Black Diamond (Obsidian Book 2)

by Victoria Quinn

  “Does he know?”

  I knew what she was asking. “No. I never told him.”

  “Why?”

  I’d been through a lot of pain, but I’d never suffered as much as I did when someone I loved struggled. Seeing my mom lose her mind was much worse than a knife to the stomach. Seeing her stare at me without an ounce of recognition was worse than a bullet to the head. “I don’t want Jackson to feel guilty.”

  “Why would he feel guilty?”

  “Because I took all the beatings so he didn’t have to. When Jackson did something wrong, I always took the blame. He never knew about any of that…”

  Rome looked at me with affection, her hand grazing over my heart. “You’re so sweet, Calloway.”

  Sometimes. But most of the time, I was just evil.

  “I understand how you feel. I would never want Christopher to be in any pain. I love him too much.”

  I wouldn’t say I loved my brother…but he was still family.

  “You should tell him, Calloway.”

  “No.” I preferred the distance between us rather than a new bond through suffering.

  “If he knew the truth, maybe things would be different.”

  “Maybe. But would that really make anything better?”

  She leaned into me and pressed a kiss to the skin over my heart, her lips soft and warm. “You never know. At least it would help him understand what happened. Help him understand his older brother better.”

  I watched her kiss me, moved by the slight affection. I’d never let a woman be so gentle with me. I preferred being slapped in the face to a kiss on the shoulder. But Rome made me feel so good that I couldn’t stop her.

  I never wanted to stop her.

  When it came to Rome, I felt like two different men. I felt like a man in a romance novel, someone who cared about a woman he couldn’t live without. But I also felt like a demon who moaned at the thought of hurting something so delicate. I was never both men at one time—only one or the other.

  I sat at my desk and stared at my computer screen. I had just received an email from a donor asking about our annual blood drive, but the words blurred together, and I couldn’t decipher them.

  I couldn’t pay attention because of Rome.

  She was just down the hall, thirty yards away on the other side of the building. I knew she wore that green dress I liked because she got ready at my place that morning. She wore a gold necklace that hung low and matched her earrings. Her hair was pulled back so every exquisite feature could be seen. She was so beautiful, it hurt. A part of me couldn’t blame Dean for making a move.

  But I still wanted to rip out his throat anyway.

  I couldn’t explain the feeling that came over me. Just an hour ago, I was fine. I arranged a lunch meeting with my secretary, and then I examined the revised budget reports that Dean had sent over.

  But now I felt hollow.

  All I wanted was Rome, to feel her in my arms and smell her hair. I wanted to touch that heavenly soft skin and feel the goose bumps form on her arms as I touched her. My mouth craved her lips, the taste of vanilla from her ChapStick teasing my senses.

  The feeling wasn’t sexual in the least. It was something else entirely.

  I hit the intercom and spoke directly to my assistant. “Please ask Ms. Moretti to step into my office for a moment.”

  “Right away, sir.”

  I leaned back in the chair and waited for the large black doors to open. My office had the most privacy of any other room in the building. I kept it that way on purpose, wanting my authority to be mysterious. People never became too friendly with me, always keeping their distance.

  The less people knew about me, the better.

  The door opened, and Rome walked inside, closing it behind her and looking just as beautiful as she had that morning. Her sleek ponytail highlighted the natural curves of her face. If she’d lived in a different era of history, civilizations would worship her as a goddess. She stopped in front of my desk, her hands together at her waist. “Did you need something, Mr. Owens?”

  I didn’t like it when she addressed me that way. Calloway or Sexy was much better. “Yes.” I walked around the desk until I was right in front of her, just a few feet away.

  Her cheeks flushed slightly, and her breathing elevated, suspecting the close proximity wasn’t going to be professional. She did her eye makeup differently this morning, making them stand out in a breathtaking way.

  I took a step forward so we were close together. My eyes went to her lips, seeing the way they slightly broke apart as if she expected a kiss. My hands went to her petite waist, and I gripped her firmly, making sure she couldn’t slip away. I pressed my forehead to hers and closed my eyes, enjoying the overwhelming power that surged within me.

  “Calloway…we can’t do this.”

  “Ten minutes,” I whispered. “I’m not going to kiss you. I’m not going to fuck you. I just want to hold you.” My hand snaked to the back of her neck where I could feel her gentle pulse. The smell of roses washed over me, and I inhaled deeply, feeling the sting of the breath. There was something about the way she made me feel…it was addictive. It felt like a form of happiness, an indescribable joy. I didn’t know what this woman was doing to me. I wasn’t even sure if it was good or bad.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Yes.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead before I returned my head against hers. My hands moved to her shoulders and down her arms, feeling the smooth skin and the goose bumps I’d expected to feel. Her reaction to me was just as powerful as mine was to her. “I missed you. I tried writing an email, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” I’d spent all night with her, her hands bound to my headboard, but it just wasn’t enough.

  “I always miss you…”

  I pulled her closer into my chest and rested her cheek over my heart. Her tits were firm against me, but the touch didn’t get me hard. My need for her wasn’t sexual—and that was the most surprising thing of all.

  When ten minutes had passed, I knew I needed to let her go. “I’ll let you get back to work…”

  She reluctantly pulled away, her stance on our office romance unclear. When it came to affection at Humanitarians United, she wanted nothing to do with it. She didn’t want a single person in the building to know we slept in the same bed. But now, her position had weakened. She looked at me with desire in her eyes, wanting our embrace to never end. “You want to get dinner tonight?”

  I didn’t need to give her my answer. “I’ll pick you up at six.”

  9

  Rome

  “Christopher, I need help.” I was flustered the second I walked in the door.

  “What’s up?” He stood at the kitchen counter, talking with his mouth full. He made half a sandwich but couldn’t stop eating it for one second so he could talk to me. He leaned against the counter and crossed his ankles, still in his suit.

  I set my bag on the entryway table and slipped off my heels from hell. Throughout the workday, they weren’t so bad. But by the time I walked home, I was dying. I was in so much pain I wanted to take them off and walk barefoot on the defiled sidewalk of New York City. “It’s about Calloway.”

  “What about him?” He took another bite, chewing loudly.

  “Could you stop eating for just a second?”

  “Could you wait to dump your boyfriend problems on me until I’m finished?” he countered, a smartass look on his face.

  I ignored his final comment and powered through. “I’ve been seeing Calloway for six months, and I know that’s not that long, but I think I might…” I couldn’t believe I was about to say this out loud. Once I did, it would really be true. “I think I love him.”

  Christopher looked just as bored as he had a minute ago. “And your point?”

  “I’m not sure if I should tell him. We haven’t been seeing each other very long.”

  “Six months?” he asked incredulously. “That’s like an eternity. No guy sticks with a wom
an that long unless it’s going somewhere.”

  “I guess you’re right. But I’m not sure how he’ll react.”

  Christopher finally finished his sandwich and wiped the crumbs off his fingers. “If he’s stuck it out with you this long, I doubt anything bad could come from it. He’s hung up on you, so there’s a good chance he feels the same way.”

  “You think so?”

  “Yeah. And even if he doesn’t, he probably wouldn’t be weirded out by it. Now, if some girl said that to me, I’d be out of there faster than the speed of light.”

  I didn’t see too many similarities between Christopher and Calloway, so that was good news.

  “Just go with your instinct. If you love the guy, tell him. What harm could it do?”

  Probably none.

  “Can we wrap up the girl talk?” he asked. “I have a date with this copy editor for the Times. She asked me out at lunch.”

  “Cool. What’s she like?”

  He shrugged. “Hot.”

  “And that’s it?”

  “Yep.”

  “Didn’t you just eat?” I asked. “Now you’re going to dinner?”

  “I said we’re going on a date. I didn’t say anything about dinner.”

  “Then what are you going to do on this date?”

  “Fuck.” He walked out of the kitchen and headed down the hallway into his bedroom.

  I forgot about Christopher and sat on the couch, thinking about my morning in Calloway’s office. He held me for several minutes for no reason at all. He ran his fingers through my hair and touched me so softly. I felt like a diamond, a prized jewel he cherished.

  I felt like the most important thing in the world.

  After everything I’d been through, I didn’t think I could trust someone the way I trusted him. I didn’t think I could find someone who made my heart race like this. He was everything I wanted in a partner, and I actually believed I was getting my chance for a normal life. I’d always hoped I’d meet a man as perfect as Calloway. And now that I actually had, it made my horrific past seem insignificant.

  I knew how I felt. Actually, I’d known for a while. But when he touched me like that, held me like I was the most special thing in the world, I wondered if he felt the same way. He was different from how he was in the beginning. He didn’t open up to me about the man he truly was. But he’d opened up about his past, his nightmares, and his complicated relationship with his brother. Instead of feeling like a couple, I felt like a team.

  My phone vibrated with a message, and I wasn’t surprised to see his name on the screen. I know I said 6. But I’m coming to get you now. Hope you’re ready.

  As always, his message made me smile. I’m always ready for you.

  After dinner, we relaxed on the couch in front of the TV. I was still in my dress, and my heels sat in a pile on the floor. I lay on his chest, feeling it rise and fall with his deep breathing. Even though I felt his hard-on underneath me, he didn’t make a move for sex.

  His hand moved up and down my back, sliding into the steep curve above my ass before he moved back up again. Normally, he tried to get me naked right after dinner, but tonight, he didn’t seem interested. “Are you doing anything on Saturday?”

  “No plans yet.”

  “There’s somewhere I’d like to take you.”

  “It sounds like a surprise.” I sat up and looked down into his face, my hair forming a curtain over his left cheek.

  “Something like that.” He sat up, moving me with him effortlessly. He kept going until my back was against the couch. His cock was hard through his jeans, and he ground against my panties as he held himself over me. He kissed my neck as he grabbed my panties and pulled them down my long legs.

  My body clenched in excitement, eager to have him deep inside me. It didn’t matter how many times we’d made love, I always wanted more. I never knew sex could be this fantastic. It was stupid for me to have waited so long.

  Calloway moved his mouth to mine and kissed me slowly as his fingers slipped between my legs and played with me. He rubbed my clit with gentle pressure and then inserted his fingers inside me, feeling my sticky lubrication. “Always so wet…”

  “For you.”

  He growled against my mouth and continued to tease me, his fingers moving farther inside me until he had me panting underneath him. “Sweetheart, I want to try something different tonight, and I know you’re brave enough to do it.”

  If he wanted to tie me up again, I had no complaints. Being taken over and over throughout the night was a fantasy come true. “And what would that be?”

  He pulled his fingers out then shoved his cock inside me, my lubrication coating every inch of him as he slipped inside. He closed his eyes and moaned quietly as he entered, stretching out my tight pussy for the hundredth time. “Do you trust me, sweetheart?” He pressed his mouth against mine as he spoke, his lips brushing against mine as they moved.

  There wasn’t a doubt in my mind. “Yes.”

  His eyes darkened in satisfaction, and he thrust inside me, taking me gently, unlike the other night. He dug his hand into my hair as he kissed me, his chest pressed against mine. We breathed together, our legs tangled. Every thrust felt better than the last, and I found myself wanting to stay like this for the rest of time.

  His hand trailed down my body until he moved between my legs. His fingers brushed against my thigh before he turned me to the side. He lay beside me on the couch, his back to the cushion. Our lovemaking didn’t stop with our movements, and Calloway had the skill to keep the fire going.

  His hand grazed past the back of my leg until his fingers moved into the crack between my cheeks. The second I felt him, I knew what was going to happen, but I didn’t push his hand away. The last time his fingers were there, the sensation felt foreign and unwelcome. But as he continued to move inside me and kiss me, it felt natural. When I came, it was harder than I ever had before.

  So I guess I liked it.

  His fingers were still wet from my pussy, so he inserted them into my back entrance, sliding in with less resistance than last time.

  Calloway opened his eyes and rubbed his nose against mine. “If you want me to stop, all you have to do is say so.” He kissed the corner of my mouth before the passion returned, my mouth feeling numb and hot at the same time.

  I explored with my hands, touching every inch that I’d already touched before. He was six foot three of pure man, but the package he wore was nothing compared to the man underneath. He was compassionate, gentle, and powerful.

  I was just about to come when he pulled his length out of me.

  I wanted to scream at the loss.

  He looked into my eyes as he adjusted my leg, practically pinning my knee to my chest. He took control, doing whatever he wanted to my body like he owned it. His hand wrapped around the base of his cock, and he pressed the head into my ass.

  Something I hadn’t been expecting.

  His arm was tucked in the crook of my neck, supporting my head as he slid inside me. “Touch yourself, sweetheart.”

  I hadn’t touched myself in so long I nearly forgot how.

  He sucked my bottom lip and released a moan. “Now.”

  I responded to his command instantly, my fingers moving to my throbbing nub. The second I touched myself, I felt the electricity. I forgot about the enormous cock penetrating me from the backside.

  He continued to slide inside me, watching my reaction as his impressive dick stretched my ass wider than it ever had. “It’ll hurt at first. But it’ll get better.” He kissed me and moved his dick almost entirely within me, pushing me to the limit.

  I moaned as he slid out only to slide in again. It hurt me more than it pleased me, but the pleasure on his face made me allow it. Anytime his dick was inside me, hard for me, I felt special. So I kept an open mind and let him continue, hoping it would get better as we moved along.

  “Touch yourself harder, sweetheart.” He grabbed my wrist and made the motion for me, not
directly touching me with the fingers that had already explored me. He used my knuckles to change the movements of my fingers, and I couldn’t believe a man knew how to touch a woman better than I did.

  When I finally felt the pleasure everywhere, I ignored the pain. His massive cock didn’t feel so excruciating. The more I relaxed, the easier it was to accommodate him. The building orgasm that I felt earlier had returned, slowly approaching with a fiery crash.

  “Together,” he commanded.

  Even without being inside me, he knew when I was going to explode. I gripped his arm as an anchor, feeling his cock ram into me harder. I felt the climax build until it could no longer be contained. Heat surged through my body just before it hit at full speed. “Oh god…”

  He gripped my hip as he pounded his cock into me, being aggressive as he pushed his seed farther and farther inside me.

  The effect of all the sensations gave me a better orgasm than I’d ever had before. Being full of him in a new way heightened my experience, making me feel something so unique and oddly wonderful. The orgasm seemed to last forever, nearly an eternity.

  When Calloway finished, he remained buried in my ass. Slowly, he softened, his cock gently sliding out of me. He pressed his forehead to mine, his eyes on my lips. “Thank you for trusting me.”

  I was exhausted from the euphoria that had just swept through my body. I watched his lips move but didn’t gather any meaning from them. My head rested on the pillow, and I closed my eyes, aware of his cock still inside me.

  Calloway grabbed the blanket hanging over the back of the couch and pulled it on top of both of us. He settled beside me, sharing the same pillow. “I don’t think I can call you Vanilla anymore.”

  “I still like sweetheart.”

  He chuckled. “Sweetheart, it is.”

  Cynthia, Calloway’s assistant, called my office phone. “Mr. Owens would like to see you in his office. He wants you to bring the schedule for this month.”