Chapter Seven
Allie
James was well worth the wait.
We’re in the shower together, cleaning up after our second round of the evening. I feel like I’ve been electrified, brought to life by this handsome, dangerous man. I understand the more time I spend with him that others—his staff, his rivals—are scared of him, but he’s never made me feel anything other than safe and wanted. I think this is what love feels like.
I turn to face James, stopping him from washing my hair. He looks gorgeous, his muscles rippling and wet, his hair swiped away from his face, brown eyes alight with wanting, like they always are around me.
“I want to taste you,” I whisper to him, suddenly desperate to experience him in my mouth.
“You sure, baby?”
“Yes,” I say, pressing my lips to his and sucking his tongue into my mouth, hoping to get him riled up again. It works. I feel him hardening where his cock meets my stomach and I laugh into the kiss, surprised it was this easy.
“Whatever you want,” he mumbles against my lips and I promptly lower to my knees, taking his hard, thick length into my hands before swirling my tongue around his already leaking tip.
I’ve never done this before, but it feels instinctual to me, like I already know exactly what he likes and how he likes it. The guttural moan he lets out as I take him down my throat tells me I’m on the right track, and his hands tangle in the wet strands of my hair.
I continue stroking him with my tongue, fitting as much of him down my throat as I can and using my hand on the rest of him. I swirl my tongue as I work down, and when I feel his spine tighten beneath my grip, I only work harder, desperate to taste more of his salty release.
“Allie, I’m almost there,” he groans out, hands tightening in my hair to give me the most delicious sting. I swirl my tongue once more and feel him burst in my mouth. I swallow every last drop as he holds me against him.
I can’t wait to do this again.
He pulls me up and slides to his knees, kissing every inch of my body on the way down to return the favor. I know we’re not getting much sleep tonight.
***
I wake in the morning sore and desperate for more of James. It’s still slightly dark out and I look at the clock, seeing that it’s just before 5 a.m. Though part of me wants to stay here and explore him in any way I can, another part of me knows I need to get my thoughts in order and there’s only one person who can help me do that: Katie.
I know James said that I’m in danger, and I’m more than happy to oblige him by spending my nights by his side, but there’s no way I’m at risk as much as he thinks. I know Katie is working the morning shift, so if I head to her house right now, I’ll be able to catch her before she leaves for her 7 a.m. shift.
I quickly dress and head downstairs, grabbing the keys to the Mercedes SUV James said I could use since we left my car back at my place. I leave him a note on the kitchen counter, telling him I’ve run out to see Katie and will be back around 7:30. I also jump on my phone and share my location with him, wanting him to know I’m taking precautions.
When I pull up in front of Katie’s house ten minutes later, I catch her sipping coffee and scrolling on her phone at the kitchen table. When I walk in she looks shocked to see me, but quickly recovers and pours me a cup of coffee, filling it to the brim and adding some caramel creamer, just like she knows I love.
“Okay, I know what happened with the airport—hilarious, by the way. I haven’t talked to Jim since, but he didn’t seem too peeved by it. What’s been happening the last few days?” she asks, sipping from her mug and settling in for a good gossip session just like we have for countless mornings over the years. It’s comforting to talk to Katie like this.
I fill her in on everything from James offering me a job and having me over for dinner, to the kiss that first night and then everything in-between. I blush recounting the way we made love last night, leaving out some of the spicier details, of course. And then I fill her in, vaguely, about the danger James has said that I’m in.
When I finish, I let out a deep breath, feeling a bit winded from how much I just unloaded on Katie.
“Do you think you’re in any real danger?” she asks after a moment. “I’m so, so happy for you, but I also don’t want you to be in a situation where you’re not safe.”
“I know,” I say, reaching across and grabbing her hand, just like we’ve done to comfort each other so many times over the years. “I don’t think James would let anything happen to me, but I know I need to be cautious. That’s why I came to see you at the crack of dawn. I feel like gem dealers don’t keep early hours,” I say with a laugh. Katie laughs, too.
“Then I think I’ve never seen you this happy before and you should be with him as long as you feel safe with him. And as long as he keeps being honest with you, I don’t see any real reason for you to worry.”
“Thanks, Katie, I needed to hear that.”
“Anytime, babe,” she says, squeezing my hand before looking at the clock. “Shit! It’s almost 6:45, I have to run.”
“I’ll clean this up for you and lock up—sorry for keeping you!” I say, rising to give her a hug before she runs out the door, blowing me a kiss and asking me if I remember the door code. I do.
I quickly clean up our coffee mugs and run a cloth over her kitchen table, noticing the family picture that hangs over it, along with a variety of photos of us and other friends. I spot who must be Jim, sporting a dark mop of hair, matching dark eyes, and swirling tattoos that are so different from the beauty of James’ Celtic knots. I wonder what would have happened if I’d picked him up instead of my James, but I can’t even begin to imagine the very possible reality where I had never met the man I’ve fallen in love with.
I drop the cloth over Katie’s drying rack before heading out the door, remembering to type in the lock code. I turn to leave, and by the time I hear footsteps behind me, it’s too late. Everything goes black.
***
I wake slowly, sitting in a very uncomfortable chair. My head throbs, and I can feel that my wrists and ankles are tied. I let out a moan as I feel the fog in my head beginning to lift. Once I’m able to open my eyes, I see nothing but a blank concrete room. It looks like some kind of storage unit or something, but there’s no hints of sunlight or anything for me to get my bearings. The only light in the room comes from a single lightbulb with a string for a switch situated in the center of the room.
I take another pass around the room, the panic starting to bubble inside me. I move my wrists, but all that does is saw the rope further into my flesh. I cry out with pain and frustration and rock my chair, doing anything I can think of to lessen my restraints. Again, my movements only seem to tighten the bonds around me.
Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and think of James. He’ll come for me. I know he’ll come for me. I can’t believe I didn’t take this seriously. I’m so sorry, James. A tear leaks out of the corner of my eye, but I will the rest of them away.
I hear the muffle of footsteps, and I take another deep breath, remembering that I had turned on my location on my phone. I just hope it’ll be enough for James to find me in time.