Rune

by H. D. March

  A shudder of shame rocked her that she’d eagerly accepted Kitty’s gift without a backward glance and thought of her own pitiful bank account. With her friend’s coming birthday, Jess hoped she’d manage to treat her to maybe a meal out. But after her experience, they’d be avoiding the fast food chain.

  Walking alongside Rune, Jess cricked her neck back, his size dwarfed her. She discovered it a unique experience to feel petite due to her own towering height. Noting the hunger on the women that eyed him, a ripple of jealousy coasted over her.

  Jess moved a little closer to Rune and held her head high, her eyes flashing at their blatant attention. She had thought she’d be self-conscious in her outfit, yet, casting her attention around at what some women wore, realized she was almost overdressed.

  They neared a huge circular bar that took centre stage, manned by a bevy of women half undressed, sexily so, yet without looking cheap or trashy. The walnut wood gleamed, the brass that edged it glistened, and everything glowed pristine.

  At once, her attention dropped on a huge, dark haired man that propped up the bar. His torso almost bare, he wore a loose jerkin that matched his leathers. Jess didn’t miss the smattering of hair over a large chest that tapered into a narrow waist. The roll of muscle on his biceps covered by a swirl of tattoos. Drawn to his face, she swept over the hard planes; the dimple that sank in the middle of his chin took the edge off, giving him a sweet expression. He was hot, he was cuddly and he was….

  LeBron.

  She knew at once from the picture, yet it didn’t do him justice. Frigging hell, no wonder Kitty had the hots for him, because he was an awesome specimen. Then winced at the pinch at her shoulder and glanced up into a pair of furious eyes.

  Okay, what the frigging hell is wrong with you? Again, she turned her hot attention to LeBron; he was sexy, but not on Rune’s blazing level. She had to admit she didn’t think anything could match her President, or the man.

  They paused beside him.

  §§§

  LeBron took in the tall statuesque brunette and hid his shock that Rune was presenting her as his sub. This was the first time ever. He wondered how Storm would take the news, not good, and knew she would react as a right bitch.

  In fact, he was surprised she hadn’t made an appearance already but she would. And soon. Because it was pretty obvious Rune wouldn’t be visiting her tonight.

  And, one glance at the female, he didn’t blame him. The woman exuded a raw sexiness, then the vision of his petite blonde rose. Kitty, and the light dimmed in his eyes.

  “Who is your friend?”

  “That, LeBron, is none of your business.” Rune responded with hostility.

  LeBron could tell by Rune’s expression and stance his question pissed him off. Interesting. “Whatever.” He studied his glass of whisky instead. Swirling the glass of amber liquid, his thoughts hovered elsewhere. As usual, they returned to Kitty. Was he ever going to put her vision to rest?

  A shout echoed through the air, breaking into his thoughts. Rune glanced over. He hesitated. “Seems like there’s some trouble, LeBron, look out for Jessalyn, and no touching.” His warning was clear. “I’ll be back soon.”

  §§§

  Jess felt like a bitch unleashed to run free on the common. She winked up at LeBron. God but he was a striking specimen. The alter ego to her tawny lover, a huge dark-haired mass of testosterone. A dripping delight of lust. His hair shaved short, his chin sculptured with its cute dimple, it was shaded dark, and she shivered as the sweet chocolate eyes drizzled over her.

  “What have you done to Rune?”

  His question unnerved her. “What do you mean?”

  “He’s never ever brought a sub down to the club.”

  “Why?” Shit, this was good and bad news, the fact she was special hedged over Jess. It gave her a squiggle of pride, and she knew then that Kitty had been right. The bad? She thought about it, and came back nil, there was nothing bad in being special to that man.

  He shrugged his massive shoulders. “Don’t know.”

  “So, where has he gone now?”

  “To fight, or at least to stop one, but knowing Rune, he’ll get stuck in.”

  “Will he be hurt?” At once, she worried.

  LeBron chuckled. “Rune? Are you for real? You want to save your sympathy for the sorry bastards he’ll be kicking ass with.”

  “Aren’t there security staff here for that?”

  “Yep, but let’s just say Rune likes to be hands on, very much so.”

  She took in this information, along with the very real concern and worry she experienced. Hell, she’d only met him just over twenty four hours ago and already she suffered from a need to mother him. Then stifled a chuckle at that thought. He was big enough and hard enough to look after himself.

  Jess peered up at LeBron; he was drop dead gorgeous, no wonder he’d hooked her friend. She decided to do a bit of pushing, of match making. “Do you recall a lady called Kitty?”

  At once his eyes hardened, from soft chocolate to splintering black. “Why?”

  “Because she’s my best friend.”

  “And?”

  “She’s hurting.”

  “Is she ill?” At once, his dark eyes glistened with concern.

  “Yeah, guess you could say that. Because some asshole fucked with her, invaded her heart, and left it open?” Jess went for it. She had tried to rein in her pent up fury. Instead, she thought, what the hell.

  LeBron scrubbed a hand over his cropped head. “I thought it was for the best.”

  “What, for you? Is this what it’s all about?” snapped Jess.

  “No, for her, you know jack shit, bitch, she can’t, she won’t…” His words stopped. “There is no way we can work out; it’s better as it is.”

  “You’re nothing but a coward, and in my opinion, she’s better off without you,” sneered Jess.

  Her breath stopped in her throat at the hand squeezing her throat. “Ooops!” Too late, she realized he was as volatile and unpredictable as Rune.

  “I adore that woman; don’t you realize what this is costing me?”

  “Er, try opening up my larynx and letting me go?” she croaked, her fingers clutched at his hands. “Maybe then we can talk about it.”

  His grip loosened. “Sorry, didn’t mean that, but I can’t go to her, much as I’d like to.”

  “Why?”

  “Because of who I am.”

  “For God’s sake, she won’t give a toss who you are, or where you come from. Neither is she interested in how much money you’ve got if that’s what you’re thinking, because all she wants is you.” Jess paused. “Don’t you get it? It’s you she needs.”

  LeBron roasted her with his dark chocolate eyes. “She wouldn’t if she knew what I am.” Slamming his unfinished drink down, he stormed off.

  Jess made to follow him, confusion rolled over her.

  Then stopped at a hand that touched her, she turned into a masked face, a male hovered beside her. “Are you all alone, little woman?”

  She held back a chuckle at the question, and she looked down at him. Jess was about to answer when Rune appeared.

  “No, she’s not,” he growled and looked around. “Where’s LeBron?”

  “He stormed off in a sulk, something to do with Kitty.”

  He studied her and wiped a drizzle of blood off his cheek. Yet didn’t ask what had happened. Taking the leather lead, he led her forward.

  “Now, for your introduction.”

  At each step, she groaned, a wicked fuzz of delight edged across her clit, her fanny burned at the sensations slapping through her sex. The tight clench of her clit along with the teasing delight of the beads were stripping her bare. The friction touched and fed with each step.

  Jess tamped down her desire to drop her hand to her fanny and masturbate.

  They moved into a dark room, the lights dimmed, its occupants intent on sex. She hitched her breath and focussed on the display in front of her. It w
as as Rune had described a dungeon. And hanging against the stone wall writhed the body of a woman, her arms akimbo, her wrists chained.

  Jess couldn’t take her attention off the man before her, from his body that fed against the female, how his hands roved across her. Each finger scrolled a long wicked path.

  Rune’s words rippled in a whisper. ”How do you find this?”

  “Hot.”

  He pulled her back against him, her body lay against his. And she moaned into his hands that gripped her tits; he massaged and teased her nipples. All the while she arched into him, the delicious spasms kicked off below. Never had she felt so much on the edge.

  “Do you want to come for me, Jess?” His tongue snaked down her throat, it sealed over her skin, and back to lave across her lips.

  “Please, Rune?”

  “Sorry, little one, you’re going to suffer, and wait, until I’m ready.” His lips drizzled over her lips and he pulled back.

  Bastard.

  “Temper, temper,” warned Rune, and clutching her tit with one hand, dropped his fingers to filter between her legs. Her thighs opened to him.

  He stopped.

  “We’re here to observe, nothing more.” His words skated over her; taking her hand, he led her down a corridor and back to the area with the large bar. “And to show everyone you’re mine.”

  “For a short time,” she muttered aloud.

  “Of course, I hope you didn’t think different?”

  “Not at all,” she lied.

  Rune attentions switched to the end of the room. “Stay here and don’t move, I’ve just spotted someone I need to speak to.” He gave her another squeeze and tugged her nipple. “Everyone is aware you’re my sub, no one will come onto you now.”

  “Is that a new way of saying you’re arranging another fuck?” asked Jess with a bitch of a smile.

  “No, and need I remind you of your sub duties?”

  “Most likely.” She blistered him with a heated glare. “Sir.”

  He gave her one long, searching look before leaving. Jess followed his sexy ass shaking roll as he walked away.

  She nibbled her nails, that twat was on the pull, she was sure of it, why she didn’t know but went with her feelings. Leaning on the bar, she ordered a vodka and coke and sipped from it. Frigging hell! Next time, she’d ask for a triple because she couldn’t taste any alcohol and wondered if the barman had forgotten it.

  Absorbed in her thoughts, she jumped at the woman’s voice that chilled over her.

  “Just who do you think you are? I saw you panting over him like a bitch on heat!”

  What the heck? She turned to face a fine-boned, chiselled female stabbing her with a heated glare. “Are you talking to me?”

  “Of course, you moron.” The dark-haired woman threw her a furious toss of anger. “Rune is my man; you don’t have any right to him.”

  Hey, technically, he’s bought and paid for. “Don’t I? Did you study for a degree in rudeness, or does it come natural?”

  “What do you think?”

  “That you’re a frigging jealous bitch?”

  “How right you are.” She pulled her arm up and lashed out, slapping Jess hard across the cheek.

  The crack of her hand stung. “Big mistake, you cow.” Jess threw herself forward. She didn’t do pain, yet neither did she back down. Not ever. Her fists pummelled into the dark-haired woman. Her quick fire temper erupted.

  The glass she’d sipped from fell to the floor, and she unleashed her bunched fists. Slamming them into the woman’s face, or at least attempting to, they fell grappling to the floor. Jess winced at a stabbing pain shooting through her thigh. Then screamed at the large hands handling her, dragging her back.

  “Jess, cut this out, now!” Rune’s furious voice and words rung over her as he hauled her to her feet. She sucked in deep breaths, her rage still trained on the dark-haired attacker.

  She gasped and swallowed a glut of anger; her chest heaved with a wave of fury; it surged up and down with uncontrolled rage.

  §§§

  “Jess, remain here and don’t fucking move.” Rune left her leaning against the dark mahogany panelling that adorned the walls.

  He crossed to Storm. “What the hell do you think you’re playing at?” He scrubbed a hand through his tawny hair. “Consider yourself banned from the club. Now, get the hell out!”

  “But…”

  “But nothing,” he yelled.

  Storm hesitated, then, spinning around, flounced away in a spate of jealous rage. Rune watched as she wove her way through the crowd, then glanced at the swirling light. His heart hammered in his chest. He followed its destination as Jess dropped to the floor, a shaft of pain crossing her face. At the same time, the dagger slammed into the panelling behind, where it would have hit her chest.

  On trembling limbs, he crossed to her. The very real terror that she could have been taken from him shook him to the core.

  He checked she was safe before tugging at the knife. “Stay put, Jess, don’t move until I tell you.”

  A puzzled frown lingered on her face; she’d kept her glare centred on the retreating woman. When she’d taken a step forward, pain lanced through her thigh and she’d fallen to the floor.

  Rune checked out the blade, no distinctive marks, it was plain and bland. He slipped it into the band of his trousers. His worried gaze searched the room, yet saw nothing suspicious. Only a few curious glances that soon turned away. He bent over Jess and scooped her into his arms, determined to keep her safe.

  He was sure that whoever had been chasing her, whatever she’d seen at the drive through, it was all connected. Someone, somewhere wanted her dead.

  Chapter Nine

  Rune held her curled in his arms. His muscles bulged hard, his strides stiff and controlled. “I’m taking you back to our room, one that you’ll be safe in.”

  She snuggled against him, into his body. “Whatever you say.”

  Carrying her up the winding staircase, he noticed her discomfort, how she wriggled. “What’s wrong?”

  “My clit, shit, Rune, it’s crying out loud for an audience with the President.”

  His smidgeon of a smile passed over her.

  Until he placed her on the bed and Rune discovered the material slashed on her thigh. “What the fuck? How did this happen?”

  “What?” Her body and thoughts fixed on her horny fanny and the instrument of seductive torture that clung to her clit.

  She gave a satisfied smile when he tugged her cat suit off. At last she would get relief. Jess blinked in shock at the blood dripping down her thigh. A splinter of glass wedged in her broken skin, it glinted in the play of light. She recalled a sharp stab of pain, one that she had forgotten. Instead, she’d channelled her fury into the evil bitch.

  A worried scowl crept over his face. Jess guessed he was probably wondering if it would interfere with sex.

  His golden eyes darkened and he shot her a glare. “No.”

  “No what?” Now, what was he talking about?

  He didn’t answer, instead gripped the glass between his fingers and tugged.

  “Jesus Christ, that bloody hurt,” she whimpered.

  “Thought it might.” He rose, dropping the shard into the bin, and disappeared into the bathroom. Two minutes later, he returned with a first aid kit and a bowl. She lay back wearing her thong, high heels, and collar, the cat suit coiled on the floor. Jess studied his features as he tended her leg and dragged in a hiss of breath. God, but she was relieved his vocation wasn’t that of a doctor.

  “Sorry.” Yet he didn’t look up.

  Yeah, I bet. “Who was she?”

  “Storm,” he answered without hesitation.

  “She’s your girlfriend?”

  “No.”

  Heck, he was hard work. “So, why did she say you’re her man?”

  “Probably because I’ve been fucking her over the last few months.” He placed a dressing on her thigh.

  Shit, why di
d I have to ask that question? “Regular?” She experienced a stab of jealousy. A mind-numbing, green-eyed monster screwed her.

  “Yep.” He glanced up and shifted the subject. “Why would someone try to kill you?”

  “When? What are you talking about?” Her eyes narrowed and wondered if he referred to the spat with Storm. If so, he was prone to exaggerating.

  He gave a snort. “When that knife hit where you were standing?”

  “What knife?” Jess wondered what he was talking about because she hadn’t switched her attention from Storm, her anger trained on the dark-haired cow.

  Jess had been busy giving rein to her imagination, how she’d torture her. Until Rune had scooped her up into his arms.

  Rune pulled a knife out of the back of his waist band. “This one.”

  Jess’s breath came out on a long whoosh; the blade glinted beneath the light. It looked sharp and deadly.

  “If you hadn’t dropped to the floor, it would be embedded in your chest.”

  Jess looked from the weapon up into Rune’s face. She quivered, a scramble of fear curled over her. Who would want her dead? An image of grey eyes rose, and she noticed the sudden curiosity on Rune’s face.

  “I don’t know; are you sure it was deliberate?”

  “No, it just slipped from someone’s hand and thumped into the wood.”

  Sarcastic twat.

  A muscle ticked along his jaw. “This was thrown with force.”

  “Well, I’ve no idea why. I mean, I don’t know that many people, and who would want to kill me?”

  She studied Rune in silence, thoughtfully chewing on her lip. He had to have got it wrong; it was an accident, nothing more. And besides it had missed her, she reasoned, and put his absurd suggestion to one side. Despite her injured thigh and near-death experience, only one thing remained on her mind. The clit clamp prompted her, and she shifted her hips, then wished she hadn’t when a burning heat grew in her belly.

  In silence, Rune took her hand, bringing her to her feet. She tested her leg out and discovered it was almost pain-free. Instead, her focus remained on the torture between her legs. She shivered when he tweaked her nipple, pinching down hard.

  “Oh God!” Jess arched into his hand. Beneath his black leather trousers, a huge bulge appeared. Her hand moved and she palmed it, caressing. Rune’s fingers clamped her wrist.