Virtuous Deception

by Leiann B. Wrytes

  Javan ran Brianna a warm bath. He could barely contain himself while he bathed her. The sight of her nakedness was enough to send him over the edge. Her skin was as soft as cotton, and the lavender bath beads he put in the water . . . made the scene picture-perfect. He took the sponge he purchased from Bed, Bath, and Beyond and gently scrubbed her caramel covering from her neck to her toes. He took his time and paid special attention to her bruises. When he finished washing her body, he washed her hair. Her long, beautiful tresses had been mangled and matted from neglect.

  Brianna dropped her guard completely and enjoyed the feel of his hands in her mane. She felt the tension leaving her body as the tips of his fingers fondled her temple and the strawberry-scented candles lured her to peace. Javan had never done this for her before, and it was exactly what she needed. The bath concluded, he draped a white terry cloth robe over her and carried her into the master bedroom.

  “I’ll take care of you, Bria. Don’t worry about anything. Just relax.”

  Brianna wondered what Javan had in store for her. The bath was just right and would be a nice ending to the night. Sleep was calling out to her. She felt like a small girl in his arms and rested her head on his shoulder. It was a short walk from the bathroom to the bedroom. Brianna opened her eyes to see that candles littered the room. Strawberry and Peach Mango Blossom scents danced beneath her nose, creating a frenzy. She was pleasantly surprised.

  “This is beautiful. When did you do this?”

  Javan could not hide his joy. His eyes beamed with pride. He had aimed to impress her, and it seemed to have worked. Aside from that near calamity with Doctor Baxter, everything was going according to plan.

  “I told you. Don’t worry about anything. Not tonight. Not anymore.”

  He placed Brianna on the bed and retrieved the “goodie basket” he had put together containing body oils, powders, lotions, pearls, a dime bag of that sticky, an assortment of perfumes, and a few music discs. Brianna’s eyes widened, and she gave him a look that posed a question with a hint of mischief. He smiled innocently and shrugged his shoulders.

  “Take off the robe and lie down.”

  Brianna dutifully complied. She scooted back a few inches and spread her legs, giving Javan an unobstructed view of her Brazilian front. He licked his lips hungrily and rubbed his neck with the back of his hand. Brianna was such a damn tease, but tonight, he would not be the one left with the badass blues.

  “On your stomach, please. Don’t make this any harder . . .” He shook his leg, drawing her attention to his package, and shifted his wand to the side. “. . . then it already is.”

  The candlelight freestyled a ballet number across Brianna’s smooth caramel surface. Javan stood frozen, momentarily forgetting his mission, completely captivated by the show. He took the lotion, his personal concoction, and began to moisten every inch of skin. He did not leave one part of her lovely body dry. Honey filled his lungs and intensified his primal urges. Pain rippled through him as his engorged member strained against his briefs. He fought his need to end things quickly and put himself out of his misery. Brianna deserved everything he was giving her. Deserved to be catered to in this way.

  She had not given him the opportunity before, and he was not going to blow it. He had to woo her before he could love her again. He would not take advantage of her vulnerable state. She had to know that she was safe with him, that he would protect her. Things had to play out in the way he had always envisioned them. Their last conversation was not lost on him. She had ended things, and he intended to change her mind about him.

  Brianna was experiencing a new high. The sensual massage Javan lavished on her set her body ablaze; the wet warmth between her legs spoke volumes. She was not sure how much more she could take. The idea of adding a little pleasure to her pain was almost too tempting to pass up. Every kink, every knot, was released by the magic of his hands. Brianna was floating, and nothing could bring her down.

  “Hmmm . . . this . . . feels . . . amazing.” Brianna ushered the words out between breaths, trying to maintain her composure as her feminine design found itself at the mercy of Javan’s artistic endeavors. She was putty in his hands as he kneaded her muscles slowly and deliberately. His large hands palmed her ample bottom and sent her libido into overdrive. He worked his way from the small of her back, down to the sensitive soles of her feet, moving back up her legs to the source of her pain. Javan enjoyed watching her squirm so much that he almost hated to stop the train.

  He leaned in and whispered in his rich baritone voice, trying to complete her trip into bliss. “Ms. Mason, you should be able to rest easy now.”

  Brianna took a deep breath and expelled the sexual tension that had been smoldering over the last half hour. “That was your plan all along, huh? Butter me up, and then put me back in the fridge?” Brianna could handle Javan ending their sexual tryst prematurely and recuperated quickly.

  Javan laughed, kissing her forehead. “Of course not, but you’ve had a long night, and it’s already late.”

  “I guess.” Brianna could not believe it. Javan pulled one of her moves on her. She shook her head at the torturous teasing. Dammit.

  “Aren’t you tired?” he asked, amused with her irritation.

  “After that? Not really.”

  Still nude, she crawled under the down cover and savored the king-size, feather-top mattress. It was a far cry from the pile of blankets on the floor she had previously been sleeping on. She got comfortable and resumed her inquisition. “Javan, where are we?”

  “I started leasing this house a little while ago. Don’t worry; we’ll have plenty of time for a tour. For now, get some rest.”

  “Can I use your phone? I need to make a few phone calls. Let my sis . . . my friend Michelle know that I’m all right.”

  Javan’s loyalties were divided, and she didn’t want to share with him who Michelle really was or that she had witnessed the whole thing. She found it a little odd that Javan didn’t inquire about the confusion back at his brother’s spot; she had anticipated him asking who Michelle was, but it didn’t come up . . . at least, not yet.

  “That can wait until tomorrow. It’s late, woman. Go to sleep. I’m here. You’re safe now.” He kissed her forehead a second time and exited the room.

  Overall, Brianna was grateful to Javan, to God, the universe, and whoever else sent him to his brother’s spot. Alone with her thoughts . . . She revisited the events that had transpired over the last week. She thought about her father’s passing. Her freedom was bittersweet. She wished she could talk with him, see him one last time. She missed him already. Before long, dreamland welcomed her, and she was fast asleep.

  * * *

  Javan retreated to his special room to relax and clear his mind. He was too excited to sleep. He finally had Brianna all to himself. He would never have thought that his shiftless, no-account, big brother would have been the one to make it possible. He had waited a long time for a chance to show Bria how deeply he loved her. Fate had put his plan into motion; now it was only a matter of time.

  He glanced around the room and marveled at his photographs, a collage of the half year they had spent together. There were many, mostly candid shots of an unsuspecting Brianna, but some of them pictured both of them. Javan walked to his fireplace and stared at the painting hanging above it. It had been his favorite picture. Brianna was lying in her bed, giving Javan a dreamy look, one hand beneath the pillow that held her head, the other draped at her side with a pillow between her legs. One of the few that Brianna had posed for. Each time he looked at it, he swore she was looking back at him.

  He left the room, locking the door behind him. The red sky bled through the curtains that shaded the windows on either side of the front door. As he reached the very top of the small set of steps, more of the morning’s sun shone through, announcing the new day. He wandered back into the bedroom where Brianna slept. He stripped naked and crawled into the bed beside her. It took all of his strength to suppress t
he urge to wake her with his growing erection. His appetite could not be satisfied. Many nights he had laid beside her and touched himself into fulfillment, but he would not do that. This morning, he would wrestle with his longing. He would endure the ache.

  Chapter 39

  The confrontation with Michelle had her frazzled. How could Frank have kept something like that from her? Lisa would have never thought him capable of such a thing. Her nerves were frayed, and after learning of Frank’s secret, she decided to follow through with her plan to leave town. A change of scenery would enable her to think clearly. She had one stop to make before heading out. The bank.

  “I need to make a withdrawal, please.”

  The teller took the bank card along with the state-issued identification card Lisa placed on the marble counter and stepped away to confirm her account status. Lisa regretted having to do this, but Frank left her no choice. She sighed with sadness. Some things simply aren’t meant to last.0

  “Thank you, Ms. Porter. How much did you need to withdraw?”

  “All of it. Please.”

  The teller gasped. “Ma’am, are you certain? That’s over $8 million.”

  Lisa’s expression grew stern. The teller realized her error. “I apologize, Ms. Porter, I did not mean to sound unprofessional. I wanted to be clear that this is, indeed, your intention.”

  “I understand. Yes, all of it.”

  “Of course. Please have a seat in the waiting area. This type of transaction requires managerial approval. Can I get you anything while you wait?”

  “No, thank you.”

  “Very well, then. I’ll notify you once the transaction has been authorized.”

  Lisa waltzed over to the waiting area and settled into one of the chairs closest to the window. Preston was busy for this time of the morning, but she enjoyed watching the high-end cars roll up and down the street. She was only a few minutes away from joining that elite class. Tolleson Private Bank had housed her stash for years. She chose them for their discretion. Plus she had a friend behind the scenes.

  “Excuse me, Ms. Porter.”

  Lisa turned away from the window to see the teller standing just beyond her reach. The formalities were no longer necessary. No ears could listen in, and Lisa could see nearly the entire floor from where she sat.

  “Nicole?” Lisa asked, lifting an already high arching, freshly trimmed brow.

  “Lisa, I know I said that I would take care of this for you, especially since you took Lewis off my hands. I mean . . . I know I owe you from way back, but—”

  Nicole unwittingly entered into a minefield. Her life as a dancer was short-lived thanks to Lisa. A few months in, Lisa offered her this deal, and she jumped on it.

  “Just spit it out, Nicole.”

  “The manager is asking a lot of questions. I don’t think we have this kind of cash on hand.”

  “How is that possible? We talked about this earlier this week. That was the whole point of my coming here. The entire reason for your presence here,” Lisa spewed through clenched teeth.

  “Lisa, I’m not trying to screw you, but you need another way. This isn’t looking good.”

  Lisa was angry enough to spit fire, but she needed to keep calm. Nicole was a simple bitch. She had to handle her delicately, or she could ruin everything. “What are you suggesting?”

  “He hasn’t rejected the request, but I think if maybe you asked for a smaller amount, he’d sign off on it.”

  Lisa couldn’t tell if Nicole was telling the truth or not. She had played the loyalty card after Lisa landed her this job and got her out of the strip club. She never seemed like the greedy type, but with money, it was safer not to trust anyone. Unfortunately for Lisa, she didn’t have a choice in the matter. She would have to take her at her word.

  “Fine. Give me ten thousand in cash; I’ll be by later with routing information so that we can transfer the rest.”

  Nicole nodded, but her eyes revealed her fear. She had heard about Lisa and was convinced that there was a “but” coming.

  Lisa didn’t disappoint. “But . . . If you’re lying, and I am one penny short of what I should have, that situation with Lewis . . . it was awhile ago, but I’m sure you remember how he had you permanently on your knees fattening his pockets?”

  “No need to go there, Lisa. We all did what we had to do, and I got my cut.”

  “Oh really?” Lisa chortled wickedly. “The gangbang . . . was that your idea too? Did you get your cut of that? Lewis did.”

  Lisa watched as the horror crowded Nicole’s frail features, recalling one of the worst nights of her life. Nicole had come to her in tears, begging for her help. She was on the verge of ending it all that night, but Lisa agreed to assist her . . . for a nominal fee, of course. Nicole’s lips began to tremble, and Lisa knew, at that moment, she had her. Still, she had to drive the point home.

  “Didn’t stop with just you, though, did he? Who was next . . . your little sister? Did you ever find her, by the way?”

  Nicole remained silent. Lisa did not mind. Her words were not necessary. Nicole’s face told her everything she needed to know.

  “I hate to bring up all of this ancient . . . trash . . . but I promise you, if you cross me, that mess will seem like a damn kiddie ride at Six Flags compared to what I’ll do to you.”

  Nicole wiped her damp eyes with the sleeve of her blouse. She would have Lisa’s money, even if she had to steal it.

  Chapter 40

  Brianna awoke to find Javan, nude, and in the bed with her. She was not bothered by it, though; it was not the first time. It did not matter how frequently they were together . . . He always wanted more. She used to wonder what he did while she slept but had never bothered to ask. Javan was ruggedly handsome and chunky in all the right places. She briefly considered waking him, but her stomach won the toss. Vajayjay would have to wait her turn.

  Brianna quietly slipped out of bed and found the kitchen. She was starving. Fortunately, Javan had enough food to feed a small community. The microwave display read 1:45 p.m. Brianna found the remote to the television that hung from the ceiling over the island and turned it on. She turned it to CNN. Catching up on the news made her feel like she was behind the times. She kept the volume low so that she would not wake Javan.

  The kitchen was fairly large, and everything had its place. Brianna was a clean woman, but Javan was almost methodical in his placement of things. Everything was categorized and labeled. Dinnerware versus lunch or breakfast utensils, etc. He even had a map, dictating where everything was. Brianna was slightly taken aback by his attention to detail; it seemed a little obsessive, but it did help her to find everything she needed without any issues. She loved to cook and could have gone to culinary school but failed to see the benefits. There wasn’t anything she could learn that she didn’t already know.

  In no time at all, she whipped up some gourmet-style scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon, and hash browns, topping it off with a few fruit slices, a glass of orange juice, and a glass of milk. While she ate, she caught up with the latest events, then decided to look for a phone so she could call Michelle and let her know she was safe. The house was even more beautiful in the daylight. It had a Greco-Roman motif. Each of the three hallways on the first floor was filled with paintings from that era; it was like walking through the halls of a museum. Out of the five rooms she had managed to find, she had not seen one telephone, computer, or anything that she could use.

  Javan woke up, and she could hear him rummaging around above her. She cut her adventuring short and took the stairs up to see him. The entire second floor of the house was the master bedroom, complete with two walk-in closets, a Jacuzzi-style bath, and sitting area. She noticed a picture of the two of them on the nightstand, beside the bed; it was cute, but she couldn’t recall having posed for it. She picked it up for closer inspection. She remembered the outfit, but she was almost positive she had not been with Javan at the time the picture was taken.

  Javan walke
d up behind her and kissed her neck. “Morning, beautiful.”

  “Morning, Javan.”

  “Do you remember when we took that picture that day at the arboretum? It was such a nice day out. We had been walking all day, and you stopped a random passerby and asked them to take the picture.” Javan laughed softly at the thought. “You said you wanted to capture the moment.”

  Brianna did not know what he was talking about. They had never even been to the arboretum, and she certainly was not the sentimental type. She did not remember this day at all. Javan had to be imagining things. The picture had to be photo shopped or something.

  “How are you feeling, babe?”

  “I’m feeling much better, thanks.”

  Javan took the picture from Brianna’s hands and placed it back on the nightstand. Turning Brianna around to face him, he planted a soft kiss on her lips.

  “I am glad you’re feeling better. You’re safe now.”

  “Me too. I just don’t understand why. I cannot figure it out. What did they want with me?”

  “It wasn’t about you.”

  Brianna looked at him with her eyebrows raised waiting for the rest, but Javan had no intention of continuing the conversation. He felt her eyes tunneling a hole into his mind, but he kept his mouth closed. “That does not make sense to me. None of this makes any sense at all.”

  “Well, it’s over now. You have me, and I have you, and that’s all that matters.”

  Brianna did not like the insinuation. She was grateful to him, but she was no closer to wanting a relationship now than she was before, and his proclamation was somewhat creeping her out. No need to upset him, though. She would let him have his moment.

  “Thank you for taking me out of there. The odds of your finding me were not high, but you did. I am extremely appreciative of that.”

  “So am I, beautiful. I have always dreamed of being your hero, but to actually do it . . . That was a gift from the universe to me.”

  Brianna smiled and gave him a light peck on his lips. Maybe she could be in a relationship with him. He was a good guy and had saved her life. Javan let her go and walked to his closet to get dressed.