Absorbing White

by Charlotte E Hart

  “You looked like you knew him, very well, actually.”

  “Alex, don’t be ridiculous. You’re clearly doing that making stuff up in your twilight mind shit again,” she said as she stared him down.

  “You were the one cavorting with another man, Elizabeth. How is that my fault?”

  “I wasn’t cavorting. How dare you? I was trying to not make a scene, for you, and then you went all alpha oddness on me and told me to stay still. Which I did. For you. Until he acted like some macho arsehole who thought he owned me. Not unlike you at the moment. Let me out of these fucking binds, will you?”

  “What were you talking to him about, and how do you know him?”

  “I don’t. I told you that. He was just in Tudor’s when that Cecily bitch came over and asked if I wanted to have lunch. I didn’t even know who he was until she introduced him, then he wouldn’t let go of Belle’s hand, and it all got a bit bizarre. So we left.”

  “So out of all the places you could have gone, you purposely went to Tudor’s, one the clubs he owns.”

  “Yes, but it wasn’t me. It was Belle, and... I don’t even know why I’m telling you this. There is nothing going on between me and Aiden Phillips. You’re the one who seems to have dealings with the thug, not me. Care to explain?”

  “I think I already did, didn’t I?” She instantly opened her beautiful mouth and then closed it again. She repeated the action a few times and her eyes widened as she cottoned on to what he was saying. Presumably, she had thought it had just been the two men, probably in a fight, self defence of some sort in an unprovoked attack, maybe. That’s the only decent reasoning for killing someone, isn’t it? The only morally acceptable explanation for taking another’s life?

  How little she knew. His bastard of a father flashed in front of his eyes as he pictured his mother, holding her son, cradling the promise of love and adoration, of happiness. Of a life taken from him before he even knew it could exist. Why had he killed her? He’d asked himself that a million times over the years and found no justifiable motivation for the bastard destroying her other than control, or maybe lunacy. He needed to ask the man himself. Why hadn’t he done that yet? Why hadn’t he just forced the man to speak and explain himself? It’s not like he was scared of the dick. He knew where he was. He could just walk in and ask, confront him and deal with it all. He could wander into that manor house and make him admit what he had done, and subsequently what he’d created.

  A phone rang somewhere, so he shook his head to clear the fog and found her eyes still intently trained on his. He also realised he was rubbing at his throat, so quickly removed his hand and stared at his fingers in confusion.

  “What is it? What do you need?” she said quietly, with that look that said she understood every emotion flying through him better than he did. She probably did, and it seemed regardless of her present state, she still wanted to help him. He frowned in response, got up and walked into the main cabin to get his phone.

  “Tara, no higher than ankles,” he called. Maybe ten minutes panicking would persuade her otherwise.

  He swiped at his phone and saw Henry’s number flashing. What the hell was that bastard calling for? As if this wasn’t difficult enough, now he had yet more deceit to be played with. Christ, a bit of that normalcy was very much needed. He really was getting too old for all these games. He swiped again to answer and wandered to the bar for another drink.

  “Henry,” he said, as cheerfully as he could.

  “Alex, old chap. Where are you? I thought we could celebrate the closure of this deal. It’s only a week or so off, and Tate’s just told me the legals are going through fine.”

  Had he? Why the hell was Tate talking to Henry about any of this?

  “Sorry, can’t. I’m en route to New York for a few days. I need to tie up some loose ends at the office and such like before everyone decides to forget they work for me for a few days.”

  “Oh, right. I thought you skied with Conner at this time of year?”

  “No, not this year. I have some other things to deal with.”

  “You’ll be back for my party though?”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it.”

  “Right, well. I’ll see you then. Will you be bringing the Scott girl?” The Scott girl? Why couldn’t he just say her name? Fucking ridiculous. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know she might have mentioned him by now.

  “I’m not sure yet. She may have family commitments.”

  “Well, Sarah quite likes her so bring her along if you can. Conner’s coming with the other one so it should be a hoot.”

  Hoot? Jumped up toff. What he wouldn’t give to go a few rounds with the fucking idiot right now. He wouldn’t be surprised if the bastard was planning something at the New Year ball to show him up. Three steps ahead, always. Mind you, the deal wouldn’t have closed by then – the deal in Henry’s eyes, anyway. The deal would actually be closing three days earlier as long as Tyler Rathbone honoured his side of the agreement and the Chinese didn’t have some other problem. Tom Brindly seemed to be handling everything very well, given the covert nature of his current work, so everything was on track to complete on time. At least that side of his life was in order to some degree. What he was actually going to do about Henry was still perplexing him. He’d have another look at that file Jacobs sent when he got to the apartment. Perhaps there was something he’d missed that he could use to destroy the bastard. Hopefully, Andrews would have some information on AP, too by the time they landed. Christ, he really needed to know who sent that fucking photo, and why?

  “Alex? Alex, are you still there?” Shit.

  “Yes, sorry. Must be a bad line. Listen, let me get to New York and I’ll give you a call over the next few days. I’m not sure how long I’ll be there but we’ll work something out.”

  “Okay, you alright? You sound a bit... ”

  A snarling sound suddenly interrupted his musing thoughts, so he turned his head to find Tara kneeling in the doorway, holding her face. It appeared Elizabeth wasn’t happy at all about toe stimulation.

  “Preoccupied?” He chuckled. “Yes, I am rather. I’ve got something I need to go and handle.”

  “Ah, right’o, I’ll let you go then. Wouldn’t want to stop the fun. How many this time?” Henry asked with his usual dirty cackle.

  “Two, and I’ve got to go. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”

  “Cheerio then.”

  “Mmm.”

  With that, he ended the call and looked towards the curled up Tara, who clearly didn’t know what to do next. Neither did he, to be honest. He poured a glass of Cognac and looked up at the ceiling for inspiration. Why the hell he thought he’d find any up there was unknown. Hate, hate, hate. How could he help her hate him? Continue being a bastard, he supposed. Maybe he needed to ramp it up a gear or two. He clicked his neck around and wandered back toward the snarling sound to find a furiously glaring Elizabeth wrenching at her wrists to try and remove them from the silk.

  “I don’t know why you’re bothering. You should know I never leave them loose enough,” he said as he ambled over to the bed again.

  “This is not okay, Alex. I will not be manhandled and forced to do something that I haven’t agreed to. And from my limited knowledge, this is not the behaviour of a decent dominant,” she damn near screamed at him. “And stop fucking smirking at me.”

  He couldn’t help it. It always had wound her up successfully. She had a good point, though. Decency in dominance was never something that appealed to him, until her, anyway.

  “Tara, start again. Go as far as you like this time,” he said as he caressed his angel’s smooth skin again with his eyes. Those legs that went on for an eternity were still a sight to behold, and those graceful arms straining at the silk and reddening her milky skin heightened every nerve in his body.

  As always, Tara shuffled back across on her knees and tentatively moved her face to Elizabeth’s feet again. Alex stared back up at Elizabeth’s eyes and
kept his gaze focused there for a few minutes while watching as she fought with herself not to kick Tara in the head again. Her body began squirming against the ties as she tried her hardest to contain the feeling that was more than likely bubbling up inside her. Regardless of her assertion that she didn’t want this, she would enjoy it in a roundabout way. Hopefully the after effects would be not so pleasant.

  He licked his lips and locked his own hands behind his head as she gasped a little and opened her mouth to say something. Another smirk crossed his mouth. He couldn’t help it. She was glorious in her frustration and anger.

  Suddenly her face frowned again. He glanced downward and noticed blonde hair not far below her waist.

  “Tara, stop. Please,” she said as her hips tried to rotate themselves away from the moment. She didn’t stop. She wouldn’t – not until she was told to, anyway. “Alex, this isn’t right. Please, stop this. You said you’d never make me do anything I didn’t want to do.”

  “No, I didn’t. I told you how to get out of something. Nothing else.”

  “I have to safeword you to stop this madness?” The words sprang from her lovely lips as he continued to gaze at her, chuckling at the thought. Much as she might be confused by his actions, Elizabeth Scott wasn’t about using her safeword unless desperation set in. She was far from desperate, she had more about her than that.

  “Keep going, Tara.” He chuckled again as green eyes suddenly swept into his mind, which made him chuckle even more. Why the hell they’d arrived was bewildering to say the least. That was a point. What time was it? And where were they? He glanced at the clock and realised they’d only got an hour of the flight left. Time flew when you were having fun, it seemed.

  “What the fuck, Alex? Stop this now. You told me you’d stop if I said it-”

  “But you haven’t,” he replied as he watched Tara curl her tongue up towards her pussy – his pussy. He licked his lips again at the thought and shifted his weight around to accommodate his cock as sudden irritation bit at him inexplicably.

  “Alex, please. Stop her. I don’t want-” she cut herself off with a small moan of appreciation as Tara did precisely what she had been put there to do. She did have a good tongue, always had had. He reached for his fly and pulled himself out with a grunt as he watched blonde hair try to bury itself between bound legs. Elizabeth squirmed again and started panting slightly as she either tried to get away from the eager moves or grind herself into them. She should have opened her legs when asked. She’d be very close by now if she’d done as she was told.

  Slowly sliding his hand up and down, he realised he wasn’t enjoying the show as much as he thought he would, so he focused his eyes back on hers. She had them closed, her mouth screwed up as if she were trying her hardest not to enjoy herself.

  “Open your eyes, Elizabeth,” he said as he continued stroking himself.

  “Fuck off,” was the mumbled response.

  “Tara, I don’t think she wants you. Come over here instead.” That made her eyes open. Tara immediately left Elizabeth, and was at his side in seconds. “You know what to do,” he continued as he watched furious eyes scowling back at him. This was all for her, and if the only way he could tell her that was to keep looking at her throughout, then that’s what he’d do. He’d do it and imagine her lips, her tongue, her mouth wrapping itself around him. Fuck, he wanted her tongue. Why the hell was he doing this again? Sudden warmth poured over his cock as furious eyes widened and her lips parted in surprise.

  “Don’t. Alex, don’t make me watch this.”

  “I told you someone was going to come, Elizabeth. You had a choice,” he cut in as she closed her eyes again and shook her head. “Open them,” he continued. She shook her head again and dropped her face towards the floor.

  “I don’t know why you’re doing this. I haven’t done anything wrong. Please.”

  Tara’s tongue swirled, sucked and licked, over and over again. His hands tightened in his own hair as he watched a tear roll down the face of the woman he loved. “I can’t do this, Alex. Please, I just...” Her breath caught as she choked on a sob that was beginning to consume her at the same moment as his stomach tightened in sensation. “Alex, please. I can’t...”

  He grabbed Tara’s hair and plunged her down on him as fast as he could. He needed to get closer, and looking at tears wasn’t helping him for once in his life. He felt the back of Tara’s throat banging on the end of him and focused all his thoughts on Elizabeth – on her love, on her mouth, on her eyes – and only then did he feel his balls rise.

  “Open your eyes, Elizabeth, and I’ll stop this,” he grated out. She shook her head again and sniffed as Tara’s moaning and groaning echoed in the room. “Open them, and I’ll do as you’ve asked,” he said again as he tried to stave off the inevitable. Her head twisted to the side, and she slowly began to open her eyes. “Look at me,” he growled.

  She sniffed again and turned her head, and those eyes were all he needed to let go. He grasped Tara by the hair, yanked her over his cock and let himself flow into her mouth, probably all over her face. He didn’t give a fuck because it wasn’t her face he was looking at, or her mouth he was imagining. It was the woman in front of him, and that was all he could see as she gazed back at him in defeat and sobbed back another tear.

  He grunted out the last of his come and stared back at her as Tara’s tongue flicked over him again. He could hardly feel it, because all he could see was the pain he’d just caused. It was coursing across every inch of her. He took in her reddened eyes, wet cheeks and trembling bottom lip as she tried to look anywhere but at him. He sneered at himself and felt the dry hair in his fingers for the first time – peroxide, fake, untrue. Indecent.

  Fuck.

  Taking in a long breath, he continued to watch her, as she stood perfectly still and mumbled to herself, her head occasionally shaking, and then her eyes closed and she was still again. Now what? Even he didn’t know. He noticed her legs shaking a little just as Tara’s pathetic face tried to get in front of his, so he pushed her head away and stood up to take the steps towards the only person in the room that actually mattered. She stiffened instantly.

  “You should have chosen more wisely, Elizabeth.”

  “Fuck you,” she replied quietly. He frowned and put his cock away again. That “fuck you” wasn’t quite so endearing.

  “Tara, untie her and get me a drink,” he said as he walked out of the door. He needed some time to think about what to do next, about how to handle the next scenario.

  “I hate you,” he heard her mumble behind him. He turned and headed back towards her with swift strides and picked up her chin to look into her eyes. There was no real hate looking back at him, no fire, no venom, just disappointment still filled with love for some unknown fucking reason.

  He chuckled and licked his lips again.

  “Not yet you don’t, Elizabeth.”

  Chapter 3

  Elizabeth

  H aving this bitch untie me is beyond frustrating. It would help if she did it faster, although why I’m in such a hurry I have no idea, because the moment I can move I’m probably going to do nothing more than sink to the floor and cry my eyes out. I can smell him on her. In fact, even though I’m trying my hardest to look away, I can’t help but notice the smear of him on her cheek. And if she keeps licking her sodding lips, I’m quite possibly going to slice them off her irritatingly beautiful face. My legs feel like jelly, and I’m sure I’m going crazy, because did that seriously just happen? Did he honestly just purposely make me watch him having a fucking blowjob from her? Why? Why would you do that to someone you say you love?

  “If it helps, honey, he didn’t enjoy it. I’ve felt him enjoy it. That wasn’t it. Still, he does taste good,” she says as she licks her lips again.

  What the hell am I supposed to say to that? My mouth opens but nothing is forthcoming, so I focus on the unwrapping of my arms and try to recall the anger that’s threatening again. I don’t even know
what’s going on. Her telling me that he didn’t enjoy his little fucking experience really isn’t helping matters. I certainly didn’t need to know how he tastes. Funnily enough, I already know.

  I sense the moment the last of the silk leaves my skin, and for the life of me I don’t know what to do. I’m part exhausted, part furious and part ready to kill. There’s some kind of heat seeping into my cold bones that wasn’t there before he started whatever the hell this was. He told me he killed two people and I stared in a strange sense of shock and wanted nothing more than to hold him or be left alone to deal with it. Now he’s done this I don’t know what to think. What sort of game is he playing here? Does he want me to push him away? Is this his way of telling me we’re over? No, it can’t be. He would have just left me like he did the last time. Then why is he forcing me to do things I don’t want to do, and see things I don’t want to see? Jesus, I’m confused. And why the hell don’t I hate him? Why can’t I just mean it when I say it? I sodding well mumbled the words, knowing I didn’t feel them. Regardless of the bastard and what he made me witness, I felt nothing but despair and loss when he looked straight into my eyes.

  I suddenly remember Tara standing in front of me and find her looking over at me. She still has no clothes on, and unfortunately, neither do I. I need some clothes.

  “What are you looking at? Go get him a damn drink like a good little girl,” is the first thing that falls from my lips. Bitch. I hate her at the moment. Oh my god, why can I hate her and not him? And what did he mean by that, anyway?

  She giggles – yes giggles – in my face and points her talon-like finger at me.

  “You should have seen your face. What did you think, that you were special to him? Elizabeth, no woman will ever be special to someone like him.”

  “It wasn’t me that had her head pinned to the floor,” I spit out as my hand finds its semi-permanent new place on my hip.

  “It wasn’t you who had his cock in their mouth either, was it?” she replies as she spins her hips away from me, and heads towards the door. “You should just forget about him and move on. There’s no way you’ll ever be enough for him.”