He smiled. "I know, but I mean it."
"Happy Birthday," she said. "I'm sorry it hasn't been the greatest."
"It was fine. Yours is next week. What do you want to do?"
Hellena thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up. "A dinner party."
Sebastian frowned, understanding exactly what she was asking for, but unsure if it was a good idea.
"Oh, come on. We haven't had one in a while. It'll be fun."
"With the charges, I don't think that's a good idea right now."
"We'll get them to sign wavers of consent. I'll take care of everything."
Sebastian shook his head, but said, "Alright." He couldn't deny her only birthday request.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
The Dinner Party
Sebastian walked into the kitchen to find Hellena dipping little pastry balls in thick, dark chocolate. She had the whole flat smelling of it.
"What are you doing?" he asked and tried to snag one. Hellena slapped his hand away.
"I'm making bossche bollen for tonight," she said.
"And why are you making that?"
"Because it's Mariss Red's favorite dessert, isn't it?" Hellena dipped another one of the pastries.
"I beg your pardon?" Sebastian frowned at Hellena, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Mariss Red's favorite dessert was being prepared in his kitchen. "Please, explain this to me. Why are you making this? Have you invited Mariss over this evening?"
"Yes. Is that a problem?"
"Why would you do that?" Sebastian fought to keep his voice level. "What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that this is my birthday and I can invite anyone I want.
Sebastian shook his head. "What are you trying to do to me?" he asked.
"I wasn't thinking about you at all." Hellena's humor was unignorable and Sebastian chuckled. "It'll be fine. There will be tons of people here. Maybe you'll finally get some and get her out of your head."
"Hellena, just shut up."
"There's no need for that, Bash." She was still laughing at him.
"You should have consulted me on this one."
"It's my birthday," she protested.
"Yes, I know." Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose. "This one you should have run by me first."
He stepped out of the kitchen and down into the front room, hoping to find something to distract him, but he found nothing.
"You're angry." Hellena stood in the kitchen doorway.
"Yes. I am. More than that, I'm curious as to why you would invite her? No." He turned to her and let the full weight of his gaze fall. "Suspicious is a better word."
"I'm not trying to start anything."
The doorbell rang.
"We'll discuss this later, Hellena," he said, his voice sharp with warning as he opened the door.
"Hello. I am here for Hellena's birthday dinner party, ja?" a large man said in a thick German accent.
"A friend of yours?" Sebastian asked Hellena.
"How could you tell?" she replied with a smile on her lips.
Sebastian only shrugged. Hellena laughed and kissed Sebastian on the lips, their little argument forgotten for the moment.
***
Sebastian hadn't expected Mariss to really show up, nor was he prepared for what he saw when he opened the door. She was breathtaking in a ruby red halter top jumpsuit with a jeweled collar that dove into a plunging neckline. Diamonds dripped from her ears and throat and lay gently across her wrist. Pointed black shoes peeked out from beneath the wide-legged bottoms of her jumpsuit.
"Mariss." Sebastian had to clear his throat. Normally, the jumpsuits didn't quite catch his fancy, but Mariss proved she could wear just about anything and he'd be ready to jump her bones.
"Is something wrong with the way I'm dressed?"
Sebastian leaned against the door and released his most self-assured grin. Mariss frowned, untouched by it.
"Why don't you come inside and take it off and we'll see which suit I like best?"
She raised an eyebrow and tried to peer over his shoulder. Sebastian stepped to the side and let her in. There were several couples in all states of undress and compromising positions. He sneaked a peek at her from the corner of his eye. Mariss was furious. He wanted to laugh, but at the same time, he didn't.
"Hellena's choice of birthday party," he said. It sounded like he was apologizing. "I only just learned this morning that she'd invited you. Are you hungry?"
"I'm no longer a threat." Mariss' voice was flat.
"No? Dressed like that you might be."
"I dressed very modestly."
Sebastian chuckled. "I can see your shoulders. And your breasts."
"You've seen more."
He shrugged. "That's true. Wine? Pop? Would you like anything, Mariss?"
"I really would like to leave, but I guess that would be rude since I was invited by the birthday girl herself."
"It is possible. Let's see if we can find her."
The scent of her berry shampoo and the heady musk of Mariss' anger made Sebastian want to ravage her. If he kissed her she would kiss him back because she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
"Hellena?" Sebastian walked into the kitchen to find her digging through the refrigerator. "What are you looking for?"
"The cheese." Hellena stood and turned. When she spotted Mariss, her lips curled up in a vicious grin. "You made it." She said something in German and Mariss answered back.
"Play nice, you two."
"Oh, always. I'm sorry if this isn't really your scene, Mrs. Red." Hellena shrugged like she didn't really care. "Are you hungry?"
"No, I ate. I had a dinner meeting I couldn't reschedule."
"I made something for you."
Sebastian frowned and he felt Mariss' curiosity, and maybe a little fear, as she shifted her weight.
"I was being nosey and I found out that bossche bollen is your favorite dessert. It happens to be one of mine as well and I am quite good at making it." Hellena uncovered a tray, and her smile was almost friendly. "I'm sure it's not as good as your mother's," she shrugged.
Mariss took a deep breath and let it out. "Thank you." She popped one of the chocolate covered balls in her mouth. "Very good. If I keel over in the next ten minutes, I swear I'll kill you."
Hellena beamed. "I might be willing to do a lot of things, but I wouldn't mess with your food. That's too easy."
Sebastian frowned, but he let it go. "Shall we join the party?"
Mariss grabbed a couple more of the bossche bollen and followed him back to the front room.
The German Hellena had introduced him to earlier had gotten comfortable with two women who worked at the club. His shirt was off and they were rubbing his hairy chest as they simultaneously gave him a blow job.
Mariss went rigid next to Sebastian and she sucked in a sharp breath.
"What's the matter?" Mariss slapped his hand away when he tried to get her attention. "Mariss, I didn't realize she'd invited you. You don't have to stay."
She paid him no mind. Mariss walked slowly toward the man on the sofa. She took three small steps and stopped, then took three more steps. Sebastian watched with rapt attention, unsure of what was going on. Was this someone she knew as well? Slowly, she made her way down into the living room. By now, the man had noticed her, and the two girls as well. He'd pushed them away and the look on his face said he thought he was about to get lucky.
"Mariss?" Sebastian tried one more time.
She made no move to show she'd heard him. Instead, she straddled the man's lap. His hands went around her hips and she braced herself on his bare chest with her hands. Sebastian growled deep in his throat and took a step toward them.
"Wait." Hellena put her hand on his arm to stop him.
Sebastian looked down at her hand and shook it off. Mariss fingers traced a tattoo on the German's chest. He said something to her in their language. How did he know she would understand? Then the German fro
wned.
Mariss reached behind her and her hand disappeared under the fall of her dark hair. When she pulled it back down, something silver glinted in the dim light.
Sebastian realized too late what it was. Mariss flicked her wrist a few times and drove her knife into the German's shoulder.
"Bloody hell!" Sebastian shouted as the German screamed in pain.
Sebastian leapt down the stairs and pulled Mariss away as the two other women dove for cover. He forced her to look at him, but there was no one home. Her eyes were dead and empty, the way they were when she slipped into that nowhere place of hers.
"Hellena, take him to the bathroom and stop the bleeding."
Mariss threw herself at Hellena and her hands went around the other woman's throat. Sebastian was there in a flash. He ripped her away as she started screaming in German. Hellena looked stricken.
"Hellena, do as I say!" Sebastian shouted over the cries of the other attendees. Panicked, he dragged the kicking, screaming Mariss to his bedroom and locked the door. With no idea what had just happened or what to do, he shoved his hands through his hair.
"What the bloody hell?" Sebastian said to himself as he turned back to Mariss.
She flung herself at him. Sebastian grabbed her wrists to fight her off, but then her mouth was mashed against his. Her soft, sweet lips were anything but kind as she kissed him hard and full. He had no choice but to kiss her back. His mind and body would allow him to do nothing else. When she tugged against his grip he released her hands so his could settle at her waist. Having his hands on her again was like heaven. Her body pressed against his like she couldn't get close enough.
Mariss gripped his shoulders and did a little hop so she could wrap her legs around his waist. He groaned and supported her bum in his hands as he carried her to the bed. He'd meant to set her on the edge, but she pulled him on top of her and ran her fingers through his hair. He tasted chocolate on her tongue. She ground her hips against him.
Mariss hands disappeared for a moment, then her bare skin was beneath his own. Sebastian looked down at her bare breasts and pushed himself away. She tightened her legs around his hips.
"Mariss, this isn't you." He barely got the words out around the tightness in his throat.
"It's me," she promised. "I'm here. It's me."
Sebastian stared into her eyes and the light in them said it really was her. She really was there and she was pleading with him to take her. How could he say no? Relief flooded him and his body ached to touch hers again, even as he knew this was wrong. He just didn't care. Not tonight. Not now.
"Is this what you want?" If she said no he thought he would crumble, but she nodded.
"Yes. I want this. I want you this once."
He didn't need to be told twice. Sebastian dove at her, his mouth finding hers once again. He groaned when her warm breasts pressed against his thin shirt.
"No phone calls," he growled.
"Sebastian!" Hellena shouted through the door. The doorknob jiggled, and when she couldn't get in, she started pounding.
"Ignore her," he begged. "Please god, ignore her."
Mariss pushed him away. He gripped her wrists but she tugged them away. She stood before him and shimmied out of her jumpsuit, and she was completely naked. Her fingers went to work on his shirt, quickly unbuttoning each button so he could shrug out of it. Sebastian kicked off his shoes while she unfastened his trousers and they were naked together.
"I'm glad you don't wear underwear."
He grinned and she shook her head. Mariss hands splayed over his stomach and ran over his chest and shoulders and around his neck.
Hellena banged on the door, shouting louder.
"How much time do you have?" he needed to know.
Mariss shook her head. "Take your time. Don't rush."
"I hadn't planned to."
Sebastian lifted her onto the bed and climbed up after her. He licked across her collar bone, smiling when her skin prickled with goosebumps. He kissed between her breasts, fondling them both as he moved down across her belly to the apex between her legs. When he tongued her there, Mariss moaned, soft and low.
"Hm. More of that please." He licked her again, slow and gentle.
"More of that please," she countered. Her fingers speared into his hair, gripping small handfuls as he pleasured her.
He licked the length of her slit. She tasted so sweet.
"Ooh, Bassy." She writhed into him.
He chuckled. "Yes, love. I like to hear that."
"I thought you didn't want me to call you that." A loud moan punctuated the end of her sentence when he locked his lips around her clit. He pulled at it gently, using his teeth so she would make those sounds he loved to hear.
"I like it when you say it. Moan for me, sweetheart." She made a high pitched sound that struck him hard. His dick jolted against his stomach.
Hellena's banging on the door grew more insistent, but he could no longer understand what she was saying, had trouble hearing around the sounds coming from Mariss.
Her back arched off the bed, her fingers scraped against his scalp, and her thighs tightened around his neck. Sebastian inserted two fingers. Her hips bucked and her body shook.
"Uuh, gawd. Here I come."
The dam broke. Sebastian replaced his fingers with his tongue and she rode him until her body couldn't take anymore. He watched her as waves of pleasure racked her body and her face contorted with the throes of passion. He had her. She was his, even if only for this one night. He would not take it for granted.
Sebastian crawled back up her body as she settled, placing little kisses all over her sweet, dewy skin.
"I'm a mess without you, Red." He licked across her ribs and she shuddered.
"Don't say that," she muttered.
"I can't sleep," he kissed her stomach. "I don't eat well." He nipped at her belly button. "You're an outy."
Mariss laughed. "You've spent the last few months trying to ruin me, Sebastian."
"Yes. It didn't work though. I only succeeded in ruining myself." She caught his head in her hands and pulled him up to look her in the face. "You like to touch my hair," he pointed out.
"Yes. It's soft and I like the way it hangs in your face when it's wet."
Sebastian grinned. "Ah. Yes. Come get in the shower with me and I can remind you just how much you like it."
"I remember. You have guests."
"They're Hellena's guests and they'll leave." He was quiet for a moment. "Hellena probably kicked them out already. She's not banging on the door anymore."
"She's probably listening." Mariss went quiet. Her eyes bore into his as he stroked the side of her breast with his thumb. "Sebastian…"
He knew where she was headed and he wasn't ready to deal with that. Not here, and not now. Especially when he was finally about to give them what they both wanted so badly.
"Don't," he said. "Just don't."
"We need to-"
Sebastian put his finger over her lips. "No. Not now. We'll talk about it, but later, yeah?"
Slowly, Mariss nodded.
"Good. Now, are you going to come in the shower with me?" He winked and she grinned.
"I miss the inappropriate Sebastian who says ridiculous stuff like that."
"I was trying to be appropriate for you."
"Well, I don't like it."
"Fair enough." Sebastian slipped off the bed so he could get the shower started. He waited long enough to make sure the water was warm, then he went back to Mariss. She sat on the end of his bed and had put his dress shirt on with it buttoned half the way.
"I was cold," she shrugged.
"You could have just come in." He scooped her up off the bed and carried her to the bathroom. "No need to be so coy."
"I'm not being coy."
He kissed her lips to silence her. "You are." Sebastian grabbed the hem of the shirt and pulled it over her head. "Better. Get in."
Mariss turned and he gave her bum a little smack bef
ore he joined her.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Joy and Sorrow
Mariss tied her hair up with a rubber band she had around on her wrist. Then she flung her arms around Sebastian's neck and kissed him so passionately he forgot where he was. He backed her against the far wall and lifted her leg so her foot rested on the bench that ran along the back side of the stall.
"I need to get a condom," he growled against her lips.
"I'll be okay."
"Are you sure?" he asked, a little unnerved.
"Yeah. I'll be fine."
Sebastian nodded. Wasting no more time, he pushed slowly inside, savoring their first proper union. "Jesus, Mariss," he hissed as she took all of him. She gasped against his shoulder, her teeth grazing his skin. His body welcomed hers, joining like they were always meant to be one.
"Oh, my god."
Sebastian was in ecstasy. He had to take a minute to control himself before he lost his balls just from being inside her. He pressed her back against the wall.
"I want to watch you," he said to her quizzical look. Sebastian pulled out and slid back in. Mariss grunted. "Did I hurt you?"
She shook her head. "You're just big. You bumped me. I'm used to it though." She winked.
Sebastian frowned. He bumped purposefully against her cervix again. "Oh, you mean that?" He pulled out and went back in hard. Mariss cried out, but her face told him not to stop. "You like that, yes?"
"Yes," she panted. "Please."
"What happened to 'Don't rush'?"
The corner of her mouth quirked up. "I've changed my mind."
Sebastian held her against the wall and slammed his hips against hers in an attempt to crawl inside her. He wanted every bit of her that he could get in the time they were allowed. He propped his foot on the bench for a better angle.
"I'm so close," she moaned.
Sebastian chuckled and licked water from her shoulder. "You're so easy, Red."
"I've wanted you a long time, Bassy." She made a soft squeak when he changed angles again.
"You fought me a long time."
"You know why." She glared at him from beneath hooded eyes. Sebastian slowed his rhythm. He pulled all the way out of her. "No!"
The Man Without Rules Page 29