by Nikki Prince
“I’m glad that our past relationship isn’t causing you problems. I’d hate to lose your friendship and if you’re in love with her, she has to be special.” She paused for a moment and then asked what she’d been dying to ask as soon as Flora had walked into the room. “Is Dante here tonight?” She knew the answer, but it was a habit to ask.
“Yep, and he’s already requested you to dance for him.”
She sighed. “I don’t know why I even ask.”
“Me either, girl.” Flora chuckled.
She grabbed her costume, and Flora helped her into it and then kissed her cheek. “You have fifteen minutes before you go on. You need anything?”
“No, thanks, I’m good. Will Dante be in his regular suite?”
“Yep…I’ll talk to you soon. You must come to dinner sometime with Dru and me.”
“Will do,” she called out to the other woman’s retreating back. Flora waved and left the room. It was so nice to see that Flora was happy and had found the love of her life. Breathing in deeply, she centered herself. She wouldn’t cry.
Odette bent down so she was peering into the mirror on the dressing table and added the diamonds to the corners of both eyes. Metamorphosis was complete. The thing was, she’d be dancing for Dante and for him alone. He always bought her private dancing slots. She couldn’t remember the last time someone else had gotten the chance to watch her dance unless she was dancing on the main stage.
She guessed if that was how he wanted to spend his money, who was she to stop him? Jace. Jace was crazy enough to try. She shivered. It was so weird; Jace had never threatened to kill her over anyone else but Dante. He’d never accused her of having an affair with some other man with the exception of Dante.
She wasn’t quite sure what the problem was. She just didn’t want to have to deal with it ever again. The state was supposed to contact her if he got out. So far she’d lucked out and no such call. The fear was as always that he’d slip through the cracks, find out where she was and she wouldn’t be told.
She looked up as the door opened and Wynn stepped in with a smile. She was one of the other dancers. Quite beautiful yet haunted.
“Hey, Wynn, how are you?” She picked up the small headpiece of feathers and slipped it onto her head, and after one last look in the mirror she stood up.
“Quite well, I have to dance on stage in the black room in about an hour. I needed to come in here to unwind before I have to get dressed.”
“I totally understand that,” Odette said as she moved off towards the door. “Meditate for a few before you have to go out. The good thing is, at least we can lose ourselves in our dancing, right?”
“Right…have fun with your private show. Dante is definitely smitten with you.”
“Yeah, so it would seem.”
It was something she knew all too well, and his desire for her was apparent to everyone. She opened the door and then closed it behind her and headed towards the upper suites.
****
“Doc, what am I going to do about Odette?”
“What is there to do, Dante? I mean, other than to calm her fears. I know the story. She’s afraid that her ex will come back and try to do you all harm.”
Dante turned away from the older man and looked out into the club from Felipe’s office. He’d requested to meet up with Doctor Fairee to see what his options were.
“It was never about Odette. It was about Jace always wanting to compete with me. I never touched Odette until he was out of the picture,” he said, more so to himself.
“Son, I know the entire story. I also know that you’re true to your word and that you hadn’t touched her while they were together. You don’t have to convince me of that.”
“I want her. She’s my wish, Doc. Her and her little boy. All I need to do is to find a way to convince her of that.”
“That, my son, is something I can’t grant. She has to feel that within her own heart. You know I will not change a person’s feelings. Though I will help guide them through those feelings if need be.”
Dante nodded his head. He knew that the older man refused to use his magic to make someone fall in love. In truth he didn’t want him to do that anyways. He wanted Odette to want him because she couldn’t live without him. There were days he could feel such emotions from her and then there were the days that it felt like she was closing herself off from him.
He understood her fear, and she was right to have it, but there was a point when the fear became unhealthy. Jace was behind bars and in no way was there any contact between Odette and him. Dante had quit his job with the sheriff’s department back home when everything had blown up and Odette had run.
The main issue was getting her to trust him. Jace had destroyed her trust in any man. He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Jace hadn’t been truthful about the darkness within himself with anyone, let alone with Odette. Part of him said that he should have let her go to live her life in peace; the other part of him wanted her and wouldn’t think of ever leaving her. The latter was the part that had won out. He’d followed her a month later once he’d found out where she’d gone.
Having been a cop, when it came time to get hired on at the club, Felipe had hired him immediately. He worked inside the club taking people to their destinations or wishes in the club, but he was also there as an undercover bouncer. He’d been upfront with Felipe about why he’d come to town.
“All I’m asking for is for that guidance and assistance in fulfilling my wish with her, please, sir.”
“Of course, my son. You fill out all the proper paperwork, and we will make your fantasy come to life. As for my guidance, you have it as always.”
“Thank you, sir, I appreciate it. Time for me to go now. Odette is dancing.”
“Ah, in the club or in a private room for you?” Doc Fairee’s eyes twinkled as if he already knew the answer to that question.
“My private room,” he stated and watched as the smile widened on the other man’s face.
“Oh yes, work some magic of your own, my son. Perhaps you will find you don’t need my help after all.” Doctor Fairee’s eyes twinkled as he spoke. The man was magic.
‘I don’t see that ever happening, Doc. We all love your brand of help. Thanks again and I’ll get that paperwork done.”
“I trust that you will, son. See you soon.” Doc Fairee held his hand up, and Dante stopped to look at him. “As far as Odette’s feelings…I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.”
Dante had no worries about whether or not Odette wanted him. She lusted after him. He sensed it in every glance, in every move her body made when she danced for him. What he wanted most of all was her trust and love. That was what this was all about, getting her to trust that he was the one who could take care of her and Jamison.
No, he wasn’t Jamie’s natural father, but that didn’t matter. He had a connection with him right along with Odette. Just as he hoped one day that Jamie would call him dad, he had high hopes that Odette would remember who her master was. With the doctor’s words still ringing in his ears, Dante left the office and hurried through the club towards the suite where he knew that Odette would be waiting.
Chapter Five
When Dante entered the room, he stopped just inside the door and couldn’t help but stare at Odette. She was in the large cage that she used on stage. She’d had it brought into the suite and placed in the center of the room. Without saying anything, he turned and shut the door then strode over to the only chair in the room and sat down.
He could not stop staring at her. The costume and makeup she wore only enhanced her natural beauty. She was perched perfectly on the swing inside the bird cage holding the large white fan of feathers that she danced with. She was waiting for him to tell her to begin the dance.
“Look at me, Odette.”
He watched as she swallowed hard then brought her beautiful chocolate eyes up to meet his. He was hard and aching. She kept him in a constant state of hardness.
&nb
sp; “My god, you’re beautiful.”
“Dante…please.”
“Please what, O?”
“Don’t.”
“That’s not our safe word.”
He was right. It wasn’t their safe word. Their safe word was “freedom.” She’d never used it before, and it seemed that she couldn’t use it now.
“You haven’t been my master in a long time, Dante.”
“That wasn’t my choice nor was it really yours, Odette.” Even he heard the gruffness in his own voice. He watched as a single tear slipped down her cheek. She’d fled because of Jace, and that had abruptly put a stop to their relationship. That tear was proof for him that she wanted more than what they had now. It also proved to him that he was on the right track.
“Do you understand how badly I want you?”
“It’s just lust, Dante. If you’d allow yourself to, you could just get over me.”
“Is it, O? Can you honestly look into my eyes and tell me that what we feel for one another is only lust?”
He watched as a shadow fell over her eyes and she looked away from him. Fuck. One step forward and a hundred steps back.
****
She could so fall for him hard all over again, if she’d ever even fallen out of love with him in the first place. He was everything she’d ever wanted, and he was out of reach. She hadn’t allowed herself to feel anything for anyone with the exception of her son. Don’t…remember you have to keep them safe. Loving him will get him hurt.
“Yes, it’s all we feel for one another, plain, unadulterated lust.” Her words sounded wooden even to her.
“I don’t believe you, O, and I’m not going anywhere. Pushing me away only makes me that much more determined.”
“Why can’t you see the danger that I see?”
“Because it’s my job to protect you and Jamie.” The determination she saw in his eyes clued her in to the fact that he wasn’t going to give up now, if ever.
“You’ve protected me enough; I can’t ask any more of you.”
She turned her face away from him and took a deep, shuddering breath. He wasn’t going to listen to her plea that he stop pursuing her. She could feel it deep down in her soul.
“Dance for me, O.”
His words made her glance over at him; she stood, pushing the button inside the cage that would start up the hauntingly beautiful music for Swan Lake. This was her happy place, to be able to dance and let herself go. She began swaying to the music, starting the routine that would soon change once the music switched over to something more sensual. Most who came into the club hadn’t ever seen the ballet so her show was always packed and billed as the most sensual experience.
She knew the routine by heart, and soon she was forgetting the sadness and becoming just as caught up as Dante seemed to be. The music’s tempo changed, and the door to the cage automatically opened. She floated out to stand in front of Dante with the large fan shielding her face.
Slowly she stroked the fan over her breasts, swaying her hips slowly and keeping eye contact with Dante. She had his full attention, and she saw he was hard, his cock tenting his pants. Smiling she ran the fan down his chest and when he reached for her she giggled and moved away going to stand behind him as he sat in the chair.
Odette pressed her breasts against Dante and pressed a soft kiss to the back of his neck she heard him growl softly and she nipped him where his neck and shoulder met. He hissed and grabbed her hand that was lying on his shoulder.
“Get in front of me, now.”
“But I’m still dancing.”
Dante still held her hand so she had to left it up above his head and walk around until she stood right in front of him.
“Take the headpiece and the back feathers off,” he ordered.
She lowered the fan revealing her face, holding the fan at her side. When he talked to her that way she was unable to fight him. The submissive in her craved him and desired his approval as much as she always had. Giving him a small smile she placed the fan in his lap so that she could do what he asked.
Odette gripped the headpiece and took it off, tossing it to the floor and then unhooking the feathers at her waist and doing the same.
“Now kneel in front of me.”
Another command that she felt compelled to obey. She settled between his legs on the floor, putting the fan down next to her. She shivered as he reached over and cupped her cheek in his palm, stroking the side of her face. Just the mere touch of his hand traveling along her skin made her clit throb and she craved more from him. How was it possible to want someone so much and for so long?
“I can smell how badly you want me Odette. Why are you hurting us both by keeping us apart?”
“I’m here to dance, Dante. Nothing more,” her voice quivered and she gripped her knees digging her nails into her skin hoping that the slight pain would keep her from begging him to take her hard and fast.
“I want more and you want more. I can order you to keep your promise to me.”
He tugged her head up with his hand tangled at the back of her head in her hair. They stared into one another’s eyes for what felt like forever.
“But you wouldn’t do that, Dante. That’s not the type of man or master you are. You would never force me to do anything I didn’t want. Yes you were my master and I made a promise to be yours, but I broke that promise when I left.”
“You didn’t leave me because we had a falling out. You left out of fear of Jace.”
“Please just stop this, right now. I can’t keep going around in circles with you.”
“Then stop going around and around with me, be mine, right now in this moment.”
“You’re asking for too much. You and I both know you won’t be satisfied with just this.”
“I’m not asking enough.” Dante stroked his free hand along her cheek. “Be mine tonight.” It wasn’t a question as much as it was a demand.
“Dante”, she whimpered.
“I want you little girl, give us tonight.”
Her shoulders sagged and she closed her eyes briefly, when she opened them again he was still looking down at her and her the ice she’d held around her heart melted just a bit more. Giving him tonight would be all that she could have. Was she willingly to take that step? It wasn’t as if she didn’t want him. He always could get under her skin.
“Tonight only…it’s all I can give you.”
The words weren’t even fully out of her mouth and in the air before he was picking her up into his arms and carrying her to the large canopied bed. He set her on her feet, and she thought he’d strip her naked, but he only looked at her with eyes filled with something akin to awe.
“So beautiful.” The look in his eyes made her feel like a goddess.
She brought her hands up to his shirt and slowly undid each button before brushing the black dress shirt off his shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. When she did that, her eyes went immediately to the wound on his chest where he’d taken a bullet for her and Jamie. How could she ever repay him for his sacrifice? She honestly didn’t think there was any way she ever could.
Kissing the scar, she felt the shudder that wracked his body as he tangled his fingers into her hair. She stroked her hands over his chest, and then leaned in to lick at one of his nipples. He’d always loved when she did that, so she wouldn’t disappoint him now. From the groan that he gave she knew tonight was no exception.
Chapter Six
Odette settled at his feet between his legs as he sat on the bed. She slipped of his shoes and set them aside. She ran her hands up his clothed legs, gripping his thighs as she settled her body into his lap. She groaned as he gripped the back of her neck and brought her mouth to his, kissing her hungrily. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, mimicking what he would be doing to her later with his cock. They kissed for the longest time, her arms wrapped about his neck and her breasts pressed to his chest. Her nipples were aching from the contact.
Leaning back she l
ocked eyes with him and smiled, not breaking eye contact with him even as she undid the button of his pants and hooked her fingers in the waistband of the pants. She eased the fabric down his waist and let go so they pooled at his feet. He stepped out of the pants and kicked them away.
He was wearing black boxer briefs. Damn, she loved a man in boxer briefs, especially this man. He was so damn sexy. She got on her knees in front of him, taking her time to kiss his muscled thighs. The man was a force to be reckoned with, all hard muscle. The only thing marring his perfection was the scar, but that scar made him all the more beautiful to her. He was the reason she and Jamison were alive. She pressed her cheek to his leg, rubbing softly as she wrapped her arms around his legs.
She stayed at his feet, holding on to him and giving a soft sigh when he placed his hand on the top of his head as he’d done so often in the past. She loved to be at his feet in this position, feeling small but protected by him. He tugged her head back so that they could stare into one another’s eyes.
“It’s been too long since I’ve had you.”
“It has been forever. We need to make tonight count; it’s all we’ll have.”
The look on his face more than told her that the argument about them being together was far from over. His next words made her give a sigh of relief. It was nice to have a reprieve from the shit storm of an argument that was building up and ready to explode in the near future.
Dante leaned forward and scooped her up into his arms, setting her in his lap facing away from him. She gasped as he nudged her head to the side by pressing his face to her neck and nipping where shoulder met neck. It was one of her erogenous zones. Dante always hit the right spots. He placed several small nips in the same spot, and a nice burn began to build in the pit of her stomach spiraling outward through her body. Odette gave a small whimper and rocked herself back and forth against his cock.