The Strand Brothers Series: Complete Set

by Lora Ann

  I eased away from his body, swallowing down the whimper that tried to escape. Somehow, someway, I had to fight the attraction to this man. A feat that would be nothing less than a miracle. You still have to try. Yeah, yeah, I will. E pulled me from my internal dialogue. “Are you all right?”

  I attempted a smile. “Sure.”

  He cupped my chin and warned, “I don’t tolerate lying, Lacey.”

  I tamped down my ire at his rebuke, for I knew I had fabricated. “I meant no disrespect.” I snorted, “Here you are willing to help me, and I…”

  “Hey. Stop that.”

  “What?”

  “Don’t you dare start with the guilt.” He sternly continued, “I won’t listen to it, or, let you beat yourself up.” His demeanor softened. “I really want to know how you feel and what you think. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t ask. Okay?”

  “I’m not fine,” I confessed. “I haven’t been for a while.”

  All of a sudden, I was in his lap. Against my ear he whispered, “You’re not alone.”

  I sighed heavily and leaned into his warmth. More than I wanted to admit, I needed him. After a few minutes, I affirmed, “I can’t fail. Keeley needs help.”

  “You won’t,” he confidently replied. “And we’ll get her into the best rehab facility money can buy.”

  Shocked, I looked up at him. “How? I don’t have that kind of money.”

  He grinned, “But I do.”

  My eyebrows furrowed as I contemplated those three little words “but I do.” I inquired, “Really?”

  “Probably more than my obscenely wealthy brother Nik,” he chuckled.

  “Oh.” I didn’t know what else to say. Yes, of course, I knew of Nik Strand. You would have to be dead not to recognize that name. And if I took a closer look, I could see the family resemblance. Judging by his clothes, the décor of this place, along with the location of his clubs, yes, he had capital. Nevertheless, I had no idea how much. Let’s face it; it was a rude question to ask someone. Especially a man I hardly knew. Even if my body lit up every time he was remotely close by, he was still a stranger. Well, maybe after the kiss we’d shared it was safe to say he was an acquaintance. One I desired with every fiber of my being. Oh, boy. I had to put a little space between us. Slowly, I eased off his lap but remained seated next to him. “The nightclub business pays well?”

  This time he threw his head back and laughed, hard. Wow, he was so handsome my eyes hurt watching him. After a few moments, he regained composure. “You really don’t know who I am, do you?”

  “No, I guess I don’t.” I bit my lip in consternation.

  He tucked a loose tendril of my hair behind my ear. “You’re so damn refreshing.”

  What was I supposed to say to that?! He continued, “Do you know exactly what it is I do for a living?”

  I shrugged. “Somehow, I don’t think so.”

  He leaned in and spoke directly in my ear. “Sweetness, I’m a well-known Dom whom teaches others the art of BDSM.”

  My eyes widened as my heart began a staccato in my chest. Holy crap. I may be a little sheltered, but I’d heard of what a Dominant was. I was also aware of the meaning behind BDSM, though I couldn’t wrap my brain around this man hurting any woman/submissive. “You like to induce pain?”

  “Fuck no.” He shook his head for emphasis.

  My brow arched, “Then, I’m not sure I understand.”

  “I like control of myself and others. But, no, I don’t beat up women, or get off on it.”

  “So, you like to restrain women you have sex with?”

  “Sometimes,” he declared.

  I had to admit, that sounded hot. “Do you spank?”

  Now his grin was pure sin. “Yes, sometimes. If we both want it or if it’s necessary.”

  My mouth was suddenly very dry. I swallowed before I queried, “What if she doesn’t want it?”

  “If that’s her hard limit, then neither do I,” he stated simply.

  That gave me courage. “Do you punish?”

  “Depends on the situation,” he acknowledged.

  As I squirmed, my panties became wetter. I should be scared to death of this man, but I wasn’t. No, my traitorous body was begging for him to take me. I took a greedy drink from the glass on the table and then fought the urge to spit it out. The fiery liquid traveled down my throat while I began to sputter. E reached over and firmly patted my back. “Not much of a drinker, are you?” He handed me some water, which I gladly drank the whole bottle. Once I finished, I answered, “Not really. An occasional glass of wine, but that’s it. What was that?” I indicated with my head towards the offensive liquid.

  “Vodka with a twist of lemon,” he responded.

  “Remind me to never assume I know what’s in your glass again.”

  He smirked, “Deal.”

  Before we could say anything more, we were interrupted by the manager. I immediately stood up, but E grabbed my hand. I smiled at him and politely excused myself. In about fifteen minutes, I would be dancing again. Besides, I needed a moment to clear my head.

  *****

  Once I was enclosed in the dressing room, I went to the sink to splash some cold water over my heated flesh. The man made my skin dance for more of his touch. My mouth yearned to have his tongue explore. And my lady parts tingled with electricity to have him buried deep inside. Goodness, I wouldn’t survive any more one-on-one time with Even Strand. Then again, I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep this platonic façade in place. Perhaps, it would be best if I searched for Keeley on my own. There was knowledge deep inside of me that if I were left alone with E for any length of time, it would lead me to dark and dangerous places. One part of me shied away from it, while the other, welcomed it. For now, the former had to have the reins. I couldn’t let myself fall in love with him. Sex did not mean love. But, if I were honest, I already had feelings towards the man. Add a physical relationship, and I was a goner. Can’t happen. I know, yet I would be a liar if I didn’t confess, I wanted to explore the possibilities. Unwise, still…Time to pull it together and get my head out of the clouds. I had a sister to find, pronto. My mind was made up. I would hit the strip clubs known for prostitution without E’s help. Though it was for the best, a part of me was saddened by the fact: I was once again on my own. Lord, I’m not sure how much longer I can do this by myself, but I promised to not give up until I found Keeley. Please, give me strength.

  Later, I would realize I should have prayed for protection.

  With every effort, I managed to avoid E for the rest of my shift. Not an easy task, mind you. I crawled into bed that night with a phone book and a pen, circling the locations I needed to scout out. If I played my cards right, I would be able to investigate a couple of them before my shift started tomorrow. Sleep finally prevailed, but I didn’t rest well. Some instinct told me Keeley was in serious danger—nothing new there.

  *****

  The next day brought more trouble than I had bargained. My inquiry at the first place on the list turned up zilch. So I made my way to the second place before my shift began. Big mistake! The place was downright nasty, and my heart broke for the women that felt they had to work at a dive such as this. First error I made. They neither wanted my empathy nor did they appreciate my presence. For whatever reason, I was a threat. One they planned to extinguish quickly until the manager thought I would bring in more money.

  Hind sight: I never should have tried to do this on my own.

  As I was being bitch slapped by one of the strippers, the creep manager had his hands all over my body. “Shut up,” he growled as he copped a feel. “Nice. These are real.” His gaze became lascivious as his slimy tongue ran along my neck.

  Another woman chimed in, “Don’t hog her, Charles. Let me see.” With that, my t-shirt was torn from my body while Charles’s putrid breath almost made me vomit.

  I fought as hard as I could when some other man entered the dank hallway. At first, I thought he would save me. He did from the ho
rror that was taking place then and there. But it didn’t take long for me to recognize I had just gone from the proverbial frying pan into the fire. When I entered the room of men, I knew that was it. I wouldn’t leave this place innocent, and, odds were, I would be violated more than once. The terrifying man announced, “This, gentlemen, is what I was talking about.”

  One by one the men circled me as I tried in vain to cover my bra clad breasts. I lost count of how many were there. The room began to spin from the exertion of fighting a few minutes ago, along with the knowledge of what I had walked in to. Dear God, I could use your help right about now. These men thought I was for sale, and they planned on sampling the goods. I couldn’t very well proclaim my virginity. That would cause a frenzy—visions of shark infested waters baited with chum filled my mind—each one wanting to be the first to take me. Instead, survival instinct kicked in and I began to flirt and touch back. “Hey, now, I can’t very well be with you all.” My fingers trailed along the chest of the least scary man in the room.

  He trapped my hand and asked, “How much?”

  I coyly replied, “How much you got?”

  “Oooh, I like that,” he huskily answered.

  I brushed my lips against his cheek. “You’ll like every moment. I promise.”

  All of a sudden, a firm arm wrapped around my waist and yanked me against a hard body. Uh-oh, this guy felt familiar. Then to confirm my suspicion a deep voice whispered, “Follow my lead, sweetness.”

  Even. How did he know where I was? At the moment, I couldn’t think about that. I pushed back against him so my rear nestled against his crotch. In my ear he purred, “Minx.” He then addressed the other men, “She. Is. Mine.”

  The man I had been cozying up to stated, “I had dibs.”

  “I’ll pay you for your trouble,” E countered. “But… I will not share her.”

  He began to argue when the other man that I had originally brought me in here acknowledged, “Let it go. No bitch is worth it.”

  E growled low in his throat before he warned, “No one else is touching her. Ever,” he added between gritted teeth.

  The man in charge turned and answered, “Bring her to my office. We’ll discuss.”

  That didn’t go over well. Suddenly, I was jerked behind E’s body as a fight broke out. He was amazing to watch in action. I had to wonder if he had ever been in the UFC like his brother. It all came to abrupt end when the police showed up. The disgusting men scattered like cockroaches did when you turned on a light. I would’ve laughed if I hadn’t been handcuffed and led away. I knew it was best not to give any information while others could overhear. For the best interest of myself and E, I would wait until we were questioned privately at the police department. How I knew that, I still didn’t know. However, it did prove to be a very wise decision. E gave me an approving inclination of his head as they shoved him into a neighboring patrol car. As the officer pulled away, I looked out the window and noticed the man that had dragged me into the room making his escape down the alley. I had a feeling it wouldn’t be the last time I saw him. Cold chills of foreboding traveled up and down my spine. I had only just begun searching the slimier establishments for Keeley, and already, I was being detained. No, I had not seen this coming when I woke up that day. I had to wonder if E had known where his day would lead.

  Chapter Six

  E

  Of all the stupid-ass moves I had witnessed in my lifetime, this one beat them all—hands down. What the hell had Lacey been thinking when she walked into a strip club known for prostitution? Unprotected, no less! I was so damn pissed off at her. Surprised I didn’t breathe fire as I answered the officer’s questions. She had been within a hairsbreadth from being gang raped. Did she realize that? Probably not. The woman was to fucking innocent to be around scum like that—a virgin about to be sacrificed. Dammit! The visual of what could’ve happened if I hadn’t walked in when I did would haunt me for some time. More like forever. After hours of interrogation, we were finally released.

  Lacey began to walk towards the bus stop when I grabbed her arm firmly and hauled her to a waiting Range Rover. She looked up at me in shock. “What are you doing?”

  “Shut up and get in,” I growled.

  In a mood like I was in, I had seen grown men nearly piss their pants. This woman stepped closer and spat out, “Don’t order me around.”

  “Are you shittin’ me? After the stunt you just pulled, I should take you over my knee and paddle your sweet ass. Now, do as I say,” I demanded.

  Her eyes widened. “You wouldn’t actually do that, would you?”

  “Sweetness.” I barked out a humorless laugh. “The only reason I won’t is because you aren’t mine. But mark my words; I won’t hesitate whether or not you are mine if you ever do something that irresponsible again.”

  “I thought I could handle it.” She took a step backwards as her lip began to tremble.

  “Ha! You thought wrong,” I pointed out.

  That was when she climbed into the SUV of her own accord, but she wouldn’t look at me. I gave my driver the go ahead to take us back to my place. I’d be damned if she spent the night away from me. Part of me didn’t trust her. The other, wanted to ensure her safety at all costs. Unsure of which one was stronger, I inquired, “Are you hungry?”

  She shook her head, still refusing to turn towards me. Hell no. I leaned over and gently cupped her chin, bringing her face to mine. I was surprised to discover her eyes were bright red, tears still flowing. That particular sight did something to me. Filled with a need to comfort, I undid my seatbelt and hers. I pulled her onto my lap and offered, “My shoulder is right here. Go ahead and let it all out.”

  She buried her face against my neck and did just that. After a few more minutes, she pulled back as she wiped her eyes. “I didn’t know,” she admitted. “I never would’ve gone there if I had.”

  Tenderly, I stroked her cheek. “I figured that out after I railed at you. I’m—”

  “You were right,” she interrupted before I could finish apologizing. Something I didn’t normally do. She continued, “It was beyond stupid. If it weren’t for you…Well, we both know what would’ve happened.”

  I wasn’t fully convinced she did comprehend what those assholes were about to do. Even though I didn’t want to give her nightmares, she needed to know at least some of it. “Those men didn’t just plan to gang rape you, Lacey. They were pimps. You would’ve gone to the highest bidder.” Her head bowed. I reached underneath and gently lifted her chin, so our eyes met. “Promise me, never again.”

  She attempted a nod. Not good enough. “Say the words,” I commanded.

  I watched the tip of her pink tongue as it ran along her lips, before she answered, “Never again will I go to such a place without you.”

  “And?” I persuaded.

  She swallowed and replied, “I promise.”

  “Good,” I acknowledged, before I leaned forward and brushed my lips against hers. Damn, she was so sweet. I knew I needed to stop, but then she opened to me on a moan. My resistance snapped as I devoured her mouth with mine, staking a claim I didn’t want. Yet, there was no denying that was exactly what I had just done. Mine, a feral part of me growled as I continued to take without apology. She was the first to pull away. Her breath staggered as she confessed, “I want you.”

  “You should stay away from me,” I growled.

  “I know. But I need your help to find Keeley.”

  I closed my eyes to break the connection between us. As if that were even possible. The fire continued to blaze between our bodies, so I eased her off my lap. After I redid our seatbelts, I spoke, “You have my word. I’ll help you.”

  Before I could finish, she professed, “But that can’t happen again. We can only be friends.”

  “Right.” I smiled self-deprecatingly. “No matter how much I want to fuck you.”

  She took in sharp breath as her eyes darkened with desire. I could’ve had her then and there. I knew it
. She knew it. But that would only complicate things. So I held out my hand to shake hers. Once she placed her hand in mine, I declared, “I won’t act on my desires.”

  In deep concentration she bit her lip, and then answered, “Agreed.”

  How the hell I thought I would pull that off, I had no idea. Though I knew I had to try—for her sake, and mine.

  *****

  I led her into the penthouse and directed, “If you go down the hall, second door on your left, you’ll find a spare room with an en-suite bathroom. Feel free to freshen up.” I half-smiled. “I’ll go find us something to eat as soon as I take a shower, alright?”

  “Sure,” she said before walking towards the hallway.

  I shouldn’t have watched her beautiful ass sway, but I couldn’t help myself. The yearning for this woman was reaching a boiling point. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I could remain on the self-imposed leash much longer. Nonetheless, I knew I had to try for Lacey. I had made a promise and intended to keep it. Riiiight. Since when did I not take what I wanted, especially where a woman was concerned? Fuck. I needed a drink, or three. After downing a glass of Grey Goose, I strode into my bedroom and stripped. A shower would help clear my head more than the vodka could. I hoped. As I lathered my body, I heard an angel’s voice. I paused and listened to Lacey singing a sorrowful tune I couldn’t quite make out. If dancing hadn’t been her ambition, she would’ve made a great singer.