Zave underestimated his physical appeal. There were many women who would love to be in her position right now. That wasn’t even taking into account the money and the property. He was a good man, and an attractive one, who needed to be reminded that he was worth her attention.
Bowing forward again, she sucked the crown of his cock between her lips and flicked it with her tongue, circling and lapping until he groaned again. A pulse of certainty went through him from base to head, and she smiled to suck him down deep. But he grabbed her arms and pulled her onto her feet.
“What are you doing?” she asked. “I want to finish.”
“You will,” he said and opened the snap of her jeans to pull them down to her knees, taking her underwear too.
Separating her folds with his thumbs, he licked her clit until it was prominent enough for him to draw between his lips. “That’s not what I meant,” she gasped, dropping a hand to the top of his head.
“You wanted to be equal,” he hummed against her and kept provoking her with his tongue, but he could only reach so far with his mouth while she was standing like this. “Take off your jeans.”
Sliding the tip of his middle finger over her clit, down between her legs, he sank it into her. Circling the digit, he curled it to push its pad against the cushion within her. “Oh, lord,” she moaned.
“You’re wet. Wetter than I thought you would be.”
“I guess sucking you off turns me on,” she said.
“I’ll remember that.”
He pushed her jeans all the way down, pulled her boots from her feet, and stripped her bare. He stood up to whip off his own jacket and opened his cuffs. Then with his fingers on her cheek and the heel of his hand under her chin, he helped her regain some focus by uniting their eyes.
“This is going to be fast and filthy,” he said, searching for her consent. “If you don’t want me to—”
“I’ll take fast and filthy,” she said, so eager in her nodding that she made him smile before he tossed his tie over his shoulder.
He kissed her forehead. “Turn around, put your hands on the back of the couch and a foot up on the seat.”
Fast and filthy was right, he wasn’t even going to give her a chance to go on top. He helped position her legs when she turned to do as he’d said. He hooked the thigh of the leg she had on the couch and held it higher. The angle wouldn’t be great for him, he’d have to crouch, but that didn’t stop him from plunging into her full-force, making her cry out.
The people who’d been in here probably hadn’t gone far. It was the middle of the day. This building was full of people. But he didn’t scold or silence her. Zave did exactly what he’d said he would, he fucked her hard and fast.
Being this alive and spontaneous with him reminded her what it was they were fighting for. With the way he’d acted last night, she’d been sure it would take them weeks to get back to this point of intimacy. That he’d given in to her so quickly spoke either to his confidence in their relationship or the urgency of his need.
While he’d said it would be quick, he hadn’t said it would be half-done. After delivering one orgasm, he slipped the hand he’d been using to steady her hip around to finger her clit, pushing her into a second.
“Zave!” she gasped.
Pushing forward in three final, stilted thrusts, Zave hissed so hard that spots of his saliva hit her back. Devon gasped again when he pulled out because the action was so abrupt. She imagined that he was cursing himself for giving in to his desire for her, especially in this public place. Maybe he thought it was disrespectful or showed a lack of the control that he valued.
Devon was still so high on the endorphins that she didn’t want to turn around to see his shame. His hands met her hips and they slid up her waist to her ribs, reaching a ticklish spot, making her clamp them down.
“There’s a shower in the washroom,” he said. “I can get you something else to wear. What would you like?”
He didn’t sound ashamed or guilty or angry or any of the other emotions she was used to him dealing with after they made love. So she had to turn and look at his face to try to get a read on him.
“Will you shower with me?” she asked but knew the answer would be negative, because he’d already pulled his pants back up and fastened them.
“I have to speak to Cedric,” he said. “You go wash up. Take your time. I’ll send something in for you to wear.”
The physical release didn’t last long enough, and the bubble of oblivion burst. “Are Syn trying to hurt us?” she asked, returning to their reality. “Does the attention embarrass you?”
“It pisses me off. But it always did. I never got why people cared what I, one guy, was doing. Why are my actions newsworthy?”
Except in this day and age, anyone rich and attractive was newsworthy. Understandable or not, that was the way celebrity culture had gone. “As far as they’re concerned, you’ve been practically missing for ten years.”
His impatience edged into frustration. “They’ve known where I was.”
Maybe trying to make him see why he was so fascinating wasn’t a good idea. But it was the reason the media were so insistent. “Yes. But what were you doing out there?”
Apparently, he saw curiosity as no excuse for their hounding. Devon speculated on how long this interest would last, probably until the next juicy story came along. It could be a day, it could be a month. “KC has had regular product launches,” he said. “Most of them are predominantly my work.”
She smiled and put her arms around him. Devon didn’t need explanations. “I know that, silly. I’m not the one who’s going to be asking. All those news people will.”
“As far as I’m concerned, they can keep wondering,” he said, picking up her chin to kiss her mouth. “Now grab your clothes and go into the washroom before someone comes in here and sees what’s mine.”
He’d managed to have sex with her without getting rid of his clothes, but she was standing here naked, which probably wouldn’t look good if one of his little worker bees came in. His new wife was already newsworthy, to find her standing naked in front of her clothed husband would raise questions about the nature of their relationship.
Bending to gather up her things, she was pleased when he kissed her again when she stood back up. “I’ll take my time, in case you change your mind,” she purred.
But he vetoed the idea, though he was gentle about it. “I’ll be in here when you’re done.”
“Alone?” she asked because she didn’t relish the idea of walking back into the crowded place it had been when she got here.
“Cedric may be here, but no one else, I promise.” He ran his finger down her jaw. “And we’re going to talk about getting you the help you need too.”
His genius mind wouldn’t forget her embarrassing reaction to a bit of hubbub. His attention to detail was one of the things she loved about him… most of the time. “I don’t need help. I was just overwhelmed and a bit surprised, I expected to find you here, not all those people.”
“You don’t have to explain to me,” he said. “But don’t ever hide when you’re struggling. It’s great that you trust Bess to help. But you have to let me know too.”
That was somewhat rich that he demanded to be kept in the loop when he worked so hard to keep everyone out of his. But just like with the sex, she wasn’t going to argue against any sign that he cared.
Devon hadn’t been withholding. She just hadn’t realized her reaction to a crowd would be so strong. The airport in Mexico had made her uncomfortable, but she’d assumed that was about her escort and not about lingering issues she might have from her captivity.
“I’ll do my best,” she said.
“Good, now go shower.”
On his instruction, she took all of her clothes with her, leaving no signs of what they’d just done. Having a secret increased their intimacy, and this building was beginning to feel more like hers and less unfamiliar.
If they were leaving the isl
and for a while and Zave planned to work here, she had a feeling that she was going to be spending a lot more time at KC, and if it was anything like the time she’d just shared with her husband, Devon was already looking forward to it.
TEN
“It never occurred to me to stop and think about how much money you actually have,” Devon said, turning in a circle in the middle of the open-plan living space Zave had just brought her to.
The sleek lines, warm woods, and dark metal bannister that curved to the upper floor were a testament to how much this apartment must have cost. But that was nothing to the wraparound balcony and the glazed walls of this penthouse space that had magnificent views across the city.
“Wait until you see the closets,” he said, reading through some of the messages he’d been handed on his way out of the office.
For months she’d resided on his island in a beautiful stately home, more opulent than some tourist attractions. But it was like a retreat and her life there was abstract, like she’d stumbled down the rabbit hole and somehow the laws of normal life didn’t apply.
Except after she’d come out of the washroom into his office, wearing the new clothes she’d found hanging on the back of the door, she was greeted by Cedric, the man who helped Zave run KC. Then she was handed a pile of apartment listings. Zave told her to pick one, and the men went back to work.
Devon, pleased at having something to do, had gone to the couch and spread out the documents. Apartment hunting in the past had been weighing lists of pros and cons. Deciding if she’d rather live with mold or with cockroaches, if she’d rather have graffiti on the walls or hookers across the hall. These listings were nothing like that.
She’d been so enamored with the first, she’d been ready to jump and declare it the winner, and then her eye caught the images on another sheet. So she went on to look at each one, and she couldn’t find a single negative about any of them; everything was positive.
She didn’t know if they were renting or buying, and there wasn’t a hint of financial information on anything she read. All she had were dimensions and floor plans, descriptions and pictures, and it was like peeking into the lives of the rich and privileged.
Even after she’d picked this one, Zave hadn’t looked at it or offered any input. He’d called a woman into the office, handed her the sheets, and carried on working with Cedric.
The light had begun to fade, and even though Zave had had a pile of files on his desk he stood up and declared that they were leaving after she yawned for the third time.
Usually that meant heading to the roof and jumping in a chopper. Not this time. This time they went to the private parking area of the KC building where a limo was waiting for them. Zave poured her a glass of champagne and began to read his messages. The man was still reading them after they arrived at the apartment.
She could only take his stoic silence for so long before her curiosity and need for his attention began to itch. “You’re popular,” she said when she stopped turning to notice him leaning against the kitchen island to the far left of the front door.
“Most of them are press requests,” he said, flicking through one, two, three, and holding them up.
Maybe she shouldn’t have asked. “What kind of press requests?” she asked, wondering if it had been wise to pick a place with a glazed wall.
Zave was still reading them. “Just the usual, requests for comments and interviews. Nothing you have to worry about.”
Coming up with a plan with the Kindred to fight evil was less daunting than the idea of satisfying the media’s hunger. “Do we want to give them an interview?”
He stopped reading to lift his eyes from the notes. “Do we?”
It was as if for a second she’d forgotten who she married, and she laughed. Devon didn’t have to worry about being grilled by a journalist, Zave would sprout wings and fly before he’d open himself up to that kind of scrutiny. “I can’t imagine you sitting on a couch next to Oprah, telling your life story.”
“I haven’t seen Oprah’s name yet,” he said, slipping another sheet from the front of the pile to the back and then another and another. “I’ll let you know if she calls.”
Marrying a guy who was in demand and alluring to the public was one thing, but there was another thought that was never far from her mind. “Is this meant to keep you busy?” she asked. “Do Syn just want you out of the game because you can’t take action if the world is watching you?”
“You’re driving yourself nuts,” he said, putting the squares of paper onto the kitchen island. He took off his jacket and his tie. “Don’t try to get into their heads. It’s not a place you want to be. You can’t anticipate insanity.”
She didn’t know where to focus her anxiety, with what had already happened with Syn or what was on the horizon. “I feel like I should’ve done something,” she admitted. “Maybe I could’ve told Thad not to tell them about us.”
As usual, he was unflustered. “He’d have told them anyway, or Mitchell would’ve found out another way. Our marriage is a matter of public record. It was only a matter of time before the press picked up on it themselves. Someone at the courthouse would’ve seen us coming or going, or they’d have leaked the paperwork. It doesn’t really matter. It’s done.”
Frustrated, she inhaled. “But you hate that everyone’s looking at us.”
“I hate that this is your introduction to my reality.”
But this wasn’t his reality, not his reality immediately before her. His reality was living in his lab on the island, never talking to or seeing anyone until the Kindred needed him. “Are you going back to the office full-time?” she asked.
“Probably.”
His whole life was different and she felt responsible for that, which was ridiculous because it was Thad’s betrayal that had brought them to this point. If he hadn’t run off with Syn, then dealing with their new adversary would be a lot easier. Now they had to wonder about what Thad might have done that they hadn’t noticed or what secrets he might share.
“Because of me?”
It was amazing just how calm he was. “Because… it’s about time. Come on, let’s go look upstairs.”
Devon was still clutching her tote over her shoulder when he took her arm to lead her up the stairs. Up here were two bedrooms. She’d read that there were three, so she guessed that there was another downstairs.
The master was obvious, as it took up half the footprint of the house. The large room had a pale carpet and white linen on the bed. The warm walls were a muted peach shade, and gauzy white curtains surrounded the three glazed walls that led to a balcony of their own.
Although the room was beautiful, she wanted to kick herself. “Well this was a stupid choice,” she said. “They’ll be able to see in here, won’t they?”
Zave flicked a switch by the door and from the two ends of the solid wall, panels slid out on runners. They snaked all the way around the room to meet behind the head of the bed, encasing the whole room in a protective shell. As they closed to block the inside from intruding, warm light grew from under the bed, illuminating the space.
“Wow,” she said and hurried to the nearest window panel. “These are like the ones I saw in your office.” She tapped on them and found them solid.
“It’s KC technology,” he said. “They provide a hundred percent privacy, a hundred percent of the time. The panels are secreted in the partition walls during construction, they stack one on top of the other, and then they slide out and lock in place, ensuring there isn’t any crack for light to get through.”
Pointing at the bed, she began to move again. “Is this KC technology too?” she asked, and went over to peek under the bed, though she couldn’t see where the light was coming from. “Can we get it for our bed at home?”
“Yes,” he said.
Her exuberance must have been the cause of his smile. Suddenly, her appreciation for her role as the wife who eased her man’s burdens bloomed. Just by showing him how he mad
e her happy, she could help him to relax and see something good in himself.
“Can I ask you something?” she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and dropping her tote onto the floor.
“Yes.”
Taking the opportunity, since they were alone in their new marital bedroom, she turned his attention to their relationship. “Last night, why did you really send me to my room alone? Because today, in your office, you were open with me, and I didn’t expect such a leap so quickly. Nothing I did caused it. I’ve barely seen you.”
“Bess slapped me,” he said.
It wasn’t like her to get physical or to cause anyone harm. Devon gaped. “She hit you? Why?”
“For letting them win.” He began to approach her. “She reminded me how many months we spent building trust, forming a bond, and how big a deal it was for me to sleep with you. I was so sure, I didn’t hesitate to marry you. Everything was moving forward until Thad stole you from the Kindred.”
Bobbing her head, she understood Bess’ point. Syn wanted to cause fractures, they wanted to weaken and damage the Kindred and that meant attacking its members and their most treasured relationships. “Pushing me away was you giving into Syn,” she muttered.
“I hate going backwards. Even if an idea doesn’t work the first time, I change it and adapt and develop it into something that can work. You deserve nothing less than that same dedication. Destroying our marriage because of decisions made by others would be insane and illogical unless I was looking for an excuse to get out of it.”
Worry hit her like a shot of adrenaline. “Is that what it was?” she asked. He came to a stop in front of her. “Do you want out?”
Crouching, he took her hands from her knees. “I thought about it. I left Bess when Cedric called about one of the outlets looking for comment, and I thought for a minute that I could spare you from it. That if we ended things before they really got started, you wouldn’t have to deal with the media circus or the threat of Syn. And for one minute, it was the best idea I ever had.”
She was pleased that he hadn’t clung onto that notion. “Only a minute?”
Finch (Kindred #6) Page 11
