by Kim Faulks
Colton pulled out his money clip, peeled off two notes and threw them onto the bar before he stood and held out his hand. Her grasp felt small and warm, so delicate, so fragile.
He'd been kind enough to make sure her glass remained full, while he took his time with his single malt. He cupped her face, stared into her hazel eyes, and whispered. “You’re never going to forget tonight. That, I can promise you.”
He nodded to the valet to fetch his car. While they waited, Jade moved closer, sliding her body against his. Colton could see this was the thrill for her—the moment where she held all the cards. He played the game. The thrill of the sexual conquest was part of his game as well. He slid his hand around her waist and pulled her hard against him, allowing her to feel his excitement.
Her lips parted and she smiled as she sighed. The headlights of his silver Bentley drowned them in luminescent light. His growl in her ear mirrored the Bentley's engine. “Last chance to run, Jade.”
She caught sight of the car. The sleek machine had cost a fortune. But it was money well spent. Jade shook her head. He grinned. There was always a moment of danger, when the heady atmosphere of the expensive bar was left behind for the sidewalk and heavy D.C smog, when a woman might change her mind and leave him to spend the night alone. The Bentley was the cure for that.
The valet opened the passenger's door for Jade while he walked around the front of the car and slipped into the driver's seat. The stitched black wings stood out on the grey headrest. He watched Jade trace the embroidered logo before she turned and fastened her seatbelt. Colton sped through the city, winding the Bentley past the bright lights to the outskirts, leaving civilization behind. Jade shifted in the seat, her hand gently stroking her purse, and he guessed, her mobile phone. “Don't worry. I'm not going to dump you on the side of the road and take off.”
Her smile looked like a grimace in the dashboard lights. Colton braked slowly, easing the car into a sharp right-hand turn. Infrared sensors on the Bentley triggered the automatic gates at the front of the house. The ornate wrought iron slid back, allowing him to drive through. He heard Jade inhale sharply as he drove around the two-story house. The black and silver exterior sparkled, illuminated by floodlights, as well as the glow from the teal-toned water in the lap pool. Spacious and sparse, the home suited him perfectly.
“Wow, this place is spectacular.”
“Thank you. It suits my purpose.”
“If you don't mind me asking, what do you do for a living?”
He overrode the warning in his gut and tried to relax. “I work for Senator Banks.”
“Oh, now I know her.”
He switched off the engine and turned in his seat. “Her?”
“That was the senator’s daughter you were meeting, right? Rachel Banks.”
He opened the door and slid out. Her door opened almost silently and he held out his hand as he answered. “Yes, that was Rachel Banks. We were having a meeting to discuss her father’s impending good fortune.”
“Oh, is it something you can share with me? I mean, I can keep a secret, but I don’t want you to get into trouble.” She took his hand and slid one leg out of the car. Her gold dress rose high. Her thighs were milky and bare and he couldn’t stop staring.
He closed the car door behind her, slid her arm through his, and led her toward the front of the house. “Oh, I’m sure I can let you in on the secret. I mean, after tomorrow it’s going to be headline news anyway.”
The smile on her face lit her eyes. Colton pressed his thumb to the scanner beside the front door and heard the lock click. Stunning design and bold architecture weren’t his only requirements when building this house. The state-of-the-art locks and security were second to none—for this, no expense was spared.
“Wow, this is amazing. I mean, wow… just wow.”
Jade seemed to forget about him as she stepped inside. He loved seeing this kind of reaction. Every woman he bought here reacted much the same. He closed the front door, listening for the bolt to slide home before he rounded the massive staircase. The foyer was split into two. A staircase on the left climbed to the second floor where his bedroom and study lay. On the right was a walkway leading to the kitchen and the back of the house. Beyond the walkway lay a sunken lounge, with an open-hearth fireplace. He moved around Jade, stepping to the right, forgoing the stairs to head toward the kitchen. He never took the women he brought home to his bedroom. He had a place at the back of the house built especially for them.
He could hear Jade’s heels behind him as he loosened his tie and made his way to the kitchen. Black tiles and stainless steel created a sterile feel. There was not one bowl or cup on the counter. There was nothing but the shining granite countertop and one lone piece of fruit. A pear sat in the middle of the counter. The flesh was brown, bruised, and torn.
Colton opened the refrigerator and selected a bottle of wine, but his attention was on Jade. She stared at the pear—a blemish in an otherwise perfect environment.
He cracked open the bottle and sat it on the counter. Glasses dangled from the rack above the bar. Sliding one in front of Jade, he asked, “Are you hungry? Can I get you something to eat?”
The champagne splashed against the bottom. Bubbles raced for salvation to pop on the surface. He handed Jade a glass, watching her gaze drift to the rotten piece of fruit. “No, thank you, I’m not hungry.”
Colton took a sip from his glass, savoring the taste before he opened the drawer and picked up a small paring knife. The flesh of the pear gave way under his fingers. The knife barely needed pressure from him to slice through the middle, leaving the splayed fruit in the center of his palm. He removed the core, leaving it on the countertop while he dropped the remainder of the fruit into his mouth, one piece at a time.
Jade swallowed and grimaced. “Don't you think that’s a little too ripe?”
He finished the pear and sucked the juice from the tips of his fingers before he reached underneath the sink. He wanted her to watch. He wanted to see her flinch. The loud crunching sound filled the air. Jade jumped. Her hand clutched her chest as he dropped the remainder of the pear into the disposal. She didn’t look away as he hit the tap, washing down the fruit. He could almost see her mind trying to piece this all together as he hit the off switch and silence filled the room and then he answered. “I like my flesh bruised.”
He left his words to hang in the air, watching her reaction intently, before he continued. “I find it sweeter that way.”
Her eyes never left him as he made his way around the counter. He took her gold clutch from her fingers, tugging the purse until she released. Colton leaned into her and made sure the kiss was sweet, deliciously sweet. Eventually, he felt her soften and her body mold into his. She pushed her breasts against him, gripped him harder than she might grip a million dollar check—because he knew her type—until he broke away. Her hazel eyes sparkled with life, so pure, so delicious.
“You never told me the secret with the senator.”
He laughed and took her hand, guiding her after him. “Let’s leave that conversation for our pillow talk, shall we?”
Jade giggled and followed as he made his way to the back room. This was his favorite room in the entire house. His work room. It’d been purpose-built, with an opening that led to the woods at the back of his house.
Colton opened the door and flicked on the light. He stepped aside, eager to catch her reaction. This was the drug he craved. These were the moments he lived for. Jade's eyes widened and her hand fluttered to her mouth. He knew her thoughts. They were written all over her face. The flushed, pink tone of her skin died away, leaving her pale. Her mouth fell open and the sweetness of the champagne wafted over him as the breath left her body.
Jade stepped away from the door and shook her head, finding her voice at last. “I'm not into any rough stuff. I... think that you’ve got the wrong girl.”
She turned toward the kitchen. “It’s okay... I can find my own way back from here.”
He held out his hand in a feat of surrender, this was after all the game. “What? All the way back to the city? It’ll take you all night to walk. Taxi’s won't come all the way out here.”
She walked a little faster now, with a hitch in her step. He could see she was trying her best not to run. “I'll phone my boyfriend to come and get me.”
“Boyfriend? What’re you doing here if you have a boyfriend, Jade?”
She stumbled in her heels and her voice trembled. “We've been going through a hard time. Tonight was our last chance to work things out.”
She was pressing the buttons on her phone as he came up behind her. “So, he isn't really your boyfriend, then, is he, Jade? He probably doesn't even care that you're here with me. He’s probably with someone else. Face it, Jade. He’s not coming to get you.”
Her shaking fingers hovered over the screen, scrolling, scrolling.
“Back at the bar, I gave you a chance to run. I also said that you'll never forget tonight and if I'm nothing else, I am a man of my word.”
Colton gripped the base of her neck, clenching her blonde hair in his fist, and yanked her head back. She cried out and almost dropped the phone, but he was there to catch it. He was her knight in shining fucking armor. “This is what you've come for, isn't it? This is really what all women want? To feel powerless? To have your body used for pleasure? Don’t worry, when I’m finished with you I’ll take you back to the hotel.”
“That isn’t my idea of pleasure, you sick fuck. Get off me!”
Jade screamed and twisted in his grasp. His hand slipped from her neck. He tried to hold on, but her hair was so fine, she slid free. She lifted her knee. Her gold dress rode high. With a scream, Jade drove her stiletto through his foot. The pain was instant and crippling. Colton dropped, screaming and rolling on the ground. Through the haze of agony, he could see her heel had snapped off. The long, black spike jutted from the gaping hole in his cashmere sock and the flesh and bones underneath shone white. “Fucking bitch!”
The rattling of the front door drew his attention. She’s getting away… he ground his teeth so hard pain shot into his jaw… the fuck she is. In blind rage, Colton grabbed the heel embedded in his foot and yanked it free. His vision darkened as agony ripped through his foot. He growled, hard and low and his throat burned from the strain. He threw the heel to the ground as he felt blood pool inside his shoe. Waves of pain crashed over him. Colton breathed hard, and focused on the one thing—revenge. The front door rattled. The sound of her fear was calming. Colton pushed himself up from the floor and balanced on his good leg. Sharp spikes of pain drove into his foot with each move he made. As he lowered his foot to the floor, he could feel bones shifting and crunching.
“Please let me the fuck out of this place!”
Her screams seemed to quell his urge to chop off his fucking foot in order to stop the pain. The sound of her racing up the stairs urged him to move. There were no phones to call for help. No windows that weren’t bolted shut. This was his fortress, only this one was built to keep someone inside and not lock someone out. He balanced on one foot and moved along the kitchen counter.
A loud crash boomed from his study and the sound of breaking glass filled the air. He swallowed the pain and forced a smile. He liked it when they ran. The rush of adrenaline gave him a high like no other. Colton tried to stand but his leg gave way. The fucking thing wouldn’t work. He punched his thigh while the clamor upstairs continued until the throb of pain made the damn thing move. He hobbled over to the bottom of the stairs and hopped up each step as he gripped the banister. He could hear her up there, frantically trying to find a way out. “There’s no escaping, Jade. I did warn you.”
The door to his study slammed shut. The impact reverberated through the walls.
He tried to keep his voice calm. “You really shouldn't have done what you did. I would’ve been gentle... at first.”
He could hear the tremor in her voice as she called out to him. “You... you just stay away from me. I have a weapon. I... I'll use it if I have to.”
He slowed as he made it to the landing, mentally running through the objects in his office. There were no weapons in there. The bitch was bluffing. “Now, I know you’re lying to me, Jade.”
He limped up to the study door, gripping the rail. He reached to grab the door knob and stopped mid-air.
What if she wasn't lying? The fucking pain had him doubting himself. None of the previous girls had fought back. Sure, they screamed and scratched. The worst he’d ever received was a busted lip and gouges on his chest, but none had caused him any real injury—until now. Maybe I should just shoot her and be done with it? Cold crept along his spine. He stared at his hand reaching for the door, as if this limb were no longer his.
This was what it was all about wasn’t it? The moment when you stare into their eyes and know that even if they lived, they’d be changed forever.
The power of this knowledge surged inside him. Colton gripped the handle and twisted. It turned and then stopped. A whimper filtered through the door. There were no locks on any of the internal doors and nothing to stop him from getting into his study, only Jade’s slight weight. He rested his head against the door, listening to her, savoring this moment.
“I can hear you, you know. I can hear your heart racing. I can feel your excitement. You feel it too, don’t you, Jade? You can feel the high? I’m going to help you ride that wave of excitement and pain until there’s nothing left inside of you.”
He gripped the handle and yanked it hard. At the same time, he dropped his shoulder and barged forward. The door gave way and suddenly he stared into Jade’s wide eyes. “I’m going to make you scream.”
Her blonde hair was a mess now, her makeup not so perfect. She stumbled backward. Her dainty feet made her look shorter, almost younger—it seemed she’d lost her other heel along the way. She held out his letter opener, jabbing the air. “You just stay the fuck away from me.”
He looked to his upturned desk. The bottoms of the drawers were smashed open, his private documents laid out for all to see. His breath caught at the sight of the beige file, the contents spread across the floor. He swallowed hard and clenched his fist as a cold anger wash over him. “Put down the opener, Jade.”
He took a slow step closer, watching as her eyes widened and the letter opener shook. Colton forgot all about the pain in his foot. He forgot about everything else−except the scattered papers. “Did you read the file, Jade?”
Her gaze dropped to the floor and found the page—the one he kept secret—the one outlining the President of the United States’ demise—in the senator’s own handwriting. He clucked and the sharp noise made her jump.
Her attention turned back to him. “I didn't see anything. I swear.”
His forearms bulged with the force of his grip. He took another step closer. “I know you're lying to me, Jade. You're a terrible liar.”
“No, no… no. I promise. I didn’t see anything. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” But her eyes betrayed her untruth. They drifted to the page once more.
“Liar.” He whispered and took a step closer.
She jerked as though she’d been slapped and stared at him. In the reflection of her glistening eyes, he saw the battle had already been won. All that was left now was to claim his prize.
Her voice was thick and her tears ran free. “I didn't see anything. Please, I didn’t see anything. I'll do what you want. I'll... go down to that room. I’ll have sex with you. But, please don't kill me.”
He clucked his tongue. “You’re a liar. You read the letter didn't you, Jade? You saw the file and read the letter. You must’ve, because the letter opener was on top. Tell the truth and I'll take you down to that room with me, but I'll let you live. Tell the truth, Jade.”
She shook her head. Snot dripped from her nose. She brushed it away with the back of her hand. The knife trembled in mid-air. “I didn't. I swear.”
Colton struck. His fist
caught the side of her wrist. The letter opener flew from her hand, landing with a clang in the middle of the room. Jade shook her head and shuffled backward, but there was nowhere she could go.
“Please don't kill me.”
Her gaze drifted to the open door. Colton lunged. She hit the floor hard under his weight. Her forehead rebounded from the tiles, smashing into his, dazing him. He hadn’t expected to hit her so hard. She lay still under him. His head raced and his face burned. This whole fucking night hadn’t gone to plan and now she was dead. A muffled moan vibrated against his chest, but she lay still. He shifted, raising his weight off her body. He could hear the moment her consciousness returned. The sharp inhale of her breath was followed by a piercing scream.
As they struggled, he saw the opener lay within her reach. He felt her body shift and knew she was going for the knife. Before she had a chance to gouge out his fucking eye, he knocked the blade away.
“You shouldn't have run, Jade.” He ground his body hard into hers. “You can see how exciting that is for me.”
She whimpered and tried to crawl away, but he pinned her to the floor with his hips. The crevice of her ass felt good. For a moment, Colton was lost in the rhythm as he rocked. He could feel her silently cower under him. She didn’t fight, she didn’t scream.
Did she think it would be this easy? One quick, violent moment which would give way for depression and remorse? Did she think he was some fucking rapist? This wasn’t about rape… this was more than sexual control. He shoved off her. Like a timid little mouse, she lay there, and her subservience only pissed him off more.
“Get up.” He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to her feet. She refused to stand, instead, she dropped her weight so that she slumped to the floor. Fight back! Pain would be her trigger, pain would make her fight. He wound his fist through her hair and pushed her face hard into his groin until his excitement cut off her air. Jade’s muffled cries made him harder. She pushed against the force of his hand, whipping her face from side to side, which only excited him more.
