Sinful Torment: A Romantic Suspense Novel

by Tia Lewis

  Maybe my standards were too high?

  That was a possibility I reasoned with myself, as I slowly moved to sit up further. Biting at my bottom lip once more.

  Just when I thought perhaps it was best to just pay my tab, give my tip to the bartender, sulk home and exit this mysterious and erotic world and head back into my mundane life, someone sat down beside me. I heard the familiar fluff of leather, and the soft, lilting words of a voice edged hard in masculinity.

  "First time here?"

  I turned and looked in the direction of a man that by all accounts seemed better than the average that milled about the club. Even though he was sitting down, I could tell he was tall, standing by what I accounted to be around over six feet tall at least. He had a simple hair style cut short, but slicked back soft black hair all along his head, mixed in with a soft outline of stubble that appeared to be well kept, rather than a product of laziness.

  He was pale but lightly tanned with broad shoulders and looked like a cut above the rest. He wore a dark tailored business suit of sorts, but he didn't look the part. He leaned back, his bright blue eyes looking at me, almost expectantly, drilling into my soul as a half smirk crossed his lips.

  It was his gaze that first caused me to flush a little bit, as I felt his stare looking directly at me in an appraising way. I blushed still, and smiled. I shyly looked away at my drink as I turned on the stool to face the bar better. I tried to form the words in my mind as I strung them all together to try and be coherent.

  "Maybe."

  He chuckled at that. The sound reverberating within his chest as he turned in his seat to face away from the crowd behind us, and face in my direction where I took a better look at him from the corner of my eye. The angular features of his face and his confidence quickened the pace of my heart, and I continued to give him that chance to impress me though I realized he already had an advantage.

  "A lovely woman like you sitting all alone at the bar counter at a club called The Twisted Sanctuary? Tsk. Tsk. Tsk," he clicked his tongue, shaking his head from side to side as I felt his presence growing closer to my own. "I've noticed you by yourself for quite some time now. Awaiting someone, or... just prefer to be alone?"

  I shook my head in response.

  "No. No. I came here with girlfriends. I just..." I was unsure how to explain as I bit the side of my tongue in thought before completing my sentence. "They sort of ran out on me and left me here. So I guess I'm here by myself."

  "With no one to keep you company?"

  I shook my head at that.

  "Lucky for you then that I'm alone as well. So now you've got some company."

  That half smirk of his started to grow as I realized what he was saying. His tone dominant, almost adamant that he would be the one to stay with me for the evening while I continued to drink. That alone only caused me to blush somewhat more as I nodded my head in acceptance. Unlike other men who had approached me he took charge and didn't treat it like a transaction of sorts, and I rather liked that.

  I turned aside to face in his direction. Slowly bringing my leg down from across my lap as I smiled as innocent as I could muster at him. That innocence alone seemingly bringing that dominant smirk of his to a slight grin as he tilted his head, almost as if to beckon me closer to him.

  "Ethan McKnight by the way. Might I know your name?"

  I slid my drink aside as he beckoned. Bringing as best I could the stool closer to him though it was unwieldy. There was something about him that quickly drew me closer to him, almost mesmerizing in a way.

  "Nice to meet you, Ethan. I'm Jessica Notaro."

  "A pretty name for a pretty face..." he murmured in a grumbled purr, and I nearly blushed further from that. Ethan seemingly sensing my attraction to him as he moved one foot down on the floor and leaned closer to me. I could smell his intoxicating scent. The smell of woodsy cologne, heady and dark.

  I drank it in as I inhaled deeply, the sounds and sights and other smells of the club seemingly falling away to a low drum of noise behind me once more. Incomprehensible to my senses as I wavered on the spot I sat. The club itself was called The Twisted Sanctuary, but I was starting to feel it had an opposite effect on me.

  He placed his strong palm against my hip, and I seemingly obeyed him as I slid from the leather chair down onto the floor in front of him. I stood nearly a head and a half shorter next to him which only gave the illusion of the domination, even more.

  I looked up at him expectantly while he stared down at me. Our eyes met, and he winked before looking up at the bartender with a snap of his finger.

  "Laurence. A line of shots with the best of what's on the top shelf," he spoke, almost commandingly as he looked back down to me. I could feel that hand of his against the sheer fabric of my dress bunching up against the small of my back as he pulled me in his direction.

  We headed back to one of the booths that were there. Ironically, the same one that Theresa, Mariah, and I were at earlier.

  He spoke, that same deep rumble of tone as he offered me the seat first.

  "Come now Miss Notaro. Tell me a little bit about yourself. A beautiful woman left all alone in a club like this. Surely you came looking for something?" he asked.

  I simply shook my head as I slowly slid into the benched seat beside him. I was easily within arm's reach, but not quite to his side just yet. I was attracted to him, I realized as a warmth entered through my abdomen, slowly working its way down to a needing quiver. But, I wasn't going to simply let him take full control of me.

  Not yet anyway. I at least wanted to hear more about Ethan McKnight first.

  And I was completely prepared to find out more about him as my eyes looked all across his body to assess him more. I didn't hide that fact that I had my eyes on him. Starting down from his legs, slowly up toward the muscular frame that made him up, and further up to his face. Myself biting still at my bottom lip as I let my imagination start to play. He was dressed, casually despite the suit. The clothing itself seemingly smooth and unwrinkled, no matter how he sat, dark enough to almost meld into the fabric of the seats we sat on. I felt the leather beneath my rear heating up, no doubt from myself.

  Ethan's face was what drew me to him first, same as it did at the bar. He wasn't like the patrons of the club, at least, like any of the other ones. His soft, angular face was stubbled with a goatee that he kept clean and smooth. His lips were constantly in a smirk of sorts, always caught between a smile and a grin. It was like he was playing a game, and I was the prize. A game I was wholeheartedly fine with being a participant of.

  I felt his eyes turn back to me, looking down from along my face toward the line of cleavage that I presented to him. His half smirk deepening almost to a sort of grin as I heard his chuckle vibrate within his throat. Ethan spoke again.

  "Apologies, Miss Notaro. I don't think I spoke loud enough..." He almost purred as I brought one hand up to balance my chin upon my palm. "I wanted to know what you're looking for?"

  I quickly snapped back to reality, remembering that Ethan was speaking to me now as I closed my eyes for a moment to catch myself and let my mind quickly turn back to a form of functioning. I couldn't let my libido dictate me on how to respond, not yet anyway. I opened my eyes in time for the drinks to arrive and I looked back at Ethan to answer his question.

  "Sorry," I blushed. “I'm just... looking for a little bit of fun is all," I replied coyly, wanting to play this game of cat and mouse with Ethan. I made up my mind that I would accept what answers came my way from him, and what we'd possibly do by the end of the night, but I still wanted to make him earn my affection.

  He didn't disappoint me.

  His blue eyes sparkled with a mischief that I hadn't seen in a man in so long. He turned to the bartender who earlier he called Laurence. His smirk deepened to a slight grin of sorts as he motioned for the patient man to place the drinks in front of us in a line, five in front of him, five in front of me. The smell of both rum, tequila, and fruit met my nos
trils as I looked down to the small dark row of crystalline shot glasses. All drinks were red some black like much of the motif of The Twisted Sanctuary.

  Then I heard his reply.

  "Fun huh? Well, you seem to be in luck, Miss Notaro," he continued on in that purring tone. Slowly shifting about where he sat as he scooted closer to me, nearly gliding all along the seats. I felt not only his warmth creep on me but the rich aroma of cologne dulling my senses and ingraining himself to the central part of my psyche that caused my arousal. "After all. I've instructed the bartender to bring us several drinks. Each time one of us asks a question to the other, and we answer truthfully. We take a quick shot."

  I couldn't help but smile at that as I turned to look back at him, raising my brow and my shoulder somewhat, as I dared an approach to him in return. I slid my rear along the seating beneath me, marking my ascent with wetness from that very same arousal.

  "And if we drink all of the shots?"

  He shrugged with that same deep, husky chuckle of his.

  "Then we'll either order another ten shots to share... or..." he ventured on, lifting his voice at the last consonant as he tilted his head, almost as if to beckon me closer.

  I accepted that offer, and approached closer to him, feeling the side of his leg, warm and firm, against the softness of my own thigh as I ventured out questioning to his words.

  "Or?"

  He grinned even more as he pressed in closer, and I could feel his presence continue to overwhelm me.

  "Or we'll find other things to keep us busy tonight."

  I blushed, even more, feeling that he already knew what he had planned for me, but I felt myself willing to continue to go along with it. A man showing me not only a playful side to him, but who clearly showed his desire and the need for me? He was certainly someone I felt drawn to. So I nodded in return, more bashful than I intended, but steadfast to match his intensity in desire.

  I wasn't going to let him outpace me in the flirtations after all.

  So I reached out, wrapping my painted fingers around one of the cool, dark shot glasses in front of me as a bevy of lights from the dance floor flickered off of the smooth table top. My eyes looked up at him, almost in a challenge.

  "I'm ready for your first question, Mr. McKnight."

  Ethan licked his lips in response, no doubt knowing that my answer would be that. He winked once, and also reached forward, taking his strong hand around the base of one of the shot glasses on his side of the line. He looked at me in a dare of sorts. His bright eyes mesmerizing me as we gazed to one another. The electricity firing in the air between us.

  "Very well, Miss Notaro. How old are you?" he asked his first question, and I squirmed slightly in my seat beside him. Exhaling out as I leaned forward now, feeling my breasts press against the smooth table top once more as I prepared for both the answer, and the rush of alcohol.

  "28," I answered, still wanting to be coy as I quickly brought the glass up, and to my lips, and downed the entire shot in one go. The taste of cherry and tequila burnt down a path from my throat to my belly, the warmth that came intermingled with the warmth of my arousal in my belly, and cooled the mechanism of my mind from further inhibitions.

  “Nah. You can't be. I would have guessed you were years younger. Did the bouncer card you at the door?"

  “No, he didn't," I blushed. As soon as the alcohol settled, I sighed somewhat and turned, looking up at his face as we remained mere inches from each other now. "So, tell me. What about you, Mr. McKnight? What did you come for?" I asked coolly despite the warmth of my intentions.

  “Please. Call me, Ethan. I might have found what I wanted tonight," he responded, slowly bringing up the shot glass that he had to us both. The smell of rum and pomegranate mingled with the heavy scent of his cologne. Then, in one swoop, he downed the contents of the glass before giving a soft, pleasurable sigh that excited me deep down. He turned and clicked the glass on the table before looking back to me and continued on. "And tell me, Miss Notaro. Do you like what you've found?"

  I continued to squirm as I tilted up to get a better look at him. My hips slowly adjusting back and forth as his deep voice washed over me like a mist. The more he talked, the more attracted I became as I gazed my eyes down from him, toward the shot glasses and back as I reached cheekily for one. "Call me, Jessica. And I do."

  Then, just as soon as I finished my sentence, I tilted my head back, and washed the back of my throat with the taste of alcohol and fruit once more, my mind taking the brunt of the intoxication as I felt my body alternate between numbness and fuzziness.

  I heard Ethan chuckle and felt the brush of what felt like smooth silk caress across the back of my shoulder as he shifted where he sat. My body in that fuzzed state of inebriation, but knowing fully well that he was bringing his arm to wrap around me, which I allowed as I leaned in closer to him. The side of my arm pressed firmly in against the swell of his body, feeling the firmness of muscle beneath his business suit which only exhilarated my imagination further with other thoughts.

  But I quickly realized it was my turn to ask a question as he looked at me, almost expectantly. I reddened a little more, cleared my throat, and continued on with our innocent little game.

  "And what exactly do you intend to do with that hand?" I had asked him, feeling the warmth of his fingers, so smooth and strong now, caressing in against my bare shoulder. Ethan wasted no time in reply, his demeanor remaining coy and unabashed as he reached for the twinkling shot glass. He brought it up and drank deeply.

  "To entice you further to me, Jessica. I think if we continue on tonight, we might have to see about spending a little bit of time in the Cave of Pain and Pleasure."

  My heart quickly started to thump further as I inhaled deeply at that. My imagination seemingly now coming true as my blue eyes looked from Ethan, slowly across from him to the other side of the bar in the distance.

  The doors were still there, or rather, the doorway. The walls, of which remained covered in that black velvet, came to a point on the frame as thick curtain like ropes of leather hung down. The black lights above signaling to the world what it was, exactly, as the Cave of Pain and Pleasure remained opened, yet a mystery. Dull red lights beneath the curtains often shifted with the movement of bodies within.

  My curiosity continued to swarm with the possibilities of what could be in that dark cave. The namesake of which pleased me with hopeful, deprived thoughts of release, but terrified me with the simple word "pain" upon it.

  I heard Ethan beside me chuckle as he leaned in closer with a press. His free hand that held the shot glasses on his side slowly slid over to me. He pressed the tips of his finger against one glass, sliding it on over toward me in a dare. I felt the weight and warmth of his breath flow across my cheek. His breath smelt of alcohol, desire, and of possible promised kisses as I fought back a sigh of wanting release. The alcoholic drink that was promised coming closer to the very edge of the table pressing almost against the fabric of my dress, and the swell of my breast.

  "You want to know what's back there, don't you Jessica?" came his words, so low and agonizingly seductive.

  I listened to his words as goose bumps formed all along my shoulders in anticipation. His words were breathtaking as they overcame me. No doubt, Ethan felt the same as I could feel his touch slowly slide in a light graze back and forth in a slow, small circle across my shoulders.

  I simply picked up my third shot glass and knocked it back with a low, agonizing hiss of pleasure before I spoke, just as quickly as the alcohol came. "Yes. Tell me what's back there, please." I pleaded somewhat, not even daring to look at him just yet.

  He nodded and took his third shot as well without even skipping a beat. His words purring into my ear as he spoke.

  "Private places, for private actions. You ever been made to feel like both a prisoner and a princess all at once? A partner who commands from you but makes sure to take good care of your needs?"

  I inhaled deeply, feeling
the swell of my chest out on the table before I slowly moved to lean back, nestling the form of his strong arm all along the back of my neckline. My mind was thinking about what he said. I had indeed felt like a prisoner. That was the basis of my failed marriage after all. A relationship that Ethan didn't know about, and in truth? He didn't even need to know about. Not if this was a one-night thing.

  But his other words? They were welcoming to me. It's been so long since I was someone's plaything. Someone's toy but treated like a precious object as well. Alternating between a possession and a queen. I would love to be someone's princess for the night.

  I looked at the back wall where the doorway to where the Cave of Pain and Pleasure was. My inhibitions were melting away from me now, feeling that Ethan was quickly winning the prize he and I both sought after.

  Ethan's face was so close to mine I could almost feel the light brush of his goatee against my cheek. I bit at my lips in thought, thinking about how best to answer him as the world all around us seemed to disappear. It was just me, him, a booth, and several remaining drinks.

  "I might have." I ventured out, no mentioning of my ex-husband at all. "But I've never been made to feel like a princess. Do you want a princess tonight to take care of?"

  He smiled in response to my words and brought up his fourth shot glass. Keeping it close between him and me as I smelled the tequila, so pungent and heavy. Then, in a quick dash to his lips he tilted his head back and downed it with a low, grumbled sigh of excitement. His body shivering in alcoholic bliss before he looked back down to meet my gaze. His vision not clouded by the alcohol, in direct opposite of mine, as I felt the numbness melt away now to giddy and growing eagerness.

  "I do. But I like mine tied up, and who listen to every word I say..." Ethan started off, anticipation building up to me. "Do you think you can follow my commands, Princess? You'll be tied, and paddled if you're bad."

  I heard that last bit within his voice and felt the domination come from him. I couldn't help but feel it now through my core, as the intermingled mixture of arousal, intoxication, desire, numbness, and stimulating emotions coursed through my very being. I smiled up at him as I brought this game to an end.