Tiger's Den

by Leslie Chase

  He thrust again, and again, each movement stirring the water in which she lay, sending a wave crashing over her breasts. His face was red, his breathing fast and heavy, and his strokes sped up, slamming into her harder and harder.

  Lenore gasped with each stroke, reaching up to clutch at him, trying to draw him closer, pull him even deeper into her. He felt so impossibly good inside her, it was nearly driving her insane. Her nails dug into him as her entire body shuddered, another orgasm building fast. She felt it coming, tingling pulses of pleasure growing stronger and stronger as they shot through her.

  "Maxwell! Maxwell I'm - OH!" She couldn't finish the sentence, her body convulsing as the pulses combined into a single tidal wave of sensation. The orgasm flooded through her with tremendous force.

  Above her, Maxwell roared deafeningly, arching back, his mouth wide. His hands locked on her, almost painfully tight, as he came in an explosive burst inside her, filling her. He shuddered, muscles locked, buried deep in her as they came together.

  Finally finished, he collapsed on top of her, breathing fast and heavily, even his strength spent. Lenore could hardly breath under his weight, but she didn't mind that. The closeness felt too good, and in that moment, she never wanted to be apart from him.

  There was no way to tell how long they floated there, her hand stroking his hair, his breathing slowing back to normal. After an endless moment, he stirred, pulling himself up enough to look into her eyes and smile.

  "Thank you," she whispered. "That was wonderful."

  "Yes it was," he agreed, sounding tired and a little smug. "See what you bring out in me, Lenore?"

  That got an incredulous giggle from her. "Me?"

  "Yes, you," he growled, mock-annoyed but unable to hide his smile. "I told you, never doubt how sexy you are, Lenore."

  He gathered her in his arms and planted a firm kiss on her lips, and then stood, lifting her from the pool. Water cascaded from their bodies, and she found herself carried in his arms as he strode up the steps and out of the water. She snuggled in against him as he carried her under the shower set into the wall beside the pool, rinsing them off under the hot water. She rested against him, happy to be near him, and glad to let him do the work. Lenore wasn't sure that she'd be able to support herself, let alone do anything else, and she found herself glad that he didn't try to recreate their first shower together. Instead, he washed them quickly and toweled them both off with thorough, dedicated care before carrying her through a set of doors to a bedroom.

  "Why do you have a bedroom off your swimming pool?" She asked sleepily, as he laid her down on the bed and slid in beside her. His chuckle warmed her as she squirmed against him and snuggled into his arms.

  He didn't answer, just held her tight to his chest as they drifted off to an exhausted, satisfied sleep.

  5

  Commitment Issues

  For the first time the two of them woke in bed together. Lenore stirred to find Maxwell beside her, stretched out across the bed. Her head rested on his chest, rising and falling with his slow breaths.

  The sun was barely over the horizon, it's light streaming in through the windows facing the bed. Neither of them had thought to close the curtains when they collapsed to sleep, but despite the early hour, Lenore found she didn't mind being woken.

  The view out of the east window was wonderful, sunlight glittering over the blue sea, birds circling lazily overhead.

  Maxwell woke soon after, hugging her wordlessly and watching the sea with her before standing and stretching.

  "Time to get up," he told her. There was a hint of regret in his voice which echoed her own feelings. Remembering the promise he'd made her the night before, Lenore knew he was waiting for her decision. The trouble was that she hadn't had a chance to think about it, and watching him stretch, naked in the morning sun, didn't make it any easier.

  "You're right," she said, pulling herself out of bed. It was getting a lot easier to be naked in front of him, she thought, catching his appraising smile and blushing, but fresh out of bed and unshowered she couldn't possibly be attractive.

  On the other hand, it didn't do anything to spoil his appeal. To some extent seeing him with his tousled hair and unshaved cheeks, just made him sexier. Lenore pushed the thought away, trying to focus on her choice, but it was no good. She wasn't going to be able to concentrate like this.

  "So…" she started and tailed off, not sure where to start. Maxwell chuckled, pulling open a door hidden in the wall and plucking a couple of thick bathrobes from the cupboard within. Throwing one to her, he pulled the other over himself.

  "There, now you won't have to worry about scandalizing the staff. Let's head back to our bedrooms and get dressed for breakfast. Then we can talk more."

  "That sounds good," she told him, relieved that he understood, and that he wasn't going to demand an instant answer. She pulled on the robe, feeling it's luxurious softness on her skin, and let him guide her back to her room.

  They parted ways there, and she had a slow shower, turning over Maxwell's offer in her head. On the one hand, she was living in the lap of luxury here, better cared for than she had imagined possible before this adventure. It seemed crazy to think about walking out of it and into unknown dangers.

  But being a bird in a gilded cage didn't appeal to her, and the longer she was away from her life the harder it would be to fit back in once she returned. If she was even able to - would she have a job to go back to if she stayed a month? Or would she be forever reliant on the generosity of her lover? When she was with Maxwell it was easy to believe that he was right, that they were meant to be together, but putting herself completely at his mercy like that - well, that was a mistake that had ruined women's lives often enough, wasn't it?

  Her heart was still heavy as she made her way down to breakfast. This time she only got a little turned around in the house, and felt less embarrassed about asking a passing member of staff for directions.

  Penelope and Maxwell waited for her, sitting at the gigantic table. Beside them the sideboard was laden with breakfast foods, and it was only then that Lenore realized quite how hungry she was. She'd skipped dinner after all, and had a lot of exercise in the night. The memory of that exercise made her blush, and before she looked away, she saw Maxwell's knowing grin.

  Ignoring him as best she could, she picked up her plate and started to pile food on it. Scrambled eggs and bacon and toast, and half a grapefruit added in a half-hearted pretense of make it a healthy breakfast. At least she didn't need to worry about being judged for her choices; both Maxwell and Penelope had similarly full plates in front of them, after all.

  "So, have you made up your mind?" Penelope asked as Lenore joined them at the table. The question nearly killed her appetite, but the hunger was still there, so she took a bite of the eggs anyway. It gave her an excuse to put off answering while she chewed. The eggs were delicious. It was hard to imagine how such a simple dish could be so much better than usual, but somehow Maxwell's kitchen staff managed to make everything impeccable.

  "Give her a chance to have her breakfast, Penny," Maxwell rumbled. He looked like he wanted the answer straight away too, but he was making an effort. Lenore appreciated that. She wasn't sure that she'd have had the willpower to wait, if their positions were reversed.

  So she smiled her thanks to him, and focused on the meal. Everything about it was wonderful; better than she was used to, probably better than she'd ever experienced before. It was a strange thing to realize that the really rich could get better toast but there it was. The hardest bit of breakfast was not going back for seconds after she'd cleaned her plate.

  Finally, she was finished, and her excuse was out of the way. Pushing her plate back, she looked up at her hosts and tried to smile.

  "I've made my decision," she announced, and fear welled up inside her. What if this is a mistake? But she had to finish. "I have to go home."

  Maxwell looked stricken for a second, before hiding his feelings behind a
stony expression. Penelope shook her head, looking concerned and amused in equal measure. Lenore pressed on before they could speak, not wanting to have her train of thought broken before she was done.

  "Look, it's not that I don't like it here - I love it! And it's not that I don't like you Maxwell, you know that. But, well, I have to have my own space. I have to choose this, does that make sense? If I'm just here because you grabbed me and brought me here, then I'm more of a kidnap victim than a guest,” she sighed.

  "So let me go home, you two sort out this mess, and we can meet again. And then you can sweep me off my feet, and we can do this right."

  Penelope rested a hand on her brother's shoulder, as though she was worried he'd be upset. "I thought you might lean that way. I'm not sure it's the right choice, it's certainly a dangerous one right now, but I can't fault it."

  "Neither can I," Maxwell said, keeping his voice level with visible effort. "I wish you had chosen differently, but I don't want you to ever feel like I'm taking advantage of you, so this is how it will have to be for now. Well."

  He shrugged off his sister's hand, and stood, clasping his hands behind him.

  "I have made arrangements, just in case. Steven will drive you back into London - I'd have you take the helicopter, but that is a little conspicuous for a discrete return. Safer for you to travel anonymously by car, I think. You can be back there by lunchtime, depending on traffic."

  The fact that Maxwell had already planned out her departure felt like a knife in Lenore's heart. Silly, since it was her choice, but still, it hurt. She realized that her choice must feel much the same to him, and a wave of remorse washed over her. Hurting him was the last thing she wanted to do. There wasn't any other way, though. Not unless she was going to let herself be trapped simply by the threat of hurting him.

  "Thank you," she said after a pause. "I hope it won't take long to sort this awfulness out."

  Maxwell grinned, or possibly snarled. Bared his teeth, anyway. "Oh, it won't, I promise. You've given me the best possible incentive to find whoever is behind it and deal with them quickly."

  Lenore shivered, not envying the man who'd put himself in Maxwell's sights like that. But whoever it was, he was hunting her too, so she didn't have much sympathy for him.

  Standing, she walked to Maxwell's side, putting her arms around him and holding him tight. For a moment it was like hugging a mighty oak, unyielding and unmoving in her arms. Then he softened, and embraced her, holding her tight and stroking her hair.

  "If you insist on going," he said, squeezing, "then you need to go now. I don't know how much of this I can take."

  "Me either," she admitted, tears welling in her eyes. He was right, of course. Better to pull the plaster off quickly, and get it over with. "Okay. Let's do it."

  By the time they got to the front door, the car was already there, waiting. Lenore had realized with some consternation that she didn't actually have any luggage to bring, and in fact had no idea where the clothes she'd arrived in were. Everything she'd worn was something which had been provided by Maxwell, or rather, his staff.

  The car was an inconspicuous black car that looked expensive nonetheless. Not something which would stand out in most of London, but not at all what she'd see on her own street. She supposed that Maxwell was unlikely to have something that would blend in on her street in his garage though - she imagined it full of custom sports cars and luxury vehicles, not cheap cars a decade old.

  Penelope took her by the arm as Maxwell spoke to the driver.

  "Don't over-think your choice," she advised quietly. "You have to take care of yourself, first and foremost. And you know that Maxwell understands that, or he wouldn't have set this up for you. He'll be back for you when it's safe. In the meantime, you'll be looked after by the very best private security available. They're already setting up at your place, discretely. You'll hardly know they're there, but they'll take very good care of you, and if you need us, either of us, we'll come running. Okay?"

  "Okay," Lenore nodded, and hugged the other woman. "Thank you."

  Penelope laughed and hugged her back. "You don't need to thank me, darling. You're good for my brother. I'm not sure he realizes how good, but don't worry, we'll make sure he knows how lucky he is.”

  "Now come on, you need to get going," she urged.

  Steven, the servant who'd looked after her the day before, stood by the car door holding it open for her, and Maxwell waited beside it. Lenore hesitated in front of him, unsure how to say goodbye until he made the decision for her, sweeping her into his arms and lifting her into a firm kiss on the lips.

  "Goodbye, Lenore," he said, a touch breathlessly, as he put her back down gently. "I shall see you again very soon. Trust me on this."

  "Goodbye, Maxwell," Lenore said, unsteady on her legs, her heart pounding from the intensity of the kiss. She struggled to regain her composure, her body tingling where he'd touched her. Walking away from that felt like madness, but her mind was made up.

  Before she could say or do something she'd regret, she forced herself to get into the car. Maxwell closed the door behind her, and that was that. Steven got into the driver's seat and started the engine, and as they drove away Lenore watched out of the rear window. She could see Maxwell watching her as the car drove down the long driveway. He looked sad, but determined, and Lenore had to force herself to look away before he saw her start to cry.

  Once they'd started, the tears were hard to stop, and Lenore quickly stopped trying and gave herself over to her emotions. It was hard to believe that this wasn't forever - this house, these people, were like a fairy tale, and Maxwell like a fairy tale prince. Would he really come back to her when he'd dealt with the threat they faced? For all his talk of her being his 'one' it was difficult to believe.

  "You, Lenore, are perfect, and I will not have you doubting that. I will be cross with you if I catch you doubting that, or me." She remembered his words, and oddly, that helped. As hard as it was to believe he would be back for her, to snatch her out of her life a second time, it was even harder to doubt him. For whatever reason, he did care. She would see him again.

  "Sorry, Steven," she said to the driver as she sat up straighter, dabbing at her tears and wondering how much of a mess her makeup was.

  "Don't worry, miss," he replied, offering a handkerchief over his shoulder. "I'm sure everything will be alright. Mr. Walters is a good man, and he'll make sure of it."

  "Thank you," she said, smiling and sniffling. "I hope you're right."

  With that, she sat back and looked at the countryside passing by outside. The greenery was relaxing and she let her mind drift, feeling her sadness wash away.

  6

  Bad News, Worse News

  The drive was quiet and peaceful for an hour or so - Lenore didn't keep track of the time. The land around the quiet roads was all farms and fields, with occasional woodlands. She didn't even know how long the drive would be, but it was a soothing trip and she was in no hurry for it to be over so she didn't ask. Once they hit London traffic, it would almost certainly take as long to get home as it took to reach the city in the first place.

  There was a reason she didn't drive in London, after all.

  The ride was calm and quiet until they came to a junction beside a small forest. They traveled along a quiet country road, without another car in sight, when a truck pulled out across the road in front of them, stopping in their way. Steven slowed the car in plenty of time, and frowned.

  "Miss, I don't like the look of this. Hang on."

  The driver of the truck clambered down from his cab, waving at them, but Steven ignored him, turning the car to head back the way they'd come.

  "Ah. Shit. Phone, call Mr. Walters!"

  Responding to his voice, Steven's phone came to life, and the sound of it dialing filled the car. Before Maxwell answered, they rounded a corner and saw another car coming towards them, driving determinedly in the middle of the narrow road. The oncoming vehicle left no space to
pass on either side, and Lenore finally realized that something was badly wrong. Steven accelerated, aiming for the gap beside the oncoming vehicle, and it adjusted course to block him.

  She was glad of her seatbelt as Steven jerked the wheel to the right, swerving to the other side of the road and scraping by the blocking car. The force of the impact knocked them to the side of the road, and for a moment, the tires left the road, spinning in the mud. The tires finally caught traction again and they went roaring forwards, away from the ambush.

  For a second, Lenore thought that had been enough to let them escape. Behind them, the menacing black car was still turning, and if the truck was intent on chasing them, it was blocked by the car. Steven had time to open up a lead, and that would be enough.

  Then the tires exploded.

  The car swung sickeningly to the side, metal wheels digging into the road surface. Steven swore desperately as he tried to keep control. It was no use, they were moving too fast and the road was too narrow. Before he could regain control, they were skidding into a ditch, the car slamming to an abrupt halt.

  "Hello?" Maxwell's voice sounded distant, and Lenore couldn't form words. Steven scrabbled under the dashboard for something, only to freeze as the window beside him exploded inwards.

  A man holding a shotgun stood beside the car, lowering the muzzle and pointing it directly at Steven. Lenore squeaked something, she wasn't sure if it was even a word, and froze. Another, dressed the same as the first in a neat black suit, was beside her door, raising the butt of his shotgun and smashing the window with it. She covered her face and screamed, hearing him unlock her door and open it.

  "What's going on?!" Maxwell's voice again, worried now. "Speak to me."