by Samara King
“Angry?”
“Yes, I thought if I didn’t feel the way I did maybe things would have been different for Nate, even if we didn’t end up together.” Her eyes found his. “I can’t imagine what it could have been like for you in prison.” She thought of the letter she’d received from him and how it’d taken her so long to finally open it. “I should have been there.”
“I don’t know if that would have done any good.” Jordan shrugged his shoulders. “I was so numb Belle. I could not see anything or anyone accept what had happened to me. Charged as an accessory to something that I had nothing to do with, losing Nate and you, it was a lot at once. But it’s done and there’s no looking back. It’s the only way that I’ve been able to have any peace in my life.”
“I understand. I should have never agreed to marry Nate, I wanted so desperately for someone to love me then. And I thought he could fill the void."
"So what filled it?" Jordan asked.
"Time, being a business woman and my marriage to Brandon. He was a good man to me, Jordan. He taught me about life and was a great influence on my decision to open the club. It took me several years to get the courage to get into the business realm and it wasn't until after his death."
"You obviously loved him."
"Jordan, I loved him because he supported me, he helped me learn what it was to be independent. But it was not the same kind of love I have for you."
Their gazes fused.
"It wasn't?"
"No."
"Why?"
Belinda rose from her chair, pushing her plate aside. She walked over to him and straddle, wrapping her arms around him. "He wasn't you, Jordan. I never felt this –" she gestured to his chest and then touched her own. "—between Brandon. And besides you and my husband, I have never been with any other man."
She watched his eyes glitter with satisfaction at her acknowledgment. "I've never felt this way about anyone Belinda. When I found out that it was you underneath the mask, I couldn't believe it. I didn't know what to say. ""How did you know?”
Chapter Eight
JORDAN PLACED HIS PALMS on her hips, pulling her forward so that her breasts brushed against his bare chest. Her nipples w hardened. Belinda loved being held by him. And even more so, the feel of his dick brushing against her.
"I saw the butterfly on your shoulder and I also saw you from across the room by the kitchen without your mask. I was so stunned. I didn't know whether to run or to rush over and hold you."
"I'm sure I would have karate chopped you."
He tickled her side. "You would have tried I'm sure young grasshopper." She giggled. "You know I would." She stroked the back of his neck. Their eyes locked. She was content just to stay as they were. So many years and time had passed between them that she wanted to cherish this moment. The feel of her man's hands around her, the way it felt to feel his heartbeat against hers.
Her man.
Belinda smiled. She didn't need him to say the words to know that it was true. She felt it in her heart. Felt it we when he made love to her. She wanted nothing more than to feel him touch her again and again. Have him deeply embedded inside of her. The thought of having his baby briefly entered her mind before she heard him ask, "What are you thinking about?"
“You"
"Is that right?” He trailed his palm down the column of her throat to the center of her chest and rested it over her right nipple. His fingers worried her taut nipple. He leaned forward to lick her tight flesh through the fabric of her tank top. He took care to flick his tongue back and forth and then continued to suckle her right and then her left nipple.
“Mmmm, yes.” Belinda eyes fluttered close as the decadent thrill shot throughout her body at his play.
“You like that?” Jordan pulled her top down, pushed her bra aside and feasted her pointy tipples, greedily. The sound echoed through his kitchen causing a sheer erotic delight to spread warmth through her body.
She arched her back; her breasts bounced forward overflowing in his hands. “Yes.”
Belinda welcomed the heat as much as she lusted after his touch. She was addicted to Jordan. Every touch made her anticipate the next. Hungering after a man never had been one of her trademarks. It would be with him. Her pussy throbbed mimicking the intense ache that caused her to rock her hips against him in the chair.
Jordan pulled back, continuing to pluck her nipples with his fingers. And what about me?"
"I was wondering what it would feel like to have you inside of me again."
Jordan grinned. "Baby, you don't have to wonder. We can take care of that right now.”
She leaned forward, loving the way his smile touched her soul. "She kissed him. "We can?"
"Hell yes, right now."
"Let's do that."
"You don't have to tell me twice."
They both rose and wandering walking up the stairs. Jordan playfully pit pinched her ass as she walked ahead of him. "Stop that." Belinda giggled, swatting his chest with her hand. Her cell phone sounded as they got to the fifth step. She turned to face Jordan. "I should probably get that."
"Do you have to? I have something I want to give you." his hand cupped the large erection pointing upward in his pants.
“AND I WANT YOU TO GIVE it to me,” she responded huskily and turned to practically run up the stairs. She stepped to the side to let Jordan guide the way. He stood beside her, looked down at her hand and took hold.
“I should have made love to you here first.”
“I’m not complaining.”
Jordan grinned. “I don’t recall either one of us doing that.” He picked her up and dropped her into the middle of his king-sized bed.
“Hey!” Belinda laughed, tossing a pillow at him. “Easy on the goods.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make up for it.”
“Oh yeah?” her eyebrows rose. “How do you plan on making your unnecessary roughness up to me?”
“I can show you better than I can tell you.”
“Oh shoot, let me get comfortable for this.” She plopped up three pillows and leaned against the wooden headboard, crossed her feet at the ankles and folded her arms across her back.
Jordan stripped off his blue jeans and boxers so fast, Belinda chuckled. She was never disappointed of the end result of ogling his tall frame and that chocolate skin that made her want to taste him all over again.
He outstretched his arms. “Well?” He turned and shook his lean ass at her.
Belinda raced to the edge of the bed and slapped his ass. “Ohhh! Shake it baby.”
“Ouch!” He jumped into the bed, forcing her back against the soft covers and the clean male scent overwhelming any resolve she had to continue to play. She needed him inside of her.
As if sensing the urgency, Jordan lifted upward, unbuttoned her jeans and tossed them above their heads.
“Clothes are so damn overrated,” he rolled over to his back and instinctually Belinda straddled him, slowly easing her body over his.
They both remained still, watching the other as her softness melted against his hardness. The contrast the most sensual thing she’d ever encountered. She felt the tension building in the pit of her stomach and spreading like wildfire through her limbs.
He pulled her hips forward and rose to meet her thrusts each and every time.
Belinda rode him with long even strokes until she felt Jordan’s finger rub against her clit. She bucked against him, pumping wildly. She bent to touch his lips and stopped as his words made her still her movements.
“I love you, Belinda.”
The warmth she felt moments ago ignited every part of her body, electrifying her to her soul. She felt the tears build in the back of her eyes. Joy sprouted in her belly and spread, grasping a part of her heart she didn’t think she had it in her to give to another person. Love.
As if his words spurred her on, she began to move against him, slowly. She felt him everywhere as if their bodies had truly became one and the sheer force
exploded deep within her hedging on her orgasm.
“I love you too.”
The words sounded so right and sure. Belinda felt Jordan’s body release deep inside of her as he clutched her as if she were the most important thing in his world.
He was becoming that and more to her. She placed her head con his chest, listening to his steady rush of his heartbeat. Everything felt right.
That was her last thought before drifting off to one of the most peaceful sleeps she’d had.
Hours later, Belinda felt Jordan’s hand smoothing down the slope of her back, tingling her senses awake. She opened her eyes to find him smiling at her and licked her lips at the tempting sight he made, nude and all muscle.
“Good Afternoon.”
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept til noon, let alone the lack of need to rush, dress and go see about the club. “Afternoon,” she smiled. “Exactly what time would it be?”
“A quarter to one.”
Belinda propped herself up her elbow. “I suppose we should be getting out of this bed. We both have businesses to run.”
His eyebrows quirked. “We could do that, but I have a partner whose already downstairs seeing about the daily going-ons.” His gaze drifted to area of her body his hands were now rubbing, her buttocks. “I suppose you could go to the club, but seeing as you also have an assistant, I’m thinking the scale is tilting to making a simple phone call and staying in this bed with me.” He nuzzled the side of her neck with his lips, sending a shudder of delight through her naked body.
She chuckled and thought of how relaxed she’d become. Before all of this, she would have been at the club at ten, ensuring that everything would be covered for the evening opening. As she continued to be pulled into the warm haze of his brown eyes, she was forgetting exactly what her normal routine was.
Nothing was normal or nor would it be again. Belinda had to admit she was actually glad for the change. For him.
The ringing of the phone stopped her from succumbing to Jordan’s naughty antics. “I really should get that.” She smiled as he fell dead flat on the pillow next to her.
“I tried.”
Belinda was more than tempted to ignore the buzz of the cell again, but it could be Chris calling about something for the club. "I promise I'll be just a few minutes. Five tops." She rose from the bed, liking the fact that he watched her every move. She made no move to pick up her discarded clothes as she walked down the steps, picked up her purse and hit the talk button to answer the incessant ringing. "This is Belinda Gilles."
JORDAN SIGHED, LEANING his head against the pillows. The flowery scent of her hair and the seductive note of her dewy release was everywhere on the sheets, on his skin. He couldn’t think of a better way to live.
He liked Belinda the businesswoman, but was as a man was enjoying the woman as a whole. Gone was the uncertain, insecure girl he'd known years ago, though he saw glimpses of her time to time, he was more than willing to hold on to the woman Belle had become. Sure, sexy and one hell of a temptress in the bedroom. They had so much more to learn about each other. It didn't matter where they'd been before now. Now was what mattered.
“No! No, you’ve got to be wrong?”
Belinda’s screams cut into his meanderings. Jordan bolted from the bed and down the stairs. "Baby, what is it?"
She dropped her phone and it shattered to pieces as it hit the floor. He reached out to her as she staggered backwards.
She turned to face him, her bottom lip quivered. "The club caught on fire early this morning."
His eyes widened in disbelief. "Baby who told you this?"
Tears fell from her eyes. "Everything's gone." Belinda collapsed in his arms.
Chapter Nine
THE SMELL OF SMOKE was heavy and laced the air with destruction as they pulled up in his mustang at the ruin of what was Club Reign. Jordan's heart sunk as he watched Belinda cry. He knew what the club meant to her, what she'd investigated in it over the years and what it symbolized. He gritted his teeth at the thought coming to him about how this all came about.
For now he’d kept his suspicions to himself. Belinda got out the car and was immediately greeted by several staff members and several other people. Two women held Belinda for an extended time and all cried. They all hugged.
Jordan could see the impact he felt for her was in line with the impact she'd had with her extended family at the club. This was the other world she walked in. He was proud of what she’d accomplished.
He leaned against his car, feeling the sinking feeling in his stomach. It'd come to this. Ray was not going to stop until they came to a head. He couldn't pretend that the threat didn't exist. That he would just stop and leave them alone.
He felt her hand on his and looked down into her tearful gaze. Jordan pulled her into her his h arms. "Baby, I'm so sorry." What else could he say?
"You and I know how this happened. You know that bastard did this and he's not going to stop Jordan." She cried.
He was surprised to hear her words mirrored thee thoughts he'd been having. But then they seemed to be more in tuned than he could have ever realized. The feeling was new and he welcomed it into the usual loneliness he felt. He would not allow Ray to destroy another thing. He’d find a way to get him out of their lives, even if it meant walking through hell to do it.
BELINDA PULLED TO THE side. "Jordan, I want you to meet Christine, she is my God send with everything."
The young woman shook hands with him and smiled. "Nice to meet you, sorry, it's under such unfortunate circumstances."
Jordan nodded. "Me too."
Belinda held the hand of Haven. "This is Hav, my girlfriend for my best friend. Hav, this is Jordan -" she smiled. "-the man in my life."
She ignored the curious smile on her friend's face. "Well, well." Hav shook Jordan's hand. "Nice to meet you Jordan, I've heard a lot about you, but evidently there is –" she angled her head at Belinda and then look back at him "—more to hear."
Belinda watched Jordan smile. She shook her head at Hav. Even in the direst of situations she had a way of lighting the mood. She was so thankful for her friendship. Their sisterhood would be help through this ordeal. Her eyes found Jordan's as he held at the waist. She was so glad for their renewed love. And the growing emotions concreting them together. She couldn't imagine going through this alone. The fire inspector had said that the fire had started in the kitchen, as what was to believe a slow gas leak, but they weren’t through with the investigation. She knew better she knew that Ray's name was all over this as it'd been when they were younger and he'd started another fire of one of their neighborhood over a fight over some girl.
Jordan pulled her to the side. "Baby, we have to be smart about this. Ray knows what he's doing. He's doing everything he can to draw me out. And he and we both know he will not stop until he gets what he wants."
"What he wants is for you to die." The words caused a shiver to course through her body. "I will not allow that bastard to do that Jordan. He is evil and out for some ill-conceived revenge."
"More or less.”
Belinda felt her heart hammering in her chest. “I have information that I think we need to utilize and take to the police."
"Information?"
Belinda swallowed the lump in her throat. “I believe Ray is the one that killed Nate that night, not the guard.”
Jordan shook his head. “That’s impossible. The police report said –”
“Jordan, the police report said that Nate was shot multiple times. You and I know how Ray operates. He doesn’t leave loose ends.”
“How do you know this Belle?”
She hesitated. “He was in a drunken stupor by the time he got to me. I’m sure he didn’t mean to say it. But I don’t think he was lying about killing Nate.”
Jordan turned and slammed his hand against the hood of his car. “The only thing Nate ever wanted to do was please that fool and he killed him! His own blood.”
�
�Ray only thinks of what Ray wants, Nate may have tried to walk the same life, but he wasn’t built for it and I believe he died for that very reason.”
Jordan gritted his teeth. “And now, I’m going to be the one to end this madness. Today.”
“No, not you. Me.” Belinda said.
“Hell no, Belle! There is no way that you can go up against Ray. I’ll never allow you being put in harm’s way.”
“Allow?” Belinda wiped the tears from her eyes, anger replacing the feelings of loss.
“I protect my own. You know that.”
“I love you for that, but I have a better chance at reeling Ray in.” she caressed his check. “Jordan, I’ve already gone up against Ray once. I’m thinking that I can do it again. The best option is blackmail. He understands those terms, dirt with dirt.”
“Not that I’m agreeing but what do you have in mind?” Going through the police as it would ensure body bags and Jordan couldn’t take the risk of losing Belinda.
She placed her hands on her hips. “We hit Ray with two things he cannot refuse. Money.”
WHILE HE DISAGREE THAT Ray would lose the battle if confronted with Belle’s money offer, but Jordan couldn’t get behind the feeling that using her as bait was the last measure that should be taken.
He sat in the driver’s seat of a dark sedan with Ha. He rubbed his hands down the legs of his jeans. Every nerve in his body was on edge. If anything happened to Belinda, it would be his fault because he allowed her to have her way. She’d made contact with Ray hours earlier and had agreed to meet him at the abandoned house he was hiding out in. She was at least taking Rhames in with her, posing as her lawyer to do a money exchange.
Jordan’s gaze shirted around the dilapidated
building, his unease growing.
“HEY, BELINDA KNOWS how to handle herself.” Hav offered him a small smile. “After all, she hangs with me.”
