Dark Encounter (Secrets Of The Night Book 2)

by Nicole York

  "Because you'd like the girl, Erik."

  "You know I would never force myself upon a woman."

  "You wouldn't have to." He sat back down. "She’s starved for attention. She'd beg for your affection. Might be a nice gift from me to you."

  "A needy woman?" I snorted. "No, but thank you."

  "Be careful, and tread lightly, son. Don't fall for this city girl. It will only lead to your destruction because of her own." He rubbed his chest and turned toward his window, leaning back and letting out a long sigh. He'd died the day my mother had so many years ago and was nothing more than a heartless bastard with too much time on his hands now.

  "Anything else?" I asked softly as my hand lingered on the door handle.

  "No. Tell Kane to look into the theft I mentioned and take care of it. Report back when it's done."

  "Yes, Sir." I opened the door and walked down the long, empty hall toward the front door. Was Grace still at my place? Asleep on my bed? Her beautiful body tangled in my sheets?

  I'd give her a day to rest, and then I was calling... it was time to tease her into full submission, to make her crave me in a way that left her unable to turn me down.

  I hated to play games with her, but my black soul demanded it of me.

  Chapter 8

  Grace

  "So tell me again why we have to make all of these paper mache things? You know they sell this kind of shit at the store." Jenna scooted over and stretched out her legs.

  "Because we decided at the library that we wanted everything to be organic this year. You know... made from us." I reached out and grabbed another piece of paper before contorting it around a balloon. "It's going to be great."

  "Yeah. When we get it all done." She smiled, and everything seemed okay for a moment. Her smile faded a little. "Hey. You okay?"

  "As good as I can be." I shrugged. I wanted to tell her how badly I wanted Erik to want me, but it seemed so lame. He was way too much man for me to handle. I should have been lucky that he hadn't called all weekend. Not that we'd made that arrangement anyway. We shared an hour of passion, and he left me to lock up and see myself out.

  He was an asshole, and I was an idiot.

  "You know that you can have any man in this whole damn city, right?" Jenna reached out and squeezed my knee.

  "But what if I only want one?" I forced my voice into a normal calm sound. She'd pick me apart in minutes if I showed my true feelings. There was no way I was ready for that.

  "Grace." She took a deep breath and let it out. "I was in the wrong for encouraging things with Erik. He's a dangerous man. I shouldn't have let Nate help me get him there for you. I'm an idiot, but you're not. You're way beyond him."

  "Okay." I nodded and glanced down at the paper in my hands. Fuck. I was going to cry again. How many times could I cry over something so stupid? I hated myself as I turned and got up. "Be right back."

  "Grace," she called after me, but I jogged down the hall and closed myself up in my bathroom. "Grace. Let me in. I understand what you're feeling."

  "I know you do." I pressed a rag to my face and dropped down on the toilet. "I'm okay. Just give me a minute to pull myself together. It's silly."

  "No, it's not. If Nate hadn't forced himself on me, we wouldn't be together." She let out a frustrated huff. "But Erik isn't Nate. I know he's interested in you, but him not getting involved in your life is a really good thing. I was there when he shot Ashely."

  "He did that to save you, Jenna." I wiped at my eyes roughly. "I'm okay. Just leave me be. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

  "Grace. No. Come on. We were going to spend the day together."

  "I know. I'm sorry. I'm trying to work through all of this, but I just feel stupid and childish. I want something I can't have, and that's okay, but I have to still work through the feelings of being denied."

  "He didn't den-"

  "Yes, he did. Please leave, okay? I'll call you later. I'm not doing this right now." I got up and turned on the shower, forcing the conversation to end. We'd been friends most of my life, but in all of those years, I'd talked about one or two guys, and she'd talked about a million. This wasn't my forte. I didn't know how to act, what to say, how to seduce them. I was an idiot, and it was obvious by the sound of my voice in my head, the replay of me begging Erik to fuck me playing on a broken reel.

  He was dangerous. I knew that, and yet it didn't seem to matter.

  I paced for a little while, walking around the bathroom until I knew Jenna was gone for sure. After splashing cold water on my face, I walked out into the apartment and made my way to the kitchen. I rarely drank alone, but the moment felt too right to pass up the opportunity.

  "Guess I'm too much of a good girl for you, hmmm?" I poured the first shot of Everclear and lifted it to my lips, quivering at the horrible smell of it. "Here goes nothing."

  I threw it back and yelled loudly as it burned all the way down my chest to my stomach. One would never be enough though.

  Four shots later, I stumbled down the hallway into my bedroom and turned on the nineties station before stripping into my panties and bra. I danced around the room, my thoughts entirely on the music blaring from the speakers. No problems for me. I didn't need 'em.

  A hiccup burst from my lips, and I dropped down on the bed, laughing at my ignorance. How stupid was I? Thinking a hot bastard like Erik Bertinelli wanted an ugly duckling like me. I laughed louder, the movement shaking me as I lay half-naked in my bed.

  He was a man, and I was nothing more than a little girl, trying to figure out how the fuck to grow up.

  I grabbed my phone and pulled up Nate's number, texting him to get Erik's number. Time to break it off completely and tell him. I'm not interested in anything you have to offer, Mister.

  "That'll do him right." Hiccup.

  My phone buzzed beside me, and I scooped it up, expecting it to be Nate, but it wasn't. Unknown caller. It could be fun.

  "This is Grace Adams. How can I make your day?" I whispered seductively into the phone, half-expecting it to be a call center from the Middle East.

  A soft chuckle resounded in my ear. "Grace Adams. Are you drunk, you naughty girl?"

  Erik. Why was he calling? I jerked up in the bed and glanced around, covering my chest as if he could see me.

  "I thought you were a calling service. I was being childish."

  "Childish? I would say you were being incredibly seductive, which isn't good for you or me." His voice left my thighs clenched, my center wet.

  "I agree, seeing that we're nothing to one another. Something you need? I'm not working at the library this weekend, so if you're hoping to stay late today, then-" I tried to play all business, but he cut me off.

  "Grace. Hush."

  "I'm hanging up." I dropped back on the bed and closed my eyes. Fuck. I wasn't going to hang up.

  "Tell me what you have on."

  "No," I whispered roughly as lust burned through me.

  "Want me to guess?" He moved in between playful and aggressive. I needed both parts of his personality, all of it. I needed him.

  "I'm in my panties and a bra. I just danced around my room like a virgin teenager. Happy?" I barked into the phone, going for angry instead of hurt. My heart quivered in my chest. I was so lost to him and yet I was the only one that felt that way.

  "I can see you in my mind’s eyes." He growled softly. "I can't get away right now, but I wanna hear you come."

  "What?" His words rang through my mind, waking me up to the possibility of being incredibly naughty for him.

  "You heard me, Kitten. I can't get away right now. There's too much shit going on at the house, but I have about fifteen minutes. I'm in one of the bedrooms at my Dad's place. I want you spread across the top of me, but that can't be right now."

  "Erik. You left and told me to lock up the other night. You wouldn't kiss me. You didn't call me yesterday." I sat up as my anger locked into place. "I'm not playing your fucked up games. I'm a human, not a robot. A woman, not
a slut."

  "Oh, Grace. You are a slut, Kitten. You told me you were. You said you were my slut." He chuckled. "And I'm telling you to lay back and make sure you moan loudly. I want to come to the sound of you losing yourself for me."

  "No." Desire raced up my spine as a deep pulsing raged between my thighs.

  "Now. Lay back. I'm running out of time, and I'm a man who gets what I want."

  "Not this time you don't."

  "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon in the library. Wear a skirt so when I spank your ass in front of everyone you know and respect, they can hear the slap of my hand against your skin."

  "I'm not scared of you showing up tomorrow. You wouldn't-"

  "Lay back and do what I tell you to do. You don't know anything about me. I'll show up and do just what I promised to do. Stop fighting me. You want me between your legs as bad as I want to be there."

  "I hate you," I whispered and laid back as my heart tried to beat its way out of my chest.

  "Good girl. Tug that bra down and squeeze your pretty tit for me, Grace. Next time we're together, I'm going to lick and suck on those beautiful breasts, baby. I'm going to get them nice and wet so I can slip my cock through them and watch you lick at me while I come. You ready for that?"

  I cried out, my mind racing with the possibilities. "Yeah. I'm so ready," I moaned and squeezed my breasts as I closed my eyes. Somewhere within a matter of seconds, I resigned myself to do anything he wanted me to.

  "Good. I know you are, Kitten." He took a deep breath. "Now, slide your fingers into your panties and tell me what you feel. Be descriptive, or I'll finger fuck you while I spank your ass in the library tomorrow."

  A deep moan left me as I slid my fingers into my panties. "So wet, Erik. My body's ticking like a clock, the ache so bad I want to cry." I rimmed myself and moaned again.

  Bastard. How did he have me doing exactly what he wanted? A finger fuck and spanking sounded delicious, just not in the middle of the fucking library.

  "I can imagine it, baby. I'm slow fucking this big cock you sucked on the other night. It's not often a pretty girl like you can take something so huge into her mouth, much less her pussy. You gonna let me stretch you out good before I slide deep inside of you, Grace?"

  "Please?" I groaned and pressed my finger into my wetness as the image of him masturbating filled my mind. I wanted to be between his thighs, working him myself as he gazed down at me with his dark, brooding look.

  "Soon, kitten. Slide your finger into your heat. Press in hard and fast."

  "Oh God." I pressed a finger deep inside of me as my body clenched. "I love it."

  "I do too. Use two this time." His breathing was off, his panting almost enough to throw me over the edge.

  I obeyed and cried out. "It's too much."

  "Mmmmm... I'm going to have to take my time with you, Grace. Your sweet little pussy isn't going to play nice if we're not careful."

  "I want you all over me," I whimpered and went back to one finger as my orgasm built in my stomach. "I'm gonna come."

  "Make it loud, Grace. Think about me, ramming into you, baby. Fucking you from behind, my hands in your hair, on your tits, my teeth against your neck, Grace. Wet me with your come, kitten. Give me what I called for."

  I lifted up off the bed as I screamed his name, the world disappearing as delicious hot heat scored every inch of me. He came along with me, the deep sound of him groaning as he fucked himself hard and fast enough to leave me dizzy.

  "Erik," I whispered and rolled onto my side.

  "It's okay, baby. You did good. So good, Grace."

  "I want you to come over."

  "I'll see you tomorrow. Lick your fingers for me, kitten. Taste what I taste. Yearn for me the way I yearn for you."

  "No." I smiled. "Go to hell."

  He laughed. "Come with me."

  I dropped the call and chucked the phone across the room as my body tingled everywhere. Hell sounded horrible... unless he was there.

  Chapter 9

  Erik

  My dreams the night before had been all about her. The sound of her coming on the phone the night before almost too much. It was a new week, and I had to get a hold of myself. She was in danger at all times just knowing me, but quickly becoming my girl? Deadly.

  I walked out of the house and made my way to my bike, stopping short as Nate's car pulled into the drive.

  The sun hadn't risen yet. What the fuck was Nate doing up?

  "Hey, man." Nate got out of the car and walked toward me, extending his hand. "Sorry, it's so early. I couldn't sleep last night and went to the diner and this guy showed up. I want you to meet him. I think it'll be good for both of you."

  "I'm Cole." The guy extended his hand as he walked toward me.

  "You're a cop, right?" I lifted my eyebrow and smirked at the irony of the situation. Of course, the rookie detective looking into Kadia was making friends with Nate. It was fucked up on too many levels to discern that early in the morning. I shook his hand firmly. He knew exactly who I was without a doubt.

  "Yeah, but Nate here is trying to talk me out of it." He reached up and ran his hand through his dark-brown hair. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I come from the streets of Cali. I just wanted to get away, and having owned a security business before; I thought becoming a detective would help me move on."

  "Move on from what?" A sense of foreboding raced down by back.

  "From a fucked up childhood and a horrible divorce." He slipped his hands into his pockets. "I've been watching you guys, waiting to see if you would get involved."

  "Involved in what?" I glanced over at Nate, wondering how the fuck my best friend got mixed up with the law... in a good way. Stranger things had happened.

  "In the deaths at Kadia."

  "Nope. Fredrick Carrington is your man." I chuckled. "And he came by this past weekend to make sure you didn't come looking for him."

  "Oh yeah?" The guy didn't seem the least bit worried. "You supposed to off me?"

  "No. We don't kill cops unless we have to." I pursed my lips as Nate spoke up.

  "So I think me and Cole have come to an agreement, but of course, it's your call on whether we move forward with things."

  "You guys dating now?" I glanced between the two of them.

  "Fuck you too, Erik." Nate reached up and ran his hand over his chin. "Cole's willing to step into being a plant for us at the station, as a detective."

  "And in return?" I glanced back over to Cole, not believing our luck. A rookie cop with a bad side? It was too good to be true.

  "I want a place to stay, a little bit of money and protection should things go to hell." He shrugged, far more relaxed than he should have been.

  "Alright. I'll talk to the old man, but consider it done. We'll have you meet with him soon to lock things down." I extended my hand. "You sure about this? Once you belong to us, there is no leaving."

  Nate stiffened, and I hated the fact that he thought of our arrangement as a restriction of his freedom. He had anything he could possibly want and then some because of the syndicate, but he didn't see it that way.

  "I'm sure." Cole shook my hand firmly.

  "Great, now get the fuck outta here. I have to go to work." I walked to the bike, trying to get my mind on the hit I had in front of me later that morning. Cole and Nate could work out the details with my father. Once again, I was getting pulled into parts of the business that had nothing to do with me.

  I was a hitman. Death on delivery, and that's all I was. It was all I knew to be.

  A shiver ran through me as I wiped the barrel of my gun and slipped it in the back of my jeans. The three dead bodies on the floor would be found by lunch time seeing that I was standing in a well-known restaurant kitchen downtown.

  "Why don't you fuckers learn?" I turned and walked out into the early morning sunlight, breathing in deeply. I'd been on more kills in the last six months than the entirety of my adult life. My father was slipping deeper and deeper into
darkness, and the idea of taking a life had become almost too easy for him.

  Of course, it was easy. He just sent me.

  Would Grace really want to see me if she knew what I did for a living? Hearing it and seeing it were two totally different things. I was torn in two where she was concerned. I'd longed for her for too goddamn long to just walk away from marking her tender flesh with my scent. She needed to know that she belonged to me, and our relationship moving forward or not would solely be my decision.

  It had to be. Her life was at stake simply because of the idea of us being together. My father would never accept her. Or anyone for that matter.

  I got on my bike and took the long way to the library, letting the chilly November wind blow through my hair. It would be snowing before too long, and some part of me looked forward to it. It felt clean, alive, whole. All the things I struggled to find inside of myself anymore.

  My father had accepted the idea of bringing Cole on board with the syndicate, though I still wondered what would cause a man to offer his services to us. We usually had to force compliance upon anyone we wanted to work with. Digging into his story was something I planned to do the minute I had the chance to.

  The parking lot at the campus library was packed, which was never a good sign. It was hard enough to find a place to hide out and read when it was empty, but no doubt I'd be recognized by ten people. My family was too well-known not to. Of course, everyone had it backward. We were pillars of the community, my father's a loving, giving individual. It was sickening to ponder on too long.

  I pushed the door open and walked into the familiar smell of old books. Breathing in deeply, I glanced over at the front desk, hoping to find my girl. The crabby old woman that gave Grace hell all the time looked up, sneered and glanced back down.

  "Welcome to the library," her voice rang out.

  Ignoring her, I jogged up the three flights of stairs in front of me and picked up the World War II novel I'd started the week before. Books were my only reprieve and a secret one. Should someone from the syndicate find out that I spent half my days reading, I'd never hear the end of it.