First Taste of Darkness

by Cynthia Eden

  “And your lover didn’t need one. You brought her up, and you let her right inside.”

  “Jess was kidnapped!” The words came out as a roar.

  “Was she?” Carson’s words were quiet and cold. Controlled. “Or was she involved with Finn all along? Are you sure he took her away—or did she go with him, all the better to draw you out?”

  He wanted to drive his fist into Carson’s face. This was the man who’d been his closest confidant for years. And Blake wanted to beat the hell out of him right then. “Jess was tied up. He hurt her. You saw her neck. Her wrists!”

  “A good show,” Carson snapped, nodding. “That’s what it was. I’d bet on it. He didn’t actually do anything to put her at risk.”

  “Bullshit,” Blake threw right back at him. “Jess saved my life. She pushed me out of the way before Finn could shoot me!”

  “Finn wasn’t aiming at you. He was going to shoot me.” Carson’s words were still cold. His gaze steady. “He wanted to take me out, probably so they could both work on you. She pushed you—hell, maybe she did it so you couldn’t help me.”

  His temples were throbbing. His heart racing. Blake shoved Carson away from him even as he yanked out his phone. Calling the cops wasn’t an option. What was he going to say? Someone took my already stolen diamond. Fuck that.

  Besides, he would handle things, his way.

  In seconds, he had the video surveillance crew on the line. “I want to know every single person who came in and out of this suite. I want to see the footage,” he demanded.

  But he’d need more than that. More than footage.

  Jess?

  No. She couldn’t have betrayed him. He wanted her to be good. To be as perfect as she seemed.

  Carson stood beside him. Waiting. Listening to Blake’s demands as he talked with the surveillance crew. When Blake was finished, Carson said, “Let me dig into her life. Let me find out who she really is.”

  “I know who she is,” Blake snarled, but the words felt hollow.

  “If she took the Heart, we have to go after her.” Now tension hardened Carson’s face. “She’ll try to get out of the country. She’ll run, and you’ll never see the diamond—or her—again.”

  “Yes, I will,” Blake said softly.

  Because he’d already told her. If she ran—

  I’ll follow.

  ***

  Blake stood in the video surveillance room. A wall of screens stared back at him.

  “W-we’ve been watching all morning, and I-I checked with the other shift, too,” the young guard, Andrew Perkins, said with a nervous glance back at Blake. “No one but Carson entered your suite, sir. He escorted the lady downstairs.”

  And the footage of that escort was playing right then, looping on one of the screens before Blake.

  Jess’s body was tense, strained, and her grip on the small bags she carried was incredibly tight.

  There were no actual cameras inside his suite. Blake didn’t allow that. But the cameras strategically placed in the private elevator and in the hallway showed that no one else had gained access to his suite.

  “The system was up?” Blake demanded. “The whole time?” Because that was how Hayden had managed to get inside the Landon Hotel. A two-minute interruption in the security system.

  “Y-yes, sir. Carson—he made sure that we were watching for any glitches.”

  The door opened behind him. Blake looked back. Carson stood there, his face appearing even more grim than it had an hour before. “We need to talk.”

  He wasn’t in the mood to talk. But Blake gave a grim nod and headed toward him.

  Lowering his voice, Carson said. “Our dead man, Hayden…turns out he has one living relative.” He put his hand on Blake’s shoulder. What the hell? As if he were comforting Blake? Screw that. “The man’s cousin, Joe Burns…he lives down in Seaport, Florida.”

  Burns. Fucking Burns. “She was going to marry him.” There was no forgetting that name for him.

  Carson exhaled. “I think she’s running back to the guy now. With the diamond. They’ll get it, then disappear.” He released his hold on Blake and pulled a small, plastic bag from his coat pocket. A phone had been placed inside that bag.

  “I found this, stuffed between the mattresses in her old room here at the Imperial. The last few calls received are still there.” His voice dropped even more as he said, “They were from Hayden. From the phone that the cops took from him. I checked the numbers—four times—they were from him.”

  He’d been played. Fucking played by a pair of big, bedroom eyes and a slow, sexy smile. Played by an innocent act, one meant to betray him from the very beginning.

  She already had a head start on him. A start I damn well paid for.

  “Get the jet ready.”

  She was running back to her lover. With his heart.

  Hell, no.

  No one betrayed him. No one.

  Jess was about to discover just how dark and dangerous Blake really was.

  You wanted to know my secrets? Baby, you’re about to see who I really am.

  The fury swept over him, consuming the man he’d tried to be.

  ***

  When Jess climbed the steps leading up to her little beach house, she was bone tired. Her connecting flight had been delayed—for over four hours—and she’d been trapped in the airport. Trapped with memories of Blake filling her head.

  A man who’d sent her away without even a good-bye.

  The night sky glittered down on her, and the roar of the ocean filled her ears. Normally, that roar soothed her, as did the scent of the salt water that filled the air. From the moment that she’d first set foot in Seaport, she’d known it would be her home—the beach had just seemed to comfort her.

  She was finding no comfort now.

  Wearily, she reached for the little fake rock near her door. Her key was hidden there. Not exactly high-tech security, but it worked for her. Her beach house was positioned high up on stilts, just like the three others that surrounded it. It was a quiet area. Peaceful.

  Far, far from the bright lights of Vegas.

  She slid the key from the hidden compartment in the rock, and she inserted it into the lock.

  “I’ve been waiting for you…”

  The voice came from the darkness near the far right edge of her balcony, and Jess let out a little scream when she heard it.

  But then recognition pushed through her.

  That was Blake’s voice.

  Happiness filled her. A bubble of wild, pure happiness. He’d come after her. He’d realized he’d made a mistake, that they had something between them. Something real. Something worth fighting for.

  She dropped her bags and ran into the shadows, ran right to him and Jess flung herself into his arms.

  His arms immediately wrapped around her, but his hold was tighter, harder than it ever had been before.

  “I can’t believe you’re here!” Jess said, the words tumbling from her. He’d said he would come after me. I should have believed him.

  “I had to come.” He was still holding her tightly, and she loved it. The ache in her chest had finally eased.

  She pushed back against him a bit, so that she could stare up into his eyes. But it was too dark there. He was only a shadow. “Come inside, Blake.” Where she could see him. Touch him. Kiss him.

  She took his hand and led him back to her door. He bent and grabbed her bags. Then they were inside. She hit the light switch and illumination flooded her little house.

  Smiling, Jess turned back to Blake. “I know, it’s not a luxury suite, but it’s—” She broke off because now she could see his expression.

  Blake didn’t look the same to her.

  There was a wildness in his eyes. A cruel twist to his lips.

  “Blake?”

  He smiled, but the grin didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ve done nothing but think about you since you left Vegas.”

  That was good. At least, it sounded good. So why d
id she feel so nervous?

  Blake shut the front door. Locked it. His gaze swept around her home, lingering for a moment on the canvases that covered the left wall. “Your work?”

  Jess nodded.

  “They’re bright. Free. Happy.” But his tone was stilted and hard. “Just like you, right?”

  She wanted to be in his arms, but something held her back. “Blake, is everything all right?”

  His head cocked as his gaze came back to her once more. He studied her with a critical stare. “That depends…”

  “Y-you’re making me nervous.” Because something was definitely off about him.

  He stalked toward her. “You know all about my past, Jess. Maybe you should be nervous.”

  No. Her chin lifted. “I trust you.”

  His eyelids flickered. “Do you?”

  “Yes.” It was an instinctive response. The way she felt about him went past any surface pretenses. It went straight to her soul.

  Too fast? Too hard? Yes, that was the way she’d fallen for him.

  Another step and Blake was in front of her. “Why were you in the hotel bar that first night? Were you just looking for any man or were you looking for me?”

  Her hand rose and traced over his jaw. The sexy stubble was still there. He’d rushed right after her. “I didn’t know what I was looking for that night, not until I found you.”

  His hand caught hers, the grip strong. “Why did you let me fuck you?”

  “Because I wanted you more than I wanted my next breath.” There weren’t going to be secrets between them. They’d already made that vow. “Why did you fuck me?” Jess asked him, holding his gaze, all too aware of the tenseness of her body.

  “Because I wanted you more than I’ve ever wanted any damn thing in my whole life.” His head lowered toward hers. “I still want you that way, and I think I always will.”

  The nervousness fled. The joy came back.

  She rose onto her toes, and she kissed him.

  His kiss was rough and wild and she loved it. Loved.

  He stripped away her skirt. Ripped her panties. She laughed at that because she’d never been so out of control. Only with Blake. Just him.

  His fingers slid between her legs. Parted her folds and she gasped.

  “I want you wet for me,” he said, the words hard and sexy.

  She was already getting that way.

  “Yes, Jess, yes…let me know it’s not a lie…”

  His words pushed through the growing desire she felt. Jess blinked and gazed up at him. “It’s no lie.” Then she realized…he’d been the one always giving her pleasure.

  It was her turn.

  She pulled from his arms.

  “Jess…” A demand.

  She dropped to her knees before him. Then she reached for the button on his pants. Eased down the zipper.

  Blake didn’t wear underwear. She’d already learned that about him. His fully erect length sprang toward her. Moisture beaded on the thick, broad head of his cock.

  She leaned toward him.

  But Blake stopped her. His hand curled under her jaw. “You don’t have to—”

  “I want you,” she told him. She wanted all of him. She pushed forward. Her mouth closed around his aroused flesh. Jess tasted him, licking and kissing, and his hands sank into her hair.

  She’d never enjoyed this before. But with Blake…she found that she craved his taste. Loved it. Loved—

  He lifted her into his arms.

  “But I wasn’t done!” Her breath heaved out.

  He had her pinned against the wall. “No,” he agreed, eyes narrowed, voice clipped, “we aren’t.”

  Then he drove into her.

  She gasped because he was in so deep. He filled her and it was—amazing.

  “I want to see your pleasure. I want to know…” He withdrew. Thrust again. Again. “I need to know it’s real.”

  Her climax was already coming. Building. Growing closer and closer as he thrust into her, again and again.

  Her nails bit into his flesh. She kissed him—and she came.

  “Yes. Yes.” He was with her. She could feel the hot burst of his release inside of her.

  She could feel…

  Her eyes flew open. She found Blake staring at her, the same stunned recognition in his eyes. “Jess…” Her name was a growl. “I-I’m sorry…”

  She tried to smile at him even as her heart raced. “I told you before—”

  “I’m clean, too, but I still should have protected you.” He withdrew from her body. “But I could have just made you pregnant!”

  Her legs slid down his hips. Her knees shook as she tried to stand firm on her own. “You didn’t.”

  His head jerked toward her.

  “I’m on the pill, Blake. I was getting married, remember? I took precautions.”

  His breath rushed out. “You did. I didn’t. I didn’t care, I—” He shook his head. Yanked up his pants. “No, I did care. You want to know the truth? No secrets, right?”

  That wild, dangerous look was back in his eyes.

  She stood there, wearing only her shirt and bra, her legs trembling, and waited.

  “I wanted to mark you. To prove that you’re mine. A kid—hell, part of me wanted that, too.”

  The heart that had just slowed began to race again in her chest.

  “I want everything I can get from you…even knowing what happened—fuck, it doesn’t matter.” He backed away from her and yanked a shaking hand through his hair.

  She should move. Jess knew that. But she was frozen. “I don’t understand…”

  “But it’s good to know there isn’t the risk of pregnancy.” He kept talking as if he hadn’t heard her. Maybe he hadn’t. “Especially since I can’t seem to keep my damn control around you.”

  She rushed toward him and caught Blake’s arm. She’d make him hear her. “Why are you so different tonight? What’s happened?”

  His smile was bitter. Cruel once more. “I still look into your eyes, and you know what I see?”

  Jess shook her head.

  “Hope. Innocence. Why can’t I see the lies?”

  Her skin iced. “Because I’m not telling you any. Because I’ve never told you any lies. No secrets, no lies.”

  His smile faded. His gaze seemed to see through her.

  “Ready for some more truth?” Jess demanded. He probably wasn’t, but screw that. Whatever was happening right then, between them, she was saying how she felt. “The idea of having a baby with you doesn’t terrify me. I know, I know—we need to do the whole song and dance of a courtship and getting to know each other better…” Blah, blah. She knew him. “But when I look at you, Blake, you’re the only man that I could imagine having kids with. I look at you, and I see a future.”

  He bent his head and put his forehead against hers. “You’re not supposed to be like this.”

  “I don’t know how I’m supposed to be. I only know how I am.” She wanted to wrap her arms around him. Wanted to hold him close, so she did. As she held him, Jess felt some of the tension drain from his powerful form.

  “I need you,” he rasped the words.

  “I need you, too.”

  One truth for another.

  His arms came around her. He was so warm and strong, and the rest of the world seemed to fade away as they held each other.

  She’d gone to Vegas in order to escape, but now, now it actually felt like she’d been going to Vegas just so that she could run to him.

  Slowly, very slowly, he eased away from her. The fire was banked in his eyes now, and Blake looked tired.

  Still sexy, but weary.

  “I think we both need to crash,” she said, swallowing a bit to ease the tightness in her throat. “I’ll just…I’ll go in the bedroom and get things ready for us. Give me a second, okay?”

  He nodded.

  She backed away, trying to remember if her bedroom was truly the disaster zone that she recalled. Oh, yes, it was. She stepped inside
and saw the discarded clothing—including her wedding dress—littering the floor.

  As quickly as she could, she grabbed everything and shoved the items into her closet.

  Then Jess hurried back into the den. “It’s all ready—”

  Blake was bent over her bags. His hands were in one of those bags.

  “What are you doing?” Jess demanded. But the answer was right there. The guy was searching through her stuff. Why?

  Blake’s hand rose from the bag. She saw that he had one of her t-shirts in his grip. He dropped the t-shirt and revealed a black, draw-string bag. One that was thick, bulky.

  In silence, he opened the bag. When his fingers lifted, he had something dark in his hands. Something big and dark and—

  “Th-that’s a diamond,” she heard herself say.

  His head inclined toward her. “A black diamond. Very rare. The only one of its size in the whole world.” No emotion entered his voice.

  “It’s the Night’s Heart.” Now the name made sense to her. Black, like the night. And so big—it did look like a heart. The cold, hard heart of the night.

  His gaze held hers.

  “Why was that in my bag?” Jess demanded as she finally managed to make her legs unfreeze and she headed toward him.

  His fingers curled around the diamond. Jeez, the thing was as big as his hand.

  No wonder the kidnapper had been willing to kill for it. The rock had to be worth a fortune. Several fortunes.

  “That’s a good question…” Blake murmured. “But how about you tell me the answer. Tell me…why the fuck the diamond was in your bag?”

  Her mouth dropped open. “Wait, you think I took it?”

  “It was in your bag. I don’t see anyone else here.”

  Rage built, twisting her guts. “That’s why you came after me.”

  He shoved the diamond back into the drawstring bag and tossed the bag onto her couch. “You mean because you stole a priceless diamond from me?”

  “I didn’t steal it!” She’d nearly died for that rock. She sure hadn’t played some kind of light-handed thief game. “You’re the jewel thief, not me.”

  Blake was right in front of her now. It wasn’t just rage twisting inside of her. The pain was there, too, cutting like a knife. So much for him rushing after her because he needed her. He’d just wanted his diamond.