26. Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Victor
“Who was on the phone?”
“Sabrina. She was informing me she’s staying with Tyson tonight.”
“We’re staying here tonight, Mariposa. It was good of her to tell you, though.”
“I like the idea of a sleepover,” Grace says with a soft smile.
I kiss her temple. “Very good. Pick out the room you want to stay in and make yourself comfortable. I’ll join you when I’m done here. I’m expecting one more call.”
Matteo calls again after Grace is gone, and I settle into my office chair. “Owen thinks moving might be the best choice. But only if we can get Lili out of the building unseen. Luke has suggested we drive one of the linen trucks and wheel her out in a linen cart.”
I laugh at the idea of putting Lili in a linen cart.
“Will it draw suspicion if the linen truck comes early?”
“That’s what I said, and the next pickup and delivery isn’t for two more days. Can you sit tight there until then?”
“If they are watching us, it will draw more attention if we don’t come and go as normal.”
“Perhaps. But I don’t want to put anyone at risk, and you’re safer inside the club than you are elsewhere. Especially with the sabotage to Grace’s car and the mysterious flower deliveries you still haven’t addressed.”
Matteo is right. I don’t want Grace out of my sight for a moment when we don’t know if recent events are connected to what is going on with the rest of us.
“OK. We’ll stay put until morning at least. It wouldn’t be the first time one or more of us have crashed here because we didn’t want to drive all the way home at the end of the night.”
“I’m worried that Draven will start taking bold risks if he doesn’t get his wife back soon. Word is he’s looking to get an audience with Novak to find out what happened when she left his casino, and that’s going to mean the boss is breathing down our necks, especially Owen’s and possibly even yours since you were on duty that night.”
Getting Hunter involved is the last thing we want, but it may be unavoidable at this point. “It’s a mess. I’ll grant you that. But let’s not worry about that until we have to.”
Matteo agrees to table the issue of moving or staying until morning, and I go in search of Grace. I find her in the Queen’s suite, and I step inside, closing the door behind me.
“Are you OK, butterfly?”
“I’m fine. A little stressed, but OK.”
“Come here.”
She stares at me for a moment, and I wonder what is going through her mind.
“I don’t like asking twice, Grace.”
She comes to stand in front of me. Her hands tremble, and her gaze darts everywhere but my face. Why is she so nervous?
“Grace, what do you think is going to happen?”
Her head moves back and forth slowly. “I’m not sure, and that’s part of my problem. What’s happening with us, Victor?”
I pick up a lock of her hair and rub it between my fingers. “It seems as though we’re both finally giving in to the attraction we’ve had to each other since we met.”
“But why now? Not that I’m complaining. I just want to make sure it’s real and not forced.”
My hand slides to the base of her skull where I take a handful of hair and twist, so her head is back, and I have access to her perfect neck and jaw. I kiss and nibble along the column of her neck and along her jaw until I get to her lips where I plunge my tongue between her lips and take her mouth in a powerful kiss. Her arms loop around my neck and she opens for me, letting me explore her mouth.
When I pull away, I grip her chin and force her to meet my gaze. “Does that seem forced to you, Grace?”
“No, Sir. Not even a little.”
“Good. Then let’s just enjoy figuring each other out, OK?”
That seems to placate her, and I shove her towards the bed. She hesitates when I try to get her to lie down, so I sit on the edge next to her and pull her close.
“What is it?”
“I… I don’t know if I want to have sex yet. It’s weird with Lili down the hall. I’m not sure what that means. Is that bad?”
Kissing her temple, I pull her onto my lap and shift her so she’s straddling me.
“I think it means you’re a normal bisexual human experiencing attraction to more than one person. It’s not a bad thing.”
Grace chews on her lip, and I frame her face with my hands. “Spit it out, butterfly.”
“It’s just that I see the way Luke and Matteo get when another man even looks at Zara and Skylar. Tobias and Owen are the same way with Bellamy. Would you be so calm if it were another man I was experiencing attraction for?”
It’s a fair question, and one I’m not exactly how to answer. Tobias and Owen have made me look at things differently. Many of the members of our club enjoy complex polyamorous connections, but I’ve always been a one-woman kind of man. Then again, Grace has had her own experiences with non-monogamy that I had a front-row seat to. Though I was often under the impression she’d been coerced into that relationship, so I can’t actually say where she stands on monogamy. There are too many things to factor into this situation, so I settle on a vague response.
“I think it would depend on the man. Right now, I can’t think of one I’m willing to share you with.”
“But you would share me with Lili?”
I laugh. “You’re making this way too complicated, butterfly. I’m not collaring you. We aren’t getting married. You kissed Lili and now you’re kissing me. That’s really all that matters. When we figure out what kind of relationship we want to have, we’ll have to answer those questions. Right now, let’s just enjoy this. I watched you with Sampson and Kara. You’re capable of being attracted to more than one person.”
Her questions are unsettling but understandable. If I were in her position I might have the same ones. My feelings about her and Lili together go beyond the basic male fantasy of two women making out in front of him, but Lili is temporary. As soon as we get rid of her husband, I’m sure she’ll be on her way to rebuild her life far away from us.
Grace crawls off my lap and paces the room. I let her pass in front of me several times before I grab her hand and pull her in front of me again.
“What would you like to do with our evening, Grace? We have to stay put until we figure out who is watching us and how to move Lili.”
“I haven’t eaten since breakfast. Would you want to take dinner to Lili and sit with her? It has to suck being in that room all alone. She doesn’t like silence.”
It’s not exactly what I had in mind for our night together, but it’s hard to argue with the plan when Grace is the one asking. “Let’s go then, butterfly.”
We stand and head for the front of the building where Grace puts a tray of food together for us including an assortment of cookies and brownies that Tyson Vance recently started making for us to sell.
When we reach Lili’s door, I punch in the first digit of the code, but Grace smacks me. “We can be polite and knock.”
“You’re lucky you’re holding the food, butterfly. See what happens if you hit me again.”
The threat is playful, and Grace blushes prettily and squirms away from me. She’s right, though, so I reach up and knock on the door.
Lili calls for us to come in.
She seems surprised that both of us are there.
“We brought food, and I thought we could have dinner together,” Grace offers.
“I suppose that’s about as close to fun as I’m going to get in here. Come in.”
We settle in the sitting area of the suite and spread the food out on the coffee table. It’s quiet as we assemble sandwiches, but Lili finally breaks the silence.
“Any updates on when I’ll be moving?”
I nod. “We’re hoping to move you sooner rather than later and are assessing the safest ways to move you. How would you react to riding out underneath a pile of dirty linens?”
Grace looks like she wants to smack me again, but refrains. I reach over and squeeze her thigh as Lili stares at me, trying to decide how serious I am.
“Sounds like something out of a spy movie. It would be a good story to tell my grandkids someday.”
“Lili, our linens are usually covered in… various bodily fluids,” Grace says with a disgusted look on her face.
Lili laughs. “I would hope I would at least be offered something clean to wrap up in.”
“Why are we even having this conversation?” I snap as I finish a bite of sandwich. “We haven’t decided if that’s the right way to move you. Owen has an entirely different idea.”
“You wanted to get a rise out of me by asking what I thought about it. And you didn’t get the reaction you wanted, so now you’re annoyed and bored with the conversation.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Think you know me that well, do you?”
Lili shrugs. “My husband does the same thing.”
She’s baiting me. Exactly as I baited her. I have to clench my fists to keep from responding. The very idea of being compared to that monster makes my blood boil. Grace senses it because she reaches over and squeezes shoulder.
“Victor, did you know Grace writes erotica?”
Grace’s mouth drops open. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
I drape an arm around her shoulder. “Grace has been writing for as long as I’ve known her.”
“Look at us sitting here trying to get a reaction out of each other. I apologize. Thank you for the food. Forgive me for blurting that out, Grace.”
“He already knew. It’s fine,” Grace says. “I was just surprised.”
“Now if you tell me she let you read something she wrote, that will get a reaction from me. Even for as long as I’ve known her, she won’t let me.” I say winking at Grace.
“Oh Grace, share it with him. It would be a good bonding activity for this new phase in your relationship.”
Grace buries her face in her hands. “Can we stop talking about me, please?” She jumps up after a beat of silence and looks around the room. “Let’s play a game. We’ve got some fun ones here.”
I’ve never understood why we have a game collection here, but it never fails on a Saturday night when people are done playing in the dungeon, a group will wind up at the tables around the bar playing games and laughing. I usually avoid it like the plague.
But Grace looks excited about the prospect, and I’ve found I enjoy making her smile, so I nod. “Fine. Go get something, butterfly.”
She grins and heads for the door. “Be right back.”
When it’s just Lili and me, she leans back in her chair and gives me a wicked smile. “You’ve got a special girl on your hands, Victor. You should really stop kidnapping other women or you’re going to fuck it up.”
“Dinner was Grace’s idea. I can still pull out the ball gag. I hear the two of you shared a kiss.”
“Of course she told you about that. She’s honest and pure-hearted. It was my fault. Don’t be too hard on her.”
I settle deeper into the corner of the couch and stretch my arm across the back. “I can’t tell if you’re trying to stir up trouble or you’re being sincere.”
“Good. I always want people guessing until I’m ready to reveal my intentions. But there was no desire to cause trouble. I can’t explain it, but I like Grace a lot. Too much, it would seem. I want everything good and wonderful for her. So don’t fucking hurt her.”
I let out a short laugh. “There is no way you are sitting here lecturing me about not hurting my best friend since high school. You’ve known her for two minutes.”
She smirks and picks up a brownie. “These are fantastic. It’s like I’ve had them somewhere before.” She pauses and closes her eyes, taking another bite. It’s sensual watching her savor the chocolate treat. She opens her eyes and snaps her fingers. “Got it. They remind me of the ones Obsidian Mirage serves.”
It’s my turn to smirk, but I can’t reveal that the five-star restaurant that recently opened in Las Vegas belongs to Tyson Vance, the very man who made the brownies for us.
I can tell she wants to ask about the look on my face, but Grace returns holding Scrabble and two card games.
“Scrabble!” Lili says, clapping her hands. “I love Scrabble.”
I fucking hate it, but Grace seems excited about it too, so I stand and clear the food from the table in front of us so she can set it up.
“Grace, now that you’ve thoroughly trounced us with your superior vocabulary, we should get some sleep. I’m not sure what tomorrow will bring.”
Grace seems nervous, but she begins cleaning up the tiles.
We say goodnight to Lili, and she surprises me by offering a hug to me first and then to Grace. I’m not a big hugger, but I accept and almost instantly regret it. Her hair still smells like her shampoo, and I want to pull the neat little bun she keeps it in down and force her to her knees.
When she moves on to Grace, they linger in the embrace for what feels like an awkward amount of time.
When she pulls away, Grace is flush. We walk down the hall holding everything from dinner and playing games. I drop everything in the kitchen and then hold her hand all the way to our room.
She’s quiet, and I’m dying to know what is going through her mind.
“What are we doing, Victor?” she asks after our door is closed.
“We’re getting some sleep. What do you want to be doing?”
She shakes her head and drops onto the sofa. “I mean us. Lili. What’s going on?”
“We’re keeping her comfortable until we figure out the right move. The goal is still taking her husband down, butterfly. We can’t forget that. No matter how much we both may want her.”
“So, you want her?”
“I won’t lie and say I’m not attracted to her.”
“And me?”
“If you’re asking me to compare the two of you, it’s impossible. You’re my best friend, and that’s not changing. I’ve always found you attractive, and it’s never felt right to act on that until now. I’m still not sure if it’s right, but we’re trying it. Lili is a passing ship who can’t stay in our lives.”
“Our?”
How am I making such a mess of this conversation? I move to stand in front of her and drop to a knee so I’m at eye-level with her. “I’m here with you, Grace. Don’t forget that.”
“I don’t think I’m ready for sex.”
I place a palm against her cheek and lean in for a kiss. “That’s completely OK. You take the bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch. No arguing,” I add when she opens her mouth to protest. “We need good sleep, and I’m not letting you sleep on the couch. End of discussion.”
She closes her eyes and leans into my hand, and I can tell she’s still resisting the urge to protest. “Say yes, Sir and get your ass in bed, butterfly.”
With a sigh, she leans in and kisses my cheek. “Yes, Sir.”
“You can give me a better kiss than that.”
She giggles as I pull her hair, shifting her mouth to mine.
Our kiss stokes the flames of my desire for her, and I regret my choice to sleep on the couch instead of next to her. But sleep is imperative, so I know it’s for the best. I won’t keep my hands off of her if we’re in the same bed.
When she pulls away, her cheeks are flush, her nipples are hard beneath her shirt, and I want to go so much farther. Instead, I stand and give her room to move around the room. She grabs a pair of new pajamas from the wardrobe and heads for the bathroom where I hear the shower turn on.
God damn it. She’s naked in there.
“Grace,” I holler outside the bathroom door. “I’m going to my office for a few minutes. Be in bed when I get back.”
“Yes, Sir,” comes her muffled reply.
I stalk down the hall to my office and sit at my computer, pretending to get work done. After reading the same invoice six times, I give up and head back to the room. When I open the door, Grace is just climbing into the king size bed that dominates the room.
“Good girl,” I murmur as I take off my jacket and tie and lay them over the back of a chair. Then I remove my shirt and slacks, leaving me in boxers and a tight black tank top.
Grace slips out of bed as I’m looking for an extra blanket to throw on the couch.
“What are you doing?”
She grabs my clothes and heads for the closet.
“You don’t want them to get wrinkled. You don’t have a spare suit in your office right now. The ones you keep here are all at the cleaners. I was going to pick them up on my way in tomorrow.”
That she knows that does something to me. This girl has been quietly taking care of me for five years, and I’ve neglected her. Or maybe it hasn’t been that quiet at all and I’ve just failed to notice. Either way, I feel like crap.
“You don’t have to do that,” I protest. But she’s already halfway through hanging everything, so I sit on the couch and watch.
Then she reaches into the top of the wardrobe and pulls out a blanket, grabs a pillow from the bed, and brings them to me. I set them aside and pull her down onto my lap.
“You’re amazing, butterfly. I’m sorry I don’t tell you that enough.”
She kisses me again and I press my forehead to hers. “If you don’t get in bed, I’m going to spank you.”
“That’s hardly fair,” she protests.
“I’m sticking to your request for no sex, but you’re still my submissive when we’re in this building, so I can spank you if I want, right?”
When she nods, I point to the bed. “Then get in bed and go to sleep unless you want a red ass.”
She scurries off my lap and climbs under the covers. I stand and spread out the blanket and arrange my pillow before shutting off the light.
“Say goodnight…”
“Don’t finish that sentence. I hate it when people say that,” she says, cutting me off.
I laugh into the dark. “Goodnight, butterfly.”
“Goodnight, Victor.”