Hunter: A Snow White and the Huntsman Variation (Stud Ranch Standalone Romances Book 1)
Page 28
Other Novels by Stasia Black
Bad Boys of the Bay Area Series
Crush Me
Please Me
Woman Named Red
Bay Area Bad Boys Box Set
Other Novels
Daddy’s Sweet Girl
Stud Ranch Romance Series
The Virgin and the Beast: A Beauty and the Beast Tale
Hunter: A Snow White and the Huntsman Variation
Ducking Ugly: An Ugly Duckling Story (Coming Jan. 2018)
MEET LIAM
Part I
Liam was restless and itching for a fuck as he headed toward one of the premier clubs in downtown Dublin. He walked past the long line of people waiting to get in and started through the door when the bouncer, some giant meathead put a hand on his chest to block his way.
“Line’s back there, pal.”
Liam looked up at the man incredulously. “Get your fucking hand off me. Don’t you know who the fuck I am?”
“You got a VIP pass?” the bouncer asked, crossing thick muscled arms over his chest like that was going to intimidate Liam.
“Yeah, it’s called my family owns half this fuckin’ town and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll get the fuck out of my way if you want to keep this piece of shite job you got here.”
The bouncer moved so that his whole body blocked the door to the club. “No VIP pass, no entry. You can wait in line like everybody else.”
Liam started laughing. He turned to the people waiting in line. “You believe this guy?” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. People in the crowd immediately started whispering. Phones came out and started clicking away. No doubt footage of this would be on YouTube within the hour.
He didn’t get the title of Ireland’s Richest and Most Debauched Playboy for nothing. Really, it was a title he had to constantly strive to live up to.
“Uh oh,” Liam said to the bouncer. “My public is watching. It’d be a shame not to give them a show, eh boyo?”
The bouncer’s small pig-eyes narrowed even more. The bastard was built like a refrigerator but Liam figured there couldn’t be that much going on upstairs. The valets had just driven off with his Bugatti. Did the bouncer think people who drove Bugattis waited in lines?
Still, fair was fair. So Liam gave him more than enough time to block his first blow. It was a simple right hook, after all.
The guy was at least a foot taller than Liam but obviously not very quick on his feet because it was only after Liam got his punch in that the guy reacted. He staggered back a step but then let out a roar and came at Liam swinging.
Now this was more like it.
He swung one meaty fist at Liam but Liam easily dodged. He ducked and danced his way out of the path of another heavy-fisted swing.
“Come on, don’t tell me you’re gonna let some scrawny little bastard like me get the better of ya? What’ll you tell your girlfriend when she asks about that black eye you’re gonna have? That you let one of the rich little scuts down at the club beat your arse?”
The bouncer’s face went red and he charged again, swinging wildly.
Liam grabbed his arm and used it as leverage to pull the man in for a roundhouse kick to his stomach. He immediately grabbed for his stomach, gasping hard.
Still holding the guy’s arm, Liam twisted it backwards and him to his knees. Then it was a simple matter of putting him in a chokehold. Within half a minute, the big man was out.
Jesus, Liam had been hoping he’d put up more of a challenge than that. It was barely worth the effort.
Liam stood up and dusted off his pants. He grinned and doffed an invisible cap toward the line of people watching on, half of them with phones trained on him.
Then he turned and headed into the dark club. Instead of the usual rush scuffling gave him, though, he felt a bit… well, he couldn’t quite put a finger on what he felt. Maudlin. Restless. Agitated.
It was a shite feeling and he hated it.
Where was the cool confidence he used to have about being king of all his domain?
“Mr. O’Neil,” a man in a sharp suit with a crisp silver tie hurried over to him, his face distressed. “I just heard about what happened outside and I want to assure you that man will be fired immediately. You are one of our most valued patrons and we always want you to have the best experience possible at Club Electra. I cannot apologize enough for—”
Liam waved a hand like he was swatting a fly. He fecking hated simpering little weasels like this who fell all over themselves around rich people. Have a little dignity for fuck’s sake.
“Is my private room ready?” Liam asked, looking around the club. He recognized some faces here and there on the dance floor. All of Dublin’s richest and most beautiful were out partying it up like they did every Friday night. And Saturday night. And Thursday and Wednesday and well, there really wasn’t any night you couldn’t go somewhere to get shitfaced with the wealthy and semi-famous.
“Of course, Mr. O’Neil. Mr. Flannigan and a guest are waiting. A martini has also just been delivered to the room.”
Liam nodded and headed for the glass elevator without another word. It would be good to see Sean. They’d been friends ever since Uni. Sean’s da had hit it big in IT so Sean lived a similar life of frivolity and privilege as Liam. If you were gonna be a useless fuck, might as well do it with friends.
Liam headed to the VIP suite he always kept reserved for his parties. He opened the door and saw Sean and his girlfriend Brigid were already inside. Brigid was wearing a skimpy silver sequin dress with so little material it barely deserved the name.
“Liam, you ugly gobshite, where ya been?” Sean jumped to his feet, holding out a hand for Brigid to stand up too. She had on skyscraper heels that made her legs look fucking fantastic. Her hair was red, her skin pale, and her tits high and perky.
What? In a dress like that, he wouldn’t be a red-blooded male not to notice.
“Sean.” Liam leaned in and gave Sean a hug and slap on the back. “Brigid.” He nodded toward her.
“Yeah. Good to see you man. Good to see you.” Sean patted him on the back a couple more times before pulling back and gesturing for Liam to sit on one of the overstuffed leather couches across from him and Brigid.
This suite was the biggest in the club, lit intimately by soft recessed lighting that could be turned up or down by remote control. The glass wall could also switch between being clear or a mirror, depending on the lighting in the room. It was a mirror at the moment. When it was clear, you could look down on the partiers below. No matter the setting, though, no one below could see up into the room.
It was one of the reasons Liam preferred this club. He didn’t like having to take women home to fuck them.
“Man, I been looking forward to talking to you. I got all these ideas. Like, these ideas.” Sean waved his hands dramatically. “Just nonstop. I really think I’m on to something here. Like the next big thing.”
Liam frowned at Sean. He was sweating and his fingers kept flexing and then relaxing, flexing and relaxing. “You into the shit again?”
Sean had an affinity for coke that at times had gotten out of hand. Liam was down for the occasional party once in a while but Sean took it to the next level. He’d even been into H for a little while after college until his dad stepped in and threw his arse into rehab. Sean had been mostly straight ever since then.
Sean shook his head. “What? I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” He waved his hand. “Listen man. You gotta listen to what I’m talking about here. Dad’s been riding my ass lately. No more free rides and all this other bullshit. So I’m like, all right, ya bollix, I can make it on my own.” His eyes went wide. Manic almost.
Liam’s stomach sank. Well shite. Here it came, in three, two—
“I found this great investment opportunity. Man, you can’t lose money on this thing. It’s a fuckin’ gold mine. A sure thing. I got the inside track.”
Liam stopped listening at tha
t point. This was what it always came down to. Liam knew when people looked at him, all they saw were dollar signs.
He could usually spot supposed ‘friends’ trying to butter him up for a handout a mile away but Sean had snuck up on him. They’d been mates. For real. At least he’d thought so. Maybe Sean had just been keeping him around as a bank reserve in case he ever needed a bailout.
“So you’d be helping me out and getting in on a killer investment opportunity, yeah? What do you think?”
Apparently Sean had finished his pitch. He sat there looking at Liam, eyes too bright and frantic.
Liam ignored him and looked to the woman sitting beside him. Brigid had been with Sean for a little over three years, since right after he got out of rehab the first time. She was beautiful, there was no denying it.
Had Sean told her to wear the skimpy dress? Hoping that if there was attractive eye-candy Liam would be more willing to say yes to his ridiculous fucking proposal? She was looking at the floor, her cheeks flushed prettily. Was she embarrassed by her boyfriend making a little bitch out of himself begging for scraps like this?
“Well don’t leave me hanging. What do you think, man?” Sean pressed when Liam kept quiet.
Liam finally turned his gaze back to Sean. Sean must have seen some of his thoughts about the whole thing because his smile dimmed several degrees.
“I mean, you don’t have to invest the total amount right up front,” Sean started to backpedal. “You could just put in a small seed fund to get started, then when you—”
“How much?” Liam asked.
“I can show you some of the materials so you really know what a good deal—”
“How much?” Liam demanded, not in the mood for any more bullshit.
Sean swallowed. “Four million.”
Liam’s eyebrows went up but he didn’t respond.
“But I mean, for you, that’s nothing,” Sean started before Liam held a hand up. Sean went quiet, watching Liam while his hands fidgeted restlessly.
Liam stood up and Sean’s eyes went wide with fear. He stood up too and Liam could tell he was about to start trying to pitch him again when Liam cut him off. “I’ll give you the money.”
Sean’s body went limp with relief. Liam guessed this was about more than just proving himself to daddy. Just how far had Sean gotten himself entwined or in debt with the wrong people? Oh well. None of Liam’s business. Not anymore.
“But not for that piece of shit little pyramid scheme you’re trying to sell me,” Liam said. “I want something else.”
Sean’s mouth dropped open. “It’s not a—”
“Shut the fuck up,” Liam snapped. “Do you want the money or not?”
Sean immediately nodded his head but Brigid’s eyes narrowed. “You said you wanted something? What?”
Liam smiled at her. “Smart girl.” He looked over at Sean. “Makes me wonder why she’s with you.”
Sean laughed, like Liam had meant it to be a joke. He hadn’t.
“What do you want?” Brigid asked again.
Liam walked over to her, ignoring Sean. He held her eyes as he walked so close their chests almost touched. Her breathing got shorter and she backed up a step. Liam smiled at her.
Maybe doing this would finally help him out of the funk he’d been in. His father kept telling him that money meant power. Maybe it was time for him to test out that theory.
“I want to make an indecent proposal,” he whispered, reaching out to brush a piece of Brigid’s hair behind her ear. “A threesome. Me and the two of you. But I call the shots.”
If Liam thought her breathing had been uneven before, it was nothing to the way her breaths went shallow at this.
“Absolutely n—” Brigid started at the same time as Sean said, “Okay.”
Brigid looked at Sean incredulously.
“What?” He held up his hands. “Babe, it’s not like we haven’t done threesomes before. I know it gets you hot.”
“Did you tell him about that?” She sounded horrified.
Sean shrugged. “We’re best mates.”
Liam stopped himself just short of scoffing at that.
Brigid looked back to Liam. He stepped close again. “I’ll make it good for you,” he said in a low whisper. “I’ll worship every inch of your body.” The hair had fallen loose from her ear and he reached for it again, his fingers hesitating at her temple. “I promise to make you feel cherished.”
As he slid the lock of hair behind her ear again, he moved in and whispered so that only she could hear, “I want to make you wet and then suck the sweet juices off your pussy. I want to lick you up and down and then fuck you with my fingers until you can’t stand it anymore. And then I’ll tease your clit with the very tip of my tongue. Because a meal like you deserves to be savored.” He whispered this last bit right into her ear and then nipped the bottom of her earlobe, tugging gently with his teeth.
A shudder went through her body. She pulled back and looked at him. Her cheeks were flushed, and the freckles dusted across her nose became even more apparent.
“Okay,” Sean clapped. “So where are we doing this? Should we take a lift over to your apartment or—”
“Take off your clothes,” Liam ordered, never taking his eyes off Brigid. “Both of you.”
“Here?” Brigid’s voice was little more than a whisper.
“Here.” Liam had made use of the space plenty of times before. So much so that they kept a bag of his things ready for him along with the martini.
Out of the corner of his eye, Liam saw Sean shrug and then start to unbuckle his pants. What a fucking bastard. He’d get what was coming to him.
Liam turned all his attention back to Brigid. Her eyes were round, watching Liam like a startled deer.
He reached and gently turned her around by her shoulders so that she was looking in the mirror. And then, ever so slowly, he slid one strap of her slinky dress off her shoulders. And then the other.
Her breath hitched and her hands came to her chest as the fabric fell down her arms. Liam glanced in the mirror. Damn, she was gorgeous. Pale skin flushing so prettily. The scatter of freckles extended down her shoulders and he wanted to lick every one of them.
He lifted her hair from her neck and started kissing her. “You’re so beautiful.” He massaged her shoulders and down her upper arms as he continued his assault on the back of her neck. This, finally, felt like a challenge. Would she allow herself to be seduced in front of her boyfriend?
“Do you like to tell a man what to do?” Liam asked, his long fingers massaging even further down so that just the tips of his fingers grazed the sides of her breasts. “Or do you like it when your lover takes charge?”
He tugged at the fabric she was clinging to. He didn’t pull too hard—just enough to let her know what he wanted.
“I don’t know,” she whispered. But at the same time, she released her hold on her dress. Liam smiled as he pulled the fabric down from her breasts.
Fuck, she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her breasts popped free of the material and they were so goddamned pretty Liam wanted to immediately throw her on the couch and fuck her for hours.
He clenched his jaw and held himself in check, though. Patience. For a man who could have anything he wanted at the snap of his fingers, patience had always been a difficult lesson for him to master. But that usually made the prize all the more sweet, he’d found when he actually managed to put in the work.
He watched Brigid in the mirror as he pulled the slinky silver fabric down and over her hips. Fecking Christ, she wasn’t wearing any underwear either.
“Jesus,” he swore, his hands going to both of her hips and squeezing. The motion brought her back against him. She could obviously feel how hard he was through his pants because she gasped.
“Fuck that’s hot,” Sean said, walking over to them, sporting a short, stumpy hard-on. If Brigid had been putting up with that for three years, then tonight really would be a night she’d remember.
Sean looked startled at Liam’s sharp words. “Come on, man, I thought—”
Liam took a step back from Brigid. “I call the shots or this is done now and I walk.”
“Shite.” Panic briefly crossed Sean’s face. “Fine, man. Fine.” He held up his hands and then moved to where Liam had indicated. “You want me to just stand back here?”
“Yes.” Liam’s voice was clipped but he softened it again as soon as he stepped back over to Brigid. Her hands had crossed over her chest during the exchange and he immediately wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Shhh,” he said, cradling her from behind. “Remember, this is all about you. You don’t like anything, you just say stop. That’s it. It stops. No problem. Don’t do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”
“But will we still get the money if she stops?” Sean asked loudly.
Brigid’s body went tense at Sean’s question.
“Ignore that fuckhead,” Liam said. He moved around in front of her. He’d positioned Sean so that he was out of her line of sight, even with the mirror.
She still looked spooked and a little frightened, but there was also something else there. Was it arousal?
Liam leaned in like he was going to kiss her but instead lifted up to whisper in her ear. “Touch yourself. I want you to show me how you do it when you’re all alone. Imagine your dirtiest fantasies.”
Her breath hiccupped again but she did as he asked. Her hand slid down between them and he felt her moving. Jesus Christ he wanted to pull back and watch her.
But discipline. Patience.
If he pulled back from her now she might get skittish again. So he kept kissing up and down her throat. Down near her collarbone he suckled her neck in a way that was sure to leave a mark. He fucking loved the idea. Every time that bastard Sean looked at her he’d see Liam’s mark.
A little whimper escaped her throat and Liam couldn’t help pulling her up and against him. Jesus she was a hot piece.