A Worthy Opponent: Wicked Villains #3

by Katee Robert

  “Really?” The hope that flares in her dark eyes makes me feel both like the biggest asshole in existence and also so relieved I’m a little dizzy. She gives me a happy smile. “I’d love to get coffee.”

  I open my mouth to say—I don’t even know. Maybe to apologize for being such a dick since I’ve known her. Hook sweeps in before I get a word out. He hands me my bright drink and slips an arm around my waist again. “I’m stealing my wife back, Aurora.”

  She immediately drops her gaze, her training finally kicking back in. “I wouldn’t dream of keeping her from you,” she murmurs, though there’s an archness beneath the words that tells me she’d fight him with everything she has if she thought for a second he was forcing me to do something I didn’t want to. Just like she was about to fight Hades.

  Yeah, I really am an asshole.

  Hook guides me to a booth near the door to the public playroom, and I’m still too caught up in processing Aurora’s response to be irritated by him. It’s only when he slides into the booth next to me instead of across from me that I refocus on Hook. Impossible not to when he’s pressed against me from shoulder to knee. He drapes one arm over the back of the booth, which brings me closer yet, tucked right under his arm.

  I fit. It’s annoying that I fit.

  I take a sip of my drink, mostly to give my hands something to do. It’s perfect, but then Tis made it. She’s the best bartender I’ve ever encountered, in my totally unbiased opinion. But thinking about her only makes me think about everything I’ve lost in the course of the last few days.

  It’s time to stop dicking around and put some honesty on the table. I look up at Hook. “You’re using me as bait.”

  He doesn’t blink, doesn’t lose that charming smile, but his body tenses the smallest bit. Confirmation, not that I need it. In the hours after the farce of a wedding ceremony, I had plenty of time to think this through from all angles. There’s only one that makes sense. Hook can’t find Peter on his own, so he needs to piss him off enough that Peter comes to Hook. He’s likely tried other things already, so he’s landed on me. He must have thought I’d say no if he told me the full truth.

  Finally, he responds. “I’m using you as bait.”

  It shouldn’t sting. I knew he didn’t practically blackmail me into marriage because he was overcome by love or some bullshit like that. This was always about territory and power. Everything in Carver City is about territory and power: claiming it, keeping it, taking out anyone who threatens it. It was never about me.

  It really, really shouldn’t sting.

  I take another drink, hating that my hand shakes. “Where he’s concerned, I’ve always been a big red button.”

  “I won’t let anything happen to you.” Hook speaks so low, I can almost convince myself that I can’t actually make out the words.

  “That’s not a promise you have any business making.” Bitterness creeps into my tone, a direct counterpoint to the sweet drink on my tongue. “It’s not a promise you ever had any business making.”

  “I know you had no reason to trust me then, and you have no reason to trust me now.” I feel, more than hear, his exhale. “But you can trust me to keep you safe.”

  At least he’s not pretending he doesn’t understand. I close my eyes and strive for calm, strive to keep the past in the past, locked up in the box I created just so I could get through my days without being a sobbing mess of trauma. “I don’t want to talk about then.” The before, when I couldn’t take tomorrow for granted because the threat of Peter hung over my head every second of every day.

  For a moment, I think Hook will push the subject. Another of those long exhales and all the tension leeches out of his body. “One day, we’ll talk about what happened the night I offered to get you out of his territory.”

  “No, we won’t.” There’s no point in pulling out all the wrongs done during those years and looking them over. Hook isn’t even the perpetrator, but he stood by and witnessed, which is almost as bad. I don’t exactly blame him for it, but I can blame him for the fact that the past is clinging to my back more fiercely than it ever has.

  “Tink.” He practically purrs my name, a low grumbling sound that has me focusing on him completely. Just like that, the rest of it fades away, and there’s only this man who stares at me as if he can divine my thoughts right out of my head. He drags his thumb along my jaw to stop just below my bottom lip. “Would you like your reward?”

  I reach for some attitude, but it slips through my fingers like water. I might be mouthy, but in my heart of hearts, I love submitting. I love the moment when I hand over control to someone who will give me exactly what I didn’t even realize I need. I love that I am never truly at their mercy because I will always have a fail-safe, and they will always respect it. At least here in the Underworld.

  There are bad Dominants. There always will be.

  Hook isn’t one of them. I hope.

  “No, beautiful girl. Don’t get that look on your face.” He releases my chin and presses his finger to the spot between my eyebrows, smoothing out my frown. “Stay with me.”

  I shouldn’t let him soothe me, no matter how good he is at it. But I am so goddamn tired. The events of the last few days cascade over me, and all I want is to forget for a little while. I press my lips together, clinging to my last bit of defiance. “I’m not crawling to you tonight.” Too late, I realize I all but admitted that I will crawl to him, will beg for his cock.

  “I know.” His smile is nowhere near his usual shit-eating grin, but somehow it’s more genuine. “I have something else in mind for you.”

  Chapter 8

  Hook

  It’s been years since I’ve seen Tink look so fragile. I hate that talking about the past fucks with her like this, though I can hardly blame her for it. She survived Peter. It’s more than others can say. Guilt pricks me, both remembered and current. Hearing her say the truth aloud feels different than when I was putting together this Hail Mary plan. I’m using her as bait. I dragged her back into my world in service of finishing this fight with Peter. I meant what I said about not letting him near her, but he’s more than capable of hurting her without laying hands on her again.

  He’s doing it right now, reaching through the years to put those shadows in her eyes.

  I can’t take back those memories. But I’ll sure as shit put some good ones in her head tonight. It’s the least I can do, considering what this marriage will cost her. More, I want to. That’s reason enough for me.

  I climb out of the booth and hold out my hand, a silent command. It’s a token of how off-center she is that she takes it without complaint. Eyes follow us as I lead her to the door to the public playroom. As usual on the weekends, Allecto leans against the wall next to it. Her dark gaze flicks over me and Tink and the spot where I have her hand in mine. “Interesting turn of events.”

  “Allecto,” Tink warns.

  The Fury shakes her head slowly, expression downright dangerous. “I think I’ll tag along when you have coffee with Aurora.”

  Tink tenses. “You heard that.”

  “You know better. I hear everything that goes on in this place.” She shifts her attention to me, and it’s everything I can do not to tense, too. Crossing Allecto is a good way to lose a limb. There’s a reason she’s Hades’s head of security, and it’s not simply because she has a habit of knowing things she shouldn’t. She can also take down damn near anyone in this room without breaking a sweat. She narrows her eyes. “You fuck with her, you fuck with me. You got it?”

  “I’ll follow the rules while I’m playing in Hades’s territory.”

  She doesn’t like that, but she can’t do shit about it. This only works if Hades keeps control of his people. If they go out hunting in others’ territories, we’re looking at an all-out war, and no one wants that. It cuts into the bottom line and everyone will lose valuable people. Bad for business across the board.

  Finally, she steps aside. “Carry on, then.”

>   The public playroom is mostly empty, the various couches and equipment unoccupied and practically shining with invitation. More people will trickle in as the night continues, but right now there are only two scenes going on. Meg is whipping Hercules, the long tail an extension of her arm. She’s completely focused on him as she draws her arm back and flicks it forward to strike. The other is a couple I don’t recognize fucking on the spanking bench.

  Normally, I’d linger. I like watching Meg work, and she does it in public less and less as time goes on. But I can’t tonight.

  As we head into the hallways with the themed rooms, I glance back at Tink. She’s still got that fragile look on her face. Damn it. I stop in front of the door leading to our destination and squeeze her hand. “Stay with me.”

  “I’m here, aren’t I?”

  Not quite her usual snark, but it will have to do. I open the door and tow her inside. She looks around and snorts. “A bed? Really? How vanilla of you.”

  The room is more suite than simple bedroom. Though there’s a bed nearly as large as mine taking up half the room, there’s also a trio of overstuffed chairs next to a gas fireplace. It’s cozy and romantic and perfect for what I have planned. A wedding night to remember.

  I motion to the spot in front of the fire. “Stand there.”

  Tink slowly walks over. The firelight plays on her pale skin and golden hair, flickering over her curves in a way I’m almost jealous of. Soon. Soon, I’ll have her in every way I want her. I move to her and drag a hand down her back to her ass. “Tell me your safe word.”

  Her sigh is her only protest. “Pirate.”

  I fucking love that she picked that word. I love what it means, that somewhere in that pretty head of hers, she was thinking of me all this time. “Good girl.” I unzip the back of her dress, careful with the tiny zipper. She wiggles out of it and I have to stop a minute and just appreciate the sight of Tink in white lingerie. Her bra lifts her breasts up and creates some truly impressive cleavage. Her panties are barely there. And the fucking garter belt and thigh highs. I simultaneously want to rip every single piece of lingerie off her and also keep her in it forever.

  “Cat got your tongue.”

  I don’t stop my slow perusal of her. “You dressed to impress. Give your man a second to enjoy the view.”

  “You’re not my man.”

  “My ring on your finger says otherwise.”

  Her huff is music to my ears. Slowly, oh so slowly, she’s inching back into her comfortable, confident self. I don’t know if it’s being back in the Underworld or bantering with me, but I’ll take it either way.

  I walk a slow circle around her, and fuck. The temptation to throw my plan away is nearly overwhelming. But the plan is to seduce her into my bed. Tonight is simply doing it our way. “Do you trust me?”

  “No. Next question.”

  I chuckle and stop behind her. Her only response is a slight tensing in her shoulders. But she doesn’t turn to keep me in view. Good. “I’m not talking about your heart, Tink. I’m sure as fuck not talking about your soul.” I slowly drag her hair off her neck and twist the shining locks around my fist. “I’m talking about your body. Do you trust me with your body?”

  “I …” She shivers. “Yes. Fine. I trust you that far.”

  “Good.” With my free hand, I reach behind me and grab the blindfold off the mantle. I lean forward, bringing my chest against her back, and show her the silky padded fabric. “Then we can begin.”

  “Oh, you asshole,” she breathes.

  “Close your eyes.” I slip the blindfold over her head, careful not to tangle her hair. It takes a few seconds to adjust it, and then I go on one knee next to her. I guide her hand to my shoulder and proceed to take off her heels. Once I’m sure her balance is stable, I nudge her hand away and gather up her shoes and dress. They’re deposited in the little dresser on the other side of the bed.

  I move back to stand in front of her. “Kneel.”

  “I really hate you.”

  “No, you don’t. Kneel.”

  She sinks gracefully to her knees. I’ve seen her in this exact position a thousand times over the years, but never for me. The sheer satisfaction nearly knocks me back a step. Tink’s mine. She’s finally fucking mine. “Do not move from this spot. Do you understand?”

  She wets her pink lips and finally nods. “Yes … Sir.”

  Oh fuck, this woman is going to kill me. I leave before I can change my mind, stalking out of the room with heavy footsteps to let her know where I’m going. I don’t bother to be quiet shutting the door. The anticipation is half the game right now, and making her be patient will only enhance the payoff for both of us.

  Three people wait for me outside the door, just as I requested. I look to Gaeton first. Of the trio, he’s the only one I’d call a friend—with the occasional benefits. Beast and Malone are more peers with a series of shared interests. I respect the hell out of them, but I’m very aware of the power they wield outside this club. Beast may be a general for the Man in Black, same as Gaeton, but there’s something about him that keeps everyone at a distance. Malone rules her own territory, one of the largest slices of Carver City. She’s also my neighbor to the south, though we’ve never had so much as a whisper of a territory dispute since I took over.

  Really, the only thing they have in common is that they’ve played with Tink in the past and hold enough fondness for her to get over their issues with each other. At least for the duration of a scene.

  Gaeton grins. “Interesting way to spend your wedding night.” He stands several inches taller than me, and at least half a foot taller than both Beast and Malone. The man is fucking huge.

  We’ve already gone over the details. Shared domination of Tink for the duration of the scene. I’ve done shit like this before, but I’m usually one of the guests involved, rather than the Dom running the show. “You’ve all played with her before. You know what she likes. I want her on the edge, but don’t take her over.”

  “We can do that.” Malone idly strokes her golden riding crop. It’s a ridiculous piece of equipment, the bottom of its handle encrusted with jewels that, knowing Malone, are all real. She’s wearing a pair of deep purple pants that fall in carefully tailored lines to hug her ankles and show off her shiny black heels that look like they could kill a man. A black silk blouse and suspenders finish the look, and with Malone, it’s always a look. Her short blond hair is styled back from her face. I’m still not sure how old she is. There are faint lines at the corners of her eyes that would probably deepen if she ever smiled, but that could put her anywhere between thirty and sixty.

  “Lot for her to take.” Beast watches me closely. He might be a few inches shorter than me and built leaner, but he’s not one I’d happily turn my back on outside of this place. Having both him and Gaeton in the same room for this scene is a risk. Even now, they stand on either side of Malone, as if they need a buffer to even occupy the same space.

  Fuck, am I making a mistake? I pin him with a look. “Are you two going to play nice?” If they wreck the room, Hades is going to kick my ass.

  “We’ve put aside old … grudges … recently.” Gaeton grins, but not in a way that convinces anyone standing here. “Haven’t we, Beast?”

  “More or less.” Beast might be the only person in this place who can get away with wearing jeans and a plain T-shirt, but somehow it just works for him. He holds my gaze, his blue eyes almost eerie in the low light of the hallway. “Regardless, we’ll behave tonight.”

  It’s as good a promise as I’m going to get. “Then let’s get started.”

  I open the door and am gratified to find Tink exactly where I left her, kneeling with her head bowed. The fire backlights her, and fuck if the view doesn’t steal my breath for a second.

  Gaeton bumps his shoulder against mine and waggles his eyebrows. I glare, but it’s hard to maintain my distance when I’m anticipating what’s to come.

  I let Tink hear me walk to her as t
he others spread out. I guide her slowly to her feet, keeping a hand on her hip to ensure she doesn’t wobble. “Tell me your safe word again.”

  This time, she doesn’t hesitate. “Pirate.”

  “Good girl. Let’s get started.”

  Chapter 9

  Tink

  There is nothing like a blindfold to change the face of a scene. I wasn’t lying when I said I trust Hook with my body, but not being able to see what’s coming has anticipation and a delicious lick of fear curling through me. There is only one true rule in the Underworld, but there have been times in the past when people broke it. When someone was threatened or harmed because of an ignored safe word.

  I might be facing down a tsunami of fear at the thought of what the future holds, but I know right down to my bones that Hook won’t do anything tonight that I’m not 100 percent into.

  I just don’t know what he’s going to do.

  His big hand comes to rest at the back of my neck. Not gripping, exactly. It’s more of a steadying touch and hell if I don’t lean back into it. He’s my rock in the sea of blackness, the one thing I can be sure of in this room. His voice sounds in my ear, low and intimate. “I’m feeling particularly generous, so I’m going to give you a series of choices tonight.”

  It’s a trap. It has to be.

  I lick my lips. “Okay.”

  “First up—pain or pleasure?”

  I strain my ears, but I can’t sense anything except him at my back. I suspect he left the room when I heard the door open and shut, but I’ve also seen that trick set up to only seem like the Dominant left their submissive unattended. The agony of waiting without knowing for sure is a special kind of foreplay.

  If he did leave … What did he leave to do?

  In the end, I can only answer him honestly. “Both.”