Chapter Eleven
IN THE DINING room, everyone else was milling around with drinks.
“Rex!” A small blonde tornado launched itself at him and he caught her easily in a hug. It made Ari smile.
“How are you, Stella? How’s school?”
She rolled her eyes as she pulled out of the hug. “It’s good. I made the dance team! I’m so excited, we get to dance at all the basketball games and the halftime shows for football.”
“That’s awesome, I’ll have to make sure to get to one,” he told her, and the girl beamed at him.
She squealed. “I knew you would!”
And then she was off again.
Ari leaned in. “She’s… energetic.”
Rex took the opportunity to get closer to her as well. “That’s an understatement.”
Next, a boy approached them. Where his sister was fair, he was dark. His hair matched the darker black of the other men, and he had green eyes like his older brother. “Hi, Rex,” he said, holding his hand out to shake. He was much calmer than his sister.
“Damien, how’s your semester?”
“Not as exciting as Stella’s,” he said with a soft laugh, “but good.”
Rex cocked his head and stared a second before asking, “Did you have trouble sleeping on the plane? You look tired.”
Damien shrugged. “I guess,” the boy said.
Rex stared after him for a moment, but then the servers entered the room and placed the food on the buffet table. The focus in the room shifted and everyone took a plate and moved through the line before taking a place at the table.
Ari listened to the siblings ramble, especially the girl, Stella. It made her heart ache. Even though they were older, they reminded her of Olivia and Owen so much. She recognized the looks of loving toleration on the faces of Tommy, Rex, and Liesel that she’d worn herself so many times.
“Hey, do you think we could go ice skating?” Stella asked.
“You go ahead,” the boy said interrupting. “I have no desire to try that.”
“Oh, come on,” the girl whined
Tommy shook his head, “Sorry kiddo, I gotta go with Damien on this one, not really my thing.”
Stella pouted, but Liesel spoke up. “I’ll take you, Stella. I like ice skating.”
For some reason, that surprised Ari. Liesel had definitely struck her as an indoor kind of girl.
Stella beamed at her and the two of them started discussing dates and locations, ignoring the rest of the table. Ari had just finished her food and was getting ready to go grab a cup of cocoa when Rex put his hand on her arm to stop her.
“Wait right here just a minute, ok?”
Ari nodded. Had she done or said something wrong that she wasn’t even allowed to leave the table unsupervised? She didn’t think so, but it was hard to tell. Rex left the table and went out the door the servers used to bring the food into the dining room. She frowned after him but was distracted by Stella’s voice raising telling a story about a piece of homework, a girl she hated, feathers, and honey. Ari snorted, her attention diverted.
Or at least it was until something was set on the table in front of her. Her head snapped around and she was staring at a beautiful black and gold three-tiered cake with the words “Congratulations Ari” in icing.
“What—”
Tommy joined Rex next to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder with a smile. “I hear congratulations on getting into nursing school are in order. We asked Betsy to whip up something to help us celebrate.”
This is what their housekeeper could “whip up” in an afternoon? Wow. Finally, she coaxed her brain into working again. “I… oh… yes. I found out today I passed. I would start in the fall, but…” she trailed off, staring at the cake. Tears formed in her eyes, and she blinked them back.
“We’ll figure something out,” Rex said quietly. “You will go to school in the fall.”
She couldn’t help herself. She stood up and threw her arms around him. “Thank you. You don’t even know how much this means to me.”
Rex held her with care for a moment and she allowed herself to revel in it before pushing back.
“I’ve never had one of Betsy’s cakes. Will it taste as good as it looks?” she asked, looking him in the eye.
“Better,” he rumbled.
He was absolutely right. Ari savored each bite of the lemon-flavored cake. She stole glances at Rex as he ate a piece as well.
Every time she thought she had this man figured out a new part of him surfaced. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected of a man deeply involved in a family crime business, but this multi-faceted man was not it.
First, he’d bought her, but really he’d been rescuing her. He’d cared for her, punished her, threatened her, helped her, and now had a cake made to celebrate her achievement. Her own mother hadn’t even had a cake made for her high school graduation.
If she didn’t know better, she’d say that he cared about her. Which was ridiculous. He’d known her for three days. Still, he’d done more for her in three days than anyone had done in the last five years. Ari tried telling herself with each morsel of cake that it was because he needed her help, but even that wasn’t true. He’d taken care of her before he realized she could help him. What would that be like? Being with someone who wanted to take care of you. She was young and relatively inexperienced, but the idea of it tugged at something inside her. Made her want more of it.
Which was again ridiculous. Soon she’d be responsible for two children. She didn’t want to raise them around crime. Rex made it sound like he was planning to help her out past just getting her brother and sister back. He’d said he would help her go to school. Had he meant it? Or had he only said it in front of his family? And if that was the case, why would he do that? They didn’t know or care about her. None of this made sense. She wanted to ask him, but she didn’t dare.
After dinner, the kids and Tommy stood up. “I promised these guys a movie night if you’re interested,” Tommy told her.
Ari glanced at Rex, but his face was impassive. “Thank you, I’m pretty tired though.”
“I’ll take you upstairs,” Rex said, standing and holding out a hand for her. Ari placed her hand in his and stood up.
“Ok, have a good night,” Tommy said and led the twins from the room. Liesel followed, but Rex stopped her.
“Liesel, I have Jordan Caruso coming by tomorrow afternoon. I’d like you to sit in on the meeting.”
Liesel gave him a confused look. “Why?”
“Because five businesses using him to do their books have missed payments. I watched him set one up today and it never showed up in the account.”
Liesel arched an eyebrow. “You think he’s doing something shady?”
Rex shrugged. “I don’t know enough about computers to figure that out. That’s why I want you to look things over.”
“No problem. I’ll be there,” she told him and left the dining room.
Left alone with him, Ari felt shy. “You don’t have to miss movie night for me,” she told him.
Rex chuckled. “I think I’ll be ok. I’m pretty sure Stella had the movie pick, which means it will be a teen rom-com. I think I can do without that.”
Smiling, she nudged him playfully. “Hey, I love rom-coms!”
He gave her a long hard stare before tugging on her hand, which she just now realized he was still holding. “Come on, let’s go upstairs.”
Rex tried to keep his breathing and heart rate under control. Ari’s teasing and the look she’d given him over a cake were driving him crazy. He wanted to hold her and tell her that everything would be alright, even though he had no business making those sorts of promises. Back in his room, he dropped her hand and put it on the small of her back to guide her to her own room. At the door between the rooms, she stopped and turned to him. He watched indecision flit across her face briefly, then she was hugging him. He bit back the groan he wanted to let out when he felt her small soft body against his. She stood up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek, then went back to hugging him.
He was frozen, then she said, “Thank you, Rex.”
“For what?” he croaked.
“For the cake. For buying me. For caring, even just a little,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.
When she started to pull back, he couldn’t help that he tightened his arms around her when he asked, “What do you mean?”
She went stiff then slack within a matter of seconds, her arms still around his neck. “It’s been a long time since anyone cared about anything I did. I just wanted you to know I appreciate you recognizing my grades.”
“You deserve it,” he said into her hair. His hand caressed her back in soothing circles, and he was shocked to find himself pressing a soft kiss to her hair. She leaned further into him.
“Ari…” he said, his voice low
She stiffened and stood upright in his arms and stepped back, her arms dropping to her sides. Rex hated it. He wanted her back in his arms.
“Sorry,” she said to the floor.
Rex closed the distance between them this time. “I’m not.”
His brain was screaming at him to stop. This wasn’t ok. But it was another part of his anatomy that was making the decisions right now. He brought a hand up very slowly, giving her a chance to step back if she wanted to, but when his palm met her cheek, she leaned into it and closed her eyes. His hand slid back further to cup the back of her head, and his opposite arm snaked around her waist. “Say stop if you don’t want this,” he whispered, his breath ghosting over lips.
Her eyes fluttered closed, then open again. “I want this.”
Rex pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. He pulled back, waiting a beat just in case, and when she didn’t pull away, he moved in again. This time, he licked against her lips and grazed her bottom lip with his teeth. Rex swallowed her gasp and took advantage by sliding his tongue into her mouth to taste her. She shivered against him, and he tightened his grip on her. The hand on the back of her head slid into her hair and tilted her head to give him better access as he deepened the kiss further.
Ari was tentative for a few seconds, but once her tongue reached out to touch his, Rex growled and tightened his grip. He would have gotten lost in the kiss forever, but a tiny whimper from the woman in his arms had him freezing. Shit, he wasn’t supposed to be doing this. She was a trafficking victim. His behavior right now was probably terrifying her. He very slowly loosened his hold and stepped back, but her body followed his.
“Ari…” He started trying to bring her back to the reality of where and who they were without scaring her. She met his eyes, and he saw nothing there but desire. It took a few moments, but then she seemed to realize who she was looking at. Her mouth dropped open, and she stepped back, and Rex let her go. Her eyes shuttered and her shoulders hunched forward.
“I’m sorry—”
“No, you didn’t do anything wrong. I’m sorry for kissing you. It was very inappropriate.”
“Why?”
Rex stared, not knowing how to answer that. “What do you mean?”
“Why is it inappropriate? You literally bought me because you were attracted to me. I’m not a child. Why shouldn’t you kiss me?”
“Because you are an unwilling guest in my house in need of help. I won’t take advantage of that.”
Ari looked away for just a moment, then her gaze came back. “What if I want it too?”
Rex sucked in a breath. He searched her face for any hint that this might be coming from a place of gratitude or as some twisted form of payment, but all he saw was want. The same thing he was feeling. He must have given some sign that he would give in on his face because Ari leaned forward and up and pressed her lips to his this time. Her hands dug into his arms, and he felt her need. That snapped his control.
She was absolutely right. He’d wanted her from the moment he saw her and if she wanted it too, he wasn’t noble enough to hold back.
Rex walked her backward into her bedroom and kicked the door shut behind him. Letting his hands slide down her back, he brought them up under her shirt and let his fingers trail gently over the sensitive skin of her waist. Her back arched, begging him for more wordlessly. She’d admitted to not being a virgin, and he didn’t care about that. The rational part of his mind reminded him she was still very young, and didn’t have much experience in this department, so he needed to go slow and keep things… vanilla. Not necessarily his preference, but they hadn’t had any time to talk. So he’d keep it simple and make it good.
He pushed the sweater up and broke the kiss to pull it over her head. The bra she was wearing was a black lace confection that pushed her small firm breasts up further and resisting the temptation was too much for him. He pressed wet, open-mouthed kisses across the swells of flesh. Ari gasped and her hands held onto his shoulders for dear life. He was furious that she’d obviously never felt this pleasure before and selfishly glad that he would be the first one to make her feel good. The one she would compare others to. That thought made him angry for a split second before he banished it. She wasn’t his. He couldn’t keep her, and he knew that, but he could give her this moment. He knelt in front of her and brushed his lips across her belly, driving a shiver through her. His fingers teased along the waistband of her jeans before they reached the button on her jeans and then dragged them down over the roundness of her ass.
He moaned when he saw her panties. They matched the bra. Had the little vixen planned to seduce him? He’d bought the clothes so he must have decided subconsciously he wanted to see her in them, but actually setting eyes on them? That was something else. He peeled the scrap of fabric down and pushed them and her pants to the floor. Rex held her hand and helped her step out of the clothing. He watched her eyes follow his hands as they started unbuttoning his shirt. He shrugged, letting it fall to the floor, and her gaze turned hungry. He searched for any sign of fear and found none, so he continued, undoing his own jeans and pushing them down. Toeing off his shoes and socks, he stood and waited. He would take care of her, but he needed some type of consent one more time.
Ari stepped toward him and boldly ran her hands over his chest and abdomen. That was good enough for him.
His body was incredible. He was strong. A piece of her mind analyzed that since she’d mostly seen him in an office. How did he get a body like that from sitting at a desk? She realized quickly that she probably didn’t want to know. When her hands started trailing further down his abdomen, Rex grabbed her wrists and forced them behind her back. That shouldn’t feel so sexy. She knew that. Just like the spanking the other night shouldn’t have made her feel needy. But it did, and so did him holding her hands back.
He took her mouth in what could only be called a claiming kiss. She’d read about them, but she’d never felt one. His tongue invaded her mouth, sweeping and licking until she thought her knees would collapse. He pulled back enough to say, “On the bed, on your back. Hands on your pillow, don’t move.”
Those words flipped some kind of switch and Ari felt her head clear. She shivered at the delicious sensation of peace that descended. Ari obeyed the command, walking across the room and climbing onto the bed. Settling into position, she let herself watch him walk through the doorway back to his room. He was back quickly with a small packet in his hand. A condom. Ari swallowed hard.
Rex stopped at the side of the bed and looked down at her. “I need words, Ari. I need consent for this. It’s important. Do you want this?” he asked, holding the condom up.
“Yes, I want this. I want you.”
He nodded and tossed the condom on the side table. “Ok. All you have to say is stop if you change your mind. At any time. I won’t be mad,” he said, looking her directly in the eye.
“Ok,” she said, watching him telegraph his movements as he climbed onto the bed and laid his body next to hers. She followed him, turning her head, but she didn’t move her hands.
“You’re following directions so well,” he said, his voice low and his fingers trailing over her. He stopped at her hip and squeezed gently. Ari’s eyes moved to his hand and watched as it followed the curve around to her ass and squeezed there as well. “Your body is incredible. Even when I knew I shouldn’t want you, I couldn’t help myself,” Rex continued, his voice rougher now. “The more I’ve learned, the more I like, though. You’re strong and smart and your dedication to family is amazing. I hope you know how much respect I have for you,” he said, meeting her gaze.
Ari couldn’t find any words, so she just nodded. His hand slid forward and his fingertips danced lightly along the crease where her thigh and torso met. Ari wanted to squirm, but his order not to move had her locking her muscles to stay in place. Her breathing hitched as he trailed his fingers over the curls between her legs. She realized an instant before he touched her where he was going. A strangled sound escaped her throat, and he froze. She sought his eyes and when the only thing she found there was concern, her body relaxed. She hadn’t even realized that she’d tensed until his look had her letting go.
“Do you want me to stop?” he rumbled.
“No,” she whispered, “No one’s ever…” she trailed off, looking away. He was probably going to stop anyway now once he realized how inexperienced she was. She almost cried when his hand moved, but she refused to embarrass herself like that. Ari started when a hand landed on her cheek and pulled her head toward him. It wasn’t forced and she could have refused if she wanted to, but the gentleness in his touch was too much to resist. She let him guide her and found no judgment in his eyes.
“We can stop right now, or we can do something else. Please tell me what you want,” he told her.
Ari took a deep breath and forced the words out. “Keep going. Please,” she pleaded.
Leaning in, he captured her lips again. It felt like she was drowning in the best possible way. He licked and sucked and nibbled until she felt like she would pull the pillow apart, trying to keep her hands in place. She hadn’t even realized that his hand had trailed down and was starting its exploration of her body again, so she jerked when the pads of his finger brushed over her sensitive flesh. She moaned into his mouth. Just that fleeting touch was incredible. Until that moment, she hadn’t been sure if novels were just the imagination of the author or if something could really feel that good. Apparently, the authors had known something she hadn’t. She opened her legs, silently begging for more and hoping he wouldn’t think badly of her. Those thoughts fled with his next words. He pulled away from the kiss, breathing hard, and asked, “Does that feel good, baby?” His voice was rough, and it made her shudder, knowing that it was her and what they were doing that made him sound like that.
“Yes,” she gasped, but further words were driven from her mind as his fingers began stroking her tenderly. He kept the touch light, but consistent. Ari had never felt such incredible sensations before. Heat spiraled out from her center and her hips shifted on their own, searching for more. Somehow, her brain held on to the memory that her hands needed to stay put, but the rest of her body refused to follow the same instruction. Rex kissed her long and hard for several minutes. When he dragged his mouth away, she mewled, but it transitioned into a moan when he kissed along the column of her neck. The combined feelings of his fingers and his mouth had her breathing in sharp pants.
Sensation built in her core, and she ached for something she’d never known. “Please,” she begged.
“What do you need?” he asked. His voice was soft in her ear and his tongue snaked out to tease the curve of it.
She didn’t know, really. Experience had not prepared her for this, so she went general. “More.”
That seemed to be enough because he bit down on her earlobe at the same time he slid two fingers into her ready sheath. Her body bucked into the incredible sensation. He twisted his hand and brought his thumb up to continuing stroking with the thrusting and she couldn’t control it anymore. Her head fell back, and she screamed out as her orgasm crashed into her. His mouth cut off her scream and her body bowed with the force of the pleasure. She shook and spasmed around his fingers. A whine escaped her when his fingers left her, but he shushed her gently. She heard the tearing of plastic and realized he was putting on the condom.
Easing between her legs, he pulled her hands down, which she took as permission to move them, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. His eyes met hers and she gave him a small nod. That seemed to be good enough, and he pushed back to line up with her swollen, wet entrance. He slid in slowly, and Ari’s eyes rolled back in pleasure. She’d figured since he already made her come that this would be for him, but the sensation of him filling her was incredible. All previous experiences had been uncomfortable at best, painful at worst. But this was nothing like that. This was bliss. He shifted his hips and she jerked against him with a small, “Oh!”
Rex didn’t seem to notice. His eyes were shut, and his body was tense. He pulled back and thrust forward again, and Ari bit her lip to keep quiet. Rex groaned as he continued the slow, controlled movements, but she could tell he was restraining himself. When he thrust forward again, Ari pushed her hips up to meet him so that their force pushed against each other. That seemed to unhinge something for him because, instead of his slide this time, he snapped his hips forward. Ari whimpered in pleasure. She pushed against him, meeting his rhythm, and another smaller spire of pleasure spiked through her. Her body tensed around him and that seemed to drive Rex over the edge.
“Fuck, Ari,” he growled, and he stiffened before thrusting hard several more times. He collapsed forward, holding himself on his elbows before rolling to the side. He disposed of the condom and pulled her into his arms. Ari thought about trying to process the last twenty minutes, but both her brain and her body vetoed that plan, and she was asleep with her head on a broad, strong chest within minutes.