Niko: Love me Harder (4 page)

She went to stand and tripped in her shoes. She never tripped in her shoes. Had she gotten too big? Maybe she should forget about eating tomorrow. It was her mother’s revenge.

“The keys, Dee.”

She reached in her little clutch purse and palmed her keys. She held them tight, as she pulled them out. Everything that could happen to her car ran through her mind.

“What will you do with it?”

“Park it at Niko’s house.”

She looked from Sergey to Niko for confirmation. He nodded his head. Right or wrong, she trusted Niko, besides short of calling 911, to tell them that her employers who were concerned about her safety wouldn’t let drive drunk, there was nothing she could do.

She held out her keys and reluctantly gave them to Sergey.

“I promise nothing will happen to your car.” Sergey slid into the driver seat and turned the key, bringing the car to life. Inside her car, he pulled out and left them standing on the curb.

“Come on, I’m parked up the street.” The walk wasn’t long. He drove a black BMW.

“I don’t want to go home yet.”

“You’re not.”

Chapter Six

She eased herself into the car. It exuded luxury and strength, just like the man himself. She settled back and felt the softness of the vehicle surround her. She hated this. She was always the one driving. Driving meant she was in control.

She clutched her hands, so they wouldn’t shake. She wasn’t in control now. She’d always maneuvered in the past so that she was in charge. She would give a big smile, make her voice husky ‘no lover, I’ll follow you home.’

If she wanted it badly, she would get close to the guy then stand on her toes and whisper ‘I’ll drive, you’ll want my hand between your legs as I shift.’ It worked every time.

Didn’t really matter how she did it, she always made sure the power, the hum, the roar and the control was between her legs.

She’d given up that control, like an eighteen year old getting separated from her friends for the first time. She looked over at him. He was way too dangerous for an eighteen year old.

“I want another drink.” Was that her voice? Partly husky, the voice she used when she wanted to be full of a man now. Not just any man though, this man.

Her voice was also partly demanding. She was looking for a way to be in control.

“Your wish, my desire.” His voice was silk, freaking sex on a stick. Her body reacted to every word, her nipples hardened, her breath hitched, her thighs clenched and her sex… let’s leave it at her panties may never be the same again.

She closed her eyes while she felt the hum of the car vibrate between her legs. When she got that drink, everything would be ok. She comforted herself with that thought, while she fought sleep.

She opened her eyes looking for a line of buildings, signaling the next bar or club she would be walking into. It should be some after-hours joint right about now, but she found nothing.

She was in a big parking lot. No bar around here, she was certain of that.

“Where are we?”

He got out and came around to open her door, helping her out. That was a lost art, men opening the door for women. She looked around again and allowed her eyes to settle on the Eat N Park.

“No. That’s not where I wanted to go.” Was he dense? Was the man playing some sort of game with her?

“It’s open all night long, baby and serves a multitude of drinks.”

Her spine stiffened. Had he just called her baby? No one called her baby. Ever. Baby was the nice little pet name you called something, or someone you cared about. That’s why her car was her baby. She actually cared about it.

She tried not to let her agitation show. If he knew how that simply worthless name affected her, he would have the upper hand.

“I wanted an alcoholic drink, and you know it.” She needed it more right now than she had needed it earlier.

He put his arm around her body, pulling her close. She smelled that musk that was all his own. It couldn’t have come from a bottle. His unique smell reminded her of wildness, the anticipation of an animal on the prowl, if someone ever figured out how to bottle it, they would be rich. More importantly, every man would be wearing this scent, driving the female population to masturbate in cars, elevators and even on the street.

This was all his scent. How had she resisted the temptation this long?

They walked into the brightly over done orange and beige Eat N Park. The waitress took one look at her and probably classified her as a high class call girl or street hooker.

Her short black mini was out of place in this establishment. Her stilettos were so out of place here. The waitress was wearing the kind of shoes that were practical and sensible, while she gave Niko a hungry smile.

Dee put her hand on Niko’s arm. Mine was the message she sent to the smiling waitress, who looked like she was falling under Niko’s do me smell.

“Table for two.” They followed the waitress back to a table big enough for six and smiled thank you.

“So do all the women fall for those eyes of yours and that thick musky smell you have?”

“What musky smell?”

He smelled himself looking around, hoping no one had seen him. She laughed. She couldn’t help it. He was so approachable at that moment.

“You might as well stop sniffing yourself. Your smell is natural, so you’ll never smell it. It’s just who you are.”

“Then it’s a good thing you like the smell of me, baby.” The waitress was back before she could reply.

“Can I take your orders?”

This was a different waitress. She was younger than the first. The waitress took one look at Niko and put in her own order. Dee rolled her eyes.

“I’ll just have a cup of coffee.” The waitress’s took her eyes off Niko to focus on Dee. The more the waitress stared at him, the more pissed off Dee got. He wasn’t on the auction block, which of course upset her more because she cared.

She never cared about her one night stands, not that he would ever make it that far with her.

“It that all you want?” Her eyes gave Dee a once over and pegged her.

Dee wondered if she’d been pegged correctly, slightly anorexic, way too thin, allowing the men to feel like fucking Hercules when they were with her. Allowing them the thought of control, but never the real thing.

“No,” she answered softly, eyeing Niko. “I’m full.”

***

She was starving, punishing herself for something she’d no control over. Welcome to my world baby, Niko thought. Your days of being in control of every situation have come to an end. He’d watched her long enough. She needed him.

The flip side of that coin, the hell he wasn’t ready to admit was that he needed her too.

“Can I get you something, sir?”

The waitress had turned that all too sweet smile on him. He smiled back at her for several reasons. One because it pissed off the kitten sitting across from him. Dee was all sharp angles, claws and a raised back. She was a kitten to his animal and his animal wanted to stroke her.

“Seems I’m hungry.” He ordered two breakfast specials, two steaks salads and a burger and fries.

The waitress’s eyes had grown larger, the more he ordered. Then he topped it off with two thick shakes and the ever present cup of coffee.

“Hollow leg?” Aww his kitten was testing her baby fangs on him.

He shrugged, “Guess I’m hungry.”

“I think you ordered enough to feed a family of four.”

“I think if you’re hungry, you should eat.”

She shook her head no. “You should control yourself. Always eat less than you want, less than you need. To allow yourself to do more than that is to slip into the minds and the habits of the common.”

She’d spoken the words as if they had been ingrained into her, something that had to be said when the conversation turned to food.

“Is that what you do, Dee? Do you continually starve yourself, keep yourself on the edge, continually hungry?”

Her lashes had lowered to keep her eyes from meeting his. She had long thick lashes that called out to him, made him want to feel them on his chest when they closed in sleep.

“The kidnapping wasn’t your fault, Dee. You couldn’t have changed it.”

“I was supposed to be staying with her you know, Rena. She wanted me to stay. I even spent a few nights, but she was so happy. Even with everything happening, she was so happy.”

He nodded his head listening to her. They, he and his brothers, had thought that keeping her with her best friend, would ensure her safety. What did they know about human women? Not much.

On his planet, the one he’d been created on, it would have worked. Those females instinctively understood a command and obeyed at all cost. On the world his beast originated from, that command would’ve been heeded.

They, he and his brothers, had miscalculated. They didn’t understand earth women, but they should’ve taken the time to understand Dee. She was as important as Rena. He’d known that, but couldn’t understand the timing.

On his worlds, either of them, he wouldn’t be with a potential mate yet. There was an order. The process would start when the eldest met his match.

Aran was the eldest. Rena was definitely his mate. Next should be Sergey. He was the next to the eldest and would take charge of their family if something ever happened to Aran.

Of course, blood would run in the streets if something happened to Aran.

The scent of their food arriving brought him out of his thoughts.

Chapter Seven

Dee watched the waitress as she brought the food. Niko had made it clear he wanted his food at intervals. She was supposed to start with the two breakfast platters. She’d obviously been listening.

The waitress slid both plates on the table in front of Niko, giving him a big smile. Dee had an image of her stiletto through one of the waitresses eyes before she reigned herself in.

“Can I get you a refill on your coffee?”

Niko declined for both of them. They had barely sipped it so far.

“If there is anything else I can do for you, please let me know.”

Dee knew what the woman wanted to do and thoughts of her stilettos invaded her brain again. She really needed to ditch the shoes. They were playing too heavily in her fantasies.

Niko pulled a plate up in front of him and drizzled syrup all over his French toast, making Dee’s stomach rumble in hunger.

Remember, she reminded herself, you don’t need to eat that often. Eating is giving into the hold of addiction.

She consoled herself with thoughts of wearing her beautiful clothes as she watched him chew his food and then swallow it down the strong column of his neck.

She was going to be sick. She wanted to attack him for the food sitting in front of him. He ate too much. How did he stay slim and strong?

He took another bite and she knew she couldn’t sit much longer and be tortured like this.

She watched as he moved his fingers to the second plate. Did he know she was thinking of grabbing it away from him? His fingers caressed the edge of the plate like a lover. All she wanted to do was bite those fingers to get them away from the precious food.

Without raising his eyes he slid that plate over to her. When it was close enough she grabbed it and pulled it to her. She attacked the second set of silverware on the table. Immediately she began cutting, mixing and eating.

She was so hungry, she barely tasted the food. She felt like she’d lived on the island of one of those reality shows for way too long.

No words were exchanged as she ate, feeling feral and unable to stop herself. When her meal was consumed, she looked up to see him finishing his.

She should be full, but she wasn’t. Her stomach was looking for something else to devour. ‘Big eyes make for a big belly.’ Her mother’s voice echoed through her head.

Always her mother’s voice, ‘Dee if you want a good life you must sacrifice. Give your man everything. Feed him first. Meet his needs and then if there is anything left, appease your needs. Dee, never expect too much from your man and learn to please yourself after he’s asleep.’

She dropped her eyes. What would Niko think of her?

His hand crossed the table, gently caressing the back of her hand. She raised her eyes, wondering why he would touch her after that display of gluttony. Her mom was right. Dee was pitiful.

The waitress came out with the steak salads. They smelled heavenly. When did this place start using grade A steak? Had Dante snuck into the kitchen? She wouldn’t put it past him.

Niko started in on the first salad eating with gusto. She eyed the second one. He slid it out just mere inches, baiting her. It could all be yours, his body language screamed. All you have to do is take it.

She reached out fast and pulled it across the table. She’d felt an irrational fear that he would stop her, tell her how bad it was to eat and chastise her.

She ate at a more leisurely pace now, tasting the food. It was good. It was better than good.

“When do we get those milkshakes?”

“They should be out soon, kitten.”

“What’s up with the names? First baby, now kitten. The name’s Dee, remember?”

“Dee, I’ll never forget your name. When I meet someone I like to try on names to see what fits them the best. Baby works for you, but it’s too generic. Now kitten, that describes you perfectly.”

“Maybe all that food is going to your brain.”

“Maybe.”

She sat back with a sigh of contentment. Her belly was full and happy.

“I’m stuffed.”

“Good. You don’t eat enough.”

“You can’t possibly know that.”

“I know, but more importantly, you know it too. Here comes our milkshakes.”

The waitress was bringing them thick milkshakes. Dee knew she was going to suck hers down. Tomorrow she would regret it, but tonight she was going to live a little with Niko Dare.

She was beginning to feel like the kitten he compared her too. She’d darted her hand out like a paw, captured several fries from his plate and ate them while she drank her milkshake. She had foam around her mouth, making her laugh as she licked it and looked at him from under her lashes.