Chapter 10
10
R AIN
“Get her car to my place,” James orders, handing my car keys to the valet.
“Sir––”
“Don’t bore me with the details,” he cuts the man off.
The valet gives him a curt nod, turns around, and swiftly moves away.
Ed and Lex slide into their car while James signals me to climb into the limousine.
We get in before the doors pull shut with a muffled sound.
Occupying the opposite seats in the back, we share a few moments, not exchanging a word.
His eyes go to his phone as the driver steers the car away.
Frozen in my seat, I observe James.
A few moments pass.
“You didn’t even ask me...” I say, my gaze pinned on his profile.
“Shut up, Rain. I don’t want to hear anything about your sister, home, or family drama. You wanted to get a taste of adult life, then fucking own it and be an adult. It’s your business how you square off with them.”
“How late...?”
He flicks his gaze to me, his eyes blazing at me. My words drop dead in my throat.
I look away.
“I guess you want to prove a point,” I say.
“I don’t need to prove anything.”
“Then let me go,” I say.
“You had your chance to stay away.”
“Are you abducting me?” I sneer.
Our eyes meet again.
“No. I’m giving you a taste of what you want.”
“What if I don’t like it?”
“Oh, you’re going to like it, baby. And you’ll be asking for more.”
He removes his bow tie and puts it in his pocket before unbuttoning his shirt at the neckline.
The top of his dress shirt slides open, the outline of his hard pecs coming into view. He shoots me a glance before typing swiftly on his phone.
“Stop ogling me,” he grumps.
“You’re an unusual man, James Sexton,” I say, shifting in my seat and tearing my gaze away.
“I’m far from what you think,” he mutters.
With that, he puts an end to our conversation.
Half an hour later, we enter a private property and navigate a road that cuts through clusters of trees and grassy meadows before pulling up in front of an impressive mansion.
He steps out, motions to the driver to stay put, and holds the door open for me, his eyes still on his phone.
I barely keep myself from gawking as I take in my surroundings.
“Done?” he asks curtly, not glancing at me.
Silently, I nod.
He raises his eyes, smoothly slipping his phone into his pocket before pulling me toward the entrance.
I keep glancing around.
The place is different than the Dark House.
Surrounded by a beautiful forest, the mansion beams with light. Spread out along a snaking stream, his place has a huge custom-made pool that flashes a bright blue light across the backyard.
The front door opens as we reach the top of the stairs.
A butler holds it for us, inviting us in with a smile.
The inside looks like a cathedral with high vaulted ceilings, large windows, massive staircases, and a vast foyer.
Light pours from the crystal chandeliers, glowing over every nook and cranny.
“Good evening, Sir,” another staff member says.
James nods before bringing his phone to his ear and talking to someone at the other end of the line again.
He takes a sharp left.
Linked to him, I have no other choice but to follow him.
We stroll through a few large chambers before reaching the dining room.
The place could easily host a ball with hundreds of people in attendance.
He nudges me to the right before we enter the kitchen. The staff works around the kitchen island.
All heads flick up, their eyes pulling to him.
“I need Veronica,” he says.
One woman breaks away from the group and walks into a different room.
She comes back accompanied by another lady.
“Sir?” the woman murmurs, waiting for him to wrap up his phone conversation.
“I need some clothes for her,” he says, pointing at me as if he found me on the street.
“Sure, no problem. I can find something for her.”
“Bring them to my room...” he instructs before gripping my hand and hauling me out of the kitchen.
Nobody looks at me.
We take the stairs to the upper level and follow a long hallway until reaching a spacious bedroom overlooking the pool.
A round bed, two nightstands, and a corner sofa with a couple of armchairs occupy half of the room.
There’s enough space to park a few cars in the middle.
“You sure are bossy,” I say.
He drops my hand and shuts the door.
“Why do you have so many staff members?” I ask.
“Because I can. What else do you need to know?” he throws at me brashly, suggesting I need to keep my mouth shut.
He shrugs out of his tuxedo jacket and unbuttons his shirt all the way down.
My eyes wander over his torso as he peels off his shirt and tosses it on a chair.
A large tattoo covers half of his arm and left shoulder.
My gaze falters as I get distracted by his chiseled chest, sculpted arms, and washboard abs.
“What are you celebrating?”
“A business project I’ve been working on,” he says, spinning away and heading to the bathroom.
It doesn’t take long, and a soft knock on the door summons me to the entrance.
Veronica hands me a stack of clothing––a pair of jeans, a tank top, and a pair of boots.
They are all my size, and the tags are still attached.
I close the door and turn around.
He exits the bathroom, clad in jeans, his fly half open.
They barely cover his groin, making me drop my gaze more than once.
He’s nothing but a wall of muscles, his abs rippling when he moves, scars branding his chest.
He looks as if he fights for a living, and in a sense, he does.
“Where did these clothes come from?” I ask.
“She has a niece... about your age,” he says cryptically, turning his back to me while scooping up a t-shirt from a chair.
His jeans sit low on his butt, revealing the dimples on his lower back where the swell of his rear begins.
“Where is she?”
He flicks his gaze over his shoulder.
“Where you should be. School.”
I scowl at him before tearing my gaze away and checking my dress.
“Why do I have to change? What’s wrong with my gown?”
“You don’t want to ruin it...” he deadpans.
“Oh…” I mumble, not sure what to believe.
With the stack of clothes in my arms, I spin around and walk into the bathroom.
It’s a large chamber made of marble, glass, and steel.
His masculine scent, mixed with a whiff of smoke and the notes of musk and sandalwood from his cologne, infuses the air.
Swallowing hard, I imagine him standing in the shower, wet and naked, all muscles and taut skin, his manhood in plain view.
Biting my lip, I take a deep breath and change my clothes.
“Good,” he approves as I stroll back into his bedroom.
He gives me a quick once over, and my eyes move over him too. A black T-shirt stretches across his chest, his biceps pushing against the short sleeves.
His boots are on, his dark jeans are now closed, and his belt is sitting low on his hips.
His bulge strains against his fly, and I'm flushed with heat when he teasingly moves his hips.
Swiftly swinging my gaze up, I catch him peeling his eyes away from me, a smirk tugging at his lips.
I’m busted. So busted. He feels like I got no game.
Sadly, it’s true.
He swaggers to the door, expecting me to follow him, but as he moves away, I freeze.
“Are you coming?” he shoots at me from the doorway, his hand curled around the doorknob.
I stay silent.
He pivots to me, his eyes glinting with an amused smile.
“What’s the problem, Rain?”
“What’s going to happen?” I ask, wrestling with this new reality that I fear a little.
My cocky attitude fizzles out, my courage completely disappearing.
He saunters back, holding my eyes, a knowing grin lining his lips.
Perhaps that’s all he wanted. To make me come to my senses.
“What are you afraid of?” he asks, closing the space between us and bringing his hand to my face.
I look up at him.
“Getting hurt... I guess,” I say, my voice wavering.
“Isn’t it a bit too late for that?” he murmurs, his soft touch spreading warmth across my skin.
He gives me a tender smile––a grin I’ve never seen on him before.
“Is it?” I say in a trance.
“Let me say something to you, sweetheart...” he says softly. “You can’t get anything out of this life without getting hurt. And that’s why some people only get so little out of it. They’re too scared to live fully. Are you one of those people?”
“No, but... I don’t want the people close to me to hurt if something happens to me.”
He drags his fingers across my cheek.
“People get hurt even when you do nothing. You can’t stop their pain. Besides, nothing will happen to you,” he says, winking at me and grinning playfully. “Nothing other than what you want,” he adds, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
He plants a kiss on my hair, and with that single gesture, he erases the few months lost when I didn’t feel his touch.
* * *
JAMES
“You drive.”
I toss her the car keys.
She halts in the middle of the driveway, somewhat baffled.
“You said you liked cars...” I murmur.
Her incredulous look makes me continue.
“We’ll try this first and get the Asterion next time...” I add.
“What’s the Asterion ?”
“The Lamborghini Asterion .”
“Oh... The Lamborghini. Yeah... Okay.”
Smiling, she climbs into the black Dodge Challenger.
“Adjust your seat and your mirror.”
She shifts in her seat, glancing at me.
“You don’t need to baby me.”
I flash a smile.
“Let’s go. We don’t have the entire night.”
“Chill,” she says.
Glancing away, I grin again.
“Patience is not my virtue... Just so you know,” I say.
“All right. All right…” she murmurs, turning the engine on and pulling the car onto the gravel road.
I flick my eyes back to her.
She drives slowly to the edge of the property, her body tense and her eyes glued to the road.
“Relax,” I say.
“Uh-huh,” she murmurs, unable to look at me.
Minutes later, she steers the car onto the main road, and a long exhale leaves her chest.
“Are you nervous because of the car or me?” I ask, soaking in her profile.
She smiles.
“You.”
“Me?”
“Mm-hmm,” she says, biting her lip. “I find you intimidating.”
Smiling, I glance out the window again, an unlit cigarette tucked between my fingers.
“And yet you want me?” I say.
She laughs, prompting me to look at her.
Slightly more relaxed, she meets my eyes.
“It has nothing to do with me wanting you,” she says, flicking her gaze back to the road.
She must love those particular words. That’s why she said them.
Biting my lip, I study her and ponder.
“You like danger?” I ask, moving my eyes over her thighs and chest, the tight spot between her legs.
I harden inside my jeans.
She smiles, not looking at me.
I bet she’s blushing.
“You do?” I insist.
Her eyes come to me—soft and longing.
Hmm…
I know that feeling.
I’ve seen it in women before.
She looks at me, a faint smile lining her lips.
“It’s not that. I like you,” she murmurs, shifting her gaze back to the road.
“You know nothing about me, Rain.”
My eyes are trained on her delicate profile and full lips.
“I know enough.”
A flirty smile curves her lips before I move my eyes over her body again.
“You know nothing, baby…” I say, her gaze coming back to me.
“That’s why I want to find out,” she comments, more confident this time.
Laughing, I pin my eyes on the scenery.
Darkness sprawls out in front of us as far as I can see.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” I murmur, sunk in thought.
Soon after, we reach a crossroads and come to a complete stop.
“Now step on it,” I say.
She seems uncertain.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Aren’t you afraid?”
“Would you be in the driver’s seat if I were?”
Smiling, she turns her eyes back to the road, holds her foot on the brake pedal, and slowly gives it power until the wheels start spinning, screeching, and propelling the car forward.
“That’s more likely,” I say, smiling to myself.
Stretching my legs, I relax in my seat and observe her.
The wind blows in her hair, a smile glinting in her eyes while she experiences a rush.
She keeps her gaze on the road, hitting the turns just right, flying through them without the slightest hesitation.
She likes speed, power, and control as much as I do, and that’s hardly a surprise.
For a few more moments, I only take in her beautiful face.
She’s different than the other women.
I’ve had all kinds, all pleasing to the eye.
Young and older. Doing their best to charm me and make me focus on them.
It all started and ended in bed.
They either tried to please me too much or played games too much, and it got old fast.
You can only hold someone’s attention with sex for so long before things go to hell.
She looks at me.
“Eyes on the road, sweetheart.”
Her focus shifts back to the view, her lips tilted into a soft grin.
I soak in her toned arms, long fingers, full chest, and delicate neck.
A smile sets off her cheekbones, highlighting her intriguing eyes. Softness and sweetness are buried in her gaze, igniting my lust for her.
She has a streak of wildness in her that makes my blood simmer with hunger.
Her jaw is tense, and her eyes narrow with concentration while her fingers thread nervously through her hair.
She’s stronger than she thinks, yet she’s still only a girl.
“Take a right over there,” I say as large homes come into view.
She steers the car in that direction, moving her eyes over me.
“You look good,” she murmurs.
I bite back a smile.
“Focus on driving.”
“I do...” she says, swinging her gaze back to the road.
“So... Are you a writer?” I ask, finally setting the cigarette between my lips.
“I write. I’m not so sure that’s enough to make me a writer. It’s a history book, and it’s a little boring.”
I lower the window, blow the smoke out in a long stream, and rest my elbow on the car door.
“Why history?”
“I love it. Especially the Ancient Rome history.”
“Uh-huh... What would you really like to write?”
“Hmm… I don’t know much about the things I’d like to write about.”
“What things? Give me an example…” I murmur absently, staring blankly out the window.
“Love.”
“Love?”
I swing my gaze back to her.
“Yes. I think people like to read love stories. Don’t you?” she asks, fascinated with the topic.
“I don’t know...” I say, my smile flatlining. “I don’t think there’s much to it.”
“What do you mean?” she asks, disconcerted.
“What people call love... It’s nothing, really. It’s the product of their imagination. A lie. I don’t believe in it.”
“How can you say that?”
She seems deeply disappointed.
“I don’t think there’s such a thing,” I say.
Her face darkens as I continue.
“It has no depth, no substance, and no meaning in the end. It doesn’t stand the test of time, and it’s only an illusion. It’s something that people want to believe in, but it’s not real. People say they are in love, and then they tell lies, grow fond of someone else, and leave the ones they love behind.”
The silence grows.
“What is love to you?” I ask.
Her mouth opens and closes, her eyes darting between the road and me.
“I don’t know. A lot. Everything. You’ve never been in love?”
“Nope. Have you?”
“No, but my parents have… And they still are.”
I shift my eyes back to the window and take a long drag off my cigarette.
“Where are your parents, darling?” I ask before blowing the smoke out.
“What do you mean?” she asks, taken aback by my direct question.
I look at her.
“Tonight. Where are they?”
“My mom is in California, and my dad is in Europe.”
I stay silent.
She ponders for a few moments.
“Oh... I see what you mean, but distance happens. People travel all the time.”
“When was the last time they went somewhere together?”
“Oh… They spent their vacation together on an island last year.” She searches my eyes. “What are you saying?”
I spend a few seconds observing her, the smoke billowing slowly out the window.
“All those men I talked to at the party…” I say. “The mayor, the judge, the councilmen, and the bank people. They all fuck someone other than their wives.”
The silence following my words fills the space like an uninvited guest.
Her eyes come to me, her eyebrows raised and knitted into a frown as she looks at me, confused.
Without finding the answer that she wants in my eyes, she moves her gaze to the path in front of her.
I continue.
“And you know why? It’s not because they fell in love with the people they fucked behind their spouses’ backs. It’s because they’re sick and tired of love. They’ve had it for years at home. And in time, it had turned into endless conversations about money, savings, furniture, doctor visits, and kids. It became schedules, lists, and a bunch of obligations. It became boring sex or no sex at all. Suppose it’s ever been about sex. That’s what love is, sweetheart. They have it at home. They bought into the myth, and now they live the harsh reality of it. And guess what? It sucked the life out of them and made them lazy and cranky, and oblivious to anything around them. It turned them into a bunch of jerks who don’t want to have anything to do with ‘love.’ All they want is to have their dick sucked in one of Red’s rooms. No questions asked, no conversations, and sure as hell, no expectations. That’s what love is in real life.”
She looks at me, her eyes sparkling with emotion.
It feels as if I just put my boots into a bunch of blooming flowers.
I move my eyes away from her.
“This is Lex’s place,” I say, pointing to a big gate that slides open.
She hides her eyes as she turns left and looks out the window.
We pull in, the silence thick between us.
Lex and Ed head to the car, dressed in jeans, T-shirts, and boots.
I step out so they can swoop in before I sink back into my seat. Their cheers crush the silence as they lay their eyes on her.
“Take it easy, for fuck’s sake,” I say, laughing as they fall back in their seats.
Rain’s eyes are draped in sadness.
“Look who’s driving,” Ed says, sticking his head between Rain and me.
Cupping her face with one hand, he kisses her cheek.
Growling, she pushes him back.
He tilts back in his seat, chuckling.
“What’s up with the bad mood?”
“Girls have bad moods all the time, Ed. That’s fucking basic. You should’ve learned that by now.”
“Sorry. I’ve never stuck around long enough to learn about their moods.”
They both laugh as Rain throws me a glare before glowering at them in the rear mirror.
“It’s okay, babe. You’ll get used to us,” Lex says, curling his fingers around Rain’s shoulder.
She shudders.
“Enough, Lex,” I say, glancing at her. “You can slap him, honey, whenever you want,” I say, locking her eyes briefly.
A soft smile shines through them.
“Where are we going now?” she asks.
“To show you something.”