bad." Caroline shot him a glance that said he clearly could. "Ah, well, he won't be for much longer."

"Yeah, about that." She sat on the edge of the bed and started buckling her strappy stilettos, peeking at her new fiance over her shoulder, lip quirking up at the sight of the angry red mark on his shin. "Why don't you let me handle the specifics?"

Klaus narrowed his eyes, propping himself up on his elbows. "Why do I get the feeling that wasn't really a question?" he asked suspiciously.

Caroline flashed him a wicked grin. "You're smarter than you look," she teased. At his lack of amusement, she remembered he wasn't the typical idiot male she was used to dealing with. "Don't worry. I'll give you the details when I get them, okay?" she offered, hoping to placate him.

"Surely you must have something in mind if you already know there will be details to share," he countered smartly in his British lilt.

"Let's just say I have a contingency plan," she replied evasively, getting to her feet. "Daddy always said never plan to overthrow an empire without one."

"Your father was a smart man." She nodded her agreement as she ran her fingers through her ruined curls, pulling out a few stray bobby pins. Klaus got up from the bed and pulled on his trousers. "I'll walk you out."

"Pretty sure I can find the front door of a hotel suite."

"I'm sure you can, but I'm still going to see you there." He smiled at her with his dimples as he placed his palm on her lower back, following beside her as they walked. "It's the gentlemanly thing to do. Or, didn't your father teach you how you deserve to be treated?"

"He taught me to work with what I have."

When they reached the door, he turned her to face him, placing one hand on her waist as the other tucked a disheveled curl behind her ear. "Get used to having more." A faint smile graced her lips before he pressed his mouth gently to hers. He'd meant it to be a brief goodbye kiss, but she wound her arms around his neck and parted his lips with her tongue. Their mouths moved together until their chests were heaving and he was tempted to throw her over his shoulder and drag her back to bed.

Caroline pulled back and winked at him as she leaned down to pick up what she'd come for. "Goodnight, lover."

Klaus chuckled, hands back on her waist, suddenly all business. "Many of my associates were present when Kol claimed that duffel bag. Once it arrives with your client, word will spread that it was returned to your possession. We'll need to announce the engagement quickly by way of explaining our newfound alliance. I'll let you tell Stefan first, but do it as soon as you see him, alright?"

"I'll call you," she agreed, leaning up to kiss him one last time before pulling away only to realize he wasn't letting go. "Klaus, I need to leave now. Incompetent man baby home alone, remember?"

"I have something for you. Wait here."

Caroline watched curiously as he went to get something from the bedroom. He emerged seconds later with a small black velvet box in his hand. "Confident I'd say yes, were you?" she teased with a small smile.

Klaus flashed her a boyish grin complete with dimples as he opened the box. "Let's just say I was hopeful." If she hadn't spent her entire life learning to control her reactions, her jaw would have dropped. She looked down at the most beautiful diamond ring she'd ever seen, and she could tell just by looking at it that it was worth enough to buy a small house. "Do you like it?" he asked tentatively when she just kept staring at it.

"It's gorgeous," she replied honestly, shocked that he'd gone to such extremes for an arranged marriage. Finally tearing her eyes away, she looked up at him and held out her left hand. "Put it on me?" His dimples re-emerged as he slipped off her old rings and replaced them with the one he'd had custom made by Tiffany's with her in mind two years earlier. She held it up and marveled at the way light bounced off the solitaire diamond. "Guess I don't have to carry around brass knuckles anymore, huh?"

Klaus chuckled at that, pecking her on the cheek as he opened the door for her. "As I said, get used to having more." She flashed him another genuine smile, one of the few he'd seen all night, and for a brief moment, he felt like he was seeing the real Caroline. He watched her all the way to the elevator, dimples etched into his cheeks and happier than he'd been in years as he slipped something into his pocket.

Caroline didn't even notice that she left without her rings from Damon.

A/N Please let me know what you think! And don't forget to come back in two days for more!