Dawned (Circle of the Red Scorpion Book 3)

by Charlene Johnson

Touched by his tender words, a tear slid down her cheek. “I know that, my love,” she replied, her voice quivering.

  He wiped her tear away. “Come on, angel. Let’s go upstairs. I’ll run you a nice warm bath and afterward, I will show you just how happy I am.”

  “Ok,” she said softly, and let him lead her up to their master suite.

  And later, with the glow of candlelight and soft music as a sexy, intimate backdrop, Broderick was true to his word.

  Chapter 12

  Elise was right about one thing; Solomon was furious about the news of her pregnancy.

  “You’re pregnant with that bastard’s fucking baby! How could you be so careless?”

  She flinched at his words. “How do you know it’s not yours?”

  “Because I’m sterile, Elise.”

  Thank the great spirits, she thought with relief and joy. At least that was one burden she didn’t have to carry. “I want this baby, Solomon. I’ve tried for so long to get pregnant. It is a miracle that I got pregnant at all. I’m sorry, but I can’t see you anymore.”

  “You’re not leaving me,” he raged. “You can never leave me! I’m your priority. Not your husband,” he pointed to her stomach. “Or that brat,” he spat as he hurled a crystal glass filled with Jack Daniels against the study door. It splintered into pieces.

  The door burst open, and Emmett rushed inside followed by two bodyguards, each brandishing a Glock. “Everything alright in here, Sol?”

  “Get out,” Solomon pointed at the door. “Get the fuck out.”

  Emmett nodded, and the three men backed out the door and shut it.

  “I’m leaving. You can’t stop me, Solomon,” she shouted, as tears fell from her eyes. “I don’t belong to you. I never did. You forced this affair on me. You knew it would have to end someday.”

  Her cheek exploded with pain, and her head snapped back as Solomon slapped her. She staggered back in stunned disbelief. The look in his cold dark eyes terrified her. He was going to kill her.

  “Don’t look so frightened. I’m not going to kill you, Elise. You need to remember your place. Our affair is over when I say it is over. I can assure you that day will never come.”

  “I hate you, you bastard!” she screamed as she rubbed her cheek. “I don’t know why I ever let you touch me! You are a monster. You disgust me!”

  Solomon's voice was dangerously calm. “Think what you want. It does not matter. Do you remember what I told you after we had sex for the very first time? I told you if you tried to leave me, I would kill your husband. Have you forgotten my words? I would not hesitate to make good on that promise. The choice is yours. A life with me or your husband’s death.”

  Elise’s lower lip trembled at his words. “You wouldn’t . . . You couldn’t. Have I meant so little to you?”

  “It’s because of my feelings for you that I would do it.” He picked up the telephone receiver. “All I have to do is make one call, and your beloved husband is history. It’s your choice, Elise.”

  “Please don’t,” she said in defeat, as the tears flowed unchecked down her cheeks. “What do you want from me, Solomon?”

  “You know what I want. I want you, my darling. Forever.”

  She looked at him through tear-filled eyes. “What about the baby?”

  “I do not need a child. I will not interfere for now, but I warn you that the time will come when you will have to leave your life and your family behind.”

  He walked casually to the leather couch and sat down. “Pour me another drink and bring it here,” he said quietly.

  She didn’t move immediately, stunned by his words.

  “Get your ass moving, Elise.”

  She went to the bar and poured a glass of Jack Daniels. If she were lucky, he would drink himself to sleep, and she would make a hasty exit.

  Solomon took the glass from her and set it on the table. “Stand in front of me and take your clothes off. Slowly.”

  Elise’s stomach twisted in knots. She didn’t want to do it. Not now, not ever again. She wanted to be free of him. Free to have her baby and live her life with her husband.

  “Solomon, please.”

  “I said strip or your punishment for defying me will be severe. I’m not kidding. I am hanging onto my anger by a thread,” he snapped. “Do as I ask.”

  She unzipped her skirt and let it fall to the floor. She stepped out of it. She started unbuttoning her silk blouse slowly as he asked but she didn’t look at him. She kept her eyes on the highly polished hardwood floor.

  “Eyes on me, Elise. I want you to see what you do to me.” He stroked his exposed cock; his eyes fastened on her hands as she released each button.

  She was concentrating so hard on the natural wood grain on the floor; she never heard him unzip his pants. From the rock-hard length, he fisted in his hand, he was enjoying the show.

  She slipped the blouse off and reached around to unhook her bra.

  “Come here, I’ll do that,” Solomon commanded.

  She approached him and turned around. He didn’t touch her immediately, and she looked over her shoulder. He was staring at the lacy thong she wore. He let go of his cock to caress the round globes of her ass.

  “Your ass is spectacular, Elise.” He leaned in and kissed each cheek. He reached around and slid his fingers into the front of her thong. His fingers found her clit.

  Despite herself, her body knew Solomon’s touch and responded. A moan escaped her lips as he plunged two fingers inside her. He gripped her ass with one hand to steady her as he pumped his fingers in and out. She felt his lips kiss up her spine and back down, all the while his hands kept moving, pushing her closer to orgasm. She squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip. She hated him so much, but her body always betrayed her.

  As if sensing her pending release, he removed his fingers and licked them eagerly. “Hmmm…I will eat your pussy tonight until you beg me to stop but I won’t. There will be no compromising tonight. I will take you how I want and for as long as I want.” He reached up and unhooked her bra. He pushed her away. “Finish your little show, my sweet. I am going to cum while I watch you fondle your breasts, squeeze those hard-little nipples, and play with your pussy. But you will not cum until you are riding my cock.”

  Solomon took her in every way possible into the wee hours of the night. He punished her with each hard thrust as he took what he wanted and gave her no quarter. As she left his mansion, she ached all over. She looked forward to growing heavy with her child if it meant Solomon would be forced to seek his pleasure elsewhere.

  But as her pregnancy progressed, Solomon expected her to continue their routine. He sent his driver to pick her up and drive her the short distance to his property he bought adjacent to her and her husband’s. He wanted to be close. She told Mrs. Sims, Solomon’s driver was taking her to an art exhibition or a dinner party in Seattle. Mrs. Sims never tried to stop her, but she knew the housekeeper didn’t believe her. Had Mrs. Sims gone to her husband with her suspicions and he confronted Solomon, someone would end up dead, and she feared it wouldn’t be Solomon.

  Elise tried time and time again to break things off with Solomon, but each time, he came unglued and made more ugly threats. She thought her growing belly would deter him from wanting her, but she was wrong. He demanded she take care of his needs but agreed to forego intercourse and took his pleasure with her in other ways. She knew he often went to Ruby’s to get the things she wasn’t able to do in her condition. His sexual appetites were more than she could accommodate. She didn’t care that he sought his comfort elsewhere if it meant she could stay home and prepare for the birth of her baby. On the nights when Solomon called, she went to him, desperate to keep her husband safe no matter what it cost her.

  The day Elise gave birth to Drake was the happiest day of her life. She couldn't stop smiling at the black-haired baby she held in her arms. Her husband was equally overjoyed. He took care of her tirelessly, even coming home
early from the office those first few months, leaving his cases in the hands of his capable staff to ensure she and their baby had everything they needed. Mrs. Sims tried to lend him a hand, but he shooed her away.

  Elise loved being a mother. Drake was a happy baby who was curious about everything around him. As a toddler, he kept everyone in the mansion on their toes. Finding unique places to play hide and seek and leaving his toys in all the areas he shouldn’t. He would follow her to her art studio or the balcony to watch her paint. Her life felt normal, but it wasn't. She spent as much time with her son as she could despite the demands of her career and Solomon.

  Solomon became more and more demanding of her time because of Drake. He told Elise she was spending too much time at home and not enough with him. They argued about it often until she flat out refused his unreasonable demands. He finally relented and allowed her to spend most weekends at home with Broderick and Drake but expect her to be available to him three or four days during the week. He made sure to sponsor art shows and hosted galas through the tri-county area, so she would have a ready excuse to be away and with him.

  Since he had an estate a half mile from theirs, she could leave home after Drake was tucked away in bed on those nights when Broderick was away, using the secret passage through a sea cave on the beach to get to his mansion undetected. No one was the wiser as she made sure she returned home before the staff was up in the morning. The long steep path to the beach was treacherous, but she’d done it so often she knew where to step and maneuver it safely.

  Solomon warned her the day would come when he would expect her to remain with him permanently and leave her family behind. Oddly, as much as she wanted to be at home with her family, the gravitational pull to Solomon was irrefutable, and it sickened her. An unexplainable compulsion drove her to him, and she hated it. She felt like a heroin addict craving a fix. Addicts knew heroin would eventually kill them, but they kept shooting up anyway. That’s how she felt. Solomon was her drug.

  She loved her husband so deeply, and her betrayal of their marriage destroyed her a little more every day. Sometimes she thought death would be preferable to this hell she was living. But what of her husband and their son? She couldn't leave them. They needed her as much as she needed them. So, she continued existing on her family's love and the twisted, obsessive needs of her cruel lover.

  Broderick was invigorated having his wife and his son to come home to. Even his jaguar had settled down. He liked having a son as well. Although his animal still needed the soft green moss under his feet, the wind blowing through his fur and the thrill of the chase, the beast was more patient and attuned to the needs of the man.

  A large docket of criminal cases kept Broderick away more than he liked and he was frustrated he couldn’t go home every night. He worked late at his office, and he had court early in the mornings. Their estate was too far away for him to go home every night. He called his wife on those nights when he couldn’t. She told him not to worry. Mrs. and Mr. Sims were taking good care of her and Drake. His life was settling into a nice routine, and he loved it.

  When Drake was three months old, Elise went back to painting and resumed her career but at a much slower pace. Mrs. Sims looked after Drake when she was out in the evenings attending art exhibitions or meeting with clients. Broderick thought she was pushing herself too hard, but she denied it, and he let it go. He trusted her to make the right decisions.

  Time passed quickly, and Elise began traveling extensively to various parts of the country promoting her artwork. Drake had just turned five years old. Broderick was at first resistant to her hectic schedule. He wanted her home more. He’d gotten used to their routine and didn’t want it to change. He also noticed she wasn’t painting as much as before and that concerned him as well. Something had changed, but he chalked it up to her being a mother that shifted her priorities. Her existing portfolio of artwork was extensive, and art galleries across the country wanted to showcase them. Her appearances brought the galleries more business, and she was a celebrity in her field. He was satisfied she was handling both work and family, and it wasn’t until she told him she’d been asked to go on a multi-city art tour across Europe, that his patience wore thin.

  “Angel, we never discussed you going overseas to do an art tour. How long have you known?”

  “Just a few days,” she lied. “It was a last-minute thing.”

  “Paris, Rome, Venice, Milan, and Madrid? A tour of that magnitude takes months to plan. Why were you just notified?”

  “An artist canceled last minute due to an illness in his family. The promoter of the tour saw one of my art shows while he was on business in Los Angeles and asked if I would take the artist’s place.” Elise hated to lie to Broderick but how could she tell him she was going on a business trip to Italy with Solomon Blackwell? The mutual hatred between the two men was too explosive. Solomon insisted she accompany him or there would be dire consequences for her family. What choice did she have?

  “How long will you be gone?”

  “Four weeks.”

  Broderick frowned with displeasure. “Four weeks? That is a long time to be away from your family, away from our son. Maybe you should reconsider.”

  Elise’s stomach did a nasty flip. There was no way for her to back out of the trip. If she didn’t go with him, her husband and son were dead. Solomon would make good on his promise– his threat. She hated that Broderick thought she loved the revolving door of art shows and lavish parties. Solomon sponsored or hosted most of them. It all was the perfect smokescreen for their illicit affair. The deceit was eating away at her. It also was ironic but being away from home was a relief because it meant she didn’t have to face her husband every day and constantly reminded of how low she’d sunk into the darkness of betrayal. If she had her way, she’d stay at home with her family and work in her art studio. She didn’t need the glitz or the limelight. Her painting would sell regardless of whether she continued to do shows or made public appearances. She truly had everything she wanted and needed at home.

  “Broderick, I’m committed, and I can’t back out now. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. The event planner needed an immediate answer. I’m not thrilled to be gone for so long but international exposure of my artwork is so important.”

  Broderick sighed deeply. “I don’t want to hold you back from your career, angel. You’ve worked hard to get to where you are. An art tour like this is huge.” He paused. “I will miss you.”

  Tears pricked Elise’s eyes. “I’ll miss you and our son too.” Everything she told him was true except the real purpose of the trip. That wasn’t something she could share.

  “What if I can take some time off and meet you in one of the cities? We can do some exploring.”

  She shook her head. “As much as I would love that, I won’t have any time to spend with you. The schedule is packed with art shows, interviews, and public appearances. They have me scheduled down to the half hour. Besides, Drake will need you with me gone. Maybe we can plan a trip together very soon, just the three of us.”

  “Very well, angel,” he relented grudgingly, taking her in his arms. “I love you, and I want you to be happy.”

  I know that,” was all she could manage. Her heart splintered a little more each time she was forced to lie to him.

  Two days later, as the airplane took off, leaving her family behind; Elise touched her lips and remembered her husband’s last kiss.

  The weeks Elise spent abroad were in a swanky hotel room in Rome while Solomon was in the boardrooms of wealthy businessmen in Rome and Florence during the day and dining at their palazzos in the evenings. She was ordered to stay in the hotel while he went out each day and to accompany him to dinner parties held in his honor. She was nothing more than a trophy he pulled out and flaunted in front of his business associates. After dinner, she was escorted back to their hotel room by one of his men to wait for him to return. He would be gone for hours and didn’t often return u
ntil well after midnight. When he arrived at the hotel, he expected her to comply with his sexual demands. In the mornings, he went out again. They spent little time together, and she wondered why he insisted she come with him at all. One evening she asked him.

  Elise was flipping through the pages of a magazine when Solomon entered their hotel suite. It was ten-thirty in the evening. He had a smug, satisfied look on his face. He immediately went over to the bar and poured himself a glass of Jack Daniels.

  “How were your meetings today?” She asked, not really interested but tired of being locked in the hotel room for yet another day.

  Solomon looked at her and smiled, the scar on his right cheek undulated. “Very well, Elise. I have acquired some very powerful allies on this trip. The business venture we are planning will take time to come to fruition but will pay off in the long run.”

  “How much longer will we be in Italy?”

  “Why do you ask?” Solomon carried his drink to the couch where she was sitting and set it on the table. “Aren’t you enjoying yourself?”

  Elise closed the magazine and frowned at him. “I’m virtually a prisoner here. How can I enjoy myself when you don't allow me out of the hotel room while you’re away at your meetings? The only time I leave is when you take me. I’d like to get out of this hotel and explore the city. There are places I’d love to visit. The famous statues, art galleries, and museums. Rome is steeped in rich history. I’m going stir crazy being locked away. If keeping me sequestered in this hotel suite is your idea of a good time, maybe you should have left me at home.”

  Solomon glared at her. “I need you where I am. Not thousands of miles away.”

  She lifted her chin in defiance. “I think you hate the thought of me spending so much time with my family. I think a break from one another would do us both some good.”

  Solomon’s hand snaked out and grabbed her roughly. He pulled her close and scowled into her face. “Don’t you ever fucking say that again. You belong to me. I didn’t want you at home playing house with your family while I was abroad. Your place is with me. Wherever, whenever I want.”