Breaking Free (Invitation to Eden)

by Cathryn Fox

  Not that she could ever act on her needs, or actually go after what she wanted. Alaska had spent her whole life powerless, stifled under a domineering man who controlled her every move. But here on Eden, the power was all hers. She might be the one restrained on that carousel, but when it came right down to it, she was the one calling the shots. And that was exactly what she needed.

  Christ, he hated the way her father treated her, the way he so easily dismissed her like she was nothing but an annoying piece of lint on his coat. Even though Franco had never laid a hand on her, to Jesse, abuse was abuse, physical or emotional. Maybe that’s why he volunteered for this assignment. He had a sense of protectiveness in him, which undoubtedly stemmed from his own fucked up childhood.

  His fingers went to the tattoo scroll on his arm, one that hid years of abuse. His gut clenched as he thought about his older sister and how powerless he was to protect her from their bastard father. The prick had taken turns beating the shit out of them. At the time, he’d been too young to stop it, but he swore he’d never see another girl suffer at the hands of a man, especially her father. As long as he was around, no one was ever going to hurt Alaska. The truth was he cared about her, which is why he wanted to give her the escape, the attention, she was craving.

  He refocused his thoughts and watched her from across the room, gauging her reactions as the man behind the mask pleasured her. Instead of waiting for the carousel to circle back his way, Jesse followed it, keeping a wide berth. He pulled in a fortifying breath, his mind shifting through all the things he wanted to do to her himself, if only she wasn’t off limits.

  For a brief second, her glance met his and his heart lurched. But when her dark eyes glazed over with lust, he knew she hadn’t made the connection. His job was to keep a level of separation and his true identity a secret, which meant that he couldn’t let her know it was him who’d arranged this, going to great measure to ensure she thought she’d won a contest and making sure she was safe while she indulged in her fantasies.

  Jesse had known about this secret island for a long time, and between him and the guards patrolling the nightclub, as well as the shoreline, he knew she’d be safe here. Years ago, before Franco Rossi plucked his scarred and battered body off the streets and gave a him job, he used to street fight for cash. After one particularly bad brawl, while he was in the back room getting bandaged, he overheard two rich business men, men who’d just won thousands of dollars off Jesse’s fight, discuss a place called Eden—a place where fantasies came true.

  At that point in his life, Eden sounded like heaven. But with what little money he made back then, Eden was out of his reach. It still wasn’t within his means, but he’d called in a few favors to bring Alaska here, to give her this brief taste of freedom.

  Even though he’d never stepped foot on the island before, after learning more about it, he knew it was the perfect place for Alaska to blow off some steam before classes resumed after the break. From the books she read, he knew what kind of sexual playground he’d walk into tonight, considering it was a combination of her inner most fantasy and the island’s magic.

  Perhaps after a week of living out her darkest fantasies, Alaska would go home happy, sexually sated. Then maybe she’d stop teasing the fuck out of him. When it came to her, sooner or later, his armor was going to crack. Once that happened, there wasn’t a man alive who could stop him from stepping over that invisible, forbidden line. The line he knew better than to cross, for both their sakes.

  The masked man touched her, sliding his hands all over her lithe body. The urgency and emotion on her face had his dick aching. Damned if he didn’t want to be the one fulfilling her needs. The other women on the carousel moaned with ecstasy, but Jesse’s attention was on Alaska. The man in control of her pleasure pulled a small pink vibrator off the tray behind him and switched it on.

  Alaska’s eyes grew wide, her mouth opened, and for a moment, Jesse wondered if she was going to use her safe word. But the second the man slid the toy between her spread legs, her head lolled to the side, and she clamped her mouth shut.

  Jesus, she was so fucking sexy. His cock ached, his balls tightening as a tremor moved through him and a storm brewed inside his body. He cursed and fought the natural inclination to go to her. Claim her.

  The man teased her pussy with the vibrator, and she rolled her hips forward, her body conveying what she needed. Her lashes fluttered shut, and she caught her lip between her teeth. Jesse growled, loving that look on her face, one he desperately wanted to put there. Sweat trickled down his forehead, and blood pounded through his veins as he watched her climax build, her throaty purr practically resonating through his body when it finally overtook her.

  When she stopped moaning and hung limp in the chains, he watched her carefully. Sated and exhausted, and no doubt drowning in a sea of emotions and sensations, her chest rose and fell erratically. The man controlling the scene stepped up to her. He touched her forehead, and her heavy-lidded eyes closed. When her body sagged, her knees giving out, it prompted Jesse into action.

  With his mask firmly in place and knowing he was in charge of her after care, he hurried forward and gestured for the carousel to stop. When it came to a smooth halt, he stepped up to her and pitched his voice low to disguise it. “I’ve got you,” he whispered.

  She let loose a soft, mewling sound as he unleashed her hands and ankles. He gathered her into his arms and smiled down at her as she worked to keep her eyes open. The long day of travel, combined with the emotionally and physically draining scene she’d just played a part in, had zapped the last vestige of her energy. Jesse grabbed her dress, accepted the blanket that was handed to him, and wrapped her in it. The sweet scent of her skin thickened his cock as he carried her from the club and down the long stretch of stairs to the beach below. He walked to her cabana and the door opened as he approached. He deposited her on the bed, pulled her blankets over her, and set her dress on the chair beside him. As she snuggled in, he fought an internal battle to wake her, climb between the sheets with her, and fuck her until the wee hours of the morning.

  Instead, he watched her until she fell into a deep sleep, loving the way her hair fell in soft curls across the pillow, the way her full lips opened slightly, her soft breathing sounds cutting through the quiet. Once he was sure she was safe and no longer in need of his care, he slipped from her cabana and made his way back to his, intent on taking a hot shower and abusing the hell out of his aching cock.

  * * *

  Alaska awoke to the sounds of a bird chirping outside her window. Where the hell was she? She peeled her eyes open, unease tightening her gut as she examined the unfamiliar surroundings. She blinked, then rubbed the sleep from her eyes in an effort to orient herself. Suddenly, the memories of the previous night came rushing back in a whoosh, and she sat up, darting a glance around her room. She swallowed against the dryness in her throat, her mind racing as fragments of the night before began to fall into place.

  Had last night been a dream? Had she actually done those things?

  A sound crawled out of her throat as she tossed her blankets off to find herself naked. She remembered her dress being cut away but couldn’t recall going back to her cabana, or going to bed. She’d had one drink...had someone slipped something in it?

  She searched through the recesses of her mind, vaguely remember being carried, vaguely remembering the warm scent of leather. It reminded her of Jesse, but she knew he couldn’t be here. She looked at her body. There were no welts on her skin, which meant the masked man was either very skilled with a whip or last night had never happened at all. She shifted, and the muscles in her arms hurt, like they’d been stretched. When she saw the rub marks on her wrists and the dress on her chair, she knew it couldn’t have been a dream.

  A warm shiver moved through her, and moisture pooled between her legs. Good God, had she really let some man tie her up while another pleasured her in front of a crowd?

  You did and you loved it, the v
ixen inside her whispered.

  Pushing her hair off her face, she rushed to the shower, desperate to get outside to see if the nightclub in the sky really did exist. She washed quickly, and after dressing in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, sandals in hand, Alaska walked the tree-fringed path back to the beach. She stood near the water and shaded the sun from her eyes as she scanned the area, but for the life of her, she couldn’t find the night club. Even though it sounded ridiculous, she couldn’t help but wonder if it was only visible at night, some trick of the island or the moonlight.

  Some trick of the mind...

  She turned and looked up and down the beach. Padded lounge chairs shaded by grass umbrellas dotted the sandy shore. At the far end of the beach, she spotted a Tiki bar with a bartender mixing drinks under the straw roof. A crowd gathered, laughing as they enjoyed early morning cocktails. She walked toward the hut, her heart beating a little faster as she took in the naked sunbathers dotting the shoreline.

  She continued along the long stretch of sand, her feet in the water as the puzzle of the mysterious nightclub continued to plague her. Off in the distance, boats bobbed in the sea, and as she examined them, that old familiar feeling of being watched washed over her. She licked her dry lips and looked around, but when her glance came up empty, she fought down the unease, missing Jesse’s constant presence. With all these strange things going on, maybe she should have let someone know where she was going.

  She made her way to the paved path and came upon a large map that detailed the island. She found the ‘you are here’ star and ran her finger along the trail leading to the castle. After getting lost on the winding turns despite the map, she took the corner and finally found a huge outdoor pavilion. Walking through the crowd, many of who were lounging on wicker furniture, checking emails or enjoying an early morning drink at the bar, she looked for a familiar face, someone who might have been at the club last night and could fill her on what was going on. Delicious smells reached her nostrils as she moved around the furniture, and when she heard music, she followed the sound. She walked until she came to a huge stage and found dancers, out of costume, practicing for a show. Quietly watching them for a while, admiring and committing their choreographed moves to memory, she lowered herself into one of the chairs. Her body swayed as she continued to study their moves, everything inside her longing to go up there, to be a part of the show.

  One of the male dancers caught her eyes, and she felt herself blush when he gave her a sexy wink. Had he been one of the masked men last night?

  A middle-aged man came onto stage, clearly the director. He clapped his hands and gave direction, then he looked at Alaska. He planted his palms on his hips and asked, “Are you just going to sit there?”

  Alaska sat up straighter. Surely to God, he couldn’t be talking to her.

  “I...what?” she asked.

  “Are you just going to sit there or are you going to dance?”

  “I’m not one of the dancers,” she said.

  He folded his arms, his busy brow furrowing. “Then what are you doing here?”

  “I was just watching.”

  “The show isn’t until tonight, honey. Come back then.” He turned his back to her.

  After being dismissed and wishing she really was one of the dancers—after all, performing on a stage like that would be a dream come true for her—she retraced her steps. But instead of finding herself back at the pavilion, she walked into a beautiful outdoor, breakfast area. She was instantly greeted by a hot guy who led her to a private table with a spectacular view of the ocean. Even though she was used to being alone, a strange sense of loneliness came over her as she sat by herself, missing Jesse’s distant yet constant presence. The empty chairs beside her a sad reminder that she had no one to enjoy the view with. Was she just destined to be alone? Would everyone in her life eventually abandon her?

  When a waiter came with coffee, she redirected her thoughts, refusing to dwell on anything but this vacation, even though there seemed to be strange things going on. She blew into her cup then took a sip, hoping that after breakfast, she could find the two guys she sat between at the bar last night. As if thinking about them had conjured them up, they sauntered up to her.

  “Mind if we join you?”

  She blinked up at them and took in their mischievous smiles. “Sure,” she answered and resisted the urge to pinch them to make sure they were real. Instead, she fiddled with her cup as they sat, flanking her once again.

  The one with the dark hair and even darker eyes jabbed his thumb into his chest, and oh what a fine chest it was. “I’m Jack,” he said, then nodded toward his friend, “and he’s Blair.”

  Alaska swallowed a mouthful of coffee and turned to Blair. He flashed a bright smile and ran his hands through his cropped blond hair. She took in his features, then let her glance dropped to his shoulders. As she admired his well-built body, her skin flushed hot.

  With the air around them charging, sexual energy zinging between them all, she set her cup down and tried for casual. “I’m Janey,” she said. The waiter came with more coffee, and they went quiet as he filled their cups. As soon as he left, Alaska leaned into Jack, deciding to get right to the point. “Last night,” she began, wondering how she could ask about the mysterious club without sounding like she was certifiable. “The night club—”

  “Yeah, thanks for that,” Jack said, his sexy grin widening.

  Her brow furrowed, and she straightened in her seat. “What do you mean?”

  “It was a great scene,” Blair said, tapping his temple. “I like the way you think.”

  What the hell? They were acting like it was she who’d arranged the scene.

  “I...” she began again. “I went looking for the club this morning, and...um...it wasn’t there.” When both men looked at her like she was dense, she fidgeted nervously in her chair. “What?” she asked.

  From her peripheral vision, she spotted the Master walking through the breakfast area. Even though she still couldn’t make out his face, she knew it was him by the dark suit and the way he carried himself. She was about to jump up, to demand answers—after all, he was the one who’d pointed the club out to her—when Jack’s hand came down on her shoulder. His dark eyes narrowed when he asked, “You do know what this place is, right?”

  “Eden,” she answered, thinking about the invitation. “A vacation island.”

  “Yes, but it’s more than that.”

  “More than that?” she asked nervously.

  “Jesus, you really don’t know, do you?”

  “Know what?”

  “Who gave you the invitation?” Blair asked.

  “I won it. It was on a campus radio contest.”

  The two guys exchanged a look, and her head bobbed back and forth, trying to figure out what it was she was missing.

  What do they know that I don’t?

  Jack leaned back in his chair, his leg brushing hers under the table. “It’s a place where reality is whatever you wish it to be. Surely you were told that.”

  She lowered her voice, and her breath came shallow when she said, “I don’t understand.”

  Blair nudged closer. “Last night happened because it’s what you wanted to happen, Janey.” He put his hand over hers, and warmth surged through her veins. “The scene was from your fantasies.”

  She gulped and shook her head as her body tightened with erotic memories. “No way.” If the scene was from her imagination, then she had no doubt that Jesse would have taken the starring role. “I didn’t even know those men.”

  “You pick the scene, not the cast,” Jack said.

  Okay, so there was no denying that she’d fantasized about being tied up and pleasured, but last night’s scene was way over the top—beyond even her wildest imagination. “You guys are just messing with me.”

  Blair arched a brow, and his thick muscles shifted as he moved even closer, the warm scent of his skin washing over her. “What’s strange is that this wasn’t expl
ained to you. The person who extended the invitation should have laid out the details.”

  “I told you. I won it.”

  Once again, the two guys exchanged a confused look.

  Her fingers tightened around her mug, and she went silent for a moment as she cast her eyes down in thought, trying to wrap her brain around what they were saying. “I still don’t believe any of this,” she murmured.

  “No?” Jack’s voice was rich, darkly seductive, when he said, “Then join us at dusk.”

  Her stomach tightened with a mixture of apprehension and intrigue as she met his eyes. “What happens at dusk?”

  “That’s up to you.”

  “Meet us at the dock and bring your bathing suit,” Blair said. “We’ll catch the party boat and go on an adventure.”

  “Party boat?” she asked, a shiver skipping down her spine. “What kind of adventure?”

  Blair’s grin widened, the promise in his voice undeniable when he answered with, “Whatever kind you want.”

  Chapter Five

  With Blair’s parting words rattling around inside her brain, Alaska spent the rest of the day touring the beautiful island. She walked through the majestic castle and browsed the spa and boutiques before she took a trolley ride around the outskirts of Eden. As she kept one eye out for the Master, she spoke with several guests over the afternoon, but since none had mentioned anything about this island fulfilling fantasies, or altering realties, she didn’t bring it up, either. Partly because she was still convinced that Jack and Blair were messing with her and partly because if what had happened last night was due to the mystery and mystique of The Triangle, and they weren’t yanking her chain, she didn’t want to blow a good thing. She had a lot of fantasies saved up, and this was an opportunity too good to pass.

  The sun dipped beneath the horizon, turning the sky a pretty shade of pink as Alaska walked the beach. She grabbed a fruity drink from the guy working the Tiki bar and sipped on it as she splashed in the warm Atlantic surf. Breathing in the fresh, salty air, she exhaled slowly, watching the boats bobbing in the distance. She tipped her wrist and checked the time. Equal amounts of anticipation and nervousness invaded her stomach as she thought about making her way to the dock and boarding a boat where anything she wanted to happen, would happen.