by HELEN HARDT
“Even if it is legal, he obviously divorced her.”
“Did he?”
She stood. “This is completely ridiculous. I’m done here.”
“Sit, Mother.”
To my surprise, she sat.
“Don’t you think it’s odd,” I said, “that all four of your children are implicated in Dad’s murder but you, his ex-wife, are not?”
“I don’t find it odd at all,” she said. “I didn’t kill him.”
“Neither did I, and neither did Rock, Roy, or Riley.”
“Talk to Rock,” she said with a sly smile.
“We have. He told us everything, Mom. How he caught Dad in Riley’s room and tried to off him with a kitchen knife. How the two of you sent him away to Buffington Military School and how he had to keep from being molested himself.”
Mom kept her face rigid. Good. This got to her.
“Rock has an alibi. I figured it out. You conned him into continuing to pay you off by saying you’d go to the cops with your story of his youth. Too late. We’ve already been to the cops. They know everything, and so much has gone on in such a short time that Rock hasn’t even thought about rescinding his payments to you.”
“You’d see your mother starve?”
“Of course not. But I don’t think my mother needs to be paying for cunnilingus, either.”
“I didn’t pay—”
“Please.” I rolled my eyes. “Let’s not go there again.”
She harrumphed.
“Now, I want the truth. Tell me about Irene Lucent.”
“Reid, I honestly don’t know anything about her.”
“How about if I make it worth your while. A couple hundred mill in the bank, and you can go live happily on some Greek isle with as many whore masseurs as you want.”
She bit her lower lip. She wanted to take the offer. Would she make up a story to do it? Or would she stick to her guns, in which case she probably didn’t know anything about the first marriage.
“All right, all right,” she said, finally. “I want it in writing.”
“The money? My word is good, Mom.”
“Fine.” She huffed. “Irene Lucent was your father’s first wife.”
“Nice try.” I couldn’t help a bristling laugh. “You really didn’t know.”
“I—”
“Save it. The Connie Wolfe I know would never have married a budding billionaire knowing another woman was out there who could get a hand on his fortune. I gave you an offer you couldn’t refuse, and you took the bait. Now I know the truth. You actually weren’t lying when you told me you didn’t know anything about Dad’s first marriage.”
She shook her head. “You are definitely your father’s son, Reid.”
“Don’t insult me, Mom.”
“That’s not an insult. He always saw right through me, and so do you. I give up.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Okay, I don’t. But please. I did give birth to all of you. I don’t deserve to live like a peasant.”
“You won’t. But we need your help, Mom. If you ever cared even the tiniest bit about your children, please find it in your heart to help us.”
“I’ve always loved all of you. I did the best I could.”
I regarded my mother. For the first time, a look of pure defeat swept over her face. Did she love us? Maybe she did, in her own warped way. Maybe she had been molested as a child. I didn’t know, and she’d given up any chance of sympathy from me long ago.
“Then help us, Mom,” I said. “Help us find out who killed Dad.”
“All right, Reid. I’ll help you.”
I nodded and grabbed my phone out of my pocket. I’d missed several calls and texts because my phone was on silent. I didn’t silence it. I must have done it by mistake. Calls from the office and from Rock. Texts from Moira, Rock, and Zee.
The latest from Rock.
I’m taking Zee to your place. She’s fine. I have news. Call me.
“I have to go,” I told Mom. “I’ll be in touch tomorrow.”
A little over a half hour later I was back at the Wolfe building riding up to my apartment. The elevator doors parted, and I walked in. “Lydia,” I said loudly. “You here?”
Lydia bustled out of the library. “Good evening, Mr. Wolfe.”
“Good evening. Is Zee here?”
“Yes, she’s in your bedroom. Your brother brought her home about an hour ago.”
“Thanks.”
“Mr. Rock wants you to call him.”
“I will. Thank you.”
“Deirdre wants to know what you want for dinner.”
I shook my head. “Not hungry, but Zee might be. Order some Italian or something. Tell Deirdre she can call it a day.”
“Will do.” Lydia bustled away. She’d be off the clock soon as well.
I headed up the staircase and to my bedroom, my heart increasing in speed.
So much going on, but still the thought of seeing Zee made my heart race. I smiled despite myself. If we couldn’t get out of this, I could very well spend the rest of my life in prison for a crime I didn’t commit.
In the meantime, shouldn’t I be happy? Shouldn’t I experience joy? Shouldn’t I make love to the woman who, despite her past at my father’s hand, seemed to want me?
Shouldn’t I use the time I had to feel these emotions that were so new and amazing to me?
I clicked the door handle to my bedroom and opened it slowly.
My master suite was large, and the bed itself wasn’t visible from the door. I expected to see Zee sitting in one of my wingback chairs in the bay window alcove, or maybe she was in the bathroom. But the bathroom door was open and no whooshing of the shower sounded in the air.
God, the shower.
I’d fucked her up against that shower wall. I grew hard just thinking about it.
Easy, Reid. Zee had been through questioning with Morgan today, so the last thing she needed was the Wolfe of Manhattan sniffing around.
I drew in a deep breath, willing my cock to behave. It didn’t, but at least I’d relaxed slightly.
Very slightly.
I continued my walk into the bedroom, and when my bed was in sight—
“Oh my God,” I growled.
45
Zee
He was here. Finally. Reid’s hair was disheveled and his dark blue tie loosened around his neck. His gray suit even looked slightly wrinkled.
This wasn’t normal Reid.
I lay atop his bed, waiting, my nipples hard and ready, my core a throbbing mass of melting jelly.
Had I made a mistake?
This wasn’t in character for me at all, but after the day I’d had, I knew the only thing that would make me close to whole again was Reid. Reid, inside my body, helping me take back what had always been mine.
I’d only forgotten for a while.
He raked his fingers through his hair, his eyes widening. Something sounded softly through the air. Not his voice, exactly. A low hum. A groan? A growl?
Whatever it was, it made me yearn even more as the tickle between my legs intensified.
He stalked toward me, reaching the bed so quickly I thought he might have arrived instantaneously in a flash of light.
“What are you doing to me?” he demanded, his voice low and husky.
I swallowed, my body blushing at his nearness. Chills pricked the back of my neck and traveled to my breasts, forcing my nipples to harden further.
I opened my mouth, but nothing emerged but a soft moan.
“Listen,” Reid said, “this is your only out. Leave now, Zee.”
“I… I don’t want to leave.”
“I’m warning you. If you don’t get off that bed right this minute, I’m going to fuck you all night long.”
“Maybe that’s what I want,” I replied softly.
“Maybe?” Reid removed his suit coat and threw it across the room. He started with his buttons. “Maybe? Fuck maybe, Zee. Maybe tells me nothing. I don�
��t care what comes out of your mouth. If you don’t get the hell off my bed this instant, that’s your consent. And I will hold you to it.”
I breathed in, letting my courage and my yearning flow through my veins like boiling honey.
“You have my consent, Reid. Do it. Do it all.”
“Fuck it.” Reid stopped unbuttoning his shirt halfway down and then pulled the two sides apart. Buttons snapped off with his strength and flew outward, one hitting the night table near me with a soft clatter. Reid kicked his shoes off and then got rid of his pants and boxer briefs. He stood by the bed, holding his cock in his right hand.
It was huge. It was marbled with one purple vein. It was beautiful.
It was ready.
I longed to touch it. I’d never touched a man’s cock before. Never wanted to.
Until now.
A drip of fluid emerged at the tip. An urge to lick it off surged through me, but I didn’t. I had no idea what I was doing.
“I’m going to fuck you,” he said. “Hard and fast.”
I nodded nervously.
“Then, when I’m done, I’m going to do all that other stuff I want to do. I’m going to kiss those breasts, suck and bite those hard little nipples, eat that pussy, Zee. I’m going to shove my tongue between your legs and feast on your cream.”
I shuddered as he sat on the bed and then moved on top of me. He hovered above me, his forehead already slick with sweat. He paused, and for a split second, I wondered if he was going to ask for my consent again—
“Ah!”
He slid into me, burning a trail through my channel.
“Fuck. You’re so tight,” he groaned.
Yes. Wet as I was, I was also tight, and his cock trailed flames into me. Good burn. Fast burn. Perfect burn.
His gaze never left mine as he pulled out and then thrust in again. The burn lessened this time, and pleasure erupted through me as he eased my emptiness.
Took it away completely.
“Yes,” I said softly.
“Good?” he groaned.
“God, yes.” I closed my eyes to revel in the magic.
“Open your eyes, Zee. Open those beautiful blue eyes and watch what I do to you.”
I obeyed, meeting his own sapphire eyes. They smoldered. All of Reid smoldered.
For me.
Reid Wolfe, the most beautiful man on the planet, smoldered for me.
It no longer mattered how much he looked like his father.
Now, I saw very little resemblance because I knew this man. I knew his heart. He was nothing like Derek Wolfe.
He was Reid. Simply Reid. And he was fucking me.
He thrust into me again and again, harder each time. With each plunge he abraded my clit, and this time… This time…
A new spark surged across my skin, skittered across my flesh and pulsed into my clit.
This was it.
This was—
I shrieked! No words, just sounds of pleasure and gratitude.
For I was grateful.
Grateful to be taken away from this day. Grateful for his help taking my body back.
Grateful for this most amazing pleasure I’d ever known.
I soared with the vibrations tunneling through me, around me, above me.
Still he pumped. Still he thrust.
“That’s right, baby. Keep coming. Grab hold of that big cock. Come, baby, come. That’s—Fuck!” He thrust deeply.
So deep I wondered if he could feel my heart racing.
So deep I knew I’d never be the same.
As he released, I grabbed onto his butt and held him inside me, pushing him, hoping to get him deeper and deeper into my body.
His eyes were squeezed shut, but my gaze never wavered. A minute or so later, when he opened those eyes full of flames, they softened as they looked upon me.
“Fuck,” he said, softly this time.
Then he rolled off me, sliding out of me. I felt the loss deeply, but we weren’t done. He’d promised all those things he’d do to me, and I’d see that he kept that promise.
He lay on his back, one arm over his forehead. “Fuck,” he said again.
What is it? I wanted to ask. Was he okay? Had he enjoyed it? Of course, he’d enjoyed it, but was he happy? Or did he have regrets?
“Condom.”
“I’m on the pill,” I said on a breath. “The director requires it.
Reid shot up into a sitting position. “What? That’s illegal.”
“I know, but he provides them, so I take them. It doesn’t cost me anything, and I haven’t been with anyone in—well, since before.”
“Thank God. I’m good. I’m always safe. Except, apparently, with you. What the hell is the matter with me?”
I stayed silent, still cloaked in a haze of nirvana as my body reeled in the aftermath of the orgasm.
And I never wanted to move again.
So I lay there, finally closing my eyes. When a breeze drifted over me and I felt a chill, I pulled the covers up from the foot of the bed over both our bodies.
I couldn’t sleep. Reid’s eyes were closed, but I doubted he was sleeping. What about his promise?
Of course I had to let him rest. Men were different than women. They needed recovery time. Fine with me.
We had all night.
46
Reid
Damn. I’d needed that more than I’d ever needed sex. Ever needed a woman.
Sure, this day had been majorly fucked up, but that wasn’t the only reason I’d desired this. Needed this. Yearned for this.
I was feeling something so completely foreign to me. Something I’d never wished for or wanted.
Was I in love?
My God, was it something in the Wolfe genes that made us fall in love so quickly? I’d watched both my brothers and my sister fall in love within weeks.
A fluke, I’d thought. It won’t happen to me. Never in a million years.
Except it had.
I loved this woman. A woman who, though she obviously wanted me and was attracted to me, could never love me. Never, because of what I represented.
The man who’d kidnapped her, tortured her.
Hunted her.
But I was also the brother of the man who’d saved her. Rescued her.
My release into her body had taken me to another planet. Nirvana and ecstasy tripled, like nothing before.
But now I lay next to her, covered, my eyes closed.
And these thoughts consumed me.
Did I have the right to drag her into my mess of a family after all she’d been through?
Did I have the right to ask her to be with me? The son who most resembled the man who’d hurt her so deeply?
She wanted me, yes. But could she ever love me?
I opened my eyes and looked at her, first peripherally but then I turned onto my side. She was resting, her eyes closed, her pretty cheeks flushed. Her blond hair was splayed over the pillow like a curtain of honey. Her full pink lips were parted just slightly.
Just the perfect amount for me to slide my tongue between them.
My cock woke at the thought. Semi hard and then hard again, just from the thought of a kiss. A beautiful kiss between the lips of the woman I loved.
Lips.
I hadn’t paid any attention to those luscious lips between her legs.
She was sleeping, but she’d already consented to everything I told her I’d do.
I moved slowly, removing the quilt she’d covered us with and—
I simply looked at her.
I took in her flushed cheeks, those pink, parted lips. That look of pure innocence. Her innocence had been stripped from her long ago by my psycho father and that priest, but regarding her now, flushed and sleeping, I could see what had been.
A beautiful naïve girl who only wanted to get to college.
That pureness. That loveliness.
She was still lovely. Very lovely, and that body… A dancer’s body for sure, with lean but muscular
arms and legs, a flat belly, and those breasts… Luscious and large and perfect. Her nipples were like velvet, and though they weren’t painted red, they were even more beautiful in their natural state. I’d kiss them. Soon, but not yet.
I raked my gaze downward to her shaved vulva.
Shaved, no doubt, because of the skimpy costumes she had to wear. Or did she shave because she wanted to?
Most women I’d been with had been shaved, but some weren’t. I didn’t mind the hair, but something about a shaved pussy was sex on a stick to me. I loved being able to see the slight swell of pink when a naked woman stood before me. Then when I spread her legs…
I spread Zee’s legs gently.
And beheld the beauty of the paradise between them.
Already I’d felt this paradise. Felt it on my dick. She was still slick from my come. I gently eased myself from the bed to get a warm washcloth from the bathroom. Once I’d wiped the last of me from her, I smiled between her legs.
She opened her eyes.
“Hey,” I said lazily.
“I felt something.”
“Just cleaning you up,” I said.
“Oh?”
“Yes. So I could do this.” I slid my tongue over her folds.
She moaned softly.
God, she tasted like honey. So pretty, all pink and swollen, the sides of her inner thighs still slick with wetness. I kissed one thigh and then the other. Then back to her pussy. I slid my tongue through her folds again and then moved to her clit. She shook with the smallest touch of my tongue. The nub was still hard from our sex. She’d come hard, and I’d felt every contraction of her channel around my cock.
Fucking paradise.
Paradise I wanted to experience again and again.
“Zee,” I said, “you have the sweetest pussy I’ve ever tasted.”
No lie, and I’d tasted many pussies in my lifetime. I loved eating pussy. Other than fucking, it was my favorite part of sex. Every woman was different, and finding that sweet spot was a game to me.
A game I never lost.
Some women were tart, others sweet, others a combination, and others pure musk. All delicious, but Zee was the most delicious by far.
She lifted her hips, granting me better access. Below her pussy was her other entrance to paradise. Her ass.