by E. M. Gayle
Got some information on those diamonds. Something is going down tonight. You ain't got much time. G
Shit. I couldn't believe my eyes. One of my informants had actually come through with some intel. Fuck. It had better be actionable. I was sick and tired of spinning my wheels on this case. Maybe this day wouldn't be a complete and total shit show after all.
6
Rock
I slipped into the back of the stage where rehearsals were happening for Nova's upcoming fashion show. The Sinclair had evidently arranged for her to showcase her next line of couture fashions exclusively with them. I shook my head. Normally, I didn't know shit about this kind of thing, but my job required a lot of research, and in this case, my team had dug into her background as thoroughly as possible.
Hence, how I had come to be an amateur fashion aficionado.
If only my obsession with the woman had ended there.
In fact, my big plan to start putting some distance between us had gone up in smoke the minute I walked through the gold revolving door to this damned casino. I couldn't shake the feeling that something had been off when I'd left her the morning after our last encounter, and I wanted to know what the hell had happened.
The fact I'd been unable to get back here for over a week and had spent the last few days running scenarios through my head while trying to focus on work had driven me mad. My body was wound so tight I was about to explode.
Never mind my insatiable need for her had driven me here during the day instead of waiting for the cloak of night to protect our privacy. Privacy that had turned out to be a joke, as Gabe had made crystal clear. The comings and goings in the high-tech world of Vegas were more transparent than a cheap hooker trolling the streets at night for her next john.
Although at this point what difference did it make? I had already committed the sin. Some might think because I carry a badge and enjoy fucking up criminals and their illegal plans, I am a saint, but that couldn't be further from the truth. After you've grown up inside of a motorcycle club run by tyrants, there was only so much that could be washed away by good.
I learned how to shoot a gun before I knew how to ride a bike, and I saw more death than most people see in a lifetime by the time I hit puberty. So, while I did my best these days to live on the right side of the law, I also understood there were gray areas, and sometimes, it took sliding into those when it came to helping the greater good.
My bosses would never approve, but my track record spoke for itself and they didn’t question my tactics as long as I got the job done.
"Excuse me. But I don't think anyone is supposed to be back here except Nova employees."
I turned in the direction of the feminine voice behind me and found a knockout (albeit far too skinny) redhead standing there with her hands on her hips, doing her best to level me with an evil eyed stare. Under different circumstances I might have been amused, laughed even. But at the moment, I had far too important topics on my mind for jokes and I didn't need the hassle.
"Trust me. I'm allowed to be here."
She narrowed her eyes. "Oh yeah, and why is that? You security or something?"
"Or something," I answered gruffly. I had no intention of pulling out my badge, but I also wasn't about to be deterred by a woman who probably didn't weigh a buck-oh-five.
"That's not exactly an answer. I'm going to have to go check in with the boss and see what she says..."
"She says it's fine."
My head jerked up at the sultry sound of Nova's voice as she stepped out of the shadows and into the light. And the moment she did I realized that the other woman couldn't hold a candle to Nova's unconventional beauty. Beyond the glossy, dark hair she'd pinned back from her face and the warm color of her skin, or even the green dress that skimmed and hugged her body in all the right places. God, that was enough to make my cock stand up and take notice, though. She exuded a strength that called to me to break it down. Not break her, I would never want to take her spirit away, but watching a strong woman like her obey...
Fuck.
For a man like me it was a definite lure and a challenge.
That strength and independence made her seem so much older than her age and made her submission to my demands all that much sweeter. And now, I wanted to push those boundaries we had established. I wanted—no, needed—to pull her outside of her comfort zone once again.
Despite the bullshit going on in the outside world.
She stood staring at me, looking every bit the calm, cool, collected businesswoman. Her face gave away no signs of whether she was happy to see me or not.
I had definitely broken our rules by showing up here, although I generally didn't give a fuck about rules. I also had no desire to trample all over her buttoned-up work facade, but I did need to find out what was in her head, and this seemed like the best place to get the answers I wanted.
"Sky, why don't you go back to the dressing room, and let me handle this? The seamstress is ready for your final fitting now."
"You sure?" Sky eyed me warily. "I don't mind calling security for you."
A soft chuckle came from Nova, and I swear I felt it in my balls.
"Yes. I can handle one man without assistance."
If I was a betting man, I would bet that was a true statement and she could handle any other man on her own. I, however, would not be as easily tamed. Not when it came to her.
Sky must have decided that Nova didn't need her. She quickly scurried away in the direction behind Nova. For a moment more, I simply stared at her. The way I greedily drank in every detail, as if I hadn't seen her in weeks instead of days.
There was also the simple fact I wanted to back her against the wall and lift that skirt to see what kind of panties she wore. Were they sensible by day, or were they the same flimsy, fuck-me, flossy ones she wore when I visited her at night? These were not supposed to be the questions running through my head at the moment, but those were the thoughts she inspired.
"So, I guess the no name thing didn't apply to you, after all. You obviously know who I am."
I smirked, loving the fact that she didn't beat around the bush. Although I still couldn't wait to sully that strait-laced facade of hers. "It's hard to spend time in this hotel or anywhere on the strip and not see your face somewhere. The Sinclair trades heavily on your fame for attention. Nova seems to be an almost household name amongst the rich and famous who spend their time in our city and that includes the woman behind the name."
"Have you known all along?"
I had already debated what to tell her when I showed up today and decided I wouldn't lie. But I would have to tread carefully. I'd run roughshod over the rules with her, but that didn't mean I was willing to compromise my case because of it. I would bend, too—until I couldn't.
"I tend to know the woman I'm fucking."
Her stoic facade slipped a fraction and her eyes turned downright glacial. "You don't have to be an asshole about it.”
My blood sizzled at the tone of her voice. I hadn't expected that, but I might have deserved it.
Not that I would apologize.
I was suddenly torn between anger, for putting us in this mess, and the desire that her anger ignited.
Fuck. This situation was going to spiral out of my control if I didn't tread carefully.
I stalked closer, darkness filling my mind. Clearly, we were stepping well outside the bounds we had established, and at the moment, I didn't care. I wanted nothing more than her on her knees.
Just the idea of her submitting to me here had my pulse racing. It was that unparalleled connection between a man and a woman tied together in mutual need that refused to be denied.
"Be careful with your words, beautiful. Whether they are kind or disrespectful, they carry power. Choose to use them incorrectly, and you might not like the situation you find yourself in if you continue."
My threat was clear and not a bluff. The nights we'd already spent together had done nothing to dull the chemistry
between us. And, despite the obvious roadblocks currently in our path, the end was nowhere in sight.
Her beautiful mouth turned down into a deeper frown, but I didn't miss the flash of piqued interest in her gaze. Or the sudden inhale. I took what little comfort I could from that, in the hopes that I could stop before this went too far. However, it pleased me to see that I was not the only one affected this way.
I ran a finger down the side of her face and reveled in the shudder that cascaded through her body. Whether it was from desire or unease mattered little. I could thrive on either, and there was no denying the electric tension arcing between the two of us. She craved my touch as much as I hers.
Her breath quickened, causing me to lean closer until her tits brushed against my chest. Reaching down, I ran my fingers along her silky-smooth bare thighs and toyed with the hem of her dress before brushing against the soft fabric of her panties. I yearned to see them. Even more, I wanted to rip them out of my way so there would be no barrier between us.
She bit her lip, and I suddenly needed to bite it for her. Any thoughts of being gentle were fading fast.
I was either going to throw her over my shoulder and haul her ass out of here, or even worse, take her right here. I tried to deny that wasn't my intention all along, but I'd known coming here off schedule, and in her space, meant I'd hit the edge where reasonable gave way to something darker. I abandoned her pussy for now, using that hand to wrap around her middle and pin her to me. Hey eyes widened, and her nostrils flared. I could see her own war going on behind those beautiful eyes.
Fight or flight.
I knew what I wanted. I tangled my fingers into her hair and pulled until her head snapped back and her gaze met mine. If she wanted to play games about names, I'd play. But it wasn't going to be what she expected. I was making the new rules up as we went along.
"Nova," I murmured her name just a moment before I claimed her mouth. I waited for the resistance, not that it would stop me, but it never came. I'd caught her more off guard than anything else. Using my tongue, I pushed my way inside and thoroughly devoured her. Fuck, I couldn't get enough of her sweet taste. I needed more.
I pulled back. "If we were anywhere else I would have you naked and on your knees right now." My voice was harsh and uneven, a mere testament to how much she affected me. What had started out as a one-night stand and morphed into endless nights of pleasure had just taken another turn. No longer would I be satisfied with so little from her. "Although it's still not out of the question."
"We can't," she whispered, the words so shaky they barely held any meaning. "Someone might see."
"Let them. Maybe the whole world needs to know you belong to me." The words left my mouth before my brain fully registered them. The timing was more than a little off, but I'd meant them.
"You don't mean that. It's against the rules." Her voice trembled, not with fear though. Not even the uncertainty of her words matched her tone. She wanted this. My little daredevil wanted to go for it, and that sent a shot of white-hot need straight to my already throbbing dick. This woman...I groaned.
"Fuck the rules. In case you haven't noticed, those rules have been obliterated and it's time to make some new ones." I had no idea how I was going to make this work out yet, but I could feel everything begin to snap into place. "Starting with your fucking clothes."
"What about my clothes?" She snapped. He smiled at the spark of anger in her biting words.
"Your designs are gorgeous, but it's what's underneath them that concerns me the most. If I want to finger or fuck my pussy, then I don't need expensive silk and lace blocking my path."
"Ohh," she mouthed on a gasp as my finger grazed the very fabric I spoke of. If I thought that might make her protest, I was wrong. I don't know how I got so lucky and unlucky with her all at the same time. This amazingly sensual woman never backed down from a single challenge I threw at her.
And now she was mine.
Had been, since the moment I sat down next to her in that fucking hotel bar and the decision to break protocol had been made. Break. What a joke. I obliterated it on my way straight to hell.
My fucked up life had turned dark so many years ago that I believed no amount of working for the system would be enough atonement. And yet none of that was going to change the fact that I would claim Nova as mine. Right here. Right now.
"Or if I want to bend you over and enter you from behind, and I don't have the patience to wait? I won't." I bent to nip at the sensitive skin beneath her ear. "Like now."
Her low moan spurred me to continue. Between my tight fist still pulling at her hair and my teeth and tongue working her pretty little neck, we were both falling fast. So I reached under her skirt, curled my fingers into the narrow strip of lace that kept her covered and ripped them from her body.
"Oh my God," she gasped again, her body bucking into my hand. "What are you doing to me?"
"Whatever I fucking want. It's about time we made it crystal clear that this is mine." I shoved what was left of her panties into my pocket and returned to cup her pussy. I teased the slit with a finger, pleased to find her more than ready for whatever happened next.
This moment right here reminded me how lucky I was to have discovered exactly how sensual and responsive she was. Submissive was one thing, able to express herself and her needs was another.
I dipped one finger inside her and nearly lost my mind. That tight clasp took my breath away every god damned time. She was so fucking tight. Before I lost my mind completely, I withdrew and took a beat to calm my own racing heartbeat. I would fuck her whenever and wherever I wanted, whether that was out on the open balcony of her suite, or right here only steps away from her responsibilities. I was that fucking depraved.
Although, for now, I only wanted to toy with her.
I did however, plan to watch her come.
7
Nova
I couldn't believe this was happening. Or more correctly that I was not only letting it happen, but I wanted nothing more than for this filthy-hot man to use me any way he wished. I was such a goner.
"Lift up your skirt and show me."
His words were practically growled at me and they did nothing to assuage the near raging need building inside of me.
I might have been eager to comply, but that didn't mean I didn't want to play. I grabbed at the hem of my garment and lifted the fabric up one inch at a time in perfect harmony with each deep breath I struggled to take.
"You look beautiful like this. Your submissive nature is as breathtaking as your intelligence. I am quite impressed."
I didn't know what to do with his praise. No one had ever used that tactic with me. I wanted more, so I could bask in the glory of it.
I might have said as much, if not for the sudden, searing touch of his palm on my inner thigh.
My breath hitched, and the oxygen in my lungs disappeared. I couldn't think.
"Concentrate on what you feel, beautiful. Don't try to make any logical connections. Rely on your senses. The heat where I touch you. The look in my eyes as I take the submission you have so generously offered. The trust in your heart that I will protect you." He bent forward pressing his open mouth to my jaw. "The heady scent of your seductively sweet perfume as it blends with my cologne's musk. It's the same scent we leave behind in your bed, isn't it?"
"Yes!" I gasped.
My head was about to explode as he trailed kisses along every inch of my neck and the tops of my breasts. I arched back in an eager plea for so much more.
"Fuck. I love when you get greedy. It makes me want to watch you beg."
I whimpered. All the reasons I'd listed out for myself over why this had to end immediately were dissipating faster than I could stop them. This seemingly simple relationship had begun on shaky ground, and now it was so wrapped up in my deceit I had no idea how it could possibly unravel without bad things happening.
And yet, the impossible words were about to fall from my lips. "Yes, please. Don't
stop."
He lifted his head to stare down at me, and the heated look he leveled at me robbed me of my remaining resistance. Each one of the myriads of colors that made up his hazel eyes looked like they were on fire. I stared into those depths, unable to look away. It mesmerized me.
“Behave and I won't," he uttered, his words harsh, but the tone more guttural than anything else. I loved it when things between us got like this. Sex was always intense between us, but this was more than something that basic and simple. That exchange of power seemed to do something to both our brains. Maybe one day we would discuss the mechanics behind it, but as he bent down to kiss my bared flesh, I knew there would be little talk today.
He slipped two fingers into the bodice of my dress and pulled me tight against him. The first thing I noticed was the hot, hard length of him against my belly. It prodded at me like a hot poker of desire that made my head swim. He was a big man and that statement applied to everything about him. Seriously, the man had equipment so perfect it should be outlawed.
The second thing that hit me was his scent. I inhaled deeply, taking every bit of it in that I could. I'd yet to pinpoint the type of cologne he wore, but I swore it was like nothing I'd ever smelled before. It was as fucking divine as the man himself and I couldn't get enough of it. I may not want to admit that I was lost to my desire for him, but the walls I'd been trying to build were crumbling fast.
However, I could never tell him the truth. For him to know the real me would change everything. Besides it being too dangerous, no one would look at me the same. Not even him.
The criminal world my family belonged to wasn’t just ruthless, it was ugly and bloody. I could well imagine the disdain he would turn on me the instant he learned the truth.
He pulled back again, and the look he gave me grew even hotter and more intense, if that were possible. "You're distracted. What's going on?"
I should have told him about the work going on just beyond the wall where we stood. That might have been enough to end his attempt to disarm me instantly. Unfortunately, my brain had already disengaged from work and zeroed in on the man. He seemed to have that effect on me.
