His mouth came down on hers as he stripped the remaining clothes from her body. He took command of her, sliding his hand down her belly, over the wide strip of hair on her pubic mound until he was firmly cupping her sex. Adele arched her back and gasped, her breathing rapid and shallow.
“Slow your breathing down,” he told her, using just the heel of his hand to caress her vagina. As she relaxed, his touch became more intimate but he avoided her clit. Running his finger between her labia, he was pleased to feel her moisture.
Adele whimpered, but offered no resistance, even as his mouth travelled slowly down her body, tasting her nipples, kissing her navel. Only then did she squeeze her thighs together and incite a glare from him.
“Open them.” His voice was quiet but stern.
She shook her head. “You don’t really want to…”
“What I want, is for you to do as I’ve told you. Now, open your legs.”
Her legs moved apart. Dylan smiled as he spied an excited grin on her blushing face. He was obviously about to fulfil a deep curiosity that the words of a romance novel had not been able to convey. From that moment, he sensed Adele’s surrender to him and to her decision.
Only when he stood up and removed his clothes, did her face show a hint of fear, but she made no attempt to cover herself. She laughed when he threw a few foil wrapped condoms onto the bed.
“Are we going to need that many?”
“That’s up to you,” he smiled. “This is your night.”
“In this beautiful room, and this bed and with you, and what you’re doing to me. It’s lovelier than I ever imagined my wedding night.”
Dylan flinched inwardly, but maintained his smile. “And only what my virgin bride deserves.”
When he came over her, her teary eyes gazed into his face. “Thank you.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Tuesday, Wellington, New Zealand, February, 2014
At a thousand dollars, the Toyota corolla was nothing to get excited about. It had rust and dents on the doors and at the base of the windows. The interior stunk of tobacco and the dashboard was dusty. The warrant and registration were due to expire in a month, but Mairead hoped to have no need of it by then.
After a circle of the block, Mairead was satisfied that it would run well enough for the time she needed it. She parted with her money, much to the delight of the young male student who was selling it.
“Just go online,” she told him. “You can report the car sold and it won’t cost you anything.”
“Don’t I need your name?”
“No. I have to do the transfer. Just take it out of your name.” She removed the sale sign from the window. “Did you advertise this online or anywhere else?”
“Nah, just the sign in the window,” he grinned. “I thought I would try my luck.”
She smiled. “Well, this is your lucky day.”
With the memories of the accident still clear in her thoughts, it was intimidating at first, getting back behind the wheel, but she had little choice. There were many miles to cover that day and her plan was dependent upon her having a car.
Despite the anonymity of the sale, she needed to maintain her vigilance and not be tempted to speed. Being pulled up now would mean the end of everything. Miller would have her back in custody and their one chance for resolution would be gone.
It was still only mid-morning as she got onto the highway and headed north. Along the way she made stops at rural stores to make more cash purchases, mentally ticking off everything she needed.
Only Dylan’s presence was lacking. Mairead clung to the hope of seeing him before anything was set in motion. She doubted he would approve of her plan and she was certainly open to his input, even if he chose to deal with it himself. His absence was frustrating, but she refused to believe that anything had happened to him. Believing that he was out there somewhere gave her the courage to do what she had to do. Once it had begun, there would be no backing out.
Mairead frowned as she felt an odd sensation in her belly, as if something had brushed lightly against her. Glancing downwards, she could see nothing, until she felt the movement again. The hairs stood up on her neck and she became anxious to find a place to pull over.
Once the car was idle, she nervously put her hand on to her lower belly. Nothing happened for a long time and then the flutter came again.
“Oh, my god,” she whispered, feeling a tidal wave of emotion sweeping over her.
For an hour she sat there, the movements of her child coming sporadically and with the lightness of a feather. Her face, throat and chest were aching from the tears that wouldn’t come. It was a fierce reminder that her decisions were now not for her alone.
Mairead started the car again and breathed until she felt that cold, iron resolve creep back into her veins. She carefully checked the road before resuming her journey. There was so much to do, before she could return to Melanie’s house and her last glimmer of hope that Dylan would be there.
* * * * *
Just before noon, Lena removed her apron and cap, relieved that her work day was done. She felt weary, having been awake half the night, despite drinking half a bottle of vodka. It was supposed to have helped her sleep, but instead Lena had found herself at the mercy of wanton memories and insatiable desire. Twice she had brought herself to climax, only to be left wanting, unsatisfied and yearning for her body to be touched and penetrated.
For years, she had refused to dwell on memories which evoked such shameful desires, knowing how depraved and guilty they made her feel. They were so much more than innocent fantasies, and more akin to a pornographic production. Danil wasn’t in any of them, having been replaced with a man who was rugged, tattooed and muscled. The plot centred around her hero taking charge of her body with a primal lust, invading every orifice of her body with his fingers and tongue, before fucking her relentlessly.
Being widowed hadn’t lessen the guilt of having loved another man more than her husband. Danil should have been everything she needed, but he wasn’t Jahn. There was simply no denying the sensations she remembered or her need for the perversions he had introduced to her, things that Danil had no understanding of.
Even in her weariness, Lena felt an adolescent exhilaration thinking about Jahn. Now that her work was over for the day, she wanted nothing more than to get home, remove her clothes and indulge in her dreams with a little help from a bottle.
“You bad girl,” she whispered to her reflection. She trembled as she dared to say more. “You deserve to be put over his knee and your bare bottom spanked soundly.”
A rush of heat went through her and her clit throbbed into life. A moan escaped her, and it was suddenly not alright to be in that tiny bathroom. Splashing water on to her face, she hurried out and snatched up her handbag. Calling a quick goodbye to her employers, Lena hurried out into the side alley, deeply breathing in the fresh air. With her panic calming, she grinned at her shocking behaviour.
The moment she stepped onto the main street, her heart was racing again. Eddie was sitting on bench outside the bakery. The sight of him had her wanting to squeal with excitement. Instead she took another breath, and approached him calmly, beaming as he stood up to greet her.
His trousers were pressed neatly, and his white shirt was opened at the collar and under a leather jacket that looked new, as did his shoes. He looked wonderful, masculine and terribly attractive.
“What are you doing here, today?” Lena tried to keep her tone casual. “Our date is not until tomorrow night.”
He smiled. “Is it a crime to want to enjoy lunch with a pretty girl? I trust you have not yet eaten?”
“No, and I’m hungry, but I will buy you lunch today.” She embraced his arm, feeling the strength in it. “Come and I will show you this place which will remind you of home.”
As they walked, Lena glanced up at Eddie and was surprised to see a frown on his face. She yanked his arm. “What are you thinking about that gives you such a sourpuss?”
He was instantly smiling. “Just work.”
“Ah, and how are all the cows today?”
“The cows?”
“Your dairy business.”
He nodded and shrugged. “They’re… cows. Just stupid animals.”
“And yet these stupid animals, as you call them, provide you with your very fancy shoes and clothes.”
“This is true.”
“It certainly is,” Lena grinned, overjoyed and more than a little excited by Eddie’s surprise appearance. “And to a bull, a cow is more beautiful than any woman.”
Eddie laughed. “Bulls have only got one thing on their mind when it comes to cows.”
“So they are not much different to men,” Lena grinned.
“Rubbish,” Eddie huffed. “I have never been attracted to a cow.”
It was Lena’s turn to laugh. “I would hope not, or I would have to be a little offended.”
He stopped and gazed down at her. “Don’t even say that. You are beautiful, Lena Moroz.”
“Oh, I know that,” she laughed, though blushing under his stare. “A morning at work with no make-up and old clothes, covered in flour, always brings out my best qualities.”
His eyes narrowed. “Are you being cheeky with me again, young lady?”
His authoritative tone had her blush growing deeper, but she grinned up at his face, wanting to flirt with him. “I like being cheeky with you. Besides, you told me you like naughty girls.”
“I do, but naughty girls need to know when to behave, before they get into trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?”
Eddie frowned and looked at her curiously. “Are you alright, Lena? You seem… different today.”
A surge of embarrassment washed over her, leaving her face glowing. She shrugged. “I’m tired. I didn’t sleep well last night and I don’t know what I’m saying. I didn’t mean to be rude. I apologise.”
“No. Don’t apologise. You weren’t rude. You were… playful, which tends to swell the egos of old men. Sometimes they read more into something innocent and get the wrong idea.”
“You’re not old.” Lena stared back at him. “And you didn’t get the wrong idea.”
“Lena.” Eddie breathed deeply. “I am twenty years older than you, at least.”
“I know,” she smiled. “But I like that about you… with everything else I like about you.”
“You don’t know me.”
Lena suddenly shook her head, smiled and grabbed his arm again, pulling him back into their walk. “It’s alright. We’re off to lunch and you were telling me about your work.”
Eddie stopped and held onto her arm. “I’ve embarrassed you.”
“Nonsense,” she laughed, looking down the street. “I’ve embarrassed myself. I do that. The mouth works faster than the brain.”
He gently lifted her face towards his. “Lena, don’t be embarrassed. You make me feel like a young man again, but before we go on, I need to tell you, there is another reason I came to see you today. I have to be away for business, and I don’t know how long I will be gone. I might not be able to make our date.”
Lena felt her throat tighten, but she smiled and nodded. “That’s fine. I’m just glad that I could thank you for your kindness to me.”
“Lena, it’s not that I don’t want to…”
She suddenly pulled away and gasped. “I’ve left the oven on at work. How stupid of me. I have to go.” She reached into her bag and drew out a twenty dollar note, shoving it into Eddie’s hand. “Lunch is still on me. Goodbye, Eduard Utkin.”
Lena tried to run off, but Eddie stepped in front of her, corralling her into his body. “You did not leave the oven on, and you are not letting me talk.”
She frowned up at him. “I did leave the oven on and there is nothing more to be said.”
“Fine.” Eddie linked his arm with hers tightly. “We will both walk back to your work and turn off the oven, and when I find that you are lying, I will be very cross with you.”
Lena huffed. “I am not lying.”
“Good. Let’s go then.”
“I think,” she growled. “That I’ve left the oven on, and I don’t need you with me to turn it off.”
“I have a better idea,” he grinned, pulling out his phone. “Give me the number and I will call your employer and tell him the situation.”
Lena huffed angrily. “Now, that I think of it, I do remember turning it off.”
“Good, now we can have lunch and you can let me talk, without having another tantrum.” He grabbed her purse and put the money back into it. “And I will be buying lunch.”
“I am not having a tantrum.” She snatched her bag back. “I am attempting to walk away from you with a little dignity. I acted inappropriately and made a fool of myself. Now I would like to go home and sulk, or at least put my head in that stupid oven.”
Eddie chuckled as he gazed down at her. “You think I was offended by your attention? I was stunned, overwhelmed, that such a beautiful, young woman would show an interest in me. I’m flattered that you would even have lunch with me.”
“Well, let’s have this lunch and then you can go back to your other cows who know how to keep their mouth shut.”
“Enough of that,” he growled. “You don’t say such things.”
“Why not?” Lena pouted. “You wouldn’t be the first man I’ve scared away.”
“You did not scare me away. I’m here aren’t I?”
“Yes, but you think I’m lewd, too forward…” Lena grew more flustered and stepped back from him. “Well, I don’t care what you think. I am honest as well, and I don’t feel ashamed to be attracted to you. It obviously makes you uncomfortable, but I have no intention of forcing myself upon you.”
“Forcing yourself upon me?” Eddie laughed loudly, until Lena strode away. He went after, calling her name softly. “Lena, please, I’m sorry. You made me laugh, at the absurdity of what you’re saying.”
She turned and looked at him. “I don’t know how to play games, what etiquette to use. What to say. What not to say. This is me, a drunk and a bad mother who found a little happiness… and a silly desire for a man who was kind to me. I wanted you to feel the same.”
Eddie shook his head slowly. “I didn’t dare feel the same. What right did someone like me have to be with you?”
“I did not know it was a right to enjoy someone’s company and hope that it might lead to something more.”
“For me,” Eddie smiled. “To be with you, is a privilege and one that I do not deserve.”
She laughed softly. “The last time someone said that to me, they walked out of my life forever and shattered my heart. Why does everyone think they know what I need or deserve? Why can’t I, once, just have something I want?”
“Tell me then.” He stared deeply into her eyes. “What is that you want?”
“Do you really want to know, no matter how shocking it is?”
“Yes. I want to know.”
“I want a man’s hands upon me,” she whispered. “Upon my breasts and body, his mouth on mine and between my legs, desiring me, wanting nothing but me for an hour or a night, and thinking of nothing else, except the feel of himself inside me.”
Eddie breathed out slowly. “I truly… truly don’t deserve you.”
* * * * *
On one of the screens, Dylan observed Adele in the kitchen. She was humming a tune as she stirred pasta in a steaming pot. Her movements were relaxed and natural, revealing no signs of distress or anxiety.
She had only complained of a little soreness that morning, which she had laughed about while snuggling into him. If anything, her mood was more upbeat than it had been in the last month. Her need to critique everything they had done that night, gave him additional reassurance that she wasn’t about to plunge into a depressive chasm. Of course, her happiness only confirmed his other theory.
Adele now had all the physical evidence she needed to cry rape. It would be a harsh
and unpopular justice system that would pursue charges against a girl who had just spent a month in captivity with a monster. He had knowingly given her a way out and it was a waste of time trying to understand his own reasoning. Perhaps it was simple and ancient as time. Forbidden fruit was always so much sweeter.
Dylan wondered how much it would bother him to see her walk free and exonerated, but like everything else, he was struggling to look past himself. This was his mess, and everyone else was paying for it, while he floundered uselessly trying to find a solution. He was no closer to finding his enemies than he’d been a month ago. Networks that he had played with frivolously, were now tightly guarded behind a firewall that was turning up with increasing frequency.
He even doubted that turning himself in would end the nightmare. His enemies wanted more than revenge. They wanted him to suffer and there was no greater pain than having to watch everyone he had ever cared about being murdered or worse. His only option was to find them.
Another screen began to flicker and he watched curiously as Yvette’s face came into focus.
“What time is it?” he asked.
“It’s just after 2am here, Master, but I have something for you.”
He could see her weariness, and knew she hadn’t slept in days. “What do you have?”
“Eduard Utkin,” she replied. “He used a credit card, an hour ago, to check into the Emporium Hotel with a woman. I’ve hacked into the security footage from the foyer and I have a visual.”
Dylan sat up. “Good girl. Show me.”
The image came up on screen and Dylan glared at the tall, bearded man until he saw the woman next to him. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing as he slowly stood up, his face contorted with confusion. Even turning away, to get hold of himself, did little to stop his heart thumping. When he looked back again, he had no choice but to accept what was clearly before him.
“Lena,” he whispered, unable to take her eyes from her.
His mind was working overtime but there were no answers other than the obvious. He would have been prepared to believe anything, until he watched her grasp Eddie’s arm and giggle with him as they walked out of view.
Sins of the Master Page 50
