“I don’t believe that,” I said. “I don’t believe you, Zander. I think you want more. You’re just afraid to admit it.”
His eyes went wide briefly before his confidence slipped over his expression like a mask.
“Admit what exactly?”
“Admit that you’re not this hard ass that you want everyone to believe you are. Admit that you might actually have real feelings for me.”
His jaw ticked before he quickly looked away and began to chuckle darkly.
“I have feelings for your pussy, angel. If that counts, then I’ll admit it all damn day long.”
More lies.
I refused to believe he was the guy he was portraying himself to be. Especially not after the night we had together. I had a feeling Zander had accidentally shown me his true self while being relaxed at the charity event with me tonight.
“That doesn’t work on me anymore, Zander. Trying to shock me with your words. I’m catching on, and I know exactly what you’re doing.”
“Why don’t you clue us both in then?”
“I will, but first, why don’t you tell me what you’ve done that’s so horrible.”
With that, he moved away as if he were done with our conversation.
I followed.
“What was it, Zander?”
My heels clicked across his expensive flooring as I followed behind him, intent on getting through to him.
“Leave it alone, Eden.”
“No!” I snapped, grabbing his arm and spinning him around to face me. “I want to know. Tell me what happened to make you such an asshole.”
He refused to make eye contact with me and instead turned his head to face the Vegas skyline outside his window.
“I’m not in the mood for your games.”
Games?
He wasn't serious!
If anyone in this situation was playing games, it was him.
“The only one playing games is you,” I said, telling him exactly what I was thinking. “Tell me what you did that I couldn’t possibly understand.”
“I don’t have time for this,” he said, turning as if he was going to walk away once more.
But I stopped him, digging my nails into the hard flesh of his arm. “Tell me!” I yelled.
And then he shocked me and made me jump as he growled, “I killed someone! Is that what you wanted to hear? How do you feel about me now, angel? Knowing I murdered someone and yet I still find a way to sleep with myself at night. How do you feel knowing my tainted, murderous hands have touched your perfect body?”
I stepped back, my mouth open in surprise.
I hadn’t expected that.
Did he kill someone?
No.
I refused to believe it.
Sure, Zander had an underlying sense of danger about him, but I always thought that was just the persona he put forth.
Dangerous Vegas casino owner.
A man with the plan.
“What’s wrong, angel? Can’t handle the truth?”
His face was stern.
His eyes hard and glittering back at me.
“Stop it,” I said, taking yet another step away from him.
“You started this,” he continued. “How does it feel knowing my fingers have made you come? These hands,” he said, holding his hands up in my face. “The same hands that pleasured you, took someone’s life? And you begged for more, too. What’s that say about you?”
He pushed and pushed until finally, I snapped.
“I hate you!”
He moved closer, snatching me by the arm and pulling me into his chest.
“No, you want me, and you hate yourself because of it.”
Then his lips crushed mine, and instead of pushing away as I should have, I opened for him.
Tasting him.
Breathing him in.
Memorizing his lips on mine and the flavor of all that he was.
His finger dipped into the top of my dress and across my hardened nipple, and I hissed as the pleasure struck me between my thighs.
He pulled away, and his eyes stayed on my face, watching my expressions as he enjoyed my reaction to his touch.
“I’ve been inside you,” he said.
I nibbled my lip to hold back the moan when he brushed my nipple once again.
“And?”
“And I want to be inside you again.”
I should have stopped him.
With everything going on at the moment. The staff at Empire Sevens and their rude attitudes. Aunt Kennedy being gone. All of my worries over Allen. And now him admitting that he was a murderer. Sex should have been the last thing on my mind.
It wasn’t.
It was the first.
The list of all the reasons I should stop him could go on forever, but it didn’t matter because the last thing I wanted was for him to stop. I wanted Zander Hale.
What could giving in to temptation once more really do?
I was already going to hell.
I was already caught up over him, and I knew in the back of my head that he would never be the things I wanted him to be.
Why not take advantage and enjoy him and the things he could do to my body while I had the chance?
I nodded, tilting my head to the side to give him my neck.
“Okay.”
The word bounced from my lips, and for once I didn’t want to take it back. He moaned against my flesh, and I melted for him.
12
ZANDER
WHAT THE FUCK was I doing?
For the first time in my life, I was clueless about how to proceed. When it came to Eden, my wires were crossed.
I told her about the murder. I didn’t give her details like I had Dr. Dempson, but just the fact that I had told her was enormous.
What did it mean?
Trust.
It meant I trusted Eden, which made sense since I was an excellent judge of character. When it came to Eden, she was perfection.
Kind.
Non-judgmental.
And she cared about people.
She would keep my secret, of that I was sure.
Her fingers sifted through the hair at the back of my neck, and I shivered. Only for her would I do such a thing because the fact was, I wanted Eden. Of that I was positive. If I was never sure about another thing for the rest of my life, I was sure of her.
“Don’t stop,” she whispered when my lips skimmed her delicate collarbones.
Earlier in the night, when I first picked her up for the event, she had taken my breath away. The moment she opened the door, and I saw her standing there in the most beautiful dress that had ever been made, I could do nothing but stand there and stare.
Thankfully, I was able to get it together quick enough that she hadn’t noticed how completely shook I was, but without realizing I was doing it, I’d spent the night treating her like the delicious treat she was.
I wanted her to know she was beautiful when it had never mattered to me before if a woman knew I was attracted to her. My mouth had opened, and sweet words I’d never spoken before had spilled out.
At one point during the night, I considered taking her home and staying away, but once the champagne had glazed her eyes and she began giving me a look that all men knew well, I knew there was no way I could take her back to Kennedy’s condo.
I wanted her with me for the rest of the night, which made me feel even more out of my mind. I’d never had sex in my bed. I’d never even considered bringing a woman back to my place, and yet, there Eden was in my arms, moaning about how good my lips and hands felt all over her body.
I kissed every exposed inch of her skin, letting my tongue trace the neckline of her dress. Her flavor filled my mouth, a mixture of sweetness and something uniquely her. I pulled her closer, unable to get close enough and she sighed when I tugged down the top of her dress and captured a perfectly pink nipple between my teeth.
“Zander,” she whispered my name as her fingers dove deeper into
my hair.
She held my face close to her body, obviously enjoying my mouth on her skin.
My cock throbbed inside my pants, begging me to make it quick, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to savor every second with her in my arms.
Tasting her.
Feeling her.
Breathing her in.
“Fuck, angel, what are you doing to me?”
It was a good question. From the moment she stepped foot into Empire Sevens I was changing. I didn’t even know myself anymore.
Before she could respond, I captured her lips with mine and kissed her hard. Her sweet sounds of pleasure rushed into my mouth, and I decided I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to have her.
Reaching down, I tugged her dress up before filling my palms with her ass and lifting her. She wrapped her legs around my hips, and her shoes fell from her feet dropping to the floor.
With my mouth still on hers, I walked us through my place, taking her to my bed. It would be a first, but I was doing a lot of things for the first time when it came to Eden.
Once we were in my room, I set her on her feet and released her lips. She looked up at me with bright eyes lost in the moment and unsure of what to do next.
“I love this dress,” I said, fingering the crystals along her neckline. “It looks beautiful on you, but I need to see you naked. Take it off.”
She obeyed, reaching behind her back and slowly unzipping the dress. Her eyes stayed glued to mine as the sound of the zipper filled the silence between us.
She needed to know what was coming her way and it was my job to prepare her.
“I’m going to fuck you so hard, angel. Are you ready for that?”
Her throat worked up and down as she swallowed hard and then she nodded, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip and driving me fucking crazy.
“Say it,” I demanded. “I need to know you’re ready for what’s about to happen.”
She breathed out a hard breath that filled the space between us. And then she said, “I want it. Whatever you want to give me. I’ll take it.”
I lost it.
Turning her, I tugged the zipper the rest of the way down and let the dress pool around her feet.
I captured the lobe of her ear and tugged a bit, making her gasp. Then I said, “I want you face down on the bed.”
Turning her head to the side, she took me in before nodding. Then she crawled onto my bed in only a pair of white thongs, and I knew at that moment that I’d never seen anything more beautiful than Eden almost naked in my bed waiting for me.
Quickly, I unbuttoned my shirt and pulled it from my body. I kicked my shoes off as I unbuttoned and unzipped my pants. Once I was completely naked, I climbed into bed behind her, leaning over her and feeling her ass and hips push into me when I settled my lips over the back of her neck.
“Oh my god,” I heard her whisper when I slowly began to lick my way down her spine.
Nothing else mattered at that moment. There was only Eden. I knew when the morning came I would have to answer for a lot.
The murder.
The words I’d spoken during the night.
I would have to lie and push her away, but at that moment, I was pulling her into me.
Grabbing handfuls of her hips, I tugged up, bringing her perfect ass into the air. Her fingers gripped at my bedding, and she pushed her face deeper into the sheets.
The delicate, virginal white silk between the plump globes of her ass was perfect, which meant there was no way I was going to remove her panties from her body, but that didn’t stop me from reaching between her thighs and pulling the fabric to the side.
She was shaved, the pink flesh of her pussy glistening in the Vegas lights that shone through the windows of my bedroom. Without thinking, I leaned down and ran my tongue through her glistening slit, lapping up her flavor before sucking her tiny clit between my lips.
She called out, lifting onto her arms before reaching back with her left arm and losing her fingers into my hair.
“Oh, you like that?” I asked.
Obviously, she did, but when Eden was vocal about the things she wanted it was a major turn on.
She nodded, looking back at me and biting on her lip. “God, yes.”
I leaned in once more, feasting on her until her legs began to shake and she was moaning and begging me to make her come.
Then she came hard. Her flow of sweetness spilling from her tight slit and rushing over my tongue. I was done for. I couldn’t wait any longer.
Moving my hips up behind hers, I ran a single hand up the length of her spine until my fingers were lost in her long, blond tresses. I tugged, bringing her head back as I swiftly entered her from behind.
Her tight pussy welcomed me, sucking me in deeper and closing in around my length and squeezing.
“Fuck,” I muttered, deciding she had never felt so good.
Not even during our first time when she had been at her tightest.
“Zander,” she begged. “Please.”
I worked my wrist, gathering her long hair around it before pulling her back until her back was touching my chest. Again, I captured her earlobe in my teeth and tugged.
“Please what, Angel? Tell me what you want, and it’s yours.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them.
What if she asked me to make love to her?
I wouldn’t do it.
Or would I?
I wasn’t sure I could deny her anything, which was scary because if she asked for my heart, what would I do?
Thankfully, she surprised me when she said, “Fuck me, Zander. Hard.”
Wrapping my free hand around her hip, I tugged her body into mine, filling her soaked passage deeper with my hard cock, and then I obliged, fucking her with all the stamina and strength I had until we both collapsed onto my sheets and drifted off to sleep two hours later.
I WOKE AN HOUR later with Eden nestled against my side. Her leg was lying over my naked hips, and her arm was lying across my chest.
She slept deeply, her tiny snores filling the space under my neck where she had tucked her face. Her breaths rushed over my neck and ear, making my cock instantly harden, but just as I was about to flip her over and have my way with her again, a thought occurred to me.
I was snuggling.
It was like a bucket of ice water was dropped on me. My cock softened, and I sucked in a shocked breath, filling my lungs with the cold air of my bedroom until they burned.
Quickly, but without waking her, I slid from beneath her and jumped out of my bed. Bending, I reached for my boxers and pulled them onto my body.
It was then that I chanced a look down at my bed. And what I saw slammed into me like a freight train.
Eden belonged in my bed.
She turned onto her stomach, kicking her knee out to her side as she captured my pillow into her arms and snuggled her head into its softness.
She claimed my bed and everything in it like the queen that she was, and that realization scared me more than the morning I woke up to find a dead woman at my side.
It was terrifying because if I was honest with myself, I wanted her there at that moment. I wanted her there every night. I liked Eden in my bed.
I wanted to feel her every night.
To enjoy each other’s bodies.
To fall asleep in each other’s arms.
I wanted to lie awake at night and watch her sleep. I wanted to watch over her—keep her safe—keep her with me.
I backed away from my bed with wide eyes, covering the part of my chest where my heart was beating entirely too fast behind my palm. And then I did something I hadn’t done since I was a young kid on the mean streets of Las Vegas.
I ran.
13
EDEN
I WOKE THE NEXT MORNING naked and alone in Zander’s bed. My body ached, my muscles sore from the fantastic workout from the night before. Zander had made good on his promise, pleasuring me so much I forgot how many tim
es I touched the sky. I ended up passing out at his side, feeling happier than I had in my entire life.
The fact was, I was in love with Zander.
The realization moved over me like a cold tidal wave, and I gasped for my breath suddenly feeling like I was drowning. I sat up quickly, pulling the sheet to my chest and taking in the luxurious room around me to make sure I was indeed alone.
His bedroom was unreal. The night before it had been dark and I hadn’t gotten a good look at the place, but it was just as magnificent as the man himself.
Rich with emerald greens that matched his eyes and gold accessories, and a window that covered two sides of the room, letting me know we were at the top corner of the Empire Sevens building.
Throwing back the covers, I swung my legs over the side of his massive bed and stood. After realizing my dress was nowhere to be found, I snatched the shirt Zander had worn the night before from the floor and pulled it on. I buttoned it quickly, taking in the smell of his rich cologne as I did so.
I found the master bathroom easily and moved around to freshen up before I left the bedroom to find Zander. I smiled to myself when I noticed the toothbrush that was apparently left out for me, but then I rolled my eyes when I saw that it was pink.
After brushing my teeth, I washed my face and pulled my hair into a messy bun on top of my head. Once I felt like a living being again, I left the room in search of Zander.
He was easy to find, standing in the living room in a pair of jeans and nothing else. The muscles on his back begged to be touched. So as I moved up behind him, I let my palms run up over his smooth back, the heat from his body making my cool fingertips tingle.
He twitched when he felt my hands on his back, letting me know I’d surprised him.
“Are you always up this early?” I purred, continuing my exploration of his gorgeous body.
“Yes. Most mornings I’m up before the sun.”
“So, you’re a morning person.” I leaned into his heat, loving the feel of his hard back against my soft breasts.
He cleared his throat, and his body stiffened once again.
“I’m not a night person.”
Instantly, I knew he was talking about what he had confessed the night before. I hadn’t thought about it since he confessed he had killed someone because I’d been too busy enjoying Zander, but suddenly the memories of his confession slammed into me.
Virtue & Vengeance Page 8