Tempting Gray - Untouchables 02

by T. A. Grey

  “You look amazing!” Felicity complemented, her smile bright.

  “Of course she does. I did her hair and makeup.” Eduardo was a slender man with a hooked nose and an immaculate dresser. He looked just how she’d imagine a male celebrity hairstylist would look.

  “Thank you so much. I don’t even know what to say,” Arabella said.

  “I take payment in way of hugs,” he told her with a sly smile. Laughing, Arabella hugged him, then gave one to Felicity, Beth, and Diane too.

  After everyone departed, Arabella was left alone so she could finish getting ready. She found herself staring at her reflection in the mirror; it looked so bizarre. It looked like her without actually looking like her. It was a strange combination to look like someone you weren’t. She looked like a sexy, confidant woman, while she felt anything but. Inside, her stomach rolled in nervous anticipation. Tonight would be dangerous. They’d gone over the plan repeatedly last night to prepare her. She was as ready as she would ever be.

  Arabella had always preferred jeans to dresses but she did own a few for special occasions—funerals and date nights. This was like no date-night dress she owned though. It revealed far more skin than she normally showed, which wasn’t what had her fidgeting instead of going to meet Grayson like she was supposed to. No, what had her fidgeting was going into this dangerous situation in nothing more than a scrap of a dress.

  Okay, fine! Maybe it also had a little something to do with having to pretend to be Grayson’s lover tonight. That was their ploy to getting in. Hopefully it worked.

  “Now or never,” she told her reflection. With one final glance at her reflection, she snatched her purse and headed downstairs. She found everyone milling about in the front den. The ladies renewed praise on her even though she hadn’t made a change since she’d seen them. Lucas, Vas, and Dom were there—wrapped around his mate as always—but no Grayson. Her nerves were already taut as piano wire. Just what would it be like when she actually had to lie under pressure? Arabella bit her lip, then immediately stopped when she tasted the red lipstick she wore.

  When Lucas saw her the corner of his mouth curled into a wicked grin. “Be still my heart, Arabella. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

  She started to laugh and say something funny back, but then Arabella saw the way Beth hunched her shoulders and looked as hard as she could away from Lucas. Arabella recognized the signs of a quarrel—she was quite familiar with breaking up lovers’ fights—and Beth and Lucas looked like they were caught in between a doozy of one.

  “Excuse me,” Beth said and adjourned from the room. Lucas watched her go. Not even thirty seconds passed before he made another excuse and left the room.

  No one else seemed to feel the tension in the room, too caught up in themselves. Felicity and Dom were wrapped around each other, whispering; Felicity smiled at something he said. Vas once again typed something on his phone and Diane was caught up in a conversation with her hairstylist.

  That’s when Grayson entered the room quiet as an assassin. He stopped as soon as he saw her. The only thought that came to mind when she saw him was—Lord have mercy.

  She was absolutely screwed.

  He was the most perfect looking man she’d ever seen. He always had been, not that you could get her to admit such aloud. The vampire had also been mated for as long as she could remember. That long. Which meant he should be way off limits, especially now after his mate’s passing. Yet, that did nothing to stop her wildly inappropriate thoughts about the vampire. He walked toward her making her throat squeeze tight until only wisps of air could pass through.

  He wore a sharp, black tuxedo complete with a matching bowtie. He’d shaved, too. The thick growth across his jawline was gone and in its place revealed his angular jaw and pronounced straight nose. He wore a pair of black sunglasses and someone had cut his hair to half its previous length giving him a clean-cut, businessman appearance.

  I likey. I likey a lot.

  “Ready to go?”

  “As ready as I can be.”

  He nodded then turned to the room. “We’re ready.”

  Dom stepped forward and pulled Grayson into a brotherly embrace. “Stay safe, my brother. Come back to us.” Grayson stiffened at his brother’s touch but he returned the embrace with his own fierce hug.

  “Plan on it,” Grayson said.

  Then he grabbed her hand and they left for Donato’s underground casino. He drove her in a pure white sport’s car that sat low to the ground, had heated leather seats, and went far faster than her own little car.

  Grayson spared her a glance as he navigated the dark roads. It was late, half past eleven. The moon sat low on the horizon, full and bright. It looked so close to earth, like you could reach out and touch it. Clouds that brought to mind howling wolves and evil spirits ominously framed the opalescent rock.

  “You’re nervous,” he said.

  Startled at his observation, she said, “Yeah, I guess I am. Remember I can’t shift or fight. And this feels a whole lot like I’m going to a knife fight without a knife.” Her pale legs stuck out in sharp contrast to the black leather seats. She crossed them and gulped when that only seemed to make them look more provocative. “I hate this dress,” she finally said, in lieu of saying any of the other thousand things on her mind.

  “Why?”

  “Let’s just say I’m a jeans and tee kind of girl and leave it at that.”

  He looked at her and this time, for whatever stupid reason, she looked back making the connection. It was so hard to look him in the eyes when she felt scared and vulnerable. How was she supposed to be tough and strong in a damn short dress and high heels? What was she supposed to do if she had to run?

  “A woman attending an event by the Donatos doesn’t wear jeans,” he said.

  “Hence why I’m not in my jeans,” she said more sharply than she wanted to.

  “I will protect you.”

  She noticed he didn’t say something like everything will be fine. Probably because it wouldn’t be. Hell, it couldn’t be. They were going to the underground casino to find at least one of the Donatos. Her ability told her that Jericho Donato, The Butcher, was there. Or at least he spent an awful lot of time there since that’s the location she’d tracked him to. They couldn’t take backup or weapons since they were sure they’d be frisked. They were all alone on this mission that also had a high probability of failing.

  “Well, I just can’t wait for all the fun to start.”

  “You remember my new name?” he asked.

  She laughed. “How could I forget—Jeremy

  “Let’s go.” He spoke between clenched teeth. He hated the nickname she’d given to his new name. Naturally that only made her want to use it more.

  “Whatever you say—Jeremy”

  CHAPTER 19

  Why did he have to be here? And looking high as a kite, too!

  Beth Hamilton couldn’t stand to stay in that room another moment with Lucas Blackmoore. Bitter memories rushed to the surface at the sight of him. The concert she attended with tickets from him—the night where he jumped down off the stage and chased after her into the night. Her heart had never raced so hard in all her life as it had then. The vampire whose music she had listened to during the worst times of her life while she was stationed in Iraq had caught up to her easily, and with spellbinding speed, he’d raced them to his apartment not far from the concert. It was the strangest and most exciting night of her life. While there with him something had happened. Something that not even her, the queen of blunt-honesty, could be truthful about.

  Not even to her best friend, Felicity.

  Felicity had pushed and pushed to find out what happened after the concert. When Beth finally gave in and answered—it was a lie. Probably the biggest lie she’d ever told in her adult life to someone she loved. Sure she’d snuck out of the house as a teenager and said all sorts of lies to her mama and dad to cover it up. Some of them stuck, others not so much. None of those lies
were as big as this.

  She’d told her friend that they kissed. That Lucas Blackmoore had kissed her, then she’d left his apartment and that was it. But that isn’t the truth. The truth…the truth was—

  Thoughts shattered as the kitchen door swung open and vampire from her memories swept inside. His scowl could scare kids away better than any horror mask. His eyes were so red they almost looked like fake contacts. His pale skin looked like he didn’t take care of himself. What had happened? They hadn’t spoken since that last night. When she found him after the concert he’d invited her to. The night that ruined everything.

  “What are you doing here?” she snapped.

  Both dark, perfectly curved eyebrows rose. “This is my family’s house,” he said in way of explanation.

  “No shit. I know that. Why did you follow me to the kitchen, Lucas? Have a sudden craving for tuna?”

  He grimaced with disgust at the mention of human food. “I’d rather cut my own stomach out.”

  Eyes widening, she nodded with false enthusiasm. “That sounds like a great idea. Go do that!” She spun around to collect herself. God dammit. She was too mad. Rein it in, girl. Don’t let him see that he can still affect you.

  As if it she could easily ignore the one man she’d obsessed over for years. Years of her life.

  “How’s that man you’ve been seeing? What was his name again…Michael?” he asked. When she didn’t answer he tried another one. “Are you still with him?”

  What does it matter to you, she wanted to snap. But she held her tongue like a smart woman. He didn’t deserve or require anything from her. He’d had a chance and that had been ruined in one night—making her the fool. And she wouldn’t play the part of the fool again, not even for him.

  “Fine, you don’t want to talk to me. I’ll leave.” The kitchen door banged as it slammed shut.

  Beth spun around to watch him leave and cursed. He hadn’t left. He still stood there. Though now wearing a self-deprecating smile. He slapped his chest then held his arms out. “Still here, baby. You gonna pretend I’m not here now or are you gonna talk to me?”

  “I have nothing to say to you.” How far from the truth that was. She had lots she’d like to say to him. Like calling him an asshole, a piece of shit, a womanizer—just to name a few.

  “I guess you’re still pissed then,” he said dryly.

  He almost got her to laugh. His sarcastic remark nearly made her forget her anger for a moment, but at the last second she kept control. “You could say that.”

  Those golden-brown eyes trailed down her body and back up slowly, giving her body time to warm to his gaze. How she wished it wouldn’t, but her body betrayed her for him. It always did.

  Then he stalked toward her. She backed up quickly, the war injury on her bad knee flaring in pain as she jerked it the wrong way. Wincing, she didn’t stop moving until the counters stopped her retreat. He stood close enough for their legs to touch. For her to feel the heat from his body.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, her strong voice reduced to a quiver.

  “I need to explain to you what happened.”

  Like that, instantaneously, her mind pulled a one-eighty and the quiver in her voice was forgotten. “Oooh, nooo, sweetie pie. I don’t think so. Maybe you’re under the wrong impression but what I saw you doing with those two,” she paused searching for the right word, “sluts, doesn’t need any explaining.” Her chest rose and fell in hard waves as she formed a fist with her left hand—her throwing hand.

  He grabbed her hand and before she could yank it away, placed a swift kiss to her knuckles, stunning her. “Now why would you call Caitlyn and Amber sluts?”

  In a cartoon, steam would shoot from her ears. “Maybe ’cause they were both sucking your cock. At the same time,” she shot back. She cocked her hip and leaned forward with her angry comeback, which inadvertently made her nipples touch his chest. “At the concert you personally invited me to.”

  “I—” he looked away, that hard jaw sliding side-to-side, “I know there’s no excuse, but if you’ll listen to me for one minute I might be able to shed a little light on the situation.”

  “Nah! You know, you keep that explanation in your pocket where it keeps you from feeling guilty. You need it more than I do.” She tried to move past him, but he only stepped into her, leaning her further back against the cabinets. Now they really were touching each other. Her breath hitched in her throat as sensations bombarded her that she hadn’t felt with anyone but him.

  “You’re tough, Beth. It’s something I like about you, but it’s also irritating as hell. You don’t make it easy, that’s for damn sure.”

  “Don’t make what easy?” she asked, slightly breathless. Only because he stole all the air in the room. Bastard.

  “Apologizing, explaining. Hell, just trying to talk you.”

  Achingly aware of him, Beth looked away. “You shouldn’t care anyway. It’s not like we were ever a couple.”

  No sooner had she said the words did his eyes begin to glow. Beth remembered that look. His eyes had done it right before he chased her in the middle of of of his concert and after he’d—even now, she hesitated to think about what he did to her that night in his apartment.

  His head came down closer, sensual intent written in his eyes.

  “Lucas,” she gasped. His gaze dropped to her mouth and then slowly slid down to the side of her neck where her jugular pounded a furious tempo.

  “I can still remember your taste. It haunts me.” He cupped her cheek and the memory came. No matter how hard she tried to suppress it, to go along with the lie she’d concocted for Felicity and for herself, she couldn’t do it. He’d shoved past her barriers with brutal force.

  The memory came. Pressed flush against the wall of his apartment much as they were. He’d kissed her, only she wouldn’t really call it a kiss. More of a brushing of lips. For that was only the appetizer to what he really wanted. To what he really did. As he’d pulled her into his arms, paralyzing her with his touch, his lips had found her neck. How mastered he’d made her feel, owned. When two sharp teeth scraped the skin of her neck accompanied by the lash of his wet tongue, she knew he was going to bite her—that he needed to. She’d sensed then much as she did right now standing in this kitchen, that he was going to bite her.

  And he had.

  “Sweet, sweet, Beth. If only you knew my dreams…my nightmares… If only you knew.” He looked about to say more but instead he cupped her cheek and grinned ruefully.

  See, that’s what he could do, she thought bitterly, pushing him away. He could make her forget things that couldn’t be forgotten—like the blowjob she caught him getting by two girls.

  Spinning past him, she whisked by. “I’m done with this conversation. Goodbye, Lucas.”

  Lucas grabbed her arm pulling her to a stop. “Where are you going?”

  “Away from you,” she said.

  “I don’t think so,” he shot back. He checked his attitude and tried for a patient tone. “Please, let’s talk about this once and for all.”

  Growling, she shoved him away. Surprisingly he actually moved back. She laughed bitterly. “This conversation is over. Just leave me alone.”

  She turned and started walking the other direction. Again, he reached her but this time he wrapped her in his arms, crushing their bodies together. Her breath hitched and the memory came back. One she’d tried so hard to forget but couldn’t. That one moment that had completely changed her life. When Lucas Blackmoore had bitten her. They’d very much been in a position just like this one.

  “Don’t,” she said, pushing against his chest.

  His hard chest pushed against her hands with his ragged breathing. “Don’t what? Don’t kiss you like we both want?”

  She shook her head. “No, I don’t want that. I want you to let me go.” Even as she said it she knew her body wanted that kiss very much. Wanted to know if it would be just as electric as the first time, just as soul searing
, just as mind blowing.

  One arm wrapped tight around her waist, giving her no room to escape as he cupped the back of her head. “Little liar, you missed it just as much as I did.”

  Her eyes shut as a pain bloo3med where her heart was. He missed it. “Then you shouldn’t have—”

  “Don’t say it,” he warned.

  “How can I not? I can’t forget it.”

  “God dammit! It was a mistake!”

  His eyes burned bright, glowing with his vampire strength. And that was all that warning she got before his mouth crashed down on hers. Their lips met, soft flesh to soft flesh. His tongue sparked between her lips and pushed inside to thrust in her mouth.

  A moan escaped her, muffled by their fused mouths. She’d forgotten. Oh lord, how had she forgotten his taste…the texture of his lips and tongue? The raspy glide of his tongue stroking hers, the soft wet feathery touch of his lips. Groaning, he pulled her even closer, one hand curling around her bottom and arching her into his erection. She clung to him, fighting his kiss with her own—determined to win.

  He tore his mouth away to rein hot kisses down her neck. His fangs were sharp points, threatening her sanity as they pressed teasingly into her skin and reminding her of that first incredible bite. She wanted it so badly she shook with need. Yet, she struggled to find sanity.

  “Don’t,” she whispered. “Stop this, please.”

  Another groan as he flexed his hips against hers, rubbing that wicked erection against her.

  “No, no. I said no!”

  She shoved him and stepped back. They were both breathing hard. His head faced down, glowing eyes on her. Lips parted to reveal white sharp fangs. He glowered at her. Arousal mixed with anger flaring in his eyes.

  “You want me,” he said in that silken voice of his. A musician’s voice.

  “My body may want you but I don’t.”

  His eyes narrowed, anger filling them. “Then give me your body.”

  “Fuck you!”

  “That’s exactly what I want.”

  Beth snapped her mouth shut. “I hate you.”

  And then his expression changed into one of indolence. He shrugged looking arrogant and confident. “You can hate me and still fuck me, Beth. I’ve experience with that kind of thing and believe me it makes for the best sex.”