Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Her hands slammed into the top of the trunk. The duct tape pulled at her skin. The metal cut the edge of her fingers. She’d been rolling around in the trunk forever. But then they’d stopped. The car wasn’t moving any longer. “Help me!” The scream tore from her. “Someone, please help?—”
“ Violet!” Hard hands closed around her shoulders. She was shaken once, lightly. “Violet, wake up. It’s just a bad dream. Sweetheart, wake up!”
Her eyes flew open. The bedside lamp was on, spilling light onto her and onto Royal as he leaned over her body. He sat on the edge of the bed, and worry covered his hard features.
Her breath heaved in and out.
He didn’t let her go.
“You were screaming,” he said, and his voice was off. Ragged at the edges. “I thought someone might have gotten past me. Gotten to you.” His hold tightened, but then he released her. “Just a bad dream.” He rose.
Her hand flew out to curl around his wrist. “I was in the trunk again. I was screaming, and you weren’t there.”
“I’m right here.”
He was. Standing beside the bed. Wearing battered jeans that hung low on his hips. Showing off his muscular abs. His powerful chest. Looking dangerous and sexy and strong. And she was still shaking.
“I have the same dream every few nights.” Her brother had come into her room the first night, absolutely terrified because of her dreams. He’d had a baseball bat in his hands because he’d been sure an intruder was there. “Sometimes, I wonder if I’ll have the same nightmare forever.”
Maybe she should talk to the psychiatrist Micah had mentioned. Dr. Barnes. But she’d never been comfortable baring her soul to anyone. She didn’t talk freely with most people. Didn’t share her inner thoughts.
Except with Royal. Maybe because he’d already seen her at her breaking point? With him, she could talk. With him, she could let down all the walls that she usually kept around herself.
“Violet.” Her name slipped from him like a soft, savage growl. One that oddly comforted her. “You have to remember that nightmares can’t hurt you.”
“No, they can’t. But psychotic serial killers can.” She was still holding his wrist. She should let go. “Sorry.” Violet cleared her throat. “I’ll be fine now. Really.” Not at all. She was lying to him just like she did to so many others. “Sorry if I woke you up.” Her hand fell back to the bed.
“Two things,” he rasped. “First, don’t ever apologize to me because you’re scared. When you get scared, you call for me. I will be there immediately.”
She found herself tugging up the covers. Clothes had been brought over for her—or, rather, they’d been waiting at the top of the stairs in a suitcase for her. Everything perfectly in her size. But then again, the man had said that he even knew what bra size she wore, so she could hardly feel too much shock that he’d gotten garments that fit her.
She’d put on a soft, silken black gown. One that dipped a little low in the front and skimmed the tops of her thighs. Suddenly too aware of the gown’s dipping neckline, Violet pulled the covers up to her chest.
Royal sat back down on the bed. He caged her between his hands as they pressed into the mattress.
“Second thing,” he rumbled. “You didn’t wake me up. I was in the bedroom right next door. Thinking about you. Remembering how close to heaven I got when you put that sweet mouth of yours on me.”
Her mouth dropped open.
“I should walk away right now,” Royal continued in his deep, dark voice. “You’re good. Too damn good for someone like me. And I shouldn’t take advantage of you after you’ve had a nightmare. Fuck. I should not be here.” But he was leaning toward her.
She was inching her head toward him.
“Tell me to leave,” he ordered. “Tell me.”
He gave lots of orders. Something she’d noticed about him. Maybe it was time for her to give a few orders of her own. “Kiss me,” she told him.
He sucked in a breath. “Violet.”
“Kiss me,” she demanded once more.
And he did.
His mouth took hers. Her lips were open, waiting, and so ready for him. His tongue thrust inside, and desire blazed through her. Royal kissed with skill. Drugging passion. With a consuming possession that she could not ignore. Every cell in her body felt his kiss. She yearned and needed and wanted more.
When Royal kissed her, when Royal touched her, when Royal gave that delicious growl in his throat that told her he wanted her, Violet wasn’t afraid. She forgot her hell and focused on the heaven she felt with him.
Passion.
Pleasure.
A desire that made her want to do every wicked thing with him that she could imagine…and all the wicked things she knew he would do so very perfectly.
But he pulled back. He nipped her lower lip, a sensual bite, then slid back a bit.
She let go of the covers. Her hand pressed to his chest. The heat of his body sank into her.
“I can stay with you.” His voice was deeper. Rougher. “Sleep on the floor. Keep my hands off you. If you have another bad dream, I’ll be right beside you.”
She shook her head. “That doesn’t sound like what the bad guy would say.” Her hand began to slide down his chest.
He tensed beneath her touch.
“You keep trying to play the bad guy,” she added as her hand dipped a bit more. “Like you’re trying to warn me away from you.”
“I’m not playing.”
“Neither am I.” She knew what she wanted, and there was not going to be any more running. “I believe you mentioned something about fucking me so completely that I’ll never be free of you? Weren’t those your words?”
He growled. That savage sound that made her sex clench.
“But I had a thought…” She was nervous but wouldn’t let that stop her. Her fingers fumbled and undid the snap of his jeans. Pulled down the zipper. No underwear. His hard cock shoved toward her. “What if I fuck you so completely that you’re never free of me?” Bold words. Especially since she was barely more than an amateur in this department, but she wanted to try. She wanted to learn.
She wanted her first time to be with Royal because he felt right in every way. Even when he said he was wrong.
“I tried, ” he gritted.
Her gaze lifted.
His stare seemed to eat her alive.
“You had the chance to get away, but now I’ll have you.”
That certainly sounded promising.
Royal—
He took her mouth again. Harder. Deeper. If possible, even more possessively. And he ripped the covers out of the way. Cool air hit her skin, and Violet gasped into his mouth. Then his hands were on her breasts. Stroking her through the silk, and his mouth tore from hers…but only so he could follow his hands. His lips closed over one nipple—through the silk. He licked and sucked and her whole body jolted.
And his hands kept moving on her body.
Down, down they went. He grabbed the hem of her gown and shoved it up. Then he was touching her through the panties she wore. Stroking and sliding with his fingers even as his mouth still sucked her nipple.
She arched up against him. Her body throbbed and ached, and she wanted the gown and the panties gone. Violet wanted to feel every inch of him against her.
His mouth lifted from her breast. “No condoms…in here…”
Uh, no, she didn’t have any. She?—
Was in his arms. He’d scooped her off the bed and was carrying her through the bedroom. Her arms wound around his neck, and since he was right there, she decided to lean closer and press a kiss to the hard edge of his jaw. Then down, she skimmed her lips over him. Violet pressed her mouth against his throat.
“ I want in you, ” Royal snarled.
That was exactly where she would like for him to be.
And then he lowered her.
Put her carefully on another bed—his bed. A big, king-size bed with dark sheets. No lamp light in that room. The only illumination spilled from the open doorway. He stood by the bed, towering over her, and shadows clung to him. His hands slid under the gown. He caught the panties and pulled them off her. Then he pushed her legs apart. Bent. And feasted.
Her hips surged up against him. Her hands fisted around the sheets. She opened her mouth wide and cried out his name, but he was merciless. And she loved it. Loved every lap and thrust of his tongue. Loved the way he licked her clit again and again, and, even while he worked her with his mouth, his hands rose to pluck her nipples.
She screamed when the orgasm hit her.
And he kept right on licking her.
Violet collapsed against the mattress. Her heart thundered hard in her chest. Over and over and over.
The gown had hiked up to her stomach. Her tight nipples thrust against the silk. And her sex was completely bare to him.
His head rose. Her breath sawed in and out as the pounding drumbeat of her heart seemed to echo in Violet’s ears.
He straightened. Took a step back.
She tensed.
But he just opened the bedside drawer and pulled out a condom. A couple of them. Okay. Violet licked her lower lip. “Ah…” What to say now?
Royal ditched his jeans. His cock shoved toward her. She decided not to worry about talking. She twisted and rolled and leaned forward so that she could curl her lips around his cock.
“Violet.” Guttural.
In a flash, she was on her back. In the middle of the bed. Spread-eagle beneath him. He towered over her. “I’m coming in you. ” He ripped open one of the condom packets and rolled the condom on in an easy, fast move.
A breath later, she felt the head of his cock pushing at the entrance to her body.
She looked down, then her stare whipped up. So many shadows and so much darkness. Violet couldn’t see his face clearly, but she felt the intensity of his stare. And something else she felt? The thick, broad tip of his cock as it thrust into her.
She was slick and swollen from her release. He wedged inside, and her inner muscles strained around him. Her breath came in fast, shallow pants.
“Thought you weren’t afraid of me,” he rasped.
“I’m not.”
“You’re tense. Just give me a minute, I’ll get you?—”
She didn’t want a minute. She wanted him. Her hips surged against him, and a quick cry of pain broke from her, but the pain vanished in an instant because he filled her. Oh, he filled her. So completely. Every thick inch of him—and there were lots of inches.
Her eyes squeezed shut.
His fingers slid between their bodies. He rubbed her clit. Slow at first, then faster, harder. The way she’d learned that she very much liked.
But he didn’t thrust. Didn’t withdraw. The thick, hard length of his dick stayed rammed all the way inside of her.
She felt her inner muscles soften around him. Then she deliberately squeezed him.
“ Baby… ”
Her eyes opened.
“Ready for me now?”
She nodded.
He withdrew. Pulled back. Drove deep. Her breath heaved out. Her legs locked around his hips. When he began thrusting fast, pistoning his hips against her even as his fingers worked their magic on her core, she knew another orgasm was imminent.
“So fucking tight. ” He withdrew. Plunged into her again. “Tight and hot and mine.” He slammed into her.
The headboard thudded into the wall.
Her orgasm detonated through her.
“Hell, yes. Hell, yes. Squeeze me, sweetheart. So good. Insane. Fucking heaven.” Then she felt him erupt into her. His big body shuddered. His mouth took hers.
And as the pleasure rolled through every cell of her body, she realized he was right.
Fucking heaven, indeed.
I want her again.
Royal stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He’d just ditched the condom. Seen the faint traces of blood on the damn thing.
I was her first.
Selfish bastard that he was, he’d like to be her only. He’d like to claim her forever and never let any other man get close enough to so much as touch her sweet body.
He’d tried to warn her. But she’d given herself to him anyway.
He wanted her again already. Hell, already? More like endlessly. But he was trying not to be a completely selfish prick. His fingers gripped the edge of the marble counter as he sucked in a breath. Then she appeared behind him. Soft steps that he hadn’t heard when no one ever snuck up on him. Usually, he was far too aware. Hyper alert.
But there she was. Naked. Tapping his shoulder. He spun around, locked his hands on her waist, and in a flash, he’d turned again and had her up on the marble before him. And he was between her legs.
Her eyes widened. “Uh, hi.”
Fuck me. She is going to break something inside of me. “Hi?”
She swallowed. “You were in here a while. Thought I should check on you.”
She was checking…on him. “I took your virginity.”
“I believe I gave it to you. Not like it was doing anything overly useful. Just kinda hanging around.”
He blinked. “Uh, come again?” Strangled words.
“I’d like to do just that,” she said, voice all serious.
His eyes narrowed on her. “ Violet.”
“I got worried you might be in here, feeling all guilty and remorseful about something I wanted more than my next breath.”
Her honesty cut through him better than any knife.
“And I want you again,” she added, softer. “Are you going to tell me that’s wrong?”
He reached behind her. Turned on the warm water and grabbed for a cloth that had been on the edge of the sink. He let the warm water soak the cloth, and then he brought it between her legs.
She gasped at the contact.
“Easy, sweetheart. I hurt you. I’m trying to make it better.” He stroked her gently, cleaning and soothing. I took her. She’s mine. I will always protect what’s mine.
Violet caught his wrist. “You didn’t hurt me. You haven’t. You won’t.”
He stared into her eyes. The gold seemed even brighter to him. What had she asked just a moment before? If wanting him was wrong? “Nothing is wrong when it comes to you.”
Her lips curled in the faintest of smiles. So beautiful that she made his chest ache.
Can’t let go. Won’t let go.
He dropped the cloth behind her. Pulled her toward him. Carried her back to the bed. When he put her down, she bounced lightly on the mattress. Royal remained standing, at least long enough to grab another condom. I want her again. I think I’ll always want her.
“Is it always like that?” She moved to her knees as she watched him. Her breasts thrust toward him, beautiful nipples tight.
Want to taste them again.
“Like what?” He rolled on the condom.
Her tongue darted out to skim over her lower lip. “So good.”
His back teeth clenched. “No.” He climbed onto the bed. She scooted back. Oh, hell, no. He curled his hands around her hips and lifted her up and over him.
A gasp slid from her, and her hands clamped over his shoulders. He was sitting up, and she straddled him. His dick pushed at the entrance of her body, but he didn’t go in, not yet. Be careful this time. Gentle.
He’d put a stranglehold on his desire. He would not pound into her like a crazed madman. He would not take and take and take.
He’d give her the control this time. Give her the pleasure.
Pleasure. “Not like that with everyone,” he bit out. No damn way he wanted to think of Violet fucking someone else.
She sent him that smile again. The one that lit her eyes and made him want to put the whole world at her feet. But instead of doing that, his dick pushed into her.
She’d turned on the bedside lamp when he’d gone into the bathroom. He liked the light. Normally, he craved the dark. But he wanted to see her. Every single inch.
“You control me,” he told her.
She shook her head. “I don’t think anyone can do that.”
His hold tightened on her. Oh, sweetheart. You have no clue. I’d do just about anything for you. A sobering realization.
Violet leaned forward and pressed her lips to his neck. She nipped him with her teeth.
It took all of his strength to hold back and not thrust deep into her. Deep. Take. Claim.
Her hips wiggled against him. He didn’t let her press down, though. Not this time. She’d taken him in fast before. This time, it would be slow. Inch by inch.
“Royal.” A sensual demand. “Are you teasing me?”
Never. “I’m not hurting you. You take me. Bit by bit.”
Her head lifted. She stared into his eyes with her lush lips slightly parted. Her knees pushed into the mattress as she searched his gaze. Her hips dipped down.
One inch.
He could feel sweat gathering on his brow.
She slid down a little more.
More.
Her breath came out on a heave.
The fingers of his right hand slid between them. He stroked her just where he knew she needed his touch the most. Her head tipped back. She lowered onto him even more.
Half-way down his cock.
Her hips thrashed against him. One of his hands still held her hip, preventing her from driving all the way down. The other stroked her clit in a merciless rhythm.
“Royal!” Her breath choked out. Her eyes squeezed shut. “Royal, I’m coming!”
She was. Already. Fucking fantastic. He felt the vibrations along his dick and he?—
She took him all. Jerked down hard against his hold and slammed their bodies together completely. The contractions of her inner muscles rippled along his dick as she cried out his name. A litany that went on over and over again.
He held himself perfectly still inside of her. He wanted Violet to pull every single drop of pleasure from her orgasm.
For her. For her. Her.
Her nails bit into his shoulders. She’d closed her eyes when she came, and now, they slowly opened. The gold gleamed. Gorgeous.
Mine.
He kissed her. Drove his tongue into her mouth and tasted the sweetness that waited. A sweetness that belonged to him.
“Royal…” Soft. Confused. “You didn’t…”
“I will.” Absolute certainty. “And you will again.” He spun them. Had her beneath him on the bed. And the time for holding back was gone. He withdrew. Thrust. Sank into her again and again and soon she was bucking and arching beneath him. Her short nails raked down his back. Her legs curled around him.
In and out.
Again and again.
Sinking into heaven time and time again.
The devil wasn’t supposed to touch heaven.
His fingers skimmed over her. Breasts. Hips. Legs.
The devil wasn’t supposed to taste heaven.
His mouth claimed hers once more. He’d never, ever get enough of her.
He plunged into her again.
The devil wasn’t supposed to take heaven…
But he was. He took her and when she came again, he was right with her. He detonated on a release that was hotter than any fire from hell could ever be.
The trunk opened. The screeching of the hinges seemed horribly loud to Simone’s ears. She had no idea how long she’d been in the dark. She just knew that she had one chance. Just one.
“I’m not Violet!” she screamed even as gloved hands reached for her.
The hands froze.
Her fingers knotted in the stupid wig she’d found in the back of the trunk. It had fallen off in the dressing room. She remembered that, and her attacker must have tossed it in after he’d dumped her body in the back of the car. She shoved the wig forward like an offering. “That’s why you took me, isn’t it? Because you thought I was her?” Her throat hurt. Her mouth felt far too dry.
I was in Violet’s dressing room.
I had on the wig that looked like her hair.
I’m the same size she is.
And he’d attacked Simone from behind. He hadn’t seen her face when he’d grabbed her.
The gloved hands snatched the wig.
She didn’t look up. She didn’t want to see his face. If she saw his face, didn’t that mean he wouldn’t let her go? “It’s a mistake,” she whispered. “You just made a mistake.” You don’t want me. You want her.
Silence.
No, not total silence. She could hear the distant call of insects.
He wasn’t moving. She was barely breathing.
The thick tape he’d used to bind her tugged at Simone’s wrists. “You can just let me go.” A plea. “I don’t know who you are. I-I won’t say anything.”
He dropped the wig. It slithered into the trunk with her.
She could feel each hard thud of her heart. Boom. Boom. Boom.
Then she saw the knife. A sharp flash of the blade illuminated beneath the moonlight.
“No!” A sharp, desperate cry. “I-I can get you Violet! I can call her! Get her to meet me!” The feverish words tumbled out, one right after the other even as her gaze remained locked on the knife. I don’t want to die. I can’t die. Not. Yet. No! “We can trade! Me for her. I’ll get you her, and you let me walk away!” Please, please, please. “I’m not the one you want. She is. I can get her for you. I can get—” Her words broke off as the knife came at her again.
The tip of the blade pressed to her cheek.
She froze.
And felt a rivulet of blood slide down her face. “I can get her,” she whispered. “I can call her. I can get her for you. Please. ”
Something shoved into her bound hands. It took Simone a dazed moment to realize it was a phone.
The tip of the knife pressed harder into her cheek.
“Then do it,” he ordered.
Her breath shuddered out. My phone. She was staring at her phone screen. The image on the screen was one she’d taken backstage. A cluster of the dancers all around her. Even Violet was there, smiling her shy smile.
Violet’s life for mine.
“Do it,” he rasped.
She called Violet. The phone rang. Once. Twice.
Violet, pick up. Pick. Up.