I washed away the criminal grime and wrapped myself in a plush robe that was hanging on the back of the door. Steam poured out when I stepped from the bathroom and made my way to bed.
I wasn’t going to sleep, not without knowing where my brother was, but at least I could lie somewhere comfortable without worrying about someone breaking into my car and killing me. I didn’t have anything to worry about here. At least I hoped I didn’t.
I couldn’t stop thinking about my brother and how I’d let him down. I’d never been away from him overnight. I didn’t know if he was safe. I didn’t know if he was warm, or if he was comfortable. These were just some of the things moving through my head.
I stared at the ceiling until the night sky turned pink. And then I finally fell asleep and slipped into one horrible nightmare after another.
I WOKE AT NOON WITH sounds coming from outside my door. Wrapping the robe tighter around my waist, I tiptoed down the hallway. A heavenly smell filled me and I followed it with my nose, like I was in one of those cheesy cartoons.
I hadn’t eaten anything decent in forever and as soon as I stepped foot into the high-tech kitchen, my stomach growled loudly. It was then a half-naked Sebastian Black turned around from the stove and met my stare.
From the waist down he wore hip-hugging jeans that rode low, but from the waist up he was all muscle and dark skin. Muscles I didn’t even know were possible rippled across his chest when he turned with a spatula in hand.
I felt my mouth hanging open and without realizing it, I gawked at every piece of his flesh my eyes could touch. His face split into a knowing grin.
“Like what you see?” he asked with a cocky smirk.
His hair was a sexy slept-on mess. I wanted to get my fingers stuck in its tangles. I averted my gaze and walked into the kitchen. Choosing a seat at a tiny table that was pushed up against a window, I looked out over the street in front of the club.
“By the sound of your stomach, I’m assuming you’re starving. I’ve heard many noises from women’s bodies in my time, but nothing quite like that.”
I felt my face heat up as a blush took over.
Soon, a plate was set in front of me, full of bacon, eggs, and a side of fresh strawberries. My stomach growled again and he chuckled softly above me.
“Thank you,” I whispered in humiliation.
He leaned down from behind, lips skimming the side of my neck, and the soft prickle of his stubble brushed against my skin. “For you, anything.”
A shiver worked its way up my back and ran into my hair line. I was positive my hair grew an extra inch in that moment.
I dug into my eggs like the starved woman I was, not even realizing when he sat in front of me with a plate of his own.
He didn’t waste any time and got straight to the questions. “Where’s your brother?”
My fork full of eggs paused, suspended in the air. A fireball of guilt ignited in my stomach. I was in such a luxurious place, eating bacon and eggs, while he was stuck in some children’s home. Swallowing hard, I answered. “They took him.”
Throat clenching, tears rushed to my eyes.
“Who?” he asked.
I choked down my feelings. “Child protective services.” I looked up just in time to see his tan face pale.
“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” His chair scraped across the floor as he stood and went to his phone. Picking it up, he dialed a number and left the room.
I sat there confused, until finally he came back into the kitchen.
“Vick’s on her way to pick up your brother.” He sat back in his seat and began to eat again, acting as if he hadn’t just turned my world right side up again, leaving me dizzy in the process.
I gawked at him. My eyes landed on his lips and I was taken aback by how full they looked. “What?” I asked breathlessly. No way did he fix everything for me with a single phone call.
He looked up from his food. “Your brother. Vick is getting him.”
The muscles in his arms flexed as he bent over his plate. It was then a tattoo was revealed. It wrapped around his arm and moved up, out of sight. While I was never one to find such things attractive, it changed his look. He went from Sebastian, suit-wearing club owner, to Sebastian, tattooed Sex God, with muscles I wanted to touch.
Without a second thought, I stood and walked over to him. Completely against myself, I bent and wrapped my arms around his neck. He stiffened in my arms, and turned to look at me.
We were face to face. Nose to nose. Lips to lips. I could feel his breath against my mouth and the strange desire to kiss him took over.
Pulling away, I cleared my throat and looked away. “Thank you,” I said.
“Don’t thank me. Thank Vick,” he said, before he dove back into his food with a pinched, angry brow.
I smiled to myself and sat back at the table.
He stood then and I looked up at him, but he wasn’t paying me any attention.
Going to the sink he rinsed his plate and then turned to leave the room. I felt confused and disappointed all at once.
“I’ll be in my office. When you’re ready, find me there.”
And then, he was gone.
I felt annoyed with him, and more with myself when I realized this was all a part of his plan. This was a game to him and he was currently winning.
When I was done, I rinsed my plate and went back to the room I’d stayed in the night before. I would not be looking for him like he expected. I couldn’t be in the same room with him without wanting to slap him for being so smug and self-assured. Yet at the same time, I wanted kiss him because every time he looked at me I felt like I was seconds away from going up in flames.
I dressed in the only clothes I had and decided to get out of his apartment before I did something totally against who I was. Something like, drop my panties for him and beg for his touch. It could happen.
I felt a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders now that I knew Kyle was going to be okay, but at the same time, I knew I had to figure out my situation. And I had to figure it out fast.
I made it to the door of the club, and then stopped. It was insane, sure, but what if I took Sebastian’s offer? I had already decided that having sex with him sounded… intriguing. And getting paid to do it? Well, hell. That was kind of a bonus in my current situation.
Sure, he was a little extreme and, for some odd reason, he refused to learn my name—insisting on calling me Jessica. And despite the fact he wanted me to think Vick was the one who was always fixing everything, I knew he was a good guy.
Lots of people didn’t want to be in a relationship. Trish was one of them. I spent an entire night listening to the pros and cons of being single, and honestly it didn’t sound terrible.
There was also the tiny fact I couldn’t stop thinking about him. At first he’d seemed intense and somewhat odd, but now I’d been around him for a while, I was starting to feel different. I was a woman, and as Trish had once said, women have needs.
I never understood that statement, until Sebastian whispered in my ear. And also when I stepped into his kitchen this morning and saw him half-naked. The fact was, I wanted him. I could kill two birds with one stone. I could get money to set me and Kyle up, and I could spend some time with Sebastian. I’d be stupid to turn that down.
I turned on my heels and went back the way I came. I knew what I wanted—what I needed, and all of that was up those stairs in a pair of sexy jeans.
I DIDN’T LIKE IT. HER staying at my place, us eating breakfast together—all of it felt right, which felt wrong. This shit was exactly why I had fucking rules. I was done making exceptions for her.
This girl was unknown to me, except her life seemed to be spiraling out of control… and I had the strongest desire to make everything better for her.
I was starting to think I should forget the whole deal and just learn her name. Take her under my wing, the way I did with Vick. But then she’d smile at me when I did something nice for her, and it
would be better than sex with any of the women in my black book.
I was truly fucked.
If I’d learned anything in all my years, it was that you couldn’t give a woman an inch without her expecting the whole fucking world.
I made my way up to my office and sat down behind my desk before turning the monitor on and clicking around my desktop. A little box popped up, awaiting my password, and I entered with swift taps on the keyboard.
Welcome, Mr. Black. A computerized voice buzzed through the speakers on my computer. The screen lit up showing four different pictures.
Each of the four screens was surveillance for the different rooms in my apartment. I even had surveillance for the club. I wasn’t a very trusting person. In fact, I trusted no one. Therefore, there wasn’t anything in my home or work that I couldn’t see at all times.
I found Jessica still sitting in the kitchen as she ate alone. I was positive I knew what she was going to do, but it didn’t hurt to ensure my investments. Plus, I liked watching her.
After she finished her breakfast, she went to the room she’d stayed in for the night. Almost an hour later, she emerged dressed in clothes from the night before.
While I watched and waited, I made some necessary calls. One of which, included getting my driver here. Her car was a total piece of shit, at least what I’d seen of it the night I followed her outside. Plus, I liked the idea of her needing me for something else. It gave her more incentive to take my deal. Once she did, her car wouldn’t matter anymore anyway since I’d have her use my driver or I’d get her a driver of her own.
I watched her walk to the entrance of the club and smiled to myself. I could appreciate her stubbornness. She wanted to feel like she was exercising all of her options, but the truth was, I was her only option. She was scared and feeling helpless, but I could sense other things stirring deep within her. She could deny it all she wanted, but she was excited by what I was offering her.
With a click, my monitor went black and then I waited. A few minutes later, when my office door opened, Jessica was staring back at me. She was stiff as she shut the door and made her way to the couch across from me.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
She trembled slightly, but it was enough for me to see it. And then she took a big cleansing breath.
“Yes, the proposition from the other night…” she stopped.
“What about it?” I asked.
“Does it still stand?”
I leaned back in my chair and stared at her. She licked her lips nervously and my cock started to grow. “It does.”
“I’d like to take you up on your offer.”
The words came from her lips too quickly. It was as if she was forcing herself to say them.
I couldn’t help the grin that covered my face. “Are you sure?” Seriously, Black. What the hell was I doing? Why was I giving her an out?
I wanted her more than I’d wanted any other woman—maybe ever. This was my way of doing things, and I had the upper hand, as far as she was concerned. The last thing I needed to do was make her second guess her decision.
She nodded and her nostrils flared. “I’m sure.”
I didn’t like how her emotions were showing so clearly, but her words made me extremely happy. It was about time I had someone new. It wasn’t normal for me to mold a woman into what I wanted, but for her, I’d make an exception.
Standing up, I made my way around the desk. Her eyes never left my face and her nerves were showing. My eyes dipped to her neck, just in time to see her swallow hard. I positioned myself in front of her and leaned against my desk. “Well if that’s the case, stand up.” I couldn’t wait to run my fingertips across her perfect skin.
She stood on shaky legs, with her head down.
“Look at me, beautiful girl.”
She lifted her face to mine with closed lids, and when she opened them, the rare green color caught me off guard. They were the color of moss—like the green of the Irish coastline. Beautiful. But then I looked harder and the fear lingering along the edges of her thick lashes cut me deep.
“I know you’re afraid, but in time you’ll learn to trust me.” I reached out and fingered a strand of her hair.
It was red—the most luxurious shade of crimson I’d ever seen, and it felt like silk. I closed my eyes and imagined what her hair would feel like against my chest as she rode me.
She flinched when I let my fingers move against her cheek. “I trust you,” she said.
Her words soothed a part of the ache that had lived in me for many years.
“You’re quite possibly the most beautiful woman I’ve ever had the luxury to meet. Do you have any idea how attractive you are, Jessica?” I could feel myself getting lost in her already. She was the perfect aphrodisiac for a man like me.
“My name—” she started.
I ran my thumb across her lips. “Don’t. If this is going to work, I never want to know your name. Your name is Jessica when you’re with me, understand?”
She hesitated, but finally nodded and I continued to caress her lips with my thumb. They were soft—too soft for my rough fingers.
She was shaking. Her nerves were getting the best of her, and I was starting to realize something about Jessica that made me a bit nervous.
“Are you a virgin?” I asked, not one to beat around the bush. I was blunt and demanding, and if it was really going to work between us, she needed to understand that soon.
Her neck snapped when she looked up at me with wide, shocked eyes. “I…” she stopped suddenly. “That’s a little personal don’t you think?”
I couldn’t help myself. I chuckled. “If you accept my proposal, I’ll know you better than anyone ever has.” I let my hands move lower and ran my palm across the side of her breast before I wrapped my hand around her waist and pulled her closer. “I’ll know you inside and out. I’ll taste you. I’ll make you say and do things you never thought you would, and the best part is, you’re going to love every second of it.”
I felt her nipples stiffen against my chest and silently celebrated. “So I ask you again, has anyone ever been inside you? Has any other man ever tasted that sweet pussy?”
My dick pressed against the zipper of my pants and begged for release. I wanted to pull her hips close and press into her warmth, but I sensed it would scare her even more.
Her breathing changed and I let my eyes wander across her breasts as they lifted and fell with each breath.
Still, she didn’t answer. Running a finger beneath her chin, I lifted her face to mine. I was close enough that her sweet breath rushed against my lips, prompting me to kiss her and taste her.
“I don’t like to wait, sweetheart. Not even for someone as beautiful as you. Answer the question.” I allowed my lips to brush against hers.
Her breathing accelerated and I was rewarded when her tongue peeked out of her mouth and ran across her lips.
“No,” she whispered. “There’s been no one.”
A growl sounded from the back of my throat and again she swallowed hard.
The nice guy in me knew it was wrong to take something so special when I had nothing special to give in return. But then the devil in me spoke of how sweet and tight she would be.
What could I say? I was an asshole and the angel on my shoulder could suck my dick as far as I was concerned. I wanted her tight little pussy and I wanted it all to myself.
“So how exactly does this work?” she asked. Again, she licked her lips and took a deep breath.
Taking a step back, I sat down in my chair and leaned back. Folding my arms behind my head, I decided to take my time, after all, she had certainly taken hers. When I didn’t respond right away, she licked her lips nervously and my cock twitched.
“Sorry, sweetheart, but I don’t fuck virgins. They’re too unpredictable, plus I’d have to put in all the work to get you exactly where I needed you.” I let my chair go, sitting upright, and went back to flipping through my papers.
“What?”
I was damned impressed with the lies I was able to spew without batting an eye. I wanted to fuck her all the more now that I knew she was a virgin. She was damn lucky a desk separated me from her untouched pussy.
“You made me go through all of that to tell me no?” She was outraged. I fucking loved it.
I sighed, faking annoyance and stood, pulling out a silver money clip, I pulled out a hundred. Making my way toward her, I held the bill between two fingers.
“Here’s a hundred.”
She looked down at the bill in my fingers and then back up at me. Her face had colored several shades of red. “Fuck you.” She hissed and then turned on her heel.
Fortunately for her, I wasn’t done with her yet. She pulled open my office door, but I was faster and I slammed it shut with my hand, blocking her between me and the door.
She didn’t try to fight me and I knew I had her exactly where I wanted her. Flipping her around, I forced her to look at me.
“I’m a charitable man, ask anyone, but I only give one warning, so listen carefully. Nobody, and I mean nobody, talks to me like that.” She didn’t respond and really, I didn’t need her to. “Because I’m such a generous guy, I’m going to give you a chance to prove to me that you’d be worth it. You know, despite the fact that you’re a virgin.”
“What makes you think I want to prove anything to you now?”
Leaning into the door on one arm, I held my finger up and made a tsking sound. “Want to or not, you owe me. But I have a feeling you want to.”
“You’re wrong,” she challenged.
“Am I? Would you like me to find out?” She stiffened and I smiled. “Deny it all you want, sweetheart, the spark in your eyes tells me differently.”
“You’re delusional.”
“And you’re a fucking liar. A delusional asshole and a liar. What do you think about that?”
“I think this was a mistake.”
Little Black Box Set Page 5
