Target This

by Lily White

  “Well, aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend at least?” She didn’t give him the chance to react before focusing her attention on me and reaching out to shake my hand. “Lucas can be extremely rude sometimes, so I’ll just introduce myself. My name’s Sarah Bastion. I’m Lucas’ assistant. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Another bright smile.

  Hesitantly, I pulled my hand from Lucas’, taking hers and turning to see a scowl on his handsome face.

  “Well then, now that we are all acquainted, you can leave.” With a jaded tone, he dismissed her, the hint of a warning slicing through his words.

  The corner of her lip curled and a glint of suspicion flashed in her eye. “I can see where I’m no longer welcomed. I’ll just let you two get back to your evening.” Grabbing her purse from a side table, she flashed Lucas one more look before leaving, her heels clicking as she casually sauntered outside.

  Lucas grabbed my hand, wordlessly dragging me deeper into the house and up a flight of stairs to the second floor. Another long hallway stretched out before us. Finally stopping at a set of doors at the end of that hall, Lucas glanced at me briefly before his hand fell on the knob opening the door to reveal a large bedroom on the other side. In the center of the room was a large poster bed made of sleek, modern lines. There was no color to the room, but rather shades of black and white. Photographs of undeterminable subjects were hung in rows along the walls. The room had a sterile feel compared to the lively colors I’d used in my former home.

  “Welcome to your new home, at least for the temporary time being.” He winked. “This is my guest bedroom. My bedroom is next door if you ever need anything late at night.” He winked again and I gave him a tired smile in return.

  “Thank you, Lucas. This means a lot.”

  The warmth of his palm soaked through my shirt at the small of my back where he lightly touched me. Bending his head down slightly, his mouth brushed across my ear sending shivers running along my spine.

  “I apologize for the fight we had in your garden, and I truly am sorry for what happened to your home. I hope my generosity will more than make up for my behavior when I left you last time.” He lingered, the warmth of his breath running along my skin, the scent of his cologne awakening every feminine sense within me. “I’ll order us dinner. Something light so as not to upset your stomach. I’m sure it feels like electrical currents are running over your nerves considering everything you’ve been through today.”

  His hand moved lower until it rested just above my bottom. Electricity ran along my spine, but it wasn’t the stress of the investigation that caused it. I closed my eyes, let go of the breath that I’d been holding, and breathed out my response, “I’d like to take a nap, if you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all.” His touch was gone suddenly and my legs weakened at the loss. I found it odd that a simple gesture could affect me with such strength. I must have been tired, exhaustion heightening my emotions. The door closed behind me as another tear fell along my cheek.

  Collapsing on the bed, my mind raced over the events that led me to this room, into the arms of a man I knew I should avoid.

  I didn’t trust him, but what choice did I have? Eyelids fluttered above my tired eyes and I fell asleep with thoughts of Lucas embedded in my every thought.

  …

  Hands ran along the length of my body, fingers burning trails over my delicate skin. My back arched, the tips of my breasts coming alive beneath the material of my shirt. His mouth was hot and heavy pressed against my stomach, the heat of his breath against me, forcing my own air from my lungs.

  “Oh God.”

  My legs fall apart and his hand slides down over my panties, the muscles of my core rippling inside me, desperate to be filled. With his thumb rolling over my clit, he slips the length of his middle finger down, pushing against my opening to drench the cloth between our skin.

  His head moves away from me suddenly, his formidable size moving to cover mine, his mouth hot and wet as he kisses along my neck. Every part of my body is hypersensitive to his touch, sparking and alive, the smallest brush against me sending waves of anticipation and need rolling along my spine. In a move of dominance, of ownership, his large hand grips my breast, rolling the tip between his fingers before taking it into his mouth.

  “Please…” I beg. He always moves slowly, teasing my body into such a frenzied storm that every soft touch becomes unbearable. Never giving me control, never surrendering to a need as powerful as the one he builds in me, he takes his time savoring the driving bite of my desire.

  My lips are overtaken, his teeth nipping at my lower lip before he fills my mouth with his taste, his kiss. Whimpers escape me as he pulls away, slowing down his attack, allowing my boiling blood to simmer once more.

  “Lucas…”

  A finger over my swollen lips, his mouth against my ear. “Shhhhhhh…you have no power in this. You’re exposed and susceptible to my complete control. Your hands are bound where I tied them, your mouth can be silenced anytime I wish. If I want pain, you’ll experience pain; and once I have you screaming, it’ll only be a moment before you’re once again singing my name.”

  The thin fabric of my panties were pushed aside and he teased at the opening with the tip of his finger. I bucked my hips, but his other hand came down on the bone, pushing me into the mattress and forcing my body to still. He dug into the muscle – the skin – and I bit my lip against the ache. Seductive and dark, his chuckle vibrated against me, his chest against my breasts and his teeth sliding along my shoulder. He bit down, reveling in the way my body fought to escape the sharp hint of his pain.

  “If I draw your blood, will you object?”

  “What?” I struggled against the restraints finding that my arms and legs were bound, my body twisting beneath his hold, his hand tightening around my throat in response.

  “Be careful, beautiful. I’d hate for you to hurt yourself by refusing my touch.” Cold steel presses against my belly, the tip dragging over the soft flesh. I jerk to get away, and it presses down harder, barely piercing the skin.

  “That hurts. Please – please stop, Lucas.”

  “Move again and you’ll feel it much deeper, I can promise you that. Stop fighting against me, Autumn. Surrender and allow me to own your body, your heart, and your thoughts. Trust me to lead you through darkness, to show you peaks you never knew were possible.”

  Opening my eyes, I find that I can’t see. Black cloth shields my sight and I struggle more, terrified of what he might do.

  Fear and lust overcome me. The bite of the knife lifts to be replaced with a kiss. Another sharp point, another delicate caress from lips, soft and warm, a hand pressing between my legs, rubbing against my drenched panties before ripping them down my thighs.

  I cry out, his finger suddenly teasing at my opening, pushing inside as my legs fall wider; my body exposing itself fully despite the terror that courses through my veins.

  I feel the tip of the knife drag along my torso, softly over my breast and along my neck, causing my spine to straighten and every muscle in me to tighten in breathless fear and anticipation. His thumb presses over my clit, his finger finds entrance and I moan out, careful not to move with the steel resting against my pulse.

  “Your inner whore is awakening, my love – the dirty bitch that resides beneath the prim exterior. My hand is soaked with your lust. I can taste the desire on your skin and I can smell your excitement in the air. Does the threat of death help you shed the prudish veil you hide beneath?”

  Another finger, stretching me, rolling over the tender skin, teasing the muscles inside. I come apart over him and feel the knife press into my skin, but the lightning ride of my orgasm dismantles my thoughts. I push harder against his palm, my hips moving as I beg him not to stop.

  The knife moves again, this time tracing along the path of my arm until it’s pulled away and a quick tug sets my right hand free.

  “Touch yourself, Autumn. Show me the kind of thing a sl
ut likes to feel.”

  I’m suddenly self-conscious, aware that he watches me. I hesitate and his hand is over mine, pushing my fingers down until they sink between the slick skin. I scream out, our hands pumping in rhythm, my legs shaking as another orgasm threatens to rip me apart.

  “Lucas!”

  My eyes shot open and I woke up as a result of my own scream. Sweat soaked my clothes and my hand rested between my legs. Quickly pulling it away, I startled to find myself in a dark room, still delirious from sleep and confused by the unfamiliar surroundings.

  Sitting up, I brushed the damp hair from my face and my dream returned to me. Pitch black – my vision was obstructed. but the terror still rolled along my spine, despite knowing it hadn’t been real. A flash of light caught my attention and I turned to find Lucas standing in the doorway, silently watching me sleep.

  His eyes carried a dangerous gleam, heat and rage boiling behind his shadowed stare. Minutes passed without a word between us.

  Finally, he softly spoke. “Dinner’s arrived.”

  His form disappeared from the doorway and I cringed wondering if I spoke aloud the things he made me do in my sleep.

  Lucas

  It wasn’t the fact that she was touching herself that grabbed my attention initially. It was the way my name rolled off her perfect lips. I’d opened the door, my hand reaching for the light switch to brighten the room and then … it was like Heaven; a piece of paradise that I’d missed because I wasn’t yet inside her head or her body.

  But I had every intention to change that.

  A candlelit dinner, a few bottles of wine, and I’d charm my little rabbit until I had her chained to my wall. I could go slowly, introduce her to a lifestyle that was as dark as my heart bit by bit; but the fun in her fear wouldn’t be found by treating her like the delicate creature I knew her to be. She wasn’t just another woman I was inviting into my bed. She was my perfect muse, the voice of a victim previously silenced by the monsters that lurked in shadowed corners. She was the woman who would introduce me to the psychology of confusion, of terror and to the loss of hope.

  Autumn was my target and for as much as I wanted her body riding my cock, I needed her mind to reveal the truth about her fear.

  “Uh, hey …”

  Turning slowly, I allowed my eyes to glance over her disheveled appearance. Unsatisfied with the baggy jeans and wrinkled t-shirt, I tsked before shaking my head in disappointment and returning my attention to the meal I was placing on the table.

  “You need better clothes.”

  “I’m sorry, but I didn’t have time to grab a dinner dress while trying to escape a burning house.”

  Irritation snaked along my nerves, but I excused her sarcasm for the time being. Turning back to look at her, I noticed how her eyes widened, her shoulders no longer moving as she held her breath. Following the direction of her attention, I couldn’t help my surprise when I realized she stared at the knife held in my hand.

  A brow raised over my eye, and I placed the knife on the table, taking a step towards her when her gaze finally met mine. “I was just slicing the roast. Do you care to explain to me why the knife so easily stole your focus?”

  A rattled breath rolled across her lips and her eyes blinked slowly, eventually opening again with the hint of refusal mixed within the sapphire blue. “It …” Her body quivered just before she pulled her shoulders back, mocking the bravery she wished she had. “It’s nothing. I just had an unusual dream. I blame the exhausting day.”

  Her attempt to brush me off was frustrating, and I wasn’t about to let her off so easily.

  “Tell me about it.” Resting against the table, I reached out to pull her body to mine. She hesitated, her weight acting in opposition to my grasp, but eventually, her shoulders dropped and she stepped forward.

  “There’s nothing to tell. It was a stupid dream where somebody was trying to hurt me.”

  That was the most pathetic failed attempt at a lie that I’d ever heard.

  “So why did you wake up pleasuring yourself? Did you like the pain?”

  Her eyes grew so large, I had to stifle a laugh.

  “And I assume I’m the man who tried to hurt you.”

  No response, but her cheeks blushed a pale pink and the heat of her embarrassment rolled along her skin. With one finger, I stroked her cheek before gripping her chin.

  “There are no secrets in my home, Autumn. No places where you can squirrel away whatever thoughts are running through that stubborn head. There are rules I expect you to follow during your stay.”

  When she tried to pull away, I gripped harder, bending down so that my nose was touching hers. “It was my name you screamed out and my name that caused you to drive your hand between your legs. If you are looking for a release, all you have to do is ask.”

  She was able to break free that time, but only because I’d allowed it.

  “Lucas, I’m not sure what you think is going on between us, or why I’m here, but it’s not …” Her voice was shaky and it didn’t take much prodding for her words to trail off entirely.

  “Shh…” I placed a finger over her lips. “My house, my rules.” I chuckled softly, once again returning my attention to the meal on the table. “What I think is occurring here, is that you are staying with me to escape the police until we can figure out why they believe you are responsible for the fire.”

  “So why are you coming on so strong? You act like I’m some prisoner, stuck here for you to do with as you please.”

  A smile covered my face, but with my back to her, she didn’t know it. “Of course not. I’d never force that on you. Besides, by the end of the night, you’ll be begging…”

  Turning back to her slightly and granting her only the line of my profile, I added, “…and that wouldn’t be ‘force’, now would it?”

  “Arrogant ass.” The words were spoken under her breath, just loud enough that her fake attempt at not being heard was a message received loud and clear. Another chuckle escaped me and I moved out of the way of the table, pulling a chair from the side and indicating for her to sit down.

  “Dinner’s served.”

  She eyed me suspiciously, obviously waging some little war in her head. Pride battled against desperation and ultimately, she appeared to choose a place to stay over her desire to refuse the seat I offered her. I knew I’d pissed her off with my statement; however, like everything I’d said to her and showed her up until this moment, I was only being honest. Her reaction wasn’t surprising, and was a large part of the reason why I’d chosen her to begin with; she would fight back and she would refuse until there was no other option but surrender.

  The game was just beginning.

  “Fine. I guess I can eat something despite feeling sick to my stomach after what you just said.” Taking a seat and allowing me to push it in for her, she mumbled, “Thank you.”

  I laughed. “You’ll never let your manners go, will you? Even when you’re mad at me, you’re still possessed to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. It’s charming.”

  “It’s etiquette, Lucas. You could learn a thing or two about it.”

  Sitting down I grabbed my napkin from the table and placed it in my lap. My eyes met hers when I explained, “I have no need for etiquette. It’s a lie told by upper class people to disguise the true feelings inside. Now, back to the house rules…”

  “You weren’t joking?”

  “No.” It was a simple answer and one that caused her to sit straight in her chair. “I believe I told you before that you have free reign of the first and second floor of the house. You’ll find everything you need, bathrooms, entertainment rooms, bedrooms and of course, the library. My office is located on the first floor, however, it’s usually best that I’m left alone while in there. I tend to lose myself in my work and it annoys me to be bothered.”

  Her eyes blinked, but she said nothing.

  “I assume your silence means you understand.”

  Nodding, her voi
ce squeaked out a faint, “Yes.”

  The corner of my lip curled. “Excellent. Follow those simple rules and you’ll have no problems.”

  With my fork in my hand, I forced the prongs into a carrot just as she asked, “You’re being cold towards me tonight; well, hot and cold. Have I done something?”

  I placed the carrot in my mouth, chewing slowly while staring her in the eye. Her body language was intriguing, the way she made herself smaller whenever she was studied or noticed. At first, she held her posture, but after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, she shrank back into her chair.

  “Not at all. I wanted to be clear about how things are in my home. I see no point in beating around the bush or softening my request.”

  “What’s on the third floor?”

  And there it was, my little rabbit’s curiosity piquing as to the places she was not allowed to go. Like Peter Rabbit in the children’s story who couldn’t resist Mr. McGregor’s garden, my muse would eventually find herself enticed to discover what existed in areas better left unexplored.

  “I can take you up there, but it would require an entirely new set of rules; rules I’m certain you wouldn’t care to learn. Don’t forget, Ms. Cleary, in certain aspects of my life, the term ‘Master’ still applies.”

  The skin over her nose wrinkled and she looked away shyly.

  Refraining from pressing the matter further, I offered her some wine. “Would you like something to drink? It might help settle your nerves.”

  Wordlessly, she took the glass in her hand and offered it in my direction. As I poured, I warned her, “I’ll keep filling this glass as many times as you like, just remember not to overdo it. I promise you I’m not the type of gentleman to turn an intoxicated woman away. Especially one as desirable as you.”

  She laughed before taking a sip, her eyes never leaving mine. “You know, you can lay it on pretty thick, Lucas. How many women fall for your act anyway?”