Love Unbound: A Valentine's Day Romance Anthology

by Dee, Cassandra

  “How about a café instead?” I suggested quickly. “There’s a really great one around the corner.” In fact, there were several great ones, NYC is chock-filled with wonderful cafes, you could literally start walking in any direction and bump into an artisanal roasting company.

  But Darren wouldn’t budge.

  “Naw, there’s a bunch of files to go over and the tables at these joints are always so tiny. It’s better to go up to your apartment,” he said smoothly. And I looked around the sidewalk, taking a deep breath. Everything seemed normal, people walking by in the dusk, the twilight of evening descending, the pavement glimmering. Plus, Darren looked so normal, tall and handsome with his wavy brown hair and strong jaw. Don’t be an idiot, Daisy, I scolded myself. Let your boss upstairs for five minutes, you’re going to be fine, there’s nothing you can’t handle.

  And it seemed like it was going to be okay at first. We really did get out the case files and started talking about Mr. Jones, an elderly man who needed immigration help in addition to consumer debt advice. But with a sinking sensation, there was a flutter under the table. I ignored it, pulling my knee away, pretending like nothing had happened.

  But the flutter came again, and then the sleazy dude leaned close to me so that our faces were inches apart and slowly ran his tongue up my earlobe, tracing the delicate curve. Ick, it felt clammy and wet, like a doggy kiss.

  “Darren, please,” I said, my eyes begging for understanding.

  “Please what?” he smiled sleazily, “please this?”

  And frozen with fear, I watched as his hand trailed over my breast, squeezing the softness through my sweater, even stroking the nipple with a finger. It was like I was having an out-of-body experience, observing this happen to someone else from five feet away, curiously neutral and detached. But to my shame, my tit immediately responded, the tip growing hard under his touch, causing Darren to chuckle evilly.

  “I always knew you wanted it,” he ground out. “You’re such a little slut,” he chuckled before seizing my mouth in a deep kiss, practically touching my tonsils with his tongue, slobbering all over my chin.

  The action shook me to the core, so much that I sat frozen for a moment, thoughts roiling. What was wrong? I should have been entranced to have an opportunity with this handsome man, the lead attorney of our group, someone who’d gone to a stellar law school and worked for the poor. And yet instead I was completely grossed out, my body dying for only one man, available for only one male’s touch.

  And as if out of a movie, suddenly he was there. Tristan literally ripped Darren off of me, roaring ferociously like a lion tossing away a piece of garbage.

  “Get the FUCK away from her!” he snarled, face a mask of rage, his massive form tense with anger. “Get the FUCK away!”

  Darren stumbled back, suit jacket askew, the brown fabric crumpled and torn.

  “Who the fuck are you?” he shot back, wiping at his jaw, trying to straighten his clothes. “Who the fuck are you, and what are you doing in Daisy’s apartment?”

  “Darren,” I quickly interjected, “this is Tristan.”

  “Who the fuck is Tristan?” he sneered. “Seriously ‘Tristan,’ you need to take a chill pill.”

  Mr. Marks almost attacked the smaller man once more but I pressed my hands against his suit jacket, throwing myself against him, my eyes pleading with him not to do more.

  “No,” I whispered, “please, please, just let it go.”

  But Darren was in a combative mood, gathering himself together, straightening his tie.

  “Who the fuck is this Tristan dude?” he spat. “I swear, do we need to call 9-1-1 or something? You’re a fucking intruder, get the fuck out.”

  “Tristan’s … um Tristan’s …,” I stuttered. I didn’t know what to say. Should I refer to him as my friend? An acquaintance? Someone that I used to know? But Tristan took care of it for me.

  “I’m her guardian,” he ground out, pulling me into his arms. “And her lover.”

  At that I stood stock still, barely breathing, staring at the big man. Had he really said that? In front of a stranger who happened to be my boss, an attorney, someone who might be professionally obligated to turn us in for … what exactly?

  Darren began laughing, almost bent over double in his tweed suit, brown hair flopping over his brow.

  “You … you must be shitting me!” he gasped, lungs heaving. “I always knew you were a slut, Daisy, but this? This takes the cake! You’re a fucking fucked-up slut!”

  I screamed then, leaping into action.

  “It’s not wrong, we’re not related, my mom’s dead!” I shrieked, running at him, ready to do some serious damage, small fists ready to pound, grab hair, my feet ready to kick.

  But I was no match for Darren, he was at least ten inches taller than me, holding my wrists away from him even as I lunged.

  “Please,” he said panting, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “You are some fucked up chick, I just wanted to bang you because you’re hot, but shit, you’re one fucked up piece of trash. I’m not touching that pussy if it’s been banged already by your dad.”

  And I screamed again, furious, my hair flying, my rage palpable.

  “He’s not my dad, he’s my guardian!” I shrieked. If only I could reach this asshole with my nails, claw his eyes out, shit, claw all his features off, I’d leave him in a bloody mess on the floor.

  But Tristan got to him first. So fast that he was a blur, the alpha pulled apart Darren and I and then grabbed the younger man by the scruff of the neck, like he was a puppy.

  “Listen fuckwad,” he threatened, voice low, so mild it was scary. “Get the fuck out of here and don’t ever touch Daisy again. Fuck off, asshole,” he said before literally throwing my boss out into the hallway with such force that Darren cracked his neck audibly, his body almost boomeranging back in from the speed.

  But I was on top of it and slammed the door with a thunk. We could hear the other man moaning and groaning through the wood, wailing, “It hurts! It hurts!”

  Oh shit! Did he need a doctor? But Tristan just grunted.

  “Naw, he’s a sissy. Get lost sissy-freak!” he shouted through the door, and sure enough, Darren got up, moaning through his pain, managing to whisper, “I’ll get you, I’ll get you,” before stumbling down the stairs of my walk-up.

  Tristan and I turned to look at each other then. I was in no mood for niceties.

  “What are you doing here?” I spat. “How did you get in?” I glared at the big man, eyes shooting sparks. Oh god, he was so handsome still, huge, magnificent in a perfectly cut suit, that black hair slightly mussed from the fight.

  “What, no kiss for Daddy?” he drawled, straightening his cuffs, shooting me a wry look. “I pay the rent here, don’t you remember? I have a key,” he said, holding up the gleaming metal.

  And my heart sank. Of course he did. This apartment and all my living expenses were paid for by Tristan, I’d momentarily forgotten that I was living on his dime.

  “Well you can’t just come barging in whenever you want,” I spat. “I could have been naked, I could have been indisposed, it’s rude.”

  “Little girl,” said Tristan, arching an eyebrow at me, “if you’d been naked it would have been the sweetest gift, I would love to see that pussy and ass again, if that’s what you’re offering.”

  And I shut my mouth quickly. This conversation was taking a left turn and I wasn’t prepared to go there. It was offensive. That’s right, despite my hammering heart, this was downright offensive.

  “What are you doing here?” I demanded again. “I haven’t seen you in a year, not since … not since …”

  “Not since I took your virginity?” finished Tristan smoothly, expression impassive.

  “Yes!” I shouted, trembling with rage. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Where have you been? What the fuck, didn’t that mean anything to you? And how could you blab about us to a stranger?” I shrieked, gesturing furiously to the door. “How could you tell someo
ne that we had sex, that you’re my guardian and we had sex? Do you know what you’ve done?” By now, my voice was rising with each word, finishing a full octave higher than when I’d started.

  But Tristan was curiously unfazed. Instead, he just shot me another knowing look, eyes sensuously caressing my curves.

  “Of course I know what I’ve done,” he replied silkily. “And I want the world to know that I’ve come back to claim my little girl. I’m putting my dick back in your cunt baby, and it’s gonna be world news.”

  And with that, my mouth fell open, my shock complete.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Tristan

  She was gorgeous standing there in that cashmere sweater and denim skirt, a nubile co-ed, hair in a fiery sweep over her shoulder. God, how I’d missed having those curls wrapped around my dick, caressing my balls, trailing over my chest. She was beautiful, even more irresistible when she was mad, spitting fire and shrieking with rage.

  Because yeah, I was the guy paying the rent on this place and I had a copy of the key as the responsible financial party. I hadn’t told Daisy explicitly about the key, but it was no secret that I was picking up all her expenses, food, clothing, tuition, shelter, everything. Wasn’t it natural that I’d have access to my assets?

  So I’d let myself into the apartment. What the fuck was management going to do? I paid the bills here. And it’d been empty and silent, so I waited in her bedroom, checking my phone.

  But that’s when things went off the rails because Daisy came back with a man in tow. WTF? My heart pounded, chest rising and falling rapidly. But I forced myself to get a grip. Yeah, this was normal. I hadn’t seen her for a year, had walked off without explanation, disappearing, so yeah, she’d probably moved on. Maybe Daisy went on dates with guys, dumb frat boys and lunkhead jocks. The thought made my blood boil but I remained in the room, quiet, lying in wait.

  And heart in my throat, I listened to them talk. Despite being a confident motherfucker, honestly, I was scared at first. I was terrified because her “date” was a good-looking mofo, all serious public-interest lawyer in his brown tweed suit. Shit, had Daisy found a boyfriend? Someone she was genuinely interested in, who shared her interests, with good conversation, a great connection, and even better sex? My heart sank, pulse beating thunderously. I’d been prepared to deal with a lot of things but I wasn’t ready to grapple with the fact that maybe Daisy had found someone meaningful.

  But as they began talking, it was obvious that my girl loathed Mr. Lawyer. I saw how she tried to keep it neutral, speaking politely, smiling at all the right times, but her body language was stiff, her shoulders set, tense, fighting the urge to lean away from him. And when I saw his hand on her knee, I almost guffawed aloud at how she slowly edged her curves away, her lip curling distastefully for a second.

  So the tension eased. I sat back on her narrow bed, the burden lifting from my shoulders, breathing easier. This dude was no one. I was still it, and all I had to do was bide my time.

  But then this Darren dude went for it, trying to feel-up my baby girl and that was it. Raging like an angry bull, I hurtled into the kitchen ripping the smaller man off her like a scraggly puppy. But instead of getting a clue and recognizing that the Big Dog had just come to town, the guy actually stayed to fuck around a bit.

  “Who the fuck are you?” he wheezed, straightening out that brown blazer. Who the fuck wears brown suits these days? It was so fucking ugly, I almost threw him some cash to buy something new.

  But Daisy’s eyes begged me not to say anything, to keep mum on our secret.

  “Um, this is, this is …” she stammered.

  Unfortunately, I was in no mood to hold back.

  “I’m her guardian,” I announced, “and her lover.”

  And that did it. The dude dissolved into hysterical giggles, screaming all sorts of insults, threatening to report us to Children’s Services.

  “I know all the right people in City Government!” he squealed, shaking a fist at us. “I know the Commissioner! I know the Vice Chair! I know, I know, I know!”

  But he was nothing but a tadpole, a tiny fish in the sea. I’m sure my connections ran deeper, I was a billionaire magnate with operations in NYC and London, rubbing shoulders with the elite for decades now. I’m sure all of his “knows” were nothing more than low-level staff members, acquaintances at best.

  And so I raised my eyebrows.

  “So?” I drawled. “Get the fuck out, I don’t care who you are,” and with that, I threw him out of the apartment, Daisy slamming the front door behind him.

  But now that we were alone, the girl and I glared at each other, panting, heaving, her caramel eyes practically shooting sparks.

  “Where have you been?” she demanded, curls wild, boobs bobbing up and down with quick breaths. “How dare you come in here unannounced?”

  But my name was on the lease and I let her know it.

  “I pay your bills or have you forgotten that little girl?” I asked silkily, straightening my clothes. This was a thousand dollar Brioni suit, I was going to have to get it dry cleaned now that that loser had touched it.

  “Wha-?” she started before realization dawned. And I nodded knowingly, holding up the spare key.

  “I pay the rent here, remember?” I asked smoothly. “It’s only fitting that I have a key.”

  And the little girl’s mouth snapped shut then.

  “Well, if this is your place then I guess I should vacate,” she huffed, storming into the bedroom and rummaging around her closet. Before long, she’d dragged out a suitcase and began throwing things in haphazardly, swimsuits, sweaters, a shoe, another shoe, whatever she could get her hands on.

  “Baby,” I said coming up behind her and massaging her shoulders. “Relax, I’m back.”

  She whirled on me.

  “Relax? What the fuck are you talking about Tristan? You just told my boss, my boss, that you’re my guardian and we’ve been fucking. You know what? I’m in deep ka-ka now. Darren’s probably going to report me to the provost, the registrar, I’m going to lose my internship, everything!”

  And I merely chuckled, running a big finger over her shoulder, down one arm, trailing all the way to her wrist.

  “Baby I don’t think you need to worry about that, I can make sure nothing changes,” I murmured, entranced as I stared at that tiny waist, the wide, swinging hips. “It’s no big deal.”

  That made her scream with rage, turning on me again.

  “It may be no big deal to you, Mr. CEO,” she hissed, “but I’m a student or have you not noticed that? I’m a nobody, no one’s going to cut me any breaks, my reputation’s ruined, my career trashed before it’s even begun, and you … you didn’t even think about me!” she accused.

  Now that was going too far.

  “Honey, calm down,” I soothed, sitting on the bed and wrangling her into my lap. It was harder than it sounds. Even though I have about a hundred pounds on Daisy, she was a writhing, furious mess, a kitty cat on a hot tin roof, skittering with her teeth bared.

  “You don’t get to touch me!” she hissed, trying to scratch, kick me with her tiny feet.

  And that pissed me off. I threw her down on the bed then, pinning her arms by her side, using my superior bulk to hold her still, prevent her from moving.

  “Don’t you ever say that,” I rasped back, glaring at her, inches from those beautiful lips. “You’re mine to touch, to hold, to do with what I like. You belong to me.”

  And the little girl bit her lip, silent for an instant. But I couldn’t keep her down long.

  “Well,what kind of man leaves his little girl?” she shot back. “I haven’t seen you in a year, in a year Tristan, what kind of man abandons his little girl for a year?”

  And she had a good point. Ignoring my body’s immediate reaction to those curves pressed against me, I looked her deep in those deep brown eyes and spoke from the heart.

  “Honey, I’m sorry,” I said sincerely. “I had to go.
There were so many reasons to stay, but so many to go too. You’re young, you needed time on your own, to grow up a little, figure out what you want,” the apologies rolled off my tongue.

  But Daisy wasn’t persuaded so easily.

  “Right Daddy, I was young then and you know what? I’m still young. Fess up. Does this have more to do with me … or with you?” she asked archly, her breath coming fast now. I noticed with satisfaction that she wasn’t immune to my presence either. Her hips started to squirm slightly, those lips reddening, bee-stung and beautiful.

  And I respected her for the question.

  “You’re right, it’s not totally about you,” I admitted.

  Silence for a moment.

  “It’s about you, isn’t it?” she asked pointedly.

  I nodded slowly, my grasp on her wrists relaxing. To get more comfortable I shifted to the side a bit, easing my weight off of her, letting the woman breathe easier even as I slipped a knee between her legs, entangling our thighs, coming ever closer to that sweet cunt.

  “It is about me, sort of,” I acknowledged. “I have a business to run, I have shareholders to keep happy. Even though I’m a man about town,” I added wryly, my finger trailing over her stomach slowly, “I have an image to maintain.”

  “Oh really,” she said sarcastically, “and pray tell, what image is that?”

  “It’s not a totally clean image, I admit,” I said, “but it’s not one where I seduce a girl under my protection either. Remember, I’m the publisher of Everyday Dads and Moms and Tots, I can’t exactly let it get out that I’ve been banging my ward. What would our subscriber base say?”

  “So it was business,” repeated Daisy, but there was less bitterness to her voice now. In fact, her voice was downright neutral, which in some ways was even scarier. What was going on?

  But I ignored the warning bells for the time being, blocking out the clanging. I wanted my woman too much, wanted to be buried in that sweet cunt again and I couldn’t process the fact that there were many layers to the brunette, subtle nuances that I couldn’t quite read at the moment.