The Pleasure of Sin (14 page)

“Jade? What is it? What happened?” he asked, his hands running up and down her arms.

Unable to speak, she walked into his arms. They closed around her, providing more comfort than she could have hoped to receive. Tears slid down her cheeks at the feel of his strength, a strength that she wasn’t sure she had anymore. When she got here, everything had seemed so clear.

Now, she felt confused and alone.

Clay gently set her away from him so that he could look into her eyes. “Jade, what happened?” he repeated.

She tried to still her quivering lip, but it was no use. “I went to the club tonight,” she managed.

His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching. She could only imagine what he was thinking, but still she forged ahead.

“Alex, he cornered me and…” she trailed off, not knowing how to explain.

“He what, Jade?” he demanded, his tone harsher than she had ever heard it before.

“He wanted…he wanted to…but Zoë came in.”

Clay turned, but not before she saw the rage in his eyes. She knew he was fuming, could see it in the stiff set of his shoulders. She also knew that he was blaming her.

The worst part was that she knew he was right.

Suddenly, he spun around, grabbing her by the shoulders, his fingers biting into her skin. “Damn it, Jade! I told you that he was dangerous. Why the hell do you never listen?” he bit out.

Unable to stop the flood of emotions, she broke down. Tears streamed down her face.

He squeezed his eyes shut, pulling her against him. “I’m sorry,” he said, his hand stroking her hair. “I’m sorry.”

She clung to him like he was a life-line, burying her face in the curve of his shoulder. She breathed in deeply, his scent washing over her.

“Tell me what happened,” he prodded gently.

She didn’t want to.

She didn’t want to remember feeling so helpless, so vulnerable, but she knew that he deserved to know. “I went into the room where we… He came in. He said that he had waited long enough.”

She felt Clay stiffen at her words. “Jesus,” he muttered.

She didn’t want to go on, but she knew that she had to. She owed him that much. “Then, when I got home, I found the picture.”

He pulled back, his eyes boring into her. “What picture?” he asked, his eyebrows drawing together.

Turning, she pointed to the envelope that still lay on the floor where she had dropped it. He walked over, bending down to retrieve it. She watched him slide the photo out of the envelope.

“Fucking son of a bitch,” he cursed.

She turned away, unable to rewitness the horror she had so recently faced. He came to stand behind her, spinning her in his arms. They closed around her, offering her a comfort she knew she didn’t deserve.

“I can’t go back there tonight,” she confessed, her voice barely a whisper.

“Stay with me,” he suggested, his voice hoarse with concern.

She didn’t ask what it would mean if she stayed.

She didn’t care.

All that mattered was that she was in his arms and she felt safe.

For now.

Chapter 19

Jade rolled onto her side, snuggling into the pillow. Her eyelids slowly opened as she heard a noise. She turned to find Clay standing at the foot of the bed, a tray of food in his hands. She sat up as he took a seat next to her on the edge of the bed.

“What is this?” she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

He grinned. “I figured it was time that somebody took care of you.”

He laid a napkin in her lap.

“You’re going to take care of me?”

“Why not?” he replied, one eyebrow arced. “You’re always taking care of everybody else. Isn’t it time that someone returned the favor?”

She could feel her heartbeat in her throat.

He was right.

In all of her life, no one had ever taken care of her. She had always been the strong one, the one to hold everything together for her mother and her sister. But being the strong one in the family was a lonely job, and there were many times that she’d wanted someone to understand.

To see her.

And Clay, whether he knew how much it meant to her or not, was doing just that.

“I took care of them because I loved them,” she said defensively.

His eyes met hers, and her heart stopped. “And now I’m taking care of you.”

She opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but he shoved a strawberry in before she could get the question out. He continued to feed her for several minutes, giving her ample time to think about what he said. Despite what she’d said to him earlier about not trusting him, the simple truth was that she did. She couldn’t picture Clay hurting Ruby. Maybe she just didn’t want to believe it, but last night when she was scared and alone, she ran to him. Something about him had always drawn her to him, and when she had been backed into a corner, she had reached out.

To him.

Out of everything that she thought might happen when she came here, this had been the furthest from her mind. She loved him, and no matter how much she fought it, it wouldn’t go away. Maybe Clay was right. Maybe this was her chance to go after what she wanted. All her life she had put everyone else first.

Now, it was her turn to live.

He pushed another strawberry between her parted lips; his fingers close enough to taste. Her body ached for him, ached to have him fill her. She gave into temptation, allowing her tongue to flick against his finger. His eyes darkened. When his finger lingered, she drew it into her mouth, her tongue circling the tip. Her lips closed around it, and he smiled.

“You sure you want to play this game, again?” he challenged, his gaze focused on her mouth.

She released his finger to answer, her eyes sparkling. “Who’s playing?” she asked.

He gave her a chiding look, his head tilting to the side. He got up to place the tray on the bureau. After a moment, he turned to face her, a devilish grin sliding across his face. “You think you can win?”

She got to her feet, walking over to stand before him. “Didn’t I win before?” she replied.

His eyes narrowed, his amusement clear. “Is that how you remember it?”

Her eyebrows rose. “I think that’s an accurate description of what happened.”

“Hmmm, that’s not how I remember it.”

She reached out, her hand closing over his growing erection. Her fingers circled around him through the barrier of his boxer shorts. “Maybe I should remind you, then,” she said.

She pushed him up against the wall, her hands on his chest. Lacing her fingers through his, she pushed his hands high. Her lips covered his, her tongue snaking out to trail along his bottom lip. Her tongue slid along the curve of his neck, sliding lower to tease one taut nipple before moving to the other. She pulled his boxer shorts down, her mouth coming dangerously close to his cock as she bent over. She went down on her knees, her tongue teasing the tip. He drew in a tight breath as she licked him from the base to the tip, loving the way his stomach flexed as she did it. When her head tilted so that she could take him into her mouth fully, his hips moved reflexively. Her mouth began to move on his cock, her tongue teasing the tip in circular swirls.

To his credit, he kept his hands in place, not wanting to test her turgid rules. When she reached down to cup his balls, he hissed.

“Jade, if you don’t stop soon I’m going to lose it,” he admitted, his teeth clenched.

She looked up at him, her eyes dark with passion. “Maybe I want you to lose it,” she confessed huskily.

The thought that she could bring this powerful man to his knees with want made her feel so powerful, so alive. Knowing how hard he fought to keep control made her want to relish every moment. Her mouth moved quicker, wanting to drive him to the edge. She wanted him to come. She wanted to be the one to make him come, and she knew he couldn’t hold out much longer.

Suddenly, she was wrenched away as strong hands grabbed her forearms. He pulled her up, his lips crashing down on hers. Spinning her around, he pinned her to the wall. With a swift yank, the buttons on the shirt she wore went flying. His eyes devoured her bare breasts. His head descended, his mouth closing over her nipple. He slid her panties down her legs, his knuckles brushing against her pussy. Dropping to his knees, his tongue flicked against her swollen clit. She felt his hand pull her leg up to rest on his shoulder as his lips closed around her swollen folds. He sucked her clit into his mouth, making her head fall back against the wall. Her hips moved against his mouth, wanting more, wanting all he had to give. And he was willing. She felt his tongue enter her and cried out.

“Clay,” she breathed. “I wanted…”

His hand reached up to tweak her nipple. She was so close. Her body moved in a wild rhythm, mindlessly driving toward a singular goal. Just when she thought that she would soon climax, he got to his feet. His eyes blazed as he stared at her.

“If I’m going to lose it, you’re coming with me.”

He pushed her toward the bed, his body following hers down. When his lips met hers, she tasted the honeyed sweetness of her arousal. He slid down her body, his mouth taking possession of her again.

“God, you taste sweet,” he murmured, his breath teasing her clit.

Her fingers blazed trails in his hair as she held him against her. “Clay, please,” she whispered.

She felt the vibrations of his chuckle against her pussy. “Please what?”

His fingers parted her folds as his tongue speared into her. His tongue came up to circle around her clit. “Do that?” he prodded.

She moaned her approval.

He caught her clit in his mouth, sucking at it. “Or do that?”

Her fingers twisted in the sheets as she writhed beneath him. He tormented her, bringing her to the brink before pulling her back. When she thought she couldn’t take anymore, he climbed up her body. His mouth fused with hers. He drove into her, her nipples pushing against his chest. His hands framed her face as he looked into her eyes.

“I want to watch you come,” he murmured as he continued to move inside of her.

She squeezed her eyes shut as the sensations washed over her. “I can’t,” she whispered, her body pushed beyond its limits.

“Open your eyes, Jade,” he instructed.

He reached down between their bodies to stroke her clit with his thumb.

“Come for me, baby.”

Her body tightened on a wave of pleasure. She could feel him moving inside her; feel the sensations building toward an unreachable peak. Her eyes met his and it shattered, coursing through her body like an inferno of heat. He was with her every step of the way, his hoarse cry mingling with her own. For a few minutes, they didn’t move.

Then he rolled to the side, pulling her with him. His arm wrapped around her. “Mmm, I could spend all day in bed with you,” he admitted.

The feel of his arms around her was so good. The fact that his words only confirmed how she felt inside only made him even more tempting. Still, this kind of intimacy with Clay was too new, too dangerous, and she wasn’t ready to give in to it fully just yet.

“Don’t you have to go to work today?” she reminded him evenly.

* * * *

Clay’s eyes opened, his gaze focused on the ceiling. He didn’t like leaving her alone all day, especially after what happened last night. He didn’t trust Alex Talbot. There was something off about him, something not right. There was also the fact that the guy was an ass. Worse, he was a dangerous ass. The things he had heard about him at the club made his blood boil. And the fact that the man had turned his unfortunate attention on Jade made him want to tear him apart.

Jade was his.

His arm tightened instinctively around her waist.

Her mind may not have accepted it yet, but her body had already signed the contract. She was his, and he wasn’t going to let her get away again. He had given her up once before because he’d thought it was the right thing to do. And because he’d thought it was what she wanted.

Now, he knew the truth.

Jade was fighting herself just as much as she was fighting him.

He wouldn’t let that stand between them anymore.

She sat up, pulling the sheet around her. She wasn’t going to like what he had to say, but she had no choice but to listen. “Jade, I think you should move in.”

Her head spun around, and the look in her eyes confirmed everything he thought. “That’s not a good idea,” she replied, standing up to walk around the bed. She picked

up her clothes.

He got to his feet, grabbing her arm. “You’re not going back there, Jade.”

She looked at the hand he placed on her arm. “Clay, I’m a grown woman. You don’t have to watch over me.”

The hold he had on her arm tightened. “I do when you’re making dumb decisions like this,” he explained harshly.

She yanked her arm away, her eyebrows arched high. “So, now I’m dumb?” she challenged.

His eyes blazed. “You are if you’re considering going back to that place by yourself. Do you think that picture was a welcome card, Jade? It was a warning and we both know it.”

* * * *

She looked away.

He was right and she knew it, even if she didn’t want to admit it. Going back to Ruby’s was dangerous, but staying here with Clay, living with him, was even more dangerous. The closer she got to him, the more she fell in love with him. And one day soon this little game of theirs would end. What would she do then? How would she be able to leave when she had given her heart to him?

“Clay, I have to go back if I’m going to find out who killed my sister,” she reasoned. “I’m close. I can feel it.”

He shook his head, letting out a disgruntled sigh. “Close to getting killed. Do you think Ruby would’ve wanted you risking your life to find her killer?”

He had her there.

Ruby wouldn’t have wanted this.

Ruby would have wanted her to live. Still, the more she found out about Ruby’s life, the clearer it became that she had let her sister down in life. She wouldn’t make that mistake in death.

“Ruby would have wanted her killer found,” she said.