Darkest Ecstasy (17 page)

Roughly, he shoved her skirt up and pushed her legs wide apart. “No panties,” he growled. “No fucking panties.” Sliding down her body, he inhaled. “You smell so good. I have to taste you.”

A shiver quaked up her spine.

He sounded so dangerous and wild, like a beast on the verge of losing control. Roughly, he shoved her legs wider apart, opening her to his dark eyes. Being so open, so exposed, thrilled her. Heat pounded through her body, coiling deep in her belly. Her inner muscles clenched. She was empty. So empty. How long would he make her suffer?

She quivered as he parted her swollen folds, exposing her clit. And that first touch, a tiny flick of his tongue, sent a raging inferno blazing through her. The first touch was followed by another, and another. With each one, her body burned hotter, the tension winding through her muscles tighter.

Ecstasy. It was pure ecstasy. And agony. Both. She reached down to tangle her fingers in his hair, but the moment she caught his silky strands in her hands, he grabbed her wrists.

“I am in control. Of your body. Your pleasure. Your everything. Trust me.” And then, as if to prove his point, he plunged his tongue into her empty channel.

“Yesssss,” she said on a sigh as she surrendered to his possession. She lifted her hands over her head, crossing her arms at the wrist as if they were bound. And eagerly she submitted to him.

Ahhh, how magical his mouth was. His tongue, his lips, his teeth. He kissed her intimately, pushing his tongue inside her wet tissues, lapping away her juices and stirring more heat deep inside her core. Tension pulled at her muscles and quickened her breathing. The faster she inhaled, the deeper she pulled in his scent. Man. Soap. Desire. His cologne. The smell was delicious. Her tongue swiped across her lower lip, catching the lingering flavor of his kiss. That was delicious, too.

Oh God, she was in heaven. But she craved more. A thick rod pumping in and out, stroking away the unbearable ache.

“You are intoxicating,” Tage murmured as he nipped at the inside of her thigh.

“Please.”

“Please what, Michelle? I love how you beg. Your voice is so pretty when you plead.”

“Please,” she repeated, unable to say more. She was too lost in need to put two words together. Her fingers curled into fists. Her toes curled, too.

“I want you. I want you so badly I hurt. But I won't take you. Not until you say the words I have been waiting to hear.”

“What words?” she somehow managed to whisper. She didn't want to talk. She was dying. From pleasure. Why was he making her suffer so much?

“Tell me you will be mine. All mine. Mine forever.” He pushed a finger into her core. His nail grazed the inner wall and she trembled. Her muscles inside tightened as she tried to hold his finger in place.

He wanted her to say what? To say she would be his?

“Tell me you'll marry me. Today.”

Today? She couldn't. She didn't love him. She wanted him. She desired him. He amused her. And tormented her. But love? No. Not yet.

She let her head rock from side to side. It was the only answer she could muster up.

He added a second finger. Two fingers. They felt glorious. But they still weren't enough. She needed more. She needed his hips wedged between her thighs, his thick cock pushing deep inside.

“More.”

“Say the words,” he demanded.

This was insanity. This was blackmail. Torture.

“Tage.”

“You will be mine.” He added a dampened finger to her anus, stretching her hole. As that third digit pushed deeper, invading her like she'd never been before, she cried out.

He stopped just as an overpowering wave of pleasure crested inside. She didn't climax. She was on the verge. Breathless. Dizzy. Tight. Hot. Trembling.

“Look at me,” he commanded.

She opened her eyes, having not even realized she'd closed them. Her gaze locked on his dark eyes. She searched their depths. Did he love her? She couldn't marry him. Not if he didn't love her.

She saw desire. Raw, untamed desire. But no love. “I can't marry you. Not yet.”

“You will. I'll bring you to the brink of ecstasy over and over until you can no longer deny me. You will surrender. You will yield to me.”

Perhaps. She was on the verge of yielding already. If she gave him the opportunity to do this again, he might get her to say the words he was waiting to hear. But he also was going to suffer, too.

She would make sure of it.

Now that her head was clearing a little, she was determined to make this tormenter get a taste of his own medicine.

He gave her clit one last swipe of the tongue. A slow, languid caress. Then he straightened up and smiled down at her. “I'll be back tomorrow. You'll be ready for me when I call. No clothes. Waiting here, in your room.”

A wild thrill raced up her spine. This was a fun game, a naughty, scary, thrilling game. One she might not mind losing. “Or else?”

“You won't like the consequences.” Bending over her head, he kissed her, catching her lower lip between his teeth and biting just hard enough to sting a little. When he released her lip, he dragged his thumb across it, making it tingle more. “No touching yourself. If I am going to deny myself, then so are you.”

He left.

T
alen stepped into his private suite at the Gemedess Club expecting it to be empty.

It wasn't.

Oh hell. How did she get in here?

She was kneeling, head lowered in respect, her spine arched perfectly to show off her round, firm ass. Her long blond hair hung down her back, a tumble of glossy waves. Angela was waiting for him. Waiting for his command.

There was no reason why he couldn't spend some time with Angela here. It was what he'd done for years, explore his darker urges with women who were willing and able. Angela was most definitely able. And her presence here, after he'd broken his engagement with her last night, suggested she was willing.

But something made him stop from uttering that first command.

She lifted her head. “Tage? Master?”

“Yes, it's me.” He circled her. She was a beautiful woman, everything he'd always thought he wanted in a wife. Sexy. Submissive. Experienced. Open to sharing, and easily motivated.

But she wasn't for him.

He wouldn't play with her. Not today. Not ever again.

Obediently, she tipped her head, lowering her eyes.

“Please stand,” he commanded.

She stood, eyes still downcast, hands at her sides.

She was nude, wearing nothing but a pair of shiny black platform pumps. Her body was the picture of perfection, her breasts full and round, stomach flat, hips nicely curved, legs slender and long. But his cock didn't stir. His blood didn't simmer.

“I'm cancelling my membership.”

Her gaze jerked to his face. “Cancelling? Why? Would you have done the same thing if we had married?”

He wouldn't have. But he had no need to crush the woman's pride any more than he already had. “Yes.”

Her features twisted. “You told me you would continue to scene with other women if we married. You said you might even fuck them.”

“I would—will.”

“But not today? Not with me?”

“No.”

She blinked. An emotion of some kind played over her features for a brief moment, then her expression changed. Her lips curled into a sexy semi-smile. “Are you sure?” Her hips swayed as she took a couple of steps closer. “I've been practicing a few things for you.” Stopping directly in front of him, she placed her hands on his shoulders. “Don't you want to see how hard I've been working?” Slowly lowering herself to her knees, she let her hands drag down the front of his body. They stopped at his crotch, cupping the front of his pants.

He clasped her wrists and pulled them out to the sides. “I'm sorry, but you'll have to show your new skills to another dom.”

“But you were the one to teach me. Don't you want to reap the rewards of your
hard
work?” She licked her lips, her tongue leaving them glossy and moist.

“No.”

Her brows pulled. Her lips curved into a snarl. “What is your deal? First you ask me to fucking marry you, then you dump me for that... that little whiny bitch, break our engagement—”

“Enough!” It would be so easy to curl his fingers around that little throat of hers and shut her up. For good. But he would never touch a woman in anger. Never. “I said I would take care of you. And I will. You wanted money. That's what you'll get.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the envelope. He'd put the first of many payments in his pocket, intending to take it to her place later, after he was done packing up his stuff at the club. The envelope held ten thousand dollars. In one-hundred-dollar bills. “Here you go. Like we discussed.” He would arrange the rest to go by wire transfer to the overseas bank account she was setting up. The ten thousand would hold her over until then.

He hoped. He had a feeling the woman would have her hand in his pocket for a long time, until he and his brothers moved and took new aliases. With any luck, it would be years before they would have to do that.

She jumped to her feet, ripped open the envelope, and peered inside. “Thank you. This will cover my overdue lease payments for a little while. But I'll need the rest soon.”

“You'll have it when your account is open and available to accept payments.”

“I'll call you.”

“Fine.” He motioned toward the door. “Now, if you don't mind, I need to ask you to leave. I have some packing to do. The club is eager to get this suite leased to someone else.”

“Sure.” Her shoulders lowered somewhat, and as their gazes met, he caught a tiny glimpse of hurt play across her face. Damn. He'd wanted to believe she would be okay with just the money.

She wasn't.

He had to say something to try to ease her pain. “Look, I'm not trying to be a bastard about this. There's a reason why I had to break our engagement, and it has nothing to do with you.”

She blinked once, twice, again. By that third time, her eyes were red and watery. “I would have been a good wife to you.”

“I know.”

“Anything you wanted, I would have done. Anything.” Turning, she grabbed the dress that was draped over the chair in the corner. Her handbag was sitting on the chair's seat.

“Yes. I believe that.”

A heavy, tense silence fell between them. Her gaze locked on his face as she pulled on the tight sheath and tugged it into place.

She slid the envelope into her bag. “I hope you're happy, Tage. I hope you've made the right choice.”

“I believe I have.”

She nodded, turned, and left his suite.

That had been awkward, far worse than he'd expected. He'd been wrong when he'd assumed Angela had agreed to marry him for money. It was painfully clear to him now. He hoped the money—it would be a large sum—would ease her burden. A small part of him did care for her. He would be happy to see that she was set for life, would never again have to worry about food, a home, the necessities.

A couple of hours later he had, with the help of his brothers, all of his personal belongings packed into a truck. This whole thing was blowing his mind. Never, not even after watching his brothers fall in love, had he thought he would ever voluntarily give up his suite at the club. Yes, his brothers had given up the lifestyle, and their many lovers, when they'd married. But they had fallen in love with their wives. He didn't think it was possible for him to fall in love with his. Not when he'd never felt an emotion that even vaguely resembled love before.

But here he was, desperate to hear his wife tell him she would be his. And willing to do just about anything to get her to do it.

Didn't she realize how much he loved her? Didn't she know he would surrender his life for her? He would do anything to make her happy. Anything.

But she didn't trust him yet.

A couple of hours later, as he hauled the first load of his bondage gear into the house, his brother Malek slid him a sideways glance. Malek was sitting in the family room, watching football and stuffing his face with chips and dip. “I can't believe you quit the club,” he said, crunching. “Must be love.”

Talen shrugged. He didn't want to talk about it.

“It's okay, bro. Been there.” Malek jumped up, jogged over to Talen, and grabbed a bag from him. “When's the wedding?”

“She hasn't agreed to marry me yet,” Talen confessed, heading toward his bedroom.

“Still holding out?” Malek asked behind him. “This one's making you work for it.”

“She's worth it.” Talen dropped his load on the floor and turned back to get some more. He figured he would bring the smaller stuff to his room and store the bigger things in the basement. With the private dungeon set up in the house, he had no need of those larger pieces.

“I'm sure she is worth every minute of hell she'll put you through. Lei put me through hell, but I wouldn't change a thing.” Malek clapped him on the back as he headed through the doorway. “Don't worry. Your woman can't resist you. Not for long. No woman has been able to before.”

“She said she won't marry me if she isn't in love with me.”

“Damn. Love? I had it easy, compared to that. Lei needed stability, patience. She needed to feel safe.”

In the garage now, Talen reached into his Range Rover for his next load. “I wish it were that simple. Originally, I'd thought I would marry a girl who needed money and stability. I found one. She'd accepted my proposal. Then I had to go and be an asshole and turn her down so I could chase this one.”

His brother laughed. “That's a Gryffon for you. We can't make it easy on ourselves. Look at Drako. He had it easy getting her to the altar. But it was after that things got crazy. Rin put him through hell for months.”

Arms loaded, Talen headed inside the house. “I won't last months,” he said to no one in particular.

Malek was right behind him, his hands full, too. “I feel for you, bro. You just gotta make it so she can't live without you. If you can do that, you've got her. But be careful. Love is dangerous. It gave me some crazy power. That was something I hadn't expected. And Drako. But it can work against you, too. You know what happened to our father. In the end, we have a duty. I won't tell you what to do. Nobody told me. But remember, you need to marry as soon as possible. And we need you to be strong. Love makes us vulnerable. I'm vulnerable. Drako's vulnerable. I'd like to say it would be a good thing if you weren't vulnerable, too. But I think it's already too late for that.”

Talen nodded.

“As I thought.”

In the bedroom, he set load two next to load one. “But there is one thing. A good thing. She's pregnant.”

Malek's expression brightened. “Damn, you work fast, little bro! Do you know it's your child? Are you sure?”

“I am.” Talen hesitated. He wanted Malek to feel some sense of relief, to know he was thinking of him and Lei. “With Lei losing your child, and knowing she cannot... I wanted to make sure I did everything I could—”

“Yes. If it works out that way, I'm going to owe you big-time.” Malek slapped him on the back. “Now, let's get that woman in the family. We want her here, in the house, where she'll be safe. Time to up your game.”

“That's exactly what I intend to do, Malek.”

 

What was he doing?

Michelle checked the clock. It was a little after eight. Not terribly late. What was Tage doing tonight? Did he go to that club, the one where he'd met Angela? Was he there now, mixing and mingling with other women?

A tiny bit of jealousy bit at her insides.

What was he doing?

Although he'd said he was determined to convince her to marry him, he hadn't said he wouldn't see other women. To her, it was a no-brainer. If she were a man, she would keep it in her pants. Period. He wouldn't touch another woman.

But she wasn't a man.

Some men were dogs. Some men couldn't go twenty-four hours without sex. Was Tage the kind who would chase women until the day of his wedding? After his wedding?

Right now, right this very minute, was he making love to someone else? Someone like Angela?

Stop it. You don't have any claims to him.

She glanced down at her still flat stomach.
She
didn't have any claims to him, but the tiny person inside her did.

What was he doing now?

She dragged her fingertips across her lips. The memory of his kiss blossomed in her mind. That man knew how to kiss. Did he ever. Never had she been kissed so well or so thoroughly. Never had she been so lost in need that she didn't care about anything but relief.

What was he doing now?

Feeling restless, she grabbed her phone and checked it. He hadn't called. She'd expected him to. At least once today. But he hadn't.

Had he changed his mind? Had he decided she was too much work, not worth the effort?

A twinge of regret buzzed through her, making her realize something. She wanted him to pursue her. She wanted him to convince her. She wanted him to prove to her that he not only wanted her to marry him but that he would love her.

Sighing, she dropped her phone on the table, grabbed the television remote, and powered on the TV. Then she remembered she hadn't paid the cable bill yet.

Maybe a book.

When she was a child, books had been her escape, a doorway into magical, exciting worlds where every girl got her Prince Charming and a happy ending. Lately she hadn't done much reading. She kept telling herself she didn't have the time.

Now, more than ever, she had the time. And she desperately needed the distraction. She grabbed her ebook reader. It was still fully charged. A quick skim of her meager inventory of ebooks convinced her she needed to do some shopping. She wanted to read something new. Exciting. She browsed the store's bestseller list.

There. That one.

It was a romance.

In roughly sixty seconds she had the book downloaded and open. She got herself comfy on her couch and started to read. One page. Then another. Oh yes, this one was going to be good.

She was almost at the end of the third page, when a knock pounded on her door.

Immediately, she imagined it was Tage.

Her nerves jangled.

What if it was him?

Who else would it be if it wasn't?

She was in her sloppy sweats and a tank top. Her hair, oh God, her hair. No makeup. She had showered and was clean, but she hadn't bothered with makeup. Last night she'd been wearing makeup. And this morning, before going down to breakfast, she'd fixed herself up a little. She always carried the essentials in her purse. Some bronzer, lip gloss, eyeliner.

Right now, she was clean-faced except for the healthy-sized glob of moisturizer she'd smoothed on after she'd gotten out of the shower.

Her visitor knocked again.

It might be her neighbor, she reasoned. Every now and then, her neighbor, Mrs. Hebert, came over to ask for some milk or help with her computer.