Black as Night_Black Star Security

by Cynthia Rayne

  No, not yet.

  Nox swatted her cheeks, back and forth. Nox adored the sound, the reverberation. He could spank her luscious little ass all day.

  After she was warmed up, Nox slapped Maeve harder, and she shook in response.

  Her breath came in pants. “Don’t hold back with me.”

  “Are you tryin’ to top me from the bottom?”

  Some “submissives” were really in control the entire time, demanding a dominant spank them, fuck them, let them come. Nox didn’t mind obliging a lady, if he was in the right mood, but she’d asked him for punishment.

  And that’s exactly what she’d get.

  “No.”

  “I didn’t think so.”

  And then he struck her butt cheeks, really going to town on them, making the tender flesh turn red. She twisted, rubbing her legs together. Nox pulled the edges of the panties up, giving her a wedgie, exposing even more of her rounded ass.

  She squirmed, and Maeve rubbed herself against his leg. He knew it was instinctual, a desire she couldn’t repress, not in this state. Submission stripped away layers of artifice, and barriers a person threw up to protect themselves. In many ways, Maeve was her most authentic self when she submitted to him.

  “And I didn’t say you could get off.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I thought so.” He adjusted her position, so Maeve couldn’t graze her clit against his thigh. And then he peeled her panties down but didn’t take them off. He loved the way she looked half-dressed. Somehow, it made her look even more naked and vulnerable.

  Then, he continued correcting her as before.

  She wriggled as he spanked her. In between slaps, he massaged her, giving her a chance to relax, anticipate the next smack. The skin was hot under his palms, as though she’d been laying out in the sun.

  Nox was relentless, following a hectic pace. He grasped her hair, wrapped it around his fist, and held her in place. And then he found the darkness within, the beast inside himself.

  It howled. Maeve was his. His slut. His for the taking. Couldn’t she see it?

  What Nox really wanted was someone who belonged to him. Someone who would never ever leave him. And the need shamed him. It was pathetic, a leftover longing from the unwanted boy he’d once been.

  Nox shook his head, scattering the thoughts.

  His next swats were ruthless, a barrage which broke her down, driving Maeve into subspace where she belonged.

  He wanted her mindless, helpless. His.

  And Maeve utterly surrendered to him, lost herself to his ruthless desire and writhed under his control, half-heartedly trying to escape his hands, but there was nowhere for Maeve to go.

  She trembled. Tears leaked from her eyes and both sets of cheeks were flushed. She’d never looked so goddamn beautiful. He pushed the panties down and reached around to explore her dripping cunt.

  Maeve whimpered, rubbing against his hand.

  Nox knew how she felt. He’d never been this hard, like iron, pressing against his fly. His cock was trying to rip its way through the denim to get to her.

  He thumbed her swollen clit, pushed her to the brink of orgasm and kept Maeve on edge, teasing her until she howled in want. This was supposed to be about punishment, but he intended to give her pleasure, a release.

  Eventually.

  Nox pushed her from his lap and put his cock in her mouth, instead. He held her head over his lap.

  “Slowly suck it.” He cupped the back of her head, pushing his dick into her mouth. She licked and lapped his cock, taking it deep into her mouth and loving him.

  And then Nox reached over and smacked her ass.

  She squealed.

  Nox fucked her mouth then. He thrust all the way down her throat. She relaxed it, taking every last inch of him. Nox gripped her hair, pushing Maeve’s head up and down.

  When he couldn’t take anymore, Nox pulled out and then he was kneading her breasts and tweaking the nipples, and penetrating her dripping pussy with his thick fingers, seeking the tiny nub of her clit once more.

  She tried twisting away, but he held Maeve still. “I don’t deserve an orgasm.”

  “Too damn bad, you’re gonna come anyway. Because I say so.”

  Nox clutched her ankle, holding her legs apart, pushing his fingers into her.

  “No.” Maeve struggled, but he held her fast.

  “If you want me to stop, use your safe word.”

  She didn’t.

  But fingering her wasn’t enough. He pulled her into a standing position and she stumbled into him. Nox plundered her mouth, once more, drunk on the taste of her.

  When he couldn’t stand anymore, he yanked her back against the wall. He was going to jam her full of cock.

  Maeve wrapped her arms around him and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his mouth. He grabbed her ass, squeezing it and she whimpered. Maeve wrapped her legs around his waist. He kissed her hungrily, desperately, needing to get closer, needing more of her.

  Maeve arched, keening as she came for him.

  It didn’t take him long to get there, too.

  His orgasm was blinding in its intensity, draining his balls entirely. Nox roared with satisfaction. When he pulled back, her thighs were speckled with semen, as though he’d marked Maeve in some primitive way.

  In an instant, the savagery, the need to control and possess was gone, replaced by a profound protectiveness, a longing to keep her safe.

  He kissed Maeve on the forehead, the nose, and then her mouth. Her face was wet with tears, and she had trouble keeping her eyes open.

  Nox carried her back to the bed and laid Maeve on her stomach. He cleaned her with a washcloth and placed a plastic bag full of ice cubes on her bottom to bring the swelling down.

  By the time he finished tending to her, Maeve had already drifted off. Sometimes, the release was so profound, subs passed out. In the morning, she’d be swollen and pink, and it might be painful to sit, but he hadn’t done any lasting harm.

  Nox was amazed by the trust she’d thrown him, how she’d given herself to him.

  It scared him, thrilled him, and he wanted more. Much more.

  Nox had a terrible feeling, he’d never get his fill of Maeve. He laid beside her, wrapping his body around hers, pushing his face into her hair, holding onto Maeve for dear life.

  For the first time in years, he was terrified. Nox was beginning to think he wouldn’t be able to give her up.

  Nox made a point of being a lone wolf, self-sufficient. Even though he worked with a team, he hadn’t let any of them in. And women? He always kept them at arm’s length.

  But Maeve was different than the ones he’d fucked and forgotten.

  Like him, she was aloof, indifferent, and yet he sensed her softer side. When she writhed under his hands, he glimpsed the loneliness in her eyes, her need for him.

  Neither one of them would admit to it.

  Maeve mattered.

  Although, he wasn’t sure how she’d gotten under his skin. Or what to do about it. Pushing her away wasn’t an option, and neither was letting her in.

  What if he needed her, but she wasn’t there anymore? Like his grandad. Losing him had been devastating. Nox wouldn’t survive another loss.

  I’m well and truly fucked on this one.

  Chapter 10

  In the middle of the night, Maeve tiptoed downstairs.

  Nox was fast asleep, and she’d left him curled up on the bed. Her bottom was still sore from last night, but she felt a little better.

  At least some of the guilt had subsided. The spanking had given her a profound release, a catharsis.

  She stopped in the kitchen and had grabbed a glass of water when she heard the soft hum of music in the distance. It was coming from down the hallway. When she investigated, Maeve found Storm sitting in a room, surrounded by a bank of computer monitors.

  He wore a pair of headphones, which were plugged into one of the computer towers. She could dimly hear old school rap. It
sounded like L. L. Cool J. Mama said Knock You Out if she wasn’t mistaken. He didn’t appear to notice her presence.

  And that’s when she took a better look at the screens.

  There were a series of young women, who’d been tied up, and both their hands and feet were bound. Strange symbols were carved into their foreheads. It was clear the girls were dead, judging by the gray skin. Their sightless eyes silently pleaded with her for help.

  She swallowed a scream. “Oh my God. Are those real?”

  “What the…?” He fumbled with the headphones and jumped out of his chair. “Maeve, where did you come from?”

  “Upstairs.” She pointed to the screens. “Did that happen to my sister? Did someone carve her up?”

  “What? No! This is for my…well, it doesn’t matter. Its unrelated to your case.” He hit a button on a nearby keyboard, and the disturbing images vanished.

  If only she could scrape them out of her memory so easily.

  “Are you lying?” She took a seat beside him.

  “No, of course not.” Storm met her gaze evenly.

  Maeve couldn’t tell if he was being straight with her. Nox had told her Storm was a master at deception. Not only that, he was something of a human lie detector.

  “I can’t tell if you’re being honest.”

  He frowned. “Let me guess, Nox gave you the low down on me, right?”

  She nodded.

  He sighed. “I’m not lying. This time.”

  “Thanks, you’re really convincing.”

  He chuckled. “That came out wrong. I had to lie all the time it in my previous position, but I’m being forthright with you, on this issue.”

  He’d couched his reply very carefully, giving himself plenty of wiggle room. She wondered if Storm was even aware of it. Maybe the CIA had warped him or something.

  “Have you found out anything else about my sister?”

  He shook his head. “Not yet. The phone was a bust and the police didn’t get anything useful from the car. But I’ve put some feelers out. I should know more by tomorrow morning.”

  It was a huge disappointment, but Maeve nodded.

  “Wait.” Maeve reached into her pocket. “Before I forget, here’s a list of people who might want to hurt me.” Nox had asked her to write down some names earlier.

  Storm surveyed the paper. “Who’s Deville?”

  Maeve gave him an abbreviated version of their history, including their encounter at the wedding.

  “We’ll start with him tomorrow. You and Nox can head over there and rattle his cage, see if anything shakes loose.”

  “Okay. For the record, he hates my family, but I don’t think he’s a kidnapper.”

  “People are capable of terrible things, Maeve.” His expression was solemn. “Nobody gets the benefit of the doubt.”

  Storm had a point. Deville had been holding onto a grudge for decades. He might be capable of anything.

  “Um, I’ve been wondering something. How long was her car there on the side of the highway?” She hadn’t thought to ask earlier.

  His features smoothed into an unreadable mask. “It’s difficult to determine.”

  Storm clearly didn’t want to answer her question, and Maeve could guess why.

  “No, it isn’t. You’ve got access to her GPS records. How long was the car in the woods?”

  “Five days,” he said quietly.

  Five days. Her sister had been missing nearly a week, and Maeve hadn’t even noticed.

  “It’s too late, isn’t it? Isn’t that what the statistics say? If you don’t get a person back in the first 48 HRS, the likelihood of –”

  “I know what the numbers say, but I believe your sister’s case is different. The people who took her are pros, not some sexual predator, or a creep with a vendetta. These people are looking to get paid, which means they aren’t going to hurt her. Yet.”

  She swallowed. “You really think so?”

  “Yes, in my professional opinion, I think she’s still alive. And you aren’t alone in this. Don’t forget, you’ve got the whole team behind you, as well as the sheriff’s office. We’re going to track them down. Eventually. No one can hide forever.”

  Storm took a sip of coffee. He had dark rings under his eyes and his movements were jerky, agitated. Maeve wondered if it had anything to do with the mutilated women. Or maybe Storm was battling his own demons?

  “Should we involve the FBI?”

  “I can’t answer or offer any advice until I know who were dealing with, and what sort of track record they have.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “If we involve the feds and the abductors get nervous, they could, er, dispose of the evidence.”

  Maeve read between the lines. “You mean kill her.”

  He hesitated a moment, before nodding.

  So, all Maeve could do now was sit and wait.

  “Hey now. Don’t worry so much. We’re on the right track. I’m going to get some fruit and Greek yogurt. You want some?” He stood and headed for the door.

  “Sure. Why not?” Maeve followed him into the kitchen silently. She watched as he made them two mugfuls of yogurt and blackberries.

  Her stomach growled, despite herself. Maeve hadn’t had much of an appetite lately.

  “So, what’s going on between you and Nox?”

  She shrugged. “It’s hard to define.”

  Maeve didn’t know what to make of her enigmatic protector. Despite all the odds, he cared for her, and she felt the same way. Of course, this infatuation came at the worst possible time.

  And what if it’s more?

  “Try.” His eyes narrowed.

  “Why do you want to know?”

  “Curious.” Storm took a bite of yogurt and hopped up on the counter. “Nox is hard to get to know.”

  Maeve snickered. “Talk about an understatement.”

  “Yeah. I actually warned him not to pursue you, because I didn’t want you to get hurt. But he’s different with you—protective, caring. I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

  “If I talk to you, are you going to tell him?”

  “Nope, I wouldn’t dream of it.” He pantomimed zipping his lips and throwing away the key.

  Maeve sighed. “Have you ever had feelings for someone, despite your better judgment? And you think it’s probably gonna turn into a Dumpster fire?”

  His eyes were glossy and far away. “Yeah, and it cost me everything.”

  She waited patiently, silently hoping he would give her more information.

  “We were discussing the two of you.”

  “Yeah, but I can sense a story here. Tell me what happened.”

  “You aren’t going to drop this, are you?”

  “Nope.”

  “Let’s get back to you and Nox.”

  “Hey. If you wanna get a little info, you’ve gotta give a little.”

  Maeve thought he was probably used to pushing people into revealing things, while keeping his own thoughts and feelings under wraps.

  “Fine, she was a former soldier and a bounty hunter named Lucy.”

  “What was she like?”

  “Smart, dangerous, hot. She was a real fan of leather.” There was something wistful about his expression. Whoever Lucy was, she’d been important to Storm.

  “What happened between you two?”

  He stared down at the floor. “I had to make a decision, and I chose me, over her.”

  “And did you make the right call?” At this point, she didn’t know what to do, if anything about Nox.

  He snorted. “I’ll let you know, once I figure it out.”

  Maeve could empathize. She prided herself on setting goals and following agendas, but she’d never been more confused.

  “Did you love her?”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t realize it in time. And when I did, I’d already thrown her to the wolves. I can never make it right, and even if I did somehow, Lucy would never forgive me.”

  “I’m
sorry.”

  “Me too.” He lifted his shoulders. “But what’s done is done. What about you and Nox?”

  She shook her head. “I care about him, but I don’t know how to be in a relationship. And he’s not exactly Mr. Emotionally Available either.”

  “Fair point.” He cocked his head to one side. “Here’s a bit of truth for you. Walking away from the possibility of love tore me up.”

  “It did?” How depressing.

  “Yes, and if I were you, I’d figure that into my calculations.”

  ***

  “And this guy threatened you?”

  “Yeah, in the middle of a wedding, but he’s after my company, not my family.”

  Nox clenched his fists. On the way over to Deville Industries, Maeve had filled Nox in on the situation with Deville. And Nox was having trouble keeping his temper in check.

  “You don’t know that for sure, and he's blaming you for your father's sins.”

  “I think he wants to humiliate my father, from beyond the grave.”

  Maeve sat next to him in the passenger seat of his Jeep Compass, and she kept shifting back and forth, trying to get comfortable. He knew she had a sore bottom and the knowledge gave him an erotic thrill. He wanted to do it all over again, but this was neither the time nor the place.

  Back to business. “Walk me through it one more time.”

  “Years ago, my dad bought the bourbon business, and he went after the local competition. Deville was one of them. Reggie tried to buy him out, but Deville refused. He said the business had been in his family for almost seventy years, but my dad forced him out and took over the company. To make matters worse, Reggie seduced his wife. They ended up getting divorced and it was a great big mess.”

  Nox hissed. "Damn.”

  “I know. No wonder Deville wants to tear down Reggie's legacy. And admittedly, I haven’t been doing the best job at work. Profits are down, the board doesn’t trust me all the way. Plus, I seriously screwed up at the wedding.”

  “How?” Nox made a right turn. They were almost at the corporate headquarters.