Slow Release (Ebony and Ivory Book 1)

by Steele, Suzanne

  I would keep my suspicions to myself for now and try to do some research on the Internet. The last thing I wanted any man to think was that I was using him for money. I would get a job flipping burgers before I gave up my dignity. I have always been independent, and loving Damon wasn’t going to change the way I was innately wired. If I could find out where my estranged father was without Damon’s help, I would. I didn’t want him sinking thousands of dollars into hiring a private investigator if I could do it by myself.

  The Internet was a wealth of information, even for a novice such as myself. The biggest problem was that it was entirely possible that my father could be living on the streets. If he’d dropped out of society, I might not be able to find him. Regardless, it couldn’t hurt to try. I settled it in my head. I would look for him on my own and see what I came up with so I didn’t have to use Damon’s resources yet again. He’s done so much for me already—things I could never repay him for—and I wasn’t going to abuse the privilege of having access to a very powerful man, no matter how readily available and willing he was to help me.

  Damon

  She was keeping something from me, and I had every intention of finding out what it was. The last thing I was going to let happen was for her to distance herself from me. Being in a monogamous relationship might be new territory for me, but I was no stranger to distance and what it took to obtain it. I was a master at erecting barriers between those of the opposite sex and myself. Though I didn’t think she was being malicious, I did feel like she was intentionally keeping something from me. Secrets were the first step in creating a lack of trust, and I wouldn’t allow anything to sabotage our new relationship.

  In order for us to be successful, we needed to be honest with each other, and I was getting to the bottom of this now. I reached over and used the speaker to call her into my master bedroom.

  I stood as she entered the room, purposely stalking my way over to her until I had her backed into the wall. I rested one hand on the wall to pin her in as I ran my thumb over her full bottom lip with the other.

  “So fucking beautiful.” When she attempted to speak, I cut my eyes at her and shook my head, letting her know I wanted her to remain silent. For now, she was going to listen to what I had to say.

  “You’re hiding something from me, Skye. No, don’t even think about lying to me.” It was a demand for what I needed—the truth.

  I watched as she took a deep breath as if trying to work up the courage to reveal whatever her secret was.

  “My father left us in Haiti years ago. He never gave us any warning, just left. He went back and forth to America for work a few times. He always promised to come back, and he always did until that last time. Not long after he abandoned us, my little brother died from a sickness he got because our water source was tainted. We had already been through the trauma of a devastating earthquake hitting our area and then to have my brother die… well, it hit us all very hard. I think what bothered me the most was that he didn’t even bother to come to my little brother’s funeral. I’ve never been able to wrap my head around that.”

  “So, you think he has possibly returned and is stalking you to milk you for money?”

  “It’s a possibility. I was embarrassed to tell you, and I didn’t want you spending your money to hire someone to find him. That’s why I didn’t say anything.”

  I ran my finger down her face to her throat, feeling the pulse of her heartbeat as her jugular thrummed beneath the pad of my thumb. As serious as this conversation was, she was still making me rock hard.

  “You’re making my cock hard,” I snarled. I clamped my hand around her throat lightly as I made my next statement. “I don’t want to make love to you, though. I want to fucking take you, mark you, own you. I want to make you mine. I want to succumb to my visceral nature.”

  I watched her chest heave as her breathing became rapid, and it was the only answer I needed. It was time. I had held off long enough. I don’t know if the threat of losing her caused me to take matters into my own hands or not. All I knew was that I had to have her, and I had to have her completely. My fingers pulled frantically at the buttons on her shirt until, frustrated with how slow it was going, I grabbed the two sides and tore it from her body. I ripped at her cutoff denim shorts and pushed her over onto the bed.

  My hands quickly unbuckled my belt and pulled my pants down in rapid succession. I had to be inside her. When she taunted me by scooting away as she giggled, my hands clamped the sides of her perfectly voluptuous hips and pulled her back in my direction. I made myself wait at her opening, barely pushing into her for fear of hurting her. I wanted this to be a good memory, not a painful one.

  Her pussy glistened, betraying her need for me, as I stroked the head of my cock around her opening and over her clit until her hips began to move in sync. I waited until she climaxed, and then I slowly pushed my full length into her. I gave her body time to adjust to the intrusion. Her fingers fisted at the sheets in a tight grip, so I paused to ensure she was okay.

  “Just go slow, baby,” she replied when I questioned her.

  I pulled back to the point of almost exiting her tight, wet warmth and slowly pushed back into her, eliciting her cry of pleasurable pain.

  “You’re not giggling anymore. Is this no longer funny? Does this feel like a man who’s playing games with you?” I gave her no time to answer me as I continued, “You’re mine. This sweet, little, pink and black pussy of yours is mine to take whenever I feel the need to mark you.”

  “You feel so good,” she groaned, clutching at the sheets in a cross of panic, desire, and need. I pulled my cock from her and bent down to position my face between her legs. “Don’t fucking move,” I growled as I situated my body.

  I pulled her legs back where I had full access to pleasure her again. I buried my face in her slit and licked her from top to bottom like a man starved for her essence. Her body began to shake as I sucked at her needy pearl. My cock throbbed and I felt like I was going to lose it as she screamed her release. I rose up and slowly pushed back into her opening, watching the magic we made together as our bodies were joined as one. I pulled my cock from her and spilled my seed all over her stomach, rubbing it in with my hands to mark her.

  I laughed when she turned her head to look at me and asked, “Did you just write mine on my stomach?”

  “You’re damn straight I did because that’s what you are. You’re mine.”

  Skye

  I let my mind wander as the heated water washed over my body. Day by day, my lover was pulling me deeper into his web. Much of it was due to the fact that the man was the most intense creature I had ever had the pleasure of meeting. To say the least, it was sexy as hell.

  I found it ironic that all the drama and stress in our relationship came from outside influences, whereas with most relationships, it came from within. Of course, the only example I really had of relationship drama was watching what my father put my mother through.

  Damon was a good man, though, and I had no intentions of allowing outside forces tear down what we were building together. I didn’t know who was doing this, but I did know one thing for sure. If I found out a model or a past girlfriend was responsible, Damon would have to pry my hands from her skinny throat before he even got the chance to exact his own revenge. The sound of the shower door opening pulled me from my thoughts, and I watched as Damon got in to join me.

  I admired him as he closed his eyes and let the water run over his massive build.

  “Do you like what you see, Skye?”

  “How did you know I was looking at you? Your eyes were closed.” He spit water to the side, shook the water from his face, and ran his hands over his eyes before opening them. “I could feel it.”

  Why did he have to be so damn sexy? “I was just thinking maybe I should workout with you.”

  “Isn’t that what we just did?” he asked with the intensity only he seemed capable of for such a simple question.

  “I’m seriou
s. If I’m going to be modeling, and the public is going to see my body…” I stopped talking when I noted the cold look on his face. “You know what I mean,” I continued.

  “No nudes, Skye!”

  “I’m not planning on it. Now, answer me.”

  “You’re more than welcome to work out with me if I get to do the training. I’m not going to have some oversized goon salivating all over my woman.”

  I splashed him with water. “You’re nuts, Damon D’Angelo.”

  He reached over, pulled me close, and covered my mouth with his. His tongue moved in my mouth and explored like it was the first time he’d ever kissed me. I knew, in that moment, Damon D’Angelo would never get bored with me. I had no regrets that he was the man I chose to give my virginity.

  Chapter Twenty One

  Damon

  I’d waited to tell her about the surprise I had for her. I quickly found out she wasn’t a huge fan of surprises, and I chuckled at the thought as I sat at my desk and waited for her. She still didn’t know what I was up to.

  A knock at the door grabbed my attention, and I answered, “Come in.”

  I looked up to see Marcus walking in with a folder in hand. “I hope you have good news for me,” I stated.

  He sat, ignoring my statement, and spoke as he opened the folder, “You look swanky.”

  I chuckled as I eyed his attire. He wore the same thing today that he wore every day to work. “You do know if you weren’t holed up doing computer work all day in that basement apartment I set up for you, I would demand that you dress a little swankier than jeans and a t-shirt.”

  “Ha, ha, it ain’t me boss. I’m just a geek hacker from the college scene. I don’t have the swagger you got goin’ on. On another note, Skye’s dad is off the grid. Either the man has changed his name, is living on the streets, or he’s dead.”

  “Then he’s changed his name. If he were dead, there would be a record of it. I’m well aware your hacking skills far exceed any international boundaries.” I teased him because Marcus was a genius when it came to computers. He could get into anyone’s system. The only thing that stopped his mad skills was if someone worked for the military, and the security was so tight that no one could get in. He was so good that when I met him, the FBI was pursuing him for his skills—after they caught him trying to hack into their system. I came in, offered him a better deal and a place to live, and he’s been with me ever since. Modeling wasn’t just about beauty. I did business with people who had no problem trying to undermine me. Covering my ass, and now Skye’s, was of paramount importance. The game I played was just as much mental as it was physical and, more than once, my street smarts have gotten me out of precarious situations.

  “That’s what has me concerned. Why would a drunk who abandoned his family change his name? Where would he get access to the resources to do so if he has no connections? To do something like that, he’d need backing. It’s a mystery to me where he would meet someone who could help him do those things. Mind you, these are all speculations.”

  “Maybe he did what a lot of men do and cut all ties because of a new family. It wouldn’t be the first time a man fell in love and abandoned his old family to start a new life.”

  I watched as Marcus shook his head in confusion. “I just don’t get it, boss. Even if I accept that he wanted the divorce, how could the man just abandon his kids with no support? You know her mother had to work her ass off to feed those kids.”

  “You’re asking the wrong guy because it isn’t in my nature to ever let blood go. I can assure you that when I have kids, they’ll be mine for eternity.”

  “Well, if you have them with Skye, they’re going to be beautiful babies. Not hittin’ on your woman, boss, but she is captivating.”

  I chuckled, “Why do you think I don’t let her out of my sight.”

  “Does she have a sister?”

  “One that’s too young for you,” I chuckled. “I want you to keep working on this. If I find out that son of a bitch is harassing my woman, I’ll kill him with my bare hands. He already broke her heart once, and I’m not going to let him get close enough to do it again.”

  Skye

  I stood and stared at my reflection in the long, ornate mirror as I slipped the pale lavender dress over my head. It melted over my physique like butter and was absolutely the simplest, most beautiful piece I’d ever seen, much less worn. I could feel the tight coiling in my lower abdomen, a sensation I’d grown accustomed to feeling since meeting Damon. I loved that he handpicked each piece of my wardrobe for me. I initially assumed he had paid someone to shop for me, but he recently informed me that he had the woman come here so he could personally choose everything I’d be wearing. It warmed my heart that he took the time and put so much thought into picking out each piece himself. As busy as Damon’s schedule was, I’m sure there’s a whole list of things he could’ve been doing that were more important than shopping for me.

  I could picture his huge frame casually sitting in a chair, looking at pieces she held up while he ran his thumb over that full bottom lip I found so enticing. Damon had to be the sexiest man walking the face of the earth, and he was mine.

  I raised my eyes to see he was right behind me, looking at my reflection in the mirror. Once again, he managed to stealthily invade my space unnoticed. How could a man so large be so agile? He slid up behind me and leaned in so he could whisper in my ear. “When we get home later, I’m going to strip this beautiful dress from that beautiful body of yours. Then, I’m going to peel back every layer of reserve you have, smother all your inhibitions, and take you. By the time I’m done, there will be no doubt in your mind that you are mine, Skye Acaau.”

  He wrapped his hand around my waist so it rested on the lower part of my abdomen. I placed my hand on his and said, “I love you, baby. Please don’t break my heart.”

  “I love you too, girl, and I wouldn’t even consider it.”

  “Are you okay?” I cocked my head as I studied him. He definitely looked like something was bothering him.

  “Just hoping I don’t get my ass kicked if you don’t like my surprise.”

  I turned to face him and took his smooth, clean-shaven face in my hands. “I may have said I don’t like surprises, but I highly doubt that you could come up with something that wouldn’t wow me.”

  “Oh, you’ll be wowed alright.”

  The cocky look on his face only made him look even sexier than he already was.

  “Yeah, or…” I teased, “you may just end up getting that ass kicking you referred to earlier.”

  Damon

  I wanted to talk to her about her father, but I didn’t want to do anything to ruin the surprise I had for her. I ushered her out to where Jerome waited with the car. My hand rested on the small of her back, right where that sexy curve met with the top of the voluptuous ass I could never get enough of. With the way the low back cascaded down, the dress fit her form perfectly, and the color complimented her beautiful dark skin. It was fun shopping for her and imagining how she would look dressed in each piece. Looking at her now, though, I realized the clothing didn’t make her; she made the clothing.

  While I worked on my phone, she looked out the window, obviously enamored with New York’s big city bright lights. I felt privileged to be the man showing her so many of life’s luxuries, so many of her firsts. Of course, no matter how many new experiences I introduced into her life, the fact that I was her first sexually was something I would always treasure because you always remember your first. I had no intentions of ever letting her go, but I took comfort in knowing, no matter where she journeyed in life, I would always hold a piece of her heart and soul no other man would be privy to. That meant a lot to me, and I wasn’t a man who was given to sentimentality. That is, I wasn’t that type of man until I met her. I just wasn’t the warm and fuzzy kind of guy. I took what I wanted, when I wanted, how I wanted, and romance never entered the equation. She was bringing out a side of my personality I never knew exis
ted. I may be introducing her to a lot of firsts, but she was doing the same with me. This was the first time I’d ever been so consumed by thoughts of a woman; this was the first time I’d ever been in love.

  Skye

  Damon said I bewitched him, but I felt like I was well and truly under his spell. He was making all my dreams come true, dreams I’ve been carrying in my heart since I was a little girl. I didn’t need the stereotypical romance where the man woos me with champagne and roses. For me, there was nothing more romantic than a man confident enough to not be threatened by a strong, self-assured woman. I knew the world was full of men who had to be the ones in the spotlight, but few and far between were the men who supported career-oriented women. There was nothing sexier than a man who not only supported a woman’s dreams, but also helped them come to pass. Damon was that man. The only thing I’ve ever seen Damon feel threatened by was losing me, and I found that to be damn sexy too.

  His voice pulled me out of my reverie. “We’re here.” His eyes took on that serious, cold look they always adopted when he was about to say something non-negotiable. “I don’t want you wandering off tonight. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, sir,” I teased.

  “I kind of like the sound of that.” He leaned in close so Jerome couldn’t hear him. “Maybe when I fuck you, I’ll make you say it before I permit you to come.”

  The familiar heat he always induced with his candid speech coiled low in my belly, and I clenched my knees together in response. He chuckled, and I knew then that he knew exactly what he was doing to me.

  “You rented this place for the evening?” I asked, looking at the large, luxurious banquet hall I could see through the plate glass windows.

  He lifted my chin with one finger, looked intently into my eyes, and said, “Damon D’Angelo doesn’t rent… he owns.”