She looked up like she expected to see a customer. “I’ll be right with you—” She faltered when she realized it was me. “Oh, hey. I wasn’t expecting you.”
I wanted to keep her on her toes, to never know when I might drop by and take what I wanted. I walked to her desk then leaned over the wood, giving her a soft kiss on the lips. “Hey.” Last time I kissed her, I could taste my cum on her lips. Now they just tasted like raspberry lip balm.
She visibly melted underneath me, affected by my touch just the way I was affected by hers. Her eyes grew heavy and lidded, like she wanted to be alone with me in a cold and dark bedroom. “What a nice surprise.”
“I wanted to see if you were in the mood for lunch.” I gave her a dark look, telling her what kind of lunch was on my mind. It wasn’t Mediterranean or Italian. It was the sweet and salty entrée right between her legs. I didn’t mind eating pussy, but for some reason, I loved eating hers. It was so fucking sweet, like pineapple.
She caught my drift immediately because her cheeks blushed. “As appetizing as that sounds—”
The door opened, and Christopher walked inside wearing a designer suit and tie. He looked as if he belonged on Wall Street with his perfectly styled hair and clean-shaven face. He wore a thick jacket to fight the cold, his black dress shoes still shiny despite the sludge of the city. “Wow. I never thought I’d be so excited to see another dude.” He extended his hand and shook mine. “So, you’re seeing each other?”
Rome looked mortified by her brother’s intrusion.
“Yeah.” I returned my hand to my pocket. “It’s been a few weeks.”
“That’s so goddamn awesome.” He fist-bumped the air. “My sister is finally not a loser.”
Not that I should care, but it pleased me she hadn’t been hot on the dating scene. The fact that she made an exception for me told me I had a serious chance of getting what I wanted. And I wanted to be her one and only Dom.
“Shut up, Christopher.” Rome packed her laptop in her bag and stood up. “Otherwise, we aren’t going to lunch.”
Christopher turned to me. “You want to come, man?” The exuberance in his eyes told me he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Since he wasn’t related to Rome, I could’ve been a little threatened by him, but it was bluntly obvious he had no attraction toward her. Somehow, he really did see her as a little sister—which was why I liked him immensely.
“He can’t,” Rome interrupted. “He’s got plans.”
“Plans with you.” I turned to her, the corner of my mouth raised with a smile. I knew exactly what she was doing. She didn’t want her brother to embarrass her more than he already had, but I wanted every piece of information about her I could get. Maybe he would spill some secrets during lunch. I couldn’t miss the opportunity.
Now she glared at me.
“It’s settled, then.” Christopher clapped his hands once and turned to the door. “Let’s go to that deli just down the road.” He walked out and waited for us outside.
I looked at Rome, loving the irritated look in her eyes. “After you.” I gestured toward the door, waiting for her to walk out.
“I apologize in advance.” She walked past me.
“For what?”
“For making you witness my brother’s murder.”
I was beginning to notice a pattern.
Just like Rome, Christopher ordered a salad. A tiny-ass salad with some chicken on top. Rome did the same, and they split a single bag of chips. They both ate every single morsel off their plates, wiping it clean.
What the fuck?
I ordered a large chicken sandwich with avocado and all the produce, and it was so delicious that I felt bad the other two were eating rabbit food. Christopher worked on Wall Street, so I knew his eating choices weren’t based on money. Then what were they based on?
“So…getting pretty serious, huh?” Christopher eyed us back and forth from his seat on the other side of the booth.
“Christopher, don’t.” Rome had a distinct warning in her voice but not enough to stop him.
“What?” he asked in mock offense. “I’m just curious. If the guy has been around this long, he must be really into you. Why else would he put up with you?”
I really liked this guy.
I thought brothers were supposed to be protective and caring, but he was nothing like that. He pushed Rome to do things she wouldn’t normally do, and not once did he give me an interrogation about my intentions, my income, or my relationship history. He just accepted me—for exactly who I was.
“Just mind your own business, alright?” Rome threw the empty chip bag at him. It barely flew through the air before it came drifting down, harmlessly.
Christopher eyed it with a smug look on his face. “Ouch.”
She rolled her eyes. “Just be cool, alright?”
“I am,” he argued. “This is the first guy I’ve seen since—”
“Is that Scarlett Johansson?” She pointed over his shoulder toward the door.
“Oh my god.” He snapped his neck toward the door and jumped up in his seat. “Where? I need to ask her to marry me. I’ve been meaning to get around to it.”
I chuckled under my breath.
Rome sighed when she’d accomplished what she set out to do.
When Christopher realized the actress wasn’t there, he turned back around. “What the hell? Was she really there?”
“Yes,” Rome lied. “She must have walked by already. You know New Yorkers are fast.”
“Damn.” He slammed his hand on the table. “My future wife slips out of my grasp…”
“You said the same thing about Blake Lively and Kate Beckinsale.”
“I’m Mormon,” he said. “I can have three wives.”
Now I actually laughed.
“Like you’re man enough,” Rome said under her breath.
“Oh, I’m man enough.” Christopher pointed his thumb into his chest. “Just take my word for it. Patricia has been calling since our date in the bathroom. The ladies always want more.”
Well, Patricia was a whore, so that wasn’t surprising.
“Let’s change the subject before I throw up,” Rome said.
“Good idea.” Christopher faced me again. “So, am I going to be seeing you around for the near future?”
“Christopher!” Rome was about to smack him. She grabbed my arm. “Just ignore him. I swear, he’s just trying to embarrass—”
“Yes.” I looked him in the eye as I spoke. “I’ll be around as long as Rome wants me.”
Her hand immediately loosened around my arm, taken aback by what I said.
Christopher nodded with a smile on his face. “Awesome. So, like, should we do something together? Get to know one another?”
I’d never met family members before. But Christopher was there the night we met, and I actually liked the guy. There was no way around it, and I didn’t mind getting to know him. Actually, we were a lot alike. “Sure.”
“Cool,” Christopher said. “You want to go to a strip club tonight?”
Rome narrowed her eyes at him. “You aren’t taking Calloway to a strip club.”
“Not my cup of tea anyway.” It wasn’t a line to get Christopher to like me. I really did prefer clubs like Ruin. Women didn’t dance around for you to see. Instead, you went and grabbed what you wanted and dominated. That was the kind of pleasure I enjoyed.
“Lame,” Christopher said. “Just when I thought I liked you.”
I chuckled.
“You want to go to the Yankee game with me and some friends tomorrow night?” he asked. “I’ve got an extra ticket.”
I didn’t follow sports religiously, but I enjoyed them. “Sounds cool.”
“You really don’t have to hang out with him,” Rome said. “It’s not a big deal—”
“I want to.” Rome clearly wanted to keep us apart, but I wanted to get closer. The best way to dig up dirt on her was from someone who knew her better than anyone else.
; Christopher nodded in agreement. “Rome, I really like this guy. Keep him around, and give him a real chance.”
A real chance, huh? That was interesting. “She doesn’t have a choice. She’s stuck with me.” I wrapped my arm around her shoulders in the booth, keeping her tucked under my arm like I owned her.
Rome’s cheeks tinted, and she tried to hide her smile.
She should take my words literally—because that was exactly how I meant them.
9
Rome
“You need to chill out.” I brought the bottle of wine to the tiny table in front of the couch in my apartment. I popped the cork and poured two glasses, sitting on the floor while Christopher sat in the chair.
“Me? No.” He swirled the wine before he took a drink.
“I’m serious. I like this guy.”
“I know.” He waggled his eyebrows. “He’s a stud.”
“Stop checking him out.”
“I’m not. I just have a healthy respect for good-looking people. If he wasn’t seeing you, I’d ask him to pick up girls with me. Dude, we would dominate every bar in Manhattan. Women with their best friends would be lining up to take a ride on the pony express.”
Vomit filled my mouth like lava from a volcano. “Don’t be gross. I’m your sister.”
“I’m not being gross. Just being myself.”
Christopher meant well, and I knew he had a heart of gold, so it was impossible to be mad at him. His talkative nature and constant need to make a joke made him endearing, despite how annoying he could be. In spite of everything he’d been through, he still saw the world in a positive light. People were innately good, and he chose to believe people would do the right thing when faced with a difficult decision. “Just don’t talk about me when you go out with him tonight.”
“How am I going to do that?” he asked incredulously. “The whole reason we’re hanging out is because of you.”
“I just mean, don’t tell him anything too personal. We’re still pretty new, and there’s a lot he doesn’t know about me.” I didn’t want to talk about the past because it was bleak for both of us, but I had to get my point across.
“He doesn’t know?” His eyebrow arched toward the ceiling, and he held his glass in his hand. It was half-empty, and he would need a refill in about a minute.
“No.”
“Why?”
“We’ve only been seeing each other for a few weeks. I don’t want to dump my emotional bullshit on him.”
He stared into his wine then swirled it without taking a drink. When he sighed and put the glass down, I knew a serious conversation was coming. “Alright, you know me. I don’t like to get all serious and crap. But there’re a few things I gotta say to you. First of all, this guy is seriously into you. How do I know that? Believe me, I just do. I’m a guy, and I understand guys.”
I hoped Calloway was into me, because I was really into him. My thighs wanted to squeeze his waist while his cock rammed into me. My body hummed to life anytime he was near, and he made me come so hard that I felt like the sexiest woman alive. On top of that, he was sweet and kind, and his heart was in the right place. There was nothing sexier than a generous man who committed his life to helping other people. He was so perfect I questioned if he was real. There must be something missing, some skeletons in his closet.
“Second of all, you can’t have a relationship unless you’re totally honest with him. So don’t hide your past like you’re ashamed of it. Shit went down, but you got out. Look at you now. You’re the strongest chick I’ve ever met. If anything, it’ll just make him admire you more. And if it doesn’t…he’s not man enough for you.”
“He’s definitely man enough.” There was no doubt about that. He was the strongest and most confident man I’d ever come across. It was no wonder why my knees grew weak for him. I’d been searching for someone like him my entire life, and the idea of finding him scared me deep inside.
Because what if I was wrong?
“That’s sweet of you to say, Christopher.” He picked on me like every brother in the world, but once in a while, he complimented me in a way no one else ever did. He never lied to me, so when he did say something sweet, it was from the heart. “But it’s really early in our relationship, and he’s not even my boyfriend.”
“He didn’t make it seem that way.”
He gave us the label when we worked at the food drive last weekend. At the time, I thought he was just jealous and possessive. We hadn’t talked about it since, and I thought it was too soon for either of us to assume we were exclusive. I really liked him, but I didn’t walk into any situation blind. “He’s just…” I searched for an explanation, but I couldn’t find one. “Just don’t tell him anything. When I’m ready, I’ll say something.”
Christopher would obey my wishes even if he gave me shit about it. That was certain. “Whatever, Ro. You’ve got a Prince Charming at your feet, and you’re too scared to look at him.”
I changed the subject because this conversation was running too deep—and becoming repetitive. “You want to watch Die Hard?”
“Thank god.” He turned his body toward the TV. “I’m terrible at these gossip girl nights.”
Toward the end of the movie, a knock sounded on my door.
“Who stops by at ten?” Christopher asked from his place on the couch. “It better be Prince Charming.”
“Don’t call him that.” Calloway was so manly he made Prince Charming look like a girl. He wasn’t bendable and breakable. He was authoritative and powerful. He understood I could take care of myself and respected it. He was much better than Prince Charming.
“You’re right,” Christopher said. “That would make you a princess. And you’re way too ugly to be a princess.”
I looked through the peephole and saw Michael on the other side. I suspected it was him. He was the only person who came to my apartment at this hour. He wore a baggy sweater with holes in the sleeves, and his backpack was over his shoulder.
I opened the door. “Hey, honey.” He only came by when his dad was drinking and trashing the small apartment they had in Brooklyn. There weren’t many places for Michael to hide, so I told him he could always come here. I smiled and tried to get his mind off his hardship. “I missed you.” I pulled him against my chest and gave him a hug, the kind he never got from his mother.
“Hey, Ro,” he said quietly. “Do you mind if I—”
“I was just about to order a pizza. Are you hungry?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Great.” I guided him inside and set up the table for him. “We were just watching a movie.”
Christopher waved. “Hey, Michael. How’s it going?”
Michael nodded back. “Good. You?”
“Just watching Die Hard and drinking wine,” Christopher answered. “So can’t complain.”
Michael smiled slightly then took his seat at the table.
“Want to watch the movie with us?” I asked. “We’ve seen it a million times, but it’s Christopher’s favorite.”
Christopher threw his fist into the air. “Die Hard!”
Michael chuckled. “Nah, it’s okay. I have to do some homework.”
“Alright. We’ll try to keep it down.” I squeezed his shoulder and gave him another smile, feeling my chest ache for this amazing kid. He worked so hard and he was so sweet, but his father didn’t know how to appreciate him. It broke my heart so many times there was nothing left to break. I wanted to contact the police and social services, but Michael begged me not to. He said he would never forgive me if I did. “The pizza will be here soon.”
“Thanks, Ro.” He opened his textbook and binder and began to work.
I returned to the couch beside Christopher.
My brother gave me a grim smile then wrapped his arm around my shoulder. He pulled me into his side for a quick hug, telling me everything he couldn’t say with words. He was proud of me for helping someone who couldn’t help themselves, knowing we weren’t so lucky
when we were that age.
10
Calloway
Christopher introduced me to the guys before we entered the park. Young and affluent, they reeked of Wall Street experience and money. In jeans and polo shirts, they looked like they grew up in the Hamptons and moved to the city for work. Christopher shared some similarities, but overall, he was nothing like the other two.
We went to the concession stand, and not surprisingly, Christopher only ordered a bag of chips and a beer for lunch. I loved ballpark food, so I got the chili dog and fries without feeling any shame for it. We took our seats near the dugout and watched the game, heckling the players from the other team and having a good time of it.
Sometimes, I forgot Christopher was Rome’s brother altogether. He was laid-back and easy going, and it wasn’t hard for us to form a genuine friendship. He had the natural charisma that made everyone want to be his friend. I was a little cold on the outside, an exterior so hard it was impossible to break through. Christopher clearly didn’t notice.
In the fifth inning, I mentioned Rome for the first time. “What does Rome say about me?”
Christopher smirked before he took a drink of his beer. “You want the scoop?”
“Yeah. Is she really into me? Or do I need to step up my game?”
“Nah, your game is fine. She’s smitten.”
Yes. “Cool.” Rome kept a noticeable wall between us, keeping me a safe distance away at all times. But when we fooled around, she couldn’t get enough of me. She pulled me harder into her, either my hips or my face. “Sometimes, I can’t read her.”
“You and every guy in America.” He chuckled at his own comment then reached into his chip bag. “Even I can’t read her sometimes. She puts on a brave front for the world, but she’s just scared like the rest of us.”
“Scared of what?”
“You know, getting hurt. Making mistakes. Shit like that.”
I wanted to know more, and I knew I’d have to push for answers. A gentleman would wait for the lady to spill her secrets, but I wasn’t a gentleman. I was after her for one reason only—to be her Dom. “Bad breakup?”
Black Obsidian Page 9