by Lily White
For the first time in a long time, I’m having fun on my own, remembering who I’d been before Grant broke me down.
Laughter bursts from my lips as my hips sway and my hand runs through my hair.
I can do this, I think. Be alone again. Be the kind of person who trusts herself enough to never let any person control her.
Smile stretching wider, I sway some more, taking a sloppy sip of my drink because I’ve already had too much and should probably dump the rest. But it’s too enjoyable, this moment, this freedom.
Ari was right about that as well. I’m truly free in moments when it’s just me and the music, the world fading off into a blur that carries no importance or meaning.
The lights of the city are a pulse against the window, flickering and flashing, the music pounding, my body moving in shadow where the lights don’t touch me.
When I spin as the chorus of the song repeats again, I open my eyes and stop in place, the rapid rate of my pulse beating like a drum in my throat.
Ari leans against the kitchen counter like a predator on the hunt. With his strong arms crossed over his chest, and one ankle crossed over the other, his grey eyes that see everything are locked on me with enough heat behind them to melt a glacier.
Dammit, I hate how he does that. Moves without me seeing him.
How long has he been standing there?
Dressed in his typical black on black, a t-shirt and jeans in a casual look I rarely see with him, Ari’s mouth is pulled into a smirk that promises pleasure and pain, his stare so focused on me that I can’t breathe.
The first thought in my head is to wonder how many times he’s stood just like that on nights when I had no idea who he was, watching me silently just like now.
A shiver runs down my body. Not because it scares me. But because of how much I like it.
So, I do what the old Adeline would have done...I dance to tease him, dance to seduce him, dance to lure him over like I used to do to guys in the clubs. I pretend I don’t see him, don’t want him, that I’m too good for him anyhow.
Setting my drink on a nearby table, I sway my hips and run my hands through my hair, my body moving in time with the fast tempo, my feet inching back until the cool surface of the window is against my back.
I shimmy against it, hips rolling, my ass pressed tight against the glass.
Ari doesn’t move from his spot in the shadow, he just keeps watching me with an unreadable expression on his face.
It’s insane how much this turns me on. I can feel his eyes everywhere, my body trapped by a focused grey stare that I can’t hide from.
Not that I want to.
Not anymore.
Not when I realize how this man loves the person I am and has fought to give her back to me.
The song ends and another begins. The Package by A Perfect Circle, another from an album that will always be my favorite. He must have the entire thing on this list, a part of me he’d stolen and kept safe until I was ready to take it back.
I stop dancing, the music and lyrics touching me deep inside, so perfect for the person staring at me now like the darkest of demons who’d protected me from all the others.
Ari truly is the devil.
In everything he does.
He moves suddenly, his powerful yet graceful stride eating the distance between us, his hands cupping my face as he leans down to claim my mouth with his, a violent, aggressive kiss that holds nothing back, a mess of teeth and lips and tongue.
I’m possessed by the hunger vibrating beneath his skin, Poor Little Adeline, a girl once lost until found by him.
A growl erupts in his chest just as my hands reach up to slide over the back of his neck.
He breaks the kiss, tugs my wrists to pull my arms down and spins me, my cheek and chest pressed to the glass as his lips run down the line of my neck, breath hot, hands forceful as he shoves my shorts and panties from my hips to let them slide down my legs.
Fingers skate up my stomach to palm my breast, and I kick the shorts off my feet as his mouth comes to my ear.
“Do you have any idea how many times I’ve watched you dance and wished I could fuck you right there in front of everybody? Just splay you open and force my body between your legs.”
I tremble at the deep tone of his voice, the rough edges. He pulls my shirt off me, shoving me against the glass once it’s free so that my breasts press against the cold surface of the glass.
“Keep dancing, Adeline. Tease me some more and see what happens. I’ll always take what’s mine, this body, your thoughts, every breath that fills your lungs belongs to me.”
I dance for him, my ass grinding against his hips, the hard line of his erection thick against me. Ari’s hands grip my waist to pull me tighter to him before he braces one against the glass above my head and uses the other to grab my wrist and slide my fingers down my body to guide them between my legs.
“You know what else I used to watch?”
My fingertips reach my clit, and he presses them down to circle the sensitive flesh.
“These fingers exploring every inch of the body I wanted, diving inside as you dreamed of the man who would one day own you.”
He pushes my fingers down farther until they slide inside, our skin slick with my arousal, his teeth nipping at my jaw.
“Such a dirty girl for never closing her curtains. It’s like you knew I was watching.”
I shudder against him, our fingers pumping together as the song fills the room, a driving beat, the singer’s voice harsh with lyrics that mimic the thoughts in Ari’s head, the words he whispers against my ear.
“What would you have done if I’d given in to the need to let myself inside your house and drive my cock inside you to replace your naughty fingers?”
He bites the sensitive part of my shoulder, and I tremble beneath it, soft moans crawling up my throat, the frenetic beat of the city beneath us an audience to the wicked way he plays my body.
“Why don’t we find out now?”
Ari turns me back to him, one hand gripping my ass to lift me up and press me against the window. My legs wrap around his waist as his mouth forces mine open, his other hand diving into my hair to yank at the dark strands.
I lift his shirt, my palms exploring his abdomen, sliding up his chest to grip over his shoulders as he releases my butt to undo his jeans and shove them off his hips.
The second he thrusts into me with the unspoken aggression of a man claiming a woman, my fingernails sink into his shoulders, a cry escaping my throat that he swallows, his hips moving to the hard beat of the song as my back slides against the cool glass.
I realize only I can do this to him.
Strip him of self-control.
Drive him to such a furious need that he acts on instinct to possess, to destroy, to devour.
Legs tight as an orgasm wrecks my body, I see stars. My inner muscles grip him, a low sound of masculine approval rising up his throat as he palms my breast and runs his teeth down to where my pulse beats frantically in my throat.
The instant I go slack after the orgasm ends, he chuckles against my skin. “Not yet, baby bird. I’m not nearly done with you.”
Ari pulls me away from the window and carries me to the couch to toss me down on the cushions on hands and knees. One hand grips my hip and pulls my ass back to him, his cock thrusting inside me again as he grips my hair and tugs my head back.
“Touch yourself, Adeline, just like when I used to watch.”
It’s haunting, the knowledge that he’s seen everything, but I do as he says, my fingers sliding down between my legs to circle my clit as he continues to own my body with such powerful force that I’m driven to that edge again, the thickness of his cock sliding against my fingers, another orgasm coming on so strong that I scream his name.
He leans over me as the shockwaves tear through. “That’s my girl. Always so fucking dirty.”
Eventually, it becomes too much for him as well, his cock driving in deeper, fas
ter, harder until he pulls out to come on my back, his fingers moving from my hip to rub it onto my skin, to mark me as his.
I collapse against the cushions, all my energy gone, but Ari picks me up to cradle me to his chest, grey eyes staring down at my face with adoration behind them.
Reaching up, I cup his cheek, feel the rough stubble against my palm.
“Thank you,” I say without thinking.
His brows tug together. “For what?”
“Taking care of me. For watching me like you have.”
Cruel lips tug into a cocky grin. “You’ve had too much to drink.”
I smile at that...at him. “Maybe.”
Shifting my weight, he carries me through the room. “Let’s get you cleaned up. I’m still not done.”
My head falls against his shoulder and I revel in the feeling of safety to be with him, but as we pass through his bedroom door on the way to the shower, the thoughts I’d chased away before come rushing back.
How long will I be able to hold on to this man?
What will happen when Grant is gone?
Why do I get the feeling that Ari plans on letting me go?
And when it happens, will I ever feel this safe again?
Adeline
I wake up the next morning to something very strange.
Ari is still lying next to me, his large body sprawled face down across the bed, the sheets tangled in his legs, his arms wrapped around the pillow beneath his head.
Blinking my eyes open, I push up on an elbow and run my gaze down the smooth expanse of his skin, my fingers curling with the need to explore the ridges of muscle in his shoulders and back, the bulge of his perfect, tight ass.
Outside, the sun is still a faint glow on the horizon, the city quiet in the early morning hours. Nerves woke me up, the idea of what I would do today eating at the lining of my stomach. The tension inside me is like a stretched rubber band ready to snap, but I fight to push it aside so I can enjoy this one peaceful moment.
He’s like a tempting buffet laid out beside me, every inch of him toned and lean. I’m surprised he’s so still, that he didn’t wake up the instant I moved next to him.
Maybe, for once, I found a moment when he isn’t watching. A moment when I get to observe him while he has no idea what I’m doing.
Reaching out, I almost touch his skin, but pull my hand back, afraid to wake him. My eyes drag down again, a wicked thought whispering in my head.
Payback is a bitch, and Ari deserves a taste of what he’s done.
Inching down as carefully as I can, I glance up at him to make sure he’s still asleep, a mischievous grin stretching my lips to see his eyes are closed, and he’s breathing deeply and evenly.
Leaning over, I open my mouth and bite down on the left cheek of his perfect ass, my lips closing on the skin to mark him like he’s marked me.
His hand locks in my hair immediately, my eyes lifting to find his staring down at me from the pillow, his brow cocked as he moves just enough to free his skin from my teeth.
The rough sound of his voice sends a shiver down my spine. “If you’re looking for something to put in your mouth, I’ll happily turn over.”
Eyes narrowing on him, I purse my lips. “I only thought it would be fair for us to have matching bruises.”
Ari grins, just the corner of it peeking up from the pillow against his face. “Am I allowed to choose which part of my body you bruise with your lips?”
“Dammit,” I say, laughing. “I should have known you’re awake. You’re always watching.”
His fingers untangle from my hair as he shifts to sit up against the headboard. “Only when it comes to you.”
Grey eyes slide to look at the window, the rising sun brightening his face. “Are you ready for this today? There will be a lot of cameras and reporters.” His gaze slides back to me. “Will you be able to handle it?”
There’s a heaviness on my shoulders and heart, my nerves spitting like live wires. “Are you sure you can’t go with me?”
He blinks, his thick lashes so dark against the light color of his eyes.
“I have something else I need to do. Lincoln will be with you. Plus, I can’t exactly introduce myself as Harrison Nash since he technically doesn’t exist.”
I hate it, but I nod my head. “I guess I should get ready. Lincoln said he’d be here first thing.”
Ari nods and breathes out, his eyes running an assessing gaze across my face. “Did you sleep okay last night?”
I always do when he’s next to me. My episodes still occur, my mind becoming conscious of my dreams, but the shadow is a physical presence now, no longer out of reach.
“Yes. I’m nervous, obviously, but I’m not exhausted. I’ll be fine today.”
Another nod. “There are a few bags on your bed. I bought some clothes and other things you’ll need to get ready.”
Of course he did. It’s just like him to think ahead. Ari is always a few steps in front of everybody else. Always ready with plans A, B and C, while the rest of us walk blindly into his traps.
Crawling from the bed, I leave his room and go to mine. By a few bags, he means ten, a sigh blowing over my lips as I look inside them one by one, my skin bristling as I find that not only has he found the perfect outfit for me to wear, he’s bought makeup in the exact brands and shades I’ve used through the years, the exact curling iron that had been my favorite, and an expensive perfume I’d wanted a year ago but wouldn’t allow myself to buy due to the price.
It shouldn’t surprise me. He knows everything, but what kind of man studies a woman so well that he can do something like this?
I laugh at the absurdity of it, especially when trying to imagine Ari inside a large cosmetics store, his dark presence moving through the aisles with his little pink hand basket, picking out lipstick in a shade called Sexy Vixen and powders actually light enough for my skin.
“You don’t need any of it. I hope you know that. I happen to think you’re most beautiful when your natural features shine through.”
I spin at his voice to find him leaning against the doorframe, his chest bare and his legs covered by a pair of black pajama pants. The sight is enough to make me drool, especially with his hair a disheveled mess around his face and a day’s worth of dark stubble peppering his strong jaw.
“How did you do this? It’s a bit creepy, Ari.”
Just a hint of a grin. “I never tell my secrets.”
“Well, I’ll need all of it if I’m going to piss off Grant. Hopefully, the asshole has a heart attack as soon as he sees the news reports. It’ll save you the job of having to kill him.”
With a tilt of his head, Ari’s eyes narrow. “Now why would you want to deprive me of something I’ve been looking forward to?”
I think I’m falling in love with him.
Or maybe I have already.
But it still sends a chill down my spine to hear him speak about murder so calmly.
He nudges his chin at the bags. “Get a shower and get ready. I’ll make some coffee and wait for Lincoln.”
Taking my time, because, let’s face it, I’m not in a rush to have reporters shouting at me and the police asking questions, I run through the usual drill of getting ready.
It almost feels foreign to do this, a month of isolation knocking me out of practice with curling my hair just right and applying my eye makeup.
Once that is done, I dig out the dress Ari bought for me, a simple, black strappy dress, professional yet cut in such a way that it will hug all my curves. There’s also a bra and underwear set, black silk and lace, as well as a pair of red-soled shoes that must have cost a fortune.
I’m in shock staring at myself after putting it on. If being a hired killer doesn’t work out for Ari, he can make a different kind of killing being a personal shopper.
Grant can eat his heart out when he sees me like this. Strong, proud, beautiful. Not a mark from where he hurt me, my eyes bright and focused. My lips curl at the thought o
f how pissed off he’ll be when he hears the story I have to tell the media.
When I walk into the living room, a low whistle sounds across the space. I turn to see Lincoln looking dapper in a pressed white shirt and black slacks, his brown eyes glimmering while Ari’s peek over at me from above the rim of the coffee mug he’s sipping from.
“Will this do?”
Lincoln’s gritty voice booms. “Damn, kid. I may have to bring a few weapons to keep you safe.”
Meanwhile, Ari sets his mug down on the counter with far too much care, his eyes running slowly down my body and up again. He clears his throat and shifts his posture.
“I think you look perfect. Your husband is about to learn exactly what he’s missing.”
It’s impossible not to squirm beneath his stare. “Let’s hope so. I’d like to get all of this over with as quickly as possible.”
Lincoln grumbles and checks his phone. “Guess that’s a good thing because it’s time to get moving.”
He heads for the elevator, and I take a step toward Ari, hesitant to walk out of his penthouse because it feels like I’ll never come back again.
“Will I see you after?”
He nods. “I’ll be at your house. Lincoln will bring you to me when you’re done.”
This is awkward. Are we at a point where we give goodbye hugs? Unsure what to do, I dither in place, finally breaking free of my hesitation to march over and wrap my arms around him.
Slowly, he wraps his around me, his cheek resting against my head when I bury my face against his neck.
“You’ll be fine, baby bird. Lincoln won’t let anything happen to you.”
Except that’s not what worries me. That’s not the reason for all the anxiety racing through me.
“You’ll be at my house?”
His arms tighten around me. “I won’t leave you unprotected.”
It’s not about that for me. I need him close. Need him where I can reach out and hold him any time I want. But I’m too nervous to tell him that, to be honest about how I feel.
Instead, I say nothing as I slip from his grasp, my eyes meeting his before I turn to follow Lincoln to the elevator. The second the doors close, tears sting my eyes and Lincoln wraps an arm around my shoulder to tug me against him.