by Anthology
“Patience—” Jodi stopped abruptly when the red-head glared murderously at her. “Siren, your pianist hasn’t arrived yet.” Mentally, she crossed herself and prayed her friend didn’t lash out for the minor slip of the tongue.
They’d known each other since high school, and Jodi loved to hear Patience sing. Her voice sounded heavenly, and most compared it to a choir of angels singing. Jodi wouldn’t go that far herself, but it was pretty damn close. However, her attitude reminded Jodi more of a Siren from Green mythology rather than it did something holy. It was one of the reasons Patience used the stage name Siren. She’d lure people in, and then rip them apart with her words. She’d seduce them with her voice, and then leave them wanting when she refused to grant them their desires. No one ever got close enough to touch, but it didn’t stop anyone from looking and endlessly hoping.
And Jodi knew Patience liked it this way. Men were nothing to her and real love didn’t actually exist. Patience had learned that harsh lesson long ago. Those feelings were nothing more than fancy words and promises that were never kept.
As a kid, her father had showered her and her mother with this so-called love right before some tramp seduced and stole him away. He turned his back on his family, only to be found destitute and frozen to death under a pile of garbage in the streets of New York two years later. The news had broken her mother even more than the day he’d left. Years later, Patience had learned her own lesson when her fiancé, a man she’d been with for five years, left her standing at the altar in a church full of guests. He’d run off with her childhood friend who just happened to show up to the rehearsal dinner the night before.
Men were bad news and only good for one thing: sexual pleasure. Fuck ‘em and leave ‘em. That was the best way to handle a guy. No emotional attachments, no false promises, and both parties got something enjoyable out of it.
Usually Patience—God, she hated that name! Out of everyone she knew, she had the least amount of patience—usually, she’d find her conquests at other bars or by other means for safety reasons. The last thing she needed would be for one of the patrons to cause issues at Aria, but tonight, for the first time, she considered breaking her steadfast rule.
From the moment she’d arrived, she could feel someone’s eyes on her. It was different from the way others gawked and undressed her with their eyes. She was used to that. No, this time the gaze felt intense as if branding her flesh to mark her as his.
As she’d walked toward her friend, she’d covertly scanned the area, seeking out the person who gazed at her so attentively, and she’d found him. To the right of the door, along the wall, in one of the booths he sat. She couldn’t really make out any distinguishing features because he sat shrouded in the dim light of the club, but it was him. His intense stare burned her with its ferocity.
She felt naked.
Even standing there and talking to Jodi did not distract her. She could still sense him and instinctively knew his gaze continue to bore into her. It unnerved her, and yet at the same time, it brought out a little something extra from within her. She swung her hips with more flourish, pretended to pay more attention to those around her, and she allowed her eyes to wander back to that booth just to make sure he still ogled her.
He did.
“Pa…Siren, did you hear me?” Jodi snapped loudly over the hum of the crowd mixed with the music blaring over the speakers.
Smiling impishly, Patience cocked her head to the side and bit her bottom lip. The woman across from her barely stood five feet tall and had bleached her honey blonde hair platinum, but Jodi was feisty and hated to be ignored, which made Patience want to push her buttons all the more. “I heard. I’ll be fine, so you don’t have to worry, mommy. You already know that I can play and sing. They just won’t get as much of a show.”
Jodi rolled her eyes. “I do, and I don’t really give a damn about that. Hell, I’m sure you could be standing behind a wall and they wouldn’t care one lick. Everyone’d still line up to hear you sing.”
“You think?”
Jodi narrowed her eyes, giving her an annoyed glare before shaking her head. “Yeah, and you know it. Now get your ass on stage and start wooing the customers so they’ll buy more drinks.”
“First, I want a shot of—”
Anticipating the request, Jodi placed a shot of lemon vodka on the bar. “Already got you covered.”
If they hadn’t known each other so long, Patience might have told her where she could stick her rudeness, but they had. Back in high school, Jodi always dreamed of opening a bar, and Patience always planned on being the featured singer. Time passed and both girls got a reality check, however, where Patience initially gave up her dream, Jodi hadn’t. And when Aria finally open its doors, Jodi convinced the red-headed siren to sing.
The bar had been open for five years now and was a raging success. Patience liked to think that she was part of the reason, but mainly it’d been Jodi because the short blonde never gave up.
“Drink up and get your ass on stage. If you don’t, I might have a riot and I’d rather not have to file an insurance claim for a damaged bar. If I do, I’m citing you as the cause.”
“Whatever.” Patience threw her head back and downed her drink, savoring the slight burn of the chilled alcohol. As she dropped the shot glass upside down onto the black wooden surface, she took a deep breath and whispered softly, “It’s time.”
Chapter Two
Soul had been dragged to this damn club in the middle of Deep Ellum for…actually, he wasn’t sure why he’d been forced into coming down here. His friend, Grant, had picked him up from work and only said, “We need to get there early.” No explanations or apologies, and when he’d tried to leave after two hours of sitting there drinking while they listened to music that made his ears want to blead, Grant had grabbed his arm and jerked him back down into the booth. Soul tried the whole “I have to go to the bathroom” excuse multiple times, but it hadn’t work. Grant stuck his spurs in and could be the most stubborn man Soul knew.
And then she walked in. She wasn’t stick thin, but instead her body dipped and flared in provocative curves that he could imagine grabbing and holding tightly as he pounded her into his bed—not that he would. Shit! He’d lost his mind and he fully blamed his best friend. Sure, he’d seen women he wanted to sleep with before, a round of wild and steamy sex was good for everyone, however, his reaction to her took him by surprise. His dick became instantly hard and he wanted to capture her in order to claim her for himself.
Her hips swayed from side to side and his eyes bounced back and forth following their rhythm. Her bright red hair hung in soft curls down her back, dropping to the curve of her waist. Natural? Box? Did it really fucking matter? Her pale skin shimmered in the soft light of the club giving her an almost unworldly glow.
And as she glanced around, her eyes locked with his, making his cock grow painfully harder—if that was even possible. “Fuck me,” he unconsciously muttered. Full lips that would look perfect wrapped around his dick, had been painted a deep red. They were slightly swollen, as if a bee had stung them. And her eyes…they glinted with playfulness when she discovered him. He couldn’t tell what color they were, but he didn’t need to. Not yet. That would happen soon enough.
“And now you understand.” Grant guffawed next to him.
“Huh?” Soul, couldn’t tear his eyes away from the vixen, afraid that if he broke eye contact for even a split second, she would disappear.
“Soul. Dude.” His friend swatted at him, laughing annoyingly.
Rolling his eyes, he finally tore them away from the beautiful stranger, but only for a moment. “What?” he snapped, before his gaze once again found its target and he breathed a sigh of relief when he found her standing exactly where he’d last seen her. He felt like an addict, and she would give him his fix.
“I told you.”
Told him? Grant hadn’t said shit about anything. “What are you blabbering about?”
“Her. That’s the whole reason I brought you here, but you haven’t seen anything yet. Wait until she sings. She’ll completely enthrall you.”
Soul watched her throw back her drink before sashaying up to the stage. If she could sing, and with that body…fuck, she was a deadly combination. “Is she really any good?”
“Better than anyone I’ve ever heard.”
“If that’s true, what’s she doing in this dump?” On the inside, it resembled a more upscale establishment like the Ghost Bar, but on the outside, it looked more like a place the downtrodden would venture.
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
“And stop quoting me clichés. So what’s her story?”
“Not sure. Jules said that she’s friends with the owner of this place.”
“Jules? I thought you two broke up last year.”
“We did, but we’re sort of back on.”
Soul threw his head back and laughed. “Uh huh. Couldn’t find someone else to stick your dick in? Weren’t you complaining that she was too clingy and wanted more than you were willing to give?”
Grant’s shoulders moved up and down in a shrug. “We ran into each other at the market and got to talkin’ and have been out a few times since. But she brought me here and I saw this woman. I came four different nights afterward without Jules and finally asked Siren’s schedule when I didn’t see her three of those four nights.”
“Siren?” Soul furrowed his brow and watched the woman approach the piano and sit down.
“Yeah, that’s what they call her, but this will be the first time I’ve seen her play. She usually just sings.”
Siren. He rolled the name over in his head, knowing it was probably nothing more than a stage name. Still, everything about her called to him, so in a way, the name truly fit her.
And then her fingers moved over the keys, her mouth opened, and she started to sing. Enthralled? That didn’t begin to describe what her voice did to him. More like ensnared or enraptured. The melody wrapped around Soul, pulled tightly, and held him prisoner. He heard nothing else, saw nothing. All of his senses, his whole consciousness, zeroed in on her.
He had to have her…and he would.
***
The moment she dropped the lid over the keys of the piano breaking her spell over him, Soul got up from his table and started to rush to the stage. Of course, half the audience tried to do the same thing and he had to force himself to slow down. He was a grown man for fucks sake, not a preteen about to come for the first time. He could be patient and take his time.
However, once he reached the outside ring of the crowd, he elbowed his way through them, working his way to her side. He noticed her eyes widening in recognition when he arrived at her side. So I hadn’t imagined our connection, he thought to himself. Smirking with the belief that he had the upper hand, he crooned, “You’re a talented singer.”
“If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be up on that stage. Jodi has taste and class.”
Her snarky reply stung a little, however, it did not deter him. “Can I buy you a drink?”
“I don’t know, can you?” She quirked one of her eyebrows, daring him to say something.
This woman had spunk and sass…and knew how to verbally stab him without remorse. This time it made him recall the times when his housekeeper/nanny during his childhood attempted to drill basic manners into him. For the most part, she’d succeeded, and the majority had even stuck with him throughout his life. “May I buy you a drink?” He’d never really understood the difference between “can I” and “may I,” but apparently one existed.
Green. Her eyes were green and sparkled like freshly polished emeralds as the sun shone brightly upon them. Even in the dim lighting, he could see how they shimmered. Those same eyes moved up and down his body as she considered his request, causing him feel like nothing more than a mere toy that she thought about playing with, and oddly enough, he was all right with that.
Patience never really entertained the offers from the bar’s patrons, but she was about to do just that. Before her stood the man whose gaze had scorched her from the moment she stepped through the door, and she couldn’t resist him. He was taller than her, but only by a few inches in her heels. His hair and eyes looked black as sin in the low lights of the club, and matched the darkness of his expensive suit. “Yes, you may,” she purred close to his ear.
Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her against his side and escorted her, pulling her toward the door. “Do you have another set?”
“If I choose to do one.”
“And if you don’t?”
“Then I leave.”
“My thoughts exactly.” The moment she’d agreed, he’d decided they would be having their drink in a more private setting.
She resisted ever so slightly. “And where do you think we’re going?” Her lips were curved upward in a playful grin. She wanted to play with him a little longer before she gave him what he craved.
“Somewhere other than here.”
Patience pulled back. “I do believe I have one more set.” Tonight would be on her terms, not his. This was how it worked regardless of what he may or may not want.
He started to object, but thought better of it. “Shall we have a drink at the bar?”
“Of course.” She leaned in again and whispered, “But that’s not to say we won’t have another later as well. Be a good boy.” She licked his ear and bit it for good measure.
For Patience, he was nothing but a toy to pass the time. She’d have her fun and then let him go without another passing thought, and judging by his appearance, she would thoroughly enjoy their short time together.
Chapter Three
From the moment they left the club, their hands and mouths besieged each other, roaming, trying to establish dominion anywhere they could reach in the cramped space of the small car, giving the Uber driver more than a little show.
They barely managed to act slightly innocent as they checked into the hotel, but once they were in the elevator, the only things that mattered were each other.
Soul pushed his songstress against the wall of the elevator and attacked her lips. His tongue couldn’t get deep enough, his mouth couldn’t taste her enough. He wanted more, demanded more, craved more…he’d known this woman only a few hours and she was already his drug of choice. He needed his fix.
When she’d decided to perform another set, he almost groaned in frustration because he’d rather have her lips wrapped around his cock instead of her microphone. But he’d stuck it out and now he needed her like he’d never needed anyone before.
Somehow they’d managed to make it from the elevator to their room, only stopping at one wrong room along the way, too occupied with each other to pay attention to the room numbers. Soul inserted the key, and pushed the door open with all his might, forcing it to slam the door stop behind it with a heavy metal CLUNK. The red haze of lust made him too sex crazed to realize what he was doing beyond of her.
“Slow down, honey. We’ve got all night,” Patience cooed, placing her hand over his mouth. She’d read books where the woman always used one simple finger to make the guy back down, however, if she hadn’t blocked his mouth with her whole hand, he might have sucked her lips right off her face. He was anxious and ready, but she wanted to play with him a little longer.
Sliding to her left, she stepped away from him and walked backward toward the bed, not taking her eyes off him for even a moment. She reached for the side zipper and pulled it down slowly, letting the sound of it echo between them. It thrilled her to see his breath hitch when he heard it and in turn it made her pussy clench in desire.
Her dress fell off of her body inch by inch as she wiggled out of it. And when she stood in nothing except her black strapless lace bra and matching thong, her lips curled up on one side and she crooked her finger, beckoning to him.
Soul knew this game, but he willingly played along because it would lead to a very satisfying victory. Pulling off his tie a
s she undid her zipper, he paused and swallowed hard when she started to shuffle out of her form fitting dress. Her skin was pale and creamy. He salivated seeing her standing there in nothing except her underwear. Thank God she wasn’t bone thin. He’d never understood why anyone thought the sight of ribs was sexy. He’d rather have something he could hold onto. She had hips and ample breasts to fill his mouth and hands.
Fuck, his cock was ready to tear through his slacks!
Her beckoning finger breathed new life into him, and he undid only the top two buttons on his crisp black shirt, before pulling it over his head and dropping it to the floor.
It was her turn to gasp. As soon as his shirt disappeared, she gaped. Suddenly, she felt parched even as her mouth watered at the sight of him. She licked her lips, imagining what it would feel like to run her tongue over his body. A fine dusting of hair covered his chest and ran down the ravine in the middle of his stomach which separated his abs, highlighting each bump of his six pack. Did this man live in a gym?
He undid the button and zipper of his slacks before giving them a slight push so that they pooled around his feet. Patience moaned as she bit her lip. His trail disappeared behind the waistband of a pair of bright orange boxer briefs. Her eyes moved lower and closed momentarily to roll backward. She groaned. Based on the outline she could easily see, she knew he was already hard and could easily be the largest man she’d ever taken.
Patience couldn’t wait to feel him, to taste him…to fuck him within an inch of his life.
Soul noticed her pink tongue darting out and the way her cheeks became flushed. Stepping up to her, he smirked as bent over to push the last vestiges of clothing off of his body. The moment his cock broke free, it bounced up and down. His grin grew watching how her eyes follow it. It took him a moment to think of what to say, but then the words came to him. “Your turn now…Honey.”