“He taped her mouth while he beat her? What a vile piece of shit!”
My nostrils flare and heat rides my neck. I hate what Aunt Vanessa had to endure, but Sebastian’s comments about staying focused gives me the push I need. I take a deep breath. “Yes, not only is he a violent bastard, but a sadistic one as well. What I highlighted between the reports is that the exact same brand of tape and dense recycled cotton particles was used at both scenes.”
“Which means, you were right and Isabel’s killer is still out there.”
I turn at the sound of my husband’s voice. Arms crossed, Sebastian’s leaning against the doorjamb between our offices, simmering anger stamped on his face.
Cass glances between Sebastian and me. “If that’s true, then why did the person stalk Vanessa for months before finally attacking her?”
“Months?” Sebastian lowers his arms and steps into the room, his gaze locked on me. “The only info you gave us was from the past three weeks. How long has this been going on?”
“In her journal, Aunt Vanessa mentioned feeling like she was being followed before the wedding, but then she said it stopped. It started back up again three weeks ago. That’s when my aunt started keeping a detailed account.”
“And don’t forget about the hang-up calls,” Cass says. Turning to Sebastian, she continues, “They were from an unlisted number, but she hoped they might be from Talia having a hard time reaching out, which is why Vanessa came to see her before the wedding.”
“It’s ironic that I wondered the same thing about her.” I snort, shaking my head. “I had gotten a few hang up calls as well.”
Sebastian steps closer, his tone tense. “Why didn’t you mention them?”
I shrug. “With my job at the Tribune, I’ve had to get a new cell phone number about every six months or so. Each time I dealt with hang-ups, they were usually related to the previous owner of the number. You know how providers recycle phone numbers.” I pause at my husband’s glowering look. “What? I honestly didn’t think it was a big deal.”
Ben, Calder, and Den had stepped into my office during the conversation. I look at the guys. “You didn’t find anything in the feeds?”
They all shake their heads, then a look passes between all four men and Sebastian speaks to Den. “Now that you’ve been here long enough to observe, out of the team we currently have, who do you want to back you up?”
“Calder, Theo, or Elijah would be my first choices,” Den says, contemplating. “But Trevor never misses a thing. Pull him in.”
“You mean for me?” I look at Sebastian, my heart starting to race. “I’ve got Den. No other person is necessary.”
Ben steps forward. “Maybe you should carry your own gun too, Talia. I’ll be happy to teach you how to shoot.”
Calder smirks at the withering death glare Sebastian gives Ben. “Can I fire him now?”
“Nice try,” Sebastian says, flicking an annoyed gaze Calder’s way.
“Hellooooo!” I wave my hands to get their attention. “The super thick testosterone must be fogging your brains up there in six-foot-plus land. Down here, the air is crystal clear. No extra security is required. Let’s just focus on the case.”
“You are the case,” all the men say at once.
Wrapping her arm around my shoulders, Cass nods. “I have to side with the guys on this one. The more, the merrier. No one’s getting near this baby mama.”
Chapter Eight
Talia
“Seriously, I do not need two men shadowing me,” I repeat to my husband once we step off the elevator into our quiet apartment. “I don’t mind it at the office, but around town and while I’m at the hospital…it attracts too much attention.”
“You’re a Blake. Blakes always attract attention.” Shrugging out of his overcoat, he looks down at me, his gaze obstinate. “If I had my preference, I’d handcuff you to me twenty-four-seven until we catch the murderous bastard.” When I frown, he hangs his coat up, then turns to unbutton mine, continuing in a determined tone, “But since that’s not technically legal and would require one hell of an explanation in the delivery room, yes, Little Red, you will have double—probably twice that—security whenever I’m not personally around to protect you and our child myself.”
He drops my coat to the floor, then tugs at my scarf with swift precision, his blue eyes turning darker as the soft material unwinds from my neck. I realize exactly what he’s doing. My body instantly zings to life at the idea of Sebastian’s special brand of dominant rainbow mastery, but my brain fights against the intent behind it. He wants me, but he also wants me to agree with him. But four guards? What jobs will he be pulling those guys off of? He’s being ridiculous. “Sebastian—”
My phone rings, cutting me off. I quickly pull it from my purse. “It’s Charlie,” I say, hitting the Answer button. “Hey, is everything okay?”
“Vanessa is fine. Don’t worry. I just wanted to tell you the good news directly. They did the scan and she won’t need surgery on her jaw. She does have tiny fractures and the bruising looks damned awful, but she’s slowly healing. The pain meds make her sleep a lot, but the swelling is going down a bit, and I swear she actually chuckled at something I said today.”
I smile, appreciating the personal call. “Thank you for calling with the good news. Please let my aunt know that I’ll be there in the morning.”
“They have her scheduled for some follow up tests tomorrow morning, so the afternoon might be better.”
“Follow up tests?” I glance at Sebastian with concern. He turns from hanging up my coat to pull me to his side as I listen to Charlie explain.
“Yep, nothing to worry about. Just procedures they have to follow.”
“Okay, whew. Then I’ll plan on an afternoon visit. Thank you for being there too. I know how much she adores you.”
“She would do the same for me if the situation was reversed.”
“In a heartbeat. Goodnight.”
“Vanessa’s doing well then?” Sebastian asks as I hang up, his thumb slowly sliding down the side of my throat.
I look at his handsome face. It’s creased with genuine concern and my heart twists with deep love. “She won’t have to have surgery, which is great news.” All thoughts of our battle of wills instantly slips away as his hand moves to the small of my back, his fingers massaging the tight muscles. My amazing husband is my rock. He’s the reason I try to be a better me every single day, yet he loves and supports me even when I’m not at my best. I know he only wants to protect his family. Of course he’ll do so as only a man who owns a security company would. I shouldn’t expect anything less. Hopefully I can get him to at least pare it back to two guards.
“I’m glad to hear it. So you won’t go see her until tomorrow afternoon?”
I nod and he smiles, stroking my bottom lip with this thumb. His touch sets off a series of tingles that start in my lips and shoot all the way to my fingertips.
Realizing that maybe if I show him another side of me, the strong, alpha side…he’ll listen to reason, I return his smile, then clamp my teeth on the tip of his thumb.
His nostrils flair and his gaze snaps to mine. “You’re playing with fire, Little Red. Are you sure this is what you want tonight?”
Wrapping my lips around his thumb, I slide my mouth all the way to the base, but before I can pull back, he hooks his thumb on my teeth and hauls me against him, his deep baritone, vibrating against my cheek. “You’re one sexy woman, Talia Blake. Be glad we don’t have anywhere to be tomorrow morning, because your sweet ass is mine tonight.”
Turning my head, I bite down on the skin between his thumb and forefinger, then slide my tongue along the edge, taking away the burn. “Not if I make you mine first, Mister Black.”
Sebastian exhales a growling huff in my ear before I’m quickly scooped up in his arms. I let out a surprised squeal as he carries me toward our bedroom.
Laughing, I wrap my arms around his neck. “Don’t forget, Calder and
Cass will be back from checking on the roof repairs soon.”
“Then you’d better keep your screaming down.”
“We’ll see who makes the most noise,” I tease, exhaling warm breath next to his ear.
Tightening his arms around me, his lips curve in a dark, arrogant smile as he passes through our bedroom doorway, then kicks the door closed without missing a beat.
He sets me down and I take a step back in the dim light. Holding my finger up, I grin. “Let’s see who can get undressed the fastest. Ready, set…”
Before I can say “go,” Sebastian reaches for the vee of my dress and pulls it open from collar to seam with one swift yank. As I stand there gaping in my bra and underwear, my dress’s buttons ping on the dresser and our bedroom floor. I can’t even get mad when he releases an arrogant chuckle and proclaims, “You win!”
Tilting my lips in a smirk, I drop my shredded dress to the carpet, then kick off my heels and unhook my bra, letting it slide down my arms. I trail the sexy black lace behind me until I reach the bedside table. After I turn on the lamp, I push my unbound hair over my shoulder and look at my husband standing at the end of the bed, his gaze transfixed on my ass on full display through the matching barely there lace underwear.
“Seems to me that you’re not even trying to win over there with all those clothes on…” I slide open the nightstand drawer, and when I pull Sebastian’s gift box out, it’s hard not to snicker at how fast his shoes, jacket, belt, pants and shirt hit the floor.
The sudden warmth of Sebastian’s bare chest pressing against my naked back is so intoxicating, I inhale deeply to capture his arousing smell and soak in his body heat.
Warm hands come around my body to cup my breasts, while sensual lips slide along my shoulder and up my neck as a primal rumble of approval seeps into my back. “Fuck, Talia…I’ve missed this,” he whispers against the back of my neck as sure fingers push my underwear down my legs.
I ache all the way to my core, but I can’t let myself fall under his dominant spell so easily. Lifting his hand from my chest, I step out of my underwear and kiss his palm. “Lay down.”
He nips at my shoulder before he sits on the bed. As he starts to lay back, I quickly capture his hand and slip one side of the handcuffs I’d hidden under the box around his wrist, locking it into place.
Sebastian lifts an eyebrow, his grin downright sinful. “Are you planning to deliver our child handcuffed to your husband after all?”
With a secret smile, I play with the other cuff, then close it around the curved wooden slat at the top of our bed, setting the key near his pillow.
Sebastian leers and lets out a decadent laugh, tugging lightly against his shackle. “This is new…”
“Yes, it is.” I smile and walk to the end of the bed to retrieve his tie from his suit jacket pocket. “For once, you’re going to let me have all the power over you.”
Sebastian’s smile turns to a frown as I walk around the other side of the bed. Sitting, I take his free hand and press my lips to his wrist, saying, “Who says the dominant can’t be taught a thing or two about submission?”
Sebastian’s fierce look quickly melts away as he cups my belly with his free hand. Spreading his fingers wide, he palms our baby like a small precious basketball and holds my gaze with a palatable intimacy so electrifying that I can’t look away. Flashing a confident smile, he releases me and offers his wrist, saying, “Have at it, Little Red.”
I take his tie and loop it around his wrist the way I’ve seen him do to me many times, then expertly tie it against another slat in our headboard. He tugs against it once I’m done and smirks. “I’m glad to know you’ve been paying attention.”
“I’m a fast learner.” I throw his comment from the other day back at him as I move back around the bed.
“Then get up here and dominate me, sexy,” he commands.
My gaze slides over his gorgeous muscular body, lingering on his impressive erection. My body instantly responds to the arousing stimuli, making me ache deeply. God, it feels like it has been forever.
“As much as I would love for you to stare at me all night, sweetheart. The hungry look in your eyes is making me rock-hard. I don’t think staring’s going to be near as pleasurable for us as other activities.”
“Quiet, husband,” I say sternly, narrowing my gaze.
As his lips twitch in amusement, I flip open the box and take out the velvet mask, then quickly slip it over his eyes.
“I’m not liking this turn of events,” he says in a curt tone, facing his mask in my direction.
“Too bad. You’re not in control here.” Climbing onto the bed, I press my hands to his muscular chest and straddle his hips.
“This is much better,” he says, his deep voice resonating up my arms, then down along my spine.
I stare at my gorgeous husband, his muscular biceps pressed against the pillow, hard chest and abs flexing as he breathes steadily in and out. He’s completely comfortable in his own skin, his kissable mouth relaxed and waiting…
With my hands frozen in place on his chest, I suddenly realize that I don’t know where to start. I don’t want to boss this beautiful man around. I don’t want to block his view of me. I don’t want to keep his hands from burning up my skin and lighting me on fire. I don’t want this separation. This dominance. This kind of control.
I love the hard ridge of his erection digging into me, and as I bite my lip, wishing I could rewrite this scene, Sebastian speaks, “I don’t, for one minute, think that you’re not strong, Talia. You have all the power and the control. You always have.”
Exhaling calmly, he continues, his deep voice gliding along my skin in a seductive, arousing caress, “But what makes you so fucking sexy and irresistible is that you yield that power and control to me. That’s a gift I don’t take lightly, and I never will, Little Red.”
I roll the pent up tension from my shoulders and slide my hands along his chest. “Tell me what to do, Mister Black.”
With a quick lift of his hips, he pitches me forward, but I catch myself on his chest, gasping in surprise. Leaning forward, he strains against his bindings until his mouth is almost touching mine, and demands, “Untie me.”
My breath whooshing out in excited anticipation, I tug on the tie to release his wrist. The moment he’s free, he feels for the key I’d set next to his pillow, then unlocks the handcuff.
Touching me, he folds his warm hands on my hips, then leans back and slides his thumbs along the curve of my belly. “Take the mask and put it on.”
I lean over, the baby making the task a bit harder, but I manage to remove his mask. While I slip the mask on with shaky hands, shrouding my world in velvety darkness, Sebastian slides his warm hands over my entire naked belly. His touch is so tender, I swallow the sudden emotion rising in my throat. Pausing, he lifts his hands and I instantly miss their warmth. “I read somewhere that a woman’s nipples become even more sensitive the further along she gets in her pregnancy. Is that true?”
I exhale quickly and my skin prickles as he runs a single finger along the inside of my left breast. Tilting my head, I wait, my body craving more. “I’m not sure. Let’s test the theory.” I gasp when something brushes the tip of my breast. Was that his knuckle?
“I’d say that’s a ‘yes,’” he says, chuckling. “The last eighteen days have felt like an eternity to me too.”
He knows exactly how many days? My heart swelling with love, I put my hands on his sides to press closer, but he pulls his hand away. “Be very still and don’t move. Understood?”
Capturing my bottom lip in my teeth, I wait, my stomach knotting and my nipples tingling for his warm mouth, or yes, please, the arousing sting of his bite.
Something tugs at my nipple, and I start to lift my hands to feel what it is, but Sebastian says curtly, “Hands, or will I have to bind them so you hold them still?”
Sighing my frustration that I can’t appease my curiosity, I curl my hands around his sides, fo
rcing myself to hold onto his solid ab muscles, so I’m not tempted to move them again.
The squeezing on my nipple tightens with just enough pressure to make me tingle and ache deep inside. “What are you doing?”
“Shhhhh. Patience will be your reward, sweet Talia,” he says right before the same erotic sensation surrounds my other nipple, tightening enough to elicit low-level pleasure.
With both nipples tingling and warmth shooting through me, Sebastian says, “Slide your hands higher up my ribcage and lean forward.”
“My pleasure.” Enjoying the muscles flexing under my fingers, I slide them higher, slowly tracing each rib along the way.
I lean as far forward as my belly will allow, then stop and wait for his next direction.
“A little more.”
I shake my head. “The baby’s in the way—”
I gasp at the quick pain and sudden tug on both my nipples at the same time. My body instantly pulls toward Sebastian, and a sharp hiss rushes past my lips at the same time my sex floods with heat and throbbing want.
Before I can express how intense that felt, he demands in a rough rasp, “Lift your hips.”
Elevating slightly on my knees, I follow his command, then moan my pleasure as his hard cock slips inside me, a jaw-grinding, taunting tease.
“Don’t move.” Warm hands slide up my thighs, prickling my skin in their wake.
He spreads his hands wide on my ass and groans as he eases my body down over his erection. “God, you feel so good. Wetter, tighter…swollen with so much fucking want!”
Once he’s fully inside, I clench my muscles around his cock and dig my fingers into his ribcage, my breath coming in breathy pants. “I feel every bit of you.”
His warm mouth suddenly clamps down on my nipple and I arch into him, then push as close as I can get, demanding, “Rainbow Master the hell out of me, Mister Black.”
I want to wail when Sebastian releases my nipple, but then he begins to slide the flat of his palms against both swollen tips. It feels so good, I’m thankful he can’t see my eyes behind the mask, because I’m fairly sure they literally roll back in my head as I arch like a pulled bow, absorbing the sheer, unadulterated pleasure.
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