by CR Robertson
***
Chapter Two
Cassandra
Xavier’s hand fisted at his side and I knew he was close. It was greedy of me, but I wanted him inside me when he came.
His hand wrapped around my hair as he jerked my head back. Those blue eyes were like sapphires blazing down at me, his fingers under my chin, slowly guiding me onto my feet. His lips descended to mine and I willingly gave him full control.
Two months ago, he took over my life like a tornado. I met him in the darkness and somehow, he found me in the light. It never occurred to me that he would stay since I wasn’t the glamourous type of women that Xavier was normally associated with in the fashion magazines. I soon found out that they were mostly for show, considering some of the nights he’d reportedly been in the bed of a model, he was actually in mine.
“Missed you,” he muttered in my mouth.
Tugging the bottom of his T-shirt, I tried to drag it up his chest. He was all hard muscles covered in smooth skin.
“Missed you more.”
Xavier hauled his T-shirt over his head and threw it toward the sofa, his jeans hit the ground even as he toed his boots off.
At the start, I convinced myself that he only wanted me because I was forbidden fruit and I tried to resist him. That didn’t last long, because I craved him with every piece of my soul. I soon discovered that when Xavier wanted something, he stalked and claimed that prize.
“Hands on the window, baby, and spread your legs.” The picture window that filled almost an entire wall of my living room was the reason I bought this apartment. I loved to stare out at the city lights through it.
My forearms and palms braced my body even as he moved behind me. Our eyes locked in the reflection of the window. Xavier kissed my shoulder, his teeth lightly grazing my skin. His hands skimmed down me in the ownership we both knew he had, to widen my legs and step between them.
We both groaned when he thrust up into me, pressing my breasts against the cool window. Gone were my days of bottles of lubrication and lying on my back making a mental shopping list while waiting for my partner to finish. Xavier set all my senses on fire as he claimed me with that one thrust, stretching and filling me completely.
“You have no idea how much I’ve needed to do that all day,” he said, his head resting on the back of my neck, fingers imprinted on my flesh with his grip.
“How’s the new club?” If he’d been turned on all day, there was something there that caught his eye.
“You’ll see on the opening night.”
The fact that he got harder told me I’d be doing more than just watching.
Giving up, I closed my eyes and succumbed to sensation alone, all thoughts disappearing from my head. There were times that Xavier was soft and loving, and other times he was all hard angles and suppressed violence. Tonight, fell into the latter category. There were no tender caresses on our bed. Instead, his hips forced me up the window, my body leaving boob and cheek imprints.
He dragged my hips further out so he could fully seat himself in me with every thrust. With the lights on behind us, the entire city could see us, but I didn’t care. Nothing else mattered when we were together.
The scent of arousal cloaked us as the sound of flesh slapping created our own symphony. I knew when his darkness started to subside because his lips trailed kisses down my vertebrae and his fingers explored instead of digging into my hips. Xavier’s hand wrapped around my hair to tug my face around to his waiting lips. I always felt closest to him when he kissed me, as if he was saying all the words that he kept locked inside him.
He pulled out of me and spun my back to the window, lifting me up by the ass. My legs and arms wrapped around him, my lips seeking his. His cock slowly slipped back inside me, and I sighed at the stretching feeling, the erotic trail of his piercing creating a path along my flesh.
This was the Xavier that made butterflies erupt in my chest.
Pressure built deep in my stomach, stoked by every powerful movement of his hips against mine. “Ohmigod,” I uttered, my core on fire from the friction of his cock spearing in and out of me.
Xavier’s arms slid around me, and he turned me, letting my body lie along the back of my sofa as he pushed both of us over the edge. My back arched and my hands gripped the sofa above my head as I screamed my release. Xavier thrust in one last time, holding his pelvis tight against mine as he spurted his climax deep inside me.
He pulled me up so we could lose ourselves in a kiss that spoke to my soul. His tongue battled with mine, even as my legs tightened around him to hold him inside me, my hands on his ass.
“Welcome home,” I whispered into his mouth and his lips twitched.
From the first night we spent together in the light, Xavier always returned to me. The construction work on his house continued as if he now had a timeframe in mind. I went to sleep every night in his arms and woke most mornings with him buried deep inside me.
He was insatiable, with a cock that seemed to be rechargeable, because I swear, I’d never met a man who could go so long or so many times in the one day.
“Loved the photo,” he replied, pressing another deep kiss on my lips.
“Evidently," I sassed back, clenching around him.
The smoke alarm activated and nearly scared the life out of me. Xavier released me, chuckling as I waved the oven mitt around to dissipate the smoke.
“I spent ages on this,” I lamented, staring at the burnt remains.
His arm encircled my waist. “I’ll order pizza and we can eat it in bed together.” He pressed a kiss on the tip of my nose and went in search of his phone.
Xavier’s mood said he’d seen his dad today. Darkness entered his soul every time he had to deal with the demons of his family. My clothes still littered the floor, and I began collecting them to dress myself since I’d dealt with the burnt remains of our dinner. Two open bottles of beer had appeared on the kitchen counter, one already half empty.
It was these little things that made my heart beat faster. From the beginning, being with Xavier had been easy with none of the difficult stilted conversations. We’d opened up to each other in the darkness of The Midnight Rooms, with both of us sharing secrets with strangers that we’d never confessed in the light of day.
One sound I’d grown to despise over the past few weeks had been the ringtone of Xavier’s phone, because it normally heralded him disappearing.
“Yeah?” His deep baritone voice echoed into the living room. “What the fuck happened? Yeah, yeah, I’ll meet you there in thirty.”
Xavier padded in and I tried to hide my disappointment behind my hair that fell over my face. His world consisted of million-pound deals and constant organisation. Mine was a nine-to-five job with weekends off.
“I’ll save you some pizza,” I said, trying to tug my yoga pants back on.
He stared at me for several seconds, his T-shirt bunched in his right hand. “Why don’t you come with me? We can go for a ride on my bike and meet Jay? It shouldn’t take long.”
I hadn’t officially met either of his two friends. They’d been at meetings, and most of the women in my office referred to them as the hotties. When they turned up in their designer suits and sunglasses, they made everyone do a double-take.
I wandered over and wrapped my arms around his waist. “I thought you wanted us to remain a secret?”
“If it was up to me, I wouldn’t give a fuck who knew. I’ve already told you that you’re mine—that hasn’t changed.” His fingers combed my hair back. “You didn’t want our relationship to risk your job and I’m trying to respect that.”
“Ugh!” I buried my head into his strong chest. Why did everything have to be so damned complicated?
His T-shirt dropped to the floor and his hands cupped my face. “I’m trying to give you the space you need, baby. My life is complex and constantly under scrutiny. This is all I have that is real.”
“I know, and a partnership is opening in the company in a
few months. It’s just that every time you walk into the office, and every heterosexual female with a libido undresses you, I want to claw their eyes out.” My eyes fluttered closed for a moment before I returned his gaze again. “Or claim you in front of all of them.”
“You know I wouldn’t object to that.” He walked me backward until my back hit the wall. His head descended and he scorched me with the intensity of his kiss, making my back arch and me to moan into his mouth.
He always set me on fire with his touch. Not because he was everything I’d ever fantasised about in the dark of night with my vibrator, but because whatever we’d found was a rare gift.
The doorbell rang and he lifted his head, sucking my bottom lip into his mouth. The cocky grin on his face as he turned and sauntered to the door, dressed only in his low-riding jeans, said he knew what he did to me with those kisses.
The smell of melted cheese permeated into the apartment a few moments later. Xavier grabbed a slice and practically inhaled it as he searched for his boots.
I ripped into the cheesy goodness while dragging on my jeans and a pink woollen jumper to keep me warm on the back of his bike. He’d arrived a few weeks ago with a leather jacket for me to wear when we rode. It allowed Xavier to be anonymous since no one knew he drove a Harley.
“What’s the problem tonight?” I asked, pushing my foot into a boot.
“Security breach at one of the businesses.”
“Is that not a police matter?”
Xavier grinned down at me. “Nah. Jay will have the perpetrators identified before the police could get a statement recorded.”
“What does he need you for?”
“It requires two partners’ passwords to access the system.” He lifted another slice of pizza and held it between his teeth as he hunted for his keys.
Standing, I held my arms out. “Will I do?”
He removed the pizza from his mouth. A slow, sexy smile spread over his full lips. I wanted to look good to meet his friend, even though he’d seen me in the office several times. “Depends on what look you’re trying to achieve. If you’re aiming for sex kitten with the I’ve just been thoroughly fucked look, you’ve definitely managed that.”
Chewing the side of my mouth, I headed toward the bedroom. “I’ll quickly change…”
“No time, baby. Gotta go.” He grabbed my hand and tugged me against his chest. “You look great, and it makes me hard to think I was the one who thoroughly fucked you.”
“Zee…” I was going to object, but the twinkle in his eyes said he was teasing me. Instead, I grabbed one last slice of pizza. “Come on, since you’re late.”
The freedom of his bike enveloped me, my pelvis tight against his and my arms wrapped around his waist. Nothing else compared to the two of us driving along the roads together with the streetlights illuminating our world.
Xavier and his buddies owned several businesses worldwide, but it came as a huge shock to discover they were the masterminds behind The Midnight Rooms. Their headquarters was far from the watchful eye of Bartholomew Enterprises.
Jordan stood outside, smoking a cigarette with his back against the wall and his foot braced on it. “Sorry, I knew Ash wouldn’t have his phone on.” His dark gaze fell on me. “Are we needing legal advice tonight?”
“Don’t be a dick. Cas, this is Jay, the grumpy one of our group. Jay, this is Cas, and don’t even try to tell me you don’t know we’re involved.”
A feral grin flashed across Jordan’s lips even as he stamped his cigarette out. “I might have noticed you disappearing into her office a few times and coming back out again very relaxed.”
My cheeks flushed at the fact we’d been so obvious. Just a few days ago, Xavier bent me over my desk and the only reason we weren’t discovered was the fact he had his hand over my mouth when I screamed my release.
Xavier slapped him on the back of his head as he prowled past, the fingers of his other hand tightening on mine as Jordan replied with a dark, husky laugh. The pressure kept me grounded beside him, my nerves muted.
The two men tapped in security codes for the building that heralded flashing lights and a small metal shutter to lift and reveal a palm scanner. My eyes widened at the technology for a simple business premises in a safe part of the city.
“We keep a lot of our tech here,” Xavier explained as we walked in.
The main reception area was decorated in pale grey walls with a darker grey accent on the skirting boards. Canvases of the countryside hung on the walls, adding a splash of colour. Three sofas in dark grey sat against the walls, pointing toward a black reception desk.
Jordan headed straight through doors into the rear of the premises.
“Wait here,” Xavier said, leading me to a sofa. “We just need to check that everything is safe, and it was a false alarm.”
Picking up a magazine, I settled myself while the two men went to check for gremlins in their security system. It was only when I’d finished my magazine that my eyes went to the clock on the wall. My brow creased in concern as I lifted another magazine. A noise at the front door caught my attention when I was halfway through flicking without reading the book in my hands.
The handle turned and four men dressed in black walked in. Their gazes moved around the room and landed on me. A trickle of fear rippled down every vertebra of my back.
“Good evening, we’re looking for Xavier Bartholomew.” The man who spoke was about six-foot six with wide shoulders and muscles that were only achieved through some sort of steroid abuse.
“Maybe you should try again when the premises are open?” I gave him my best professional smile and dropped my gaze back to the magazine in the hope of dismissing him. A long time ago, I learnt that if you made yourself blend into the furniture, you made yourself less threatening.
“Who are you here with?” he persisted, his thick legs coming to stop in front of me.
Bringing my gaze up to his, I peered up at him. My stomach cramped in fear at the dark, penetrating stare of the giant in front of me. “The premises are closed,” I said with more confidence than I felt.
I desperately wished that my phone was in my hand instead of my pocket. I didn’t want to make a sudden movement to draw his attention.
His hand clamped on my arm, elucidating a squeak from me. He dragged me to my feet. “Maybe we should bring you with us,” he snarled.
The hairs on the back of my neck rose, even as I tried to pull my arm away. “Get your hand off me.”
His dark laugh made trepidation knot my stomach. He didn’t let me go, instead, he hauled me through the door Xavier and Jordan had disappeared through. We found Xavier standing in front of large screens, a controller in his hand as he scanned through multiple CCTV units.
His eyes moved to us and widened, before falling to the man’s hand on my arm. “Is there any reason you’re manhandling my girlfriend?”
Considering that it was the first time he’d ever put that title on me, there was part of me that wanted to do a happy dance. That was drowned out by the asshole whose grip on me tightened.
“We didn’t know you have a girlfriend, but this makes our mission easier.”
Xavier’s gaze moved to me in silent question. I was terrified but managed to stand with my head high. The bunching of his jaw was the only indication of his emotion.
“I’d advise you to get your hand off her,” he said calmly as he set the controller down and turned fully to face us.
“Our boss has put a high price on your head. He said your dad should have handed over what he was asked for. Now we’ll just take you as collateral until he sees sense.” The strong aroma of garlic from the man beside me was beginning to make me nauseous.
“You obviously don’t know Dad very well.” Xavier propped his hip against the desk and folded his arms. “When he makes a decision, he doesn’t change his mind. I’m really not that important.”
The growl from the man made my knees weak. “You are his only son.”
&nb
sp; “Indeed.” Xavier held his hands out in front of him, clamped together at the wrists. “Let her go and you can take me.”
“Why don’t I take both of you and have some fun with your woman?”
Nausea burned up my throat in a trail of bile at his implication.
Even though Xavier’s body language didn’t change, his eyes turned to hard glass. This was a side of him I never saw. Occasionally, it appeared in business meetings, but disappeared just as quickly. Right now, I was beginning to wonder who the biggest predator in the room was.
A click sounded to my right. “Or why don’t we just blow your fucking heads off?”
I didn’t want to alarm anyone, but I think I actually peed myself. The arm of the big guy snaked around my neck and elevated my head until I was on tiptoes and barely able to breathe.
“Big mistake,” Xavier said. “You could have walked away with your life if you hadn’t touched her.”
Scared was a word you attributed to movies with creepy music and a villain lurking around unsuspecting characters. Right now, I was absolutely petrified. My heart hammered in my chest, my stomach was in knots, and my ass cheeks were eating my panties.
“I really fucking wouldn’t,” Jordan threatened when one of the men behind me moved.
The rest happened in quick motion that left my head reeling and my pulse pounding in my ears. A guy behind me pulled a gun and shots fired from somewhere on my right. I’d seen it on television, I’d read about it in books, even took lessons a few years ago. But nothing prepared me for the noise and the faint aroma that accompanied a gun firing.
I jumped and screamed, my movement giving Xavier the opportunity to attack the man holding me. One of his hands grabbed my arm to push me behind him, the other hand shot up so that the heel of his palm broke the guy’s nose. Blood spurted free and I landed on my ass on the floor when my legs finally decided they refused to hold my weight. My arms and legs scrabbled backward as I tried to escape what was happening around me.
The injured man tried to reach his gun, but Jordan stood on it, the gun in his hand pointed at his head. He didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger a second time. It gave the other two men time to get their weapons out. One fired at Jordan, but he ducked, firing back and hitting his assailant on the shoulder. The other paced toward Jordan’s hiding area with his weapon trained on his position.
