Meet Me Under the Mistletoe

by M. Robinson

  “Yes, dammit,” I responded through gritted teeth and then pleaded, “Please.”

  “Then tell me, who do you belong to?” He pistoned in and out, shifting his tempo to one designed to keep me hanging.

  “You.”

  He fisted my hair, forcing me to look at him. “And who do I belong to?”

  I stared into his dark green irises. The emotions I saw looking at me had my heart clenching and tears burning the back of my throat.

  “Me.”

  “That’s right.” His hold on my scalp tightened, and he brought my mouth to his, kissing me deep before murmuring against my lips, “I fucking love you. I’m never letting you go.”

  I cupped his face. “I love you.”

  “Say it again.” He rose up, pushing me back onto the couch, leaving my ass hanging off, and gripped my knees and thighs.

  A feral gleam entered his eyes.

  My core quivered and flooded with arousal. This was about to get rough and hard.

  He slid out to the tip. “Say it.”

  “I love you.”

  He thrust in so hard that I arched up, seeing stars. “Fuck, Simon.”

  “That’s not what I want you to say.”

  I lifted onto my forearms and held his heated gaze. “I love you.”

  Thrust.

  “Again,” he ordered as he set a relentless pace, leaving me no choice but to take what he gave me.

  I repeated the words until I was delirious with the need to come, and all the muscles in my core quickened and contracted with each demanding slide of his cock. I cupped and pinched my straining nipples to ease the ache growing deep inside me.

  Fuck, I needed so much. With this man. The Satan of the night.

  “Let go, baby. I’ve got you.” Simon rolled his hips, hitting that spot only he’d ever found, and everything inside me shattered.

  “Simon,” I gasped and then cried out as ecstasy washed over me, throwing me into a whirlwind of pleasure.

  I clenched my eyes tight and dug my nails into the fibers of the couch under my fingers as my orgasm rode me from one wave to another.

  A few moments later, I heard Simon roar his release, pumping hot and hard deep into me.

  Chapter Six

  I exited the ladies’ lounge twenty minutes after leaving Simon in the solarium to find him waiting for me.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be in the ballroom?”

  Ignoring my question, he held out my rings and said, “Give me your hand.”

  I smiled and let him place them back on their proper finger.

  “Now give me mine.”

  “I thought you wanted to wait.”

  “At this point, I don’t care. This way, everyone will know it’s a done deal.”

  I studied him for a few moments and then realized he was serious. Opening my clutch, I pulled out Simon’s ring, rubbed the platinum band with my thumb, and then slid it onto his finger.

  Simon took hold of my hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing my knuckles.

  “Time to get you back to your family before your brothers call a search party.”

  “I guess we don’t need to worry about my club anymore since I’m a Drakos now, and the scandal would touch you and not my parents.”

  He narrowed his gaze at me. “The club is closed. Without Nyx in Vegas, it doesn’t exist. Besides, you already have another career.”

  “It exists wherever I am. And who says I can’t do both?”

  “Don’t even think about it.”

  Ignoring his order, I said, “I’m thinking in the city, right before Christmas. Silent Night does go with the theme of the season.”

  “You could drive a man to drink.”

  “Good thing you love me.”

  He kissed my forehead. “Good thing.”

  * * *

  Thank you for reading SILENT NIGHT!

  You can read full-length books set in the sexy Vegas underworld…

  Hagen Lykaios was the essence of sin, indulgence, and danger – everything I knew to avoid. All it took was one unexpected touch, and he consumed me, left me begging, needy, and hungry for more.

  One-click Master of Sin now >

  Away in a Manger

  Jade West

  Chapter One

  Lucian

  Five years later

  Once upon a time, not all that long ago, people would have never believed they’d see one of the Constantines at a Morelli family ball. Life is a strange thing though. Peace on Earth, goodwill to all men, so they say.

  We hadn’t stretched to peace in our world by a long way, but the world had been sure as hell to accept Elaine Constantine as my wife. I’d been making certain of that since the moment I first stepped onto the red carpet with her on my arm, back in London.

  Elaine wasn’t the only beautiful creature in my world now. There was another beautiful wonder that owned my soul along with her.

  I could already feel the nerves in my gut as I prepared to leave our little boy at home. Arlo would be tucked up in bed with his nanny watching over him, but that didn’t ease the fear. It felt symbolic, somehow. The fear of a father leaving his son.

  Elaine and I had been delaying the inevitable, turning down evening engagements together for an age, but we couldn’t do that tonight. I needed to reign tall as the head of Morelli Holdings for the world to see. My wife needed to be standing alongside me, in the place that she belonged.

  I was downstairs playing hide and seek with Arlo as his mommy got herself ready to go, adoring his excitement as Christmas Day loomed. He was old enough to appreciate Santa Claus and reindeer, and the magic of the sleigh. I was plenty old enough to appreciate the magic in his eyes as he knew they were coming. It had been tingling in him for days.

  “Ready or not, here I come,” I called, pretending that I didn’t know where he was hiding, even though it was obvious. I could see the twitch of the curtains from across the room.

  I scouted around, playing like I was checking around every corner and behind every couch as he watched me from behind the drapes.

  “He must be around here somewhere,” I said, getting closer and closer.

  Again, the curtain twitched. Again, I played ignorant.

  “That boy of mine is so good at hiding.”

  I leapt across the room, pulling the drapes apart with a cheer.

  “Found him,” I laughed and scooped him up in my arms.

  “Daddy found me!” he said, giggling.

  I was spinning him around when my beautiful wife appeared in the doorway. It was enough to stop me in my tracks, because fuck, she took my breath away.

  Her blonde hair was cascading down around her shoulders, and her heels gave her hips the sway I adored, but that wasn’t it, though. That wasn’t what made the moment one of the most magnificent I’d ever known.

  Elaine was wearing the gold dress. The gold dress she’d been wearing the very first time I’d caught sight of her at her sister’s birthday party, when I’d snuck into the Constantine mansion. Holy shit, the sight of her slammed me right back there.

  I could feel the vicious longing that had possessed me enough to stalk her into the bathroom, throwing her up against the wall when she was an enemy I wanted to destroy. Jesus Christ, the memories. They ate me up in a heartbeat.

  Elaine knew exactly how I’d be feeling as she crossed the room.

  “Mommy!” Arlo cheered, holding his arms wide. She scooped him from me with a grin.

  The dirty twinkle in her eyes when she looked at me said more than words ever could. She knew what she was doing with that gold masterpiece of a ball gown. My wife was a siren. She knew how to play the game of me. Of Lucian Morelli. Right to the core of my filthy heart.

  “Hey, little guy,” she said to Arlo. “Are you excited for Santa Claus?”

  He nodded. “Yep! I want to see Rudolph!”

  “Maybe you’ll see him flying across the sky with all the other reindeer,” she told him. “Santa is very quiet, though.
He might sneak into your room without you even seeing him.”

  Arlo pulled a face. “I want to see him. I’m going to see him.”

  I loved the determination in him. The want for his desires that possessed him. He sure got that from his daddy.

  I was already dressed up and ready to go to the party. I had my tuxedo on and my hair styled slick, all prepped to make an impression at the ball.

  “Daddy sure looks lovely tonight,” Elaine said, dropping Arlo onto his feet.

  “Not as lovely as Mommy looks,” I returned, smirking.

  I was still staring at her when Ella appeared in the room.

  “Ready for bath time, Arlo?” she asked and he nodded.

  “I want lots of bubbles.”

  “Lots of bubbles coming your way.”

  My heart was racing as he gripped hold of my legs, looking up at me to say goodbye. I hated leaving the little champ, and more than that I hated missing out on tucking him in bed.

  “Bye bye, buster,” I said, dropping to my knees to give him a hug. Even now, kneeling for anyone felt alien. It was a privilege given only to him and my wife.

  “Bye, Daddy.”

  Elaine knelt down to join me, giving him a kiss. I could tell she was as nervous as I was. This was the first time we’d both be leaving him overnight, even though we’d had plenty of opportunities we’d turned down. That’s what happens I guess when you’ve been raised with the world wanting to take you down. My son would be stepping into that, even though he didn’t know it yet.

  If I had it my way, he’d never find out at all.

  “Bye bye, baby boy,” Elaine said, though he wasn’t such a baby boy anymore. He was firm on his feet and speaking loud and clear, even though he was still a toddler.

  Ella took his hand and led him off to his bath time. I wrapped my arm around Elaine’s waist as she sucked in a breath.

  “I know it’s hard,” I told her.

  “It’s just weird. Leaving him. Both of us.”

  “I know,” I said.

  “I’ve told Ella she can call us. I’m going to keep one eye on my cell.”

  “Me too.”

  She sighed, then turned to me, straightening my bow tie, even though it was already straight. “Can’t wait to get Daddy home and out of this beauty.” She smiled. “You’re going to be out of it as soon as we’ve finished up.”

  “Same for you,” I laughed. “Don’t think I don’t know you chose this outfit on purpose.”

  “Thought you’d recognize it.”

  “You thought right.” I took her hand as we walked through the manor to the front doors, all set for the chauffeur to drive us across Bishop’s Landing to the Morelli estate. He opened the rear doors for us, and I was still smiling as I slipped in next to Elaine.

  “Who’s going to be there?” she asked, even though we’d been over it before.

  It helped her to hear me describe it, calm and confident. “All the regulars. Mom, Dad. Leo is bringing Haley. Wesley Ryan just confirmed at the last minute, he’s flying over from Scotland.”

  “Great,” she said, but even now, after years, her foot was still tapping in the footwell. Coming to Morelli family parties and seeing the scowl on Mom and Dad’s faces was still enough to give her shivers. I hated that. I hated my wife being nervous of anything.

  We were there in no time, pulling up in the driveway where a lot of the guests were still crowded outside. I could tell the party was going to be a popular one, filled with celebrations and cheers. My celebration would be getting home for Arlo and getting Elaine out of that damn dress.

  Everyone looked our way as the chauffeur opened the limo doors and we stepped out. There were whispers and wide eyes. It’s the effect you have on people when you’re as powerful and ominous as we are. People are fascinated.

  Elaine smiled and waved at guests as we walked through the hallway. I granted cool nods to those I recognized. And nothing to those I didn’t.

  We passed through the receiving line in a blur of glitter and silk, giving my father a handshake, pressing a light kiss to my mother’s cheek. They were the official hosts of the evening. It didn’t matter that I ran Morelli Holdings. They would always be the symbolic heads of the family. I kept a tight grip on Elaine, both to protect them from my family’s caustic barbs—and because I’m a possessive bastard. I don’t like anyone looking at my wife. Even my father.

  Especially my father.

  Bryant Morelli was as bold as ever. My mom was at his side, both of them pasting on a happy smile for the sake of the observers.

  “Lucian,” Dad said and gripped my arm. It was when he turned to my princess that his stance became a little more forced. “Elaine.”

  “Lovely to see you,” she said as he fake kissed her hand.

  Mom was a little more genuine in her welcome at least.

  Eventually we made it to the main crush of the gala.

  The cocktail waitress in the main hall was shaky as she reached us.

  “Your champagne, ma’am,” she said and Elaine took one.

  “Your mineral water, sir,” she told me as she handed me my glass.

  “Thank you.”

  We did the rounds with the hellos, and how are yous even though I couldn’t really give a shit about any of them. We stood at the side of the ballroom as the gala got into the swing. The ceremonial Christmas tree stood proud in the center, glistening and twinkling. It was nice. But not nice enough that my eyes weren’t being drawn to my cell phone every five seconds.

  “Relax,” Elaine said. “He’s with Ella. She’ll call.”

  She was trying to settle me, but it didn’t work. I’d grown up for far too long with dangerous people around me, ready to do despicable things, and if somebody, anybody, managed to hurt my baby boy with their games…

  “Lucian,” Leo said and slapped my back.

  “Good to see you,” I said.

  Elaine got talking to Haley and Leo used the opportunity to talk Morelli business, but my mind was still skirting elsewhere. To Arlo back at home.

  Leo picked it up, he could read me like a book.

  “He’s with Ella, right?”

  “Yeah, he’s with Ella.”

  “And you have security outside?”

  “Yeah, two of the guys.”

  “Then everything is fine,” he said, and I wished I believed him but there was something churning deep, some sixth sense that was niggling me.

  Leo carried on talking, and Elaine kept on laughing with Haley. Elaine was enjoying the conversation, her laugh distracting. It was when she flashed me one of her glances that the thump in my ribs hit a whole other tone.

  Yet again, my wife knew what she was doing. She knew the look she was giving me and how it would drive me wild. Her knowing smile was alive on her face, even as she kept up her conversation, and it only reminded me more of how she’d grabbed hold of my heart and my dick in one fell swoop at Tinsley’s birthday party.

  Yeah, she’d worn that dress with a motive in mind.

  She was going to achieve it like a little vixen, and fuck, I was going to make her pay for it.

  “I’m just going to the bathroom,” she told Haley, making sure it was loud enough that I heard her.

  She swayed her hips in the provocative way I loved, sashaying more dramatically than normal. Leo laughed a sly laugh as she made her way through the crowd.

  “Someone is being summoned.”

  “Tempted,” I said. “Someone is being tempted.”

  “Be careful,” he told me. “Everyone will be watching your moves.”

  “They can watch all they want,” I replied. “I’ll be getting what I want, regardless.”

  He laughed again. “I’ve no doubt about that.”

  Elaine was fumbling in her clutch when I caught up with her enroute to the bathroom, just like I knew she would be. Playing the games of my fantasies.

  I checked we were alone before I grabbed hold of her and slammed her against the wall in an alcove, my
voice dark and deep as I whispered.

  “You’re a dirty little slut, you know that?”

  “Yeah,” she said, with that filthy glint in her eyes. “I know that. Are you going to step up and teach me a lesson?”

  “Too fucking right,” I told her, grabbing her arm tight enough to shunt her into the bathroom.

  The room was tight as I forced her into it. Her mouth was already pliant as I planted my lips onto hers. Her wrists were tiny as I held them high and pinned her body tight, but still she managed to squirm.

  “I remember the first time,” she whispered, breaths sharp and shallow.

  “So do I.”

  “At least Silas won’t be finding us this time,” she said, giggling.

  “No, but plenty of other people might.”

  “Better make it a quick one, then.”

  I smirked. “As if that’s ever going to happen.”

  “I sure hope not.”

  Her thighs parted on instinct. She kept her hands held high as I slipped mine down her body, hitching her dress up around her waist.

  “You’re a filthy beast,” she told me. “It’s one of the things I love most about you.”

  I pulled her panties to the side and thrust three fingers inside her in one.

  “You’ll take it like a filthy little whore,” I told her. “It’s one of the things I love most about you.”

  “Make me take it,” she moaned as I pressed my thumb to her clit.

  “I always will.”

  Chapter Two

  Elaine

  Parties bored me these days. I had too much going on around them, which gave me joy. Plus, I didn’t have an addiction to attention and alcohol to add to the haze of the social.

  I was glad about that.

  It wasn’t just my husband’s touch I was needing as Lucian worked his fingers inside me like a rough, hard dream. It was the distraction from the nervousness I was feeling at knowing our little baby boy was at home.

  “More,” I breathed against Lucian’s mouth. “Make me take it.”

  “Say please.”

  “Please,” I said, and spread my legs wider for him, offering my pussy for more.