Fueled by Lust: Maxim (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Celeste Prater

  Makar watched her gaze lower to her computer as she answered. She didn’t want the male to see the truth in her eyes.

  “I’m going to have to take a rain check. I’ve got work piling up.” The disappointment was blatant on the officer’s face.

  Baruch sounded pleased. Okay, I feel better now.

  “Can I call you tomorrow?”

  She nodded and gestured to the door. “I’m running behind. Can you let me in?”

  He pushed the door open and barked at the guy at the table. “Docs here. You behave or I’ll have to tase you again. Got it?”

  The guy looked up and nodded. Keely walked into the room, her voice was pleasant.

  “Mr. Wharton. I’m here tonight to evaluate if you can return to general population. Are you willing to talk to me?” A huge smile lit the male’s face. He carried a look of utter adoration. Makar couldn’t blame him.

  “Hello, Dr. Anderson. It’s good to see you again. Please, call me Scott.” The door swung shut.

  Makar grunted.

  Let’s go. We’re already running behind.

  I hear you. We have her name. That’s all we need. Cato can get us the rest.

  Slipping down the hallway, they reformed inside the elevator. Makar clapped a grinning Baruch on the shoulder.

  “So, does this place still smell like death?”

  His mate leaned forward and punched the button for the third floor. He sighed and leaned back against the wall.

  “Nope. It smells like violets…and life.”

  * * * *

  Skylar blinked against the thin ray of sun escaping around the edge of the curtain and currently threatening to burn a hole in her retina. She tried to cover her eyes and gasped when her left arm didn’t move more than a few inches. Looking up, she felt her eyes widening to the discovery of her wrist tied to the headboard with a T-shirt. Her other one was unbound. What in the hell?

  Realizing she had a wall of heat plastered against her back, she grinned and wiggled in his arms until she was flat on her back. Maxim didn’t even budge. His arm lay splayed across her belly and it felt heavy. Damn, he sleeps hard. She grinned. Guess I wore him out. Point to Skylar.

  After that amazing bout of the best sex of her life and the shower that’d been too quick in her estimate, he’d pampered her to the point of wonder. He even dried her hair again and laughed when she told him he was going to spoil her rotten if he kept that shit up. He seemed to want to keep touching her, but shied away when she tried to instigate some more serious play. Burrowed under the covers and naked as the day they were born, they’d watched movies until their eyelids refused to stay open. Strangely, it almost felt like a date.

  The last thing she remembered was Maxim turning the light off, being flipped to her side, and spooned. He’d felt like a hulking mound of protection against her back. It’d been ages since she’d slept in the bed with someone—really slept. It felt nice.

  Glancing back to her wrist, she couldn’t remember how that had happened. Surely, she wouldn’t have snoozed through bondage play. She wasn’t that damn tired. She giggled and slapped her free hand over her mouth. She reached under the blanket and slid her palm across the massive thigh pinning her to the bed. He was so firm and virile. She felt her pussy flutter and rolled her head to get a better look at him. She chuckled at what she found.

  Maxim’s braid was a snarled mess, and his face was practically buried into the pillow. She wondered how in the hell he was breathing. She nudged him in the gut. The one eye she could see flew open and blinked a few times before it finally focused on her. She threw him a little wave.

  “Hey, there.”

  “Morning.” His voice sounded gravelly. She waited until he lifted his head before she shook her bound wrist and grinned at him.

  “Is this a hint, or did I sleep through something I shouldn’t have?”

  The expected smile didn’t materialize. Instead, he lifted up on his elbow and stared at her. He looked too serious for her comfort.

  “It’s not funny, Skylar.”

  “What?”

  “You really don’t remember?”

  “Okay, now you’re freaking me out. What am I supposed to remember?”

  Maxim scrubbed at his face, and she could see that he looked exhausted.

  “Our little battle last night…I was hoping you’d care to explain.”

  Chapter 16

  Skylar felt her mouth drop open and gained only a sliver of comfort when Maxim patted her arm.

  “Don’t worry. You didn’t punch me, or anything. I had to tie you up last night just so I could get some sleep. I’m apologizing right now for any bruises you might discover. You kept mumbling and trying to get out of the door. I was afraid you’d walk out butt naked and get hit by a car. Why you kept dragging the iron around with you is beyond explanation. You scared the hell out of me. Barricading the door didn’t even work. You’re stronger than you look.”

  Skylar stared at him and tried to comprehend the craziness of what he’d told her.

  “No shit? I was sleep walking? I’ve never done that before in my life.”

  “Well, you can’t claim that anymore.”

  Skylar felt her heart begin to race. “What was I saying?”

  “I couldn’t understand you at first. I had to hold you up against the wall and put my ear close to your mouth, but I finally figured it out. You said, ‘It’s not supposed to be here.’ You got a problem with the iron? I almost threw it out in the parking lot after you broke out the third time, but I was afraid you’d go after it. I finally hid it under the bed. That’s when you started saying, ‘Oh, shit. I’m in trouble now.’ After I tied you down, you went right to sleep. I wish I’d thought of that earlier.”

  Skylar knew she’d lost all of the blood from of her face. She could tell by the way Maxim’s eyes narrowed and an eyebrow rose. She swallowed hard.

  “Damn. I’m sorry, Maxim. I had no idea.”

  “Then why do you look like you’ve just seen a ghost? You’re as pale as the sheets. What’s not supposed to be here? It sure as hell isn’t the iron. Were you having a vision last night?”

  “I remember those. I don’t know what it is. I swear.” Even though it wasn’t a lie, she still felt like crap for saying it.

  He shook his head, as if resigned to his fate.

  “Well, something pushed you to act out like that. You could’ve been injured, sweetness. Obviously, this thing in Rome has buried deep and is pushing you past your limit. I can’t help you if I don’t know what it is.”

  He searched her face, and she felt like he was expecting at least a half-assed response.

  “Okay. I promise if I remember anything you’ll be the first I tell.”

  He snorted in disbelief and leaned over her. When he started untying the T-shirt, she acted on her first impulse and licked across his nipple. Hell, it was right there in front of her nose. What was she supposed to do? She glanced up and smiled at his wide-eyed look.

  “You trying to tell me something, Skylar?”

  “Yup.”

  “Spill it.”

  “Tie the other one, too.”

  That got her the full eyebrow raise. His hand hesitated on the bind before drifting down to land next to her shoulder. He leaned back, stared at her for a few beats, and then moved closer.

  “You like being tied up? Trust me. If you say yes, it won’t piss me off in the least.”

  She nodded. “I’m trying to thank you for taking such good care of me last night, but I warn you, Maxim. I’m demanding. I have strange ideas sometimes. Certain…things turn me on, and if I feel like acting on them, I do. Life is too short to keep second-guessing if we should squash our needs or throw them out there to analyze.”

  “What kind of things?”

  She laughed and wiggled her wrist. “You’ll find out soon enough. Either you’re going to run away, or hang around. It’s that simple.”

  Skylar watched his pupils dilate just before his tongue darted out
and slid against his sexy, sculpted lips. Chills skittered across her skin, racing each other to see which one was going to make her nipples pop off her chest. When he leaned over her again and his wide shoulders blocked the ceiling, she felt her breath catch in anticipation of his next move. He surprised her by releasing the bind, slipping his arm under her neck, and rolling to his back. His bicep had her shoulder trapped in an unyielding grip, and her cheek rested on his big pec. She glanced up to him. He’d closed his eyes.

  “Uh…is that you’re way of saying no?”

  “Nope.”

  Skylar felt a thick tightness in her chest, and memories began to flood her brain. This was eerily similar to the last time she’d been in bed with her ex. Well, not exactly. He’d had his back to her, but the message had been clear. He didn’t want to discuss her needs. He was pulling away. Just one day before, Nick had been trying to get her to admit she loved him and then boom, total shut down. Her nightmare started the very next day. She shuddered when Maxim’s chest rumbled under her cheek.

  “I felt you stiffen. You’re thinking too hard, Skylar. I just want to lay here with you right now. It feels good. Is that okay?”

  Oh, fuck. That sounds familiar. She tried to pull away, but he latched on and she couldn’t move.

  He looked down, a puzzled look on his face. “What’s wrong?”

  Skylar tried to keep the panic from saturating her response. “Nothing. It’s sweet that you want to hold me like this, but if you just want to keep this friendly between us, I’m okay with that, Maxim. You just need to tell me so I don’t get confused.”

  Skylar was surprised by the deep growl that erupted from his throat. He snatched her hand and pushed it under the sheet. She had a handful of rock-hard cock before she could blink.

  “Does that feel like I want to be just friends with you, Skylar? The second you asked for the other bind I almost came all over your hip. That fast switch from our serious discussion to bed play felt like you were testing me. I’m fighting to behave myself and trying hard to earn your trust, baby. I’m floundering here. I’m not used to…what is it? Are you okay? Talk to me.”

  Skylar barely heard Maxim calling out her name. He sounded like he was a million miles away. The second he’d said the word “trust,” the tightness in her chest turned into an unrelenting vise grip. Tingles shot through her gut, and her vision grayed out. She knew her body was arching backward and her muscles were freezing in place. Fuck! It hurt like hell, but she couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

  * * * *

  Skylar woke to find herself standing in a dark room. At least she thought it was a room. She couldn’t see shit. She didn’t know which way she’d come, or how to get back out. She rubbed her arms to stave off the cold sinking deep into her bones. At least it was more tolerable than the pain.

  Eyes darting to the right, she latched onto a pinhole of yellow light growing larger with every heaving breath she took. She gasped when bright streams of color shot from its center and leaped high into the darkness before drifting down to swirl in a wide rotation around her body. With each full circle, it towered higher and higher. Electrical surges zipped from one thin stream to the next, breaking away just long enough to tease her skin before returning home. She could actually feel the hair on the back of her neck lifting. She squealed when she heard a deep voice drift over her shoulder.

  “Don’t you know who I am?”

  She whirled around to find Maxim standing several feet away from her and realized he’d been the source of the yellow light. He carried an ancient lantern high in the air and then lowered it to hover right in front of his belly. He was wearing the loincloth again, and his skin was bathed in sweat. He took a step closer and swirls of blue, greens, yellows, and reds, hell, every color of the rainbow, wrapped them both in a cocoon of warmth and she stopped shivering. Her shaky voice echoed in the churning mass.

  “Maxim? What is this?” She reached out to him, but he took a step back, lifted his chin high, and smiled. She glanced up and couldn’t believe what she was seeing. It was her entity. The glowing orb of brilliant, white light lowered into the swirling vortex until it remained suspended above Maxim’s head. He finally looked down to her, his eyes pleading.

  He whispered, “Credo mea.” The sensual accent had grown thicker, yet just as mesmerizing.

  Skylar instantly knew what he was saying. She’d never heard the words before, yet the message became crystal clear—trust me. Glancing upward, she smiled at the light and watched in awe as it brightened to the point where she finally had to cover her eyes.

  “Okay. I’m ready now. Do your thing.”

  Skylar heard the air rush from her lungs and Maxim’s frantic voice begging her to wake up. She felt him smoothing her hair back and checking the pulse in her neck. Her eyes flew open, and he promptly snatched her up from the mattress and crushed her to his chest. He was trembling.

  “Son of a bitch. You scared the hell out of me. Say something, sweetness.” When he finally settled her back on the bed, she realized the sheets were soaked with sweat.

  Skylar searched Maxim’s worried face and locked her eyes to his. She fought to get her words out.

  “I’m ready to tell you everything, Maxim. I think I’ve just been given permission.”

  * * * *

  Taking the water bottle from Maxim’s hand, Skylar gulped half the contents and set it aside. She sat very still as Maxim continued to brush her hair. He was being so tender that she had to fight back the tears threatening to spill.

  “I’m sorry I threw you in the shower so fast, sweetness. Your face was beet red, and I thought you might pass out on me again. Did you want a different T-shirt to wear? I grabbed the first one I found.”

  She reached back and patted his hand. “This one’s fine. Don’t worry about it, Maxim. I’m glad you did that. I felt like I was on fire. I’m good now, thank you.”

  He placed a kiss to the top of her head before he walked around the chair and plopped down on the bed. Leaning over, he grasped her knees and stared into her eyes.

  “You feel up to telling me what you meant when you finally came back?”

  She nodded and tried to stand up, but he gently pushed her back down.

  “No, stay put. What do you need?”

  “My purse.” She smiled at his overprotectiveness. He was so damn sweet.

  He leapt up and snatched it from the dresser. His eyes widened as he carried it back to her. “Damn, Skylar. What the fuck are you carrying in here? It’s heavy.”

  She chuckled.

  “I know. I think my muscles have doubled from lugging it around.” She accepted the offered purse and motioned for him to sit down. When he was in place, she reached inside, pulled out the jewel, and quickly set it on the nightstand. She released her breath. It felt like a thousand bricks had just fallen off her shoulders. She watched closely as he leaned forward and studied the offering.

  “Okay, let’s see. It’s an enormous green something stuck to a slab of rock. I’m guessing here, but it looks like a huge paperweight.”

  Skylar burst out laughing. “That’s what I told the airport personnel when I went through customs. I almost fell over when they waived me right in.”

  He picked it up and began turning it in his hands. It was a matter of seconds before he flinched and set it back down.

  “Either I’m losing it, or the thing is electrified. I felt tingles running across my fingers.”

  Skylar leaned forward in surprise. “You felt that?”

  He nodded. “What is it?”

  “Besides being a raw emerald and probably worth a gazillion dollars to Cerano, I have no clue. All I know is that it was important enough to my visitor to take it back to wherever the heck it belongs. Whatever it is, I’m just happy that you felt that charge. I thought it was just me. I’ve been careful about touching it. If I hold it for too long, my hands go numb.”

  “So, this is Dr. Martin’s bad decision?”

  “Yup, and it got
his butt killed when he hid it in his office and obviously refused to turn it over. I found it there…well, the spirit did. I’ve been its mule since then.”

  Maxim’s eyebrow rose. “That episode on the bed, it was another vision, right? Did it clue you on where to take this thing?”

  Skylar smiled. “No, that one was all about you.”

  “Me?”

  “The spirit hovered over your head while you said, ‘Trust me’ in Latin.” Skylar repeated the phrase and Maxim’s eyes widened.

  “You know Latin?”

  “Not a lick, but I understood as soon as you said it. That was the only message I got. Now I’m not even sure the sign at the airport to buy a ticket to Texas was just its way to shove you in this mess, or if that’s really where I need to go. I guess I’ll just have to wait and find out.” She watched as Maxim nodded his head and reached over to the jewel. He ran his index finger across the slab.

  “This is amazing.”

  She snorted and pulled the phone from her purse. “You think that’s something? You should see what else I found at the dig site.” She recalled the photos, stuck the phone in his hand, and leaned in to look at the pictures as he flipped through them.

  “There’s twelve in all, two shots of the entire painting and one of each individual panel. As soon as I touched the stone, I had a quick vision of the artifact’s location. I found it hidden in the same wall and only three meters away. It was a rare find since it isn’t a fresco. At first I thought it was some sort of genesis story of an alien race, but how crazy is that, right?”

  When Maxim didn’t answer, she glanced up. His face was a mask of concentration. He zoomed in on the images, studied each frame, and then started from the beginning to repeat the analysis. She jumped when his deep voice spilled into the quietness.

  “Where is it now, Skylar?”

  She swallowed hard. “I uh…destroyed it.” She wasn’t expecting the look of abject relief that passed over his face, but it made sense. He was probably grateful there was one less item to get them killed over. He continued to stare at the phone. His voice was hushed.