Intrigued: The Dark Christmases

by Arkadie, Z. L.

  “I see,” I said. “Did you ever finish up somewhere else?”

  Bryn touched herself on the chest. “Oh, so I’m first?”

  “Why not? Maybe we can help the others see that talking to me will only help, not hurt.” I was only asking about Bryn because I noticed that whenever anything related to her was mentioned, the brothers would tense up. She was definitely at the root of a major secret, and I questioned why she would hire me to dig it up, because come hell or high water, I would pull that puppy right out of the dirt.

  “I work with our family’s charity organization,” she said.

  I nodded. “Of course. You were always good at philanthropy.”

  “You would know,” Asher said under his breath.

  When I turned to him, his eyes were narrowed to slits. That was the second time he’d taken a dig at me. What the hell did I ever do to him?

  “Yeah, but she was blindsided,” Bryn said.

  I was thankful she came to my defense.

  “She could’ve turned down your charity,” he said.

  “I’ve never seen you turn down charity,” Bryn bit back.

  Yes. I wanted to pump my fist and plant a big kiss on her cheek for defending me. She had always been a quick and formidable verbal sparring opponent.

  “What are you talking about?” Asher snapped.

  Bryn sniffed cynically. “Father fronted you the money for the first four companies you started and failed to keep afloat. That’s just number one on the list.”

  If looks could kill, Bryn would be pushing up daisies.

  I raised a hand to halt the battle going on between the twins. “That has already been covered by Kylie Roberson.”

  “You know what?” Asher shot to his feet. “I’m not hungry anymore.” He stormed away from the table then aimed his finger at me. “And I’m not talking to you, so don’t come knocking.”

  I scratched the side of my face as I wondered what approach I should take to make him change his mind.

  “Don’t mind him,” Bryn said. “He wants to fuck you, so he’ll talk to you.”

  “Bryn!” Jasper and I said at the same time.

  I avoided looking at him because the fact that we were on the same page felt odd.

  “Okay, whatever,” Bryn said with a flippant eye roll. “Don’t worry. She won’t fuck him. I chose Holly because she’s immune to any man’s sexual power. I mean, she was the most virginal coed in all of Redmond College.”

  My mouth was caught open; I had no idea what to say. There was no way she could ever know how Jasper and I had been getting it on like pros. As I looked down at my plate, I could feel Jasper’s gaze burn the side of my face while Spencer’s targeted the top of my head.

  “That makes sense,” Spencer said.

  I didn’t look up.

  “I like virgins,” he continued. “They’re tight.”

  Do. Not. Look. Up.

  “Getting back to what’s important,” Jasper said loudly. “We should cancel the holiday party tonight.”

  “No way,” Bryn said.

  “We don’t want people questioning the status of Father’s health,” he said.

  I looked up since it seemed safe again to visually follow the conversation taking place between the siblings.

  “Then let’s not tell them,” Spencer said. “I have colleagues and business associates coming.” His expression turned serious. It was the first time I’d seen him that way.

  “Plus, we’ve sunk a lot of time and attention into this event,” Bryn said. “People are flying in from all over the world.” She shook her head. “It’s too late to cancel anyway.”

  Jasper’s gaze held mine captive. “Fine, but no one learns about Father’s condition. Got it?”

  My back hit my chair. “What’s your father’s condition?”

  He looked at Bryn, Spencer, me, then Bryn again. “Do we agree?”

  She sat upright. “I don’t care.”

  “Do we agree?” he asked sternly.

  Bryn sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yes. I agree.”

  He frowned at her then straightened his face so quickly that if I’d blinked, I would’ve missed it. I gathered that her attitude toward their father bothered him.

  Note taken.

  Chapter Ten

  Jasper reminded me that we were to meet him in his father’s office to go over what was permissible as far as my investigation of the Christmases. Bryn wanted to join us, but he insisted that she shouldn’t and suggested she help deal with the logistics of the party.

  “Plus, you’re too close to Miss Henderson,” he said. “I need to be alone with her to set the ground rules. Don’t worry. I won’t hurt her. She’s an adult.” He didn’t have to look at me when he said that; I felt his lustful energy painting me with his desire.

  “It’s Holly. Not Miss Henderson,” Bryn said.

  He looked at her with a blank stare. Why in the world does he refuse to call me Holly?

  Regardless, I was standing in front of the big dark-wood door that looked as if it were the entrance to a castle. The office was on the fourth floor. I used the brass knocker, hitting the wood twice to let Jasper know I was there.

  When he opened the door, his blue-green eyes were on fire. He took me by the wrist and pulled me into the office. He pressed me up against the heavy door as it closed slowly. Our gazes were fixed on each other as he bolted the locks.

  “What’s wrong with your father?” I whispered.

  “He’s dying,” Jasper said then smashed his hungry lips against mine.

  Our tongues tangled. His stiff cock ground against my already sensitive clit. Our kissing and rubbing caused sensations to soar through my nerves, making my legs as floaty as clouds.

  “Why the fuck are you teasing me like this?” he whispered, although I wasn’t sure what he was talking about. But the fact that he’d told me his father was dying was not lost on me.

  “Um,” I moaned as Jasper’s breath, lips, and tongue slid up and down my neck. “Why does Bryn have so much animosity toward your father?” I was able to ask through his pleasurable assault on my neck.

  Jasper stopped abruptly. The look in his eyes wasn’t anger, and that was a relief. However, I hoped my question hadn’t inclined him to stop what he was doing. Finally, he grabbed my jacket by the collar and yanked it down my shoulders. I twisted my body to help him get it off me.

  “Ouch,” I said with a sigh as he bit one of my nipples, both of which were poking my white blouse.

  He continually bit harder, then released, harder, then released. I knew he was punishing me for asking about Bryn and Randolph. Then he ripped my blouse open, and buttons flew in every direction. Jasper pushed his hard dick against me as he leaned back to get an eyeful of my breasts, which were contained in a thin black lace bra.

  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Damn it, Jasper. Slow down,” he whispered. He opened his eyes again. We stared at each other as he pushed my hips against his erection and ground against me until he stopped abruptly with a grunt.

  I licked my lips. “I’m sorry about—”

  “Stop talking.”

  I bit my bottom lip but only for a moment. He sank that lip into the depths of his warm mouth.

  “Um…” he said. “When you talk, I want you more. Don’t say anything, because this can’t work between us.”

  “What can’t work?” I asked.

  He opened and closed his mouth.

  “What are you hiding, Jasper?”

  He ground against me harder.

  I could feel how wild my eyes were. This game he wanted to play was turning me way past on.

  “Why didn’t Bryn return to Redmond College after freshman year?” I demanded to know.

  He pressed against me so hard that I thought he would break not only my pubic bone but his dick too. Then I was lifted off my feet as he carried me with two hands to the big leather sofa and dropped me on top of it. He pulled my shoes off just as he had done earlier. Then he und
id my pants and pulled my panties off with them. “Take that off,” he commanded in a thick voice.

  In my hazy daze, I realized all I had on was my tattered blouse and bra.

  I grasped my blouse by the front opening.

  “Slowly,” he said, his gaze setting my lust on fire.

  I peeled the garment off as if I were peeling a delicate piece of fruit. Jasper sucked air briskly through his clenched teeth. My bra unhooked from the front, so I easily freed my tits. As soon as they were exposed, Jasper dropped to his knees and sucked as much of my 34C-sized breast into his mouth as he could, biting my hard nipple as he pulled away. The sensation sent sparks through my pussy, making me drip with need.

  Jasper shoved his fingers deep into my wetness, plunging in and out like a jackhammer.

  “Shit, shit, shit,” he repeated as I vibrated with his prodding. Suddenly, he spun me around and set my knees on the sofa, spreading my legs. “Don’t move,” he ordered.

  My gaze took in the dreary daylight and ice-covered lawn that stopped at the edge of a cliff with the gray body of water in the distance. I could feel my wetness moistening the insides of my thighs. I listened to Jasper’s pants unzip then heard a condom packet rip. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for impact. Then his hot, soft tongue sank into my asshole, prodding me there before sliding down to the bottom of my pussy.

  “Shit, you’re so wet,” he said.

  When he took me by my hips, I knew what would come next.

  “Ah!” I screamed as he slammed my pussy against his rock-hard dick. He did it over and over again, thrusting deep and hard. I screamed, feeling the ache of his fullness and rigidness.

  Then he stopped and lay on my back as he put his hot mouth to my ear. “Don’t ever ask me questions when I’m fucking you,” he whispered.

  I was about to say something, but he started pounding me again, hard and punishing.

  His mouth was near my ear again. “Got it?”

  I tightened my pussy around his dick. “Do it again,” I said.

  It took three thrusts before he grunted and groaned, coming his brains out. With his dick still inside me, he turned me away from the back of the sofa and set me on his lap.

  “I’m not done with you yet,” he announced as his hands kneaded my tits, pinching my nipples so hard they ached.

  I smirked. “If that was punishment, then I won.”

  Suddenly, he spun me around so I was lying on the sofa, and his tongue was in my mouth. We were kissing as if there were no tomorrow—deep, hot, and passionate. He only stopped to throw his head back and yell, “Fuck!”

  Then we were kissing again, falling off the sofa and rolling on the floor. It was too much. My head was so dizzy.

  “Oh, Jasper,” I moaned.

  That made him kiss me more passionately. Minutes passed. We couldn’t stop. Then he parted my knees and slid a fresh erection into my pussy.

  I sighed, loving his soft, indulgent strokes. Our lips and tongues made art as he shifted in and out of me. My throat moaned without my direction.

  He moved in, out, rimming my pussy. I gasped when I felt it. Right there. He found it and stimulated me until I pitched my head back and cried out.

  Jasper increased the speed of his thrusts. Damn, it felt so good that sensations sparked through my pussy again. Our eyes remained locked. I didn’t know what felt better—my pussy or my heart. Then he squeezed his eyes shut as he grunted and his body quaked. I could not look away from the gratification on his face that my body had given him. I expected him to hide his face again, but when his eyes opened, he continued staring into mine. Neither of us moved a muscle. I could’ve remained beneath him forever. He smelled so divine. The scent that was all his own intermingled with mine.

  “I smell me on you,” I whispered.

  “I couldn’t wash you off,” he admitted.

  “Me neither.”

  His eyebrows pulled then released. “I can’t fall in love with you, Holly.”

  I opened and closed my mouth then swallowed. “You called me Holly. Does that mean we’re friends?”

  He sniffed, wearing a weak smile. “You’re always working, aren’t you?”

  I frowned. “What do you mean, I’m working?”

  “Your pussy is fucking amazing, but I will protect my family from you, Miss Henderson.”

  Tension raced through my lips. “Get off of me,” I hissed.

  He didn’t even hesitate.

  Once I was free of him, I struggled to my feet and rushed to put on my pants. My eyes were too watery to see what I was doing.

  “Holly,” he whispered.

  I stopped in the middle of zipping my pants. At least he was back to calling me by my first name. “What?”

  “Just gather your things. I’ll show you the way back to your room. No one will see you.”

  I released a breath full of pain. Of course he wasn’t going to apologize. Of course he wasn’t going to gather me in his arms and say something that made me feel as though he would eventually value me as more than a secret fuck.

  Without another word, I collected my clothes and shoes. I was proud of myself for staving off the tears.

  He opened a large cabinet door then pushed back the side that held stacks of books, revealing a staircase. He walked into the space, and I followed him down a flight of stairs. Then he pulled open a door, pushed through another, and held it open for me.

  I entered my guest room. “Jasper?” I asked, my eyes pinned to those two high-backed chairs.

  “Yes,” he said.

  “Don’t come visit me again. We’re done. Leave.”

  Finally, he hesitated as I’d wanted him to do earlier. But he did as I said, leaving me alone.

  Chapter Eleven

  Warm water ran down my face from the top of my head. I was showering, determined to wash Jasper’s scent off me. I regretted my severe reaction to him calling me Miss Henderson again. What the hell was that? Fucking Jasper could get me a lot of answers to questions I had about his family secrets. I mean, I’d gotten him to tell me that his father was dying. That was a big reveal. No one knew that about Randolph Christmas. I could call a few editors I knew and score a nice payday with that intel. But I would never do that. However, it was clear I was playing an injurious game with my heart. Perhaps having sex with Jasper Christmas was not the way to get answers to the tough questions. I needed to use other proven methods to acquire enough information to make Bryn happy so I could hurry up and get the hell out of the Christmas mansion.

  I put on a pair of jeans, a turtleneck sweater, and warm boots. I decided to focus more on work and less on Jasper. The first person I wanted to speak to was Gina. I knew she was sleeping with two Christmas brothers at least. Perhaps she was sleeping with Jasper too. I didn’t want to know if she had, but deep down, I did. I asked William if he knew where I would be able to find Gina.

  “Ms. Jones is at the pool,” he said.

  “She’s swimming in the cold?” I asked, shocked.

  “It’s an indoor pool.”

  “Oh, I see.” I looked down at my outfit. I was overdressed. “Do you have bathing suits for guests?”

  “Yes, Miss Henderson.”

  Hearing him call me that made me want to puke. “Please, call me Holly.”

  “Yes, Holly.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. I’ll show you to the dressing room in the pool area. The bathing suits are there.”

  I thanked him again as he led the way.

  * * *

  The indoor swimming pool was designed in the style of a Roman bathhouse with blue-and-orange decorative Mediterranean tile covering the bottom and edges. I stood at the edge, watching Gina finish her lap. She was a smooth and graceful swimmer.

  When she made it to the end, she removed her goggles and swiped a hand down her face to remove the extra water. “What are you doing here?” she asked just as bitingly as I’d expected.

  I dove in the best I could. The warm water en
gulfed me as I swam to her. I had to think as I went. A woman like Gina was always a hard nut to crack for anyone without a penis. She’d already dubbed me competition, so I was determined to let her win.

  I took the last few feet underwater. Her legs were against the side of the pool. As I predicted, she stayed put.

  “Whew,” I said as I wiped the water off my face. “You’re so much better at that than I am. I can tell you’ve trained professionally.”

  Gina’s eyebrows furrowed. I could tell she was taken aback by my observation. “Yeah, I have trained.” She shrugged indifferently. “In junior high. That was a long time ago, though.” A veil of sadness covered her face, but it was quickly replaced by a look of toughness. “What do you want?”

  I pressed my back against the wall and lifted my legs to float above water. “I don’t want anything. It’s cold out there and warm in here.” I glanced at her. “You really are a good swimmer, though.”

  “Thank you,” she muttered after a few beats. “You’re okay too.”

  I chuckled. “Are you kidding me? What you saw was the best I could ever do.”

  “I was really good when I competed. I never lost a match.”

  “Why did you quit?”

  She frowned then shook her head. “I just quit.”

  “Oh,” I said, nodding understandingly.

  Gina studied me for a moment. “Men are just fucking pigs, aren’t they?”

  “They could be. You’re with Asher. Is he a fucking pig?”

  “Not as much as Spencer,” she said.

  I tried to contain my relief. I was getting her to walk on my trail, so to speak. “Yeah, he’s pretty much a crude asshole.”

  “He’s like that with all women, so…” She shrugged.

  I understood that she was attempting to convey that I shouldn’t think I was something special. But she had no idea how she’d further opened the door for me to get what I needed out of her.

  “Someone like that would be crude to all women,” I said.

  She snarled. “Someone like what?”