A Need So Insatiable

by Cecilia Robert

  “Curb the lust, Hawk,” Rafael says, snapping Hawk’s focus.

  “What?”

  Rafael chuckles. I leave them and head toward Braden, the Club’s owner. He’s talking to a group of males in one of the VIP cubes.

  “Ready, Braden?”

  He turns his green eyes on me, checks me out down to my toes, and smiles. “Oh, yes. Yes, I am.” The flirt.

  I glance over my shoulder and across the room. I can’t be sure because of the lighting, but I’m pretty sure Rafael’s eyes are narrowed.

  “No flirting, Braden. My boyfriend’s here.”

  “Lucky bastard,” he murmurs under his breath. He grabs the microphone that’s been lying on a glass table, winks at me and struts off. I head back to Rafael, watching as Braden commands the floor with his Irish charm. He waits until the built-in, automatic podium rising from the floor halts, and climbs onto it.

  “Welcome, everyone. I’d like to thank House of Hearts for organizing this grand opening. And I’d especially like to thank the person who made this entirely possible. The beautiful, Sophie Fisher.” He lifts his brow in my direction. “Come on, Soph.”

  Rafael’s body tenses beside me. “He calls you ‘Soph’?” he growls in my ear.

  “Cool it,” I say. I smile and press a kiss on Rafael’s jaw before turning to join Braden.

  I take the mike from him, and take deep, nervous breaths. Imagine I’m at the theatre, in front of an audience, about to perform. “Thank you, Braden, for that introduction.” He winks at me. I’m very sure he’s doing it on purpose. Once I finish my speech, he takes over and I sidle back to my seething boyfriend, slipping my hand around his waist.

  “How are you feeling? Still got some battery power for a dance?”

  “Braden’s face needs rearranging,” he says between clenched teeth. “And yes, I would love to dance with you.”

  Braden finally winds down his speech. Everyone settles around the tables arranged on the fringes of the dance floor. At one point, I glance up and see Kravic sitting a few tables from us.

  “We’ve got a party-crasher.”

  Rafael, who was talking to Hawk, swings back to look at me. “Yeah, who?”

  “Kravic’s here.”

  Rafael and Hawk turn in unison. Kravic summons one of the men serving at the bar, and hands him a note, pointing to our table. Rafael snatches it as soon as the guy hands it to him, and angles it toward me.

  I see you’re in good health, Master Arie. You have something that belongs to me. You can have him, but he will cost you a hundred thousand, and a fight for the Mastership. I want you back in the Crowd, Arie.

  I glance toward Kravic’s table, my pulse racing at the underlying threat in those words. He’s gone.

  Sophie

  I CAN’T believe how fast the days have gone by. It’s been two weeks since Kravic sent that note at the club opening and trashed the restaurant. Since then, he’s been quiet, which makes me suspicious.

  Rafael is on the mend, his wound healing well. Tony mostly lives with Ben now, but visits whenever Ben brings him over. He’ll be moving in with Rafael--us, although I haven’t officially moved in--as soon as Dr. Morgenstern declares him fit.

  I’ve spoken with Grandma and Lilli several times, and she seems to be taking everything well. In fact, I think she loves it there.

  Most of my evenings have been spent supervising the work at the restaurant. Tomorrow is the Grand Reopening of Olivia’s Circle. I glance around and smile. The lamps have been replaced with low-glare, adjustable downlights, giving the terracotta-painted walls a soft, romantic feel. The floor tiles gleam under the soft glow. Oval-shaped, glass tea light holders--a product of Jace’s inner interior designer--sit on each table. The chairs are newly upholstered with cream slip-covers complemented with a wide, silk sash bow-tie on the back. Dani finished this project two days ago. Unfortunately, I couldn’t repair the scrollwork after Kravic destroyed part of the bar. So we’d replaced it with a simple counter. I can’t wait to work on it, create new designs.

  I wonder what Mom would say if she could see this place.

  Turning the lights off, I stagger into the arms of my scowling boyfriend.

  “Are you trying to kill yourself?” Rafael asks.

  I roll my head to the side and look at him. “Why?”

  “Jesus, Sophie. There’s a reason you have friends, and the extra help.”

  I sigh and close my eyes. “Tomorrow is one of the most important days of my life.” I’ve been working doubly hard these past few days, spending every second away from Rafael and Hearts inside here, long after Dani, Jace, and Carsten have gone. Rafael always comes to pick me up.

  The Jeep’s leather seats squeak as Rafael slides into the car. His warm hand frames my cheek and like a sunflower follows the sun, I lean my face into his hand. Seconds pass before I open my eyes and collide with his dark ones.

  “You promised to take care of yourself.”

  “I am.” He narrows his eyes, and right now, he looks so lethal he reminds me of the day Josef stabbed him. “I will. I promise. After tomorrow, I will.” I try to smile, but it feels like a grimace, so I close my eyes instead. “I’m stronger than you think, Rafael.”

  His hand leaves my face, trailing his fingers down to cup my neck. He squeezes it gently, rubbing the base of my neck with his thumb. Warm lips press on my skin, and I sigh.

  “Sleep.” His moves his hand away from my neck and twines it with mine. He pulls it to his lips and kisses my fingertips, humming along to the song on the radio.

  The next time I wake, I’m no longer in the car, but staring up at a square, scruffy jaw. His chest vibrates as he hums under his breath. Rafael has the most hypnotic voice. I should ask him to sing for me one day.

  He stops humming and looks down at me, his gaze intense. “You’re cute when you sleep.”

  “Why didn’t you wake me?” I say, snuggling closer to his chest before remembering his wound. “Put me down right this minute.”

  He shrugs, the movement rolling over his shoulders. “No. You can hardly keep your head up.” He shifts my weight in his arms. Moments later, keys jiggle and the door swings inward. He still doesn’t put me down.

  His feet thump up the stairs, heading to the bathroom. He lowers me down to the edge of the huge bathtub in the middle of the room. “I’ll take care of you.”

  I nod, too exhausted to do anything else. He leans forward, his arm brushing my cheek as he turns on the tap and puts in the blocker. The scent of lavender fills the room.

  “Lift your hands for me, baby,” he says.

  I do. He makes quick work of removing my sweater and unbuckles the dungarees to pull off my t-shirt. “Stand up.” His hands skim my hips as they push the coarse fabric of the jeans down my legs, stirring my nerves. Suddenly, I’m not tired anymore; I’m dying for him to touch me.

  He unhooks my bra, then slides my panties down my thighs, his eyes darkening as they sweep past my breasts while he drops to his knees.

  He presses a kiss on my thigh. “Lift your legs.” I feel hot breath on my thighs as I do what he asks, and when he pulls himself off the floor, his body is flush to mine. I tilt my head back to meet his hooded eyes. His arms go around me, and quickly work the hairband out of my hair, combing out the tresses. Without warning, one of his arms slides around the back of my legs and he scoops me up. Slowly, he puts me down in the bathtub, and presses me to sit. “Lean back.” I do, and he grabs the shampoo, wetting my hair while scrubbing gently.

  His lips press against the corner of my ear. “Tonight is about you. Just relax.”

  I chuckle tiredly. “Every night is about me? Well, I could get used to this,” I say, sinking into the bathtub.

  After rinsing my hair, he takes a wash cloth and washes every part of me. When he’s done, he scoops me out of the tub and wraps a fluffy, white towel around me.

  In the kitchen, he takes out something in a bowl and shoves into the microwave. “Chicken soup,” he says, pres
sing the buttons to warm the contents. “I’ll take a quick shower. Keep those pretty eyes awake, okay? You need to eat.”

  My stomach growls as I nod, and I watch as he strides out of the room, graceful and silent as ever. God, he has a cute butt in those jeans. I yawn, smiling because I can’t wait to touch him. I lean my head on the counter, listening to the soft whirr of the microwave filling the room.

  While I eat, I try to check if I’ve forgotten anything for tomorrow’s opening, but my head is too freakin’ heavy. The next moment my eyes flutter open, I’m lying on a soft surface and a warm body is curved around mine.

  “Rafael?” I say, trying to turn around. My body feels heavy, so I give up and just sink into the warmth and scent of freshly-showered male. He must have carried me from the kitchen to his room.

  “Sleep, my butterfly.” He pulls me back against him, curling his huge body around mine, and I close my eyes.

  “Thank you,” I say.

  “Always, Sophie. I promised to take care of you.” He kisses my temple, then my cheek.

  I fall asleep.

  I DON’T remember the last time I dreamt, but tonight I do. I’m in a bare land, being chased by wolves. I run, jumping when I reach the river. But instead of swimming, I sink. The wolves morph into snakes and swim toward me, circling me, hissing. Suddenly, I’m yanked from the water, and before I can catch my breath, I’m falling, falling, falling . . .

  I scream, trying to fight the bands holding me down. I kick my legs, but I can’t move. Someone screams my name, but I can’t wake up. I see his face, fading, fading, fading. I call his name, and that face becomes clearer. He lowers his head, staring into my eyes, then brushes his lips on mine, turning me around to kiss my shoulder down the trail of freckles.

  Rafael.

  Warm lips are on mine, and I return the kiss, my body trembling with fear, with need, with love and desperation: a grenade of emotions.

  “Wake up, Sophie” he says, his voice urgent. “Wake up, now.”

  I do, letting my eyes flutter open.

  Rafael’s staring at me, frowning.

  “Are you okay?”

  I blink at him, not sure how to tell him that it was him. That I know he’d saved me.

  I can’t. Not right now, not when the dream still tears me up into tiny, worthless pieces.

  I nod, snuggle deeper into him, and he gathers me in his strong arms, slinging one muscular leg over mine, sheltering me.

  I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  Rafael

  THE PARKING lot is already full and from the outside, the restaurant looks like it’s brimming with patrons. I swallow hard, my gaze absorbing the success in front of me. I’m so damn proud of my girl. I love how she doesn’t let life beat her to the ground. She’s stubborn and determined.

  Smiling to myself, I leap out of my car and head for the sliding doors.

  As soon as I step inside, I look around, searching for her. She didn’t tell me what she’d be wearing. Said it would be a surprise.

  Serving staff weave in and out of tables, dressed in black pants, white button-down shirts, and bow ties. She’s really outdone herself this time, my Sophie. I catch a waiter’s attention to ask her whereabouts. He hasn’t seen her for a while. From across the room, Dani shakes her head as well. Probably in the back office. Knowing her, she’s making sure everything, every little receipt, is kept safely. I head for the back office as my phone rings. I pull it from my pants pocket and press the answer button without looking.

  “Van Rees.”

  “Rafael.” My blood starts to boil at the sound of his voice. “The Warehouse. Fifteen minutes.”

  Fuck. “Not now.”

  “Oh, yes. Now,” he says in a voice smooth as oil. The dirty kind. “I have something that belongs to you.”

  I walk past the bathrooms, heading toward the small office, then unlock the room and walk in. “Still want to play your mind games, huh?”

  “Mind games? You should know when I’m playing games and when I’m serious, Arie. Bring the boy with you.” He disconnects.

  That guy never gives up. I walk around the table to check if she’d left any message for me and freeze. Jace and Sophie’s names are scribbled on a piece of paper along with the warehouse address.

  I dash out of the room, pressing Kravic’s number. He picks it up on the first ring, as though he was waiting for the call.

  “Hurt her. Touch even one sliver of hair, Kravic, and you’ll pray for the devil to come save you.” I take deep breaths to calm myself. Sophie’s face cloaked in fear flashes through my mind, and I can hardly breathe around the lump in my throat. Panic and anger course through my body and by the time I take in the next breath, I’m the weapon I was at sixteen, ruled by rage, frustration and revenge. But this time, it’s worse. This time, I’m a walking time bomb, ready to explode as soon as my fist connects with his face. “If she’s not in the same condition I left her in this morning, pray. Pray to whatever fucking god you worship because the next breath you take will be determined by me.”

  “Threats with no action.” He laughs. “Bring the boy with you.”

  “Your ass is mine.” I disconnect the call and grip the phone in my hand.

  Damn you, Kravic. I yank the door to my Jeep open the same time Ben skids to a stop next to me.

  “I followed her to the warehouse,” he says, panting, sweat trickling down his temple. “He has Jace too. I couldn’t get in. He’s got men surrounding the building.” He runs fingers over his shaved head several times.

  This is the first time I’ve ever seen Ben frazzled. “Let’s go get that son of a bitch.”

  He nods once, the look of panic replaced by what I’d seen the first time I met him--control. Indifference.

  I slide into my car, turn the ignition, and leave the restaurant behind.

  Sophie

  I’M STILL in the same throne-like room Kravic’s men put me in. I’ve lost track of time, and I don’t know where Jace is. They separated us the moment I’d been forced to sit in this chair. Oh God, Jace. When I’d walked into this room, she’d been seated in a chair similar to the one I’m on now, her grey pant suit roughened in places. I’d asked what happened, but she didn’t answer me. She’d just stared into space, tears pouring down her cheeks.

  I’d wanted to die. I’d brought this on her.

  I can’t see anything beyond the blackness covering my vision. My eyes already hurt from crying and having the blindfold around them. The only sounds in the room are the occasional whirr as the heater turns on and my heart thudding in my ears. The door opens. Every nerve inside me is focused on the footfalls edging toward me. Each tap, tap, tap is like a light vanishing at the end of a tunnel. A hand clasps my shoulder, and I jerk away, biting my cheek to stop from shrieking.

  I tug on the ropes around my wrists, wincing as they dig deeper. My ankles had been tied to the legs of the chair so that my legs are wide apart.

  “Your prince has arrived,” Kravic whispers in my ear, and all I want to do is cut off that part of my body so I never have to hear him again. “Let’s see if he’s willing to save the princess, shall we?”

  “Stop calling me that. I don’t need saving.”

  “And yet, here you are, bound like a gift to the gods.” He steps forward, running a finger down my cheek.

  I jerk my head back. “Untie me and I’ll kill you.”

  He laughs and I feel icicles form around my heart. “Hmm. Maybe I’ll keep you. I like my women feisty.” Cold hands grip my hips, squeezing as they slide down to my inner thighs.

  Oh God, no!

  The sound of the door banging open shatters the cold, lust-filled air, and I sob, relieved by the interruption.

  “Get. Away. From. Her.” My racing pulse triples and I tremble from the force and aggression in those words. If it wasn’t for the familiar scent drifting toward me, I wouldn’t have known who spoke. This time, his musky citrus smell is mixed with a hint of storm. I welcome it, feeling it curl aro
und me. His voice is a combination of steel and arctic wind.

  Kravic slides his fingers under my skirt, to my inner thigh. “I have him where I want him,” he says, then moves away, taking his hand with him. I feel dirty. I need a scalding hot shower.

  “What an honor for you to finally grace us with your presence, oh Master.”

  I move my head side to side. Where is Rafael?

  “Untie her.”

  Moments later, the blindfold is gone. I blink several times in the bright light. Then I see him. If I was Kravic, I’d be digging a grave for myself. Rafael’s a ball of fury, a tornado waiting to happen. Any signs of humanity are long gone. His tie hangs loosely around his neck, his shirt sleeves folded to his elbows. His hands are clenched fists at his sides, and his hair is all over the place, matching his current mood. The eyes focused on Kravic are dark, darker than a raven’s wing. His gaze flickers to mine, softens for a millisecond, then shifts back to Kravic.

  A shiver scuttles across my shoulders, infusing my veins with both heat and ice. I’m caught between being turned on and fear.

  Kravic is a dead man.

  “Where’s the other girl?” Oh, Rafael is in snarling mode.

  “Where is the boy?” Kravic says. I swear, the man is having fun at Rafael’s expense.

  Without answering, Rafael prowls forward, a big, bad lion in the Serengeti. Kravic scuttles away like a scared weasel. The man is all talk and no action.

  Rafael halts in front of me and drops to his knees. Lifting a hand, he runs his fingers along my cheek, his expression soft, tortured. I’ve never seen him look like this before. He brings his hands to my ankles and begins to untie the ropes, rubbing each gently. I can’t believe he managed to temper the power rolling off him enough to not crush my bones. He moves to the ones around my wrists, giving them the same treatment as my ankles. He slips the black, silk tie from his neck and wraps it around the right wrist, which is raw and bleeding slightly.

  “Did anyone touch you?” he asks in a low voice, his troubled gaze on mine.

  “Master Arie--” Kravic says, standing beside a golden chair designed like a throne.