Mister Diamond

by Chance Carter

  But it wouldn’t be right. I was better than that—better than petty insults and digs. I didn’t want to fight with my father anymore, and if we could use today as a shaky platform on which to build something even close to resembling a friendship, I would lay the first brick.

  I extended my hand and he eyed it.

  Come on old man, I thought, it’s not going to bite.

  Finally, Fyodor clasped my hand in his and gave it a firm shake, maintaining eye contact the way he would any business transaction. Something about this handshake was more personal, however, and he looked away a second before dropping my grip.

  If I didn’t know any better, I’d think my father was nervous.

  He walked around me and toward the door.

  “Have a nice flight,” I said, spinning to follow his progress.

  Fyodor nodded and left, closing the door quietly behind him. I stared at it long after he’d gone, trying to decipher what the hell had just happened.

  Aliens. It had to involve aliens somewhere. Never in my life had my father given a second thought to his treatment of me, and never before had it seemed to bother him. Either this was a bodysnatching incident or he’d learned the delicate art of self-reflection. I wasn’t sure which was more likely.

  In any case, the interaction had proved satisfactory. I was glad I’d held back on my critical deluge and even gladder that Gemma would arrive soon so I could tell her the news. I wondered what she’d think.

  I continued packing for a while, and when it was close to the time I expected Gemma I made sure the place was tidy. The last thing she needed after cleaning for several hours was to walk into a mess.

  Even though, for the next little while, that was what my life was going to be.

  Chapter 32

  Gemma

  Exhaustion weighed down my bones with every step. It had been a long day, with a long list of troubles, but I felt lighter every inch I dragged my aching body toward Nik. He made it all worth it. Not just the cleaning, the studying, or the stressing—everything. My entire life felt brighter and easier with him in it. Though I left work practically dragging myself along the sidewalk, by the time I made it to his door I’d hit a second wind of energy. He was my battery.

  I knocked and Nik opened the door with a wide smile. A stray chunk of inky hair hung over one of his dazzling espresso eyes, and he gazed down at me with such love and intensity I thought I might melt into the floorboards.

  “There’s my girl,” he said.

  I smiled. His girl.

  He pulled me through the doorway and in for a kiss, lips brushing gently over mine. His breath tickled my nose.

  “How was your day?” he asked.

  I smiled. “Long. Better that I’m here now.”

  Nik closed the door and hugged me against his chest, rocking me back and forth. All the stress from the day eased out of me and peace settled onto my shoulders.

  Nik looked down and his smile turned into a frown. Before I could ask what was wrong he lifted a hand and rubbed his thumb down my cheek.

  “You had a smudge,” he explained. “I hope it was dirt.”

  I chuckled. “Probably.”

  Nik’s brows met in the middle of his forehead, creasing his handsome face. His full lips pressed into a thin line.

  “I wish you’d just let me take care of you,” he said. “Then you could just study and you wouldn’t have to work.”

  It was something he’d brought up a couple times, and each time I’d refused. Today would be no different.

  “I like working,” I said, reaching up to run my hand down his cheek. “I like the independence. Hell, I like the work. It’s hard, but it’s...I don’t know. Is it too cheesy to say soul-enriching?”

  He cocked a brow, but never asked aloud what was so ‘soul-enriching’ about scrubbing toilets and making beds. Nik trusted me inherently, one of the many things I loved about him.

  “Come on,” he said, grabbing my hand and guiding me toward the kitchen. “I’ve got something to tell you.”

  His warm hand eclipsed my own and I followed, admiring the view of his cotton t-shirt clinging to his muscled back. I wasn’t even a little tired anymore.

  We stopped in the kitchen and Nik grabbed us both a beer. I took a swig and had to bite back a moan as the cool liquid sloshed down my throat. I couldn’t think of a better way to cap off a long day of hard work.

  “Out with it, then,” I said.

  Nik leaned against the counter. “My father came to visit me today.”

  I nearly choked on my mouthful of beer. “What?” I asked in a rasping voice.

  “Surprised me too,” he said, nodding. “He didn’t exactly apologize, but he did offer me my old job back. Free of strings.”

  “As in, free of marriage contracts?”

  “Exactly.”

  I wasn’t sure how to feel about this. Nik’s father didn’t accept loss graciously and always seemed to have an ace up his sleeve.

  “What did you say?” I tried to make it sound like the outcome made no difference to me, but after everything we’d been through with Fyodor I didn’t love the idea of Nik falling back under his sway. Especially since he seemed so happy with his new job at Rocks.

  Nik took a swig of beer and shrugged. “I didn’t take it.” His lips curled into a lazy smile. “I guess you’re not the only one who enjoys their independence.”

  “I’m proud of you, Nik.” I sidled up to him and buried my face into his chest, breathing in his spicy scent. “I know how tempting it must have been to have everything go back to the way it was before.”

  He laughed and it rumbled through my cheek. “It wasn’t.”

  “No?”

  Nik tipped my head up, smiling down at me. “No. I like things exactly the way they are right now.”

  My skin tingled. I kissed his chest through his shirt and wrapped my arms tight around him, snuggling in like I meant to stay there a while. I’d stay there forever if I could.

  “And how are things with you, my little Cinderella?” Nik stroked a hand down my back in comforting circles.

  “Fantastic,” I murmured. “My mom finally found a place to live. She’s happier than I’ve ever seen her.”

  “That’s good. And your dad?”

  I groaned. “He’s been trying to get her to come home, but between Molly and me we’ve been able to keep Mom from doing anything she’ll regret. It’s been hard, but she’s trying. That’s all that matters.”

  I looked up to see Nik smiling and staring down at me, his dark eyes swirling with a hint of mischief.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Oh, nothing.” He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. “I just love you so goddamn much, Diamond.”

  “I love you so goddamn much too.”

  “Good.” He pushed me back a few inches and dragged his gaze up and down my body in assessment. “Let’s get you into the shower.”

  “Is this your way of telling me I smell?” I asked sweetly.

  Nik’s smile seemed suddenly predatory. “No, Diamond. This is my way of telling you I want to see you naked and soaking wet.”

  Couldn’t argue with that. My retort dried on my tongue and I merely nodded, heart chugging like a freight train in my chest.

  Nik turned me around and set me off with a smack on the ass. I dutifully strode toward the bathroom. I could feel his eyes on me like a brand with every step.

  I would never get used to this—the heart pounding, teeth clenching wave of desire that sent me toppling over each time it crashed against me. When it came to Nik, I could go from zero to sixty in a half second. All he had to do was send me one of his famous smoldering looks or whisper something naughty in my ear and I’d lose my grip on reality.

  I stepped into Nik’s master bath and his arms circled my waist, pulling me back against his hard chest. His mouth nuzzled against my throat.

  “You and I have a problem.”

  “Oh?” I inquired innocently, leaning forward just eno
ugh to grind my ass into his hardening groin.

  Nik hummed deep in his throat. “No matter what I do, I just cannot stop thinking about you.”

  I smirked. “That sounds like a you problem.”

  One hand splayed across my belly, the other on one of my breasts, and my knees turned weak.

  “You’re saying you don’t fantasize about me when I’m not around?”

  He knew I did. I didn’t have to tell him for him to know that, but Nik wanted to hear it. I decided to play with him a little.

  “Sometimes I even forget your name,” I said. “What is it again? Donovan?”

  He growled and spun me to face him. Lust darkened his features and made the curve of his mouth feline and wicked.

  “Can’t remember my name, huh?” He pushed me back with a hand against my collarbone until I hit the glass of the shower wall. “Sounds like you need some practice.”

  “Want me to write it on a chalkboard fifty times?”

  Nik pressed his body firm against mine, bulge grinding against my hip. There wasn’t an inch of space between us and I barely had room to draw air. His breath fanned over my neck. He sucked one earlobe between his teeth and nibbled, and I let out a moan of pleasure.

  “Nothing quite so innocent,” he purred. “Instead I think I’ll make you cum so hard you scream my name until your throat is raw.”

  My breath hitched. He stood straight and smirked down at me, fully aware of how much he affected me. The room suddenly felt like a vacuum and I had to struggle to inhale enough oxygen.

  Nik opened the shower door and turned on the water, and within moments steam began to curl across the ceiling. He stood in front of me and folded his arms. His biceps bulged enticingly and I licked my lips.

  “Turn around,” he commanded.

  My heart skipped a beat. I turned, and Nik came up behind me and guided my palms against the shower wall. He pulled back my hips, arching me forward, and reached around to undo my pants. A second later he tugged them down to my ankles, taking my panties with them.

  “Fuck, I love your ass,” he groaned, squeezing it.

  I rested my forehead against the cool glass and closed my eyes. I felt so exposed, but in the best way possible. Nik guided my pants over my ankles and tossed them aside, then pulled off my shirt and bra.

  My nipples peaked and throbbed, anxious for his touch. My sex was slick with need. Nik traced a finger up my inner thigh, stopping just below where I desperately needed him, and I whimpered. His dark laugh sent shivers down my spine. I knew what he wanted. I’d started this game and I alone held the power to finish it.

  “Dominik.” It came out as a plea. A wish. A goddamn prayer.

  Nik’s lips found my neck and he wrapped his arm around me, rubbing over top of my swollen mound. My knees nearly buckled.

  “Good, Diamond,” he whispered.

  I groaned and backed into him, desperate for more. But Nik had other plans.

  He pulled away. “Stay put.”

  I did exactly as he said.

  Clothing rustled behind me and I knew he was getting undressed. My body vibrated with desire, heart racing in anticipation of his hands finding me again.

  His arms wound around my waist and pulled me back against his naked chest, the weight of his desire tucked against my back. I leaned into him, head falling back against his shoulder.

  Nik bent his head and kissed me. The angle was a little awkward, but somehow he always made everything seem effortless. He turned our bodies and nudged my foot until I stepped into the shower. The hot water felt like a thousand searing kisses.

  Nik turned me in his arms and closed the door, sealing us inside.

  I felt suddenly as though I’d been locked in a cage with a hungry tiger and I was seconds away from being devoured. I licked my lips, anxiously awaiting the first bite.

  Steam fogged the air. Nik held my face in his hands, thumb rubbing my cheek, and kissed me softly on the mouth. I rested my hands on his chest and leaned up on my tiptoes to get closer to him, tongue gliding along his lower lip. He teased me with gentle kisses that stoked the fire deep in my chest.

  The temperature and lust thrumming under my skin made me dizzy, and I was grateful when Nik urged me backward until my shoulders met with the cool tile. Winding my arms around his neck, I pulled him closer, practically begging him to kiss me like my life depended on it. Nik obliged, squeezing my breasts as his mouth began a torrid exploration of mine. His tongue speared inside and I opened further for him. My pulse pounded in my throat.

  Nik’s kiss was rough and demanding. I was soon gasping for air, and just when I thought I would pass out right on the shower floor he moved down to my neck. He jammed a leg between my rubbery thighs and ground it into my pulsing sex, holding me in place as he licked and sucked the sensitive flesh of my throat.

  “Nik,” I moaned.

  He tweaked my nipples approvingly and kissed down my chest. I arched against the wall as Nik sucked one nipple into his hot mouth. His tongue darted out and licked the sensitive bud, and I ground myself against his knee.

  Like an overinflated balloon, I was ready to burst. The heady mix of sex and steam made it hard to breathe, even harder to speak, but I kept whispering his name like a prayer.

  Nik didn’t stop at my breasts, but kept trailing kisses and nips down my ribs and stomach. He dropped to his knees beneath me and pushed my legs further apart.

  I cried out at the first exploratory lick. Nik groaned against my clit and I had to force my head against the tile to keep from toppling over. He gathered my hips in his hands and held me tight to the wall as his mouth closed on my button, tongue swirling faster and faster with each moan from my lips.

  It was heaven. Animalistic but pure. Sweet but decidedly devilish. He manipulated his mouth with expert finesse, like an artist carving out their masterpiece. My hand found his hair and I buried my hand in his sodden locks, urging him on. The water pounded over my aching nipples and trickled down my belly, causing shivers that felt like they came from the deepest part of me.

  Hot pleasure seared my nerve endings and drove me wild with need. I looked down and met Nik’s dark eyes. He grazed my clit with his teeth and another moan escaped, this one sounding more like a sob.

  I watched his cock bob between his legs and a dark hunger spread through me. I wanted him. I wanted him now. I tried to voice my need but all that came out was a hoarse moan.

  Nik pressed one finger inside as his tongue plundered my sex and the sensation was so intense I accidentally tugged on his hair. He growled. My eyes rolled to the back of my head.

  Steam filled my lungs, like wet tendrils of desire. I opened my mouth to ask for his cock once more but just as I did he inserted another finger, stretching me and twisting, and I squeaked instead. I couldn’t see his mouth but could almost feel him smiling against my pussy. Cocky bastard.

  “Nik,” I managed to whisper. “Nik, I need your cock. Please.”

  He sucked on my clit and stars exploded behind my eyes. He moved away and thrust his fingers in and out, watching me with a devilish smirk. “I can’t hear you, Diamond.”

  “Dominik, please. Fuck me.”

  We’d stopped using condoms last week after we both got checked, and I couldn’t be any happier about it. It meant that at any time I was only a few seconds away from getting him inside of me, and at times like these that made all the difference.

  Nik latched onto my pussy again and my need overwhelmed me. I rasped his name, knowing that I was driving him mad with lust and hoping that it would be enough to get him off his knees and inside of me. At the same time, his mouth felt so good that I wasn’t sure I could survive if he stopped doing what he was doing.

  Nik relented with one last smacking kiss of my clit, and the next thing I knew he’d spun me to face the wall and brought my hands up on either side of my face for support. I quivered with anticipation.

  Nik kicked my legs further apart and yanked my hips back. The head of his cock pressed ag
ainst my folds, but he didn’t move any further.

  His hand closed gently over my windpipe and he whispered in the shell of my ear. “Say my name, Diamond.”

  “Dominik. Please.”

  “That’s my girl.” He filled me in one smooth thrust and I choked on my breath. He was so big. So good. I mewled like a kitten and leaned back against his chest, feeling both overpowered and overwhelmingly safe. Nik began to thrust, slowly at first, then faster as both our hearts kicked up into overdrive.

  His hands roamed my body, one settling on my hip while the other fingered my clit in time with his thrusts. I did everything in my power to keep standing.

  Intense pleasure, like nothing I’d felt before, sizzled through my veins. My thoughts scattered into a thousand pieces, leaving only lust and Dominik. His hips clapped against my ass with every thrust, and his grunts of pleasure echoed in my brain.

  I repeated his name, over and over again. A plea. A prayer. A solemn vow.

  Soon began thrust into me with urgency and I knew he was close. I was just beginning my ascent, and I squeezed my eyes shut as he pounded me further and further toward ecstasy.

  I let out a strangled cry and my orgasm hit me like a punch to the gut, and I fell against the tile like a limp doll. Dominik groaned through his teeth and he slammed home one more time before releasing. I felt him spasm inside of me, a most delicious sensation.

  We stilled. We breathed. If the shower didn’t continue to rain down on us, I would’ve thought time had stopped.

  Chapter 33

  Dominik

  “Dex.”

  My best friend twirled a pen between his fingers, thoroughly lost in thought. I rolled my eyes and tried again. “Dexter.”

  He still didn’t hear me. His face had the same far-off expression it held when he painted, except he wasn’t anywhere close to a brush. I pursed my lips and wondered what the hell he was thinking about. I balled up a piece of scrap paper and tossed it at his head. It bounced off his forehead and whispered to the ground.