Beyond the Masks (Beyond Love Series Book 1)

by Nicky F. Grant

  “Wine?” He sprang from the couch.

  “Ah…sure.” Following him into the kitchen, her fingers linked with his, and a jolt of electricity flew up his arm. He dropped her hand to pop the cork on the bottle of wine. He raked his fingers through his hair as her blue eyes caught the light over the island. She was something. Watching as though she worshiped him. His heart swelled as she settled on a barstool.

  “It’s not polite to stare,” he teased.

  She blushed. “I wasn’t staring.”

  “Mmmhmm.” He slid a glass over to her. “What do you call it?” And like a shmuck, he’d give whatever she asked.

  “Memorizing.”

  That came out of the fucking blue. A sledgehammer hit him square in the chest as the wine glass stopped at his lips. She planned on moving forward with the other guy. The thought shattered him, taking the wind from his sails.

  “Interesting response.” He frowned. The glass clinked the island. He held onto the island’s curving edge until his knuckles whitened. “What’s going on, Shane? Why did you agree to come here?”

  Wetness glazed her irises. “I-I don’t know.”

  “Bullshit,” he gritted out, blood rising to his ears. “You came here to say good-bye.”

  The stool screeched on the hardwood floor, and she met him on the other side. His heart sank. This was it for them. No reprieve. The end of their story.

  He could feel her soft skin even through his beard when she cupped his chin. Her perfume filled his nose, and time stopped. Savoring every last moment, his arms wrapped around her. She shuddered, the desire still simmering. She ran her fingers through his hair, prickling the nerve endings of his scalp. His chest swelled as it became too much. Too real. It was for the best anyway. He didn’t deserve her, and perhaps this other guy—whoever he was—could treat her the way she deserved.

  “Jacob…” she whispered.

  He opened his eyes. The truth in her gaze told him what he needed to know. He kissed her anyway, swept her lips with a haunting desire as sadness enveloped his being. This was the last time he’d ever kiss her beautiful face. His eyes shut, and he hoped the tears would stop as he licked her lips. She opened in response. He almost expected to feel passion and heat. Hear the guttural moans of pleasure she always responded with. It never came.

  This was her farewell.

  Her I’m sorry.

  The final I love you.

  He forged on, hoping his kisses told her he was sorry for leaving. Sorry for betraying her. And wishing he could be the man she deserved. A man strong enough to never hurt her. Her lips answered back. She understood.

  They broke away, touching foreheads, breathing heavily, until her hands fell to his chest.

  “This isn’t why I asked you over,” he said in anguish.

  “It’s not why I came, either. I needed to tell you I was sorry. I will always love you.” Her head fell against his beating heart. Could she hear it breaking?

  “I’ll wait for you.”

  “Oh, Jake.” Sobs shuddered her body as he rocked her side-to-side, kissing the crown of her head. He would wait. He’d let her go and maybe she’d come back. He would find a way to prove to her they belonged together.

  “I should go.” Her voice cracked.

  Reluctantly, he released her, moving toward the dining room windows. As he leaned on the glass, snow, adrift in the chilled December breeze, swirled around the buildings.

  Just like him.

  21

  A flash drive spun between Gavin’s forefinger and thumb. Flip, flip. The initials, S.V., inscribed on the outside, caught the light. A small device intended to create an atom bomb of pain and fear, now lighter in his hand.

  His goal toward corporate power didn’t hold the appeal like the power exchange shared with Shane. A deeper bond burned his loins and filled his heart.

  Love, maybe?

  A new light existed. A flame of promise he didn’t know he was worthy of capturing. Worthy of receiving. Her ability to walk blindly into trust moved him. It also scared the shit out of him. The desire to know more behind the mystery of Shane demanded his attention. He wanted her, nothing else.

  As he popped the flash drive into the computer, a thrill ran along his spine. With a few clicks of the mouse, he enlarged the image and hit play.

  Her consent to voyeurism spurred him on as the video played with her lying on the bed. A biting lip and reddening skin told him she enjoyed obeying him. Moved by her submission, his chest swelled with pride. It was an act of selflessness he’d never appreciated with prior subs.

  Skipping to the end, he focused in on her eyes. She’d let all inhibitions go, something he’d never truly witnessed in her daily life. Something he was able to give her with his dominance. His body heated as his blood pumped south. His cock strained against his zipper as she writhed in pleasure.

  She’d effortlessly given her trust to him, someone she thought she’d met only a few times. It perplexed him. How did she do it? Why did she do it?

  Pausing the video, he narrowed his eyes at the moment he removed her mask. Submerged in subspace, she didn’t flinch. She floated, feeling what he gave, and she did it shamelessly. But there was a glint in her eye. A moment she described as seeing him on the precipice of control and he was. Damn. It was simply breathtaking.

  The door to the office opened, and he minimized the screen quickly.

  “Oh. Hey, man,” Ethan said, closing the door behind him. “Didn’t know you were still here.” He brushed the back of his short blond hair.

  Gavin raised an eyebrow, trying to let his erection calm under the desk. “Yeah. I’m still here. What’s up?”

  “Uh, nothing.” The uniquely placed dimple appeared directly under Ethan’s hazel eye when he grinned. “You heading out?”

  A prickling awareness ran down his arms. “What are you up to, Ethan?”

  A deeply playful Dom, Ethan lacked total self-control when it came to the opposite sex. His dick and hormones did the talking whenever he was about to get lucky. Although luck wasn’t a factor. His carefree nature and easy charm swept women off their feet. Not to mention one glimpse of his dimple and different color eyes, they fell for him. But his ego always got the best of him, giving him a false sense of control.

  “Nothing.”

  Groaning, Gavin swiped his keys from the desk. “Whatever. Just don’t do it in here.”

  He nodded with his hands in his dark jean pockets, rocking on his heels. “Later, man.”

  “I mean it.”

  “Go. Get some sleep. You look like hell.”

  Gavin agreed with a grunt, exiting into the vacant hallway. Ethan was up to no good, but he didn’t have time to find out who it was with.

  When he entered his home, he trudged up the stairs as a message pinged from his phone. He eyed it carefully.

  J: Does your offer still stand to get me into The Resort?

  Could Jacob be back on the prowl? Pleasure shot through him, no more competition.

  G: Yes. When?

  J: Tomorrow

  He typed the address and told him to keep an eye out for Candy’s email for the necessary paperwork to complete and a temporary passcode for visitor’s access to the club.

  Exhaustion overcame his body as he fell onto the mattress. Too tired to undress, he drifted asleep. A wave of unease swept over him. He lifted his head from the pillow and wiped his face.

  “Fuck.” He put his feet on the floor and dragged the phone from his pocket.

  G: Are you still there?

  E: Just left. Why?

  G: Never mind

  An eerie feeling swept Gavin as he walked the dim, quiet halls of The Resort. The lock clicked with his key, and he flicked on the office light, making his way to the computer. A quick grab of the flash drive and he could get home to sleep. A cold shiver ran down his back at the empty USB slot on the tower. Where was it? He retraced his steps, and without panicking, he called Ethan.

  “This better be good,”
Ethan said irritated. Female giggling filtered through the phone and what sounded like him shuffling out of bed.

  “Did you move the USB drive from the computer?”

  “What? Hold on.” He muffled the receiver so Gavin couldn’t make out the words. “Okay, sorry, man. What’s this again?”

  “When you were in the office, did you take the flash drive from the computer?”

  “I didn’t notice one. Why?”

  “No reason,” he barked. Shuffling papers on the desktop, he hoped the device would fall out from between them.

  “What was on it?”

  “It’s private,” he bit out.

  “Okay, okay. Get a grip, Gav. Are you sure you left it there?”

  “Yes.” He rubbed his face and plopped into the chair. Glancing into the garbage, he noticed a used condom. “Jesus! What did I say about doing it in the office!”

  “Dude, calm down.”

  “Ethan, there’s private information stored in here. Fuck, when will you start thinking?”

  “Asks the guy with a missing flash drive,” he quipped. “Are we done here? I have things waiting for me.”

  “Fine.” He killed the call. The phone thudded on the desk. He leaned over, burying his face in his hands and rubbing his temples. A migraine was now inevitable.

  It’s here somewhere; it has to be. He scoured the room. Maybe it fell out while Ethan got off. The floor, desk, and all the drawers searched. He ripped the entire office apart only to find nothing. His temper soared as his face heated. Cursing under his breath, he halted mid-stride to the desk.

  “Who the fuck was in here with him?” He dialed Ethan again.

  “You know the drill.” Beep.

  “FUCK!”

  A wave of nausea came over him. If the video got out, it would ruin Shane’s career and life. She’d never forgive him. Immediate regret from his tarnished ways hit him like a wrecking ball. He’d been too blinded by his goal to see she was the one to make him a better man and now it might be too late.

  He wiggled the mouse. The monitor woke. A few clicks and the video feeds, used for security measures, opened. As the hall camera feed loaded and played, Ethan walked hand in hand with a tall blonde. When he opened the office door, their grip fell, and Ethan went in without her.

  Gavin narrowed his eyes on the blonde. An aqua halter dress loosely scooped past the cleavage of her surgically sculpted breasts. Her hair was pulled tight, accentuating her long neck and a mask covered her face. After a few minutes of waiting, she left.

  Fast-forwarding the feed showed Ethan leaving the office shortly after Gavin to find his conquest of the night. A few minutes later, they returned. Her identity was still hidden.

  “Damn it,” he muttered.

  When she entered the office, a small tattoo marked the back of her neck. He enlarged the image and froze.

  “Blair.”

  Shane stretched, surrounded by a cloud of blankets. A ridiculous smile appeared at the sound of her alarm. She was aroused from the dream of Gavin’s godly male figure on top of her. In the dream, every inch of his skin was pure perfection. As her hands skimmed his back, her nails dug into his firm ass while he plunged into her. A sigh escaped her. She could hardly wait to see him today.

  She opened the drawer of her nightstand and grabbed a vibrator. She stared at it and a shiver rushed down her spine. The clock read six o’clock. Was Gavin awake? She snuggled back in place and grabbed her phone.

  S: Are you awake?

  Patience, a virtue lacking at the moment as anticipation for a response ached in her sex. What if he didn’t reply? Even if the fever had broken between them, she was still unsure about his feelings. Suddenly, a ping caused her to jump.

  G: Yes

  She bit her bottom lip as her thumbs hovered over the keyboard. Nothing but a simple yes. Was he mad? Or busy? She tensed. The ellipsis appeared in the left hand corner of the screen.

  G: A little early for work, don’t you think?

  S: Not too early for other things…

  She snapped a picture of her bare breasts followed by a swoosh sound.

  G: I see. Show me more and I’ll consider it.

  The air went out of her, and she curled her toes. She removed the comforter, exposing her naked body and positioned the camera at her sex with her legs open. Swoosh.

  G: Is that for me?

  S: Yes

  G: Touch your cunt. Tell me how wet you are.

  All desire coiled in her stomach, causing her skin to heat and her core to clench. The purr in his voice, even through text, sent a wave of warmth to her clit. She dipped her fingers into her pussy and gasped, reeling from images of him inside her.

  S: Dripping. Are you hard?

  Ding. She clutched her phone against her chest and breathed deep. Lifting it, she yelped. He was on display, all male and beautiful and hers. His massive erection spanned root to tip up to his navel. Jesus.

  S: Fuck, you’re so hot. Let me suck you.

  G: Your sexy mouth is hot and wet. Your sweet tongue swirling the tip of my cock, tasting my juices. I want to fuck your pretty little mouth.

  The illicit details sent her into a tailspin. She rubbed her clit as she read each filthy word. Her hand smoothed the slick arousal over her folds. She whimpered. Building her climax with a rush as her fingers circled her throbbing bundle of nerves.

  G: Don’t come.

  Holy Fuck! How does he know?

  S: Can’t help it. Put it in.

  G: I say when. Tell me what you are doing.

  S: I’m squeezing my nipple, imagining it is your mouth biting it. My fingers are pushing deep inside me.

  She hit send and, moments later, the phone rang. Hitting the speaker button, she said in a low raspy voice, “Hello there.”

  “You’re a dirty girl, Ms. Vaughn. Tell me how you want it.”

  “I want it slow.” She gasped as her hand circled her hot button. “I want to feel your dick touch every part of my pussy as you enter me.”

  “Fuck, Shane…” he hissed. She could hear the bed shift. Fantasies of her grinding on his hand surged her forward. Animal noises filtered through the phone, making her thrust her hips against her hand. Heels digging into the mattress.

  “Gavin…” she whined in a breathy whisper. “I want…you…”

  “Steady, baby. Not until I say.”

  She tensed to slow the racing climb to the top. A frustrated sound escaped, and she slowed her movements. “What would you do to me?”

  “I would lick you. Starting with your neck to your fuck-me tits. I would suck your nipples until you begged me to stop. Once I reached your pink cunt…”

  “Yes,” she whispered. “Then what?”

  “I’d watch your body writhe as I teased you. Make you beg for my mouth. You’re hungry and greedy. Waiting for me.”

  She gasped, sweat glistening off her body, teetering on the edge with every mention of his description. “Please.”

  “Are you grinding on your hand?”

  “Yes…” She threw her head into her pillow, her eyes closed to concentrate on the dark sensual tone of his voice and the feel of her hand.

  He groaned. “My dick is so hard it hurts, baby. I’m pumping into my hand while cupping my balls. Would you like my sack in your mouth?”

  “Ah…yes, please.”

  “I bet you do.” He snickered devilishly. “They’re falling into your mouth. Are you sucking them?”

  “Mmmm.” She pushed two fingers inside her sex.

  “Yes…your fucking mouth.” He gritted through his teeth. “Do you have a vibrator?”

  “Yes.”

  “Turn it on and place it on your clit. Tell me how it feels.”

  She switched it on. The buzzing vibrated between her thighs.

  “It’s so good.”

  “Good girl. I want to hear you breathe. I want your smart mouth to call my name while you tell me how good my cock feels thrusting into you. I’ll go with you, baby.”

&
nbsp; Their panting matched a unison staccato rhythm. “Feels good, Gavin. Too good.”

  “Yes.”

  “Fuck, it’s too much. Your cock is so big. It’s stretching me. Ah, god...I’m, I’m…”

  “Yes. Tell me.”

  She held her breath as she crested her release, screaming out his name. Her back bowed. The spasms clenched around her fingers. Come dripped down her buttocks and onto the bed.

  “You make me come so hard,” he roared. She imagined semen spurting over his tensing six-pack.

  They lay there, listening to each other breathe for who knew how long, her body too weak to say a word, her mind calm.

  “A great way to wake up,” he said finally.

  She smiled. “You’re welcome. See you at the office.”

  “Can’t wait.”

  Shane practically skipped through the main doors of Omega Records. Nothing could ruin her day.

  “Good morning, sweetie.” She kissed David’s cheek as he handed her a latte.

  “Good morning, doll. You’re awfully happy.”

  “What? It’s a beautiful day.”

  He glanced out of the reception area window at the gray sky threatening snow. “Only if you live in Mordor.”

  “A couple of clouds never hurt.”

  Gavin entered the reception area in a tailored black suit, his top button undone and his coat slung over his arm. She caught his eye and blushed. He remained calm, his exterior tough as usual, except for the mischievous glimmer in his eyes that sparked devious thoughts.

  “David. Shane,” he greeted in a curt voice. He strode past them as she checked out his ass in his suit pants.

  “Um, doll? What the hell was that?”

  “What?”

  “The force field I walked into? Seriously, some major heat there.” He fanned himself as they walked to her office.

  “Yeah.”

  She hung her coat and pulled the hem of her red form fitted sweater dress. David sat in the usual visitor’s chair for their morning chat, eyeing her for an explanation.

  “I talked to Jacob last night.” She sank into the desk chair.

  “And?” He straightened.

  “And I decided to close the chapter for good. I want to pursue things with Gavin.”