Ryder

by Ali Parker

  After glancing at her watch and finding it was nearly three in the afternoon, Janna asked Alex where they were going. "Don't worry," he assured her. "One more lesson, then I'll return you to the hotel." Before long they pulled up in front of a large Queen Anne style mansion, settled atop a hill with views of the surrounding city.

  "This is amazing," Janna breathed as Alex led her towards the massive double doors. "Is it yours?"

  "It is," he said with his devilish smile, opening the doors. The furnishings were opulent and most even seemed historically appropriate.

  "More camouflage?" she asked as he led her through a sitting room and into what appeared to be an office. It was outfitted in black walnut and dominated by a stone fireplace, in front of which sat a pair of armchairs. Across the room was a massive desk, and along the walls stood several bookshelves crammed with enough books to fill a modest public library.

  "No, not really," Drake answered as he settled into the chair behind his desk and motioned for Janna to pull up a seat beside him. "I've always loved this style of architecture, so when I happened to drive past this beauty one day, I made sure to locate the owners convinced them to sell." Alex pulled out a laptop and opened it before turning to Janna and pulling her gaze to his stormy gray eyes.

  "One day isn't nearly enough to tell you everything you'd need to know about Brice's world, but at least I can give you a crash course. You're a quick study in table manners, and you already possess an eye for style even if you don't have the wallet to back it up. But the most important skill to arm yourself with when crossing into enemy territory is information gathering. You need good intel for this kind of mission. So I figured I'd try and give you some."

  "Intel?" Janna asked, confused. "What do you mean exactly?"

  Alex smiled, slipping an arm around her shoulder to pull her closer to his computer screen. "You gotta know who you're up against, and all their secrets. The dirtier, the better."

  He pulled up a slideshow, the first slide of which contained a picture of Keith and Donna Goddard, with a text box outlining pertinent facts. Janna gasped as she read her way down the list.

  "Keith is gay? How do you know this? And why is he married to Donna if this is true?"

  Alex grinned, she supposed at her shock and perhaps naivety. "Keith's Old Money, really Old Money. It wouldn't do to buck tradition. So he stays in the closet, and Donna is happy to play his beard. It keeps her in furs and diamonds, and enough money to put some of her boy-toys through college if they're smart enough not to squander her 'gifts.'"

  Janna wasn't sure how to feel about the revelation. It was sad that some people felt forced to live a life that wasn't their own, to please anyone other than themselves. She felt slightly revolted, prying into the sordid secret lives of the Rich and Shameless, but at the same time, as anyone who's ever paged through an Us Weekly can attest, there also existed a strange sense of attraction. The push and pull of good gossip. Attraction and repulsion. Unable to help herself, she bent forward, eyes eagerly trained on the screen.

  Chapter 13

  Almost two hours passed before she could pull her attention away from Alex's never-ending slideshow of skeletons in the walk-in closet. Janna scrambled out of her chair, realizing that they'd have to hurry if she was to make it back across town by six when Brice was expecting her.

  "What's wrong?" Alex's tone was puzzled.

  "I'm late," she replied with a sheepish smile. "Your damn gossip-mongering is gonna get me in trouble with the boss!"

  Alex laughed. "He's a tyrant, is he?"

  "Like you wouldn't believe. How about a lift back to the hotel?"

  "Sure." Despite his breezy agreement, it took Alex several minutes to finish up things in his office and call his driver, then several more minutes to get the car pulled out of the garage and them both inside it. Once they pulled out onto the highway and into rush hour traffic, Janna accepted that they'd never get close to the hotel by six. Pulling out her phone to text Brice about her tardiness, she let out a groan when she realized the battery was dead. She'd forgotten to charge it last night, and now it wouldn't even turn on.

  "What's the trouble?" Alex asked, his voice cool and curious.

  "My phone's battery is dead. Can I use yours to call Brice and tell him I'll be late?"

  "Sure," he said with a handsome smile, then stuck his hand in his pocket. His brow furrowed and he tried the other pocket, then tapped both pockets in his suit jacket. "You know what, I think I left my phone in my office. I'm sorry."

  "Shit." Janna bit her lip in frustration. She hated being late, and she hated not informing someone of her tardiness just as much. But there was little she could do about the situation, stuck in traffic.

  "Don't worry," Alex said, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. "Brice is a pretty mellow guy. I'm sure he'll understand."

  "You're late."

  She'd barely stepped into the suite before she heard Brice's voice. It was heavy. Ominous. "A thousand pardons," Janna replied airily, setting down her purse and walking up to Brice, putting her arms around him. "Alex distracted me, and when I realized I was running late, I tried to call, but my phone was dead."

  "Drake's phone was dead too?" Brice was strangely stiff. He hadn't put his arms around her yet, and his voice was flatter than usual. Almost distant.

  "He forgot it in his office."

  "Sure he did. That sonofabitch." The words were soft but almost snarled.

  "Brice! It wasn't his fault. We just lost track of time."

  "And where were you when you were 'losing track of time'?"

  Janna knew the conversation had crossed onto more dangerous ground, but couldn't understand why. "Well, he took me to some fancy shops, then we had lunch, and then we stopped by his house to--"

  "You were at his house?" Again, the tone was soft, but the words were full of taut meaning.

  "Yes, and I don't see what the big deal is." Brice opened his mouth to respond, but Janna smacked a hand over it. "And if you're gonna subject me to the third degree, the least you can do is feed me first. So please hold any further questions until I've gotten a few calories into me." She removed her hand and was startled to see the frown that marred his features.

  "Fine," he said after a moment. "I had reservations, but by the time we got there, they'd have given away our table. Besides, I figured since you've been out all day, perhaps we'd just have a quiet evening in."

  Janna nodded, although she didn't quite buy his explanation. She doubted any restaurant would "give away" Brice Masterson's table, even if he was several hours late. More likely he'd known they would argue, and he wanted to avoid a public scene. Janna couldn't blame him.

  "I took the liberty of ordering something earlier when I realized we wouldn't make our reservation. I'll call down now and tell them to bring it up."

  "Okay," Janna replied, turning towards the bedroom. "If we're staying in, I'd like to change." Really she just wanted some time away from Brice, from the anger she could feel simmering under the surface. She retreated into the bedroom and pulled her jeans and a clean t-shirt out from the closet, then padded into the bathroom.

  It was amazing how tense she felt. Returning to the suite, expecting another enchanted evening with Brice, she'd been full of hope, of anticipation. The anticipation remained, but the hope had been replaced by dread. Last night she'd argued with him, and it had been upsetting, but quickly they'd made up and made love, burning away their anger in a blaze of passion. But now, the unresolved Drake conflict coupled with her tardiness had made Brice distant.

  She wondered about the change. He didn't seem the type to run hot and cold, at least he hadn't so far. And though he didn't want Janna to associate with Alex Drake, he hadn't seemed that worried or upset this morning. So why the interrogation now?

  Suddenly a hot shower sounded better than going back out to face an icy and remote Brice Masterson. She pulled off her clothing and stood under the hot spray, willing the water to wash away her tension. It did little to
ease the anxiety, however, and before long she was pulling on her clothes and heading back out to face her fate.

  Brice sat at the table, staring down at the plates of warm food before him. He didn't look up when she took her seat across from him. "Mmm..." she hummed, hoping to lighten the mood. "Everything looks delicious." When he didn't move, Janna shrugged and began eating methodically. She couldn't taste anything, but she refused to let him see her upset.

  At last Brice picked up his fork and speared a roasted potato. He started to bring it up to his mouth, then he looked up and paused, searching her face. His mouth turning down in a slight frown, he returned the fork to his plate, potato untouched. "You were at Alex Drake's house this afternoon?"

  Janna sighed after swallowing a mouthful of tasteless food. "Yes. He wanted to give me the lowdown on the people who run in your circle. And I couldn't believe half of the things he said. It was...eye-opening."

  "If Drake were the one telling you these things, I would believe even less than half of them."

  Janna set down her utensils and devoted her full attention to the argument. If Brice wanted to hash this all out now, that was fine. Dinner was already ruined anyway. "What's your problem with Alex? He was nothing but a gentleman today, and very helpful."

  Brice snorted. "Yes, I'm sure he's helping himself right into your pants."

  "What?" Janna stood, anger and surprise warring for dominance.

  "Calm down," Brice said, motioning for her to retake her seat, which she ignored. "I told you, Drake was an asshole in college, and I'm sure he's an even bigger asshole now. The only time he showed any interest in a girl was when I was dating her. So whatever 'help' you think you're getting from the generous Mr. Drake is just a front for his true intent."

  "Which is what, exactly? To get me in bed, just to screw you? It seems like you guys could save yourselves some time if he just got you in bed and screwed you personally." Janna stomped off towards the bedroom, fury riding her hard. "I thought we settled this last night! That you would think so little of me--"

  Brice grabbed her arm, spinning her around. "It's not you I think so little of. It's him. And he's done it to me before."

  "Maybe with some college bimbo who couldn't decide whether she liked Gucci or Prada better, but not with me. You honestly think I'm willing to fall in bed with a guy just because he spends a little time with me?"

  Brice scowled. "I'd like to say no, but I'm reminded of our first night together."

  Janna's jaw dropped. "That's low. You know it wasn't like that."

  "Then tell me what it was like. And while you're at it, explain why you came back late from Drake's house, then immediately ran to take a shower. Did you do something this afternoon to make you dirty? I thought our shower this morning would have ensured you'd stay clean, at least until later tonight."

  Janna couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was this even the same man? "How dare you, Brice Masterson!" she snarled, then yanked out of his grip and stomped towards the bedroom. Before she could slam the door behind her, he barged in, shutting the door and pushing her up against it.

  "Oh, I'll dare, Janna. When it comes to you, I'd dare just about anything." His lips descended to claim hers. It was possession, plain and simple, as his mouth ravished hers. Before she could pull away, he moved back and stared down into her wide eyes.

  "You're mine. Do you hear me? I'm done pussyfooting around. I'm claiming you. You don't get to run away, and you don't get to run off with other guys. Understand?"

  "You're claiming me? Just what is that supposed to mean? I don't--"

  His lips were on hers again, blocking out her words, showing her just exactly what he meant by his. His tongue forced its way between her lips, subduing her own, dominating, staking his claim.

  She didn't want to submit, but Brice wasn't taking no for an answer, and before long she couldn't resist the power and passion of his kiss. She tumbled headlong into his embrace, forgetting everything but the feel of his lips against hers.

  Brice pulled away, his breathing heavy, his eyes filled with a dangerous hunger. "I won't share you, and I won't let another man steal you away. You're too important, and I've been down that road before."

  Janna remembered his confession on their first official date. Evetta. The name filled her with loathing. And Brice thought Janna would do the same?

  "Brice, I'm not your ex. I'm don't cheat, and I don't care about your money."

  "I know." His green eyes were pleading now, his gruff dominance giving way to the need underneath. "You're nothing like her. You're nothing like any woman I've ever met before. That's why I couldn't take it if you--"

  "Shhh..." She attempted to soothe him with her soft voice. "I won't. Alex Drake is a friend, and nothing happened today. Nothing will happen."

  Brice pressed his face into her neck and exhaled heavily. "I'm sorry." He nuzzled her, inhaling her warm scent. "The thought of losing you..."

  "Hush." She brought his mouth to hers for a gentle kiss. Janna tried to show him how much he meant to her, nibbling his lip, teasing his tongue with her own. Before long the tempo of the kiss changed, sliding deeper, growing hotter. It crossed from comfortable into the realm of desperation. Janna didn't understand it, but she was helpless before the onslaught of sensation.

  Brice grabbed her around the waist and lifted her, effortlessly carrying her over to the bed and nestling her among the astronomically-high thread count sheets and thick down comforter. She caught his eyes, and her breath froze in her chest. They were filled with heat, with desire, and something more. As he climbed on the bed and his body covered hers, he never took his eyes off hers. A shiver ran through her as she remembered his words.

  You're mine.

  Brice wasted no time removing his clothing, then nearly tore her own garments off in his haste. Then his lips were on her, hot fire burning a path from her neck down to her chest. He subjected her breasts too long, slow licks of his tongue; then he held her still to pull a nipple into the inferno of his mouth. As if this wasn't enough, he opened his mouth wider, pulling more of her breast into his mouth and sucking powerfully. Janna cried out in pleasure, her body shaking with need.

  He soon abandoned her breasts and worked his way lower, sliding his tongue into her weeping slit. Janna's arousal was so frenzied she was nearly feverish with lust, and she bucked into his mouth, attempting to drive him deeper. Brice growled in response, her reaction ramping up his own desire. He shoved two thick fingers into her, and Janna screamed when he sucked her clit into his mouth. She shattered in his grasp, her body trembling, her muscles straining under her climax.

  As she came down from the heights, Brice refused to stop his onslaught, scoring her oh-so-sensitive clit with his teeth and adding another finger, now plunging three digits into her, hard and deep. Before she could recover from her first climax he drove her to another, and pleasure shook Janna to her core, tears running down her flushed cheeks.

  Still, Brice wouldn't stop. Janna realized that he was staking his claim, seeking sole possession of her body. She knew she should be frightened, or even appalled, but she couldn't be. He wouldn't let her be. Driving into her to the hilt in one thrust, Brice cried out his pleasure as he took her, as he made her his. Over and over he plunged into her, her swollen tissues gripping every inch of his cock, quickly bringing Janna to the precipice again.

  Brice groaned into her neck as he slammed into her again and again. "I'll never let you go. Never." His words were like throwing gasoline on the fire of her arousal, and she came again, too hoarse to scream. As her muscles clutched his cock, Brice shouted his satisfaction, thrusting in deep and emptying his seed inside of her. He collapsed beside her, pulling her into the crook of his arm, breathing heavily.

  Janna was insensate after their coupling, her muscles weak, her mind basking in the afterglow. Brice had felt so raw, so unrestrained while inside of her, especially during his climax. Suddenly Janna gasped, slapping a hand over her mouth.

  "What?" he
asked, his concern evident in his tone.

  "No condom."

  Brice was silent for a moment as if he was weighing his words. "I'm tested every six months, and I'm clean. I don't make it a habit of disregarding condoms, but this time...honestly, it never crossed my mind. I'm sorry, sweetheart."

  She exhaled, unsure of how to feel. She should be upset, worried. But she believed him, and she hadn't been thinking about a condom either. "I'm clean too. And I have an IUD, so we should be covered."

  Brice rolled to his side and put both arms around her. "I don't want any barriers between us. I promise to take care of you, no matter what happens."

  His voice dropped lower after he pressed a kiss into her curls. "Janna...I know you still have your doubts, but I need to tell you how I feel about you."

  His green eyes burned into hers, and panic suddenly overwhelmed her. "Janna, I--"

  "Stop!" she cried, putting her hand over his mouth to prevent him from finishing his sentence. "Please...let's just...take it slowly."

  After a moment he nodded, but she could see the shadow of hurt in his eyes. Hoping to drive it out she pressed her lips to his, sliding her tongue into his mouth and distracting him from statements he shouldn't be making, promises he couldn't keep. Words she wasn't ready to hear. The rest of the night she would keep his mouth busy doing other things, and worry about the consequences later.

  Chapter 14

  Brice woke and stretched lazily, turning over with the intent of snuggling Janna close to him. Unfortunately, his hands encountered only empty space. He reached over to turn on the lamp and discovered he was alone in the bedroom. Janna was nowhere to be seen.

  Making his way out of bed and into the bathroom, he noticed that steam still lingered on the mirror. She'd already showered. Damn. He'd been hoping to shower with her. It really started the morning off right. If Brice had his way, he'd begin every morning by leisurely soaping and then rinsing her body, trailing his hands down her smooth skin, cupping her--