by I. T. Lucas
For some, it had happened sooner than for others; Annani and Khiann becoming attached within weeks. She had claimed it had happened so fast because they had been so in love.
Kian wondered, though, what came first; the chicken or the egg. The love or the addiction…
Still, he had to consider the possibility that he and Syssi might be of the sooner variety. Which meant that if they were forced to part, in addition to the mental agony, they would suffer painful withdrawal.
But the thought of him taking other partners as a preemptive measure sickened him, and the thought of Syssi doing the same… made him homicidal.
CHAPTER 19: SYSSI
With nothing better to do, Syssi poured herself another cup of coffee and even hazarded, with trepidation, reading the headlines of the Los Angeles Times that Okidu had left for her on the kitchen counter. Luckily, there had been no disasters reported… That is if one didn’t count the economic and political ones…
Now, with the butler gone, she was all alone in the big, empty penthouse; restless and bored. Kian must’ve gone to work straight from the gym, and he hadn’t even bothered to call.
Kind of disappointing. And disheartening. The night they had spent together had been monumental in the effect it had on her. That didn’t necessitate, though, that it had been even remotely meaningful to Kian.
It made sense. She was young and inexperienced and being with Kian had been like a discovery—a perception-altering one. He, on the other hand, had most likely already experienced the full gamut of things. It had been nothing new for him.
Damn, all that self-doubt was killing her, and it was made worse by the oppressing quiet of the apartment and having nothing to do. It wouldn’t have been so bad if she had, at least, something to distract her; like surfing the internet on Kian’s iPad for example, but the damn thing required a passcode. So that was out… And to use her laptop she needed the access code to the internet, which, of course, she didn’t have.
Well, she could call Andrew. In fact, she should’ve done it as soon as Kian had disposed of her cellphone. If her brother tried her at home or on her cell, not finding her would freak him out. He would think something had happened to her and might mobilize a taskforce to look for her. She’d better let him know that she was alive and staying with Amanda. Well, she was… kind of.
Shit. The phone in the kitchen was code blocked.
With the coffee mug in hand, she walked down the hallway, checking the phones in every bedroom and finding each and every one blocked.
No big surprise there.
The last door to the right led to what must’ve been Kian’s home office. And though it was neat and tidy, it didn’t look like the kind a decorator stocked with shelves full of leather-bound books no one ever read—for the sake of appearances.
It was obvious Kian worked here.
A stack of correspondence was piled next to the keyboard, with colorful sticky notes peeping between the pages. Behind the desk, a large cabinet housed a multitude of name-tagged folders—their crumpled edges indicating that they were frequently used.
Curious, Syssi tilted her head to read some of the labels.
It was an interesting assortment of enterprises. The information the folders contained must’ve been on companies comprising an investment portfolio, as it didn’t make sense that Kian’s family business was that diversified.
Some of the names sounded like biotech companies, software firms, building projects, ore and coal mines. Others had been marked by acronyms that bore no meaning she could decipher.
Taking a seat in Kian’s executive swivel chair, she checked the phone on his desk. It was blocked like the rest of them, and so was the desktop.
Seriously annoyed, she considered leaving.
As far as she knew, she wasn’t a prisoner and could come and go as she pleased… unless the elevator was code blocked as well, and she’d have to take the emergency stairs to get down to the lobby. For a moment there, she actually contemplated trudging the forty or more floors to reach the street level…
Exasperated, Syssi returned to the living room and took to pacing it in circles. The longer she paced, the angrier she got at Kian.
The nerve of this man, leaving her without any means of communication. And where was the new cellphone he had promised her?
Evidently, he was just as thoughtless and clueless as the rest of his gender. Only, being gorgeous and sexy, he was more likely to get away with it.
As her next round brought her to the glass doors, she paused to look out, pining for the outdoors like a caged bird.
Well, she wasn’t really caged… she was free to roam the terrace… Har-har, hardy-har-har.
With a strong shove, she sent the glass panels into their concrete hiding place and stepped out. The distant sound of the city hustle and bustle was a welcomed intrusion after the solitude of the inside, and standing in the light breeze, she felt it waft across her face and carry some of her ire away.
Taking a calming breath, she walked over to where she had eaten her solitary dinner last night, and sitting down, noticed Kian’s forgotten pack of cigarettes.
It had been years since she had smoked as a rebellious teenager pushing at her boundaries, but here and there she still craved it. Especially when she got seriously pissed off. Like now.
What the heck, why not, she thought, it’s not like she was planning on making it a habit.
Pulling one out, she held it between her thumb and forefinger and moved to lie down on the lounger. Lighting up, she was careful not to inhale too much as she breathed the smoke in.
The point was to enjoy the little sinful pleasure without getting dizzy, which was what would happen if she inhaled too much too fast. She needed to ease into the tobacco’s effects.
Still, as careful as she was, she got a little lightheaded and closed her eyes.
Funny, how this forbidden pleasure made her feel naughty. Or how ridiculous it was that she felt grateful that there was no one around to witness her crime.
Pulling small drags then exhaling them, she felt herself relax, and with each pull her tight muscles released more of their tension.
It wasn’t long before her mind wandered back to last night. Syssi felt changed by the experience. What was hidden and repressed even from her own psyche, had gotten loose. And instead of being terrified, she found it liberating.
Whether there was a future for her with Kian or not, she’d be forever grateful to him for helping her get rid of her suffocating inhibitions.
Taking another drag on the cigarette, she let the carnal scenes replay in her mind. Embracing them, owning them, feeling empowered by them… getting aroused.
CHAPTER 20: KRI
Standing outside Michael’s room and listening to the sounds coming from behind the closed door, Kri’s lips curled in a knowing smile.
Machine gunfire and exploding grenades accompanied by a litany of expletives could mean only one thing—the kid was putting the PlayStation to good use. And by the sound of it, he was playing Mortal Combat—her favorite game.
Holding a tray with one hand and balancing it on her hip, she entered the numbers into the room’s code-protected lock and pushed open the door.
“Room service!” she called out, snapping Michael’s attention from the game.
“Oh, hi.” He looked up from the couch, his eyes widening as they traveled up and down her body.
“I’ve got your lunch, kid, where do you want it?” She stifled a grin, glancing away from his blushing face to the coffee table which was littered with open covers of DVDs and video games, a half-eaten bag of potato chips, and two empty bottles of beer.
“Just give me a moment to clean up this mess.” Michael got busy stuffing the games and movies back in their cases and putting them away, then threw the rest of the stuff into the trash container.
“Here we go!” He straightened to his full height and pointed to the table.
Nice. The kid was tall and built like a lineback
er. And that cute, shy smile was… yum.
Shooting him her crooked smile, Kri lowered her butt to the couch and placed the tray on the table.
“Come, let’s eat.” She moved two plates off the tray then patted the spot next to her. “I figured that being stuck here all by yourself you’d like some company. By the way, I’m Kri.” She extended her hand, which he shook.
CHAPTER 21: MICHAEL
“Nice to meet you… Thank you. That’s really nice of you…” Michael sat down next to Kri.
Wow, that is one helluva woman.
He’d been surprised by the strength of her handshake. Hell, he’d been surprised by the whole package. It wasn’t often that he met a girl that was almost as tall as he, had more pronounced biceps than most guys, and looked like she could kick some serious ass.
Catching a glimpse of her impressive cleavage as she bent down to scoop rice onto her plate, his eyes got stuck staring, and he salivated a little.
She was so damn hot…
“Eyes up here, kid!” She pointed with two fingers at her clear blue eyes.
His ears heating up in embarrassment, he quickly lifted his eyes to her face.
Up close, Kri was very pretty.
Her smooth, creamy skin was clean of makeup, and the peach shade of her full lips was all her own. A few wayward strands escaped the thick braid of her wavy, light-brown hair, softening the tough impression of her tall, muscular build.
“Sorry, my bad.” Michael looked down, busying himself with loading rice and stew onto his plate.
“Nah, it’s okay. I get that reaction all the time. Apparently, guys do not expect such a lovely set of double D’s on an athletic female like me.” She cupped the bottoms of her breasts, hefting them up for emphasis.
Michael almost choked on a mouthful of rice, spewing some of it out across the tray and spraying it all over their food. Some of it ended up going down the wrong pipe. He coughed, trying to get it out.
Kri’s powerful pat on his back didn’t help much with the coughing, sending his whole upper body in the same direction instead.
“Stop… please… I’m okay… really…” Michael coughed out the few remaining grains of rice. “I’m so sorry that I’ve ruined your lunch. I’m such a klutz…” He looked at the rice-sprinkled food. What the hell was he supposed to do now?
“Don’t worry about it. I’m not some delicate, dainty girl. I’ll eat it if you will.” She took another forkful from her plate, chewing deliberately to make her point.
She certainly wasn’t dainty… or girly… or like any other woman he had ever met. His first impression of her just got reinforced. She was a hot, strong, no-nonsense warrior chick.
“Are you married?” he asked, hoping she wasn’t.
“Why would it be any of your damn business?”
“Because short of a husband, I don’t care who I have to fight for you. You’re amazing.”
Now it was Kri’s turn to do the whole choking, spewing, spraying routine, and Michael offered the back patting.
“You’re joking, right?” she finally croaked. “You got me good for my boob stunt, didn’t you?” She laughed, slapping his shoulder. Hard.
“Yeah, it was a joke… But no, it wasn’t revenge. I meant it as a compliment. I like your style. You’re a Guardian, right?”
“What do you know about Guardians?” She narrowed her eyes.
“Yamanu spent some of the morning keeping me company, then Arwel showed up with the beers and the chips. We watched some, played some, talked some. They told me some stuff. I know that they are Guardians, a kind of internal police for your people. Last night I got to see them in action, kicking some serious ass. It was fucking epic. If I turn, I definitely want in. Yamanu thinks I have what it takes, so does Arwel.” Michael pushed out his chest and squared his shoulders, looking at Kri for affirmation.
Chuckling, she clapped his shoulder again. “We’ll see about that. First you need to turn, and there is no guarantee you will… So what did they tell you about me?” Her lips pressed into a thin line and she narrowed her eyes again, evidently expecting some snide comments from the guys.
“Nothing, they didn’t mention you at all. It’s just that you look like a soldier, move and talk like one too. A mighty Amazon warrior…” Michael demonstrated, flexing his biceps. And by the smug look of satisfaction on her face, Kri took it as the compliment he’d intended.
“Eat your lunch, kid—before it gets cold; so you can grow and become a-big-strong-Guardian.” Kri smirked and set down to polish her plate.
CHAPTER 22: KRI
“It was fun.” Kri patted Michael’s shoulder after pulverizing him in a game of Black Ops.
“Yeah, it was. Though next time, I’ll be ready for you, and your ass will be mine… Sorry, it came out all wrong… You know what I meant…in the game.”
“Aha, sure, whatever you say. I’ll come back tomorrow. Be ready…” She pointed a finger at him.
Pushing up to her feet, Kri picked up the tray of dirty dishes and headed for the door. Then caught him checking her ass as she turned to say goodbye.
Well, what do you know… Kri smirked. Walking out, she gave him a nice, exaggerated saunter to admire.
Cute. Obviously, he was into her. But was she into him?
Nah, he was still a pup; handsome, eager, but too young.
Maybe… she shrugged.
He was a nice kid, though.
Michael was young and fresh, and his eyes were still hopeful, innocent, still excited about life, so different from the jaded expressions of her companions—of Kian’s. Old eyes that had known too much, had seen too much—the spark of excitement extinguished long ago.
Or perhaps, the only reason the boy had piqued her interest was because he was there? A male she was not related to?
She had been pining for Kian since she had been a little girl—long before she had reached the appropriate age for her mother to explain that clan members were forbidden to each other. But by then it had been too late. She had developed a crush and it wouldn’t go away no matter how many hook-ups she tried to distract herself with. None of those guys interested her beyond what it took to seduce them. Once her lust was sated, she felt nothing.
But Michael had managed to stir something inside her.
Maybe… she smiled. It was a definite maybe.
CHAPTER 23: SYSSI
Out on the terrace, Syssi stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray, and running a shaky hand over her prone body, wished Kian would be back already—so she could bite his head off—not only for abandoning her with no means of communication but for turning her into a sex addict as well.
Yeah, it was that bad.
The trouble with having a vivid full-color imagination was that it hijacked her memories, turning them into a stream of X-rated scenes that were no fun to watch by herself. And as hard as she tried to think about something, anything else, it was as effective as resisting the pull of a black hole.
She needed a distraction.
Getting back inside, Syssi closed the sliding door panels behind her, and it wasn’t until she turned around that she realized she had company.
Sitting on the living room’s couch, Anandur and Brundar were eyeing her with matching smug smirks.
Just peachy.
They must’ve witnessed her little adventure with the cigarette, and were now giving her their version of the hairy eyeball.
I’m being ridiculous… acting as if smoking was a criminal activity. Although as shunned and ostracized as it was, chances were that she wasn’t the only one made to feel like a felon for lighting up.
“Hi, guys, I’m afraid Kian is not back yet.” She smiled politely, though in truth, she wanted them to leave, so she could run to the bathroom and get rid of the smelly evidence before Kian showed up.
A toothbrush and plenty of perfume were in order…
“And hello to you too, pretty lady.” Pushing up to his feet, Anandur uncoiled his massive bulk from the couc
h and took hold of her hand, planting a kiss on the back of it.
In a perfunctory bow, Brundar lifted slightly off the sofa.
“We’ll wait for him,” Anandur whispered, looking both ways as if letting her in on a conspiracy. “You see, Syssi… we are here to mooch off Okidu’s cooking. He’ll be serving lunch soon… Shh…” He winked. “Don’t tell anyone…”
“I see,” she said. “And I guess Kian is not too happy about it?”
“Nope, but we don’t care. Okidu’s food is worth the pain of Kian’s ranting and raving.”
“What if he kicks you out?”
“He hasn’t yet—and my brother and I have been pulling this stunt for years.”
“Okay then, I’ll leave you boys here and go freshen up… I’ll be back in a jiffy.”
Feeling awkward, Syssi headed for her room. It had been on the tip of her tongue to offer them refreshments while they waited, but it had seemed inappropriate. She was even more of an interloper in Kian’s home than they were, and it wasn’t her place to offer them anything other than her company. Besides, if it weren’t outright rude, she would’ve preferred to avoid entertaining them as well. Right now, the only company she wanted was Kian’s. Though she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do first; clobber him over the head with a frying pan, or jump his bones…
CHAPTER 24: ANANDUR
“Did you smell that?” Anandur turned to Brundar, assuming a lecherous smile. “My favorite bouquet; a female in need of shagging.”
Brundar shrugged.
“Which of us do you think it was for?”
“Neither, you dimwit, I smelled it as soon as she slid the doors open—before she even noticed we were here.”
Anandur smirked. Brundar saying two whole sentences, or even bothering to answer his taunt in the first place, was a clear sign that his brother had been just as affected by the irresistible call of the female’s arousal.
