Savage King

by V. L. Silva

  “I accept,” he murmured. “When are you going to pick me up?”

  “Water,” I tried to say, but the word came out more like a moan.

  I shook my head and he tilted his down. His brows furrowed. “I can’t understand what you’re trying to say. Are you trying to compliment my sense of style?”

  I found air just so I could laugh.

  He got me a bottle of water and I chugged it.

  I was glad this wasn’t a date and that I didn’t actually think anything would develop with his guy after tonight. This was not me. In spite of my address, I was actually a polished young woman. I’d taken lady’s etiquette classes every summer I visited my aunt Kris in Los Angeles.

  My timer sounded its siren and I flew to the rug to shut it off.

  My host was right behind me.

  I grabbed a cloth from my bag and popped back up to my feet. “I need water.” I ran to the door I believed led to a bathroom and was glad I was right. “One minute,” I called over my shoulder before I discreetly shut the door.

  Turning, I leaned against it and fought to breathe.

  The entire bathroom smelled like him. I was suffocating from a lack of oxygen. The heat from my arousal only made it worse.

  My fear was reflected in the mirror. I schooled my features and told my heart to get with the picture. I was way out of my depth with this guy, not because he had money but because his charm matched his eyes. Sharp and intelligent. The guy could run for congress and win.

  I checked my simple makeup as music filtered into the bathroom. It grew louder and I smiled as I recognized the song. “Wonderwall” had a groovy sway that was almost too much to resist.

  I soaked the cloth underneath the faucet, rang most of the water out, and returned to the room.

  He was standing on the rug with his hands in his pockets. The answer was controlled and portrayed mock innocence.

  Avoiding his presence wasn’t easy but I managed to do it as I moved closer. I bent down and wiped the spot in every direction, working the solution up and into the cloth. When I was done it was darker than before.

  He crouched right next to me and imprisoned me with his eyes. “How long does it take to dry?”

  “Thirty minutes.”

  “That’s enough time.”

  I didn’t have to ask for what.

  He grabbed me again and this time I didn’t stop him. He barely gave me a chance. He was so big. In a second I was trapped underneath his bulk and then his mouth was on mine and setting my body on fire. I dropped the cloth in favor of his arms. He was made of granite.

  He didn’t mess around this time. He went for what he wanted and took it from me. Hunger prowled its way through my blood and charred my senses to a crisp. His chest settled on top of my breasts. He growled and I could feel his rattling heartbeat.

  He tasted good, better than the chips I’d eaten, addictive from the first hit. I wanted more.

  I was terrified. I didn’t know what to do. I kind of froze underneath him and he stopped. He pulled his mouth just enough for me to focus on him.

  Desire looked good on him. “Have you done this before?”

  “Done what?” My hands fluttered around his body. I was unsure where to touch him or if I should anymore. Was he going to get up? I didn’t want him to. I liked his weight. His intoxicating scent. The hardness that I felt between his legs.

  His lips twitched. “You look uncomfortable.”

  “I’m not.” I really wasn’t. In fact, nothing had ever felt as good as having him on top of me, but I was lost and I ached and that was making it hard for me to think.

  His brows were pulled tight but I watched his face clear before he pecked my lips affectionately. A little too affectionately. “Calm down. I’m not going to fuck you on the floor.”

  I released a shaky breath.

  “I got a bed for that.”

  I hit his arm.

  He laughed and then fed it to me with his next kiss. I knew he knew I was inexperienced, but there was nothing timid about the way his lips stroked over mine. It was bold and I was soon pulled under the spells of passion he was casting.

  His tongue entered my mouth. Warm and rough. I arched my back and tried to seek more of him.

  He arched up and forced my skirt up my hips. I felt the air hit my thighs as more of my body was exposed.

  A blaring shout in the distance made me slow down. I’d forgotten all about the party.

  The song in the room had changed to “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman. Everything was sneaking back into my mind. “You’re missing your party.”

  “I don’t care.” He dropped his mouth to my throat, scalding me with enough heat to make me not care either.

  “Is it a celebration?”

  He barely let up from his exploring to talk. His hand was between my thighs and inching closer to my mound. “I guess you could call it a celebration. It’s my birthday.”

  I turned toward him and cupped his face. “Happy birthday.”

  “Thank you.” He cupped my vagina and I shot off the rug.

  He pushed me back down with his other hand and worried my clit through my wet panties.

  I squealed in shock. His fingers felt so much better than mine.

  “Axel!” a definitely female voice shouted from the other side of the door before she banged loudly. “Are you up here?”

  His hand paused but he didn’t let me go. If anything, he covered me more firmly.

  “Who is that?” I whispered.

  “Diana.” He said it like I was supposed to know who that was.

  “Axel?” The girl tried the door handle. The fact that she felt secure enough to try and force her way into the room gave me greater pause.

  “Who is that?”

  He held my eyes and remained completely indifferent to the girl that was becoming hysterical on the other side. “I already told you. Her name is Diana.”

  “Is she your girlfriend?” My voice rose with the question. I couldn’t bite back my worry.

  “No. Not yet.”

  Not yet?

  So she would be his girlfriend, just not yet. Diana would have to wait for something, but what? And what did that make me? I knew what it made me. No one. Had I really let myself fantasize about becoming more with this guy? He hadn’t even given me his name.

  Shame pricked at my heart as I realized how stupid I was being.

  Axel, and I was sure that was his name, stared at me as the knocking got louder. Then he rolled away and executed one of those quick jumps onto his feet and straightened.

  I was so impressed by the move that I didn’t notice his anger until he snapped at me. “Get your stuff.” He grabbed something off a chair and walked to the bathroom. The door shut soundly behind him.

  I pulled my skirt down as “Californication” by Red Chili Peppers switched on. The song was far too appropriate for this embarrassing moment. I wanted to crawl underneath the rug and die.

  Axel reemerged in a pair of dark jeans that clung to his muscles just as I put my feet in my shoes. I kept my eyes on my bag as I walked to the door.

  He pulled it open and a diva with a cute button nose was on the other side. Her brown hair was wet and clung to her slim neck and small shoulders.

  She looked at us and then gasped, “Axel, what’s going on?”

  “She was cleaning my room.”

  I slowly turned my head to look at him. Technically, he wasn’t wrong, but technically he’d been cleaning my mouth with his tongue.

  Diana relaxed her shoulders. She wore a yellow string bikini that showed off her toned body very well. “Oh, well, come on. We’re about to sing happy birthday to you.” She looked at me. “Are you done?”

  “Yup.”

  There was no reason to get into the middle of this. I was D-O-N-E. Done! I moved around her and fled down the stairs.

  Axel caught up with me, surprising me. “Wait by the door. This won’t take long.”

  Was he serious? I didn’t know why I
kept asking myself that. Of course, he was serious. This guy was unlike any man I’d ever met before. He threw his hands out and was swallowed whole by the mass of people in swim attire and warm smiles.

  2

  Hope

  I walked out of the side door just as people started to sing the traditional tune of well wishes.

  As I tiptoed through the stone path and dashed down the front stairs, I tried to forget the last hour of my life but I already knew I wouldn’t. Was this what money did to people? If that was the case then I… No, I still wanted money. I wanted a lot of money, but I wouldn’t let it change me.

  I didn’t even check his rug but I knew he owed me a subscription.

  I didn’t look back at the house as I continued down the sidewalk.

  A car prowled up on the road next to me and I heard the automatic window go down. “I told you to wait in the house,” he snarled.

  His anger shoved at mine but mine was bigger, badder, and uglier. It burned a hole through my chest.

  He was lucky I wasn’t one of those crazy chicks who was into keying cars or taking bats to windshields.

  Who was I kidding? If I had a bat, I’d swing it like Babe Ruth.

  “Go away.” I marched a little faster and heard an engine roar as he caught up. Why was he revving so hard? I couldn’t have been walking more than five miles an hour. He was polluting the air for no reason.

  He kept pace with me until I could see the gate.

  He drove ahead and I briefly glanced at his silver car before I dropped my eyes to the sidewalk again.

  He waited by his car for me to reach him and then opened the passenger side door. “Get in.”

  “Are you deaf?”

  “Are you?”

  I howled so loudly I was surprised the dead didn’t rise. “Fuck you.”

  “Slow down. I’m not easy. You haven’t even taken me on a date yet.”

  I drowned out his rugged voice and teasing by walking louder. My heels sounded like fixed determination. I hated that he had the nerve to try and make me smile. I hated myself for wanting to. I was never weak with anyone.

  But I’d been weak with him. My mother always warned me that the day would come when a guy would look at me and I’d forget myself.

  I’d completely forgotten myself. Not again.

  “Don’t you have a date already lined up with Diana?” I asked, only to regret it a minute later.

  “I don’t see what Diana has to do with us.”

  It amazed me that men like him existed, beautiful on the outside but completely cold on the inside. I felt for Diana. The girl’s heart was going to be broken. I’d seen the way she looked up at him. Her expressive eyes had been full of hero worship.

  It sucked so bad. I’d only known him a few hours and I was crushed. I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to actually care for an unrepentant jackass like him.

  “You lied to her,” I whispered.

  “No I didn’t. You cleaned my floor.”

  Axel was going to chew her up and spit her out.

  “You know what I mean.” I yanked at my skirt. “You said you try to stay honest but you’re not an honest person. Please leave me alone.”

  I watched his brows twitch and his jaw clench. “You don’t know me.”

  “I’d like to keep it that way.”

  I walked out of the gate and heard him get into his car. The engine revved again and I had a feeling he was trailing me but I refused to look back.

  My steps slowed as I tried to navigate down the hill. It was hard, especially since the sidewalk was gone. This area hadn’t been built for pedestrians. I should have called the Uber back by the gate but I was more concerned about being around Axel than I was about using my own logic.

  I stopped at the corner and pulled out my phone.

  He got out his car right in front of me and opened the passenger car door again. “Get in or I’ll call your boss, tell him you came on to me.”

  My fingers stilled over the confirmation button. I looked up.

  There was a single street light on the corner. It casted deep shadows over half of his face.

  “You’re the one harassing me. I should call the cops.”

  “Do it,” he taunted. “But I’m sure I have better lawyers than you. After all, you are poor, right?”

  My breath left my lungs like he’d hit me. “Call my job. I don’t care.” He wouldn’t really do it, would he?

  He pulled out his phone from his pocket. “Do they have a voicemail box set up?”

  I didn’t answer.

  He put the phone to his ear and from where I stood I could hear it ring. I still didn’t think he’d do it. He had to be bluffing. What sort of maniac called people’s jobs and made false accusations?

  I heard Shandra the office assistant’s voice in the answering machine and got my answer. Axel was the sort of maniac.

  I rushed over to him as I heard the beep. “Don’t—” I crashed into him and jumped for my phone.

  Axel turned to keep it out of my reach. “Hello, this is Axel King. I’m calling about one of your sales reps.”

  “Please!” My heart thundered in my chest and tears burned my eyes. I needed this job. I was saving to finish college. If I didn’t pay for it myself I couldn’t finish. My mother had already made that clear.

  Axel looked down at me. “She came to my home today.”

  I hung my head and immediately tried to figure out my next step. I could always waitress at the Greener Day. Chris would put me back on the schedule. Summer was kind of slow. Greener Day was located by my college and became a hangout during the school year.

  “She left something behind and I want to get it back to her. Call me back at this number.” He fed the digits to the answering machine and then hung up.

  My hands were clenching his shirt and didn’t let go until he pocketed the phone. “Did I actually leave something behind?”

  His hand caressed the back of his neck. When he pulled away my golden heart-shaped hairpin was in his hand. “Get in the car.”

  “I need that back.”

  “I swear to God, I’m not going to say it again.”

  I beat back the impulse to slap him and flung myself into the passenger seat. I barely had my feet in before he slammed it shut.

  “What a gentleman,” I sneered. He would remember to open a lady’s door but absolutely nothing about dignity and honor. He had no honor.

  I folded into his side. There was no other way to describe it. He was just so big. I kept my eyes pointed at the windshield as he started the engine, and I bit back my urge to tell him to stop revving it. What would be the point? He’d probably just do it again just to annoy me.

  “Where are we going?” he asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  He tapped his thumb on the steering wheel. “Where do you live?”

  “Just take me to the trolley line.” They ran until midnight.

  “I’m done repeating myself.”

  My rage turned into a scolding ball of fury and I unleashed in. “Then go home! I don’t need you. I don’t want you to take me home. What don’t you understand about that? I’m trying to get away from you.”

  “Why?”

  He barely let a second pass before he asked.

  The man was psycho if he didn’t know. He’d kissed me and then told me he was going to make another girl his girlfriend. I had every right to be upset.

  Except… Not really. I didn’t know him and if Diana wasn’t his girlfriend then technically he hadn’t cheated on her.

  I was just annoyed because he’d made me feel cheap. I was good enough to trade saliva with but not to give any real consideration towards dating. Maybe he wasn’t ready for a relationship. Maybe that’s why he and Diana weren’t an item yet.

  I wish more guys were more thoughtful in that aspect.

  Axel didn’t know me. He’d seen something he’d wanted and he went after it. He’d made his intentions clear from the beginning and he’
d done it boldly and in a way that didn’t leave me guessing.

  I want to fuck you.

  My cheeks burned with the memory.

  I looked over to the large male in the driver seat and realized I was in the wrong. He hadn’t hurt me. I’d hurt myself with my silly imagination. I’d gone for a walk in a place I had no business being and found a man I had no business knowing.

  He’d take me home and that would be the end of it.

  “I live in Del Mar.”

  He didn’t move. His body was twisted toward me. His thumb continued to tap against the steering wheel. The car wasn’t big so he was nearly on top of me. “You just had an entire discussion in your head, didn’t you?”

  I thought about what he was implying and nodded. “Yeah, I did.”

  “And what did you decide?”

  “That you could take me home. Thank you.” I put on my seatbelt and dug up a soft smile for him that turned genuine.

  I was saving money.

  His jaw tightened again. I sensed disapproval but I didn’t ask why. It didn’t matter. My story with Axel would end in the next twenty minutes.

  He watched me for another minute and I let him take me in and try to figure me out, studying me like I was some strange phenomenon. Perhaps he was trying to memorize me so he could recall my image in his sleep.

  The idea of him remembering me for even a few weeks made my heart flutter. I’d definitely remember him and tuck the memory away for instances when I was stuck dumb and mute by another beautiful man. I’d think about the rollercoaster of emotions I’d rode with this one. How I got flipped, twisted, and righted just before the ride came to jarring halt.

  People often said the best lessons were learned through experience and this situation had definitely proved that. It hurt but even I knew it could have hurt way worse. This was a flick in the ear compared to stomps and kicks from a size thirteen steel-toe boot that other women received.

  Eventually, after I suppose he’d had his fill, he shook his head and pulled away from the curb.

  California was like a shimmering sky at night. We flew down the hill with the car wrapped tight around the mountain. The city calmed me like the smooth road that had been cut into the rough terrain. “Can I roll down the window?”