by Marilyn Lee
He gave her a long, cool look before turning his attention back to Aja. “Yes,” he told her. “Tonight. Now.”
She moistened her lips. “What about her?” She jerked her head in Erin’s direction. “Rumor has it you like her.”
He kept his gaze trained on Aja’s face. “And yet you’ve been flirting with me since I returned.”
She shrugged. “Rumors aren’t always accurate. Are they? Are you interested in her?”
“Yes.”
She blinked, shaking her head. “If that’s true—”
“It is.”
“How interested in her are you?”
“Very.”
“Then…I don’t understand.”
“Don’t you? It’s simple. She’s not prepared to give me what I want. Are you?”
She nodded quickly. “Yes.”
He arched a brow. “Aren’t you going to ask what I want first?”
She shook her head. “I want you, and I’m prepared to do whatever I need to get you. If Erin’s not, I’m going to make her loss my gain.”
“And what if I want unprotected anal sex? What if I want to blindfold you, bind you with handcuffs, and spank your ass until it stings? What if I want to spirit you away to a strange place far from your family and friends? What if I want you all to myself?”
She leaned across the table and gripped his hand. “You’re into domination?”
He shrugged.
“Oh…God…you’re making me hot. I’ve been dying to meet an alpha male sexy enough to entice me to do all kinds of nasty sex acts, Alek.”
Why hadn’t he been able to elicit a similar response from Erin? Why did she persist in comparing him unfavorably to Malikinder? Why couldn’t she understand and appreciate the level of his need and hunger for her? Why couldn’t she comprehend that the choices he’d made in the jungle had been dictated by his desire to protect and cherish her?
“Alek? Did you hear me?”
He nodded slowly. “Yes, but my name is Aleksander.” He didn’t want anyone but Erin calling him Alek.
“Fine. Aleksander. I like the name.” She lowered her voice. “I like you.”
A pity the feeling wasn’t mutual. He gave her a cool smile.
“So? Is it over between you and Erin?”
He frowned. “Do you want to spend the night at your place or mine? And do you want to waste valuable time discussing Erin?”
“I want to spend the night with you completely dominating me. Will you spank my ass before you fuck it? Will you handcuff me and make me beg to have you drive your cock up my ass?”
Why didn’t such licentious questions ignite his sexual hunger? Perhaps if her breasts were fuller, her body more curvaceous, and her skin darker, she’d be able to arouse him. He considered her in silence. A living spirit wouldn’t readily submit to such domination. But perhaps human women craved a show of control. Did Erin share such desires? Is that where he had gone wrong with Erin? Did she want him to be more dominant? “Is that what you want?”
“Oh, yes. I want you to make me beg for it and then fuck my ass so hard it almost hurts. And then, when I beg you to stop, I want you to fuck me harder and deeper until you make my ass your personal property.”
“I take it you enjoy being fucked by white males?”
She shrugged. “I’ve always preferred my men tall, handsome, well-hung, and white. Is that a problem for you?”
Why the hell couldn’t Erin share that preference? Why did she have to go on and on about preferring men with dark skin?
“Aleksander?”
He flashed her a quick smile.
“That’s better.”
He glanced at the check on the table next to his plate before reaching for his wallet. He placed several bills on the tray and looked at Aja. “Then let’s go.”
“Well, damn, Aleksander. Aren’t you the fickle one?”
He glanced up as Erica paused at the table he and Aja shared. Erin walked past without looking at him.
He turned his attention back to Erica. “I’m the one who doesn’t need your permission to see whoever I like.”
Her nostrils flared, and she cast a look of dislike at Aja. “If I were you, I’d think twice about trying to steal what belongs to my sister.”
Aja lifted her chin and rose to face Erica. “And if I were you or your sister, I’d start ordering more salads. Maybe then neither of you would have to worry about losing your men to those of us who know how to control our appetites and our weight. Not all men like their women fat, sweetie!”
“Why you skinny, titless, flat-assed bitch!”
Aleksander rose and quickly stepped between the two women, facing Erica. “Erin has made her choice, and I’ve made mine.” He turned away.
She clutched his arm.
He turned back to face her, his gaze narrowed. “Yes?”
“Erin told me things about your shared past.”
“Do we have a shared past?”
“You’d know that better than me, Aleksander. You should also know she’s afraid and confused. If any of the things you told her were true, please don’t do this to her.”
He glanced across the room to find Erin staring at him. He felt her anger, but nothing in her dark gaze or thoughts gave him reason to change his plans for the evening.
“I’m going to spend the night with Aja—just as you spent the afternoon with Malikinder. I know Erica’s passionate in your defense out of love and loyalty to you. I don’t have any particular need to be unpleasant or unkind to your sister. Call her off before that changes.”
Erin rose and quickly crossed the room to them. She touched Erica’s arm. “It’s okay, Rica. He’s not the…man I thought he was.” She stared at him. “The two of you deserve each other, Aleksander.”
Had she shown even a trace of remorse, he would have relented. He narrowed his gaze. “Then you should be happy to know we plan to spend the night together.”
She clenched her right hand. “If you think I’ll forget or forgive this, Alek, you’re wrong.”
“I haven’t forgotten how you spent your time at the pool party, Erin. Nor do I intend to forget it or to forgive you.”
Her eyes flashed, and for a moment, he half expected her to slap him or Aja. Instead, she tugged at Erica’s arm and pulled her away.
Despite himself, he turned to watch her walk back to her table.
Aja stroked a hand down his arm and leaned against him. “Let’s get the night started, lover.”
He tore his gaze from Erin to stare down into Aja’s eyes, probing her thoughts. The level of lust she projected at him did nothing to stir his emotions or desires. He nodded curtly and followed her from the restaurant.
Chapter Fourteen
“What are you going to do?”
Erin tightened her fingers around her coffee cup and slowly shook her head. “I don’t know that I’m going to do anything.”
Erica frowned and leaned across the table to grip her hand. “Nika! You can’t just let that bitch sink her claws into him.”
She pulled her hand from Erica’s, sitting back against her chair. “What else can I do? You saw him. There was nothing in his gaze, voice, or manner that gave me any reason to hope he was just trying to make me jealous with her. He’s going to sleep with her, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Erica tilted her head. “You can go tell him you were wrong and you’re sorry.”
Erin frowned. “About what?”
Erica shrugged. “Malikin…Malik.”
Erin put down her coffee cup. “What am I supposed to be sorry for?”
“For believing that anyone who would facilitate your sleeping with a rival isn’t a far better person—spirit—than you’ve given him credit for being.”
“You don’t understand, Rica. He—”
Erica narrowed her gaze, holding up a hand. “I understand the man you want…love…care deeply for is about to bed another woman unless you do something to stop it. What’s more import
ant than that? You expect him to overlook your sleeping with this…Malik…but don’t want to make any allowances for him?”
Erin sucked in a breath. “That’s below the belt, Rica.”
“Is it? Not from where I’m sitting. You know I love you, but things seem a little lopsided from where I’m sitting, girl. That’s just the way it is.”
“You think I’m being unfair?”
“What do you think, Erin?”
“I think you clearly think I’ve treated Alek badly.”
“In a word? Yes. Erin. You slept with another man. He knows it and—”
“With his blessing!”
“Regardless! The bottom line is that you slept with someone else.”
Erin sighed. Although she and Erica disagreed on many things, they didn’t lie to each other. And she valued her twin’s opinion. “It’s not like that. You don’t understand—”
“You’re right there, girl. I don’t understand much about this situation. But I do know that it’s time to get your big ass in gear, Nika, and go stop him before he does something you’ll both regret.”
She shook her head. “If you think I’m going to humiliate myself by chasing after him, you—”
“Your pride is going to be cold comfort once he’s slept with that flat-assed hussy.”
“Once he has—”
“What? It’ll be over between you two?”
“Yes!”
“Even though you’ve slept with this Malik of yours and expected him to welcome you back afterward?”
“That’s not… Why do you speak so…? You’re making me sound unreasonable.”
“That’s the way you’re behaving.”
Erica’s assessment of her behavior stung. “Why are you using that tone when talking about Malikinder?”
“I’ve never met or even seen this Malik you talk about. I’ll accept your word that he’s everything you say he is. But I’ve seen the effect Aleksander has on you, and I’ve seen the way he looks at you.
“No one is going to convince me Aja is serious competition for you as long as you treat him properly.”
“Treat him properly? Are you implying…?”
“There’s no need to create a crisis where none need exist, Nika.”
Erin narrowed her gaze. “You heard what he said. He’s angry and vengeful because of my afternoon with Malikinder.”
“How can you blame him? You’re angry that he’s about to spend the night with Aja.”
“It’s not the same thing!”
“It is from where I sit, but that doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you make the right choice now.”
“I…I… You’re making me feel unworthy of him, Rica.”
“No!” Erica shook her head. “You know that’s not my intention. I just want to make sure you don’t make another mistake.”
“Another mistake?”
“Yes. From what you’ve told me, Alek seems the more worthy of the two of them, Nika.” Erica placed a hand over her heart. “I think you know that. So forget your pride and follow your heart.”
Erin hesitated, then abruptly bolted to her feet.
Erica arched a brow, a slow smile curving her lips. “Going somewhere?”
“Don’t wait up for me, Rica, and don’t worry if I’m gone for a while.”
“Why should I worry? Despite his behaving like a dumbass with Aja, I know you’ll be in good hands with Alek. Just don’t stay away too long.”
Erin nodded and turned to rush from the restaurant. Aleksander!
There was no response. He was ignoring her as he’d done after stranding her in the Blue Desert. Damn him. Aleksander! We need to talk. Don’t touch her. Please!
Her plea elicited no response.
She hurried along the terrace outside the clubhouse and into the building that housed their apartments. An elevator stood open in the lobby. She quickly entered and pushed the number twelve button. Only then did she realize she had no idea if they were in Aja’s apartment or Aleksander’s. She quickly decided he’d know better than to take Erin’s rival to his apartment. He’d surely know she’d find that unforgivable if they reconciled. She pushed the fifth-floor button.
The elevator stopped at each floor between one and five to allow tenants on and off. The doors swished open on the fifth floor. Heart racing, Erin stepped out of the elevator and started down the hall to Aja’s apartment.
“Erin!”
At the sound of the warm, deep voice, she stopped and turned. A tall, handsome male with smooth dark skin dressed in black sweats stood at the other end of the corridor, smiling at her.
She caught her breath. “Malikinder?”
His smile widened.
She blinked. It was him. “I…I don’t understand. How are you here?”
“You called. I came.” He extended a hand.
Too late! He’d come too late.
He frowned and quickly walked down the hall toward her. He stopped within a few inches of her. He stroked her cheek. “It can’t be too late.”
She swallowed hard, torn. Part of her wanted to yield to him. Another part of her wanted to continue rushing down the hall to stop Aleksander from sleeping with Aja. “I’m sorry, but…it is…” She took a step backward.
He stepped closer, slipping an arm around her waist. He drew her close until she could feel his hard cock pressed against her body. “I’m not going to let you go to him.”
She pushed against his chest. “I have to.”
“Why? What lies has he told you about me? What lies has he made you believe?”
She sighed. “He’s never really said anything bad about you.”
“Someone clearly has. Tell me who.”
“Flame said—”
He stiffened against her. “Flame? You’ve talked to Flame about me?”
“He talked to me about you and Aleksander.”
“And you believed whatever he told you?”
“Yes.”
He narrowed his gaze. “Why?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t want to, but it had the ring of truth. He said you were…ungracious to Aleksander.”
“That’s not true. He…he’s always preferred Aleksander. Look at my skin color, and you’ll know why.”
She stared up into his angry eyes, and any remaining doubt about Flame’s veracity vanished. She pulled out of his arms. “I have to go.” She took several steps away from him before she turned and ran down the corridor.
“Erin! Come back here!”
“I’ve made my choice, Malikinder!”
“It’s not over between us.”
“Yes it is!” She stopped in front of Aja’s apartment door, her heart racing. Aleksander?
He didn’t respond.
Damn him. She lifted her fist to pound on the door. It abruptly swung inward, revealing a dimly lit living room. A clearly naked Aja sprawled on the sofa.
Erin felt a wave of anger-filled heat rush up her neck to her cheeks. She stormed into the room, slamming the door.
Aja lay unmoving on the sofa, her breathing deep and even. She was asleep. A half-empty wine bottle and two glasses sat on the coffee table in front of the sofa.
Erin frowned, looking around the room. Aja’s clothes lay in a tangled trail leading up to the sofa. There was no sign of Aleksander or his clothes. Where was he? Had he already fucked her and left?
She heard a door closing somewhere in the apartment. He must be in the bedroom. Casting a last look at Aja still asleep on the sofa, she ran down the hall. She pushed open the door.
Aleksander, naked and fully aroused, stood with his back toward the window, facing her. She centered her gaze on his groin. The bedroom was well lit. She noted clear traces of vaginal fluids coating his shaft and balls.
Erin sucked in an aching breath, her eyes filling with tears. “Alek! How could you sleep with her?”
He extended a hand. “Come to me of your own free will, Erin, knowing as you do that I’ve just fucked your oldest rival—as you
did mine when you fucked Malikinder.”
The tears spilled down her cheeks. She shook her head. “No! No. It wasn’t the same, Alek. You cheated with her. I had your permission and cooperation to sleep with him. I couldn’t have slept with him without it. You only slept with her to hurt me.”
“As you’ve gone out of your way to hurt me with Malikinder.”
“No! Oh, I know now that I did hurt you, but I didn’t mean to. I didn’t understand. I’d forgotten our little enclave near the Crystal Falls. I’d forgotten how much you and I meant to each other after I…after she lost Malik.”
“And now you remember?”
She nodded. “Yes. Yes. I remembered when I saw our cabin.”
“You remember now?”
“Yes. We were happy there together.” Or at least he and Tanginika had been happy there. “I remember.”
His eyes glowed. “You remember now? Now when it’s too late?”
She bit her lip. “Why does it need to be too late?”
“Because I can’t forgive you.”
Her heart raced with fear. “You have to.”
“No. I don’t.” He spoke in a cool voice and disappeared.
“No! Aleksander! Come back!” She rushed across the room and abruptly found herself running naked over the sands of the Blue Desert at night. Her heart raced with fear at the sounds of pursuit.
She glanced over her shoulder. On the far horizon she saw three males astride dark horses charging down the dunes toward her. Although she didn’t recall who they were, she decided it would be better if she didn’t fall into their clutches.
She glanced around. She appeared to be alone. “Alek? This is not a good time or place to leave me stranded.”
He didn’t respond.
She took a deep breath. Clearly she’d hurt him more than she’d realized and would have to work hard to earn his forgiveness. In the meantime, it appeared she was on her own. She turned and ran toward the Tent of Refuge, where she could hear music interlaced with laughing voices. Several feet from the entrance, with the horses bearing down on her, the flaps of the tent folded back.
As before, she noted evidence of a party via the dim lights, upbeat music, and nude couples dancing close together. She sprinted toward the entrance and hurried inside. She came to an abrupt halt as she found herself in a large bedroom with a mirrored ceiling and wall. A pair of handcuffs dangled from the frame of the big four-poster bed that stood in the middle of the room.
