Deadly Desire

by Audrey Alexander

  “Emma, what is Mr. Donovan talking about?” Max’s voice turned harsh, and I braced myself for the consequences of my actions. He could fire me for this, and then I’d have to book a one way ticket back home to Tennessee. It had taken me months to find this job, and I wasn’t sure I could find another in the city, especially after getting fired from my very first post-college position.

  “My apologies,” Pierce said. “I forgot I required Emma to keep the details between us in confidence.”

  I glanced up, surprised, but Pierce wasn’t looking at me anymore.

  “What do you mean?” Max scratched his face.

  “I requested Emma look into something personal for me.” Pierce patted Max on the back. “In complete confidence. She did very well to follow those instructions.”

  Max turned on me, his face red. “Emma, I gave you no authority to be taking on cases. You shouldn’t have offered—”

  Pierce’s hand landed hard on Max’s back. “I requested Emma do this.” He squeezed his shoulder, and I swore I saw Max flinch. “She did nothing wrong.”

  My breath got caught in my throat as I watched the exchange. I didn’t know quite what to think of it, but I had to be grateful that Pierce was doing his best to keep me from getting fired for something that I very clearly did. He gave Max another hard pat on the back before stepping away, his gaze drifting down to meet mine. His eyes held a dangerous glint to them, and it made goosebumps stampede across my arms.

  “Fine.” Max cleared his throat and backed away toward his open office door, but not before pointing a finger at me. “But don’t think this means you’re allowed to do this kind of thing again. This was a one time thing. You’re my receptionist. Nothing more.”

  When the door slammed shut behind him, I breathed a sigh of relief. That could have gone a lot worse.

  Pierce sat on the edge of my desk and smiled. “Seems you forgot to tell your boss about me.”

  “Well.” I cleared my throat as heat flamed my cheeks. “You seemed very specific about what it was you wanted, and I knew he wouldn’t go along with it.”

  “He would have.” He reached out and dragged a finger down my neck, leaving a trail of heat in its wake. “Because of who I am.”

  “I’m sure there are some things even you can’t have.”

  He smirked. “Well, I wanted you.”

  I sucked in a sharp breath. “Why are you here, Pierce?”

  “You’ll have dinner with me tonight.” He slid a card into my fingers. “That’s my driver’s number. Text him your home address and be ready to be picked up by eight.”

  He was at the one door before I could register his words, leaving a vacuum of cold air behind him. I wanted to reach out and pull him back, but I just stood there instead, staring at him dumbly.

  “But what if I have plans?” I asked. Immediately, I wanted to kick myself. There I was, being asked out by one of the most good looking men I’d ever met in my life, who I’d been thinking about non-stop since Wednesday, and I was questioning his invitation for dinner. What kind of idiot was I?

  “Do you have plans, Emma?” he asked with a smile.

  “No.”

  “Then, I’ll see you at eight.”

  This time, Cynthia loaned me a more appropriate dress. I wasn’t showing up in a cheap pink dress with my cleavage hanging out again. Pierce was classy, and his tastes seemed far beyond anything I could dream of. Cynthia had a couple of nicer outfits from some balls she’d attended with her parents back home in DC. I chose a nondescript little black dress that was probably a size too small, but it looked a lot nicer than anything I owned myself.

  Cynthia knocked on the door and poked her head inside my tiny bedroom. It was only big enough to hold a twin bed and a small chest of drawers, but it was the best place we’d been able to find for such a low rent. I spun in my dress, raising my eyebrows in a question-mark.

  “What do you think?” I asked.

  “Much better than that pink thing bandaid you wore the other night.” Her eyes flicked over me. “Where’s he taking you?”

  “No idea.” I shifted the dress around my bra and wished I wasn’t a cup size larger than Cynthia. “He didn’t say.”

  “I’m surprised he’s taking you out for dinner,” she said with a grin. “I told you he was after some Emma booty.”

  “Cynthia!” I picked up my pillow and threw it at her. I’d opted out of telling her what had happened between Pierce and me in his office. Cynthia and I were quickly becoming friends, but I still didn’t know her that well, and I still felt embarrassed about what I’d done. It was so not like me. When other girls had partied and slept around in college, I’d kept my nose buried in my books most of the time, only going out for special occasions like New Year’s Eve or Homecoming. There had been a couple of guys I’d been interested in, but not much had ever happened. I’d always been too quiet compared to the bubbly sorority girls.

  “Just saying,” she said, throwing the pillow back at me. “He doesn’t go on dates. It’s not like he needs to take a girl out to get into her pants.”

  My face flamed, and I let out a fake laugh. My mind couldn’t help spinning over her words though. Cynthia was right, and I’d been just like all the other women Pierce met. All he’d had to do was look at me, and I’d let him do whatever he wanted. And now I was just going along with whatever he said once again.

  My phone buzzed, jolting me out of my thoughts. I quickly glanced at the screen. Pierce’s driver, Anton, was here. My nerves ramped up a notch as I grabbed Cynthia’s black clutch and took a deep breath. No matter what had happened in his office, we were going on a real date now, and that’s all that mattered.

  Outside, I found a limo idling on the curb. Anton smiled and held open the door, and when I slid inside, I found myself face to face with Pierce. He wore a black tux, and the entire car was full of his cologne, a tantalizing scent that wrapped around me. Smiling, he handed me a glass of champagne just as Anton shut the door behind me.

  “Cheers, Emma,” Pierce said, lifting his own glass.

  I clinked my glass against his and took a sip. The liquid burst along my tongue, bubbly and sweet. I’d never had champagne before, but if this is what it tasted like, I hoped it wouldn’t be a long time until my next glass. Though on my salary, it’d probably be awhile.

  “You look beautiful,” he said.

  I smiled and smoothed down Cynthia’s dress. “Thank you. So do you.”

  He smirked. “I’ve never had a woman tell me I look beautiful before.”

  Inwardly, I groaned. For some reason, I couldn’t stop myself from coming across like a complete idiot in front of this guy. Though, truthfully, he did look very handsome. His facial hair was just long enough that it gave his chiseled jaw extra definition, and his dark hair curled around his face. His eyes were fierce and hot, and his biceps bulged against his tailored suit. He looked so good, I could have skipped dinner and had him to eat instead.

  It was almost as if he could read my mind because a knowing smile lit his lips. “After dinner, I thought we could enjoy some drinks back at my apartment.”

  I let out a long, slow breath. My mind went completely blank. I had no idea how to answer that. Of course I wanted to go back to his place. But I also didn’t know if it was such a great idea. No matter what had happened in his office, I barely knew the guy. Shouldn’t I try to play it cool?

  But I was saved from an answer when the limo rolled to a stop, and a second later, Anton was opening the door. I slid out into the vibrant Manhattan night and glanced up to see where we were. I gasped. We were standing just outside The Lux, an exclusive restaurant only the wealthiest could afford.

  I glanced down at my dress. No way could I fit in there wearing this. As nice as Cynthia’s outfit was, it wasn’t exactly a designer label. Plus, how did someone even act in a place like this? Were there rules and standards I wouldn’t know how to follow?

  “Relax.” Pierce pressed a comforting hand against my ba
ck. “We have a private table in the back, so we won’t be disturbed.”

  My shoulders eased just an inch as we made our way into the lush restaurant. Overhead, chandeliers sparkled, and soft music played from a live piano just inside the front doors. Just like the club from the other night, every man in the place wore a suit, and all the women were donned in the sleekest of dresses, their necks sparkling with diamonds.

  The table host led us past a sleek bar and to a table near the back, just like Pierce had said. We still had a view of the piano, but any sight of us was blocked from the rest of the guests. Sighing, I tried to relax, but I couldn’t help but wonder why he’d booked something so reclusive. While it saved me from looking like an idiot in front of all these wealthy women, had he only done it for himself? There was no way he could have known I’d be nervous about being somewhere like this. Maybe the reason no one knew he took women on dates was because he hid them in back tables where no one could see. Or maybe, a little voice inside me said, he’s ashamed to be seen with a girl like you.

  Pierce flicked his hand at the waiter and ordered before I realized what was happening. A moment later, the waiter reappeared with a bottle of wine and poured us each a glass. Pierce watched me take a sip before giving a nod to the waiter, who disappeared without asking me what I wanted to eat. I wasn’t sure we’d even been given menus.

  “Are we not eating?” I asked.

  “We are.” He gave me a cool smile. “I ordered for you. It’s just a small course, and then we’ll retire to my apartment for drinks.”

  I felt like I should have been a little annoyed he hadn’t asked me what I wanted, but I was too distracted by the second thing he’d said to make a big deal of it. “About that. I don’t understand what it is you want from me.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “I thought I made it very clear what I want from you, Emma.”

  “I was just under the impression you…” I swallowed hard. “Don’t go for the same girl twice.”

  “Well, I’ll be clear.” He levelled his dark gaze at me across the table, and chills swept along every inch of my skin. “I very much want you twice.”

  So Emma had looked into me. I couldn’t say I was surprised. I’d have done the same if I’d been in her place, and my reputation wasn’t exactly a secret in the city. Still, I had to smirk. She’d still wrapped her sexy thighs around my hips and moaned as I took her hard, despite knowing exactly what I was like. And she still wanted me now, to come here knowing that I fucked with no strings attached.

  She might be even more eager for what I had in mind than I’d thought.

  It had been a long time since I’d introduced anyone to bondage. I preferred to limit my interests to those who already had some experience in the area. It kept things simple. It meant no one freaked out when I tried to tie them up. Maybe Emma was already into this kind of thing, but looking at her, I knew there was no way in hell she was. There was a sort of innocence about her that wouldn’t be there if she’d explored BDSM in the past.

  It would be fun showing her the ropes, and I couldn’t wait to see the look of pure bliss on her face when she came over and over again, screaming in an intoxicating mix of pleasure and pain.

  “Why me?” she asked, taking another timid sip of her wine. Her face was flushed and her breathing rapid, and my eyes were drawn down to her cleavage. The dress was a little too tight, but I liked it that way. It gave me a great view of her gorgeous rack.

  “While I enjoyed the other day in my office,” I said, “I don’t feel as if we had the chance to enjoy a proper…experience.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “Experience. Do you mean…?”

  Her reaction told me everything I wanted to know. She’d not only read up on my unattached flings, but she knew exactly what they entailed. If she knew that, then she was at least curious enough about my predilections to want to find out for herself. It took all my self-control to continue to sit in the restaurant and watch her lick her lips as she took another sip of her wine. I wanted to carry her back to my apartment now and take command of her perfect, curvy body.

  He had that look in his eyes again. The one that made me feel like a platter of meat on an all-you-can-eat buffet. Though, I guessed that was kind of my fault. I’d been the one to bring it up by asking him what he wanted of me, and he’d made it crystal clear what that was.

  My heartbeat picked up speed as Pierce rose from his seat and moved over to my side. He held out a hand, staring down at me with a cold and commanding gaze. “Forget the food. We can eat after. Come with me.”

  Before I knew what I was doing, I’d taken his hand, letting him lead me from the back of the restaurant and out the front door. A breeze brushed against my hair, and I shivered. Pierce took note, unbuttoning his jacket and draping it around my shoulders. The move seemed foreign coming from him. For someone so closed off and so wary of getting involved emotionally, he’d played the part of a doting date tonight. Except for the part where he’d whisked me out of the restaurant before we’d had a chance to eat…

  Anton opened the door to the limo and ushered us inside. A moment later, we were off, speeding down the clogged streets of Manhattan. I glanced out at the sparkling city, trying to wrap my head around what I was about to do. Pierce’s hand settled on my knee and squeezed. I dragged my gaze away from the window and met his eyes. Heat crackled between us, and all I could do was stare at his handsome face. The way the light played across his skin made him look half-shrouded in darkness, and it was almost mesmerizing.

  “You look nervous,” he murmured, squeezing my knee again. His thumb began to trace circles against my goose-pebbled skin.

  “I am nervous,” I admitted.

  “Are you afraid I’m going to bite?” He grinned.

  “Kind of,” I breathed. Because I was. I had no idea what I was about to walk into. I only knew the stories in the news, and those had painted a picture of a dominating and rough man. And while he may have been coming across as dominating now, he seemed the opposite of rough. Instead, because of the way he traced his fingers along my leg in slow and lazy circles, he seemed gentle.

  “Just relax and trust me,” he said. “This is all about your pleasure.”

  A few short moments later, Anton stopped the limo outside of Pierce’s apartment building in the Upper East Side. It was a renovated brownstone that towered above us, sitting opposite of Central Park. Pierce led me inside, to a sleek elevator trimmed in red, and up to the top floor apartment that spanned half the block.

  When we stepped inside the darkened room, I had to gasp. The large windows offered brilliant displays of the park, and down below, I could see joggers making their way down the weaving paths on their nighttime runs. The entire apartment was open and spacious, and everything looked brand new. Barely lived in at all. Beside a fireplace sat a crisp off-white couch that had no creases at all, almost as if no one had ever sat on it before.

  “This place is impressive,” I said, turning toward him as he reached my side. His hands found my waist, and I stiffened. Heat radiated through my whole body, tempting me to relax, but I was far too aware of where his fingers brushed against my hips to be anything but totally on edge.

  “Not as impressive as you,” he murmured before brushing his lips against my neck. Sighing, my head tilted to the side, giving him better access to my skin. His mouth moved across my neck and up to my ear, his tongue leaving traces of electricity in its wake.

  I felt my body weaken at his touch, but his hands held me firmly in place.

  Twisting, I faced him and searched his eyes for answers I wasn’t sure he could give. “Why do you want me? Of all people?”

  His eyes flashed with something. “You’re gorgeous.”

  “But—”

  “Shh.” He pressed a finger to my lips. “It’s time for you to do as I say. Do you understand, Emma?”

  I swallowed hard, sighing as his mouth found my ear again. His breath was hot and heavy against me, and my eyelids fluttered shut. “
Yes.”

  “I’m serious, Emma.” He pulled back and tucked his finger under my chin, like he’d done that day back in his office. “I’m about to show you what it is I like. Do you consent to submitting to me?”

  “Yes, but…” I swallowed again and looked away. Would he stop this if he knew I had no experience with this type of thing? Would he decide I wasn’t the kind of girl he wanted after all? I could lie and pretend I knew exactly what we were about to do, but I had a feeling Pierce Donovan would be able to see right through me. “I don’t really know what that means.”

  He nodded and forced my chin to face him again, lifting it so that I had to meet his eyes. “I assumed as much. We’ll take it slow. All that’s important is that I’m going to take command, and you have to obey me. If you become uncomfortable with anything at all, just say the word.”

  “What word?” I breathed, my whole body hot, from both embarrassment and desire and lust.

  “Red.” He gave me a smile. “Tell me you understand.”

  “I understand,” I said.

  At that, Pierce lifted me from the floor and threw me over his shoulder. I squeaked out in surprise, wrapping my hands around his thick biceps. He carried me out of the living room and down a short hall until we reached a door that he shoved open with his elbow. A moment later, I was on the floor and gazing around me. Whips and ropes lined the walls, and a bench sat in the very center of the room. I panted, taking it in. I had no idea what I’d gotten myself into, but I knew I couldn’t back out now.

  “Stand up,” he said, speaking to me in a cold and commanding voice.

  I obeyed him, shivers caressing my skin. He’d switched off completely since entering the room, turning into a different man than he’d been only moments before. This man was just as confident and strong as Pierce had always been, but every emotion was turned off, projecting a face and heart of stone.