by Sedona Venez
I knew that vampires were eternally youthful, but Vivica looked about my age.
Vivica snickered. “The stories I could tell you about your wild mother and aunt. We use to raise hell on assignments. And your mother? She had clients lining up to book her.”
I almost tripped. Mom worked as an escort? What about all the rules she cackled about not breaking? Oh, what a hypocrite… Wait until I tell Light.
She winked at me. “I guess she didn't tell you about that, huh?”
There was no sense in pretending. “No… she didn't.”
“I was really rough around the edges when they took me in and gave me a home and life direction.” She sighed. “I went from a distrustful, resentful vamp who thought the world was out to get her to a woman who was ready to embrace life. When I found my mates, it was time to quit.” She abruptly stopped, staring at me before saying, “Trust me when I say life is about taking chances. Leave the past behind and trust him enough to take you to a place you've longed for. Peace, trust, and maybe love.”
I blinked back the emotions. “All those things have to be earned.” And frankly, I didn't think Knox was up to the job.
As if she could read my mind, she responded, “I know that he's up to the task, darling. You just have to give him the chance to prove it.” She smiled before pulling me along to a table occupied by not only Knox, but also Liam and a pretty platinum blonde with chestnut highlights. My eyes drifted back to Knox who was looking at me pensively. Goodness, he looked good enough to eat in his crisp, white shirt that was open at the collarbone, displaying his golden-tan skin with an intricate Celtic tattoo on the left side of his neck.
Vivica pushed me forward gently. “Here she is, Knox. And you can stop glaring at her like you’re about to eat her alive.”
His eyes sparkled with laughter when he looked at her. “I would love to eat her alive, but these damn booths don't give me the room to show her the power of my tongue,” he responded huskily.
Turned on by his words, instinctually, I crossed my legs. Oh, this wasn't good. How the hell was I going get through dinner?
She gave him an amused stare. “Improvise, darling. Eating on the table is always permitted.” She winked at me. “Have fun, darling. This one's a keeper.”
Knox stood impatiently, ushering me into the booth. “You're late. Don't let it happen again.”
I ignored him, smiling stiffly at Liam. “I didn't know you were joining us.”
“I'm not. We're leaving.” He nodded over at the annoyed blonde.
“We can stay for a bit.” The blonde offered her hand to shake. “I'm Knox's personal manager, Harper Ducaine.” She looked me up and down. “And you are?”
Instantly, I could tell that she didn't like me. “Stormy Credence.” I nodded toward Knox. “His slut for the evening.”
Harper's face lightened as she chuckled. “No offense, but you don't look like his typical slut.”
“Really? What did you expect?”
She tapped her lip with fake seriousness. “I don't know, less brain and wit. Frankly, he's aiming too high with you—too much beauty and brain.”
I smiled. “Don't let the dress fool you. This is my groupie disguise.”
“It's nice to see you again, Stormy,” Liam said.
I looked at him coolly. Even after all these years, I still didn't like him.
He checked his watch impatiently. “I have a date with Light.”
Something that I was against, but Light was a big girl and could handle herself. “It's not a date. It's her granting pity to a loser on a real slow date night.”
He arched a brow. “Still don't like me, huh?”
I looked at him silently before responding. “There's not much to like.” It was the emphatic truth. I wasn't sure if it was his sly smile or the way his cold eyes always seemed to be examining me like a piece of meat, but there was something about him I didn't trust nor like.
Harper chuckled looking at Knox with a gleam in her eyes. “Oh, Knox, I think I'm in love. Can we keep her?” She batted her eyelashes. “Pretty, pretty please?”
“I don't share,” Knox responded with his eyes locked on me.
Harper winked at me before saying, “Damn, he's so possessive.”
“She's all mine for as long as she warms my bed.” He looked at me pointedly.
I knew what he was making clear, that this was a temporary thing. A fling. And that I shouldn't get any permanent fixture ideas.
“She actually gets to warm your bed, huh? This one must be very special.” She suddenly looked at me. “He never brings women to his bed. It's some male territorial thing.”
He looked at her coolly. “That has nothing to do with it.”
“Okay, then can I join you two? I promise that I won't touch her…”—she winked at me—“much.”
He gave an exasperated sigh. “Harper. She's not into women.” He brought the glass to his lips, sipping slowly. The wide, silver skull ring that I gave him years ago glistened. He kept it. I swallowed hard over the lump of emotions.
Harper pouted playfully. “Are you sure? You know how good I am at converting.”
I waved my hand. “Hello. I'm right here. Why are you two talking around me?” I looked at her. “And to answer your question, I'm only into men.” I nodded toward Knox. “Present company not included.”
Harper fanned herself. “Oh, honey, when Knox breaks you, it's going to be really hot.”
I snorted. “Not going to happen.”
She blinked. “Uh-huh. Do you know how many women would love the chance to warm his bed?”
“I bet he has them lining up. One leaves, another jumps in. He's Knox Gunner rock star extraordinaire.” I crossed my legs. “I'm not interested in being in the lineup.”
She pursed her lips with disproval. “Is that what you think? He's dominant, not a whore. Wow, Knox. You got some work to do with this one.”
“I'm up to the challenge.” Knox leaned back, draping his arm behind me. “I call it project Breaking the Storm.” I tried to move away, but he fisted my hair softly with one hand, bringing my face mere inches from his. “Where are you going, beautiful?”
I didn't even bother to move. I relaxed into his grip. His fingers started to comb through my hair. His green eyes turning emerald green with desire. I didn't even realize I was slowly moving toward his lips until I was startled by Harper's voice saying, “Would you move your ass, Liam? I'm late.”
Liam was trying to move while she shoved him. When they finally stood, Harper adjusted her black, barely there dress. She looked at Knox with her lips curled up in a wide smile. “This one is feisty. Exactly what you need. Someone to tell you where to stick it.”
Liam smirked. “Oh, I think he knows exactly where to stick it.”
Harper rolled her eyes. “What are you, in high school? Come on, let's leave them alone.”
I watched them walk away before looking back at him. “You got rid of Kaydee? That was a smart career move.” I shook out my napkin, placing it on my lap.
“I had to change my life. So I fired her that night,” he responded coldly. “Something that you would know if you didn't run away with your tail between your legs.” He took a long sip of water, looking at me over the rim of his glass. “Back then, I needed a woman who was willing to fight. For me and for us. I thought you were that woman. I was wrong.”
My mouth dropped open. “I'm not even going to respond to that.” I swallowed hard, sticking my hands under the table to hide the trembling. He was right. Back then, I was a coward and too scared to live with the ramifications of falling in love.
He looked at me coolly. “And just so we're clear, you know damn well that what you saw between Kaydee and me was orchestrated by her to get rid of you.”
It was like a stab to the heart hearing what I always suspected. But frankly, I was tired of living that night over and over in my head. There was just no point in crying over spilled milk.
“Why are we talking about this?
” I asked with a husky voice.
“Because it needs to be said. Not glossed over like it never happened. We're both sitting here because we have unfinished business.”
“Not that I'm not happy to know you fired her, but she wasn't the only one that had a hand in this. What about Liam?”
Knox slammed his glass onto the table. “Liam's paid for fucking around in my life. He's learned his lesson, believe me.”
I doubted that very much, but that wasn’t any of my business anymore. “Well, at least you have Harper.”
“She gets me. That's what makes our relationship work.”
I couldn't stop the creep of jealously that snuck up on me at the way the word relationship rolled off his tongue.
He looked at me pointedly. “I don't mix business with pleasure. So don't start weaving some crazy story about Harper and me having sex.”
I snorted. “Like I haven't heard that before.”
“I don't shroud myself in mystery and I don't fucking lie. If there's something that I don't want to talk about—I'll tell you.”
“Oh, I know that too well, Knox. Back then, not once did you share anything personal with me besides a tiny bit of information about your mother that I practically had to beg you for.”
Raw pain flickered in his eyes before disappearing. “Did you really need to know that the woman I called mother abused me until the day she died? That she hated me so much she actually lied and said my father didn't want me when he was frantically searching for me?” His tone held no emotion at all. “I lived a very hard life. I fucked every woman I met. Got involved with a very rough street crowd. But that was before the music saved my life.”
I knew, buried deep down inside, it had to hurt knowing his mother hated him so much. I knew exactly how much something like that hurt. My father's hateful taunts were a reminder of the pain that ran deep.
He continued. “Things were getting complicated when we met. I went from no father in my life to having one I was so proud of. But the fact remains… I never lied to you—ever.” He arched a brow “Now you, on the other hand…”
My breath was ragged as I tried to calm the turbulence of emotions churning deep in my gut. “If you're talking about Credence O., then that was not a lie. I told you my mother ran a company in Manhattan. I just didn't elaborate on what kind. It wasn't your business. And frankly, it didn't matter.”
His eyes hardened. “The truth matters, Storm. Always has and always will.”
Yes, but the truth was not something that I could tell. A fact I'd learned to live with. I almost breathed a sigh of relief when the waiter mysteriously appeared, handing over a menu to Knox. I sat fuming as Knox ordered, adding a bottle of wine to the order.
Not one for a classless scene, I waited until the waiter slid away before venting. “I can order for myself.”
“I'm sure you can,” he responded in a low, sexy voice.
Now I was rearing for a fight. “Why are we here?”
“To eat. I thought that was evident. It's a restaurant after all.”
He was toying with me like a cat with a mouse.
I gestured to the dim lighting that gave patrons additional privacy while they watched the notorious sexual fantasies performed nightly on a rotating, custom-built stage. “You know what I mean. Why this restaurant? I'm not a voyeur and I don't get off on watching people perform sexual acts on each other.” I wasn't a prude, far from it, but come the hell on. This was just not my thing.
“How do you know if you've never tried it?”
The waiter returned before I could give him a snappy response. He laid out all the delectable dishes in the middle of the table before giving Knox a taste of wine for his approval. Knox nodded his consent for the waiter to pour wine carefully into each glass. Then the waiter left to cater to the next table to our right. The aroma of the delicious creamy risotto with black truffles made my stomach grumble as Knox pulled the plate toward him, digging in. He held out a forkful of risotto. “Here. Open up.”
“You do know I’m not a two-year-old?”
His eyes hardened. “Open your mouth, Storm.” His voice was low, seductive.
Shamefully, something about him feeding me aroused my senses. I reluctantly parted my lips, allowing him to slide the fork inside. Damn, it was good.
“See? You can be a good girl.”
He dug in and ate a forkful while looking at me. The stage brightened. Wide projector screens dropped from the ceiling, displaying a tall, curvy platinum blonde draped over a padded bench, naked except for sexy red stilettos. Her arms were secured with ropes as her round ass stuck up in the air. Her toned legs were spread so far apart that I could see her vulva. What the hell? This was not something that I wanted to see. “Are we almost done here?”
His eyes were cool when he responded, “'Nope. Sit back and relax.”
“But—”
“You need to see this,” he said flatly.
My belly fluttered when I realized Harper was the woman and Ryker, wearing a crisp, white shirt unbuttoned at the neck and sleeves rolled up to reveal his tanned, muscled forearms, was wielding the paddle. I held my breath as Ryker ran a hand over her body from shoulders to butt. He leaned in and said something to her. I moved forward, wanting to know what he said, but whatever it was soothed her. I jumped back when he cracked the paddle on her ass. Harper cried out as her body twitched. He rained two more blows on each cheek causing her to jerk against the restraints. The stage rotated, stopping at each booth for a full view of the action.
Shamefully, I was mesmerized by the action like some freak voyeur. The harder Harper fought, the harder he spanked her. My heart stuttered when she begged him to stop. I looked on with wide eyes when the stage stopped before our booth. I could tell she was in pain. My fingernails bit into my palms, fighting the urge to leap onto the stage to save her. Knox flattened his palm onto my abdomen, holding me in place.
His lips brushed my ear as he said, “This is what she wants. Pain.”
“She likes pain?” I looked at him incredulously.
He held another forkful of risotto out for me to eat before responding. “See her face? She trusts him to take her to the point her body desires.” He licked the shell of my ear, sending a delicious shiver down my spine. “Would you like that too, Storm? Your lovely ass bared for me to admire? To stroke before spanking it?”
I chewed, trying to rationalize my reaction when his fingers squeezed my thigh, sending a hot, tingling sensation up to my sex, causing me to press my thighs together.
He gripped my thighs, gently pulling them apart. “First lesson, always sit with your legs open. I want access to you at all times.”
My mouth dropped open. “Excuse me?”
He looked at me impatiently. “You heard me.” His voice was laced with steel as he tapped them. “Spread them.”
I looked around the restaurant nervously before spreading them slightly. He arched a brow. So I shakily spread them wider. They were wet from the moisture leaking from my clenching sex. This was ridiculous. I was sitting in a restaurant with my legs wide open.
My throat was parched. Picking up my glass, I drank thirstily. “I’m no good at this.” I shifted, ready to close my legs when he leaned in closer.
“Storm! Keep them spread—wide.”
“Knox, really…”
He caressed my thigh. “Quiet,” he barked. “Continue drinking.” His voice became low and seductive. “Does it make you uncomfortable that you're wet?”
I bit my lip, remaining silent. This was freaking embarrassing.
“What’s your answer?”
I looked straight at him. “You know the answer. Yes.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t like this feeling.”
He kept his voice low. “You don’t like feeling vulnerable. Despite what you think, Storm, I would never hurt you. Yes, I have particular taste when it comes to sex. But I’m not into pain.” He ran his fingers over my thigh before stroking the damp area between my legs. “I
’m glad that you’re completely bare. I don’t want anything to hide what belongs to me.”
I groaned as my stomach clenched, stifling the need to trap his hand between my thighs while I rubbed them together, grinding on it until I came.
“Let me show you how it will be between us.” I wasn’t prepared when he thrust a middle finger deep into me. My ass shot clear off the seat. “Hold still.”
I couldn’t help the pant that escaped before responding. “Knox—I can’t do this. Not here.”
“You can and will do this—right here. Right now,” he said against my cheek. “Do you want me to stop?” His hand froze.
A whimper escaped from my mouth. This couldn’t be right. My body was begging and throbbing for him to continue. “No—please…” I swallowed hard as my hands slid to his muscular thigh. “Continue.”
He growled. “Very nice, Storm.” He arched a brow. “But did I tell you to move your fucking hands from the top of the table?”
He waited until I slid my hands back to the table. He leaned in, brushing his lips across mine, completely covering them and forcing them apart, sliding his tongue inside with a caress. His finger thrust into me. I spread my legs wider. I didn’t care about the people around me. I needed this too much. There would be no denying him. To hell with the ramifications. With a groan, I tilted my face like a willing sacrifice, sliding my tongue against his, drawing him deeper.
He nipped my bottom lip, and with one last twist of his finger, a jolt went through my feminine mound. I parted my lips to cry out softly, but his lips covered mine quickly, swallowing my cries. I trembled as his arms pulled me close, caressing my back until I settled. He pulled back with a slow, sexy smile as he licked his finger. “Delicious.”
That’s when the reality of this situation came crashing back and I realized what I had allowed Knox to do. I struggled to move away, but his arm tightened around me.
“It’s too late for regrets, sweetheart,” he said.
I was literally speechless and looked away.
“Eyes on me, please.”
My eyes snapped back to him. He nipped my bottom lip. “Never be ashamed of how your body reacts to me. I'm in tune with your body. The result is you coming by my hand on command.”