Yet, my ploy seems to have its limits, because when Ace comes forth and requests the next dance from Michael—and Michael happily complies—I can’t keep my regard emotionless and distant. Not when he’s so close and exhaling his hot breath on my face. Not when he’s holding my hand so tightly as if promising me he’ll never let me go. Not when the grip of his fingers on my hip sends jolts of electricity all over my body.
Ahh, fuck the Hawkins brothers. I was more satisfied with my life before them, without having any man in my life, than now with two men attempting to get me on all fours at the first opportunity.
“Have you sworn off talking to me?” Ace asks after a long minute of silence.
“I usually keep my interaction with liars to the bare minimum,” I retort, scowling to channel my loathing to him, and it seems it’s working because his usually blank face is beaming with a hint of uneasiness. Good.
“I didn’t lie to you.”
I roll my eyes in effect, dropping my gaze to his chest to keep my boiling anger in control, for if I continue looking at his hypocritical face, I might just throw up.
“I deserve some benefit of doubt,” he claims.
“Not when someone came close to getting hurt because of you.”
“What can I do to make you believe that it wasn’t my idea to apply coconut on you, and I just did what was requested?”
I shake my head and shrug my shoulders. “It’s a hopeless case for you because there’s nothing you can do to make me believe you unless you prove it. If you can’t, I suggest you not tire yourself with empty words.”
“Look at me. Look at my eyes.” He pulls his hand that’s holding my hip and reaches for my chin to lift my gaze up at his face. “It’s not the first time Zane had a client over at PE. In fact, he’s been working as an external contractor for longer than three months, and I’ve done nothing to sabotage his work or his health. I’d never do anything dangerous to my employees, not even if he’s the brother I have and hate.” His eyebrows rise and his eyes grow with sadness, or something that resembles it, and I wish my instincts are correct and he’s being honest with me. But how can I trust my hunch about him or his family anymore, now that I know they’re better than professional actors when it comes to deceiving others?
He keeps his fingers under my chin and slowly runs his thumb right below my lower lip, meanwhile casting his beautiful, blue eyes into the abyss of my soul. “I didn’t do it. I had no reason to. Well, I won’t deny the fact that I felt jealous of him for securing a rendezvous with you, but I’d never put his life in danger for anything. If I felt it’d be wrong for him to be with you, I’d simply cancel his request, and that’d be the end of the arrangement.”
He was feeling jealous of Zane? That’s news to me. I reach for his hand holding my chin to stop him from causing goose bumps on my skin. Taking advantage of the situation, he laces his fingers through mine and rests my hand on his chest for a brief moment before placing it back on his shoulder.
“I want to believe you,” I confess. “I really do, but then if you didn’t type the coconut thing on the database, who did? Zane? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“I hired someone to look into it and to see if it was someone among my employees. No one knew about Zane’s allergy to coconut because he hadn’t mentioned anything about it on his profile. Even I had no idea he had such a rare allergy, as ridiculous as it may sound. So, this leaves only Zane or an outsider as the suspect. You’re right on one point, though. Zane trying to kill himself doesn’t make sense.”
“I don’t know.” I actually do, and I think I believe him. Accepting his argument is easier on my heart, I admit.
“Zane hasn’t sued me for the trouble, which he had every right to do, but you’re the one challenging me. What is it with you?”
“I hate liars. I don’t lie myself, and I expect the same courtesy from others, and when I don’t receive the same treatment, I get upset. And… and let’s not forget the fact that you took advantage of me.”
“I guess an apology is due for what I did to you but, to my defense, either I’d do that or I’d sign up as an escort, something I’ve never done before, to deal with my desire for you.” His gaze changes from apologetic to scorching in a matter of seconds, and I find all my guards against him are being disarmed one by one with the temping words his eyes are conveying, without him having to open his mouth.
He digs his fingers on my hips as if to remind me where they were on Saturday afternoon. Deep inside me, thrusting and stroking. Just where I want them to be now.
Panther - ACE
Lindsay isn’t a beauty in the classical sense. She’s short; her body isn’t slim or athletic. Her lips are disproportional; the upper one is thicker than the lower one. And, the worst of it all, she’s a natural frowner. Her eyebrows are knitted closely in their natural manner, making her look upset most of the time, even though she may not be so in reality.
My first reaction to her before we exchanged words was fear. She looks like she can finish you with just one move. And, the fact that she actually killed someone with no less than a slap is simply frightening.
I saw the video of how she killed that woman. It wasn’t your usual slap that makes noise and maybe hurts a little but leaves no residual effect. Lindsay’s slap shoved Macey Williams from one side to the other of a five-hundred-square-foot room. If the hook hadn’t been there, the severe way she crashed into the wall due to the impact of the slap would have caused her to have some serious brain damage.
That’s why, whoever came up with Iron Slap as an alias for her is genius for rightly terming what Lindsay is. She’s iron through and through, hard to break, even harder to defeat. Like someone you can trust during hardships and obstacles. You can be sure she’ll try her darndest to protect you and stand by you without thinking for a second to analyze the downsides.
Funny, how her personality occupies my mind more than the feel of her moist vagina around my finger, or her ferocious tongue rubbing my skin. Don’t get me wrong, I think about those, too. More often than I should. The way she appears so virginal in her normal state, as if she hasn’t heard of the word sex in her life, then with a simple touch transforms into a wild panther, vicious and ready to take whatever she wants.
Damn me if watching her get off after I rubbed her with coconut oil, then having her attack my cock weren’t the sexiest moments of my life. Even days after the event, all I can think about when I remember her lips is how they rounded my cock and sucked me ruthlessly. That’s saying a lot for a man like me who has seen literally everything related to sex.
I can easily picture a life where she’s using me ruthlessly for her sexual pleasure every day for the rest of my life and that, in itself, is frightening, because no woman before has aroused that feeling in me.
She’s frowning again, her eyebrows two thin flat lines above her fearless eyes. A shiver crosses my torso when those eyes land on me, as if evaluating me for my strength, teasing me for my weaknesses.
I swallow and mirror her face so she can’t see through the wall I build around my fragile core, one that has been shattered one too many times over the years. I don’t hear the music anymore; my ears have turned deaf to anything except for her voice and her irregular breathing.
“Why did you charge me for two escorts? You had no reason to.” Her voice is commanding, just like her entire demeanor. She can rule an army, and no soldier will have the balls to disobey her commands.
“I didn’t want you to violate the contract you signed with Michael. What happened between us without me billing you for an extra escort would automatically qualify as a breach of contract, even if it had stayed as a secret between you and me. The last thing I want is for you to have problems due to the pleasure you receive at PE.” I make sure to stress pleasure, because I love catching her by surprise, giving her no chance to restrain her emotions from flooding her face and her expression revealing all the passion and desire that must be erupting inside her. That’s exa
ctly what is happening right now. Her cheeks are glowing with a kissable touch of pink, reminding me of the moments I had her exposed. I dare smile.
The panther has awakened. Again.
My cock stirs beneath my pants. My heart throbs frantically as I remember her lips taut around my shaft, her tongue mercilessly licking my desires awake. She avenged me for the two minimal minutes I got to enjoy her pussy by playing with me as if I was a teenage virgin, trying to control my cum, ridiculing my masculinity with fingering me in my asshole. I fear if I dare cross the line again, her next sanction won’t be so mild.
She shakes her head. Despite the clear blushing of her face, she won’t give up, and I’m not surprised in the least. “Still, it doesn’t justify the amount you charged. That much money for pleasure that you received?”
I’d have given her the full satisfaction if she hadn’t yanked my hand away right before she could come. Despite that, I can’t complain for the view of her fucking herself with her fingers and breaking apart uncontrollably, as if it was her first orgasm ever. That sight of her will very likely never abandon my thoughts till it’s replaced by a more stunning scene. Although I highly doubt the possibility of it, Lindsay continues rendering me stunned each time I meet her and will most likely provide me with a better spectacle that’ll leave me gaping and drooling. I can only hope that opportunity will present itself very soon.
I’m not a man who leaves anything to chance, including an erotic diversion with a babe like Lindsay. “I strive for the best customer satisfaction, and I not only apologize for the inconvenience, but also would like to offer you a one-time promotion to gain back your loyalty as a customer.”
Shooting me a smug look, she slides her hand ever so slowly from the top of my shoulders down to my biceps, spreading her fingers widely around my arms, as if measuring their girth. “Let’s hear it.”
“Have you ever had a chance to enjoy a threesome?” When her eyebrows knit further together, I add, “with two men?” I can see she’s not into sharing. So panther of her.
She shakes her head. Her eyes grow large with expectation.
“Next time you pay a visit to PE, you’ll receive a complimentary second escort with no additional costs. And, just to make the offer irresistible, you’ll be able to choose whomever you want, including the most expensive man I employ, for free.”
She blushes, raises her eyebrows, locks her eyes on mine intently, then drops them down on my chest, and I have a clue what’s going through her mind.
“Yes, you may choose me as well, if you desire so,” I say to answer her unvoiced question.
“Don’t get your hopes high. I don’t sleep with brothers,” she says and releases her hands from my arms, removing her body from my hold. When I try to figure out why, I realize the band is announcing to take a break, ending the few minutes of intimacy I’ve enjoyed with Lindsay.
I glance down at her, not yet done with our talk. “What you had with Zane barely counts as sex. He went into a coma before he could do anything with you.”
“Hasn’t he told you? He came over to my apartment later that afternoon to complete his task.”
That scumbag. “I wasn’t informed about that.”
“Well, now you know.” With that, she spins around and heads toward the table where her sister sits. Zane has to ruin everything for me again. If it wasn’t for him, Lindsay would choose me as the complimentary escort without a second thought. Now, however, I have to accept the defeat and let her play with whomever she wants over at PE. As much as I desire her to receive the highest of the pleasures, I have to admit, I wish it was me who could give it to her.
Keeping a straight face, I work up the courage to settle at the table beside Chloe and nod at Dylan. He seems unusually calm for a man who’ll soon tie the knot. Honestly, I don’t understand why he’s hurrying to marry at the age of twenty four, let alone my sister. He should have waited for another ten years, at least, to make sure Chloe is the right one for him.
Actually, only a month should be enough to see she’s no match for any man, thanks to Michael’s ever-insistent presence in her life. If Dylan hasn’t realized that during the one year they’ve been together, he deserves a lifelong sentence with Michael. It’s not like he’ll have a choice to divorce either. Whoever enters the Hawkins clan is in it for a lifetime.
Zane sends me an irritating ‘I’ve got what you couldn’t,’ sneer, and I clench my fists under the table, wanting to punch that look away. How did he know Lindsay’s alias? If I’d known it soon enough, I’d have tried to prevent their union. To top everything off, he had to finish it off by going to her place without prior notice. I’ll have to put an end to his headstrong attitude, though I’m afraid His Majesty, Michael, will have a say on whatever I do too, and I’ll wind up overlooking Zane’s mistakes once again.
Zane’s girlfriend’s arms are around him like a snake, never leaving him for a second, but he doesn’t give a damn and instead shoots rotten glances at Lindsay. He had her already; why does he bother to go after her again?
Oh, wait. I know the answer. To bother me. I have to keep my face straight not to give him further incentive to pursue Lindsay, but goddamnit if it was possible. He knows how to push my buttons and won’t stop until I get into a fight with him. Which will give him the upper hand and a reason to complain to his daddy about my violence.
I signal to a server for more champagne, and she fills my glass with a hesitant move, glancing up at me with a shy smile and blushes when I thank her. Now that’s a beauty with her delicate features, fit body, long legs, wavy blond hair, bright blue eyes, and perfect skin. If it was any other day, I’d led her toward the restroom and have my way with her, but today, her beauty doesn’t even cause a twitch of my cock.
Despite my disinterest, I wink at her, reciprocating her gorgeous smile, knowing Zane will be observing me. As a child, he always wanted what I wanted, and as an adult he’s no different. As expected, he motions with a finger toward his own glass, though it’s half full, and compliments the girl’s eyes.
Zane’s date keeps her arms locked around his; perhaps harder this time while he’s flirting with the server, as the server fills up Zane’s glass, and then his date’s glass with shaky hands. Before she leaves, Zane slips a business card into the pocket of her shirt over her chest and stares after her at her ass. What a jackass, but at least he’s stopped eye-fucking Lindsay.
Or not?
Grabbing the hands of his date to get himself free of her hold, he stands, pushing the chair behind, and walks toward Lindsay’s table.
I barely hear Chloe’s words through my infuriated heartbeats. “You didn’t come to Mom’s anniversary,” Chloe states with a worried tone in her voice.
“I went to visit her grave in the morning, but something urgent came up in the evening. I called Michael, though. He said it was okay.”
“Shhh. You’re not allowed to call him by his name in public.” Chloe glances around for onlookers, but no one seems to care, even Zane’s date who’s sitting only a foot away from us. She’s too occupied with Zane’s whereabouts to notice anything.
“Yes.” How dare I call his Majesty by his name? In fact, I should call him my king, because that’s exactly what he does; rule my life. But I shouldn’t complain. Zane and Chloe have it worse than I. At least, I don’t have to work for him or live in his house under his rules. As long as I keep the role of the happy son who’s proud of his father on occasions like today’s event, I’m off his hook. “Have you already set a wedding date?” I ask, in an attempt to distract myself from the disturbing thoughts of what Zane must be talking about with Lindsay.
“We’re thinking of marrying next month in Las Vegas.”
Dream on. Like Michael is ever going to allow that. Any wedding with less than a-million-dollar expenditure is a shame for him. “Have you talked to Dad about your plans?”
“No, not yet. He’ll probably say no.”
“Not probably, definitely is the word you’re
looking for.”
“You’re right. But it’s okay. Dylan doesn’t mind waiting. Do you, baby?”
Dylan, for the first time, grabs Chloe’s hand and lifts it up to kiss it. “I can wait for you for an eternity.”
I glance at the table where Michael is sitting with his business partners to see if he’s noticed Dylan’s kiss on Chloe’s hand. Michael is a jealous prick, even toward his own daughter, and will easily show his real face if he sees any man showing physical affection to her. His mind has gotten more twisted over the years. I hope he’ll die soon and finally leave us all alone. “Well, good luck with telling Mic—Dad, your wedding plans. Let me know if you need any help.”
Chloe and Dylan stand and move to the dance floor, holding each other as if they’re brother and sister, with no passion or desire readable in their behavior. They’re well-versed in their behavior. Rightly so, because more than a few times Michael interfered with Chloe’s classmates at college for showing interest in her. With interference, I mean the parents’ of the boys losing their jobs, houses, and money, or something just as severe.
Michael doesn’t tolerate any misconduct. That’s rule number one. The rule number two is he never forgives.
I turn my gaze to Zane’s date and lift my glass to her, smiling to lift her spirits a bit. I don’t know why I bother, though. She shouldn’t let the illusion of Zane falling in love with her get into her head, because that’s never going to happen. Men like Zane don’t fall for girls who give in too soon. Zane loves mystery and more than that, he goes after what he can’t get.
Such as Lindsay.
Although he had her once, she still manages to keep the upper hand. She’s playing the game just like a man. Have sex and never call back or expect anything further than that. Now that’s a fresh breath of air, even intimidating. And, I’m almost sure Zane is wondering if he did something wrong to elicit that kind of reaction from her. Maybe the sex was mediocre, wasn’t hard enough, or too hard, or he didn’t work enough to make her reach orgasm, or came too early or too late. All those doubts and more must be eating at him for not being able to turn Lindsay into one of those girls who revere the ground he walks on.
Pleasure Extraordinaire 2 (PURSUIT) Page 3