by Marian Tee
As if reading her mind, he told her, “Don’t worry. It’s normal.”
Following his gaze, Lilac was surprised to see that there were other guests who had sunglasses on inside the club. Her head swung to him.
Nick laughed, easily imagining Lilac giving him a wide-eyed look of surprise behind his glasses. “Yeah, I know. It seems stupid, but that’s how it is. Now, let’s go. There’s someone here I want you to meet…”
Moments later, she came face to face with a girl whose face seemed vaguely familiar. Derek had his arm around her, and even Lilac could see how proprietary his hold was.
“Hi,” Lilac finally said, managing a hesitant smile, feeling like all the others were expecting her to say something.
Everyone burst into laughter.
“Pay up,” Christien said smugly, leaving Lilac even more confused.
Derek was grumbling but he nevertheless slapped several thousand-dollar bills intoChristien’s hand.
Nick was gazing at her incredulously. “How can you not know her?”
She mumbled, “I’m…sorry. I don’t watch…TV much.”
Again, everyone laughed.
“Jaike isn’t a celebrity,” Nick told her, his voice exasperated but his eyes were gleaming with amusement. “Rather, she’s famous for being the one girl who broke Derek’s heart.”
Jaike protested, “I didn’t---”
Derek shrugged. “It’s true.” At Jaike’s gasp, Derek kissed her neck, and that was when Lilac noticed the uniquely-styled necklace Jaike was wearing. It was, if she wasn’t mistaken, very much like a collar – the kind a certain type of woman would wear to honor a certain type of man.
Her eyes sought Nick’s. Really?
His eyes smirked. You want one?
She hastily looked away even as her heart skipped a beat at the offer. She forced herself to concentrate on Derek and Jaike as the two faced her again. Derek’s smile was all male pride as he told Lilac, “Let me formally introduce my extremely beautiful fiancée---”
The girl in his arms groaned. “Derek.”
He mimicked her tone, saying, “Jaike.”
Everyone laughed, including Lilac, hopelessly charmed by the obvious love and affection between the couple.
Jaike was rolling her eyes up at Derek, but there was a tender smile on her face. She looked at Lilac sheepishly. “Hi, Lilac. I hope you haven’t heard any bad things about me.” She came forward, kissing Lilac on the cheek. “Derek has this awful habit of saying the silliest lies---”
“It’s not a lie that you’re the hottest girl I’ve ever seen in my life, baby.”
“---like that,” Jaike finished with a sigh.
Derek laughed. “It’s because I love you, baby.” His words made Jaike blush.
Nick told Lilac, “Jaike’s a great girl, sweetheart. I honestly don’t understand what she sees in Derek.”
Jaike sighed. “Sometimes, I wonder about that myself.” But she was already tiptoeing, her lips touching Derek’s cheek softly as if she couldn’t bear saying a bad word about him without apologizing soon after.
They drifted towards the VIP area, Jaike regaling her with stories about Nick and the guys that had Lilac laughing. “More…please,” she begged.
Jaike obliged happily.
“Okay, I’m done being ignored,” Derek said the moment Jaike paused for breath. “Sorry, Lilac. My turn.” And then he was carrying a giggling Jaike onto his lap.
“I think I’ll do that, too,” Nick said wickedly and reached for her.
She laughingly scooted away, moving to the edge of the couch. “No.” Sit on Nick Christakos’ lap in front an entire club of onlookers and reporters? Never!
Nick smirked. “Sweetheart, it’s only a matter of time.”
Lilac prudently changed the subject. “Where’s Reid?”
Christien appeared surprised. “Oh, didn’t Nick tell you? He’s having one of his house parties. It was planned months ago so he couldn’t cancel it when the club’s opening night was moved a week earlier.”
Nick sighed at Lilac’s confused look. “The guys are planning to go there after---”
“After?” But it was already…ten in the evening. How late did Reid’s parties go on anyway?
“Yes,” Christien confirmed. “We can leave hereby three and get there before four. The party there should be in full swing by then.”
“Four?” Reid’s parties started at four in the morning?
Nick shook his head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea if we join them.”
The look of hurt on Lilac’s face, which she tried her best to hide, had Nick cursing himself silently. “Sweetheart, it’s not what you think.”
“I’m not…thinking anything.”
“Yes, you are, and you’re wrong.” He sighed. “I’m not going to play around, Lilac. It’s just that Reid’s parties are…not ordinary.”
The normally elegant Christien choked on his beer. “That’s one way of saying it, man.”
“You’re not fucking helping, so why don’t you go eavesdrop on other people’s conversations?” Nick shot back without taking his gaze off Lilac.
Lilac frowned. “Not…ordinary?”
He nodded curtly.
“What do you…mean?”
“It’s…” Nick didn’t want to explain, didn’t want Lilac to know how depraved he had been. “It’s just…wild,” he ended lamely.
Her frown became determined. “Can I…go?”
“Of course, cherie.” Christien answered before Nick could.
Goddamn French-Greek pretty boy, Nick thought with a clench of his jaw. He wanted to take the words back, but the excitement sparkling in Lilac’s eyes stopped him. “It’s really wild,” he warned her.
“I’m…excited.”
“Then fine. But remember – this was your choice.” Nick leaned back against his seat. Lilac in one of Reid’s parties? It was a fucking nightmare. He called for a waiter. “I need a drink,” he muttered to no one in particular. Lilac frowned, Christien laughed.
“What do you want, cherie?”
Before she could even lie, like she planned to, Nick said, “Lilac doesn’t drink.” He didn’t sound put out or ashamed like James had always been. He was simply stating a fact, and a few butterflies fluttered its wings at that.
As Nick issued his orders to the waiter, someone tapped Lilac from behind.
She turned around, her eyes widening when she saw who it was. “Jason.”
A beautiful smile appeared on his lips, and for a moment he looked exactly like Nick - or at least enough to make her heart jump a little. Perhaps it was his clothes. For the first time, he wasn’t dressed in jeans, his clothes just as elegant as Nick’s.
Jason’s gaze slid over to Nick’s and Lilac stiffened.
But Jason’s voice was entirely casual as he said, “Hello, brother.” And then he was moving to greet the others.
Nick’s arm suddenly went around her waist, pulling Lilac tightly against the side of his body. When she glanced up at him, Nick’s eyes were hooded once more. “Don’t be m-mad.”
Nick forced a smile, seeing the worry on Lilac’s face. “I’m not mad. I’m just keeping my hands busy with you so that I’m not forced to kill my own brother.”
Lilac started to answer, but someone was calling her name, and the voice had Lilac and Nick freezing.
“Dance, Lilac?” Jason glanced at Nick. “Surely you can spare your friend for just one song?”
No one missed that little dig, and Lilac could feel Nick tensing next to her. She looked at Jason, unable to believe he was digging his own grave so blatantly---
Her eyes narrowed.
She whipped the dark glasses off so she could see clearly.
Oh.
She whispered to Nick, “He’s drunk.”
Nick was stunned at the words. But when he took a closer look at his brother, he realized it was true and guilt pricked his conscience. “Jason---” He knew he wasn’t to blame, but he also kn
ew he had was to blame for Jason’s unnatural actions.
But his brother wasn’t looking at him. “Lilac?”
Lilac squeezed Nick’s hand, and Nick froze. “No,” he hissed. “Don’t---”
“---want the two…of you to…fight,” Lilac whispered as she got to her feet. “He’s drunk. He doesn’t…know what…he’s doing.”
And then Jason was whirling her away, and it fucking felt like they had carved out something in him with them.
Everyone’s gazes were on them. Nick could feel it, and he knew Lilac was aware of it, too. So he forced a smile, even as his guts twisted with jealousy at the way Jason was so obviously flirting with Lilac, his hands on Lilac’s waist too familiar for comfort.
“Your smile isn’t convincing anyone, Nick,” Christien said under his breath.
“It’s the best I can fucking do,” he snarled back, also under his breath.
“Try harder,” Christien advised coolly, “Because I know that girl on the dance floor is doing her best to prevent the two of you from looking like asses in tomorrow’s newspapers.”
Nick flushed at his friend’s words, and it was enough to help him regain his senses He forced his body to relax and smile between clenched teeth, determined to keep his fucking smile on his face until the end of the fucking song even if it killed him.
****
“Jason, you’re…drunk.”
Lilac’s softly reprimanding words didn’t shame him. Instead, it inflamed his body, and Jason still had enough wits about him to know that was fucking worse. He could feel his brother’s gaze on them. He knew what he was doing was wrong – but he couldn’t fucking stop it, was drawn to Lilac York like moth to flame, bee to honey – it was inevitable and irresistible.
“Is it because he was first?” he heard himself asking. “Is that why you can’t want me as much as I want you?”
“Jason, no.” Distress underscored Lilac’s voice.
“Then tell me,” he growled. “Because I can’t stop thinking about you---” He stopped then tried again, wanting to make better sense. “I just looked at you, and I---it was like the whole world stopped and when it started spinning again, it was going in another direction, a better one.” He groaned. “God, that sounds fucking corny.”
She couldn’t help smiling, even as her heart ached. “Who knew? You would be so…eloquent…when drunk.”
He laughed bitterly, saying, “And who knew? That it would be my brother’s girlfriend---”
She shook her head.
He stilled.
Lilac turned her head away, obviously avoiding his gaze. “We’re just…friends.”
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing, but before he could react, someone was tapping on his shoulder.
“The song’s ended.” Nick was at their side all of a sudden, his smile friendly, his voice casual, but his eyes cold. “It’s my turn.”
And then Nick whirled her away before she could draw her next breath. “Nick,” she gasped. “That was…rude!”
“And my brother’s crossed the line,” Nick snapped.
He whirled her around before she could answer, and when she opened her mouth, he whirled around her again, each sweeping turn allowing them to move across the floor and further away from Nick’s friends. Nick was moving too fast, whirling her too many times she lost count and gave up trying to talk.
When Nick slowed down, Lilac looked up and realized he had just managed to whirl them towards the fire exit.
As Nick’s arm tightened around her waist, he told the head of his security, “No one disturbs us.”
She knew what those words meant, and it set her body on fire even as her cheeks reddened in embarrassment and she opened her mouth to protest.
But it was too late, Nick pushing the door open and pulling her inside with him. The door swooshed close, Nick lifted her up in his arms, her legs dangling in the air as he pushed her up against the wall.
“Nick---”
He kissed Lilac into silence. He wasn’t in any fucking mood to listen or even think. All Nick wanted was to touch and feel, to fucking drown in lust so that Lilac wouldn’t ever remember she had even shared one fucking dance with his brother.
“I want you naked,” he whispered against Lilac’s lips when he allowed her to breathe. When he pulled his head back a little to gaze at Lilac, Nick was satisfied to see her gaze clouded with desire, and triumph heated his body when all Lilac could do was nod.
Lilac’s knees shook when Nick lowered her slowly to her feet.
“I want to see you strip.”
His voice was commanding, but it was also underlined with need and desire. Nick wanted her. Nick needed her. The combination was potent and drugging, and all Lilac could do was fumble with the buttons of her dress shirt so she could peel it off.
“Keep the stockings,” Nick growled when she reached for its hem. “It’s sexy.” Lilac’s hands fluttered, and he ordered, “The bra.”
Nick’s gaze was burning hot, and it made Lilac’s fingers clumsier as she struggled with the clasp at the back of her bra. Finally, she managed to unhook the snap and then her bra slowly fell to the floor, joining her shirt.
“Perfect,” Nick purred.
It was the first time for Lilac to hear Nick speak in such a way, like a lion licking its great paws, anticipating its prey. She shivered in response, and when he ordered her to take off her panties, she was quicker to obey excited to hear Nick talk that way again. She was past all inhibitions, need and desire making her blatantly wanton. He wanted her. She wanted him. The rest of the world didn’t matter.
When her panties also fell to the floor, leaving Lilac naked in her stockings and kitten heels, Nick did not disappoint. “Luscious,” Nick purred. “I had always imagined you would be this luscious and I was so fucking right.” He crooked a finger, and she went to him on wobbly legs. Lilac gasped as he suddenly swung her up to his arms.
“Can I take you now?” he demanded.
Just those words were enough to have moisture flooding the triangle between her legs. She choked out, “Yes.”
Nick’s blue eyes flashed. “It would serve you right if I did take you now.” He squeezed her hips, and Lilac understood his silent command, locking her legs around his waist, her hands gripping his shoulders tightly as she leaned against the wall.
Nick kissed her hard, and she kissed him back, her senses exploding at the scorching-hot blaze of need that went through her body and made Lilac grind her mound against his erection.
“Can I talk dirty, sweetheart?” Nick purred against her lips. “Do you want me to talk dirty?”
“Yes.” She moaned the word out, getting wetter even more as she anticipated his next words.
Nick laughed, and the sound was like an aphrodisiac, making Lilac moan again.
“Your virgin pussy will be mine soon, Lilac.”
She whimpered.
“I’m going to fuck your virgin pussy like this.” And then Nick’s fingers were driving in, three all the same time, and Lilac screamed, the unexpected penetration more pleasure than pain. Oh, oh, oh – even the pain was welcome, as it only intensified the pleasure.
“Imagine my fingers as my cock, fucking your virgin pussy, taking you hard.” Nick’s fingers drove in and out of her, punishingly and beautifully hard and fast with its movements. She moaned with each thrust, tried to take the fingers deeper into her too, her hips moving to match his thrusts.
“How hard do you want my cock to take your virgin pussy, sweetheart?”
“H-hard!”
“This hard?” Nick pushed his fingers all the way in, pulled it out almost completely, before thrusting them back in, trying to go deeper than before.
Lilac screamed.
“Harder?”
And she couldn’t answer, could only whimper and scream because Nick wasn’t letting her breathe anymore. The pleasure was too much, the thrust of his fingers making her imagine it really was his cock pounding inside her, doing its best to reach h
er hymen so it could break through and take her virgin pussy.
Her orgasm came out of nowhere. Lilac screamed as she came, her back flying off the wall as she threw herself at him, her arms tightening around his neck as she tried to squeeze his waist with her legs, wishing she could trap his thrusting fingers and keep it inside her.
Every shudder of Lilac’s body made Nick shudder as well, but he held himself back with an effort, savoring the way Lilac so beautifully responded to his touch. She hungered for his touch, and it blew him away.
“Nick.”
This time, his shudder was massive, hairs all over his body standing up.
“Put me down.”
He did, groaning as her naked body brushed against his. And then he felt Lilac’s hands going for his zipper. What the---
“Lilac, no, you don’t have to---” After what had happened to her, a blowjob was probably the worst thing imaginable that he could ask of her. And Nick had never even thought to ask.
But Lilac brushed away his hands as she fumbled with his buttons and slid the zipper down.
Nick tried one last time to be unselfish. “Lilac, I don’t want you to feel---fuck!” Nick’s entire body stiffened as Lilac managed to push his pants and and his briefs down, her fingers curling around his thick and engorged cock.
“Lilac.” He looked down, saw Lilac sinking into her knees as she continued to stroke his dick. Oh fuck, it was the hottest thing he had ever seen in his life.
“Lilac, fuck, that’s so fucking good.”
And then her mouth was taking him in without warning, his cock sliding in easily. He groaned, and somehow that made Lilac just open her mouth more widely, and his cock pushed all the way in.
“Lilac, fuck, oh fuck don’t fucking stop.”
The guttural words sounded like they were being torn from Nick, and the pleasure in his voice was more than enough to have Lilac tremble with renewed need. She wanted Nick to lose control, wanted to see him hungry for her. Securing her hold on his cock, she started moving her mouth up and down, the length of his cock nearly causing her to choke. But she managed, and she tried to speed it up, playing with the head using her tongue once in a while. Lilac was rewarded with Nick’s earthy groans, and the sounds were so incredibly hot it made her want to touch herself.