by CR Robertson
Her body shivered in mutinous submission.
“Or do you want a lifetime of vanilla sex on your back with no clitoral stimulation?”
Her body moulded back to mine, and I watched her reactions in the window that doubled as a mirror.
“You bastard,” she whispered, contracting around my cock.
I kissed her shoulder. “Love you, too, baby.”
Since she’d agreed to what I wanted, I made sure that Cassandra came again before I buried myself balls-deep and exploded in her heat.
***
Chapter Eighteen
Xavier
“We came to deal with Hugh Bartholomew.” The tallest man sneered.
“You can deal with me,” I instructed, glancing up from my phone as I typed on it. These men believed themselves to be untouchable, their reach global as they plucked innocent people off the street to sell them into slavery. It would piss them off that I disrespected them by focusing most of my attention on my phone. Fuck them, I was texting Cassandra to ask what she wanted for dinner.
“Hugh Bartholomew is a Council member.”
My eyes finally came up to meet his. “As am I. My father is a busy man, and he doesn’t like the skin trade. It makes him nauseous.”
“And it doesn’t affect you the same way?” His accent was familiar, although I couldn’t place it.
Jordan and Ash were in strategic positions around the room. All of us were ready to blow their brains out, but it would be pointless as these were not the men who pulled the strings in this organisation.
“Do I look like I have a problem with it?” I taunted him. “We already own a worldwide company dealing in sex. It’s the primal force that makes the world go around.”
That part was true. It didn’t matter if you were a prude and repelled by sex or into hardcore BDSM, everyone had an opinion on sex. There was no doubt in my mind these men knew exactly who I was and what my business connections were. We weren’t the only ones with tech geniuses on our payroll.
“My boss is a fan of your businesses. He’s admired them from afar for years. His establishments go more to the extreme side, catering to a specific clientele.”
My stomach rolled at his words. The thought of men walking around in my rooms preying on women made me want to find every one of them and dispatch them to whatever god they believed in. The only saving grace had been that we’d never had any complaints about either The Midnight or Twilight Rooms, everything happening in them consensual.
“I can’t return the compliment, considering I only found out about his business a few days ago,” I remarked dryly, finally giving him my attention.
He studied me with the intensity of a cat watching a mouse. “Technically, Malcolm’s shares in the company still exist. My boss wants to know who will be claiming them. You’re the one sitting in this meeting.”
Jordan turned from his usual place at the window to watch what was happening. He wanted to shoot every one of these men in the back of the head, but they were puppets and their deaths would achieve nothing.
“What are you implying?” I asked, my tone so cold the air could freeze between us.
A vicious smile lifted his lips. “You have access to the files on thousands of members to your clubs, including access to their medical results. We are always in need of new slaves with certain characteristics. Shares in the company go to those who are most effective to our organisation.”
Ash moved into the conversation casually. “And how was Malcolm effective?”
“Each of our directors take an active interest in training our recruits.” The salacious tilt of his mouth made nausea burn up my throat. “Malcolm was quite the expert in breaking our assets so they could be reprogrammed.”
Jordan stiffened at the corner of my eye.
“And what exactly do you think the three of us can do for you?” I inquired. “We tend not to break our toys.”
His reptilian gaze moved to Jordan. “No one has ever been able to prove anything about the three of you. No evidence exists that you are anything more than playboys who enjoy fast cars and beautiful women.”
“That’s because that is exactly what we are,” Jordan flashed him his practiced smile he’d perfected long ago in law school.
“And yet, Malcolm said that every time there was a problem in his precious Council, that you three dealt with it and left no witnesses.”
If Malcolm wasn’t already dead, this would have signed his execution warrant.
“I’ll have a chat with him next time I see him,” Jordan commented dryly.
The nameless man laughed humourlessly. “Something tells me that Malcolm is long gone and none of us will find any evidence of his demise.”
Jordan stared blankly at him. “Are you suggesting that you harmed Malcolm?” he deadpanned. “I need to advise you that, as a member of the Bar, if you disclose any information pertaining to a crime that I am duty-bound to report it, as you are not my client.”
The man stared at Jordan for several seconds before his laughter boomed around the room. “I like you. Psychopaths are rare nowadays.”
“Unfortunately, assholes are everywhere,” Jordan snarked, turning back to the window.
The stranger’s eyes stayed trained on Jordan, violence lurking in their depths.
“No offence,” I intervened. “The three of us own a successful business chain. It’s been nice meeting you, but since your boss didn’t have the decency to come and meet us in person for this gathering, I have a busy schedule.” I stood and tucked my phone in the inside pocket of my suit.
“He’s a busy man,” he replied with a shrug.
“So am I. Have a pleasant day.” The three of us strode toward the door. I learnt one thing from my father at an early age, and that was playing hardball in business. The more you gave the more people took. If you walked away, they tended to chase you.
“You’ll regret not taking their offer.”
I never bothering turning around. “There was no offer on the table. Tell your boss, I only deal with business partners face to face, not through their minions.”
The door slammed behind us.
“You sure you know what you’re doing?” Ash asked, casting a weary look back at the door.
“If they think I’m a pussy, they’ll either stroke me or try to fuck me.”
Jordan sniggered. “I dread to think what they’d do if they think you’re an asshole.”
Ash fist-bumped him. “Those perverts in there would still probably try to stroke or fuck him.”
“Without lubrication,” I deadpanned.
“Zee pulls off being a badass because everyone thinks he’s posh.” Jordan smiled like a dick.
I rolled my eyes at him. “You attended the same school as me.”
“Yeah, but I’m generally rude to everyone. Your smile puts them at ease before you snap and bite them.” Jordan took his phone out to check it. “I have the details of all their phones. We should be able to track them.”
“You really are a psychopath,” Ash informed him as we slid into the car.
Jordan gave him his best creepy smile that would make anyone want to run in the other direction. “I’m a sociopath, get you terminologies right.”
“How long do you think before we’re paid a visit?” I queried. If they’d tried to clone or track our phones, they’d be diverted to a different number, one that Jordan controlled remotely. The Council had tech experts that would challenge Q in James Bond for their ingenuity.
“They’re probably plotting your demise right now.” Jordan laughed. “That guy was not happy you called him a minion. He nearly turned purple like the evil ones in the movie when you said it.”
“He’ll need to join the queue of unhappy people then, because I now have to deal with my delinquent father who terrified my fiancée last night. I really could kick his ass, and God only knows who he was trying to marry me off to.” I stopped Ash’s chuckle with a glare. “Your father is on the Council, the same could
currently be happening to you.”
That sobered him in an instant.
Jordan slapped me on the shoulder. “I think I’ve just found the only benefit to being an orphan.”
“If they’re creating alliances,” Ash replied. “Believe me, they’ve already selected someone for you. They’re just trying to think of a way to back you into a corner, so you’ll have to agree to it.”
“Fucking marvellous,” Jordan muttered darkly. “That’s all I need. A wife nagging me.”
Ash and I shared a look. “So, Megan’s staying in your apartment,” I said. “I have other apartments free in the building.”
Jordan’s jaw tightened because he walked straight into our relationship talk trap.
“I think the one beside mine is free,” Ash continued, a grin tugging his lips.
“It’s fine, we’ve known each other for a while,” Jordan ground out as we all got into his car. He wasn’t a good passenger, and always insisted on driving no matter what.
Jordan fired his Mercedes into life, speeding away from our meeting.
“Is she the woman you put a tracker on without her knowing?” I wondered out loud.
He stiffened beside me, giving me my answer.
“If you care about her, why did you let her go?” I persisted.
He shot me a look designed to intimidate or kill anyone with a delicate constitution. “Meg is the light to my darkness. She is everything good in this world and I am the hand of death. She deserves a life with someone who can love her and give her everything she needs.”
“That sounds like a job for you,” I said absently, gazing out the window. “From what I hear from Cas, Meg’s been hurt badly in the past. It’s why she hides in The Midnight Rooms and has anonymous sex with strangers.”
Jordan’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel.
“I’m not saying you have to marry her. But both of you deserve that you try and see where this goes.”
“Just because you’ve got a happy ending, doesn’t mean that everyone else will,” Jordan snapped.
“Fine.” I threw my hands up in surrender. “Let other men hurt her until she’s broken and miserable.”
“You really are a bastard,” Jordan countered.
“Jay, I created The Midnight Rooms so I could have meaningless, anonymous sex. Before Cas, I was broken and miserable from all the shit that Dad’s wives pulled over the years. There’s freedom in being tied down to one person.”
“I don’t want her to be left widowed with kids because of the life we lead,” he finally admitted.
“Then we make sure nothing happens to each other,” Ash interrupted. “We guarantee that we have each other’s backs no matter what. Zee is about to get married, and both of us have our eyes on special women. We make a vow to keep each other and our families safe.”
“And who will keep her safe from me?” Jordan asked, glancing at Ash in the rear view mirror.
“If you love her, the only person who can keep her safe is you,” I replied. It was true, because I would destroy anyone who made Cassandra cry. She was mine alone to love and protect. In a few days she would be my wife, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I would move heaven and earth to make her happy.
***
Chapter Nineteen
Cassandra
There were moments in your life that silently engraved themselves on your soul. This was one of them. Megan fussed around, fixing flowers and singing to herself.
I stood in a pale ivory dress that fit me to perfection. The designer had been clever to make the top with laces down the back to accommodate my growing tummy. The silk bodice had a lace top over it with crystals and embroidered patterns, the sleeves falling down my arms to points at my wrists. The skirt had a flounce, but just enough to give it a princess vibe without making me look like I should be stuck on top of a Christmas tree.
Everything was arranged for the ceremony in the old chapel on the estate where Xavier’s mother grew up. His Uncle Lucas had arrived two days ago with his stunning cousin Lucrezia. When he discovered that Xavier had planned everything for a hotel, he rapidly changed the plans, saying his mother needed to be present. It added a personal touch to our vows, sending shivers deep into my stomach when I walked the grounds and saw the chapel yesterday.
Lucrezia had gifted me with the most beautiful tiara I’d ever seen. It matched the patterns in my dress and made me wonder if she knew the designer.
I waited in a room on his uncle’s estate, ready to marry the man who’d given me a future I never imagined. Last night there’d been a party that Xavier reluctantly let his father attend. Even when I tried to go to bed alone, Xavier wouldn’t allow it, saying I was his dreamcatcher. He refused to listen to tradition, saying we’d already ignored it since I was pregnant. In his defence, I’d tried sleeping without him in my bed and it was a misery all its own. We belonged together.
Ash watched Lucrezia like a starving man and she was the only nourishment within miles. His eyes followed her, and I noticed him chatting to her in a dark corner, his fingers delicately lifting her hair behind her shoulder and her body canted toward him. Xavier’s Uncle Lucas had glared at them in dark contemplation, his fingers drumming on the table.
In the past week, Xavier had rearranged my life, speaking to my boss and handing in my resignation. The pre-Xavier me would have been horrified, spouting women’s rights legislation. When I sat down and honestly thought about it, the only people I would miss at the firm were Sasha and Al. Sasha was family no matter what from the day she took me under her wing in the firm and mothered me. No one else really bothered with me, and Megan would always be a huge part of my life. Considering that I was becoming a mother, it was a sacrifice I was willing to make to be part of a family again.
“Ready?” Megan watched me from the doorway.
We were going to walk down the aisle together, sisters by choice not by birth. There had been no one to invite except Sasha and Al. He had a prior engagement at such short notice, but Sasha had arrived around nine last night to join us for the weekend with her sister. I’d spent most of my life isolating myself and living in the shadows. Xavier finally found me there in the dark and brought me to the light.
“At times like these, my parents should be here,” I replied.
Her sad smile said she knew what was going on in my head. “They are here, Cas. Just like they cheered for us at graduation and cried with us when we failed in the past.” She grabbed both my hands. “I believe that every time I think about Mum, she’s up there thinking about me.”
A tear escaped to trickle down my cheek. “Sometimes I forget the sound of their voices or what they look like.”
Megan nodded. “Then you see or hear something and it’s like they’re in the next room.”
My childhood home was filled with their ghosts. I thought I’d been ready to exorcise them, but obviously not. Those ghosts needed to sit there a little longer until I was strong enough to face them.
I stared at her, needing to know she’d be okay. “You and Jordan…”
Megan moved her gaze toward the window. “It’s complicated. Jordan saved my life when I hit a low spot a long time ago. He’s always been an avenging angel who appears in my life when I need someone. I’ve loved him for so long, but he can never be mine. He can never be anybody’s.” Her eyes finally met mine. “Do you know I went to him before my wedding to Mark and asked him to tell me he loved me just once and I’d call it off?”
My hands tightened around hers. I knew the end to this story. Her fiancé jilted her at the altar because his girlfriend was pregnant. Jordan must have refused to declare his feelings.
“Some men are difficult to love because they have so many barriers around them.”
She shook her head and took a step back. “Some men don’t have the capacity to love.”
Megan was wrong. I’d seen Jordan watching her when she wasn’t looking. His feelings tormented him. If that wasn’t love, it was a damned go
od impersonation.
“Never mind about me.” Megan’s smile was too bright. “This is your big day. Let’s go and take that delicious creature you snared off the market.”
Xavier’s father had started another row during the week, demanding a pre-nup I would have been happy to sign. It sent Xavier into a rage, which resulted in him throwing him out and slamming the door. Again. Apparently, my fiancé was an incurable romantic who wanted us to marry the old-fashioned way with nothing between us, not even a legal document.
The chapel was tiny and would only hold about twenty people, which was as well, considering there were few people here to witness our vows. Only the people closest to us were present.
Xavier’s blue eyes never left me, as if his will alone kept my feet moving down the aisle. He was dressed in a black suit with a crisp white shirt and a dark tartan tie. I didn’t know when Megan’s hand left mine and Xavier had taken it instead. His gaze bored into mine, steadying my emotions.
I blinked when I felt all eyes on me and turned to look at the minister. “This is the part you speak,” he whispered.
Xavier smirked, because he knew I was helpless when he stared at me like that. The words flowed from me, and I pursed my lips at the obey part. Xavier’s eyebrow quirked up when he heard the minister include ‘obey’ in his vows. I might have been a little naughty while fiddling with the plans for today. If we were to become man and wife, it would be as equals.
His grin when he repeated his vows said he didn’t care what I’d put in there, he would have agreed to it without hesitation.
“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife,” the minister concluded. “You may kiss the bride.”
His fingers grasped my chin to tilt my head back. Butterflies invaded my stomach, behaving like this was the first time I’d ever been kissed. His lips found mine and spoke a solemn vow that no words could ever say. They promised so much more than love, honour, and obedience. They swore an oath of owning me until the day we parted this world and then he’d claim me on the other side again. His mouth devoured me in a desperate need that told the world he now owned me and me him.