by V. F. Mason
Simone motions for the waiter, and says, “Can we have a few tequila shots?” The guy nods and she returns her attention to me, tipping her head to the side, and I shift uncomfortably under her stare. “You like him,” she states, and I almost choke on my drink.
“No, I don’t. He is just annoying.” My cheeks heat up from the lie, but really, they’ll blow this out of proportion and—
“Oh my God, she so does.” Chloe nudges Simone in the side. “The last time we saw her this riled up over a guy was in high school, when Colton kissed her.” Simone nods as they share a laugh, and I give them a nasty look that probably says I want to kill them both.
“Ha, ha. Now can we please move to another subject?” The waiter places our shots on the table along with some nuts, and we salute him. “It’s my birthday, so shouldn’t I be the center of attention?” Normally, I hate it, but anything is better than them drilling me about Kierian.
“You’re right, of course,” Chloe says, and I exhale in relief, but then she continues. “But it’s this guy or your job. And no offense, babe, but we are tired of hearing about your job.” Considering nothing else happens in my life, it doesn’t surprise me much. “So… is he into you or not? Because it sure looked like it from my corner.”
Finishing my drink, I lean back in the chair, cocking my head. “He is and would like more, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because we work together, and if it goes south, it’ll be an uncomfortable situation.”
“You don’t know that.” Chloe seems bothered by my words, shifting uncomfortably.
“Yeah, I do. It’s me. None of my relationships work out, so it’s a pretty good guess.”
They stay silent, all humor gone from them, and my brows furrow.
“You are not broken.” Simone grabs my hand, squeezing it. “You can have a relationship if you want.”
“This seriously is not the time—”
“I think it is,” Chloe interrupts me, anger flashing in her eyes. “If you like this guy, then try. Even if doesn’t work out, what do you have to lose?”
“Honestly, you guys are making a much bigger deal of this—”
“I love you, you know?” Chloe says, taking my hand in hers and squeezing it lightly. “But I don’t think you ever truly moved on.” They both grow silent.
So much for my fucking birthday celebration.
“I love you too, and I promise if I really want to go after him, I will.”
It takes a while, but they nod and we lift our drinks. “To the birthday girl—may she celebrate next year with the love of her life.”
Rolling my eyes, I decide to ignore their words.
We toss back our shots quickly and then munch on a few nuts, because we rarely drink anything stronger than wine.
The music is blasting through the speakers, and as the fiery liquid slowly transfers from my stomach to my brain, I begin to move the upper part of my body to the beat. “All this heavy talk has no place today. How about dancing?”
They eagerly nod, and within a few minutes, we are dancing it off on the dance floor to some club track, when it stops abruptly.
Everyone shares confused looks, until the DJ shouts, “This one is for Ella Gadot, who has a birthday today.” People whistle while my cheeks heat up.
I glance at the girls. “It’s Tim. He requested ‘Serial Killer’ by Lana Del Rey for me.”
“Nice.” Simone moves her arms, because it’s her favorite song too, but the song that starts to play is not that.
It’s by the same singer, but it’s called “Gods and Monsters.”
A giggle erupts from the girls. “So fitting though.”
Giving them the bird, which only makes them laugh, I close my eyes and give myself completely to the music, swaying from side to side as we scream with the lyrics to the song.
Someone pushes me from behind, and I end up in strong arms that immediately spin me around, bringing me face to face with Kierian.
“Caught you,” he whispers while I laugh and grip his shirt.
“You won’t give up, will you?”
He shakes his head, removing strands of hair from my forehead and nuzzling my neck, breathing me in.
The music changes to a slow dance as he presses us against each other, and we gently move to the beat of the song. With each movement, I feel his rigid muscles and hold tight to him.
We haven’t even done anything, and my head is already dizzy, craving more. “This is a bad idea.” He gives me a half smile as he bites my earlobe and then soothes it with his tongue, sending sparks directly to my core.
“Those are usually the best kind.” He captures my mouth with his, slowly nipping my lips as if asking permission for entrance before biting lightly, earning himself a gasp.
I open under his assault, and his tongue seeks mine, kissing me intensely while his hand slides into my hair, not allowing me to move away from him.
It’s a kiss that for the first time in my life stakes a claim on me; it lets me know this man wants to be the only one who has access to my lips from now on. My knees buckle, but he catches me, not leaving even an inch between us, and when he finally lets go, I breathe deeply, inhaling his scent, which only enhances my desires.
“I have to have tonight, Ella, or I’ll go insane.”
“We can wait.”
He growls against my lips, nipping my chin. “Can you? You don’t want me to fuck you so deep and hard that you’ll feel me for days afterward?”
His words instantly send a thrill through me and my core clenches. I realize I won’t be able to wait at freaking all.
Giving him one more kiss, I say, “I’m here with the girls who planned all this for my birthday. I won’t leave them. But you can come home with me after.”
With one last peck, I go back to the girls, and the next hour is spent with us dancing and drinking and having fun, all the while looking forward to the continuation of the night.
The time has come to be daring and, for once, to do something for myself.
A Few Hours Later
Ella
The cab stops in front of my building, and Simone says rather loudly, “We are here.” Chloe snickers while the cabbie just sighs. He has protective grandpa written all over him.
“You are drunk,” I say, and fish for the money, because in their comatose states, I highly doubt they’ll manage to pay the guy. He already knows the address.
I kiss them each goodbye on the cheek and get out, and quickly dial David.
“Hello?”
“They should be home in about ten minutes, so I’d advise you to wait for them outside.” David usually hangs out with Peter, so he’ll be there to pick up his wife as well.
He barks a laugh. “Sure thing, Ella. Happy birthday. Love you!”
“Yeah, me too.” Hanging up, I quickly climb the stairs, only to see a man leaning on the brick wall, and I almost scream before I recognize Kierian.
“Could you be more subtle?” I ask, and he grins.
“Why waste time, right” Electricity prickles between us, but I pass him by and quickly run to the elevator, where he joins me in three quick strides.
It feels like an eternity while we wait for the elevator, neither of us saying anything, and when we get inside, being in close proximity to him in a small space doesn’t really help the matter.
Finally, we reach my floor and I end up by the door.
Sliding in the key, I barely have time to enter my apartment before Kierian presses me against the door, his mouth seeking mine. I toe off my shoes, and I think he does the same, because as we sway to the side, I step on his bare feet and tingles rush through me from the contact with his skin.
While he drags us to my room, I unbutton his shirt and slide it off his shoulders, and then I move to his belt buckle, desperately needing to feel him in my hands.
We do all this while kissing, and finally the back of my calves touch the bed as he locks his arm ar
ound me while whispering my name and leaning into my neck for his hungry assault. “I’ve been going crazy with need to fuck you since our last time.” His words send a shock directly to my clit as he rubs against me. I still feel him despite our clothed state. My whimper doesn’t go unnoticed as he drags me closer. “Missed me, Ella?” I nod eagerly. “Is this pussy wet for me? Ready for the one cock that can bring it satisfaction?”
I don’t have a chance to reply, as he rips my dress in two, the buttons flying in different directions as he leaves me standing in my lacy thong. The dress didn’t allow a bra. “Fuck. Mine was walking around like that in front of other men?” he growls.
He pushes me to the bed, and I fall onto it, breathing heavily. My body is buzzing with need as he slowly removes the belt from the loops. It drops to the floor along with everything else, leaving him gloriously naked for me to admire every muscle, dip, and a noticeable scar that he most likely got on the job.
He sinks to his knees, rubbing his hands against the sensitive skin of my thighs, and I hiss as he bites one down, inhaling my scent. “You are soaked,” he mutters, moving my panties to the side, and without warning, he enters me with his tongue, darting along the inside of my core and spreading the wetness around it. His thumb flicks my clit, as he tightly grips my leg, which is thrown over his shoulder, not letting me escape him… as if I would try.
“Kierian,” I moan, and he surges deeper, completely owning me with his mouth. His tongue travels over my folds, laving them with the attention and hunger they’ve been denied for so long.
He cups my ass cheeks and laps at my core with his full mouth, making sure to play with my clit with his upper lip. I bite my fist, muffling a groan while my other leg bends on the bed, giving him wider access to work in.
“You. Are. Mine,” he growls against me, digging his fingers into my skin as a hint of pain touches me. “Don’t ever deny me again.”
In this moment, I’m ready to agree to anything as long as he continues doing it.
“I won’t.” My voice is coated in lust and desire. My vision blurs the more he licks and sucks as though he is a starved man who has been denied his favorite treat.
Lacing my hands in his hair, I grind on his mouth, adding friction, and with each suck, I go higher and higher. And then he pushes a finger inside me, and my breathing becomes raspy.
“Don’t stop,” I cry out, and he doesn’t. He adds one more finger and it feels like he is everywhere.
Then he lifts my ass higher and concentrates all his attention on my clit, massaging it with his thumb while pushing his tongue in and out, finding that magical spot inside me.
My body tenses, awareness rushing through me as my orgasm hits me hard, and I tremble, jerking my body from him.
Instead of it calming me though, I need more.
He slowly kisses up my stomach to my breasts, where he fondles them and sucks gently on the taut peaks. He licks them with the tip of his tongue while squeezing both at the same time, and I groan, palming his face and raising it up for a kiss.
I can taste myself on him, but I don’t care. His kiss is possessive, aggressive, greedy. I think if he had a plan to make me come with just his kisses alone, he would have accomplished it.
As his hard-on digs into my stomach, my hands slide lower, enveloping it in a tight grip. He groans above me while I admire his thick length that pulses with need. I fist it back and forth, and my mouth waters to taste him, but he must read it in my eyes, as he mutters, “Not today, Ella. Tomorrow or any other fucking day, you can play with it all you want and give me the heaven of your hot mouth, but not today. I’m barely holding on to my control as it is.” And for a second, he lets me go as he fishes for his jeans and then throws them back on the floor.
I notice the foil packet in his hand as he opens it then quickly rolls the condom on. He opens my legs wider and drags the tip of his cock against my wetness, rubbing and entering me with the tip, teasing me.
“Kierian, don’t tease.”
He bites on my neck harshly as he growls. “No teasing?”
I shake my head, but reply anyway, “No.”
“You want hard fucking only, Ella?”
“Yes!” That’s all I want in this freaking moment. So can he get on with the program already, and—
With one swift motion, he surges inside me, tearing a scream from me that he immediately covers with his mouth. He thrusts deep, deep, then deeper into me, shaking the bed with his force. I wrap my legs around him as he entwines our fingers above my head.
He is slow, steady, and hard. He waits until each thrust shakes my entire system before giving me another one, and each time, the pleasure rises in me higher and higher, my skin flushing, heat spreading through me and reminding me this man is all male.
“Mine,” he says, pounding harder, and I arch my back, completely lost in everything he makes me feel.
Then he stuffs his finger between us, pressing on my clit while he digs into my core with his cock, harder and harder, and this is when it reaches me.
With a loud cry, I come, seeing fucking stars as he continues to move inside me, not slowing down even for a second. I actually enjoy and savor the feel of him inside me without the added rush of chasing the high that drives me out of my mind.
In and out, faster and faster, deeper and deeper, and finally, he groans, tightening his hold on my hips and probably bruising them for days to come.
He finishes while above me and then sinks onto me, yet very careful of his weight while I hug him closer, rubbing his sweat-coated back up and down, needing to feel this connection after the sex.
I’m completely satisfied and don’t feel like I can lift a freaking muscle even if I try, so he rolls to the side and lies on his back. I rest on his shoulder while we both pant for breath. “Why haven’t we done it sooner?” I ask.
No, truly, why?
“Because your head is full of crap.”
“Don’t pay attention to it anymore.”
His laughter echoes around the walls, and it hits me that it’s the first time it’s this genuine or carefree. “Noted.” A beat then. “You won’t freak out in the morning?”
“No. If I do, you’re allowed to kiss me stupid.”
He drags me closer and gives me a soft yet passionate kiss that ends too soon, but I seriously don’t have the strength left for anything else.
After several seconds, he disposes of the condom, comes back to bed, and we fall asleep in complete peace.
Chapter Nine
New York, New York
June 2014
Ella
“Your previous apartment was the size of a freaking fruit. Why do you have so many boxes?” Chloe bitches while shifting the box in her hands up, making the contents rattle.
“Be careful, those are my plates!” I inform her. She rolls her eyes and leans against the wall while I grapple with the key, trying to open the door as quickly as possible.
“Whatever. Simone, are you coming?” she shouts, and slowly, Simone comes from the elevator, breathing heavily as she drops the heavy book box on the floor and places her hands on her knees, gasping for breath.
“Girl, your love for books will end you. Mark my word!” The situation is truly hilarious considering they had way more shit to move when they chose different places, but I don’t say anything.
Finally getting inside, I smile brightly as I admire my first decent apartment in my entire life. I still can’t believe I got so lucky with the landlord.
Kurt Smith, one of our clients at the investigation firm, claimed his wife cheated on him, but he didn’t have any proof. Based on our reports, he was a computer genius who became a millionaire when young and always tripled his investment, no matter what he did.
His wife, Matilda, had a long list of lovers before him and loved the party life. Since she didn’t stay home with him and claimed to be with friends, he was suspicious.
After my first day on the job, I quickly understood that Matilda wasn’
t cheating on her husband, but instead, she was meeting with her brother and that train tickets were involved. Most probably she was helping him to run somewhere. Based on the report I had on him, he mingled with the wrong crowd.
I didn’t mention this to Kurt but gave him a full report that it was her brother and not another man. He was so happy that he offered me one of his apartments in his building when he heard I was looking for a place to call home. He gave me a cheap price for a fully furnished, one-bedroom apartment in a prime location. Under normal circumstances, I’d refuse, but honestly, I had nowhere else to go and certainly didn’t want to stay in my old place.
Plus, I agreed to the rent for just the first few months, and then I’d pay the actual price. I just needed to get on my feet, since the FBI threw my plans out the fucking window. Life’s taught me that sometimes you have to swallow your pride in order to survive.
I’ve applied at several places to work but have yet to hear back from them. As interesting as private investigating is, I don’t want to have it as my permanent job.
“Wow!” Chloe whistles, looking around. “I think we’ll hang out at your place from now on.” She high-fives with Simone, and they plop on the couch, putting their feet on the coffee table and moaning in pleasure. “Finally, rest!”
“Not to be a downer, but we have three more boxes to bring from downstairs.”
They groan while muttering something under their breath, but I don’t pay attention to them.
Instead, I admire the beautiful kitchen counter, couch, a chair, and a fluffy rug. A huge-ass window opens onto a view of the park from the eleventh floor, the perfect place for my morning workout. The bedroom has a bed and a closet, along with a bathroom.
Everything is decorated in brown and soft beige, but I hope to add color to it with my various pillows and blankets.
“Geez, Ella, you don’t even look at doughnuts like this, and you love those!” Simone jokes, and then passes me with Chloe in tow. “We are going to grab the boxes and be back. Let’s order something. I’m starving.” They go out and I pick up the phone to do just that, when someone behind me clears his throat.
