Chapter Four
Mallory went to the study attached to her bedroom and shut the door with a careful, smooth click that sounded like a boom in her ears. At least it replaced the deafening rush of hurt and anger and uncertainty. Squeezing her eyes shut, she leaned her head back and gave in to the temptation to bang it once against the hard wood.
Why was he doing this now? She had a good life. Content if not happy. A satisfying career. She’d learned to live alone and most of the time she liked it. She felt fire tease and prickle the surface of her skin and drew in a deep breath, willing it to dissipate before it could do any damage. She ground her teeth together and stalked to her desk. It was his fault. She hadn’t lost control of her power since they’d split up. Damn him.
She finished the paperwork too quickly. Paid some bills, answered emails. Only a couple of hours had passed when she was done. She’d heard the downstairs shower come on and off over an hour ago and decided she’d take a hot soak with a glass of wine. She planned to ignore him if he tried to corner her on the trip to the kitchen, but he didn’t even look over as she tiptoed by, he was staring so intently at the television screen. She grabbed a glass and a half-finished bottle of Moscato and hurried back her room.
The bath and two glasses of wine didn’t have the desired effect, however. Instead of relaxing enough to sleep, she just got more wound up. She was too aware of her ex-lover in the condo. The memories of his touch too close to ignore. She found her hands trailing over her body and whimpered in the quiet room. Damn.
She stood up, dried with quick, rough movements and went to pull back the covers on her bed, but she paused before climbing in. Normally she slept in the nude, but was she tempting fate—or worse, herself—if she did so with Zach just downstairs? She gritted her teeth hard enough to hurt. Fuck it. She was not changing her life or routines because he’d suddenly become interested in her again. She slid between cool cotton sheets, plumped up the pillow and tried to go to sleep.
An hour later she gave up and reached into the nightstand drawer for her vibrator. As she gripped it, she kicked off the comforter and sheet, staring at the ceiling, straining to hear any movement from downstairs, and debated.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so needy. Her skin felt tight over her bones. Her nipples were hot. Her pussy wet. He’d done this to her with almost no effort at all, and until she found relief, she wouldn’t be able to rest. She wanted to scream in frustration but instead listened hard. She swore she heard a gentle snore occasionally break the silence from the first floor. And if he wasn’t asleep, fuck him.
She was so ready the vibe slid in easily and she groaned at the full feeling, flicking on the switch. She kept it on low, quiet, moved the attached clitoral stimulator into position and bit back a moan. It only took moments for her heart and breathing to begin to race and she moved her free hand to cup her breast. So good. How long had it been since she’d sought physical release? Too long, for damned sure. It felt like it had been ages since she’d had a great orgasm and being around Zach so much in one day, knowing he was so close, just made it build faster. She kicked the speed up a bit and ground her pelvis against the thick plastic shaft. She was already on the verge of coming when the door opened.
It took him a few seconds to identify the sound that woke him, and he grinned at the ceiling when he did. The sound got louder, the speed increasing. He stood and stalked to the stairs. Oh, no, baby, not without me.
He jogged up the steps, not making any effort to muffle the noise of his approach, and opened the door. They both froze. She had the electric dildo buried in her cunt. He could see her moisture glisten around it and on her inner thighs. Her other hand held her breast, plumping and squeezing the hard tip between thumb and finger. Beautiful.
She turned the toy off and began to slide it free before he spoke. “Don’t stop, baby. You started this.”
He looked around the room and used his weak telekinetic ability to turn the vibrator back on, while moving a small chair from the corner to the side of the bed so he could sit and watch. It was a game they used to play. She would get herself worked up as he watched, knowing how it turned him on, knowing he’d only let her go so far alone.
But she tugged her bottom lip between her teeth and gave a slight shake of her head.
“Mallory.” He couldn’t let her stop. Couldn’t let her retreat. He leaned forward and trailed his fingers from the inside of her knee to her thigh. “Don’t you want this? Me? It kills me, waking up every night missing you and thinking maybe you’re out there too, missing me. Waiting.”
Her body shuddered and she flicked the vibe off, tossed it away. He could see the fire she was so attuned to in her eyes.
“This is just sex, Zach,” she whispered, and he wanted to deny it.
Wanted to rant and plead and make her see the truth, but he knew he’d given up that right. Knew he’d have to earn it back. He slid over to the bed, spreading her thighs as he settled between them.
“Then let me make it memorable,” he whispered, dipping his head between her legs to take in her sweet, seductive taste.
It was like returning from a desert exile to a garden oasis. He felt the bond between them—one that he’d tried so hard to starve and wrestle into submission—begin to knit back together. She cried out with the shock, but instead of trying to get away gripped his shoulders and attempted to pull him up.
“Damn it, Zach. Don’t make me wait. Fuck me.”
He was oh-so-tempted to give in to her demand, but he had a lot of nights to make up for. He refused to treat this, her, like it meant nothing. Like it was meaningless and no more than just scratching an itch. She was everything. So he ignored her protest and focused on bringing her pleasure. She didn’t give up, though, and tugged on his shoulders again. He lifted his head.
“Stop that. I’m not done here.”
She gave him a pleading look that was damned hard to resist, and when he did, she rocked her hips. “Zach,” she whispered. “Don’t tease.”
Again she tried to pull him up. Ordering her to be still wasn’t working. It was time to go to the next stage. He leaned over her, dropped a quick kiss against her lips and whispered. “Where are the handcuffs?”
She sucked in a startled breath. “What handcuffs?”
He laughed. He’d caught a glimpse of them on her belt back in his lab. “You know which ones.”
She bit her bottom lip, gave him a look that was part apprehension, part anticipation. Finally, she sighed. “I won’t rush you.”
“No, you won’t.” He trailed his fingertips down the center of her body, to the curls that hid her clit. She shivered. “Handcuffs, belt, scarves…I’m not picky about what I use, but I’m using something, baby.”
He was cupping her sex and she couldn’t have hid her response if she tried. Her rush of desire washed over his mind. He’d always tried to temper his dominant urges before. Now he suspected he hadn’t needed to.
“Top dresser drawer. There are scarves in there.”
He retrieved them and returned before she could get out another word, had both her wrists secured to the headboard before she could frame a protest. But a careful search of her face, then her mind assured him she was totally on board. He moved to her ankles next. She was splayed out before him minutes later, a gorgeous, sexy-as-hell offering. He laid his hand on the back of her knee and slowly stroked up. She never took her eyes from him.
“Mine,” he said softly.
He saw the protest flicker across her expression, but she didn’t voice it and she didn’t object when he settled back between her thighs. He licked once from her small puckered rear entrance to her clit, then he got serious. The nub was hard from his earlier attentions and he returned to it, flicking with his tongue before taking it gently between his teeth. Her moan was more a pleading whimper and since she didn’t struggle against her bonds, he decided to reward her.
He circled her entrance with his finger before slowly pushing it
in, drawing out the pleasure he felt from her. On the next thrust he added a finger, scissoring them inside her to stretch her. She was tighter than he remembered. If he took her now, the way his more primitive side was demanding, he might hurt her. He couldn’t stand the thought of that. She needed to be desperate, slick and wet with need.
Mallory wondered if there would be anything left of her mind by the time he finished. He continued teasing her with his tongue and teeth, his fingers thrusting in and out of her pussy. He drove her up and up then kept her on the edge of orgasm. It felt so good it hurt, but even with the little bit of movement the scarves allowed her, she couldn’t hurry him up. She wasn’t sure she wanted to.
Suddenly his mouth and fingers were gone. She opened her eyes to see him sitting back on his heels, watching her with a lazy half-smile that made her catch her breath. If not for that smile, she’d have thought he was finally going to let her come, finally going to fuck her. But she knew better and wondered what he had in mind. He’d always been demanding, but he’d always held back. She got the impression those days were long in the past. She’d unleashed the stalking beast that lived inside all Elect males.
His hands moved to her ass, squeezing before spreading her, and she held her breath as he lowered his gaze, dark and avaricious, to the small hole he’d revealed. She could feel the slick cream he’d already drawn forth sliding down. Using one hand to hold her open, he dipped a finger into her pussy again, then used it to circle her asshole. He pushed in slow, gentle, and she couldn’t hold back a whimper. They’d tried this once, but she’d been too afraid of the anticipated pain to relax. Now, though, watching as he carefully thrust in and out of her rear entrance with one finger, she only felt excitement. He gave her that smile again and, keeping his finger in place, resettled on his elbow between her legs, mouth lowering to her pussy.
He used his tongue on her clit, alternating between fast and slow licks, as he worked up the speed of his thrusts in her ass. It felt too damned good and this time when she felt an orgasm building, he didn’t hold it back. He bit down on her clit at just the right moment and sensation, bright and piercing, swept through her. Then he was looming over her, hands braced on either side of her head, waiting until it was over. When she could focus on him, he nodded and his cock pushed against her pussy. His entrance was slow and measured, and she could tell that cost him. His jaw was clenched tight, his body tense and shaking against hers. He was fighting for control. She didn’t want him to have any. It was a thought she was sure to share with him through their bond.
“You don’t have any idea what you’re asking for,” he whispered.
“I’m not the girl you remember. I won’t break.”
He shook his head, thrusting slowly, almost experimentally. “I won’t take that chance.”
“Same old Zach thinking he knows what I need or can handle and I don’t know anything.”
He’d left enough give in the knots around her ankles that she was able to slip free. He didn’t show any surprise when she wrapped her legs around his hips. She wanted a long, hard ride, another thought she shared and one that made him groan and lower his face to the crook between her shoulder and neck. He nipped at her.
“If anything hurts, I’ll tell you,” she promised him.
He gave an incredulous half-laugh. “You think that would stop me?”
“I know you won’t hurt me, Zach,” she said. Not like this, at any rate. “But if you don’t fuck me now, I might singe off your eyebrows.”
With those words, she finally broke the chains of his control. He thrust into her hard and growled in her ear. “Try it, baby. It’s been a long time since I made your ass rosy with handprints.”
That brought a fresh wave of heat and moisture to her pussy and he thrust harder, in uneven strokes. Fast then slow, smooth then rough. It was glorious. She didn’t even try to control the pleasure flooding her. Made no attempt to hold back the orgasm that barreled through her. And still he fucked her with wild abandon.
“One more time, baby.” His whisper was guttural. “Come with me this time.”
Then he moved his hand to rub his thumb over her clit while angling his hips so that each thrust hit her G-spot. She came with a loud keening cry that would embarrass her if she had any thought for decorum left. Seconds later, he tensed over her and roared. She felt his hot release deep inside her and smiled, satisfied, as she slipped into sleep.
Chapter Five
She woke with an arm wrapped around her waist and a muscular leg wedged between her thighs. His chest was warm and hard against her back. The heat was enticing. It was so tempting to snuggle back and return to sleep. Thankfully, that longing jolted her back to reality. She wiggled free and stood at the side of the bed, staring down at Zach with dismay. What had she done? She’d never get rid of him now, and eventually the past would repeat itself. Even ignoring his offer to compromise—and she was damned curious about that—she was pretty sure she’d do something he didn’t approve of or blame her for something she had no control over. Then he’d push her out of his life again.
But what if he was serious? What if he really meant he wanted to work things out? Accept her as she really was? What if… No. She wouldn’t let herself believe in the possibility. Too much had happened, too much had gone wrong. She needed to protect her heart. Whatever tattered dreams might be left were best buried. The sooner she found the information Brax needed, the sooner she could rid herself of Zach once and for all.
She retrieved a set of clean scrubs from the closet, turned off the alarm clock before it could blare and headed to the downstairs shower. She was dressed and ready to leave in twenty minutes, but hesitated at the door, wondering if she should wake him first. The house was quiet. There wasn’t even a whisper of sound from her bedroom and she wondered how long it had been since he’d slept so deeply. She hadn’t missed the lines of strain around his eyes.
Scowling, cursing herself for worrying, she yanked the front door open. Why should she care about his physical well-being? The simple answer was she shouldn’t.
She phoned Mason from the car to let him know she was on her way. Then she cranked up the radio and tried not to think about Zach on the long drive. She was almost there when she glanced over at her phone on the passenger seat. She’d missed three calls and she had a good idea who they were from. A glance at the caller ID confirmed her suspicion, but instead of calling him back, she turned the phone off. She put it inside the center console as she pulled up to the guardhouse at the gate.
The guard checked her license against his clipboard, then lifted the bar and waved her through. She watched in her rearview mirror as it lowered behind her. The road to the hospital was heavily forested, but about half a mile later it opened up to a large parking lot in front of the building. She found the space number she’d been assigned, locked up and went in the front doors where she found an older man waiting for her.
“Ms. White. I’m Toby Evens. If you’ll follow me, we’ll get you started.”
“Of course.”
He held the door open and waited for her to enter first. It wasn’t anything close to what she’d expected. The entrance didn’t open into a sterile hospital lobby. It was large and open, with polished marble floors and thick ornate support columns. Chairs and sofas were grouped in small areas and there was a snack bar against the far wall. She followed Evens through the room to a door on the back wall where he swiped a white plastic card. The light on the mechanism flashed green and he pushed the door open.
He led her to a locker room first. The locker assigned to her was already labeled with her name. After he swung it open, he handed her a small plastic bin.
“Keys and jewelry go in here,” he said.
She lifted her hand to finger her necklace. “I can’t wear my cross?”
He shook his head. “Sorry. No personal items at all can pass this point.”
Now that was just strange. She dropped her keys in the bin, followed by the necklace. She imag
ined Mason swearing a blue streak back in his office. She didn’t even want to think about Zach’s reaction. She swung the locker door shut and turned back to Evens.
“What’s next?”
“This way.” He motioned her toward a door in the back of the room she hadn’t noticed. “We’ll get you set up with an ID and a keycard. And I’ll see if I can scare up a parking decal. We’re running low on them.”
An hour later she had an ID badge pinned to her shirt and a keycard in her pocket. He handed her over to a nurse who gave her the grand tour. Since she’d lost the cross with its mini-camera, she paid extra attention to the building’s security. After getting a handle on the layout, she went to her assigned floor and got to work. Several hours later she’d met her patients, studied their files and the floor routine. She knew when to administer meds, when lunch came and the daily rec room routine. When she finally clocked out, she felt relief weighing her down. She’d forgotten how exhausting even an average day on a hospital floor could be.
She turned her cell phone back on when she left. It rang immediately, Mason’s name filling the caller ID screen.
“I’m on the way,” she answered in lieu of hello.
“Okay. Did you get a good look around?”
“Yeah. I’ll fill you in when I get there.”
“Don’t waste time.” He lowered his voice. “And call your husband. He’s freaking out.”
She heard the man in question in the background. “Is that Mallory? Give me the phone.”
“Here he is,” Mason warned her.
“Are you all right, baby?”
She sighed. “Of course, I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because those people tried to kidnap Esme? They burned her house down and killed at least one man.” His voice rose at the end and she could hear his sharply indrawn breath. “You aren’t doing this anymore. I won’t let you.”
“Get over yourself, Zach. I don’t follow your orders.”
“Like hell you don’t,” he snapped.
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