Lover Enslaved: Thieves of Aurion, Book 1

by Redford, Jodi

  She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a scathing look. “You are so full of shit.”

  Good gods, there’s no winning with females. He issued a weary sigh. “Fine, I admit it. I was a little worried you might let my interest in the rune slip.”

  “To who?” Avily darted a look towards the rear of the shop before throwing her arms out. “I’m not exactly hanging out with the old gang these days.”

  “No?” He frowned, more than a little taken aback by the news. “Not even with Jerrick?”

  An odd tension stiffened her shoulders. “I haven’t spoken to him in a while.”

  He cocked an eyebrow. “How long is a while?”

  Underneath Avily’s carefully erected façade of disinterest, he detected wariness. “Five years, give or take.” Her shrug was too casual to be taken seriously. She reached for a ruffled box behind her holding a stash of tissues. After plucking several free, she snatched her glasses from her nose and made a show of rubbing nonexistent smears from the lenses. “Kind of hard keeping in touch with him anyway. That brother of yours doesn’t stay in one place for long.”

  The news staggered Dash. She and Jerrick had always been close. Sure, they’d had their moments of bickering and pointless squabbles. But five years without seeing each other? “Maybe you should try getting in touch with him while he’s in Tul’dea.”

  The tissues fell from Avily’s fingers and floated to the top of her slippered feet. “He’s here?”

  Nodding, Dash tilted his mouth in a grin. “And I’ll bet your reunion will go much smoother than the one he and I shared.”

  She mumbled something beneath her breath. It sounded suspiciously like fat chance.

  A customer approached the desk and Avily hurried behind it to compute the elderly woman’s purchases. Dash glanced at the large, oval luminar timepiece suspended over the women’s heads. Much as he’d enjoyed catching up with Avily, Mara was still out there—getting into who knows what kind of trouble. After promising Avily he’d return later, he darted out the door.

  He spent close to an hour combing the streets for Mara. By the time he circled back around to the Crystal Lodge, his head was abuzz with every possible horrific situation she could get herself into. Not surprisingly, there were plenty. He rushed inside the hotel, fully intent on interviewing every single employee to see if they’d spoken to Mara and might know where she’d headed earlier.

  The row of shops snagged his attention as he trekked towards the registration desk. He spied a flash of blonde curls through the nearest glass partition. Skidding to a stop, he gaped. Quick enough, his surprise morphed into outrage. While he’d been losing his mind, convinced her helpless, bound body was stuffed in the backseat of some menacing thug’s vehicle, she’d been shopping. True, he’d hoped earlier that might be what she was up to, but having it verified really chapped his ass.

  Grinding his teeth, he stalked across the lobby. Inside the shop, he wove his way in the direction he’d last spotted Mara. He found her the next aisle over, salivating over a fancy computerized bread baker. Even while his fingers itched with the urge to wring her neck, he couldn’t help smiling at her delight over the machine. Her domestic side was showing. Why else would she ignore the crown jewel of the shop—the heavily guarded display of diamond-studded serving trays.

  Setting his mouth into a stern line, he stepped forward. “Where the hell have you been?”

  Mara’s hands jerked away from the bread baker. She swiveled and stared at him. Before he could lambaste her with the full force of his ire, she countered him with her own.

  “Why didn’t you tell me Jerrick’s your brother?”

  He didn’t know which caught him more unawares—her acting like the injured party, or the fact she knew Jerrick was his brother. “How do—?” He stopped and mentally answered his own forthcoming question. There was only one way she’d know about Jerrick. She’d tracked him down on her own.

  Growling beneath his breath, he grabbed her hand. “We’re finishing this upstairs.”

  She tried twisting free. “You know, I’m getting really sick of overbearing males.”

  “Tough.” Tightening his grip, he tugged her towards the shop’s exit.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Mara eyed Dash’s rigid jaw while they rode the lift to the sixtieth level. What the heck did he have to be so angry about? He wasn’t the one who’d been hit over the head with a big whoppin’ surprise.

  The doors slid open. “Have a super day,” the lift chirped.

  Dash snorted. “Damn machine has a twisted sense of humor.” He stepped out and stalked down the hall.

  Shoving her hands into her vest pockets, Mara trudged after him. He stopped outside his room and she stepped around him to key the security code into her door’s lockpad.

  “What are you doing?”

  Her shoulders jerked at his imperious bark. Scowling, she turned to face him. “You said we were finishing this upstairs.”

  “In my room.”

  And give him the upper hand? “I don’t think so.”

  He stared her down for a long, intense minute before reaching around her with a growl and jabbing his finger into the green button. The door slid open with a muted whoosh and he gave a mocking bow. Ignoring him, she stepped inside and frowned. “Where’s Piper?” Damn it, she’d counted on the pesky sprite being here in case things got too heated.

  “Don’t ask me.” His expression mulish, Dash tossed up his hands. “No one bothers telling me anything.”

  “This from the individual who kept his brother a secret.” She walked to the balcony door and swept the curtains aside, letting in a flood of sunlight.

  “I never kept Jerrick a secret. You met him, right? What more do you want?”

  “Here’s an idea—introducing him as your brother.” She cocked an eyebrow in challenge.

  Dash tucked his arms over his chest and gave a resigned nod. “You’re right. I should have clarified our relationship.”

  The rest of the argument that Mara had prepared shriveled on her tongue. He sounded sincere. Maybe he hadn’t deliberately set out to mislead her.

  She decided to take the advice she’d given Jerrick, and give Dash the benefit of the doubt. “Well…okay. No harm done—other than spraying bread crumbs all over Jerrick when he referred to you as his brother.” She tucked a curl behind her ear and chuckled. “Bet he’ll never sit that close to someone eating toast again.”

  “The two of you shared breakfast? How cozy.” A nerve twitched above Dash’s left eye. “Did he make a move on you?”

  She gaped at him, wondering if she’d missed something—like the turnoff where the conversation took its weird left turn. “No.”

  “Good. Because I’d have to bust his kneecaps if he did.”

  “What is it with you males always wanting to break each other’s body parts?” Rolling her eyes, she strolled to the bed and plunked her fanny on the edge of the mattress. “The file Nalia kept on you made no mention of a brother. How is that?”

  “He’s my half brother, and a bastard.” Dash’s mouth crooked into a sardonic grin. “Though according to Jerrick, I’m the true bastard in the family. Regardless, other than a tight circle of friends, no one knows we’re related.”

  “Were the two of you close? I mean before…” She bit her lip, unable to say it.

  “You mean before he decided I betrayed him?” Bitter regret momentarily swirled in Dash’s eyes. “At one time, I would have laid down my life for Jerrick. Does that answer your question?”

  His words were uttered in a surly undertone, but the hurt remained etched in his features. She hated seeing such a huge wedge between the two brothers. “Maybe if

  you—”

  “No.” Dash’s face was a mask of stubborn resolve.

  “Could you at least hear me out before you shoot me down?”

  “Nothing you say will change anything. Besides, we didn’t come up here to talk about the love loss between me and my brothe
r.” He pinned her with a censorious look. “What were you thinking gallivanting around by yourself? This isn’t Zalan, where you can come and go without worrying some lowlife will hassle you—or worse.”

  “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I’ve been doing it for a while.”

  He ignored her calm pronouncement and continued ranting. “If you need to go anywhere, I’ll take you. Otherwise, stay put.”

  Her temper started spiking again. She grabbed one of the throw pillows and hugged it against her chest. What she really wanted to do was lob it at his head. “I don’t need an escort. And you’re not telling me when I can and can’t go out.”

  “Yes, I am. Furthermore, if you pull another stunt like this morning, I’ll toss you over my knee and spank your ass red.”

  “Hah,” she said, snorting. “You’re delusional if you think I’ll allow that.”

  A fierce gleam blazed in Dash’s eyes. He popped the button on first one cuff then the other before rolling up his sleeves.

  “What are—?” A gasp popped from her mouth and she scuttled back on the mattress when Dash began advancing on her. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  His expression became feral. “Wanna bet?”

  She hurtled the pillow at him and lunged towards the opposite side of the bed. His large palm clamped around her ankle and she shrieked. Clawing at the coverlet, she pulled it along for the ride when he dragged her kicking and squealing across the mattress. His fingers curled into her belt loops and hiked her over his waiting knee.

  “So help me, if you—” She let loose an outraged wail when Dash’s palm landed with a sharp sting. Thwaack. His hand delivered another spank that propelled her hips into the firm muscles of his thigh.

  “Are you done fighting me?” His voice held a silky menace. Instinctively, she knew he was referring to more than just her leaving the hotel unescorted this morning.

  This was also about last night.

  Dash’s hand smacked down again, only this time it lingered. His fingers curved on a downward glide around her butt cheek. Before she could rein it in, a moan snuck past her lips.

  “I take that as a yes.” Satisfaction rumbled in his husky voice. Punishment became pleasure when he massaged his way towards the apex of her thighs.

  Uh-oh, she knew what would happen if his fingers ventured too far inland. She wiggled forward, but his hand followed. He cupped—rubbed—with wicked finesse.

  “Gaahh…” Her strangled gasp spurred him into a frenzy of motion. He flipped her onto her back and while she still bounced on the mattress, stretched over her with a predatory grace. Their eyes locked. Panting, she willed herself to move. To flee while she still had the chance. He tipped her head back, arching her neck. Her roaring heartbeat competed with the staccato breaths struggling to escape her mouth.

  This must be how the helpless woodfawn felt before the lion’s fangs sank in for the kill.

  His tongue flicked the base of her throat before tracing its way up to her chin. He bit her, scraping lightly with his teeth. She squirmed, her pulse drumming erratically against the pressure of his thumbs. Instead of journeying to her lips, like she’d expected, he tracked his way back down her neck. He stopped and slanted her a smoky look before his lips blazed a trail past the row of shell buttons at the top of her blouse.

  One of his hands slipped from her head and pushed away the sides of her vest. He settled back on his haunches and stared at the lacey shadow of the corselette peeking beneath her blouse. Her nipples stood at eager attention beneath the thin fabric and his rapt gaze honed in on them. Groaning, he leaned down and sucked one into his mouth with a sharp tug.

  Desire—hot and fierce—pulsated through her. Crying out, she bucked against Dash. A growl tore from his throat, the sound eerily reminiscent of the lion she’d envisioned. Seeking fingers slipped to the waistband of her pants and tugged at the belt, freeing its clasp.

  Reality intruded like a slap upside the head. What the hell am I doing? She twisted beneath Dash, grabbing for his wrists. He misinterpreted the source of her panic and wrenched the belt’s strap through the metal hook. Rethinking her strategy, she smacked his shoulder hard.

  He reared back, his face flushed and pupils dilated. “Wha?” Apparently he was incapable of coherent speech. That made two of them.

  Her breath sawed from her lungs. “Stop, I can’t do this.”

  Tremors shook Dash as he leaned down and brushed his lips against her neck. “Sher ’tian, let’s stop this stupid jockeying for control and give each other what we need.”

  Oh gods, she wanted to. Desperately. But the minute she caved to the temptation, she’d be doomed. Worse, Gideon would be doomed. She couldn’t forget her responsibility to him—it was the whole reason for her being here. Well, not here, under Dash’s magnificent body. A place she definitely didn’t need to be at the moment.

  She gathered every ounce of determination and, fisting her hands, shoved at him until he rolled off her with a groan. Struggling to his knees, he stared at her, his expression agonized. “Why?”

  “I just…can’t.”

  He clenched his jaw. “You accuse me of keeping secrets. How about sharing a few of your own? Such as the real reason you keep pushing me away.”

  She sat up and gave a quick shrug, trying her best to appear remotely innocent. “I don’t have any secrets.”

  Eyes blazing hot, he pounced towards her, jostling the bed. A startled squeak popped from her mouth. His hands curled around her upper arms before she could escape. “Your eyes have a habit of shifting when you lie. Now spill it.”

  “Did it occur to you that maybe I’m just not interested in having sex with you?”

  An exceedingly arrogant grin tipping his mouth, he gave her straining nipples a pointed stare. “Your eyes aren’t the only things betraying you.”

  Damn those buggers. She pulled back from him and gauged the feasibility of making a run for it. Unfortunately, he possessed longer legs and the determination of a hound going after a steak bone. And lying wouldn’t do any good. He’d already proven his ability to see right through them.

  She saw no other choice—the time had come to tell him about Gideon. Her hellish past wasn’t a place she wanted to revisit, and her throat constricted in rebellion at having to recount any part of it.

  Shifting, she let her arms hang limp in Dash’s grip. She didn’t have the energy to fight him, not when it’d take every drop she possessed just to spit the story out. “I have a brother.”

  Dash stared at her for what seemed like forever. He blinked and the spell of silence holding his tongue hostage finally broke. “That’s…nice.”

  His grip eased on her arms but his expression gave silent voice to a thousand unspoken questions.

  “You’re wondering what he has to do with any of this.” She searched Dash’s face. Would he look down on her once he heard the whole story? She certainly wouldn’t blame him if he did. “Gideon’s the reason I’m indentured to Nalia and helping you search for the rune.”

  “Indentured?” He dropped her arms and she sprawled backward on the mattress. “What the bloody hell does that mean?”

  “I’m shackled to her for life, for piss-poor wages.”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose and gave a weary exhale. “I’m familiar with the term. What I want to know is why you’re indentured to her to begin with.”

  She pushed up on her elbows and blew at the curl clinging to her nose. “To save Gideon—my brother—from hanging.”

  Dash braced his knees against the mattress, his vigilant gaze never leaving her face. “What did he do to earn a visit to the hangman’s tree?”

  “He attacked Finian Artronté.” She shivered, recalling in vivid detail her brother’s cold rage when he’d cornered the king outside the palace gates. “Gideon would have killed Finian if Nalia’s bodyguards hadn’t stepped in.”

  A low whistle escaped Dash. “Your brother is either ballsy or clinically insane. Either way, he’s damn luc
ky you were able to barter for his life.”

  Would Gideon consider himself lucky? Probably not. “I couldn’t save him from the fairy prison.” She dug her fingers into the coverlet, taking her frustration out on the swathe of fabric. “They say a year in that place is worse than a lifetime sentence in hell. Gideon has been there twelve years.” Her voice broke on the last syllable and she ducked her head, unable to bear the compassion softening Dash’s expression. She didn’t deserve his empathy.

  His hand settled over hers and coaxed her fingers into releasing their death grip on the coverlet. “You’ve also been serving a sentence under Nalia. Is it any less of a hell?”

  “There was no other choice. I couldn’t let Gideon die. Not when I was the one responsible for everything.” Her mind flashed back to that awful day, the second most awful day of her life. Gideon shackled as the noose settled around his neck. Finian’s smirking look of triumph.

  “How are you responsible for anything?” Dash leaned forward and cupped her face. “For gods’ sake, you saved your brother’s life.” His tone was both reproachful and compelling.

  She swallowed against the mass of bitter emotion swelling out of control. “Yes, but I’m the reason our mother’s ended.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Mara’s pronouncement slammed Dash in the solar plexus, leaving him stunned. He almost convinced himself he’d misheard her. Until she looked up at him with those clear blue eyes brimming with tears and pain.

  “My stupid impulse to honor a dare destroyed my mother’s life and nearly killed my brother.” Her tears finally broke free and streamed down her face towards her trembling lips.

  He battled his instinctual urge to hug her tight. What she needed most right now was a voice of reason. Someone to whisk aside her curtain of blame. “You were what, thirteen? What teen doesn’t commit great acts of stupidity at that age?”

  She reached up and scrubbed a hand furiously across her cheek. “There’s no excuse for what I did. I hurt the people I love, and nothing will ever make it right.”

  Mara’s self-inflicted guilt seemed unreasonable. No one who agonized the way she did over a youthful dare could have deliberately perpetrated a heinous crime. Much less one that ultimately ruined their family. He scooted forward and patted the mattress, urging her to sit beside his hip. “Tell me about this dare.”