by Nana Malone
I put up my hand. "You don't pay for anything, so you don't respect it. I'll let your sister determine how much rent you're going to pay her. It doesn't have to be what this place actually costs, but you're going to pay something. You're going to do it monthly. You're going to do it without complaint, and you're never going to be late. Do you understand?"
Deedee opened her mouth and then shut it again.
"I'll take that as a yes." I sighed. "And I swear to God, if you ever call your sister asking for money again, or to bail you out of jail, or to get you out of a jam of your own making where it's not an actual emergency that requires a hospital, you'll hear from me, and it's not going to be good."
"But how am I supposed to take care of myself, working and going to school?"
"That's the funny thing about a job. You get a job that pays enough to allow you the extras. If you don't have the money for it, then you don't do it. Make a budget. For the love of God, you have to learn to take care of yourself. You're fucking twenty."
I rolled my eyes, and then I turned my attention back to Zia. "Are you okay?"
She just stared at me with her dark eyes. “I think I’m too numb to know.”
I stroked a thumb over her cheek. "Let’s go home.” But before I led her out of there, I said loudly, “Oh, yeah, Deedee, apologize to your sister."
"Apologize? You're the one who barged into my house and got rid of my boyfriend and..."
Lord, how had Zia dealt with her for all these years? At my worst, I was never ungrateful. Just angry. "The appropriate phrasing right now, Deedee, is thank you."
Her jaw fell open. "I—"
"I'm waiting."
"Thank you," she mumbled.
I turned to Zia. "Are you ready to go?"
For a moment, I thought she would argue and tell me to go fuck off and that she didn't need me. But then she nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready to go."
For the first time since she'd gotten the call, I watched the tension roll out of her shoulders.
Once we got back in the car, she slid into the driver's side and buckled up. "You didn't need to do that. I didn't need you to solve it for me."
I tried not to clench my jaw, and I leveled a look on her. "You take care of everyone else. I see you. Even though Olivia is a total bitch to you, you still don't fuck with her coffee order. You get it right. And I see you sharing your little Oreo cookies with her, even though she's terrible to you. For the last week or so, I've watched you tense every time you get a text message. I assume they’ve been from Deedee. You've been taking care of that too. For once, let someone take care of you."
And Jesus Christ, I wanted to be that person to take care of her in all the ways that mattered.
One little problem, she has no idea who you are. And when she does, she's going to hate you.
Nineteen
Zia…
It was late when we returned to the penthouse.
This fucking night. I was wrecked. And after what just happened at Deedee’s, I had no idea what to say. All I wanted to do was crash and get a redo.
But there would be no redo. For once, Deedee had been put in her place. I dared a glance at Theo as we rode the elevator. His jaw was tense. He hadn't said a word. Granted, he'd said so many at Deedee's.
Inside, he marched toward the bedroom. At that point, I was exhausted. I'd been hungry earlier, but I was too tired to bother with chewing now.
When we finally reached the bedroom, I had no idea what to say. "I’m not even sure how to say thank you. I’ll pay you back"
He stopped. I could visibly see the tension in his shoulders. They were bunched and tight, all the muscles coiled. He turned slowly as he took out his cufflinks. "You think I want you to pay me back?"
I frowned. “I— Look she’s my responsibility and I—"
His brows snapped down then, and he planted his hands on his hips. "Seriously? This is what's happening?"
I frantically tried to blink away the tears that threatened. God I was so damn tired. "I’m trying to say thank you, I’ve never—" My nose stung. Shit. I had to stop this conversation before I cried in front of him. I spun away. “I’m just going to—"
Before I could flee to the sanctuary of the bathroom so I could cry in privacy and peace like a normal person, strong arms wrapped around me like a vice.
"Shit. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Please don't bloody cry. I’m here. You’re not alone." His voice was barely above a murmur. It was gentle and soft and made me crack even more.
He turned me slowly in his arms. For the first time in a long time I felt safe and not alone and I wanted to stay here. I never wanted to leave the cocoon of this safe space. I tucked myself against the firm muscle of his chest. He’d almost been kidnapped again tonight, and he was holding me, comforting me.
This is dangerous territory, Barnes.
It was, but I didn’t care. I just knew I wanted him. His fingers threaded through my hair as he soothed me. The low timbre of his voice set me in a trance and the tension ebbed out of my muscles. And for the first time, I wasn’t worried about someone trying to kill him and I wasn’t worried about my sister. All that mattered was us. Right now, in the moment.
I tilted my head up to meet his gaze and that silvery gaze was stormy. It was as if he was fighting something. His body was still tense against mine as his gaze dipped to my lips. His thumb brushed over my cheek and he groaned low.
"Theo…"
His voice lowered to something akin to a purr and a growl combined. "I fucking love how you say that." And then he slid his lips over mine.
Theo…
She tasted like champagne. And just like bubbly, one taste of her went straight to my head.
I couldn’t breathe; I couldn't think. I couldn’t focus on any of the good reasons I had not to touch her. Because if she tasted this good, how could this possibly be a bad idea?
She doesn’t know who you are for one. That sobering thought was just the bucket of ice water I needed. I started to pull back, but she made this whimpering sound at the back of her throat. Then with shaky hands, she started with the buttons on my shirt.
You’re weak.
Yes, yes, I was. But she was in my arms and I couldn’t stop unless she asked me to. And given how she was fumbling with my buttons and tugging on them impatiently, she wasn’t asking me to stop.
She finally managed to get them undone and slid her hands inside my shirt over my skin. The feeling of her bare fingertips over my too hot skin was like a series of electrical charges over my nerve endings.
Her feather-soft fingertips scorched a path of heat from my waist to my pecs. She pulled me to her, and Christ I went willingly.
It wasn’t quite a kiss, just a whisper of lips meeting, really. But as I breathed out, she breathed in, and vice versa. It wasn’t long before I started to feel like I might die without her to supply me with air. “Zia?”
“Hmm?” Her fingers were busy setting my skin on fire.
“Is this what you want? Are you sure?” She had been upset a minute ago. I didn’t want to take advantage of her feelings.
“You have been making me ache.”
And what do you know, my dick liked the sound of that. I had already been steel-hard, but the fucking guy was throbbing now, begging for her touch.
She had barely touched me, and I was already so close to losing it. I wanted to pick her up, back her up against the wall, and bury himself so deep inside her that we couldn’t separate ourselves for a week.
I should have been gentle. I meant to be gentle. But she slid her fingers into the hair at the nape of my neck and electricity kicked through my whole body. Lust chased away every flicker of doubt.
Zia moaned as I licked into her mouth, and my cock jerked, her throaty moans driving me crazy. I dragged her closer as lust coursed through my body, and Zia molded herself to me.
There was no hesitation in her kiss. When my tongue chased hers, she met the demand, sliding hers against mine, tempting me into a wicked gam
e.
Lust tugged on my tenuous control. Fuck. Coming was the only thing my dick was interested in at the moment. No fucking way was I coming inside my pants. Get yourself under control.
As I devoured her lips, I backed her against the wall of the bedroom. I wanted to hurry and to bury myself inside her as deep as possible as quickly as possible. To chase that bliss and get straight to the bloody orgasms already. But when I kissed her again, she slowly melted into me. Her tongue teased and stroked and drove me mad.
She had the power in her touch and in her kiss to burn me.
Without breaking our kiss, I slid my hands down her arms and brought them up to wrap around the back of my neck. I pulled back momentarily. “I have wanted to know what you tasted like from the moment I laid eyes on you.”
In some darkened corner of my brain, an alarm bell rang warning me that this was dangerous territory. That I couldn’t have her how I wanted. I was trapped in a web and it was only going to get worse. But I didn’t care.
Zia arched into me. The curves of her full breasts pressed into my chest. I slid my hands over the silk of her dress. I teased the edge before tugging it down, exposing her fullness. I pulled back and watched her carefully as I lightly palmed the soft flesh.
Shit. She was stacked. “God, your tits are so fucking perfect.” She pushed up her breasts as if offering them to me, and I desperately couldn’t swallow around the sudden mouthful of sawdust.
I reached behind her undoing the clasp on her dress. The fabric fell, skimming over her hips, then her calves, and she was naked except for a thong.
Perfection. So lush. So full. Taking advantage of her arched form, I lowered my head and hovered my mouth over a puckered bud for a moment. Zia’s fingers threaded through my hair and she pulled me to her.
Pressing my lips over the raised peak, I sucked her gently. Her answering moan was low and throaty, and I tugged harder, trying to taste every rich flavor of her skin.
“Theo…”
Hearing her say my name made my cock jerk against my fly, urging, begging me to bury myself in her and get lost. “Fuck, Zia, you’re killing me.”
She reached for my belt, and I eased back. I had to get control and quick before I did something stupid. I tried to slow down the frantic kisses and the pace as I carried her to the bed.
I laid her down in the center and stared down at her. Fuck, where did I want to start? Everywhere. With her lips, her toes?
She frowned up at me. “What’s wrong?”
Wrong? Was that what she thought? “I’m having a hard time deciding where to start. Do I want the slide of your tongue against mine again? But then that would mean I’m not licking your tits. And damn, woman, I’ve had every single fantasy there is to have about them.” As I spoke, I shucked my shirt, then my trousers, leaving only my boxers. “I’ve dreamed about fucking them, sucking them. Making you come by just licking them.”
Before leaning over her, I reached into the bedside table and grabbed a condom then tucked it into the waistband of my boxers. Her smile was saucy as her gaze landed on my erection. “I see you’ve given this great thought.”
I crawled over her. “Oh yes. I’ve pictured you on my desk, on your desk, on the floor of my office, in the shower, on that couch. Hell, every flat surface from here to the palace and back.”
“I see you are inventive.”
“Oh, I am.”
“So tell me Theo… where did you decide to start?”
I slid a brief, chaste kiss on her lips. I wasn’t getting distracted, because I could get caught up doing nothing but kissing her. At her breasts I paid homage to the distended tawny peaks. Just a brief caress with my tongue.
I kept kissing until I reached the promise land. “Spread your legs for me sweetheart.”
She lifted her head to meet my gaze. “I—”
I lowered my voice and gave her my bossiest command. “Open, Zia.”
She complied almost immediately, and I made a note to use that voice again. My gaze on hers, I slid my finger under that tiny scrap of fabric she called a thong and shifted it out of the way. “Good girl. Now I’m going to make you come. You okay with that?”
“Oh, fuck.”
I gave her a smile. “I’ll take that as a yes.” And then I planted my open mouth on her clit and refused to let up until she screamed my name.
I was prepared to spend all night on my task if I needed to. I was ready to settle in and never come up for air. I had my arsenal on lock. But it turned out I didn’t need the whole arsenal, because she was writhing in seconds.
One slide of my tongue on her clit and her legs pressed in around my head. “Oh my God, Theo.”
Yes. God. Yes. She tasted sweet, so sweet as she melted on my tongue. Licking and stroking, I did my level best to make her forget anyone who came before me. But it wasn’t until I stroked two fingers inside her with my tongue on her clit and my pinky grazing her tight bud of an asshole that she started to shake. She threaded her fingers into my hair again and held me against her hard. All the while muttering. “God, yes. Right there. Just like that. Theo, please. Please. More.”
But the real satisfaction came when my pinky slid in past that tight ring of muscle and I gently fucked her with it while I alternated between sucking on her clit and sliding my tongue as deep as it would go. Gently I stroked her ass and grunted as I feasted, completely unable to contain the feral beast I’d held back for so long. Her legs started to quake around my ears. “Yes, that’s it. Let me make you feel so, so good,” I muttered against her flesh.
I increased my pace, and all I heard were her muffled pleas of, “Please, please, please, please, please, please, please.”
When she finally broke, her body went hyper tense, then she jerked in my arms, the convulsions taking over.
Christ. I was going to die from this, and I was completely okay with that. I eased my fingers away and kissed my way back up her body. When I reached her breasts, I dipped my head, grazing first one nipple, then the other with my stubble. I followed up with my tongue and with playful tugs with my teeth.
“Theo, Jesus.” Her body continued to jerk.
As I feasted on her nipples, I whispered, “You taste like heaven everywhere.”
She answered with a rotation of her hips, and my cock strained, insistently desperate for her heat. I slid a hand between us, searching for her center again. She bucked as I withdrew my finger then slowly slid in again.
I buried my lips in her neck. With each gentle slide and retreat of my finger, I whispered against her skin. “You feel fucking amazing. You taste better than I ever could have imagined, you know that? Now that I’ve had a taste, I’m not sure I can stop. I’m dying for you to grip around me.”
Even though she dug her nails into my shoulders and softly whimpered, I took my time. Never mind that I was on the verge of spontaneously combusting. I kept up the slow, lazy retreat and entry.
She rocked her hips into my questing hand. Hell. She was so hot. “Theo, please stop teasing me.”
I smiled against her flesh. “This is called seducing.”
She gave a little frustrated growl, and I chuckled. Finally, I reached between us and snatched the condom from my waistband.
I dragged my head back to watch her. With trembling hands, she took the condom from me, then tore the foil and discarded it. She met my gaze levelly and reached into my boxer briefs, freeing my cock.
Fuck. I’d underestimated the impact of her soft fingers on my dick. I was going to blow. Dragging in deep breaths, I tried to think of anything that would keep me from coming. As it was, pre cum leaked out of the tip. Oh fuck. Oh fuck.
Her sure fingers froze my brain synapses for several seconds. Not once did she take her eyes off of mine. She pumped me slowly, then again, and I bit back a strangled choke. “So good. Oh, God.”
Still, she didn’t take her gaze off of mine. Instead, she sheathed me before smiling. That simple, confident smile had an orgasm chasing partway up my spine.
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Hell. If that didn’t wreak havoc with my self-control. I eased my fingers out of her and tugged my boxer briefs all the way down. My cock nudged her slick folds, and her eyes fluttered closed.
Her rocking motions caused her sex to rub against the tip of my cock, and I had to clench my jaw to ward off the orgasm.
I shuddered. “I don’t know what you’re doing to me.”
“Same thing you’re doing to me.”
With slow, tilting motions of my hips, I slid in to the hilt. She moaned and threw her head back while I gritted my teeth and yelled out a curse. “Fuck.”
Taking advantage of her exposed flesh, I nipped at the column of her neck even as I drove forward. On my retreat, she milked me with the tight sheath of her core. Volcanic heat pulsed around me as she dug her nails deep, scoring tracks of fire into my upper back and shoulders.
As she moaned my name, I knew the danger.
This would never be enough. I would need this like a drug.
I would crave it. She was already under my skin.
Her eyes went wide. “Theo, I—”
Reaching between us, I stroked her clit with my thumb in slow circles as I picked up the pace. “Zia, God, you feel incredible.”
Her body clamped down tighter around my aching cock as I drove her higher and higher. With a shuddering breath, her legs tightened around me, and her delicate fingers twined into my hair, tugging me to her.
She whispered my name, and her body clamped tightly around me just before breaking apart in my arms.
I ground my teeth together. The tingle in my spine morphed into molten fire. I couldn’t hold back. “Zia.” Her name was on my lips as she branded me.
Twenty
Theo…
I fucking woke alone. She’d run.
Well, do you blame her? You were a dirty boy.
I rolled over only to discover that half the covers were on the floor and we’d lost two pillows. When I sat up in bed and noticed her laptop on the couch, I realized she hadn’t left.
