Junaid suddenly stood, surprising her. And when she saw the reason why, a little glow danced inside her, spreading until it filled her being. Blade stood outside, dashing in a black shirt and pants, and he stepped into the room as the glass doors opened. His eyes went straight to Junaid, as if she wasn’t even there. “There have been no issues?”
Junaid shook his head. “I made lunch here, as you ordered, but Alyssa took over the dinner.”
“There’s only so much scrambled eggs and toast a girl can take,” she piped up.
Blade grinned, making her belly do somersaults. “I appreciate this, Junaid. I’ll let you know if I need you tomorrow.”
“Sure, see you soon.” The shifter turned to Alyssa. “Take care.”
Her smiled was wide as she stared up at him. “Thank you for everything, Junaid.”
Once the shifter had left, Blade pressed a switch by the glass doors, and blinds drew across them. It was cozy, hidden inside here with him. “Did you eat enough, Alyssa?”
“A little.” She ventured, “I was hoping that when you returned, we could eat together.”
“I’ve already eaten.”
She forced a smile. “That’s all right. I’m not that hungry, not really.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “Look. How about we have a quick bite—”
“Wait a minute,” she squealed. “Don’t come into the kitchen yet.” She checked that he was going to do as she said, before she rushed to the luxurious kitchen, which looked as if it had fallen from the pages of a magazine. After Junaid had eaten, she’d set the dining table for two. She now took out the beef lasagna she’d left in the oven to keep warm and then arranged it on the table with a Caesar salad. After that, she increased the oven temperature to finish the apple pie. She lit two candles in the middle of the table and then stood back to take a look. It was…romantic. “You can come in now!”
He appeared at the kitchen door, but as he took in the table, his face darkened. He didn’t like it? Perhaps the candles were too much. She agonized over whether to use them, but she had so wanted this to be perfect…
“We’re not a couple.” His voice was hard. “Why are you playing at something we’re not?”
Her smile dropped at his harsh words, but she quickly recovered it. “I know we’re not. I just wanted us to have dinner together. It means nothing else. Promise.”
“No.” This was not what she’d expected as she counted the hours and seconds all day, wondering when he’d be back. She’d imagined that he would be unable to wait before taking her in his arms, but right now, it was as if he didn’t want to be near her. As she felt her lips tremble, he sighed. “Look, Alyssa. You’ll be gone soon.”
“Gone soon?” He was planning to send her away again. Nothing had changed…but what else did she expect? That just because he’d taken care of her, it meant something more…like he wanted to be with her? And then she thought of what Junaid had told her about the demon’s past. After knowing what she did, she felt an even deeper connection to him…they were both alone, but didn’t need to be, did they?
He cursed at her expression. “What did you think? That you could stay here?”
She might work the alleys when she had to, but that didn’t mean she had no pride. “I know I have to leave soon. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have dinner together. But you’re right, it’s a stupid idea.” She blew out the candles, tears biting her eyes as she turned off the oven. As she took the food from the table and placed it inside the fridge, she said, “If you get hungry later, you know where to look.” She forced a yawn. “I’m pretty tired, so I’ll get to bed—”
As she walked past him, he held her arm. “Alyssa, don’t be like this—”
She pulled her arm away and then ran all the way to the bedroom, slamming the door behind her before she threw herself on the bed, her tears streaming onto the expensive bed sheet.
Hope. It was stupid, wasn’t it? Great while it lasted, but when it was gone, it left behind more pain than it ever eased.
BLADE’S BEDROOM FELT EMPTY, AS if something was missing. He hadn’t wanted to be so harsh toward her, but when he saw that table set up for two, an unexpected longing had risen inside him, to share his life with someone. A call had come from his soul, saying it yearned for a mate…it yearned for Alyssa. And now he had to remind himself of what he’d told her. She’d be gone soon, and if they got any closer, it would only make things harder for them in the long run.
He showered and then got into bed. After a while, he heard her move around in the bedroom next door. Because he lived alone, he’d never soundproofed the walls, which meant he could hear when she closed the door as she came out of the bathroom. A few minutes later, he guessed she’d got into bed. But then there was movement again. He tried to sleep, but turmoil coursed through his veins, every sense aware of her presence in this villa. It was hell forcing himself to stay in bed when she was a few steps away.. He breathed deep, willing himself to stay put. It was only after there was stillness in the guest bedroom that he also slept.
He had no idea of how long he’d been asleep before the whimpers woke him. He stood and went to the wall to listen. Alyssa was uncomfortable…in pain, even? He’d heard those sounds of distress before…when she slept against his shoulder that time. Was she having a nightmare? Her whimpers grew louder, and he wanted to ignore her, but now soft cries left her lips.
Damn it, he couldn’t stay away. He left his bedroom in just his boxers, even while his mind willed him to stay back. When he opened the door, she lay in bed, under the duvet. Yes, she cried in her sleep, and that sound—the pain—dug deep inside him, squeezing a part of his heart that he didn’t even know existed. He moved closer to kneel on the edge of the bed. Her eyes were closed and her head thrashed from side to side, soft murmurs leaving her mouth.
“Alyssa?” Her eyes didn’t open. He raised his voice. “Alyssa?” The only response was a louder cry. He held her shoulders, and a scream left her mouth, screeching through his insides. She just kept screaming. He shook her, desperate to pull her out of whatever nightmare was tormenting her. “It’s me. Blade.” Her eyes shot open. She opened her mouth to scream again, but no sound left it. He held her close against his chest…his heart. Why the hell did she have to go through this? He pulled her body away from his, holding her face between his hands as he gave her a soft kiss to comfort her. Her whimpers ceased, and she leaned against his chest again. He held her tight, gently rocking her as he kept his lips to the top of her head. When her breathing turned soft, and he thought she’d fallen asleep, he leaned over to guide her to the pillows, but she clung to him tighter. And then she lifted her face, her lips landing on his. “Alyssa…you need to rest.”
“I need you.” She kissed him harder before pulling back, those green eyes bright as they stared up at him. “Blade. I need to forget my dreams. Please…”
He kissed her before she’d finished. It had been hell staying away from her, but he restrained his own hunger, his touch on her gentle as he lowered her onto her back. Her hands went around his head, and finally, she relaxed. When he lifted his face to look down at her, she even smiled. He kissed her again, his hand slipping under her vest top to stroke her nipples, first one and then the other. She whimpered under his touch, her soft words urging him on. He lifted her vest so her breasts were exposed and then pulled an erect peak into his mouth. Keeping one hand on her breast to pleasure that bud, he moved the other down and inside the waistband of her trousers.
She didn’t lie when she said she needed him. She was soaked, and he entered her with two fingers as he worked her clit with his thumb. Taking her nipple between his teeth, he gently pulled as he pumped his fingers harder inside her. Those loud moans that left her mouth…that was what he wanted. He wanted her to moan so loud that she forgot her cries. He moved his lips to her other bud, licking and sucking until she jolted underneath him. Her hand went between their bodies and to his boxers. And then she had hold of his cock, circli
ng its tip, stroking it up and down. “Alyssa!”
As he stood to pull off his boxers, she shifted to get rid of her own clothing. He was done before her and sat on the edge of the bed, watching as the vest went over those beautiful breasts, relishing it when her backside shifted so she could get out of her pajama bottoms. He then took her by the arm and pulled so she straddled him.
Their lips immediately glued together, and she rocked against his erection when his tongue entered her mouth. He held her by her upper back with one hand so her naked breasts were tight against his chest. His other hand went to her backside, and as they kissed, he shifted her so her core pressed even closer against his cock. As he took her lips with a hungry need, she moved so her hips were positioned over his shaft. He latched onto her breast with his mouth, sucking and tugging as she eased herself onto his cock, taking him inside her inch by inch until he filled her heat. “I need this, Blade.”
“So do I, Alyssa. You’ve no idea how much—”
His words ended in a cry when she lifted and pressed down again, taking him even deeper. He held her by the waist and helped her move along his cock. As they both panted and moaned, the sounds mingled and became one. He pulled her hips down so the contact was deep. How the hell would he live without this?
How will I live without her?
He pushed away those thoughts as he focused on how they were together now. Gods, the sounds she made…they filled his whole being with joy. This was life. Not that tough shit he’d been pulling for the last few years. Her lips came down on his again…and then they both came together, clutching each other. He lay back on the bed with his arms around her waist, and she settled on top of him, her knees spread on either side of his body.
He could stay like this forever…he ran his fingers through her hair and then trailed them down her soft back, pausing when he met raised skin just below her right shoulder blade. She flinched, but when she tried to move, he held her in place. “Your scars are beautiful, Alyssa. A reminder of how strong you are.”
“I’ve gotten through some crap, haven’t I? Anyway, I’ve learned to live with them.”
Now that the ecstasy was over, one touch on damaged skin brought her cries back to him. And with them, flashes of the image that James had shown him. He now trailed his fingers over the marks on her arms. Many of them would fade, but what about what the mobster had done to her mind and soul? There were some experiences that would remain stamped there forever. Something inside him cried out, frustration gripping him because he hadn’t been there…but there were others he could help...
Had Alyssa fallen asleep? He held her shoulders and rolled her onto her back. She pouted. “I was comfortable.”
So was he. But he needed to do something first. “You need rest—”
“You’re not going to leave?” She held on to his hand in a panic. “You will stay, won’t you?”
“Yes.” He kissed her on the lips, soft. “I just need to sort something first. You relax, and I’ll be back soon.”
And he meant it. He couldn’t bear to spend tonight alone. Her lips trembled as her eyes followed him. He had to gather all his willpower to leave her like that and shut the door behind him. In his bedroom, he made a phone call. “Where are you, Junaid?”
“Oasis.”
After being at the villa all day? “You didn’t get any rest?”
“I’ll rest when I need to. What’s up?”
“It’s about James’ girls, the ones we’ve given warnings to. Are some of them still turning up?”
“Yes.” That hard tone in the shifter’s voice wasn’t his imagination. “And as you ordered, I’ll report them—”
“Don’t.” His instruction was followed by silence. “We’re not turning in any more girls. I’ll figure out a way to deal with it.”
A hint of the old Junaid returned to the shifter’s voice. “That’s a great decision, Blade. I respect you for it.”
He came off the phone and sent a message to the rest of the partners to let them know what he’d decided. He should have spoken to them first, but he doubted any of them would dispute the decision. As for James, he would deal with him somehow, but he would not send any more girls to suffer the torture Alyssa had.
Tomorrow was going to be a hell of a day, but for tonight, he would be with her.
When he returned, she was still awake, and the sight of him lit up her anxious face with a smile. He climbed under the duvet and held her close. Her head against his shoulder, she played with the hairs on his chest. Not sure how, but he sensed she wanted to say something. “What is it, Alyssa?”
“I know why you like to be alone,” she murmured, “I shouldn’t have said that stuff the other day, about you not wanting to be around others. I’m sorry.”
So she’d been talking to Junaid? It didn’t bother him, because his past was common knowledge, and it was the way things were. “It’s all right. You didn’t know.”
She kissed his shoulder. “I just want you to know…if you ever need to talk…I’m here.”
There was no need to talk about his experiences in the holding cell…he had dealt with the incident the best he could and moved on. But yet, knowing there was someone he could turn to, even if it was temporary…it filled some of the emptiness inside him. With Alyssa snuggled against him, every part of him was so damn content as he fell asleep...
AFTER BLADE HAD COME TO her last night, for once she slept in peace.
With her eyes still closed, Alyssa reached out but found an empty space next to her. She buried her nose there, inhaling his scent. When she lifted her head, she couldn’t help a grin when she saw what waited on the table. Eggs, toast and coffee, along with a note from Blade, telling her he had gone to Eclipse. Junaid would arrive at the villa soon, and if she needed anything before then, she should contact Blade through the landline phone. She glanced at the clock. 11 am? How the hell did she sleep so late? She stretched her arms above her head, that physical and mental burden gone. After using the bathroom, she climbed onto the bed, feeling well indulged as she picked up the tray to place it on her lap. She turned on the television as she ate.
After finishing the breakfast, she drew a bath; as she lay back in the water, she was happier than she ever thought possible. Yes, this was temporary—but hell, she’d never expected to experience anything close to this, and she was going to be grateful. She took a fluffy bathrobe from the bathroom and then wrapped her hair in a towel. In the bedroom, the phone on the bedside table rang, and she instantly picked it up, desperate to hear the demon’s deep voice. “Hello? Blade?”
But the raspy voice on the other side sent dread through her. “Hello, love.”
She swallowed, hoping that she’d misheard. It couldn’t be him. “Who is it?”
“Forgotten me already, baby?”
Her heart pulsed at the sound of James’ voice, and for a moment, she thought the demon had betrayed her. The pain tore through her, wrecking her heart and assaulting her mind, but something cut through that shock. Trust. She’d stopped believing in others long ago, but she trusted Blade. He would never betray her.
“How did you find out?” she asked.
“When my men told me a human doctor had visited the demon’s place, I was interested to know why. The good man is with me now. It didn’t take much torture before he broke.” And with those words, something inside her broke, too. What was it about her that only brought pain to those who came in contact with her?
“It wasn’t his fault. He only came to treat me.”
“Enough reason to have him picked up. And he won’t be the last one. That demon will pay big time for double-crossing me.”
“No. Blade has nothing to do with this. He told me to leave and go back to you. I insisted on staying.”
“He hid you from me when he knew you’re mine. Now he’ll learn what it means to cross someone like me. Believe me, if I enjoyed torturing the doctor, I’ll enjoy torturing him ten times more.”
Supernaturals had
hidden strengths and longevity, but some of them were just as susceptible to pain and death as humans were. “Promise to leave Blade alone, and I’ll come to you.”
“You’d do that? For the demon?”
She didn’t even need to think about it. “Yes.”
“In that case, I’ll be waiting. Come to my home. I’ll see you in the drawing room.”
She hung up the phone, tears stinging her eyes. It was over. She would never see Blade again, would she? Her body might survive whatever James had planned for her, but her mind would not. There was so much she wanted to tell the demon…how grateful she was that he’d come along, how she cared for him, wanted him to be happy and safe…
I love you, Blade.
CHAPTER TEN
* * *
AS BLADE STARED AT FIGURES on the laptop, he could only think of her. He’d woken up next to a female for the first time, and it was a hell of a feeling. Her hair somehow falling across his nose, her arm wrapped around his chest, naked skin against his. Even after spending the whole night with her, he hadn’t wanted to leave. He’d been tempted to stay until she awakened: take a shower with her, make her breakfast…but there was stuff to sort out, like this business with James’ girls. He’d arranged a meeting with some of the club partners, and together they’d decide how to approach the issue. In the meantime, he shut all that out as he thought of her. Alyssa.
The plans sat open on the laptop before him, but he couldn’t be bothered with them. He’d been so keen to move along the expansion of Eclipse, but right now, he didn’t give a damn about the business. It didn’t matter how successful the venue was, or how many new customers came in each day, nothing had given him the buzz that being with Alyssa did. But he had to make a decision about her soon. He didn’t want to send her away, but he could not keep her here for much longer without James finding out.
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