“That was never my intention. I didn’t want to have feelings for her,” I admitted. “You know Audrey, though, if this is something she wants to do, she’s going to do it. All we can do is go along and hope for the best.”
“Why do I get the feeling you aren’t just going to go away when all of this is over?” Declan asked.
I fell silent. It was rare for me to find myself speechless, but I hadn’t really thought about the future. All I knew was that I wanted to be a part of Audrey’s life. There was no question in my mind that we had something together. I wanted to feel rage over sharing her, but it just wasn’t there. Declan and I were forced to be a part of an intricate relationship. I wanted there to be a compadre there.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen after all this, but I don’t think I can go back to the way things were before I met Audrey.”
“I was worried you were going to say something like that,” Declan muttered. “I can’t blame you for falling for her. Derek said there was something between you two. I guess I can see it now as well.”
“What happens after we catch this guy? Do you just disappear?”
“I’ve got other job offers in the states, some from DC even. Granted, all of this could blow up in our faces. Then none of us are going to be working in this country anymore.”
“Come on, you always seem so cocky and confident. Do you think that this stalker is going to leak anything?”
“Not if I can help it,” I said. “We will make it through this, but only if we work together. Shit is going to get rough. Can I count on you to keep your cool, and I will do the same?”
Declan nodded. “It’s not me that you have to worry about most of the time.”
“Yeah, I know,” I muttered. “Why do you think I left him and Audrey together? If anyone can soothe the beast, it will be her.”
“She’s always had a way of calming him down.”
“Damn, women do it to all of us if you ask me,” I grinned. “I guess it’s not a bad thing. You both seem about as headstrong as I am. For a single woman to be able to handle all that is quite a feat.”
“She’s quite the woman,” Declan added.
“You’re right on that,” I agreed.
When Declan’s phone rang, and he slipped off further along the path to take the call, I strolled in silence for a few minutes. My mind was spinning. Granted, Audrey seemed to keep me in a perpetual state of confusion. My feelings for her danced back and forth between my professional obligations. My personal desire was often conflicting when it came to Audrey.
I watched Declan as my own phone rang, and I quickly pulled it out. With no signal inside the sitting room, it didn’t come as a surprise that now my phone was blowing up. Even when I left it alone for a few minutes at night, the calls and emails would pile up. Usually, I would let them go to voicemail. Especially given my current company, I knew I had to take the call when I saw Molly's name. It was shocking how quickly my sister was able to work. She loved a good hunt.
“Tell me you have some good news,” I said. “This shit is getting worse by the second.”
“Don’t tell me you can't handle one little problem, brother,” Molly quipped.
“You have no idea what’s been going on. Did you find what we were looking for?” I asked.
“Of course, I did. I am the best, you know. You’re going to love all the juicy details. Are you ready?”
“Not right now,” I growled. “This line isn’t secure. Fax it to me at the hotel and get back here.”
“Really? You don’t want me to go ahead to DC and wait for you?”
“I don’t want you to do anything except exactly what you’re told. It doesn’t matter what you found. I am in the lead on this. Don’t talk to anyone, don’t contact anyone.”
“Wow, you really are taking the lead on this. Fine, I’ll be there tomorrow, but you are going to want to check that fax right away. It’s going to blow you away. I almost wish you’d just come meet me in DC now. This is going to be a fun time.”
“Molly,” I warned. “This is no time for games. Things have become more dire since you left. We are dealing with a number of problems. Please just get back here and don’t talk to anyone.”
“Sure thing, boss,” Molly hissed sarcastically. “I wouldn’t want to do anything to upset you. Tell me, how are those delicious Hartley brothers? Has Audrey gotten her legs wrapped around them yet?”
My mind darted to Audrey and Dakota, still alone in the room that was virtually impenetrable from the outside world. Despite my attempts not to let my sister's words get to me, my stomach lurched at the thought of them together. It wasn’t fair that I was outside trying to solve our problems. Knowing they were inside having a good time just added fuel to the fire.
“Are you there?” Molly asked. “Don’t tell me you’ve really fallen for that little brat. Are you trying to toss your career in the trash?”
“What I do in my personal life is none of your business. This job should be wrapped up before long, then you can find someone else to harass.”
“Awe, did I strike a nerve, little brother? I hate to break it to you, but just because we may or may not catch the stalker doesn’t mean our work is done. Unless you’re ready to admit that you’re in over your head?”
“Not a chance in hell,” I growled. “Are you going to come back or just stay on the phone and piss me off some more?”
“Well, I was having a good time with both.”
“Goodbye, Molly,” I said.
I ended the call before she could keep goading me. Looking around, I saw Declan starting to approach me. His phone call was completed as well. We slowly worked our way back to the house. I couldn’t believe that Molly had found the information we needed on the stalker. Audrey and I could go back to the hotel at any point, and I’d find out who was behind everything. There was a hesitation inside of me, though, knowing that it would change our plans for the evening.
“Any news?” Declan asked.
I shook my head. “We should know something by tomorrow. That was just Molly checking in. What about you? Everything on track with your brother’s campaigns?”
“Everything looks good. So far, no leaks have hit the press back in DC, so I’d say we are in the clear for now as long as we keep playing along with what he wants. Derek is doing everything possible to make sure he’s notified before the press if any of our friends get leaked information.”
“You guys are lucky to have each other,” I said. “It’s not always easy without a family you can count on.”
“It seems like you and Molly work well together,” Declan said.
“I wouldn’t trust her as far as I could throw her if we were just here for personal reasons. The only thing saving my ass is that my father let me take the lead on this project.”
“You’ve got a father you can count on to have your back, though, and that can go a long way. My father hasn’t spoken to me, and I’m just fine with that. I don’t trust him or my mother. They’ve only ever looked out for themselves.”
I shook my head. “People can really suck sometimes. Listen, we’ve got some time. Why don’t we have a drink in the kitchen before heading back to the others?”
“You want me to share a drink with my brother's nemesis?” Declan joked.
I laughed, “Let’s call it a temporary treaty, like during wartime Christmas.”
“I like the way you think, Klaus.”
“Better not let your brother hear you say that, or this treaty will burn to the ground,” I whispered.
Declan nodded, his sideways grin reassuring me that there was a friendship starting to build. I knew that I couldn’t sway Dakota as easily, but at least it was something. I’d take any little bit of copasetic trust that I could get from either Hartley. The more I thought about a future with Audrey, the more confident I was that my bond with the Hartleys would need to grow.
26
Dakota
Audrey looked as radiant as the first
time I’d seen the playful look in her eyes.
The others had left, giving us the time I wanted to be alone with her. We had half a dozen things that we needed to go over, but none of them mattered at that moment. My mind was trained on Audrey as she moved closer to me. Her arms wrapped around my neck. She stood on the tips of her toes to kiss the collar of my neck.
I lifted her off the ground, my arms curling around her. She barely weighed anything compared to my daily weight lifting regime. I opened her mouth with my tongue, probing deeper into her as she wove her fingers through my hair. I crushed her body closer to mine. The buttons of her pantsuits popped open against the strain, the sheer lace of her bra doing little to stop my searching fingers.
She wiggled against me, sliding down from where her legs had been wrapped around my waist until her toes barely touched the ground. I couldn’t stop the groan from slipping past my lips into her mouth as she let go of my hair and moved them down my body. I shuddered, a surge of desire moving through me as my member throbbed between us.
There was no telling how much time we had together, but I wasn’t going to stop her as she unzipped my pants and reached inside. I froze as she gripped my cock again, the heat of her hand shuttering my eyes as I let the pleasure wash over me. My fingers found the soft flesh of her nipples, pinching them as she whispered my name. Her right leg wrapped around me as she pressed her heat against my body.
Her eyes found mine, their playful glint alluding to the game to come. Audrey slipped to her knees, her mouth dropping open to take the tip of my cock between her plump lips. I groaned, a string of hushed curse words on my mouth as she licked the shaft. My abdomen tightened at the sensation of her tongue, making my toes curl. I couldn’t stop watching her as I ran my fingers through her hair, working her mouth against my shaft as she arched her back.
I knew she was enjoying herself. Audrey gripped my shaft with her hand, her nails running up and down the slick length. I wouldn’t last much longer with her watching me. The image of her greedy mouth lapping at me was more than I could handle. It had been too long since I’d felt the snug confines of her body. Grabbing her hair, I gently pulled her away from me, tugging her to her feet before clutching her wrists and lifting her off the ground.
She shuddered in my arms, wrapping her body around me again as she claimed my lips. I carried her to the couch, gently laying her down on the sofa before breaking away. Audrey looked at me with hungry eyes as she unhooked the clasp in the front of her bra. Her perfect breasts bound free, begging to be claimed by my teeth. I didn’t keep them waiting long. She gasped, whispering my name as she crushed my mouth against her nipples.
When she pleaded for me to take her, I couldn’t resist any longer. Breaking away from her perfect chest, I unbuttoned her pants and quickly tugged them off, leaving them in a heap on the ground. She looked exquisite, the lace thong she wore matching the bra and stilettos. If we’d had more time, I could have spent hours just kissing her body.
With the limited time that we had, I couldn't give her body nearly the attention that it deserved. She was exquisitely perfect. I slid my hand down her body, between her breasts to her taut stomach. Audrey watched my every move, my thumb slipping below her panties to rub her slick mound. Her legs parted, her mouth slipping open as her eyes closed. She was already soaking wet. My cock throbbed, pleading to be buried deep inside her core.
My thumb slipped lower, finding her slick entrance as I pressed my thumb into her body. Audrey’s back arched, my hips responding in kind to her desire as I positioned myself above her. Without warning, Audrey wrapped her legs around me, pulling me forward until she gasped at the girth of my cock thrust deep into her womb. My body throbbed, every nerve tingling as I slowly pulled away until only the tip remained.
Our bodies moved together, the rhythm building up to a steady tempo as her lips found mine. It had been too long. The tight depths of her body were making it impossible for me to last long. Audrey moaned, a whisper of my name on her lips. Her core tightened as a flurry of euphoria started to close in around me. Audrey whispered a plea for me to come with her, and it was all my body needed to fulfill her wish. The subtle command broke through the glass as the first waves of the orgasm rocked our bodies.
I held her tight, flipping her around until she was straddling me on the couch. The slow rhythm brought us back down to reality as I kissed every part of her exposed body that I could reach. She made me feel like a teen again, wild and passionate without a care in the world. Her body tightened around my cock once more as I pinched her nipple, a shudder rocking me as she milked my spent shaft with her womb. I didn’t care about time any longer. The entire town could be watching us, and it wouldn’t matter as long as I had her.
“The others will be back soon,” she whispered. “We should probably stop before then.”
“Let them come,” I growled.
Audrey giggled, pulling my mouth away from her breasts before clasping the bra back into place. She gave me a playful wink as she leaped up from my lap. The suddenness of her movement made me gasp as my stiff shaft quivered against the stark cold of the room.
“You and I both know that would do nothing but cause drama,” Audrey said. “But I’m still happy we got a few minutes to ourselves. I feel like we haven’t talked in weeks.”
“Well, you’ve been busy,” I said. “It’s not like I could pop over and see you like the good old days.”
She rolled her eyes. “Is that supposed to be a dig at how I’ve been spending my time? I haven’t been sitting around playing with myself. Every second of my day is planned out and scheduled for me.”
“Thanks to your friend. He seemed more than happy to jump on the bandwagon of having you put on a show for us.”
Audrey buttoned her pants, taking her place again on my lap as her hand moved down my shaft. It had started to go limp, but now it jumped back to attention. With the grace of a dancer, she slipped my member back into my pants and carefully zipped them again before running her fingers through my hair. I couldn’t resist her, wrapping her into my arms as I held her closer to me. I loved everything about her beyond question.
“You didn’t seem like you were opposed to the idea either, I noticed,” Audrey whispered. “As a matter of fact, I think you liked the idea of watching me undress. I might even give you a little extra something.”
I moaned, lifting her up with my hips as she giggled. My heart soared to see a rare moment of unbridled joy in Audrey’s eyes. The weight of the world rested on her so much that I often forgot just how much was asked of her. She was strong, and I loved her for it. It was so rare for her to let her guard down, but it was easy to understand why. Everyone watched her, even when the rest of the world slept.
“Aright,” I laughed. “You caught me. I’m not entirely opposed to the idea of you shaking that ass. I just wish that it wasn’t because some creep was demanding it.”
“You mean a different one?” Audrey grinned.
“Hey now, I can’t help it if I can’t keep my eyes off you. You are one good looking woman. It’s easy to see why Kylan couldn’t stay away.”
Audrey sighed. “You are determined to talk about this, aren’t you?”
“Can you blame me? It’s a little shocking, is all. I knew that I couldn’t claim you for my own, but I wasn’t expecting more competition than Declan.”
“Do you honestly still think that you are in competition with him?”
“Only for your time,” I assured her. “I don’t mind sharing your heart, it’s big enough to go around, but your time is a hot commodity.”
“Dakota, I wish that I could spend more time with both of you. I hate that we have been apart so long. There is nothing I want more in this world than to be with you and Declan.”
“What about Kylan?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I really like him, and there is an attraction, but I don’t know beyond that. I care about you, and I hate the idea of hurting you by having feelings for Kylan.”
My heart lurched. Audrey was willing to put her own feelings on hold to protect mine, yet another reason I was sure that she was an angel sent right down for me. I was a hard man to tolerate. My temper was short, and my time was limited. Yet Audrey took it in stride, giving me what she could. When we were together, though, I felt like I was the only man in the world, and she was meant for me.
I tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, running my thumb along her jaw as her eyes closed. She nestled her cheek in my hand. It was an innocent moment, the pure love in her smile, making my heart and stomach both jump. If Kylan made her happy for even a fraction of time, I had to support it because I loved her. That emotion came without conditions.
“Audrey, my love, I just want you to be happy. Kylan and I don’t have a good past, and I can’t promise you that I’m not going to give him a black eye before this trip is over, but I will do my best to play nice.”
“You are so wonderful. Kylan isn’t the same man that you used to know. Thank you for giving him a chance. It means a lot to me.”
“Well, I’m not making any promises,” I muttered. “Declan seems to think he’s a halfway decent man. So I guess I can play nice for a while.”
“They told me your charity work is going great. I’m so proud of you,” Audrey whispered. “You’ve done so much good in such a short time. You’re a good man.”
“Only because I have an amazing woman standing next to me, or in this case right now, sitting on top of me.”
She leaned forward, her lips finding mine again. I didn’t want the moment to end, but before I could tell her again just how much I cared, Declan and Kylan’s familiar voices appeared outside the door. Within seconds they were coming into the room as Audrey jumped off my lap, straightening her top as I fixed my tie. The two men froze when they saw our disheveled state.
I couldn’t help myself from shooting Kylan a knowing grin as his cheeks flushed red. He knew what I’d been doing to the woman he liked. Declan, on the other hand, wasn’t fazed at all. We’d established a good bond in our relationship with Audrey that didn’t extend to Kylan. Even if I’d promised Audrey I would play nice, I had no control over how Kylan felt about the situation. Where was the harm in a little smile?
Wicked Dynasty: The Untouchables | Book Two Page 16