Chapter 7
7
J AMES
Anger slams into my chest, a visceral pain flooding my body.
I take her in––every fucking inch of that silky skin, perfect lips, and hot body.
She’s made for love, lust, and pleasure. And now she’s tuned to perfection like a deadly machine.
If there was one thing I got right about her from the beginning, it was how powerful she was.
How unforgettable.
Her body is a weapon, her heart is bait, and her mind is like a drug that gets you hooked.
My blood sensed it, and my dick knew it, yet my brain looked the other way.
She was the one regret I couldn’t afford.
My chest feels tight as I drink her in––the swell of her breasts, the smooth lines of her neck, her shining hair, and sparkling eyes.
She still is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. And I was her first man. And now she’s every man’s.
She left me because she didn’t want my money.
And now she has no problem selling her body for everybody else’s cash?
My hands ball into fists, my jaw hurting from the tension.
Biting back the horrible words meant to make her cry, I try to suppress my thirst for revenge.
A sharp breath fills my lungs before I unclench my teeth.
“Shall we go inside?” I say, cold as ice.
They both freeze.
Lex looks at me, horrified.
Slowly shaking his head behind her, he tries to discourage me from doing what I’m about to do.
He knows.
He knows everything she doesn’t know.
He knows how hard it was to push the memory of her away and fight the rage that took over my mind and body.
I tossed and turned. Roared and snapped.
He witnessed everything.
He saw me snarl and go ballistic over the littlest, stupidest thing until I lost some steam and finally turned bitter.
They had to stay away from me.
He knows that.
And Ed knows that, too.
She is the only one who doesn’t know it.
“Are you sure?” Lex asks as I nudge her toward the door.
I have no intention of changing my mind.
“I’m damn sure. I don’t see what the problem is. Do you see a problem, Red?” I ask.
I shift my eyes to her, charring her with my glare.
“Are you in the habit of canceling good-paying customers, Red?” I add to piss her off.
She quirks her lips, and ice and fire clash in her gaze.
The game is on.
And if I know anything about her, she won’t back away.
She’ll stand her ground and remain steadfast in her convictions.
She’ll do it out of spite if nothing else.
That’s who she is. That’s who she’s always been.
“Absolutely, no problem,” she says.
There you go.
“Good. After you, sweetheart.”
We flank her, furtively trading looks behind her as we all enter the ballroom.
Although the festivities are already underway, some people swivel their heads to get a glimpse of her.
Minutes pass as we go through the motions and play our roles. We’re here to talk business, and she’s here to keep us company.
Some of these people are business partners, some are acquaintances, and others are strangers we get introduced to for the first time.
A natural, she exchanges pleasantries with them, her wit, erudition, and sense of humor shining through, complemented by her ravishing smile.
Men and women alike stare at her, mesmerized.
At one point, she excuses herself and tears away from us.
Our eyes follow her as she sashays across the room and vanishes inside the corridor leading to the ladies’ room.
“I can cancel this whole thing,” Lex mutters, his eyes trained on the door she walked through.
“Not a chance in fucking hell,” I say, having a hard time speaking. “We’ll get what we paid for. She’s no longer the girl we once knew,” I say, cold as winter.
He flicks his gaze to me, searching my eyes.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m damn sure.”
The door opens before she strides back to us, and more anger spearheads through my chest.
Even as nervous as she is, she’s still stunning. And she seems undeterred. Fine by me.
But this thing won’t get any easier. Not one fucking bit. If anything, it will get harder.
She might suspect I’m setting her up, trying to break her.
And it’s possible that she doesn’t give a shit.
“Is anyone in the mood for a dance?” she asks in a strained voice, her eyes darting back and forth between the two of us.
“Not me,” I say, grabbing a drink from a server’s tray.
Lex looks at me.
I softly lift my chin, pointing to the dance floor.
“Go ahead... Dance,” I say.
Annoyed, he grabs her hand.
My stomach clenches when their fingers touch.
I gulp alcohol, hoping to take the edge off and keep my cool, yet I can’t peel my eyes away from them.
Winding an arm around her waist, he twirls with her while I absently finish my drink and put my hand into my pocket.
They look stunning together. It’s hard to admit it, but they actually do.
Slightly tipping her head back, she curves her lips into a luring smile, her gaze glued to his eyes.
A grin lights up his face.
He’s fucking flirting with her.
Tense like shit, I turn my back to them and saunter to a nearby window.
A few moments slip by.
“Why is a handsome man like you alone on a night like this?” a female voice murmurs behind me.
I glance over my shoulder.
The woman, a brunette with blue eyes and a dust of freckles across her nose, studies me with curiosity.
A playful smile glints in her eyes.
I swing my gaze back to the window.
She stops next to me and trains her gaze on the window as well.
A curtain of snow falls into the darkness.
“What makes you think I’m alone?” I say, shifting my eyes to her.
She studies me for a moment, pleasantly surprised by my flirting smile.
A soft blush colors her cheeks.
“You want to dance?” I ask.
“Sure,” she says just as I catch Rain’s eyes come to us.
* * *
RAIN
He seduces her with a grin, and she smiles back at him, lost in his arms, gawking like a girl.
He spins away with her, and a blizzard rocks my heart.
“Hey,” Lex says, following the direction of my gaze.
Pivoting, he blocks my view.
“Don’t do that,” he says.
“I’m not doing anything.”
His eyes are clear, like the summer sky.
Splaying my fingers over his chest, I drink in his soft smile.
“You look good,” I murmur.
“You too, baby,” he says without tearing his gaze away from my eyes.
He threads his fingers through my hair and gently cuffs and strokes my neck, spurring goosebumps on my back.
As if aware of my reaction, he lets his palm cruise down my spine before inching closer to my backside.
Holding my gaze, he runs his fingers up my back and slides his fingers into my hair again.
My shoulders quiver.
Drinking me in, he moves his hands slowly, kneading my back and stroking my neck until I softly gasp.
He’s good.
So smooth.
Flashing a secret grin, he turns me on.
“We shouldn’t do this,” he says.
I blink and look at him with clearer eyes.
He observes me in silence as I run my fingers up the lapel of his jacket and gently touch his face.
“What do you mean?” I ask softly.
“This whole evening. It’s a bad idea.”
I flick my eyes away from him and meet James’ glare.
I wonder how long he’s been watching us since his eyes look like they could start a fire.
He keeps his focus on us, oblivious to his dancing partner.
Without breaking my stare, I murmur to Lex.
“He wants to do it,” I say before moving my eyes back to Lex. “What about you?”
A soft smile curves his lips.
“What do you think?”
A moment passes before he speaks again.
“I still think it’s a bad idea.”
I ponder for a second.
“You’ve always wanted me…” I say. “And you were right. I would’ve been yours had he not claimed me first,” I add, tenderly stroking his face.
A warm smile threads through his gaze.
“But things have changed. And I’m no one’s right now…” I continue. “Although…”
“Yes?”
“I intend to stay that way,” I say quietly, still caressing his neck.
A warm grin floods his eyes.
“Okay,” he says quietly before tenderly locking me against his chest.
A soft pulse swirls between my legs as I feel him hard against my abdomen.
Leaning closer, he murmurs against my lips.
“Are you sure about this?”
“Yes. Yes, I am… I want it as much as you do.”
“You’re playing with fire,” he murmurs, smiling.
“So are you,” I say, running my thumb across his lips. “Besides, I’ve been burned before.”
He gently cups my face and gives me a delicious kiss that makes my knees soft.
“You haven’t changed, have you?” he asks, catching sight of my hard nipples as he looks down.
I slink my fingers inside his jacket and knead his chest.
“Not at all. And neither have you,” I say, curling my arm around his neck, pressing my body into his, touching the ridge of his erection.
“We should go,” he says.
We both look in James’ direction, whose eyes could nuke us.
With a flick of his chin, James motions us to the exit, and shortly after, Lex and I amble toward the door.
Lex holds the mantle for me as James swishes by us, his hands sunk in his pockets, his bowtie already inside his jacket.
* * *
RAIN
We ride in silence for the next fifteen minutes before stopping in front of a skyscraper.
Dark as night, James slips out of the car and rushes ahead of us.
By the time Lex and I enter the lobby, he’s nowhere in sight.
We walk past the concierge, where the clerk nods a soft greeting, and turn right toward the elevators.
Moments later, we reach the top floor and enter a penthouse suite.
A door slams somewhere in the back as we walk into a vast space.
“Is he okay?” I ask quietly.
“Mm-hmm.”
Calmly, Lex takes off my cloak and shows me to a large room that occupies most of the floor.
Large windows look out over Manhattan, and a panoramic view stretches from side to side.
Not far from us, a staircase descends to a lower level where the blue light of an inside pool casts a glow around the space.
A lavish oval bed sits near us, and a velvet couch and matching armchairs lean against the wall across from us.
A door opens and closes behind us, and footsteps trail our way.
I spin around as James swaggers in.
He stops in front of me, still wearing his tailored pants, his white tailored shirt completely open.
Lex gauges my reaction.
“Anything we need to know, babe?” James deadpans, tossing condoms and lube on a nightstand.
I shake my head.
“Safe word?” he asks.
“Red. Anything I need to know?” I toss back at him, barely keeping my nerves under control.
He locks my eyes, his gaze dark and heavy.
“I like it rough,” he says, with no humor in his voice.
My chest tightens with apprehension.
I shift my gaze to Lex, who looks guarded.
“I hope you’re as good as the word is on the street. I don’t want to be disappointed,” James says dryly. “Now strip,” he barks.
A bad feeling falls through me.
I pull the zipper down, hook my fingers inside the neckline, and peel the gown off, revealing my bare chest, garters, and tiny panties.
Lex’s eyes hover over my body, a soft gasp falling from his lips. James doesn’t look in my direction.
I step out of my dress and push it to the side.
“On your knees,” James instructs. “He goes first,” he says as Lex steps back and leans against the wall.
I sink to my knees and look up.
Toxic darkness drips from James’ eyes while Lex’s expression reveals nothing.
“Are you fucking doing it or not?” James thunders, throwing more venom my way.
Jaw locked, I glower at him before swinging my gaze away and shifting my position to face Lex.
James moves to his side, his hands clasped on his hips, his stare drilling holes into my face.
Boiling with rage, I take a long breath and peel my gaze away from him, trying to ignore him while sliding my hands up Lex’s thighs.
I tip my head back and lock Lex’s eyes, feeling an instant connection with him.
As much as he stifles his reaction and keeps his face straight, I sense the tension in his body.
This is far from ideal––it’s more like a nightmare.
If he’s ever fantasized about me touching him, I’m sure this is not what he had in mind.
Not with James observing my every move.
He feels like a volcano ready to erupt with his heated stare, boiling anger, and fire oozing from his blood.
I’m sure James thought I’d never go through with it. Never let them do this to me.
But there’s something he doesn’t know. Something I’ve learned from him.
You always have to push through in order to survive. There are no ifs and buts or taking steps back under no circumstances.
You do that, and you’re dead.
They eat you alive, push you to the side, and walk all over you. You never get the chance to pull yourself up.
Had I backed away back in the day, he would’ve never looked at me twice.
Right now, he’s stirred up because I still matter to him. He wants vengeance more than anything else.
He wants to crush me, and there’s hate in him that needs to be fed. And I can surely feed it.
Had I pulled away from this, he would’ve freed himself from me. And I would’ve meant nothing to him.
He would’ve lost respect for me.
I would’ve been just another girl who cowered in a corner every time the past had brought the memory of him to her.
He would’ve seen a woman with a broken heart who’d never been his equal.
And he would’ve been disappointed, had a bad taste in his mouth, and never considered giving me a second chance.
A second look.
So there.
Without breaking my stare, I run my hand between Lex’s legs, cup his bulge, and palm his big cock through his pants, his flesh swelling against my hand.
Raw hunger flashes through his eyes.
I push up to my feet when James grips my shoulder and jerks me back down.
“Don’t even fucking try to kiss him,” he says, sliding his hand into my hair and keeping me in place.
Expressionless, Lex takes his jacket off and tosses it on a nearby chair while I unfasten his belt, work his fly open, and free his cock.
My gaze stays glued to his erection before flicking my eyes up and holding his stare.
A smile dips his lips, his mind blocking James out completely, the same way mine does.
I wrap my fingers around his girth before sliding my fist up and down, a sultry look on my face.
He bites his lip again, feeling exactly what I feel, understanding what I do, and willing to fight a war if needed to keep this going on.
He loves it.
Regardless of how twisted, dark, and fragile it is, he loves my touch, my eyes. My body.
He also loves this growing secret between us.
A part of him even loves James’ hate for both of us right now.
He pulses in my hand as I slowly part my lips and shift my mouth closer to his crown.
I swirl my tongue around his flesh, paying attention to his body. My touch is soft and tender, exerting the kind of pressure I assume he likes.
His chest rocks with shorter breaths and his lips curl into a smile while his eyes burn between his lashes.
He jerks his hips and pushes his stiff length through my fist, nearing my mouth.
I keep arousing him, fueling his longing for me and solid anticipation.
“Hey, baby,” I murmur, ignoring his friend completely.
James tightens his grip on my hair, towering over me, trying to ruin it for us.
That makes me even more determined to show Lex a good time. My hands move up and down his erection, using a mix of tenderness and passion and not marred by the slightest hesitation.
As if we were alone.
My strokes are sensual, my grip tense to make him hot.
Gradually, I increase the pace, his smile telling me I’m doing it right.
Ignoring James, he brings his hand to my face and splays his fingers over my cheek–––his touch is tender, a world apart from James’ grip.
Lovingly, he strokes my face, waiting for that perfect moment when I part my lips and tilt my head back, roll my tongue up his length and plump veins before closing my fist around his girth and smoothly pulling him into my mouth.
He’s rock hard while I get tingles between my legs.
A quiet curse comes to my ears as a shudder falls through him.
He stirs in my mouth as I swirl my tongue around his crown and slide my lips down his length.
James’ grip slackens eventually.
I use my newfound freedom to crane my neck and bob my head, taking Lex deeper into my mouth.
His eyes close briefly as he indulges in my touch.
James’ fingers trace my shoulders and my neck before gathering all my hair into his fist.
Holding it back, he watches me sucking Lex, his breaths rolling out a little faster.
“You taste good,” I say to Lex.
He cups my face with both hands and softly caresses my skin, his eyes hazy and unfocused, his hips rocking harder.
I slide my hand up his body and slink my fingers inside his shirt before kneading his abs.
I pull him out for a moment.
“I want to see you, baby,” I say.
He tears his shirt open and yanks it off.
I shoot my eyes up, taking in his well-built body. His biceps bulge and his abs ripple as he moves.
Hard and hot, he is so close to coming, the pleasure only rising fast for both of us.