The Darkest Hour: The Surrender Series - Book 4

by Lauren Smith

  “Right.” Royce and Dimitri drank and talked quietly so as to not be overheard, even by her. It gave Kenzie time to survey the room. She noted the exits, the bar, and the various “play areas,” but the more she looked, the more nervous she became. It was clear this club wasn’t about mutual pleasure like the Gilded Cuff back on Long Island. The only people really enjoying themselves were the Doms.

  “Little Mac?” Royce whispered in her ear. “You okay?”

  “Yep.” Her falsely cheerful reply earned a pinch on her bottom, and she gasped. “Hey!”

  Dimitri laughed. “I think your sub needs reminding of her place. It may be a few hours before we need to properly focus. Why don’t we take her up to a private room?” Dimitri offered.

  Kenzie stared at the dark, handsome Russian. “We?”

  Royce’s head tilted to one side. “Tell me, Little Mac. What do you think of Dimitri?” Royce leaned in closer. “What do you think of him kissing you while I explore you with my mouth and hands?”

  The sudden image of being shared between them should have sent her running, but instead her body lit up like a supernova. Two guys at once. It was as if they’d glimpsed her inner thoughts, the fantasy she’d tried to bury only a moment ago. She didn’t want to be in a long-term relationship with two men. But for one night? All of them into it?

  Yes, please. The little voice of reason in her head seemed to lose the battle for control with the wild side of her, which was shouting at her to toss her coat off and run to the nearest bed.

  Good God. It was crazy, but the way Royce and Dimitri were watching her? They wanted her, and that only made her want it even more. She nodded, just a little.

  “I think I should find us a room.” Dimitri walked toward a door with a sign in Russian that Kenzie couldn’t read. She swallowed hard, her skin flushing. She knew they would see her full body blush soon. Her knees turned to jelly, and Royce’s lips curved into a smile. He cupped her chin and tilted her face up to his.

  “You okay with two of us, babe? Same rules apply. You can say no to anything you don’t want to do. Red to stop and yellow to slow down and talk it through. Remember, you’re in control.”

  She nodded slowly. “You’re okay with me being with both of you? Won’t that turn you off?” It was the one thing her fantasies never had to deal with - the reality that most people didn’t like a three-way because jealousy got in the way.

  “I would never share you long-term. If you were mine, Little Mac, truly mine, I’d be the only man in your life and in your bed, except perhaps for the occasional night when you want to test your limits. I don’t have an attraction to men, so if I were to share you, it would always be about you. And I think the two of us will give you something else to focus on before Vadym arrives.”

  “It would definitely distract me,” she said hastily, and pulled away from him so she could take a long drink of water.

  “Come on.” Royce pulled her past Hans and Tatiana, who were still deep in discussion. Hans was clearly fixated on the beautiful Interpol agent disguised as his submissive. The woman winked at Kenzie and stroked the silver collar she wore as they passed.

  “Keep an eye on the door,” said Royce. “If Vadym comes, knock three times.” Hans gave a curt nod.

  Kenzie was led into a room at the front of the hall. There was a massive bed with expensive furnishings. The restraints and the wall of toys were like the room Royce had taken her into in the Gilded Cuff, albeit a bit darker and less elegant. Dimitri was already there waiting, his coat off, his shirtsleeves rolled up. He walked along the wall of toys, examining each one. Kenzie halted a few feet inside the door when she saw him pick up a flogger.

  “Oh God,” she said. This two-man fantasy was fast becoming a reality—maybe too fast.

  “No floggers. Not yet,” Royce said as he closed and locked the door.

  When she gulped and stared at him, he chuckled.

  “It’s to keep the bad men out, not you in.”

  “Right. Of course.” She shrugged out of her coat and Royce took it, hanging it on a hook. Then he removed his own coat and rolled up his shirtsleeves. Both he and Dimitri were watching her, their eyes fixed on her every move.

  “Not much training with this one?” Dimitri asked.

  Royce shook his head “No training, actually, so be patient with her.”

  The Russian nodded, and a gentle but sexy smirk curved his lips.

  “We won’t bite, little one. Come here.” Royce pointed to a spot near the bed closest to them. Kenzie walked toward him, her heart pounding and her body throbbing at the thought of what was to come. Royce pulled her into his arms, and the slow, burning kiss he gave her relaxed her instantly. She didn’t even jump when she felt another set of hands, Dimitri’s, massaging her shoulders, soothing away the tension that was coiled tight inside her at the thought of everything that was about to happen tonight.

  This was about her pleasure. He was letting her explore a fantasy, and that made her dizzy with the thought of all the possibilities of what was to come. She moaned against his lips and barely noticed as her dress was unzipped from the back. She lowered her hands so the dress could puddle on the floor, then toed out of her high heels.

  She gasped when Royce suddenly turned her around. Dimitri cupped her face and lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss burned, his mouth moving expertly, seductively over hers. She heard Royce’s rough whisper in ear.

  “How does he taste? Can you imagine him between your thighs? How he would lick you clean, so hard you’d be screaming. But I’d be swallowing those pretty cries with my mouth.”

  Kenzie’s whole body reacted. There was no other word for it. One minute she was barely in control. The next it was like a pleasure bomb went off inside her. Her womb clenched as a mini climax shot through her, making her shake violently. She clutched at Dimitri, trying to stay on her feet. His husky laugh against her mouth only turned her on more.

  “Let’s play with her, Devereaux,” Dimitri growled.

  “Yes,” she gasped hungrily. She wanted only one thing—to be taken and played with by both of them in the dark, forbidden world of this room. Tomorrow she’d feel embarrassed, but not tonight. If we all survive. The fatalistic thought only drove her hunger higher.

  Dimitri released her, and Royce scooped her up to lay her down on her back. He hooked her wrists into the cuffs held to the bedpost by a chain. She could move a little, but she couldn’t do more than wiggle a few inches in either direction. If she rolled onto her stomach, the chains would tighten at the center and lock her wrists above her head, making her completely immobile. The thought made her hot as hell.

  Royce and Dimitri stood at the foot of the bed, whispering. They glanced her way, dark smiles on both of their faces.

  Oh crap.

  “Remember your safe words?” Royce asked.

  “Yellow to slow down, red to stop,” she said.

  “Good. But were going to make it a little more complicated.” Royce held up a small bell. He gave it a good shake, and then he covered it with his hands, shaking it again. The first sound was clear, the second sound muffled.

  “Close your fist and any muffled sound we hear we’ll assume you’re fine. If you need us to slow down, open your hand a little and shake it. We will hear the clearer sound. If you need us to stop, throw the bell on the floor. You’ll have a chance to do it if you’re scared. Got it?”

  “Yes, but why can’t I use the words?”

  “Because he’s going to gag you, little one.” Dimitri handed Royce a strip of black cloth, and Royce walked over to her, wrapping the cloth around her face and tying it behind her head. It wasn’t tight, but she couldn’t speak with the gag filling her mouth.

  “You all right, Little Mac?” Royce asked. He gazed into her eyes, searching for fear. She wasn’t afraid, but she was nervous as hell. She answered with a shaky nod.

  “Good girl.” He stroked her cheek before he slipped the ball into her left palm. She gave it a test shake, sig
hing in relief when the bell chimed loudly.

  “She’s got the hang of it,” Royce said as he turned back to the wall of toys. Dimitri came over to her, leaning over the bed so he could trail a fingertip down her breasts, toying with the lacy black cups of the bra.

  “Who gets the first taste?” Dimitri asked as he brushed the pad of his thumb over her nipple beneath the cloth of her bra.

  “I do.” Royce came over to the bed and stood at the foot of it, watching Kenzie. She squirmed under the intensity of his hungry stare.

  Dimitri climbed onto the bed beside her and cupped her face, turning her focus toward him as he traced her bottom lip.

  “Then I shall feast upon her breasts.” He moved his hand down again, this time with more force, enough to pull the bra down, letting her breasts spring free from their lacy black confinement. Kenzie jerked as he cupped her left breast.

  “You have such lovely breasts, such pink nipples,” the Russian growled and squeezed. He didn’t hurt her; he seemed to know how to palm her, cup and knead her to make a low burning heat in her belly start up. He twirled his index finger around her nipple, which pebbled into a hard nub. He pinched it lightly, pulling on it a little.

  Kenzie arched her back as a bolt of pleasure shot through her. She cried out, but the sound was muffled, the cloth pressing against her tongue. She threw her head back when she felt Dimitri’s mouth close down on her breast, sucking the nipple hard. His other hand played with her other breast.

  Then she felt her hips lifted and her panties pulled off. She tried to relax, knowing it was Royce, but even when she felt his shoulders between her knees she still tensed. The fan of his warm breath over the most sensitive parts of her was both thrilling and scary because she could not see him, not when Dimitri was sucking on her and blocking her view.

  Royce’s tongue flicked along her inner thighs, and she squeaked and jerked. Both men chuckled at her reaction but didn’t relent. She gripped the bell tight, careful not to let it accidentally ring out. She whimpered as Royce moved his mouth to her slit. He licked with slow, deep strokes, his tongue playing the sensitive bud of her clit until he finally sucked it into his mouth. Dimitri switched breasts and began sucking on the other one while squeezing and pinching the sensitive peak his mouth had abandoned. The climax that hit her was so intense, it was like she’d jabbed a fork into a socket. Every part of her body became electrified.

  “Fuck, babe,” Royce groaned. “I’m not going to last.” He sat up and spoke to Dimitri. “I’m going to take her from behind. You remove the gag and kiss her while I take her.”

  Dimitri growled his agreement, and Kenzie was suddenly lifted so she was on her knees facing the headboard. She gripped the top of the headboard. Dimitri knelt beside her and pulled the gag down, covering her mouth in a rough, punishing kiss. She whimpered as Royce moved into her from behind and rammed himself deep inside her. The angle he took seemed to stretch and fill her in the best possible way. She could barely breathe. The intense pleasure was too much, and she only clenched the bell tighter.

  “That’s it, babe, show him how well you kiss,” Royce ordered while he pounded into her from behind.

  Dimitri kissed her hot and hard, unrelenting, as though he wanted to fuck her entire mouth. One hand slid down her stomach between her thighs, finding her clit and rubbing it. He alternated between rubbing it, flicking it, and pinching it. Between his mouth, his hand, and Royce’s cock slamming her from behind, it was…

  The next orgasm hit, and she collapsed against the headboard. Dimitri curled his arm around her stomach, holding her upright until Royce released himself inside her. She could feel his release dripping down her thighs.

  It was like every dark fantasy she’d ever had hitting her all at once. He gave her ass a sharp smack, and she could only moan. Dimitri kissed her a long while, helping her come down from the haze. When Dimitri finally pulled away, she could see he was aroused, but he hadn’t moved to touch her.

  “Kenzie, babe, you okay?” Royce asked.

  “Uh-huh.” She still clutched the jingle bell. There had been no need to throw it, no need to shake it, but now she realized how selfish she’d been. She and Royce had their release, but not Dimitri.

  “Should I…?” She looked down at the erection tenting his pants.

  Dimitri smiled. “You are a very considerate sub, but I don’t wish to come between you. If you were to have a taste of me, you would forget all about your professor.” He tapped the tip of her nose and climbed off the bed. “I will return for you once Vadym arrives.” Dimitri slipped off the bed, collected his jacket, and with a seductive smile, exited the room. Royce locked it behind him, shaking his head.

  “Cocky Russian bastard,” he muttered as he returned to Kenzie on the bed, releasing her wrists.

  “Royce…”

  “We’re alone. The game is over for now.” He rubbed her wrists, massaging them, but she was fine. The soft fur that lined the cuffs had felt good and hadn’t pinched.

  “Royce,” she began again, but stopped as she began to digest what they had just done.

  “Yes?”

  “That was… I mean…” She couldn’t tell him that he’d given her the best gift ever by letting her explore a two-man fantasy.

  “You enjoyed it?” He removed the gag from where it hung loose around her throat.

  “It was amazing. It’s like you both knew my darkest fantasy.” She looked down and realized she was naked and her breasts were pushed up by the bra cups still pulled below.

  Royce noticed too. “I need to taste you, Little Mac. One more time,” he said. She could never deny this man, especially when she knew it would end in him pleasing her even more. She dropped onto her back and he lay on top of her, his cock sliding back into the wet heat of her channel. He buried his face in her breasts, and when he kissed her, she was shocked at his tenderness.

  “You really are bad,” she whispered, and she clawed his shoulders through his white shirt while he slowly made love to her.

  “You have no idea, babe. No idea.” He nipped her bottom lip and rocked his hips against her until they both came in a sweet, building climax. They lay together on the large bed, limbs entwined, faces nuzzling as they caught their breath.

  “Do you ever wonder if this is a dream?” Kenzie asked. “Like you slept in and didn’t hear the buzz of your alarm, and you’re just lost in this world instead?” She turned to look at him, watching the low light of the room affect his pupils, making his eyes appear all black.

  “A dream? Yeah, sometimes. Then I feel your hand in mine and I forget about all the bad shit that’s happened.” He paused, his face growing somber. “And I remember that we can’t do this forever. We have to find a way to go back, once we’re home, or else…”

  “Or else we’ll both get burned,” she added for him.

  “Yeah.”

  “I know. We have both worked too hard to let sex destroy our careers, even great sex.” Even as she said it, she didn’t believe her own words. This thing between them, at least for her, was so much more than great sex.

  “Let’s just survive tonight, and then we can figure out what happens before we get home.” He sat up and raked his hand through his hair, then rolled his shirtsleeves down and got off the bed, gathering his clothes as he went to the small bathroom and closed the door.

  Kenzie heard the water running, and then she fixed her bra and grabbed her panties. By the time Royce was done, she was dressed. She traded places with him in the bathroom. She cleaned herself up and stared at herself in the mirror.

  The woman who looked back at her was different. So different. The dark eyes, wavy brown hair, gold dress, and dark makeup—she’d just had sex with one man while kissing another, and it had been…amazing. The innocent girl from Rochester was gone. She’d grown up in ways she’d never expected. She touched the mirror, watching her fingers meet her mirror image.

  “You’re going to be okay,” she said to the woman in the reflection. She just
hoped it was true. Tonight was going to be more dangerous than she could truly imagine.

  “You ready?” Royce called out. “Dimitri just gave us the signal. Vadym is here.”

  She lifted her chin and opened the door to face Royce. She gave him a nod. Her sweet, loving professor was gone, and in his place was a scary, dark-eyed man who was prepared to kill to protect her.

  And if all went well, only one life would be taken tonight—and many others saved.

  14

  Royce felt the weight of the vial of ricin in his trousers.

  It seemed to be burning through his pocket. Soon he would be slipping it into a drink and giving it to Vadym. Never in his life had he imagined he would be a man who would take a life like this. He’d always believed in being a hero, someone who would kill a bad guy in a glorious shootout, not this shady, spy-versus-spy, fucked-up shitstorm he was currently trapped in. Soon this nightmare would be over. He led Kenzie outside of the room and buried all thoughts of what they had just shared deep inside. He couldn’t let his feelings get in the way of what had to be done.

  He’d prefer to simply shoot the man in the midst of a fight. That would be fair, sure, but that was too dangerous. Innocents could get hurt in the process. They needed to be cold and calculated because they were putting more than just their own lives at risk.

  While he had some qualms about using these means to kill someone, he certainly had none about the target. This man couldn’t be more evil. He was destroying human lives and robbing nations of their history. There was nothing good about a man like this, yet Royce still felt a hesitation to take a human life.

  I’m not a killer. It was true, he’d never killed in cold blood before, only in self-defense. But this was self-defense, after a fashion. It was clear the mob boss held a grudge and would not stop hunting Royce until he complied with his wishes. And when Vadym had no more use for him, he’d be disposed of.