Where Darkness Lies

by Bella Jewel

  “Shit,” Dimitri says.

  The car swerves to the side of the road and Dimitri’s door swings open. He’s at mine in less than a minute, swinging the door open and pulling me into his arms. I crumble into him, sobbing so heavily I’m unable to make a single sound; my body is just shaking violently.

  “Baby, you’re okay,” Dimitri soothes, pulling me out of the car and switching us so he’s sitting down and I’m tucked into his lap.

  He holds me there for what feels like hours, stroking my hair and soothing me. I feel my body beginning to go numb from lack of movement, and I have no doubt he’s feeling exactly the same. He doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t have to. He’s being everything he needs to be in this moment—he’s comforting me, he’s letting me know he’s here with me and that it’s all going to be okay now.

  That’s all I need to know.

  Dimitri

  “She’s okay,” I say, letting Hendrix and Indi in.

  Hendrix shifts his eyes to the bed where Jess is sleeping. I can see the concern there, and for the first time I can see how much he really does care about her. She was right all along—to her he’s a hero. He saved her life and he gave her a chance to live again. She’s willing to give everything to him and now I can finally see—she has a right to.

  “She been sleeping long?” Hendrix asks.

  “About two hours. I gave her painkillers and she passed out.”

  “The damage?”

  I feel my chest tighten with rage at what that son of a bitch did to her.

  “She’s got bruised ribs, a few bits of damage on her face but thankfully, there’s nothing major. She’ll feel better in a few days. She’s a tough girl, and she’s very lucky that things didn’t end far worse for her. I was worried she had a concussion but she seems to be fine.”

  “Should we take her to a doctor?” Indi asks.

  I shake my head. “Unless we see something change dramatically, then no.”

  She nods, gripping Hendrix’s hand so tight her fingers are white.

  “She’s all right,” I say, and she meets my gaze.

  “But what about . . . ? What about her mind.”

  It’s Hendrix who answers that for me.

  “She’s got a stronger mind than most, she’ll get through it.”

  I nod, staring at her. She’s curled on her side and her red hair is fanned out over the pillow. After I managed to get her showered and changed, she just collapsed onto the bed. I tried to get her to eat but she wasn’t interested. I figure right now, more than anything, she needs to just come down from the events she’s lived through.

  “We’re in the next room,” Hendrix says. “If you need anything just yell out.”

  I nod again.

  “Son?” he says and my body stiffens at the word.

  I turn slowly to him, feeling my jaw tightening.

  “Thank you,” he says, holding my gaze before turning and leaving.

  I let the breath out I didn’t realize I was holding. I lock the door once they’re gone and I remove my shirt quickly, before climbing into bed beside Jess. She turns, tucking herself into my body. I wrap my arms around her and breathe her in.

  Thankful that I’ve been given such an amazing gift.

  I won’t let that gift go.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  Jess

  Please,” I whisper, sliding my tongue down his abs.

  “Fuck, baby,” he groans, arching his hips up. “You need to stop.”

  “I don’t want to stop.”

  “You’re still sore.”

  I nip the flesh just above the hard ridge of his cock. He makes a strangled groaning sound and flexes his hips. I slowly slide down lower, until his cock brushes against my cheek. I turn my face into it, letting the tip run along my lips. God, I so desperately want to taste him. Sore or not. I need him. I need all of him. I part my lips and slip him inside, relishing in the feeling of him filling and stretching my mouth.

  “Fuck, oh fuck,” he rasps above me, bringing his hands down to rest on my head.

  I slowly snake my tongue out and slide it around his aching shaft. He growls deep and low and his fingers tangle in my hair. I begin to slide my lips up and down, feeling the way his cock swells beneath them. Tingles break out over my skin and my pussy clenches with raw need. I want him inside me, but more, I want to feel him release all around me. I want to watch him come undone.

  “Suck me, baby,” he groans. “Suck me so fuckin’ hard.”

  I tremble and I suck him hard, as hard as he needs. I pick up the pace, using my hand to stroke the base while I rotate my lips over his head, sucking and nipping, pulling and jerking, until he’s arching his back and bellowing my name.

  “Going to come, fuck, pull . . . out . . .”

  I don’t.

  I suck harder, I suck faster. My free hand finds his balls and I cup them, giving him a little squeeze until he’s shooting his release into the back of my throat. I take all of him, sucking until he begins to grow soft and his cries of pleasure have died down. Then I slip him out of my mouth and I slowly slide up his body, taking in every inch of hard flesh that makes contact with my body as I move. When I get up to his face, he wraps his arms around me and stares at me with lust-filled eyes.

  “You suck cock like a pro,” he murmurs, staring at my swollen lips.

  I giggle softly. “It’s my specialty.”

  He chuckles and his hands come up to cup my naked breasts.

  “What about you?”

  “What about me?” I grin.

  He grins back, big and devilish.

  “I can’t leave you hanging, I can’t leave that pretty pussy throbbing.”

  I stare at him with a confused expression. “Oh, honey,” I begin in a sultry voice. “You didn’t think you were good enough to get my pussy throbbing, did you?”

  His eyes widen and his grin gets bigger. Then he flips me until I’m on my back.

  “So you’re saying my cock did nothing for you?”

  I shake my head with a wicked grin. “I’m sorry to offend you, it’s just . . . well, you know . . . it wasn’t that good.”

  He leans back and takes my knees, spreading them.

  “Funny, from this angle you’re glistening.”

  I shrug, but my cheeks heat with need. “I’m always glistening, it’s part of the job.”

  He tilts his head to the side. “Is that so? So if I put my mouth . . . say . . .” He leans down and presses his lips to my clit. “Here . . . you won’t scream my name?”

  I jerk and I begin to pant. “No, not at all,” I breathe.

  “Are you sure about that?” he murmurs, snaking his tongue out and flicking my clit.

  “Positive,” I gasp.

  “Shame,” he says, sucking it into his mouth.

  I buck my hips. “Oh God.”

  He stops and pulls back, licking his lips. “Well, considering you don’t like it . . . I’ve had my taste. Are we done here?”

  I groan. “I take it back.” I thrust my hips. “Suck me.”

  He grins. “Where, baby? You need to be more specific.”

  “My clit. God, suck my clit.”

  With wild eyes, he drops down and devours me. He sucks me deep and hard, his tongue destroying all my strength. His mouth is heaven, his lips are perfect, and I don’t ever want it to end.

  And when I come, I come so hard I’ve no doubt the entire hotel has heard my screams.

  “I’ve heard it’s a great club,” Indi says as we walk down the street three nights later.

  We’ve decided before we get back to business that we’ll have a few days to chill out. Now that Hendrix and Dimitri aren’t trying to kill each other (mostly) we have the chance to spend some time together. The two men are still stiff and struggle to have conversation, but Indi told me about the big breakdown and fight on the ship, and I figure, now the ice has been broken, they can slowly work toward maybe one day having a good relationship.

  “Me too,
” I say, answering Indi.

  “How are you feeling?”

  I shrug. “Still a little sore, but nothing incredibly major.”

  “You’re lucky,” she says, giving me a concerned expression.

  I nod. “I know.”

  “At least it’s over now. He’s gone and you can finally live the life you never thought you were going to have.”

  I smile. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”

  “No,” she agrees. “I don’t think I do. But . . . I think Dimitri does.”

  I flush. “Me too.”

  “Do you think he’s the one you’re going to spend that time with?”

  I turn and look at the gorgeous man behind me, who is dressed entirely in black and looks like a bad-ass. His hair is whipping around his face, his blue eyes are bright and, shit, he looks so good I’m tempted to just take him to an alley and make him fuck me until I can’t breathe. He winks at me and I feel my pussy clench. Shit.

  “Oh yeah,” I answer Indi. “I am almost sure it’s going to be him.”

  She smiles and we line up at the club. The moment Dimitri reaches me, his arms go around me and his lips slide up my neck. “That look you just gave me—you’re lucky I didn’t take you out back and fuck you so hard you screamed my name so loudly the entire club heard you.”

  I tremble. “I believe I had a similar thought.”

  He kisses my jaw and his hands slide up to my breasts. “We can still go back.”

  “You two!” Indi says. “Keep it together.”

  Hendrix slaps her ass. “You’re thinkin’ the same thing, darlin’, and you’re going to get it.”

  Indi flushes and giggles just as Luke appears with Drake. I smile at both of them. Drake grins at me and Luke nods, but he’s got a slight smile on his lips. We shuffle through the crowd and finally make our way into the club. The music is thumping and people are wiggling in tight little groups under the dark blue light. Dimitri takes my hand and pulls me through until he finds us all a booth.

  “Drink?” he says into my ear.

  I nod with a smile and he disappears with Hendrix. Luke and Drake slide in beside us and I turn to them. “Are you enjoying your break?” I ask Luke.

  He nods. “It’s been a good break after recent events.”

  I smile, completely agreeing with him. “It was a hard time for all of us.”

  He nods again. “You’re telling me. That night you went missing I thought Dimitri was going to lose his shit.”

  I frown. “I feel so bad for worrying him.”

  Luke laughs. “When Livvie came in and said you had run, I thought he was going to tear her head off. He was so angry. So mad and wild.”

  I shake my head, confused. I knew Livvie had told Dimitri that I’d run, but I hadn’t thought he’d believed her right off the bat. I’d figured he’d searched for me before maybe considering that I’d run.

  “How long did he look for me before he actually believed I’d run?”

  Luke looks confused.

  “Tell me, Luke.”

  “I’m not tryin’ to cause a fight here, Jess.”

  “Please,” I say, and I know my face is tight.

  “He didn’t look for you,” he sighs. “He went straight to the ship and to Hendrix. He thought you’d gone back to him and you can’t blame him for that, he—”

  “What did he say?” I ask, my voice strained. “When he found out. Was there even a second he doubted Livvie’s story? Even a fucking second?”

  Luke swallows and looks around nervously. “He was upset, he thought you had run. He wanted to make you pay for using him and he wasn’t thinking . . .”

  “He wanted to make me . . . pay? Did he say that?” I growl.

  He puts his head in his hands.

  “Luke!”

  “Yes,” he yells. “But you can’t entirely blame him. You were his captive, after all.”

  “You have no idea,” I snarl, standing.

  “No, maybe I don’t. That’s why you need to take this up with him.”

  “I’ll do that right now.”

  I shove my way out of the booth.

  “Jess!” Luke says, standing.

  I’m tearing through the crowd before he can stop me. I get to the bar and when I see Dimitri, I take his arm. He turns to me, but before he can even open his mouth I am yelling.

  “When you found out I was missing, what did you say?”

  He looks confused. “What?”

  “You heard me, Dimitri. And don’t you fucking lie to me, or I’ll walk out. When Livvie came and told you that I was gone, what was your first reaction?”

  His jaw tightens. “I was fucking mad, Jess. I thought you’d run. I thought you’d used me and then taken your chance to run—”

  “How could you?” I cry. “I understand she made it look real, but you didn’t, even for a fucking second, think that she was lying? After everything we shared, you just assumed I would run, just like that?”

  He opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off.

  “I didn’t run the first time you left me in a hotel. If I was going to go, I would have done it then. Fuck, Dimitri, I gave you my body and I trusted you with something I’d never given anyone else and you instantly believed that dirty slut. You didn’t even give me a chance, because if you had, you would have considered that something bad had happened.”

  He flinches.

  “Did you even look for me? Did you even search the crowd, or the streets, or your house, before storming to that ship?”

  He doesn’t answer but it’s the only answer I need. My eyes well with tears. “I got taken, I got forced to fight, I was charged at by a psychotic, red-headed, big, crazy woman who grew herself fucking claws . . . all because you doubted me.”

  I turn and rush away, shoving through the crowd.

  “Jess!”

  I push harder, tears blurring my vision as I try desperately to get to an entrance. I find one, but it leads me to a back car lot, very similar to the one Livvie lured me to. I have a brief moment where I know I’m probably being irrational, but it hurts. We’d shared something so beautiful before it.

  Something I thought had meant something.

  I press myself to a brick wall and I sob, wrapping my arms around myself. I hear the door slam and a moment later Dimitri is in front of me, reaching out.

  “Don’t touch me,” I snarl, shoving his hand away.

  “I fucked up. I know you’re mad but I wasn’t thinking. I regret it, Jess. I didn’t question her; instead, I believed you would hurt me before she would—”

  “You trusted her over me,” I cry, shaking. “You didn’t even give me the benefit of the doubt in that hard heart of yours. You just assumed I would be so cold . . .”

  He looks away, his jaw tight, his fists clenched. “Can you blame me?”

  I flinch.

  “Excuse me?” I whisper.

  He turns back to me. “You went to Hendrix behind my back only a few days before. Yes you stayed after that, yes you gave yourself to me, but you still did it. You still hid it from me. Of course there was an instant reaction—I thought you cared about me enough to keep Hendrix away, but not enough to stay with me. So I did, I assumed you made sure Hendrix was not going to hurt me before leaving me.”

  I stare up at him in shock.

  “Do you know how much it took me to give myself to you?”

  He opens his mouth but I cut him off.

  “Do you know how hard it was?”

  “Jess . . .”

  “Dimitri, I have spent years of my life protecting myself. If I was merely trying to save you because I had no more than tepid feelings for you, then I would have never given myself to you. No, I would have just made sure Hendrix backed off, you backed off, and then I would have left. Instead, I gave you my body but more than that, I let you in and I let you see things no one has ever seen. And you didn’t even consider that when Livvie told you I’d run. You just assumed the worst and you acted on
it.”

  “I said I fucked up,” he growls. “You should understand how fuckin’ hard it is for me with the life I’ve lived. I don’t just trust anyone and even when I do, I find it hard to always see the good. I made a mistake, I don’t deny it, but it was an automatic reaction to assume you had betrayed me instead of assuming Livvie had. Because everyone I’ve loved in the past has done just that.”

  I swallow and tears trickle down my cheeks. “The problem with the people you’ve loved in the past, Dimitri, is that they’ve loved themselves more than you. In my case, it was very different. I love you more than I’ve ever loved myself or anything in my life.”

  He flinches. “What did you say?” he rasps.

  “I said I love you, more than life itself.”

  Suddenly his lips are crushed against mine, his hands are in my hair and he’s kissing me with such force that it takes me a second to be able to respond. But when I do, it’s explosive. My hands tangle in his hair and I’m kissing him with everything I am, sliding my tongue against his, pressing my body to his, giving him everything. Every ounce of me.

  “I fuckin’ love you too,” he murmurs, before reaching down and taking my legs.

  He lifts me up and presses me back against the wall. His hand slides down between us and he shoves my panties aside. I’m thankful in this moment that I’m in a dress. He reaches down and shoves his jeans down, freeing his cock. My entire body comes alive. This is so naughty, so bad, so fucking perfect. There’s no foreplay, he’s just going to fuck me against this wall, brutal and raw, and it’s exactly how I need it.

  He takes his cock in his hand and then he’s inside me, deep.

  I tilt my head back as he starts thrusting into me with pure, male force. He’s grunting, I’m moaning his name and our bodies are quickly becoming slick with sweat. His arms bulge as he holds me up while thrusting in and out. His mouth is angry and hungry, nipping and biting my neck. I press my fingers into his biceps and I run my nails down his skin as he fucks me.

  Then I come.

  It happens quickly and explosively. I scream his name and I feel my entire body wind up tight before I begin pulsing around him, over and over, sending my body into a frenzy. He roars his release only seconds later, using my ass to drive his thrusts, milking himself into my pussy, taking everything, giving everything.