9
W alking over to the car that Zane so kindly leant me while I stay here, I pause at the windshield when I see something hanging off the rearview inside. When I parked it this morning, there was nothing on that mirror. Rushing around to the door, I swing it open, realizing I left it unlocked. Oops. I reach over and see that what is hanging is a locket.
I untangle it and bring it in for a closer look. It’s gold and seems to be quite old. The oval shape of the pendant is large, which is something you certainly don’t see anymore. I use my fingernail to wedge it open, and when I do, I see a picture of me as a little girl, sitting on my father’s lap. Gasping, I shake my head, confused. How the hell did this picture get in here?
I’ve never seen this locket before in my life.
On the other side, I see a piece of white paper with something written on it, but I can’t read the font it’s so small.
I need to know what it says, and I need to know who put it here.
Getting out of the car, I rush quickly toward Wolfe’s room, hoping he has a way I can read this. I don’t bother knocking on the door, I just bust it open. Wolfe isn’t in the main area, but I can see the light on in his bathroom. Hurrying over, I bang on the door, still staring at the necklace.
The door swings open.
I look up and see Wolfe standing there, completely naked, his cock so hard it’s an angry red color. My eyes widen, and I back up, stammering, unable to form words. His eyes flash with rage, and he growls, “Thought you were Esme.”
“Oh,” I squeak, my eyes moving to his enlarged, hard cock.
My pussy clenches.
God dammit.
I hate that I want him so damn bad.
“Guess you’re goin’ to have to stand there and wait while I finish this.”
I gasp when his hand curls around his dick and he begins stroking it. Spinning quickly, I turn my back to him, pressing a hand to my heart to try and calm it down. I feel his presence behind me, his warm body so close to mine that his breath tickles my neck.
“You can look away, Kitten, but it won’t stop what’s happening behind you.”
I can feel his hand moving, and with every jerk, his cock hits my back and the ache between my legs grows so intense that I have to cross them to try and block it out.
“You’re so fuckin’ turned on you can’t stand straight,” he growls, his lips grazing over my neck.
He loves that I want him, and he loves it even more than I can’t have him.
He wants me to sweat.
Closing my eyes, I try to think of anything else but the image of him stroking his cock, his hard, naked body against my back.
God, I want him.
I want him so fucking bad.
“I’ll come back later,” I manage, moving to take a step forward.
His arm lashes out, catching me around the waist and pulling me back to him. I bite my lip to stop the whimper as his fingers splay out over my belly, holding me there.
“I’m nearly done,” he growls. “No need to leave.”
“Does this make you feel better about yourself?” I snap, trying to forget about the ache between my legs.
“Yep.”
I hiss between my teeth as he picks up the pace.
“If you cum on my back, I’m going to punch you.” I gasp when his hand moves a little lower, just resting above my pubic bone.
He’s teasing me.
The asshole.
“Noted.”
His voice is husky and his breath ragged as his hand moves faster, and I know he’s close. Just before he finds his release, he reaches for a towel on the sofa and pulls it between us, then his groan of pleasure fills my ears as he cums. I’m wet, I can feel it, and it’s horrifying. I’m so turned on by this man, I can’t even think.
At any point I could have left.
He wouldn’t have actually stopped me.
Releasing me, he turns and walks away, casually, as if nothing happened.
“Do you make it a habit to trap girls while you have a wank, or am I the only lucky one?”
He pulls on a pair of jeans, grinning at me. “Kitten, I didn’t trap you. You wanted to stay.”
“Did not,” I mutter, more to myself than him.
Focus, Mera.
“I found this on my car this morning.”
I walk over, handing him the locket. He opens it, staring at the picture, and his brows furrow.
“I can’t read what it says, I was hoping you could help.”
Turning, he walks toward the desk in the far corner and digs through a drawer before pulling out a magnifying glass. He brings the locket up, staring down at it, then nods for me to come over. I do, rushing over and looking through the magnifying glass. There, I see the words Where the river whispers secrets .
What?
What is that supposed to mean?
I shake my head in confusion. “Is that some sort of clue?”
Wolfe’s jaw is tight as he nods. “Someone is playin’ with you, that much is certain. They’re leadin’ you on a fuckin’ chase.”
Great.
“It makes no sense, though.”
“Only one river in town,” Wolfe mutters. “We start there.”
“Who would do this?”
Something flashes across Wolfe’s face, that same dark expression I can’t read. The one that niggles at me, telling me he knows a whole lot more than he is letting on. I’m probably wrong, but I feel as though he is helping me to keep me close so he can monitor the situation, what I don’t know is why.
“Is there something you’re not telling me about all of this?” I dare to ask.
His eyes darken. “Why the fuck would you think that?”
“Just a feeling.”
“I only agreed to help you, Mera, to get you out of town because it is causin’ an uproar, and when there is an uproar, it causes problems for me and my business.”
I bite my tongue, seeing he is in no mood for an argument.
“Well, are we going to the river then?”
He nods sharply.
This should be fun.
WE ARRIVE AT THE RIVER within only ten minutes of being on the bike. We have to walk down a small trail to reach it, but when we do, I gasp at how pretty it is. I never came here as a child, mostly because I wasn’t allowed. Teenagers tend to hang out here, and my parents didn’t want me to see anything untoward.
I missed out, though.
That much is apparent now as I look down at the gorgeous scene before me. The river glistens under the warm sunlight, its waters flowing effortlessly over smooth, time-worn rocks. The sound of the current creates a soothing harmony. The rocks, varying in size and shape, are scattered throughout the river, some partially submerged, others forming small islands that people can sit on. The air is fresh and crisp, carrying the earthy scent of the surrounding forest. It's an enchanting scene, a perfect blend of nature's power.
“Oh,” I gasp. “Oh, this is spectacular.”
Wolfe stares at me. “You never came here?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“Fucked many women here,” he murmurs.
I purse my lips. “Seriously?”
He winks at me.
Dick.
Talk about taking away from the moment.
“Look around, see if you can find anything that stands out.”
“Yes, boss,” I mumble, stepping over a heap of rocks and beginning my walk down the left-hand side of the river.
I’m mostly distracted in thought about Wolfe and the scene earlier. He is testing me, but maybe it’s only fair that I return the favor. He is so sure that he will never sleep with me, and that I will beg him for it, but what if I could make it go the other way? What if I could have him begging for me? It’s a devious thought, and a little risqué, but I could use the distraction. I think it might be fun.
Plus, it will serve him right to have something thrown back at him.
Stepping over a pile of rocks, I pause, moving backward as I notice something under a pile of leaves. Squatting down, I shove some rocks out of the way and push the leaves aside to see an old, worn, wooden box. Lifting it up, I call Wolfe over before opening the lip to reveal the contents. There is a picture of the historic library in town, and over the picture there are words written in white marker – Where stories sleep, and truth leaks.
Beneath the photo is a small dog tag, and on that dog tag there are initials carved. W.C.C.W
Wolfe reaches me and immediately takes the dog tag out of my hand, holding it up and staring down at it. He flinches before reaching out and snatching the photo from my hand. He glances down at it, his jaw so tight I wonder if he’s about to snap. A low growl escapes his throat as he shoves the dog tag into his pocket and looks up at me. “This fucker is enjoying this.”
That much is clear.
“Do you know what those initials mean?”
Wolfe shakes his head.
“So, do we go to the library?”
Wolfe nods, sharply.
“It’s closed until ten.”
I pull my phone out, glancing at the time. It’s only nine thirty. An idea springs to my mind, and I wonder if I have the courage to pull it off. I have decided I am going to play Wolfe’s little game, so I might as well start now.
“In that case, I might take a dip.”
Wolfe stares at me, seemingly shocked.
I begin placing my things down on the rock before flashing him a smile and walking to the edge of the river where, little by little, I take off all my clothes. I start with my shirt, pulling it over my head and tossing it to the side. Then, I move to my shorts, shimmying out of them. I stand there in only my bra and panties for just a moment before deciding to remove them, too.
Everything hits the ground until I am standing fully naked.
Turning slightly, I look back at Wolfe who is staring at me with a fire in his gaze. A fire I have been wanting to see.
This might just be fun.
“Are you coming?”
Before he can answer, I leap into the water.
The river's water envelops me, its coolness a stark contrast to the warmth of the sun. The crisp sensation washes over me as I stay under, letting the little ripples push my body around. The water is crystal clear, and when I resurface, my hair is flowing around me, the dark red standing out against the river surrounding me.
Wolfe is down to nothing and has just walked into the water when my eyes find his.
My heart skips a beat just as he dives beneath the water, coming up a moment later, his hair a mess as it lies on his forehead, his eyes so bright beneath the sun they are absolutely breathtaking. He’s so fucking perfect, in every way a man can be perfect. As he swims toward me, I hold my breath, wondering what he might do next.
“Know what you’re doin’,” he murmurs, his eyes dropping to the water where he can no doubt only see shimmers of my naked body.
“I’m not doing anything,” I say casually, as I tip my head back to let the water soften my hair.
“You think you can get me beggin’ for you—” he leans in close “—you can’t.”
I lean in a little closer. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m more than capable of getting a man if I need one.”
His hand moves under the water, gliding past my breasts, making me gasp.
“Then tell me, Kitten, why you are strung so tight when I’m around. I don’t even have to touch you and you’re tensin’ up.”
“It has been a while.” I try to keep my voice calm. “A girl has needs, you’re a good-looking man, but I have no interest in fucking you.”
I shrug it off, as if it’s nothing.
He grins. “That so?”
“That’s so.”
“So if I pulled you onto me right now, and slowly sunk you down onto my dick, you wouldn’t take it?”
I stay cool. “Nope.”
He moves quickly, pulling me to him, one hand beneath my bottom, the other on the small of my back. My lips part as my legs automatically go around him, and, in seconds, I can feel the tip of his cock at my entrance, pushing just slightly.
“You sure about that?” he growls.
“Perfectly,” I breathe.
“Tell me you want it, and you can have it.”
He pushes me down a little more, and my body screams for him to keep going, to slowly lower me onto his cock so I can feel him sink into me. I want him, and he knows it.
“I don’t want it,” I say, my voice far too breathy for my liking.
He rocks my hips, sliding his cock between my folds, moving it up and down over my clit, tormenting me.
“Say the word, Mera. Admit you want me.”
I grit my teeth, fighting back the desperation as the intense ache turns into a feeling I can’t control.
“No,” I grind out between gritted teeth.
“If you admit it, I’ll let you cum against me. I might even fuck you.”
His hand slides up my back, teasing, as he keeps his other hand on my hip, using it to rock me against his dick. It’s not quite enough to create friction so I can orgasm, but it’s enough for me to feel that the ache is almost unbearable.
“Go on, Kitten, tell me that you want me.”
I’m struggling, and he knows it. My head spins as he keeps rocking me, and I’m so desperate to feel the release, so desperate to feel him, that I find myself gasping, “I want you. You know I do. Please just let me have this.”
His grin widens, and just like that, he releases me.
I scramble to my feet, horrified as the ache between my legs slowly disappears.
“I told you, you can’t win this game with me, Kitten.”
Turning, he swims away.
Oh. My. God.
He just beat me at my own game.
He just crushed me without even trying.
It’s on.
It’s so on.