Claimed

by M. Never

  “The jeweler called them love knots,” he says aloof, almost as if he’s embarrassed. “I took a chance. Jett suggested diamonds.”

  “I love them,” I say as I put them on. “How do they look?”

  “Perfect.”

  “Thank you. They’re a very thoughtful gift,” I say, touching my earlobe.

  “You’re welcome.” He kisses me softly on the lips and my emotions soar. It’s one thing for a man to buy you jewelry; it’s something entirely different when he puts thought and effort into the meaning. It makes me love them even more.

  I catch a quick glimpse of my new earrings in the reflection of the door. They shine brightly in the light.

  Kayne pushes me slightly in front of him as we walk through the restaurant, his arm placed firmly around my waist. I think he’s attempting to protect his assets. Or what he thinks are his assets.

  That’s still to be determined.

  Jett and London are already at the bar waiting for us. The room is dimly lit with amber up-lighting and gold accents. Very posh. Feels like New York, and I love it.

  Jett stands and hugs me as soon as I’m in arm’s reach.

  “Nice earrings,” he murmurs in my ear.

  “How did you know? Kayne show you?”

  “Nope. A girl only smiles the way you are when she receives something extra special. Looks good on you.”

  “What? The earrings or the smile?”

  “Both.”

  “Alright,” Kayne nearly rips me out of Jett’s arms. “What are you two going for, the world record for longest hug?”

  I roll my eyes at him. Dramatic much?

  “Just being friendly,” Jett responds.

  “Uh-huh,” Kayne returns flippantly.

  “Hey, Ellie.” London chirps from her chair while she sips on a red drink in a martini glass. She’s dressed very similar to me, short skirt, high heels, and skimpy light pink top made of a satiny material. The most notable difference is she’s gorgeous on a whole other level with her long red hair, big breasts, and sparkling blue eyes. It’s official. She and Jett make one seriously intimidating couple.

  “Hey, London.” I try to smile naturally, but I’m still a little uncomfortable around her. I keep picturing her naked, wearing a collar, and feeling me up. I glance at Kayne; I wonder if that’s what he sees when he looks at us.

  Is it suddenly hot in here?

  “Ellie?” Kayne gives me a strange look. I blush.

  “I need to use the restroom,” I announce spontaneously.

  “Everything okay?” he asks worried.

  “Fine.”

  “Well, our table is ready,” Jett tells me. “Do you want us to wait for you?”

  “No. I’ll find you. The place isn’t very big.” I begin to step away.

  “You sure?” Kayne presses.

  “Positive.”

  “You know what?” London puts her drink down. “I’ll come with you.” She hops off her seat and smiles. “We can use some girl time.” She hooks her arm into mine, and both Jett and Kayne’s eyes glaze over. Maybe she should have used a different term.

  London leads me away from the two drooling men. If they weren’t picturing us together before, they definitely are now.

  We walk into the bathroom still arm and arm just as an older woman exits. She eyes us judgmentally as she passes by. Is it that obvious something conspired between us? Or am I just being paranoid. It feels like there is a huge flashing sign hovering over our heads that reads ‘We Had Sex.’

  The bathroom is small with only two stalls, wooden doors, and a marble vanity with double sinks. London lets go of my arm and settles her hip on the sink, standing closer to me than a normal girlfriend would.

  “I’m glad we have a second alone. I’ve really wanted to talk to you,” she begins.

  “About what?”

  “Look, Ellie,” she sighs. “I don’t want things to be weird between us because of what happened. I was only doing my job.” London bites down on her bottom lip.

  I frown. Am I the only one who finds this conversation totally fucked up?

  “Oh, no, please don’t think I didn’t enjoy it.” She puts her hand on my arm reassuringly. “That night was one of the hottest of my life.”

  I can’t lie—mine, too.

  “Jett still gets upset that he missed it.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, he wishes he was there,” she smirks.

  “Were you two together when . . . we were together?” I clear my throat.

  “No, not exactly. It was complicated. After everything happened, I didn’t think I was ever going to see him again. Boy, was I wrong.”

  “I didn’t think I was ever going to see either of them again. Or you.” I laugh.

  “Well, I’m glad you’re here. Kayne was so miserable for such a long time. I think if you didn’t show up, it would have destroyed him. Like, literally killed him.”

  “Well, I’m here, and we’re working on things.”

  “Good. He really is a good man.”

  “Did you know who Kayne and Jett really were?”

  “Nope, no idea. Not until after. Until Jett explained everything to me.”

  “Nice to know I wasn’t the only one in the dark.”

  London shakes her head. “Kayne and Jett are good at keeping secrets.”

  “That’s part of what scares me.”

  “It shouldn’t. I’ve never felt safer than I do with Jett. I really love him, Ellie. And Kayne really loves you. They’re a package deal. So please can we try and be friends?” she implores me.

  “I say go for it,” a voice echoes through the small bathroom, and then a toilet flushes. London and I look at each other with wide eyes as an elderly woman emerges from one of the privacy stalls.

  “I don’t know which one of you was talking, but very sincere.” A short, gray-haired woman in a printed dress walks out and nonchalantly washes her hands. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but you were entertaining me.” She smiles kindly.

  London and I just stare at her dumbfounded.

  “Have a good evening.” She grins, thoroughly amused, and then leaves.

  Once she’s gone, London and I look at each other and immediately burst out laughing.

  “We would be terrible spies!” I double over as the sound of our cackles fills the room.

  I LOST MY VIRGINITY TODAY.

  Yes, I may have slept with other women, but for the first time, I didn’t bind one or spank one or bring one to tears. Instead, I just poured my entire heart and soul into loving another human being. So, as far as I’m concerned, today is the day I officially lost my virginity.

  I’ll never regret it was with Ellie, either; even if this thing between us doesn’t work out, which I pray to God that it does. She is the only one who deserves to own that part of me. She’s the only one I want to own it.

  “Have you heard anything else from our friend visiting the Aloha State?” I ask Jett as casually as if asking for the time.

  “Quiet as a mouse. Juice has ears to the ground. If he’s up to something, we’ll know.”

  “Shit.” My jaw ticks. Twelve months without an inkling of retribution and suddenly this guy surfaces out of the blue. “It doesn’t feel right.”

  “Well, there’s no sense making waves if we don’t have to.”

  “The last thing I want is to be caught off guard.” I glare at Jett sternly. “Like last time.”

  “No one wants that.” Jett pulls on the collar of his light-blue dress shirt, scanning the restaurant. “Just let Juice and Endeavor handle it for now. You have more important things to worry about,” he says as Ellie and London approach, arm in arm, falling all over each other, laughing. I shoot Jett a questioning look. He just shrugs. “That bathroom must have magic toilet paper or something,” he mutters under his breath.

  “Apparently.” Considering Ellie was as stiff as a board when she left with London a few minutes ago, and now they look like best friends. We both stand when
the girls reach the table.

  “Is there an inside joke you want to let us in on?” Jett asks London, which seems to make her and Ellie giggle harder.

  “Nope.” She tries to compose herself by turning away. Ellie just looks up at me smiling brightly, her cheeks pink and eyes soft.

  “What’s that smile for?” I ask.

  “No reason. Just because,” she says sweetly.

  I glance at Jett once more. He just smirks. Alrighty then, magic toilet paper it is.

  “What do you like, Ellie? London asks fanning herself with the menu. She’s finally pulled herself together.

  “Everything. I eat everything,” she informs her.

  “Exempt sesame seeds,” I chime in.

  Ellie whips her head up at me. “How did you know I was allergic to sesame seeds?”

  I shrug. “I know everything I need to know about you.”

  “Oh really?”

  “Mmm hmm.” I lean in close to her, getting a whiff of her sweet smelling perfume. “Elizabeth Anne Stevens, born August twenty-eighth to Alec and Monica Stevens. Sister Tara, three years younger. You attended Long Island City High School in Queens. You ran track, which explains why you’re so damn fast.” I smile from the memory of chasing Ellie down the hall at Mansion, and being surprised at how quick she was. “You also graduated with honors. Shortly after that, you were hired at Expo, a small but thriving import/export company owned and operated by Mark J. Atkins, where you quickly moved up the ranks from secretary to personal assistant. Your favorite color is purple, your blood type is O, and your favorite cupcake flavor is a toss-up between red velvet and lemon drop.” I flash her a haughty grin.

  Ellie’s eyes are as wide as green soda bottles by the time I finish speaking.

  “Kayne, that’s creepy.”

  “It’s my job to know things, Ellie.”

  “Still. Creepy.”

  “Creepy enough to scare you away?”

  “No, although I am curious, Super Stalker Extraordinaire. You know I’m allergic to sesame seeds, but do you know how I found out?” Ellie asks loud enough for everyone at the table to hear.

  “Um . . .”

  “Yeah, do ya?” Jett repeats annoyingly.

  “No,” I snap at him.

  Ellie giggles. “Mark.”

  “Mark?” London asks.

  “My old boss in New York.”

  “And what does Mark have to do with it?” I ask.

  “Well, when I started working for him, I was eighteen, right out of high school, and pretty green when it came to, well, mostly everything. Especially fancy dinners. So Mark, being Mark, wanted to broaden my horizons, starting with sushi.” Ellie chuckles to herself.

  “So what happened?” Jett inquires.

  “He ordered some seared ahi tuna, and did nothing but rave about how much I was going to love it. I took about three bites before my face started to blow up.” She uses her hands to emulate the swelling. “Mark did nothing but freak out while I went into anaphylactic shock. My throat closed, and I came close to passing out. That’s when he pulled out his EpiPen from his man purse and stabbed me with it.” She mocks her story by pretending to stab herself in the neck and laugh. “He even screamed like a woman when he did it.”

  “What kind of man screams like a woman?” London says, giggling along with Ellie’s infectious energy.

  This makes Ellie laugh harder. “A flaming gay one with drama written all over him,” she explains. “He had a full-on panic attack right afterward because he thought he almost killed me. The waiters had to bring him a brown bag to breathe into.”

  The story has the table chuckling so long we don’t even notice the waiter standing over us until he clears his throat. Loudly.

  After we order enough sushi to feed a small army, Ellie continues to captivate everyone at the table with her charm and spirited personality. She tells us all about her sister and parents, and what it was like growing up in New York. She recounts the story of when we first met and how she spilled hot coffee in my lap. Also, how she attended the prom with two black eyes because her track coach made her run hurdles, even though she begged him not to because she always fell.

  By time we get the check, my love for Ellie has grown leaps and bounds. As if that was even possible. I memorize the way her green eyes sparkle and face lights up when she laughs. How she talks with her hands when she gets into a story and how attentive she is to everyone at the table, London included. The tension between them seems to have completely dissipated as they whisper to each other and gang up on Jett and me to do more Saki bombs.

  All I keep thinking about is that picture pinned up on Ellie’s old desk of her and Mark on St. Patrick’s Day, and how much I wanted to know that girl. Well, tonight I think I’m finally getting my first glimpse. What did Mark call her once? Oh yeah, magic glitter in high heels. I’m starting to see why. She’s enchanting.

  After a memorable meal and way too many shots, Jett, London, Ellie and I end up closing down the restaurant. They were nearly kicking out our rowdy bunch.

  After some quick goodbyes and promises to meet up tomorrow, we each go our separate ways. I hail a ride for us back to our bungalow as Jett and London walk off to theirs. I’m assuming. You never know with Jett, though.

  “Did you have fun tonight?” I run my nose up Ellie’s neck once we’re in the golf cart.

  “Yes.” She sighs as she wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me close. We have a hard time keeping our hands and lips off each other as we’re chauffeured through the resort. I hear the driver chuckle to himself as we nearly give him a show.

  “Have a good evening,” the young man says, highly entertained, as we climb out of the cart a hot, drunken mess.

  “We will.” I grin roguishly at him as Ellie and I stumble to the front door. Once inside, we nearly take a tumble as Ellie rips off her shoes and tries to kiss me all at the same time.

  “Let’s go skinny dipping.” She pulls me through the living room, driving her tongue into my mouth.

  Now what stupid man would say no to that?

  By the time we make it out to the deck, we’re nothing but hungry mouths, hot bodies, and frenzied hands. I turn Ellie in my arms and press her back to my front, devouring her neck and groping her breasts. I may have just had dinner, but I am still a starving man. I pull the straps of her shirt down her arms to expose her chest, clutching and massaging and stroking her nipples until they are hard little pebbles beneath my fingertips. She moans freely, rubbing herself against my now throbbing cock. It makes me crazy, makes me need her, makes me delirious with lust.

  “Bend over,” I order her, as we stand a few feet away from the pool. She bends, grabbing onto the metal railing that rings around the entire sundeck.

  I can hardly breathe as I run my palms along the back of her smooth thighs and up over her ass. Her clingy skirt bunches around her waist as I work my hands over her two perfect little round cheeks. God, how I love Ellie’s ass. The beast swings his spiked tail against the door of its cage, demanding to be set free as I press and knead her behind over the delicate lace underwear that barely covers her bottom. I ignore the snarling monster, and the overwhelming urge to spank her as I peel her panties down to her thighs.

  Ellie glances back at me, her eyes hooded and lips parted, like she’s just daring me to touch her. But I have other ideas. I lean over and trap her face, covering her mouth with mine. I thrust my tongue and my hips at the same time, as I subdue her against my body. Ellie kisses me back with such intensity it takes me by surprise and eggs me on all at the same time.

  “Touch yourself, Ellie.”

  I don’t know if it’s the alcohol or the need or just my kinky desires that spurs the request, but I run with it, hoping I’m not pushing her too far too fast. “Touch yourself, baby, and get wet for me,” I rasp in her ear. Ellie pants loudly as she slowly removes one of her hands from the railing and places it between her legs. “That’s it.”

  She closes her eyes and n
uzzles her nose against my jaw as she starts to massage herself. I hold onto her tight, digging my cock into her ass as tiny pleasured sounds begin escaping from her throat.

  “Feel good?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you ever touch yourself when we were apart? Did you ever finger your sweet little pussy and think of me?” I ask, tightening my grip on her face.

  She inhales and exhales hard.

  “Did you?” I urge.

  “Yes,” she expels the word with a huff, still rubbing herself. “I thought about you all the time. I couldn’t get you out of my head.”

  “Me, too.” I graze my nose against hers. “I pictured you every time. I thought about the first time I made you touch yourself. How fucking hot you looked with my cock inside you rubbing your clit. Remember that?

  “I could never forget,” she chokes out, stroking herself harder, pressing up against my pulsing erection.

  “You came so fucking hard; I can still feel how tight you squeezed me.”

  “You tortured me,” she moans.

  “You liked it,” I counter. “I loved it. Will you show me again? Will you let me watch you make yourself come?”

  Ellie is nearly falling apart by the time she forces out her answer. “Yes.”

  “Good girl.” I release her and spin her around, stripping her of all her clothes in a second flat. “Show me.” I pin her hips against the railing.

  With deep breaths, Ellie runs her hand down her stomach until she reaches her wet folds. She spreads herself wide, exposing the engorged pink flesh of her clit, and begins to rub in slow circles as if she knows just how it’s going to affect me.

  “Feel good?” I can barely speak; she looks so fucking hot completely naked, touching herself under the moonlight.

  “Yes, but I’m missing something.” She looks up into my eyes, the blazing lust evident.

  “Need me, baby?” I lift one corner of my mouth wickedly.

  “Need and want.” She slips one finger inside her pussy, and I become an unhinged man.

  “Fuck, Ellie.” I crush my lips against hers as I tear off my pants.