by Lucian Bane
“He wants you to go!” she cried softly. “I didn’t want him mad at me.”
“He wouldn’t be mad at you,” he chuckled.
“He’s scary,” she whispered. “So is she. And … who are those other people?”
“Oh God,” he muttered, putting his forehead to hers. “The only one you need to know about is Jessica. I may have dated her once. She may still be … into me.”
Rin couldn’t stop her breath of despair. “Great.”
“She knows I’m not into her.”
“She seems to have forgotten,” Rin assured.
“I’ll remind her,” he assured back.
“Did you … I mean did you …”
“What, fuck her?”
She pushed out of his arms and turned from him, her skin crawling at the words connected to another woman.
“I won’t lie, I did,” he said. “Once. And that was it.”
“That was it?” she gasped. “Great, a woman who you fucked is out there. And I get to see her look at you like you’re up for dessert.”
He wrapped his arms around her before she could escape and his mouth covered her neck in a hot suction. He growled and pulled at the skin with such an intensity it made her cry out. She grabbed the back of his neck as he sucked, his lips open wide.
He released her with a gasp. “There. You’re mine.” His hot breaths and fingers touched the wet spot on her neck.
“You gave me a hickey?” she realized in shock.
He chuckled. “A big one too.” Like he was proud of himself.
She turned to him, still upset about the situation. “That’s great, now people will know I’m yours but what about you? It’s you that seems to need giant hickeys!”
“Ohhhh, do it, baby, give me a big one, or ten small ones, I don’t care.”
He had her in his embrace again, his large hands squeezing her butt with that eager grip. She was breathless, uncertain, and upset about all of it still. “I don’t want to bruise your neck to show anybody you’re mine.” At hearing the ownership out loud, she froze, looking at him.
“What?” He took her hand and put it on his chest. “You feel that? How hard it’s beating?” He lowered her hand and pressed it onto his cock. “You feel that? How hard I am?” He forced her to rub his erection and it was difficult to think about anything but that. “That’s what your words did to me. Say them again.”
“W-which ones?”
“Ohhh, you know which ones. Say it,” he said, his voice thick with need.
She closed her eyes feeling him under her hand. The words were there on her tongue now she just needed to get them off, and out of her mouth. “You’re … mine.”
“Yes,” he gushed, his hand suddenly on her jaw and forcing her head back. His tongue was in her mouth, hot with his groan his other hand back on her butt, pulling her tight into his cock. “I was going to make love to you tonight,” he whispered.
Was? She pushed at his chest. “Are you not now?” She hated how desperate she sounded.
“I don’t want to do it when you’re half asleep after we party,” he smiled on her lips.
This wasn’t fair. “I’m very sure I wouldn’t sleep for that, not even half, or-or a little.”
“Are you begging me?” He nibbled along her jaw, an ecstatic joy in his tone. “I might like you begging me. I might like a lot of things that you find naughty, you realize this?” He bit at her ear lobe, making her breath catch and her heart race.
“I’m … I’m just … don’t make me pay,” she whispered.
“I’m going to make you pay,” he whispered back, pulling her hard into his cock again. “I dream of making you pay. Does that scare you?”
Her head fell back with the wave of heat that flooded her. “No,” she whispered, weakly. “I want it.”
“You want it,” he shuddered, a hungry curiosity in his words. His teeth grazed her neck and scattered sparks through her. “Do you know what you are asking?”
“No,” she said, not sure if that was the right thing to say. She couldn’t think past the ache between her legs. “Do it now,” she pled. “Make love to me. Let that be my mark on you.”
He gave the most agonizing groan she’d heard from him and pulled away, confusing her. “I won’t rush that,” he said, winded.
“Then don’t. We have four hours. He said so.”
“No,” he nearly growled. “When I make love to you, it’s going to be with nobody around that …”
“That what?”
“I don’t want to do it here.”
“You said you were planning to tonight!” she gasped.
“That was before the house was filled with prior …”
“Fucks?” she helped. “Maybe you don’t want her hearing me?”
He shot a look at her, his grin tickling her belly. “Fuck I have been dreaming of how you’ll sound when I do it.”
Shit, he always derailed everything. “Fine,” she said, looking around. “Where is the bathroom, I’d like a shower.”
He stared at her, contemplating. “I’ll get our stuff.”
“Fine,” she said, shoving him away when he came to hug her. But he wouldn’t be shoved away, he forced her onto him, stealing her breath as usual.
“Don’t do that,” he warned, his voice low and hot on her cheek.
“Stop bullying me,” she said, not particularly caring for his never-ending unfair sex appeal.
He let her go and she eyed his raised palms of surrender. “Fine.”
“Fine,” she whispered, rubbing her arms, denying the bad feelings inside that wanted her.
“I’ll be right back,” he said. “Stay put.”
She wasn’t going anywhere. She went to the window after he left and watched him at the car. Her stomach tensed when that bimbo Jessica appeared out of nowhere. Rin drew away from the window a little, watching out of sight.
“Hey,” she heard the girl say.
She eyed Dante as he turned and faced her briefly. He said something but she couldn’t hear. Dammit. He filled his hands with the bags from the store and kicked the car door shut. She held her breath when he turned and faced the girl. A gasp escaped her when the girl leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. Dante jerked back, and shook his head at her, mumbling something before he walked around her to the front door.
Rin should have felt better but the determined smile on the girl’s face said her sick game was just beginning. Her fists clenched as she stared at the girl. The girl who knew Rin and Dante were together.
Didn’t she?
Rin quickly sat on the bed when she heard his footsteps outside the room. He fought with the door handle and came in, not looking at her. Kicking the door shut, he made his way and set the bags on the bed.
Rin waited to see what he’d say, if anything. Her anger burned when she realized he wasn’t planning to utter a word about it.
“Does that tramp know we’re together?” she finally blurted.
He eyed her, slowing his sorting of clothes. “Yes, I’m pretty sure.”
“Pretty sure?”
“Look, I didn’t know she was going to be here, Rin, so I didn’t exactly know to have her informed.”
“But your friends knew?”
“Yes, they did.”
“So, they hated me before they meet me?”
“No, they don’t,” he said.
“Then why bring your X fuck here?” she asked, shaking in fury now.
“Okay, so Joann likes Jessica. Jessica likes me. They don’t know you. Yet.”
“Well that’s just shit of them to do.”
“I agree,” Dante said, sounding pissed. “Very.”
She realized she was upset with the wrong person and sagged herself onto the bed. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Go take that shower while I go set some ground rules with these cock-blockers.”
As much as she hated to watch him leave, she wanted to go take that shower. Because she had her eye on an outfit
the woman at the intimates store had slipped into the selection. Something naughty. He’d mentioned liking naughty. Maybe she could entice him to make love to her before they went another step further. She didn’t care about slow, she just cared about … knowing what it was like to have him do that to her. Make love to her. Even though she was not a virgin, she felt like she was with him. She felt like this was it, this was going to be her very first time to know what it feels like. To become one with somebody she … loved.
She pressed her hands to her chest when her heart tried to beat from it. She did. She did love him and she was sure she had from the moment he’d touched her.
Those old sinful feelings slammed her. How could she feel that for somebody who touched her while … No. No she wasn’t married, that was the problem, she reminded herself. She’d not ever been married, he’d not ever loved her. He hated her in fact. And he divorced her when he slept with other women and so when Dante had touched her that first time, she was … she was married in her mind! Dammit!
Why didn’t she resist until she knew the truth, then at least she wouldn’t be guilty of adultery. Sure she was in her right mind but she didn’t think that then, in her mind and heart it was wrong and she’d felt those things for him anyway.
She stormed to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. “Just stop it,” she hissed at her reflection. “Stop it right now. You sinned, okay? Ask God to forgive you and move on!” The last words broke with a sob as she stared at the person in the mirror, the stranger with the red hair, crying in the mirror.
She swiped furiously at the tears. She’d not do the pity thing. She’d not get dragged down into some dark despair again. She was free. And she was not going to let her sins keep her chained when her savior had gone through the trouble of dying to forgive her of them.
Chapter Nineteen
Dante was pissed, and he was going to make damn sure Joann and Rex understood. “Look,” he said, after getting them alone in the kitchen. “I know I didn’t tell you the details about Rin,” he muttered, eyeing them. “But it’s been only three weeks since she suffered a brutal anal rape and severe beating.”
Joann gasped. “Oh God!” She looked at Rex then back to Dante. “I’m so sorry. Who did that?”
“Her husband,” he muttered darkly.
“Holy hell man,” Rex said. “So what, you’re her body guard?”
“I’m her … ” Dante lowered his head, knowing how stupid it would sound for him to say what he thought he was to her. “Yes, I’m her guard. But more, you reading?” He looked at both of them.
“I’m reading,” Joann said. “I’m so sorry, if I had known it was serious, I would never have brought Jessica!”
“Well, let her know, will you? I don’t want to hurt her, but if she tries to do anything to hurt Rin? I will bitch slap some sense into her, and I do mean literally.”
“You would not!” Jo hissed.
He eyed her with a lethal glare. “Oh, I fucking would.”
“He would, and so would I,” Rex said.
“Oh shut it, I’ll slap you, bitch,” she hissed at him before turning to Dante with a huge smile. “I’ll take care of it crazy man.”
“Good. And is there any way I can get out of tonight? She’s never been in the city and she needs time to acclimate.”
“Suuuuuure man,” Rex whispered shrilly.
“We can go tomorrow night,” Jo added. “Show her the town.”
“You sure you got Jessica?” Dante asked her.
She waved her hand, turning serious. “That ho can go,” she muttered, making Dante chuckle and shake his head. “Hey,” she shot out, “on a dime baby, that’s me. Turn around on a dime.” She launched at Rex’s head and put it in a lock and Dante backed up to make room for their sudden rough housing that ended with them grappling and laughing on the floor.
Dante decided to grab food from the kitchen and bring it back to the room for them. He let Rex help him pile everything he could on a tray, glad about their change of attitude. He hated to think of pissing Jo off but was damn prepared to. He knew they were good people and had been looking forward to introducing Jo to Rin. She would make a great friend slash bodyguard too and he was hoping she’d teach Rin some moves.
Dante carefully made his way back to the room and let himself in, hurrying to set the tray down and tip toing back to lock the door. He listened to hear something in the silence. Had she showered already? Was she dressing? He should tell her she didn’t need to. They had all night now. And he was ready to give her what she needed. What he needed maybe even more.
****
Rin opened the bedroom door at hearing the soft knock. She froze at seeing Jessica there. “Hey,” she said waving at her. “Just wanted to say I was sorry before I left. I had no idea Dante was in that line of work,” she whispered.
“What … line of work?”
“Bodyguarding. I’m sorry about what happened to you.” She winced a little. “You seem to have healed at least.”
Rin stared at her, dumbstruck. “Thank you,” she said, anger stiffening her spine.
“I totally get not wanting to go out. You’ve not been to the big city I hear?” she waved her hand. “Don’t be worried. Dante knows his way around, trust me,” she said, wiggling her brows and looking beyond her. “I see this room hasn’t changed much?” Rin gripped the door, fighting how to react with all the emotions hitting her at once.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Oh,” the girl said quietly, stepping close enough to touch Rin, which she did, her fingers on her arm. “If you and Dante are, you know. Together like more than the job? And you need some pointers?” She winked. “I know what he likes.”
Sickness roiled in her stomach as Rin nodded slowly. She was suddenly back at church where the wolves tore her to pieces and she just stood there, taking it in humble humiliation. “Thank you,” she managed, somehow keeping her voice even. “Did Dante tell you … him and I were …”
Her eyes widened. “Oh no. He just said it was complicated,” she whispered. “Don’t tell him I came talk to you, I don’t want him to think I’m trying to sabotage his work.” She seemed so genuine, it through Rin way off. “I hope you guys come out tonight! Dante loves Frodos. Did he tell you he used to dance?” She shook her shoulders and giggled then her face went sympathetic at Rin. “It’s probably too soon for you. Take your time to work your way to venturing out. You’ve got time.” She angled her head, her eyes taking Rin’s body in. “You’re such a fragile looking thing. Sheltered?” she asked, nodding at Rin. “Don’t answer that, it’s none of my business,” she hissed, like she had a problem with that.
The moment came when something told the girl it was time to leave. “Hope to see you and Dante tonight!” she winked and hurried off, leaving Rin staring dumbstruck into the air before her.
She walked to the bed and sat, feeling numb as her mind replayed the nightmare.
He’d told them? What happened to her? She looked round slowly. He’d fucked her in this room? He’d planned to … make love to her … here? He didn’t tell her they were together? She was a job? He was her bodyguard?
The door opened and she jerked her head up to find Dante entering. She stared at him, still frozen in shock. He looked at her and paused. “What’s wrong?” he asked, sharply.
She continued to stare at him, feeling her head shaking.
He hurried over to her. “Rin, what’s wrong?” He knelt before her and took her hands and she jolted to life, whacking them away from her.
“Don’t … touch me.”
“What. The fuck happened?” he asked. “Did Jessica talk to you?”
“You told them?” she whispered, looking at him. “You told them about what happened to me? You told them I’m a job? You’re my bodyguard?” At seeing his face fill with dismay and guilt as he stood, she gasped on the pain. It was true, oh God, he was supposed to deny it.
“And you fucked her in this room?” she hissed.<
br />
“Did Jessica tell you that? Did Jessica come to this room Rin?”
“Did you fuck her in here!” she hissed, trembling with a burning fury.
“No, I didn’t!” he shot back.
“Where, then, I have to know.”
“Why does it matter, Rin,” he said, his tone begging her to not ask.
“I have to know,” she strained. “Am I a job, Dante?”
“I never fucking said that, she’s lying.”
“Am I the complication?” Tears welled in her eyes.
“I told her outside that I wasn’t available, that I was with you. She asked why, I said it was complicated.”
Rin tried to feel better that the girl had lied. But what about all the other stuff? Rin recalled how she treated her like she were … weak. You look fragile.
A stranger had pegged her perfectly. A weak, fragile, flower. Bowed in the storm. Always letting people push her around, always letting people tell her she wasn’t good enough, strong enough. Smart enough. The world was a bad place and she wasn’t obedient enough to survive her own life much less this life of Dante’s.
Rin hurried to the bathroom and shut the door, locking it.
Dante banged on it. “Rin, open the door.”
“I need to think,” she said roughly.
“Tell me what you need me to do. I told Rex and Jo the situation. I had no idea Jo would fucking tell that conniving little bitch. I’m so sorry, I would never betray your trust like that, you have to know that!” he said emphatically.
During the time it took him to tell her that, an odd feeling came over Rin as she sat on the side of the tub. Numb was the only name she had for it. She didn’t feel anger. Or pain. She didn’t feel anything but a lucid awareness. A lucid awareness of one thing.
She wasn’t going to be a victim. Ever again.
She stood and opened the door. “I want to go out with them.”
He stared at her and she stared at him back, the calm still there. “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said, looking concerned.
“I do,” she said, easily.
“Why do you want to?” he wondered.
She thought about it, really thought about it. The truth of it presented itself and she decided to go with that. “Because I’m tired of hiding from the things that scare me.”