Beth’s eyes light up. “Hi, it’s Sylvia, right?”
The woman nods and glances at the silver-haired man with her. “This is my husband, Richard.”
Beth introduces Jake to the couple and he smiles and shakes their hands, but once Beth has their full attention, he turns and narrows his gaze on my throat. “That’s not Celeste’s style at all,” he grates in a low tone. “Remove it.”
“No.”
Jake’s mouth slants in a thin line as if he’s trying to keep his cool. “I won’t let you disrespect her. Take it off.”
“Screw you,” I mouth and start to walk away, but Jake touches my shoulder and pulls me back, all smiles.
“You must get to know your mother’s two favorite people, Celeste,” Jake says. Keeping his hand on my shoulder in a friendly manner, he gestures to the couple. “I’m not much on wine, but Richard just said he’s a big enthusiast.”
“Oh yes, we just spent a fortune renovating our house just to include a cellar,” the man says, his expression fully animated.
While the man goes into detail about the cost and time it took to renovate, Jake nods and acts like he’s just being chummy with me. When I try to pull away, he quickly moves his hand beneath my hair and slides his thumb under the velvet collar. I tense as the clasp digs into my skin, locking me in place.
Beth and Sylvia are so completely enthralled by Richard’s story of discovering an old painting inside the wall during the renovation that they don’t notice me elbow Jake in the ribs to make him let me go, but it’s too late. The velvet gives way.
Fury and panic whip through me as I feel the raven slip free of the loose velvet. I quickly cup my hands and barely manage to capture the raven, saving it from hitting the floor. For a split second, the diamond encrusted raven is crystal clear, but it immediately blurs with the sudden mist in my eyes.
“Better,” Jake mutters as he releases me and stares at my bare throat.
I hate that I have to hold my scream of anger inside. Instead, I blink back unshed tears and glare my fury at him, snatching the broken choker from his grasp. It’s like he knows just what to do to destroy my inner happiness.
Turning to the couple, Jake says, “Hey, Richard, I’m sure Celeste would be happy to show you her parent’s wine collection. It’s quite extensive.”
Richard rubs his hands together, grinning. “I would love that.”
Jake glances my way, a knowing smile on his face. “Why don’t you lead the way, Celeste?”
“I’ll do it,” Beth jumps in.
“But Celeste is the wine expert,” Jake insists. “Richard can drill her on tannins and terrior, aroma, regions and variety to his heart’s content.”
Jake’s trying to make me slip up. It’s like he has suddenly decided to turn this into some kind of game.
When Beth tries to insist, I put my hand on her arm. “I’ll be happy to show Richard the wine cellar.”
“Oooh, I want to see it too,” Sylvia pipes in.
“Since the elevator only holds two, why don’t Celeste and I go down first and turn on the lights, and you and Richard can follow,” Jake says, affably.
Beth looks at me, worry in her gaze.
I plaster on a confident smile. “Sure. Let’s go talk wines.” Holding my hand out to Beth, I say, “Hold this for me, please,” then tuck the diamond raven and velvet ribbon into her hand.
As the four of us pass by Calder, he looks at me and instantly frowns.
We turn down the hall that leads to the elevator and I see Calder following. My wrists are stinging and itching like crazy, so I’m relieved to know he plans to follow us. When I hear Beth call his name, my insides jerk. The last thing I want is to be alone with Jake even for the minute or two it’ll take for the couple to join us in the cellar.
I keep my smile steady as Jake and I step into the elevator, but the second the doors close and we start to descend, I snarl at him. “Were you born this evil or did that black hole inside you develop over time?”
Jake calmly slides his hands into his pants pockets. “I asked you to take the necklace off nicely. See what happens when you don’t listen?”
“You’re certifiable,” I hiss, folding my arms to keep from gouging his eyes out as we step off the elevator.
He shrugs as the doors close and the elevator zips back up. “Did I tell you that Ben is coming later?”
“God, I hope he brings a muzzle for you,” I snap, before walking into the dimly lit cellar room and turning on the main lights.
As the elevator begins to descend to the bottom floor once more, Jake stands in the doorway, rocking on his heels. “Yeah, after I sent him that text telling him you’re not Celeste, it’s amazing how quickly my brother was able to arrange to get off work. I bet he’ll get here in record time.”
I gape at him, my stomach twisting into knots at the thought of having to face Ben. He must feel so betrayed right now. “I can’t believe you did that to your own brother. You truly are a vile person.”
The elevator begins to slow to a stop and his gaze slits on me. “What made you think that you could fill her shoes for even five minutes?”
For a split-second, I’m instantly transported back to that moment when he said something similar to me in high school, and all those insecurities and nagging self-doubts rise to the surface. Except, I’m not the same person I was back then. Everything he’s done to me from the past to the present boils to the surface, but it’s the way I felt when he broke Calder’s necklace that makes me step right in front of him.
“Why did I step in for Celeste? Because I have something you’ll never have, Jake. It’s called compassion,” I finish at the same time I grab his shoulders and knee him in the balls as hard as I can.
As Jake doubles over, grabbing his junk and wheezing his pain, Silvia and Richard step out of the elevator.
“What’s wrong with Jake?” she asks, worry in her gaze as she pats him on the back.
I shake my head and mumble, “It’s probably something he ate” as Richard grabs a chair from the tasting area and sets it against the wall for Jake.
Jake flops into the chair and waves the couple off, croaking, “I’m fine. Go check out the wine.”
“Are you sure?” Sylvia asks as I hook my arm in hers.
“He’s good,” I assure her. “Come on, let me take you and Richard on a tour.”
I’m thankful that I took the time to walk around the place the last time I was down here, but I’m even more grateful for my travels. That’s where I learned to truly appreciate fine wine.
After I take Sylvia and Richard into the tasting room and they have pulled out every custom made drawer to inspect hundreds of bottles inside, I’m surprised but relieved to see Calder standing in the doorway as I lead the couple back to the elevator.
“Where’s Jake?” Sylvia asks.
Calder pushes the elevator button and the doors slide open. “Beth took him upstairs to get some water.”
“That’s good. He definitely looked a bit pale.” Once Sylvia and Richard get into the elevator, she smiles at me, her cheeks glowing. “Thank you for the informative tour, Celeste. I think Richard learned a thing or two he didn’t know about wines.”
Richard laughs, nodding his agreement. “You really know your stuff, young lady. Thank you for the tips. I certainly plan to implement them.”
“You’re welcome,” I say. “See you upstairs.”
They wave and the elevator doors close.
Sighing my relief, I walk back into the main room and start to turn off the lights. “Leave them,” Calder says from directly behind me.
I let my hand drop but don’t turn around. “Beth brought you down here?”
“She told me that Jake was mouthy yesterday and she was worried he was getting that way again. I came down expecting to flatten the jackass.” He traces a finger along the scooped back of my dress. “Why didn’t you tell me that he got aggressive with you?”
It’s cool in the cellar, but my
skin feels like it’s on fire where his finger connects. “Beth set him straight. I thought that was the end of it. You didn’t let on that you know I’m not Celeste, did you?”
His fingers slowly trail along my skin. “No, I’m not taking a chance that Beth will tell her boyfriend about us. And not that I’m not damn proud of you for taking care of yourself, but having to help Beth get that shithead into the elevator without inflicting my own level of punishment grated. What did he say that set you off?”
If I tell him about the necklace, he’ll go after Jake. We’re too close to screw this up, so I tell him the other shitty thing Jake did. “He told his brother the truth about me out of spite. And now Ben’s on his way over here,” I say, my voice shaking.
Calder’s fingers still on my back. “That’s why you racked the guy…over Ben?”
Shit, he’s taking what I said the wrong way. I try to refocus on the issue of common decency. “Ben didn’t deserve to find out like that. He has done nothing wrong.”
Calder turns me around and tilts my chin up. “Do you want—” he cuts himself off, his gaze dropping to my throat. “Where’s your necklace?” he demands, his thumb tracing my bare skin.
He can’t know what really happened to it. “The clasp came lose. I took it off so I wouldn’t lose it.”
He frowns. “You didn’t go upstairs. Where is it?”
“I um…” I shake my head. “I asked Beth to hold it for me.”
Calder’s gaze narrows. “Have you changed your mind about us, Cass?”
“What are you talking about?” I ask, my stomach pitching.
“Do you fucking want to be with Ben?” he demands, slamming his hands on the wall behind me.
He’s literally shaking with tension, tortured fury in his gaze. I don’t know what to do other than to show him how I feel about him. I reach up and rub my fingers along the raised vein in his temple, then lightly press my lips to his jaw and whisper, “Does this feel like I want someone else, Calder?”
Big hands suddenly clasp my jaw, and he tilts my head as his warm mouth claims my lips in a hard, desperate kiss.
The fierce thrust of his tongue against mine is so brutally primal, my body clenches and throbs in response. I match his passion, spearing my fingers into his hair and pulling him closer.
“Why can’t I think straight when it comes to you?” he rasps, pressing his mouth against my throat at the same time he lifts the bottom of my dress up and slides his hands up the back of my thighs to my rear. “Now she wears underwear…” he says in a dry tone, sliding his fingers under the lacy edge to palm my backside.
I snort. “Just for you.”
He chuckles and murmurs, “You have such a beautiful ass,” as he steps fully against me.
I moan at the sensation of his hard erection digging into me and press my body closer, letting him know I want him just as much.
Calder lifts me up, his voice gravelly with possessive intensity. “You should be wearing my necklace, angel,” he says right before he bites down on the side of my throat.
I gasp and lock my legs around his hips as shivers prickle my skin and a rush of heat flows from my head…to my chest…to my sex in one long ribbon of yearning want. Gripping his shoulders, I arch against him and soak up every bit of the erotic pleasurable pain.
He nudges his cock against my sex, his fingers clasping my ass in a possessive hold. “When I close my eyes,” he says, his voice rough against my jaw. “I can still taste you on my tongue. So sweet and addicting, you should be illegal.” He slides his nose along my neck and inhales deeply, then lets out an unsteady breath, his body tensing. “Fuck, I want you so much, Cass.”
Afraid he’s going to pull away, I tighten my thighs and yank him as close as our clothes will allow. “Then do something about it! I don’t give a damn where we are.”
Calder buries his face against my neck as he walks us over to the tasting table. Setting me down on the edge, he clasps my knees and spreads them wide, growling, “Don’t move them.”
I exhale softly as he tilts my chin up and trails his fingers down my throat. His chest rising and falling, he asks in a steely tone, “Am I going to have to solder my gifts on you, sweet Cassandra?”
I tremble at the sensation of his other hand tracing up my inner thigh, then brushing along the flimsy edge of my panties. “I told you, the clasp came lo—aahh,” I swallow my gasp of excitement as he deftly slides my panties aside and buries two fingers deep inside my channel.
His eyes glitter with territorial dominance as he withdraws and presses deep once more. “I love how wet you are for me.” Turning his hand, he hits bone-melting places, jacking my desire even higher and his voice drops to a low, arrogant purr. “This, right here, is all that fucking matters,” he says and bends close to take my bottom lip between his teeth.
I pant as he drags his teeth along the sensitive skin, the pain making me want to move against his hand. When I clench my fingers against his suit coat, he releases my lip and commands, “Show me, Cass. Fucking show me how much you want this.”
The fact he’s possessing my body without moving is pure torture. I quickly unbuckle his belt and unzip his pants, needing his fully engaged dominance. Grasping his hard cock through his silk boxers, I slide my thumb over the tip and use the material to tease him back. “Let me show you what want feels like,” I say, then quickly bend to cup my mouth over his boxers.
Calder groans and palms the back of my head. He fists his hand in my hair and his hips surge forward as he buries his cock as deep as he can. “Your mouth and silk…fucking amazing.”
I tighten my mouth, using my hand to slide the silky material against his sensitive skin. At the same time I push his cock through the slit in his boxers and rub my lips and tongue down his hard, warm flesh, I grasp his sac through the silk and moan.
Breathing heavily, Calder pulls me off him. Lust swirling in his gaze, he commands, “Put your hands on the table and keep those thighs spread wide.”
Panting, I flatten my palms on the table and arch my back to force my legs against the edge of the table.
Calder leans close and puts one hand directly behind my back. My body is throbbing in anticipation. I lock my gaze with his.
When his cock presses against my sex and as I start to close my eyes, Calder grates out, “No, watch us.”
My eyes fly open and I bite my lip at the sight of his thick cock pressing inside me.
Calder flattens his hand against my ass, his fingers flexing. “This is what being truly taken means,” he says, pulling me forward at the same time he slams against me. I gasp as he fills me, stretching my body to accommodate his thick girth.
For a split second, Calder stills and a shudder rushes over him before he yanks me off the table and sets me against the ceiling-to-floor wooden drawers. With a powerful rock of his hips, he withdraws and then surges inside me, his hands locking my body to him. “Fuck, you feel so good.” Pausing, he starts to pull out. “Cass, we should use…”
“Don’t stop,” I hiss, locking my legs around his hips. The need for release clawing in my belly, I grip a drawer’s edge behind me and arch, taking him in deeper. We both moan and bottles rattle, but I don’t care. Calder has me so primed my body is already tightening toward fast approaching bliss. Using the drawer’s leverage, I roll my hips and encourage his rough possession.
Predatory heat flickering in his gaze, Calder presses his chest to mine, his hard body hitting my clit with toe-curling force. My heart suspends and I cry out as I come, my insides clenching tight.
Calder exhales and rests his head on my shoulder, his arms like steel beams holding me up. When I slow my pace, he blows out a harsh breath, then begins to move once more. This time his need is fiercer, coming through in harsher, more powerful friction. My back hits the drawers hard and bottles rattle behind me, but I don’t care if they all come crashing down around us.
This connection with Calder is beyond anything we’ve experienced before; it’s a deep
er, tangible melding of flesh and emotions.
As another orgasm rocks through my body, I let go of the drawer and clasp his jaw. Pulling him to me, I bite his sexy bottom lip and pant against his mouth. “How bad do you want me?”
“Bad enough to fucking crawl inside you,” he rasps.
I grip his hair and tug hard, my voice husky with aroused amusement. “I don’t think you can fit in there.”
“When are you going to learn to never challenge me?” A darkly wicked chuckle vibrates against my jaw before he slides his hands lower. I gasp when knowing fingers spread my entrance wider, taking complete control over my body. My breath hitches with each kiss of his balls against my sensitive lips. The added stimuli revs my passion all over again. I feel raw, cracked open and exposed…fully laid out for his sensual taking. I’m so shredded by the way he makes me feel, I cling to him and absorb every bit of decadent pleasure.
We move together, faster, harder…our breathing labored. The moment I climax, my body clenching hard around his, he shudders and groans as his warmth pulses deep inside me. Slowing to a stop, he presses his forehead to mine. “Now that you’ve lost that challenge, sweet Raven...” He inhales deeply, then exhales a territorial grunt as he slides his fingers together, sealing my body around his cock. “You’re keeping every last drop.”
The sound of the elevator coming toward the cellar sets us into motion. Calder quickly sets me down and rights his clothes, while I slide my underwear in place and push my dress back down. Heart racing, I step over to the hidden door in the corner of the room and open it, pointing to the secret passageway. “Follow this and you’ll exit upstairs.”
Calder shakes his head. “Not until I know who’s coming down here.”
Sighing, I gesture to the passageway once more. “Hide in here until you know who it is, then you can go on upstairs.”
Calder sets his jaw, and as he ducks into the darkness, the elevator doors open.
“Celeste?” Beth calls out. “Are you down here?”
I shoo Calder on and start to close the door, but he cups the back of my neck and pulls me forward, his low baritone a husky rumble against my temple. “Be glad you slept the day away. You won’t be getting any sleep tonight, angel. I’m nowhere near done with you.”
Steel Rush (In the Shadows#5) Page 17