Anguished (Crimson Elite Book 2)

by T. L Smith

  “Did you do that just then to make her mad?”

  Shit.

  “No,” I answer truthfully.

  Her hand clasps the strap of her bag. “Are you sure, because that’s what it seemed to me you just did.”

  Grabbing her face so she can’t move from me or even look away. “I don’t see her. I haven’t for a long time. You’re at fault for that.” Then I lean in and kiss her again, just because I can.

  Storm sits across from me at a restaurant we frequent with the guys. Darby’s a fussy ass and only eats the finest foods. It’s the best place to bring her as it gives you privacy in a public forum. Best of both worlds for the both of us. She pushes at her drink, her hands just moving the glass around.

  “So?” I ask.

  She looks up her head shaking. “You just asked me to be your girlfriend. Is that not something we do when we are teenagers, not adults?”

  It’s true, I did. I want to start afresh. The only way I know how to do it that is to ask her to be mine. And not in the macho way which I know will scare her, like me kidnapping her and locking her in my bedroom. She probably wouldn’t take too kindly to that.

  “So what do you say?”

  “Do you love her?” she asks lifting the wine glass to her lips, her eyes stay trained on me.

  “No,” I answer as clear and concise as possible.

  “Do you want to be with her?”

  “No,” I answer again as clear and concise as possible.

  “Am I meant to just take your word for it? You could be lying, then in a few months’ time when I don’t want to go back you could miss her, want her,” she says as she places her wine on the table.

  “That will never happen. It’s you only that I want. It’s you that I need. Just say, yes.”

  “If I agree to be your…” she coughs, “… girlfriend.” I nod smiling. “What does that mean?”

  “I’m trying real hard here not to rush this, to not fuck this up. You fit in everywhere like you’re perfect for me. I don’t quite understand it, but I get it. You were made for me.” She doesn’t say a word. “You’re also my ten. That has to count for something.”

  She smiles at that. “I won’t be anyone’s second best, or second choice. I want to be first.”

  I reach over, taking her hand in mine. “Oh, fuck me, you’re more than my first choice, you’re my dream choice, my only choice.” She giggles. “Plus, my mother likes you. And she never likes anyone when it comes to me.”

  “She’s trying.”

  I nod agreeing. That she is.

  We eat and for the rest of the night we small talk. Storm tells me about how she got to where she is today in business and it makes me proud. She earned her spot and works hard for it. I’ve never been with someone who’s so career focused. The only person I know like that’s like her is Darby. If we didn’t have Darby, I’m not sure where we would be in business. Definitely not where we are today, that’s for sure.

  “Your friends are… interesting,” she says as we stand. She’s asking me exactly what I do for the club and I tell her.

  “So you ran a check on me?” she asks.

  “I did, and yes they are.”

  “Creed’s… quiet.”

  I laugh at her words. “Creed doesn’t like people. Don’t take it personally.”

  She nods as we walk out. Turning her around as the cold air hits our skin, she smiles.

  “It’s a first date, Echo. Do you think you should be touching me like this?” she asks in a teasing voice but doesn’t pull herself away either.

  “What, like this?” My hand drops between our bodies and I touch her pussy. She laughs and brushes my hand away. “I don’t think I can let you go tonight.”

  She groans and lays her head on my shoulder. “You don’t get a choice.” She laughs pulling away and starts to walk off only looking back once as she gets to her car.

  “Not even a kiss?”

  She shakes her head. “We never stop at a one kiss.”

  Damn it, she’s right. I was hoping she would forget about that. She smiles the whole way until I can no longer see her, and now I have a set of blue balls.

  Second Date…

  Storm’s dressed in red, it makes me smile more than I thought it would.

  She made me wait almost a full week to see her again, and I agreed because I want her to know that I would wait as long as it takes. I would do what she needed, so all my past fuck-ups and her thinking she wasn’t it for me, would prove her wrong. But it was hard, so fucking hard to not see her, even touch her.

  Storm’s put me on restrictions, and I hope tonight she will break them. Even if she doesn’t, I’m at least going to try for a kiss, I need those lips on mine.

  “Are you sure I can be here?”

  I nod. Opening the door, the girls are all here, but they aren’t dressed how they usually are. We do this once a year, a gala for our existing clients so they can meet other girls who they’re usually assigned to. I asked Storm to come, it may have not been the best idea, but it’s where I spend all my time. I want her to know it as well.

  “You lot are low key geniuses.” She laughs looking around. I keep my hand on her lower back not wanting to let her go. Creed, Falcon and Darby are standing at the bar talking to Johnny when I walk in. They all look in our direction as we walk closer to them.

  “I see you brought a guest.” Darby nods to Storm. Usually, we aren’t meant to bring anyone, but I want her to know everything there is about me. Not hiding anything from her, like I did with Selena.

  “We’re stopping by before our dinner,” I answer. Falcon takes her hand, kissing it, making her blush. “Knock it off.” He does these things to us to rile us up, more so he likes to rile up Creed as he takes longer to bite.

  “I’m just complimenting the most beautiful woman in this room. Lord knows why she’s standing next to you.” I see her smile at his words, which makes me happy, so I ignore his remark and show her around. She’s careful to not step into any rooms, even when I take her upstairs to my office.

  “You don’t want to come in?” She shakes her head. Then I pull the cloth away from the table showing her my plans.

  “We’re having dinner here?”

  I nod as she finally walks in. My office is nothing fancy, just a desk and a sofa. Which has been removed to place the extra table and chairs in for tonight? “Pizza.”

  She smiles. Her hand touches her heat. “You know the way to my heart, after all,” she gushes before she sits down.

  “Does that mean you’ll come back to mine tonight?”

  She takes a bite of the pizza and shakes her head. “No. Don’t you know the rules?”

  “Rules?” I ask confused.

  “It’s the third date that’s meant to be the winner, but it has to be good.”

  Game on.

  Third Date…

  She made me wait another week. Which I actually needed for what I wanted to do. This date will be the best date she’s ever been on. Of that, I’m sure.

  Tonight she has on jeans and a white shirt as she waits for me out the front of her house. Her bag is over her shoulder, and she smiles brightly when she sees me. I like being the reason it’s there, that I put that smile on her face. But I like it even more when she screams my name.

  I’m just about to get out of the car when she pulls the door open not letting me get it for her.

  “I’m excited, big expectations here.” She claps her hands in front of her. “But why do I have to wear something comfortable, I mean wouldn’t this be harder to get off than a dress.” She winks.

  Fuck, she’s right.

  Now my mind is stuck there.

  In the gutter. And now I’m thinking of all the ways to remove her jeans, fast.

  Closing my eyes and looking away is my only option. I try not to speak on the drive, basically because my cock is straining in my trousers, and I don’t want to hear her say my name, which I think I might explode if she does.

 
; “Where….” Storm looks around when we pull off on the dirt road. Her hands cling to her seatbelt as if she’s afraid. She stays quiet the closer we get. When the car comes to a stop, I flash my lights twice and turn to watch her.

  Her face is blank until the first light comes on, then the next, until it’s completely lit up. The old theme park that closed down years ago is owned by the property Darby bought a few years ago.

  She turns with a smile so big. “What’s this?”

  “Do you like it?”

  Storm nods turning back. “Can we go in?”

  I get out and go and open her car door. Most of the rides don’t work due to safety reasons, but a few do. The merry-go-round is one. She claps her hands together when we get to it, then she climbs on the horse. I don’t want to go on any other, so I climb on the back behind her, wrapping my hands around her waist and breathing her in. Tonight she smells like vanilla, and it takes everything in me not to taste her.

  “You outdid yourself tonight, blondie,” she jokes.

  The operator comes over and passes us two glasses of champagne.

  She squeals in excitement. “You didn’t need this, I would have slept with you anyway,” she says as the ride starts.

  Now, I just want this date to end so I can take her back to mine.

  29

  Storm

  He upped his game, better than anyone else. He opened a theme park for me. Who the hell does that? I guess Echo does that. The older guy who turns on a few rides offers us some fairy-floss as we get off the merry-go-round again. “You really upped your game.” Just before I can put the fairy floss in my mouth Echo licks it from my finger.

  “I had to secure my chance.”

  I laugh because it’s funny, and he really didn’t need to. I would have gone home with him anyway. That was one of the reasons I suggested he pick me up this time. The other times I had to drive, my willpower not being that strong.

  “Oh, you did. Maybe you might even get a bonus.”

  Echo pulls some money out of his pocket and hands it to the guy, who’s been turning the rides on. “A bonus you say?”

  I nod as we get back to the car. It’s dark out here, the bright lights from the park are being turned off slowly. Stepping behind him, he turns around with scrunched up eyebrows until my hand lays on his chest and I push him back so his ass hits the front of his car.

  “Red.”

  My fingers make work of his belt pulling it off and flinging it to the ground. He goes silent as he watches me. I drop on my knees in front of him as I pull his cock free. His hand goes straight to my hair gripping it, while one of my hands touches his balls, and the other the base of his cock. I lick the tip. He bucks at me not speaking, letting me do what I want. So, I lick again, this time as if I’m kissing his mouth, my tongue making circles around his tip, his hand clenching hard in my hair. I take him all in as far as I can without making myself vomit.

  “Red. Fuck.”

  I like to make him dizzy for me. It’s a bonus him wanting me so bad. Not even Matthew wanted me this bad. I like the way he wants me. It’s powerful, and no woman should hold this much power over a man.

  My head continues to bob up and down as my other hand massages his balls. I feel them tighten just before he comes. Swallowing, I stand up wiping off my mouth followed by the dirt from my knees.

  I yelp as he picks me up, throws me on the hood of the car and reaches for my jeans.

  “You’re a bad girl. Let’s hope Ian doesn’t walk out this way, or he’ll get a show.” He laughs referring to the guy who helped us with the rides today. He removes my jeans fast, faster than I could have gotten them off myself that’s for sure, and spreads my legs wide on the bonnet of his car. Looking up, I see the night sky. It’s dark with only a few stars to be seen scattered across the blackness of the heavens.

  His mouth touches me and I jump in surprise, his tongue makes its way around my clit, then he slides two fingers straight in. I’m already wet and eager for him. Hearing the way he moaned my name earlier did it for me. So, this is just the icing on the cake and I know I won’t last long.

  Circles then he bites. Circles then he bites. It’s a small nip, but it sends shock waves through my system. The fourth time he does it then licks from his fingers straight back up, I’m convulsing on the hood of his car. He goes to go back for more, but I close my legs, my clit too sensitive to touch, so he kisses his way up until he reaches me.

  “Move in with me.”

  I laugh at him, and when he doesn’t say anything, I look at him watching me. “No.”

  “How many more dates until you agree to that one?”

  “At least ten.”

  “Okay perfect. We are at three now. Only seven more to go.”

  I laugh at his honesty and the fact that he has no shame.

  Moving in, that’s a big step. And it’s not one I want to rush into.

  Just because our first three dates have been amazing it isn’t always an indication for the rest.

  “I can see you overthinking it.” He taps my nose then pulls my jeans up my legs, helping me dress as he assists me to stand. “Just go with it.”

  “Easier said than done.” I laugh at him.

  He’s taken me on two more dates since our third date, and I can honestly say it only gets better and better. I’m not even sure how that’s possible and I’m waiting for something to go wrong, something to fuck up. We seem to fit so perfectly now, we aren’t pretending all we want is just sex.

  Standing at the end of the aisle, I look back to see him sitting with my mother, his eyes on me as we listen to Mel and Howard getting married.

  Today is our sixth date, and even if it’s my best friend’s wedding, it’s better than any. He’s met my mother before, but not with me consenting. She likes him, more so than Matthew. Echo’s charming, that’s for sure.

  I turn back when they are pronounced man and wife—they kiss like lovers who finally have their happy ending. It makes me smile.

  Stepping down the aisle, Echo stands and winds his hand in mine as we walk together to the reception.

  “I think your mother likes me more than you.”

  I turn back to my mother following us, there’s a smile so broad on her face I think it would be hard to wipe off given the circumstances.

  “Maybe she can move in with you, instead of me.”

  He stops, making my mother run into the back of us.

  “Mom, I’m sorry,” I say.

  “It was my fault, Ethel. It was my fault, I was startled by something Storm said.”

  My mother nods and pats Echo’s shoulder as she walks past him. He holds me back until we’re the last left in the church, and waits for the door to shut before he speaks and let’s go of my hand. “You’re agreeing to move in?”

  “Who said that?” I play with him, his eyebrows scrunch as his lips thin while shaking his head. He grabs hold of my hand again and starts to move, I hold him back, and when he turns to look back at me, I smile. “Yes. Trial basis. I don’t want to get rid of my place yet.”

  “If I could bend you over and fuck you right here I would, but I might be sent to hell.” He leans in and kisses my lips, his hands covering my face taking me all. When he pulls back, I smile.

  “You’re fine with that? With me keeping my place?”

  He nods as we start to walk out. “I’m just following you, in you I trust. Obviously, my way I would have you there already and tied to my bed. Baby steps and all that shit.” He laughs.

  “You’re kind of perfect, do you know that?”

  “You’re mine, do you know that?”

  I do, I so do.

  And I couldn’t be happier.

  Who knew a bit of swoon and I could fall. Hard. That’s what’s happened. Him and me, we work and we work well.

  “Ethel, would you mind taking this? I just have to talk to your daughter for a few minutes?” He passes my mother my bag which she gladly accepts with a smile. He pulls me until we enter
a room that’s clearly labeled for the cleaners and slams the door shut.

  “What are you doing?”

  His hands slide up my thighs, and I know straight away what he’s doing so my hands reach for him.

  “I feel like you want to tell me something, but you’re covering it with your hands.”

  He nods, still not saying anything as he lifts me and slides straight in. It’s quick, hard, fast. Everything I want right now.

  “Echo, tell me.”

  He leans in and bites my neck, at first I think he’s going to suck and leave me with hickeys again, but then he licks me before he pulls away. My hands grip his shoulders as he holds my ass lifting me up and down slamming me onto him.

  “I love you,” I gasp, not just from his words but from the orgasm that rips through me. My nails dig in as I pull back to try and see him. His eyes are closed and his face is, raw. Like all his emotions are set out in front of me. When he opens them, he still holds onto me not letting me go and his eyes are waiting, ready for what’s to come. Like he’s prepared for anything bad or good.

  “Is that all?” I ask him not letting go.

  “No, I want to marry you. Like today. But I know I should wait, so I’m going wait.”

  I push him back so I can get down, pulling my dress over my legs and checking my hair, I wait to speak. Making sure he’s finished. When I look back, hopelessness is written all over him. Turning, I reach for the door opening it and looking back once before I walk out.

  “I love you, too, blondie. I just wanted the time to be right. It’s finally right.”

  He smiles so broadly, his perfect white teeth showing before I shut the door going back to join the wedding. The minute I walk in Mel shakes her head at me. “You totally just had sex at my wedding.”

  “I totally did.”

  Hands slide around my waist as Mel leans in and kisses my cheek before she walks off.

  “You love me?” Echo asks for confirmation.

  “I wouldn’t agree to move in otherwise.”