by E. L. Todd
“Yes. A diamond in the rough.” His gaze turned serious as he danced with me, guiding me across the floor gently as the music played overhead. He glanced at my lips before returning his gaze to my eyes. He suddenly turned vulnerable, letting me see a side to him I’d only seen a few times. His thumb brushed across my fingertips, and he pulled me closer into his hard chest. “The rarest and most beautiful gem in the world.”
Speechless, I stared at him. At first, I thought it was just meaningless flirting, but now it seemed to be something more. He hardly ever looked at me that way, letting me see past the iron bars that were always present in his eyes.
He looked down for an instant, breaking eye contact. “Rae...” He paused before he met my look once more, the same expression on his face. Like an open doorway, he allowed me to walk through and see exactly who he was. “I was stupid and—”
“Sorry I’m late.” Zeke’s deep voice sounded in my ear as he walked up to us on the dance floor. His tone was clipped, full of irritation, and a little bit of rage. Every emotion was obvious in those three little words. “But I’m here now.” His arm snaked around my waist, and he nearly yanked me out of Ryker’s hold. When he looked at Ryker, a declaration of war was on his face. If he’d had a knife, it would have been in Ryker’s neck right now. “So, you can get lost.”
Ryker’s softened expression disappeared the moment I was taken from him. Now his look was hard like steel, unbreakable. He wanted to mutilate Zeke then and there, regardless of all the people standing around to witness the show. It was impossible for Ryker to stand down, so he didn’t. He remained beside me, his hands balled into fists. “I paid two thousand dollars for this dance. She’s mine.”
“My girl isn’t for sale.”
Ryker narrowed his eyes. “If you cared so much, maybe you should have been here on time.”
“Maybe I would have if I didn’t have to bust my ass through medical school to be a doctor. Not everyone gets handed a company for sitting on his ass all day. Real men have to work for what they want.”
God, this was just getting worse.
“You wanna talk about real men?” Ryker stepped forward, getting closer to Zeke. “A real man would have asked her out before some other guy, a better guy, took her.”
Zeke got in his face. “You won the sprint, congratulations. You got her, had her, and threw her away. But I’m here for the marathon. I’m here for the long haul. I’m here forever. You know why? Because real men wear their hearts on their sleeves, worship their women, and never give them a reason to walk away. I’m not gonna burn out like you did, Ryker. I’m keeping up my pace to finish the race—and win it.”
***
We left the hotel and got into his Jeep. The ride home was unbearably tense. Zeke gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. His jaw was clenched, and he stared straight ahead, hardly blinking as he drove back to his place.
When he pulled me out of there, I didn’t object. Ryker and Zeke were officially enemies. I didn’t expect them to get along after the run-in at the bar, but I didn’t expect them to declare war on one another either.
We arrived at the house and walked inside. Safari greeted us in the entryway, but once he picked up on the unspoken tension, he walked into Zeke’s bedroom and disappeared. His powerful senses must have known something was off.
Zeke stripped off his jacket and tossed it on one of the chairs in the dining room. My heels were killing my feet, so I leaned against the counter and slipped them off. His tie came next, and he placed it on top of his jacket. His breathing hadn’t returned to normal. Like a feral beast, he was still furious.
I hadn’t spoken a word because it didn’t seem wise. I couldn’t remember a time when I saw Zeke this upset. He was normally calm and collected, even in the most extreme circumstances. As a doctor, he was trained to handle dangerous situations and retain his composure at the same time. But all that training seemed to go out the window.
I watched him, unsure what to do. Now that my feet were flat, they felt good against the tile floor. The arch in my foot relaxed now that it wasn’t bent at a ridiculous angle. I tried to think of something to say to cool him off, but I was at a loss for words.
He leaned against the opposite counter and stared me down, looking just as furious as he did when he looked at Ryker.
He’d better not be pissed at me.
Without warning, he marched to me and yanked my dress above my hips. He gripped my thong next and pulled it off, tearing it slightly at the seam. He pressed his mouth to mine but didn’t kiss me, his hand still working my body. He undid his slacks and shoved down his boxers, letting his cock come free.
He gathered me in his arms then pressed me against the front door, my back to the wood as his strong arms held me up. He shoved his cock inside me without preamble and fucked me against the door, taking me rough and viciously.
My body responded to his fire and burned on its own. I gripped his shoulders and used them as an anchor to move myself up and down, taking in his length repeatedly. It felt wonderful to have him inside me, to feel the connection I’d come to rely on.
His intensity was sexy and terrifying at the same time, and he didn’t give me any form of gentleness. He didn’t even kiss me. He fucked me like I was his property, his plaything to do with whatever he wished. He channeled his ferocity and possessiveness into one hard fuck that made me come with a scream.
Before he came inside me, he shoved himself as deep as he could go, only his balls remaining on the outside. Then he released with a violent moan, dumping all his seed inside me, claiming me as his.
When he was finished, he looked at me, still just as angry as before. His normally blue eyes seemed to have faded to the color of steel. His usual look of devotion was no longer there. Now, he stared at me like he owned my body and my heart.
He pulled out of me and set my feet on the ground. Without another word, he walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, the sound of running water reaching my ears on the other side of the house.
***
After ten minutes of waiting, I decided to join him under the water. He didn’t take long showers, so I knew he was using the time to clear his head. Since we hadn’t spoken to each other, I was eager to know we were okay. That this fight would pass like everything else.
He stood under the water with his eyes closed, his muscles still bulging from the adrenaline and the incredible fuck we’d just had. When he heard the door close behind him, he opened his eyes.
The warm water soaked me from head to toe, and I felt his come slowly slip from between my legs. I was hesitant to touch him because I couldn’t read him like I usually could. He was a closed book, locked and hidden away. “Let me explain why I was dancing with him.”
He looked into my eyes, his jaw tense.
“We did a dance card fundraiser. The men bid on—”
“I know what it is.” His first words were clipped and full of warning.
“Anyway, Ryker bid on me and won. Honestly, I didn’t think he would do something like that. To him, it’s just a game.”
When he released a sarcastic chuckle, it was a little terrifying. “No, it wasn’t a game. He knew exactly what he was doing.”
I didn’t know what he meant, and I didn’t think it was the time to ask. “I just didn’t want you to think I was dancing with him out of choice. It just happened that way. If I saw you dancing with Roch—someone you used to date, I wouldn’t be happy about it.”
“You’re right. I wasn’t happy about it.”
“Well, now that I’ve explained myself, you shouldn’t be angry with me.”
Water dripped down his face and powerful chest. His entire body was tight with intensity. Whether he was mad at me or not, he was definitely livid. “I knew Ryker was an asshole, but he crossed a line.”
“Crossed a line how?”
“When you were dating Ryker, I backed off. I didn’t ask you out even though I wanted to tell you how I felt—out of respect for
you. Even if I didn’t get what I wanted, I put you first. But he doesn’t have an ounce of respect for either one of us. He just does whatever he wants.”
Now I understood where his anger was coming from. “Zeke, Ryker isn’t trying to get back together with me.”
The angry expression on his face amplified. “You’re joking, right?”
“I admit Ryker crossed a line and flirted with me when he shouldn’t have. But his advances are harmless. He misses the fact that he used to be the center of my universe. Now that I’ve moved on and I’m happy, he hates it. It’s just a power play and nothing more.”
Zeke laughed coldly, making the hot water feel like ice. “Come on, Rae. You’re smarter than that.”
“Zeke, if he wanted me back, he would have done something in the past five months. He hasn’t made a single advance.”
“Probably because he didn’t pull his head out of his ass until he realized you were with me. Now, he’s jealous.”
I understood Zeke’s point of view, but I didn’t agree with it. “Ryker is going through a hard time, and I’m the only person who’s ever been remotely close to him. I think my presence comforts him, makes him feel less alone. He just lost his dad, and his mom is in pain...he wants my comfort. That doesn’t necessarily mean he wants me.”
“You got it all wrong, Rae.”
I didn’t want to keep arguing. I just wanted to put this night in the past—where it belonged.
He took a deep breath then dragged his hands down his face. “I let my temper get to me tonight, something that rarely happens. I’m sorry if I snapped at you. I’m sorry if I shouldn’t have fucked you like that. I just had so many emotions and didn’t know what to do with them.”
“Believe me, I didn’t mind.”
The hatred finally left Zeke’s eyes, and he gave me a soft expression. The Zeke I knew was returning, slowly coming back to me.
“Let’s forget about Ryker. He’s irrelevant.” He was a mistake from my past, a guy I used to be in love with. But now, I was with an incredible man, someone who made me happy every single day. “All that matters is us. He wasn’t coming on to me, and even if he was, who cares? I don’t, and neither should you.”
Zeke finally dropped the last of his rage. “Good point.”
I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around his neck. “So...that’s out of the way.” I pressed a kiss to his lips and felt the warm water drip down my naked body. “You know, you can fuck me like that anytime.”
He finally cracked a smile. “You liked that, huh?”
“Hell yeah. I felt like you owned me.”
He kissed the corner of my mouth. “I do own you.”
I never thought those words would make me smile. They seemed like something that would tick me off, not make me feel good. I’d never wanted to be someone’s property, someone’s personal belonging. But I liked being possessed by Zeke. “Then I own you too.”
He rubbed his nose against mine. “You’ve owned me for a long time, baby.”
Chapter Fourteen
Rex
Kayden lay on top of my desk, her shirt pulled up to reveal her perky tits in her bra. Her legs were spread, and my hips were between her thighs. She dug her nails into my forearms as she took in my huge dick over and over. “Rex...”
She stopped by Groovy Bowl so we could get an early dinner together, but when I saw just how sexy she looked, I wanted to get between her legs, the place where I most belonged. Whenever my cock was in that tight pussy, her eyes lit up and she moaned like crazy.
Damn, she was hot.
I should’ve told her to keep it down, but I didn’t want to. I loved hearing the pleasure in her voice, those high-pitched sighs of satisfaction.
My cell was sitting on the desk, and it lit up with a phone call from Zeke. It vibrated loudly against the wood, shifting its position slightly every time. Since I was buried inside a beautiful woman, he didn’t matter.
It was a guy thing.
But he called again, twice in a row.
That was weird. Zeke never did that.
Then a text message popped up on the screen. Asshole, call me.
My thrusts slowed to a snail’s pace as I read the words on the screen.
“Why are you slowing down?” Kayden grabbed my hips and forced me to pick up the pace.
“Sorry, baby. It’s Zeke. I’ve got to—”
“No.” She dug her nails into me. “Don’t stop.”
When a woman tells you not to stop, you don’t stop. Zeke would understand that. I wanted to wrap this up quickly, so I worked her clit with my thumb as I slammed into her. I studied her face and watched it redden with an approaching climax. Soon, her mouth formed that sexy O, and she muffled her own screams by shutting her mouth and riding through the orgasm.
It was such a sexy sight that I exploded inside her, filling her with my come with a quiet moan. We both clung to the final threads of pleasure before they slipped away. Without pulling out of her, I grabbed my phone and called him.
“Wow,” Kayden said. “That will be an interesting phone call.”
I listened to it ring. “Zeke said it was important.” I pulled out and stood off to the side, my dick hanging out because my jeans and boxers were on the floor.
He finally answered. “I need to talk to you.”
“Here I am. What’s up?”
“Let’s get wings. I’ll tell you about it there.”
“You sure know how to keep a guy in suspense.”
He sighed into the phone. “You’re gonna wish I kept you in suspense.”
***
Zeke finished telling me about his night from hell.
“Damn.” I pictured Zeke and Ryker fighting over Rae on the dance floor, hundreds of people staring at the commotion without having a clue what was going on. My beer was untouched, and it wasn’t like me to ignore a frosty cold beer.
Zeke rubbed his jaw with a grimace on his face. “I want to kill Ryker. Not ha-ha kill him. Like, actually kill him.”
“Yeah...I picked up on that.”
“Rae thinks he’s trying to reconnect with her for comfort. Since he’s never been close to anyone before, he’s leaning on her to get through his father’s passing.” He rolled his eyes, mocking Rae for the first time ever. “She’s so smart, but damn, she’s dumb as hell.”
“She didn’t have a clue about your feelings for years.” With the way Zeke pampered her and practically drooled all over her, it should have been obvious. “It’s safe to say she’s not the most observant person, which is concerning since she’s a scientist.”
“Her argument is that Ryker would have tried to get her back a long time ago if that’s how he felt. But it’s obvious he’s just jealous that she’s seeing someone new. Probably thought she’d cry over him forever.”
“Maybe.” If Ryker did want to be with her again, he’d had plenty of time to do something about it. Why wait until now? “So, did you punch him?”
“I would have if it wasn’t a work function.”
That was probably for the best. Rae would have been ticked, and Ryker would have been more ticked to get punched in front of his employees. “Maybe we should hunt him down and punch him now.”
“Tempting.” He finally drank his beer, downing half of it in one go. “Fuck, I don’t know what to do.”
“Is there anything you can do?” Ryker’s behavior was out of Zeke’s control. As long as Rae continued to work at COLLECT, there was always a possibility of her bumping into him. Unless she quit her job, which would never happen, it would be a reoccurring problem.
He rubbed his jaw again. “I don’t know...”
“If I were in this situation with Kayden, I’d be pissed too. But keep in mind that Rae is fiercely loyal to those she cares about. Even if he did make a move, she would never go for it. She would never betray you, man.”
“But if she still has feelings for him, she might leave me and go back to him.” His eyes looked lifeless as he
said the dreaded words. “He could work his charm and make her fall for him all over again.”
“That would never happen either.”
He shook his head. “We were both there, man. We saw how hooked she was. It’s the only time I’ve seen her head over heels for a guy.”
“Not the only time.” I gave him a knowing look. “She and I were talking a few weeks ago, and she said she’s totally crazy about you. She doesn’t know how she went so long without noticing you. And she wishes this had happened sooner.”
Zeke relaxed his shoulders for an instant. “Did she really say that, or are you feeding my ego?”
“Come on, would I lie to you?”
The corner of his mouth rose in a smile. “Actually, yeah.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I guess I would. But I’m not lying about that. Don’t worry about him when your lady is happy with what she has. Come on, think about it. When you guys are together, does it seem like she wants to be anywhere else?”
Zeke’s eyes formed a glassy look as he reflected on his memories. When a faraway gaze entered his expression, it was obvious he was lost in the past, picturing Rae’s face in different instances. Eventually, he came back to me. “You’re right, man.”
“I know.” I brushed off my shoulder arrogantly. “I’m the man.”
“Shut the hell up,” Zeke said with a laugh.
“You feel better now? You looked like a volcano about to explode.”
“Yeah, I do,” he said with a nod. “You’re right. I shouldn’t feel threatened by him. I guess I got frustrated since this is the third time he’s made a move. Disrespectful.”
“Third time?”
“Yeah. At the bar, he was about to ask her to dinner.”
“I remember that one,” I said. “But what’s the third instance?”
“When he sent those flowers.”
I was on Zeke’s side for this situation, and I would always be on his side. But as his best friend, it was my job to correct him if he was wrong. It came with the territory. “I’m not saying I like Ryker or approve of his behavior at the charity gala, but in his defense, he didn’t know you two were seeing each other for those first two instances.”
