Chapter 2 Donovan
TWO
Donovan
I trail behind the beckoning beauty with slow steps, ignoring the eyes of everyone I pass. Up the stairs. Down the hall.
I follow the scent when the lights become too dim for me to see. The end of the hall is out of sight, and I might be worried my steps are taking me straight into a black hole if I hadn’t been this way before.
I smirk as she reaches the end. But my smirk dies when she flings open the door in front of her and light spills out into the hall, silhouetting her in a warm glow.
A door which should be locked, but I don’t have it in me to think about why it’s not.
She’s thirty feet away, and as she pauses to look over her shoulder at me, I manage to cut the distance in half.
She rushes out the door and into the back quarters of the house.
I’m on the hunt. The thrill sends tingles skipping down my spine.
I manage to catch the door right before it closes, stepping into the dim light with a sinister smile.
He wouldn’t want me here, so I can’t help but take pleasure in knowing I’m about to tarnish the space Greely Aubert keeps off-limits to guests.
Her scent trails behind her, filling the hall. She’s gone left, and I turn on my heels to stalk after her. When she spins around, there’s a tentative smile on her face and a hint of fear in her eyes.
My cock twitches at the sight. Up another flight of stairs and down another hall. It’s almost starting to feel like a dream. I stalk after her with only one thing in mind.
She lets me back her up against the white door at the end of the hall.
I’m not sure what this wing holds since I’ve never gone this far into the belly of the house.
Half of me wishes to find Aubert’s bedroom behind the door, while the other half would be thrilled if it happened to be his office.
I suppose it doesn’t matter because I’m about to fuck this woman either way.
The fact that I’ve taken my pleasure in his house will simply be the cherry on top.
As I lean in, she lets out a breathy laugh right before the door behind her swings open with a twist of her wrist. She slips away from me right before my lips touch hers.
My steps follow her inside until I have her backed up against the bed on the other side.
She falters, almost seeming to freeze for a beat, and I’m stuck staring at her for a long moment.
She’s even more stunning than I originally thought.
Her golden tan skin is smooth. Those eyes, which had been hidden in shadow, are peering up at me now.
I almost reach for her mask to remove it, but then think better of it.
I can make out her deep brown eyes well enough, I don’t need to ruin the illusion of the whole picture behind the mask.
This is nothing more than a shared moment between two strangers.
It’s all it can ever be.
My father, the vicious man that he was, at least had one thing right.
In this life, there’s no room for anything personal.
No room for a permanent lover or partner.
No room for children. They are cracks in your armor, ways for your enemy to weaken you.
I won’t ever let myself love someone because I couldn’t bear to be the reason they would suffer.
I may know who I am and realize the power I hold, but I also have the brains to see all the ways I could lose the power and my sanity.
Love is not the way to the life I’ve built.
Pain. Solace. Distrust. These are the beds I’ve made and I will happily lie in.
Her cool fingertips graze my jaw, pulling me out of my thoughts and back into this moment.
I let my lids drift closed as her touch stumbles slightly over my stubble.
She hesitantly traces the lines of my lips and gasps so innocently when I nip the tip of her finger.
Her hand is trembling, but when I look into her eyes, all I can see is how much she wants this.
She’s sure, and so I don’t question her.
My lips take hers before she can touch me again. I’m not in the mood to be slow or tender. Honestly, I rarely am. I’m not a man who takes time for leisurely fucks. I take what I want and go on my way.
Which is what I’m going to do here.
I give her a light shove, taking in her face as she falls back onto the plush mattress. She bites her blood-red stained lip as she stares up at me.
My hand travels up her leg, past her knee, letting her dress pool around my wrists as I slowly expose her juicy thighs and more delicate parts.
Her back arches as her legs part for me.
My body folds over hers, and I lick into her mouth as my fingers skim over the soft skin of her inner thigh.
Her panties are soaked, and I waste no time pushing them to the side and slipping a finger inside her.
Fuck, she’s so tight and warm. Her pussy sucks my finger in as she lets out a tiny mewling sound.
“You’re going to feel so good wrapped around my cock,” I say as I slowly add another finger. I wasn’t kidding when I said she was tight. If I fuck her now, I’ll likely rip her open. I’m a heartless asshole, but I’m not that much of a dick to use her like that.
There’s an air of hesitation around me, and I nearly choke on a snort. I don’t hesitate when it comes to fucking. At least my dick still seems to have some sense about it. I don’t think I’d live it down if I suddenly found myself limp without the excuse of alcohol to put the blame on.
She gasps as her fingers twist in the sheets. I’m conflicted for some strange reason. I don’t like it.
“Tell me you want this,” I ask against her mouth, hovering close enough that I could swallow down her answer.
“Yes,” she says. It comes out breathy, yet sure.
“Then hold on, baby,” I say as I stand tall again and flip her over.
She lets out a squeal but doesn’t buck against me when I grab her hips and pull them up.
When she tries to raise on her arms, I grab the back of her head and shove her face into the plush mattress.
“Just like that,” I tell her as I flip the hem of her dress over her ass.
And what a fucking ass it is. Big and round. I can’t resist giving it one good smack, a smile pulling at my lips as it vibrates down into her thick thighs. Fucking hot.
I soothe the warm skin with one hand as I pull out a condom from my inside jacket pocket with the other. It takes less than a minute to get my cock out and suit up. I don’t even bother removing my pants, just let them fall around my wide-spread thighs.
She gasps as I hook a finger into the side of her panties and rip them at the seams. I smirk as I shove it into my inside jacket pocket.
Her pussy is so wet it glistens in the low light.
Beautiful fucking sight. I don’t waste any more time.
I crawl up one knee at a time onto the bed.
My cock bobs, tapping her on the crease of her ass once before I wrangle it with a firm fist.
I line up, ready to thrust home, but stop short once the head of my cock slips inside her.
She’s fucking tight. Feels like her pussy is strangling my dick.
Blowing out a breath, I push forward with a slow, steady pace.
Halfway in, and I feel a muffled pinch in my gut as I hear her let out a shaky breath.
Shit feels a little weird and off, so I stop.
“You alright?” I ask.
Her fingers have a death grip on the duvet and she doesn’t turn to look at me. All she does is nod.
“Need words,” I tell her.
It doesn’t matter that she’s just one in a long line of one-night stands and I’ll probably never see her again, I’m not going to hurt someone just to get off.
“Fine,” she says, but it doesn’t sound convincing. I start pulling out slowly. “No! Please don’t stop!”
I don’t know why she wants this so badly, but I shove the thought to the back of my mind.
Still, something inside me won’t let it go. So I pull out, my feet dropping to the floor as I flip her over. Her legs dangle off the edge of the bed as she stares up at me. I swear her eyes are glistening with unshed tears.
This is a no for me. I’m about to zip up and walk away when she leans up and snags my arm.
“You’re… big. I just need a minute to adjust. But I assure you, I want this.”
Her eyes plead with me in a way I’ve never seen before.
Not from anyone I’ve ever fucked or dealt with.
I don’t know what to do with it, so I figure I can give her what she’s asking for.
It’s not like I won’t get something out of it, too, and believe me, my balls are screaming for a release.
Just knowing her tight heat for a minute isn’t enough, I have to sully this sweet beauty until I’ve ruined her toward every other cock out there.
My cock finds home again as I settle between her legs.
Her face relaxes as I urge her legs around my waist. I’m sure I know what’s going on here, but I don’t acknowledge it.
I don’t want to admit why she’s so fucking tight because it would mean I’ve fucked up in a way I never have before.
I don’t want to stop, so I push it to the back of my mind.
I lean over her, taking her lips in a slow kiss. I slip inside her once again and patiently feed her my cock until my hips press against hers. She lets out a small squeak, and I kiss her harder. I give her a minute before I pull out and thrust back in again.
Her hands thread through my hair, nearly knocking my mask off. She doesn’t let up, twisting the strands between her fingers as she lets out a moan. She’s getting slicker and I start fucking her harder.
“Feel good?” I ask her as the sound of our skin slapping together echoes around us.
“Yeah,” she says.
Heat blooms in my chest. It’s a warmth I’ve never felt before. It’s strange, but I keep fucking her. My balls draw up. I’m so fucking close. She’s so tight around me that I can’t fucking think. I bury my face in her neck, breathing in the scent of wild roses in hopes it will ground me.
I come with a growl, momentarily paralyzed as the sparks of ecstasy shoot up my spine. I’m locked buried so deep inside her and I never want to come out. As my lips brush her shoulder, I imagine clamping down in her skin and sucking my mark into her.
The insane thoughts are fleeting, thank fuck.
I pull out and stand tall. My hands make quick work of pulling off the condom and tying it off.
“Thanks,” I say as I shove the condom in my pocket and spin around. I’m doing up my pants right before I reach the door.
Damn, there’s a strange feeling holding me back for a second. I really need to get the fuck out of here. I shake my head and open the door.
Don’t look back.
But even as I think this, I can’t stop myself from turning my head and taking one last look at her over my shoulder.
Her dark eyes burn into me as she watches me. She doesn’t make a move or say anything, so I shrug and carry on my way, pulling the door shut behind me.
I make my way back to the ballroom with ease.
I’m at the base of the stairs to the main ballroom floor when the prick Aubert catches me.
“Ah, Mr. Falco.” His smile is tight. “I was wondering where you went off to.”
My smile is tight.
“Making my way around the party. I knew I’d have to see you eventually,” I say.
His gaze flicks over my shoulder. I don’t bother turning around, figuring if she’s behind me, then she’s behind me.
I’m done with her, so it doesn’t matter either way, and if he finds out I defiled that sweet little doe in one of his many bedrooms, then fine.
I slip my hand into my jacket, fingering the silky panties I have stuffed there and trying not to smile because he has no idea what I’m doing.
When I pull my hand free, the flat metal case that holds my cigarettes is pinched between to fingers.
“There’s no smoking in here,” he snaps as I flip it open and pull out a smoke. Just the reaction I was hoping for.
“Right.” I snap the case closed before pointing in the direction of the back terrace with the cigarette. “I’ll just step outside.”
I walk off before he can say another word, smirking to myself at how well I played him. I don’t bother looking for Torrin, and a moment later, he’s right there at my side as I slip out the door. I keep walking, lighting the cigarette and drawing in a thick lungful of smoke.
“Done?” Torrin asks.
“Done,” I confirm with a nod.
We walk around the house, and I’m in such a good mood I almost want to whistle.
I wasn’t able to prove he had anything to do with poisoning Sonny tonight, but the pleasure of getting under Aubert’s skin is enough. I see his lap-dog situation hasn’t changed, ever the same people. If anything, they’re closing in tighter, which makes me think they’re all up to something.
Hey, I’m still alive and kicking, so they haven’t won yet. And I’ll keep watching them until I take my last breath… or they do, whichever comes first.
I leave knowing I showed my face just enough to rattle anyone around.
And I got to fuck that sweet beauty.
The night hasn’t been so bad after all.