by Zoe Blake
Richard emerged from his dressing room still shrugging into his Emporio Armani satin lapel dinner jacket, its blue-black tones once again perfectly matching the color of his eyes. I bit my lip. Damn the man for being so freaking handsome. It was hard to think clearly when he looked so effortlessly hot as hell.
“Help me with these cuffs, will you, sweetheart.”
Rising, I crossed to him and took the sterling silver with sapphire cufflink from his hand. As I secured it into one cuff then the next, there was a soft knock on the door.
“Enter,” called out Richard without taking his eyes off me.
A blonde-haired maid with shaggy bangs that rather unattractively covered most of her face entered the room carrying one of my evening purses.
“Excuse me, Your Grace. I am returning Miss Elizabeth’s purse. As requested, I have removed the slight stain from the satin in time for this evening.”
Creasing my brow, I stared at the purse in her outstretched hand. I had wanted to use the gold satin Jimmy Choo clutch purse this evening, which is why I had left it out on the marble countertop in the center of my dressing room. But I couldn’t remember staining it or asking for it to be repaired. Just as I turned my head to get a better look at the maid in question, I noticed her other hand held the cell phone I had discarded moments earlier.
“I’ll take that,” I said, snatching the purse.
Feeling lightheaded, I turned my back on Richard, not wanting him to read my expression. Had the maid seen me ditch the phone? Maybe I was overreacting, and it was her phone, not the footman’s. I knew I couldn’t reach for it without Richard questioning or, worse, the maid complaining that I had grabbed her phone.
Fuck me! Nervously I opened the purse and stuffed my lipstick, money clip with the few thousand pounds Richard insisted I carry with me, a small bottle of lotion, and my compact into it.
My entire body shook. Waiting for the ax to fall.
“I believe Miss Elizabeth dropped her mobile in the hallway.”
Closing my eyes, I waited for the interrogation to begin… and wondered what the punishment would be.
Shifting a hesitant glance over my shoulder, I realized Richard was clearly not paying attention to the maid as he finished adjusting his cuffs. He answered distractedly without even looking up. “You are mistaken. Miss Elizabeth does not carry a cell phone. It must be one of the servants. Give it to Mr. Smythe. He will see it returned.”
Looking down, I could see the whites of my knuckles as I gripped the back of my vanity chair, waiting for the maid to accuse me of tossing the phone away.
After an eternity of silence, I heard the rustle of the maid’s skirt as she curtsied and evenly replied, “Yes, Your Grace.”
Not till the door closed softly behind her did I finally take a breath.
I started when Richard’s arm reached over my shoulder and picked up the purse. Without saying a word, he headed into my dressing room. Was he checking to see what I had placed in it? Why?
Richard emerged with my purse and a cobalt blue with gold lettering Graff Diamonds’ jewelry box in his hands.
“I wanted to make sure it would match your gown and purse, but I think I will have to insist you wear the lovebirds brooch this evening, my love.”
Closing my eyes in relief, I nodded. Clearly, my nerves were frayed, and they were now running wild with my imagination. “As you wish, Richard.”
Originally, I had loved the brooch because it reminded me of my birds, Coco and Dior, who were at this moment being spoiled rotten by the London staff who had basically claimed them as their own.
But now… I thought differently about the little pink and white diamond lovebirds nestled close to each other on a jewel-encrusted branch.
To the world, these brooches were a quaint and rather old-fashioned proclivity of Richard’s. I knew them for what they truly were… his mark on me.
A constant reminder that I was no more than a bird caught in a gilded cage forged by him.
As we waited for the driver to open the doors of Richard’s Rolls Royce Phantom, Harris called out to him.
I hated that man. There was just something sinister and untrustworthy about his appearance. There was also no mistaking that whenever Richard needed something unsavory done, Harris was the man he called.
Richard waited till I was settled in my seat before turning toward Harris.
It was clear the two men were having a heated discussion. Judging by the way they both kept looking in my direction, it was about me. With the car door closed, I could only hear muffled snatches of their conversation.
Elizabeth.
Dangerous.
Knows too much.
Needs to be dealt with.
Game over.
Oh, my God, he was going to kill me.
I had pushed him too far. Questioned his motives with the games he liked to play. Told him I hated him. Like a pawn that had outworn its usefulness, he would get rid of me.
Not wanting to be caught eavesdropping, I nervously opened the metal clasp of my evening bag to appear as though I was searching for my compact. Nestled inside my purse… the purse Richard had just handed to me… between my lipstick and the money clip was a single blood-soaked feather.
Game over.
Chapter 9
Richard
Someone was about to die.
No one threatened my Elizabeth and got away with it.
When I entered the car, I knew Elizabeth had read the rage in my expression before I could school my features. I could tell by the way she initially shied away from me, clinging to the other side of the car. Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I forced her to my side, holding her tight as I whispered endearments into her ear and stroked her arm.
She mustn’t know how angry I was right now. I would be damned if I spoiled her evening with what I had just learned. It would only frighten and alarm her. She was skittish as it was after learning the true extent of our last game.
I couldn’t have her running off again… especially not now.
As I pulled her petite body close, I went over in my mind my conversation with Harris.
“Your Grace, I need a word.”
“Make it quick, Elizabeth is waiting in the car.”
“There was a disturbing and possibly dangerous incident earlier today at Bond Street.”
“Tell me now.”
“One of the carpool staff was washing the car Elizabeth and her driver used, when they found a dead parakeet in the glove box. It had a large metal pin jabbed through its heart.”
“Did Elizabeth see it?”
“Thankfully, no, Your Grace. I questioned the driver. According to him, he doesn’t know too much about it. He stated he found the bird and removed it before Elizabeth emerged from the jewelers.”
“This needs to be dealt with immediately. Access the CCTV cameras in that area. I want a full report on any person who so much as looked toward that car.”
“Yes, Your Grace. Trust me. We are treating this as a full-alert threat till we learn otherwise. If someone is playing some sort of game with you or Elizabeth…”
“Then it is game over. Do you understand me, Harris?”
I knew I didn’t have to elaborate with Harris. He understood. If there was a threat against the woman I loved then I expected him to eliminate it. Permanently.
As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t keep her hidden away at my country estate forever. Eventually that powerful drug dose would wear off and she was bound to ask questions. I just wish I had had more time to plan. It would still be a few weeks before the island I was preparing for us was habitable. Despite my tripling the labor force, there was still much to do.
It had been my plan to take her directly from my estate to the island, to start a new game. Now I would have to endure sharing her with the modern world for a few more weeks. It went against every instinct of mine to do so. I had to fight against the urge to spirit her away again… even if it was against her will.
Even though I had access to several more memory pills, I was reluctant to use them. Although it had worked perfectly in the beginning, it was clear the more stress I put her under, the worse the side effects became.
It took the sport and challenge out of the game to see her so confused. I preferred my girl to be more spirited, to fight and challenge me. Otherwise, where was the fun in forcing her to submit to my demands?
Besides, she had returned to me. Of her own free will. It meant she was truly becoming mine. Despite the dark and twisted nature of my games, despite how I treated her, despite everything… my little bird still flew home to her gilded cage. How could I give that up by essentially resetting the game by once again messing with her memory?
No. I would not let some unknown bastard and his threats derail my plans for Elizabeth. What was needed was a clear message that whoever they were, they were playing with fire. Elizabeth wasn’t like the others. She was special to me. It was time the world got that message.
Although I had mentioned it in anger, it was my intention to marry her… and as soon as possible.
She would be truly mine, in every sense of the word. Plus, it would add the protection of my name. Whoever was threatening her wasn’t just messing with the unknown American girlfriend of Richard Payne. They were threatening the future Duchess of Winterbourne, and for that they would pay with their lives.
Until then, I would have my security force comb through my files of known enemies. We would start with the men from the masquerade party at my estate. The ones who’d dared to touch what was mine by tumbling her cage from its perch. After that unfortunate incident, it had become a diversion of mine to ruin each and every one of their lives, starting with their fortunes. It seemed unlikely that they would have the temerity or the resources to try to come after me, but nothing was out of the realm of possibility. I couldn’t ignore the fact that it was a dead bird that had been found. I had dressed Elizabeth as a bird in her gilded cage, and quite frankly I didn’t believe in coincidences.
Of course, there was always the possibility it was simply a tasteless prank completely unrelated to Elizabeth, but there was no fucking way I would take that chance.
By tomorrow she would have a full security detail on her wherever she went.
As the car pulled to the curb in front of The Shard on St. Thomas Street, I alighted first before turning to offer my hand to Elizabeth.
As I wrapped my fingers around her small pale hand, I could feel it tremble.
Shrugging out of my dinner jacket, I laid it over her shoulders. “The fabric of this dress is far too thin. You should have brought your mink wrap with you,” I gently admonished as I tapped the end of her cute little nose.
“Richard, I…”
She turned her face away and didn’t finish.
Pulling on the lapels of my jacket, I pressed her close to the warmth of my body. Her small delicate frame trembled as I wrapped my arm around her waist and raised her face to mine with a hooked finger under her chin.
Her beautiful emerald eyes shone with the reflection of the twinkling lights of the surrounding city. Behind the glimmer, I could see she was tired.
My poor little bird.
It had been a dramatic, emotionally overwrought forty-eight hours, on top of the shock she was probably feeling being once more surrounded by the clamor of modern life.
Running my thumb over her full lower lip, I gently said, “We don’t have to stay, little one. I would be more than happy to keep you to myself tonight. Perhaps have my chef at home prepare something we can eat in our room… in bed.”
The idea had appeal. Already, I imagined licking the sweet sauce from a dessert tart off her beautiful breasts.
“No! No, I’d rather stay.”
“All right, but if I think you are looking too tired, we are going home.”
Taking her arm, I ushered her through the massive glass door entrance and into a private lift that would take us to the restaurant. While the public lifts forced patrons to switch elevators to get to the top floors, this one went straight up to the seventy-second floor.
As we entered the mirror-covered lift, I watched Elizabeth’s gaze rise in wonder to stare at the video screens on the ceiling currently depicting London life at street level. The image would change as we rose higher into the clouds.
As I turned to press the button, two gentlemen tried to enter.
“Take the next one,” I ordered. The doors closed on their shocked expressions.
Knowing the restaurant was on the thirty-first floor, I nevertheless selected the seventy-second floor.
Turning to Elizabeth, I pulled my jacket from her shoulders and draped it over the handrail.
“Richard?”
She took a step back, licking her lips nervously.
She should be nervous. My intentions were less than honorable. I was a monster for even thinking it. Her silence in the car ride over here proved the events of the last few days had worn her out, but then again, I was never good at controlling my baser instincts when it came to Elizabeth.
Grabbing her around the waist, I turned her till she was facing the mirrored wall. Sliding my hand down her thigh, I inched the fabric of her long dress up.
“Richard, the doors might open!” protested Elizabeth.
Leaning in, I licked the column of her neck before whispering into her ear, “If they do, they will find a man fucking his woman senseless.”
“Oh, God!”
Bunching the dress at her lower back, I raised my arm and gave her exposed ass a smack.
“Ow!” exclaimed Elizabeth as her bottom cheeks tightened from the impact.
“Push your ass out.”
She obeyed as I expected her to.
Giving her ass another smack, my hand went to the fastening of my pants. Lowering the zipper, I pulled my heavy cock free.
By now we could both feel the g-force on our bodies from the fast-moving lift as it soared higher and higher. The ceiling video screens burst into a kaleidoscope of blue sky, stars, and fireworks.
Kicking at her feet, I spread her legs wider, which forced her bottom out even more.
The flats of her palms smeared the mirror as she braced her hands against it.
Knowing she would already be dripping for me, I pulled the thin strap of her thong aside and placed the head of my cock at her entrance.
“Have you been a bad girl today?”
I could see her startled expression reflected in the mirror. “I… I…” she stammered.
“I think you’ve been a very bad girl.”
Thrusting my hips forward, I impaled her on my cock. Her tight ring of muscle squeezed every inch as I forced my way deep inside her small body.
“Oh, my God!” she rasped, fogging the mirror with her breath.
Pulling her hips back, she was almost doubled over as I continued to pound into her. Feeling the rush of the lift as it climbed faster and faster toward the sky, I increased the pace of my thrusts to match. Slapping her exposed ass each time I bottomed out inside of her, till her pale cheeks glowed a bright cherry red.
The small video screen showed the elevator careening toward the top floor.
65
66
67
I thrust harder. Leaned over to sink the sharp edge of my teeth into the soft flesh of her shoulder. The need to mark her as my own running high in my blood.
68
69
Reaching between her legs, I gave her clit a ruthless pinch, knowing the sharp pain would quickly send her over the edge. Her mouth opened on a guttural moan as I felt her body clench around my cock, her beautiful face reflecting the moment of her orgasm in the mirror in front of our undulating bodies.
70
71
Digging my fingers into her hips, I came; with each pulse I filled her pussy with hot cum.
72
The doors slid open just as I pulled free. Reaching behind me, I used my fist to slam the button to close the doors on
a small group of outraged people before selecting the thirty-first floor.
Knowing she would be unsteady on her feet, I kept an arm wrapped securely around her waist as I allowed her now-wrinkled dress skirt to fall back into place.
Then, pressing her back against the mirrored wall, I caged her in with my arms. My still semi-hard cock exposed and pressed against her stomach.
Her cheeks flushed a scarlet red. Whether it was from our rigorous lovemaking or the knowledge that several strangers had witnessed the aftermath, I didn’t know or care. All I cared about in that moment was that she was mine.
Mine to possess.
Mine to satisfy.
Mine to fuck whenever and wherever I wanted, the proprieties be damned.
Rubbing my thumb along her lower lip, I pushed it past her lips to the knuckle.
“Suck it.”
Her tongue wrapped around the digit as she sucked.
“Good girl. I want you to taste the cum that is now dripping down the inside of your thigh.”
Something dark and primal snarled deep within me at the thought of her walking through the restaurant smelling of my cum, feeling it on her skin.
Her jeweled eyes flashed. I felt the scrape of her teeth as she bit down on my thumb, but her momentary defiance quickly abated as her eyes shifted downward in supplication to me.
By the time the doors opened again, both her dress and my attire were in perfect order. As I escorted her through the dining room, I gave a cursory nod to the many business associates and acquaintances seated throughout.
After being shown our table, Elizabeth rose.
“I just need to go to the ladies’ room.”
Part of me wanted to say no, wanted to enjoy the thought of her sitting throughout dinner with the sticky, musky scent of my warm cum between her thighs, but I relented.