Chapter 28
My heels press into the plush grey carpet as I take a left and enter another part of the hallway – this one a little more subdued than the previous.
Uncle Chase had told me recently that all this empty space was soon going to turn into a set of dining rooms to match the one that’s already on this floor, but until that happens, I’m going to have to endure the dizziness that comes with going around in circles in this godforsaken place.
I rub a hand over my arm at the chill around me. It feels so different to everything else in Imperia – like this part of the hallway is an entirely separate entity of sorts.
I let go of a breath, and am about to take a step forward, but stumble a little when a calloused hand wraps around my wrist and turns me around with sudden force.
I gasp, and my clutch falls to the floor with a dense thump. I find myself pushed against the ice-cold, wallpapered wall, with my arms risen above my head, and twinkling, all-encompassing eyes looking down at me.
“Little
Swan,” he all but sings those words – recites them with agonizing desire. “You’re so goddamn beautiful.”
His compliment makes me blush, but I can’t focus on anything but him, because my
God, he looks even more breathtaking in a suit than he does in his usual vest and jeans. The angle of his sharp jaw is accentuated under the lights in here, and the smirk he has on those full lips of his – it’s making me hot with need.
His smooth chest heaves, and his smirk broadens when he sees me checking him out.
“Like what you see, I presume?” he says. “I have to say, though: I’m impressed you found me so early. I mean, I knew you were going to eventually, but this level of swiftness is worth admiring.”
“What the fuck are you doing here?” It’s plausible how I still hold a shred of commonsense in me to ask him about his presence here tonight, and not completely give into him. I deserve a fucking medal.
Dorran brings a knee forward and parts my legs, then steps closer to me still, lets go of my hands, and cages me in with his arms. “I’m here on contract,” he says matter-of-factly, but there’s absolutely nothing casual about it because…
“You’re here – on my uncle’s property – to kill someone?” I question. My voice may have sounded a bit squeaky, but it goes without saying how understandable that is.
Dorran gives me a slightly unhinged smile.
“Scared, are you, Little Swan?” He leans in, and our noses touch.
“I love it – the smell of fear on you. It’s considered a hot commodity in my line of work, and to have you wearing it like this…
” He hikes his knee up and brushes it against my underwear. “It’s so fucking titillating.”
“Just because you’ve got a suit on, doesn’t mean you have to be formal with your words,” I tell him.
He chuckles. “And here I thought I could woo you with my extensive vocabulary.”
I let go of a breath and swallow. “Dorran…” I place my hands on his chest. “Just…” I sigh. “Who are you here to kill?”
“Not your mother or uncle, that’s for sure,” he muses.
I grit my teeth and fist his shirt. “Don’t fucking mess with me.” I shove him a little. “Tell me.”
“Rizwana Hafeez, Tomas Aetos, and Andres Salazar,” he says. “We’ve already dealt with Andres, though, so we’ve only got the other two left.”
Up until this moment, I’d only imagined Dorran doing his job, but now – in this very moment – shit’s gotten way too real, and although I’m worried about his safety, I can’t help but be fascinated by what he does.
He’s in work mode, and I’m so intrigued by the mere idea of him being here to end actual
lives tonight, that it should be questionable. But it isn’t.
Jesus, take the wheel.
“Do you know them?” Dorran asks.
I blink at him. “Huh?”
He purses his lips as if he’s trying to stifle a smile. “The kills – do you know them, Cignette?”
I furrow my brows. “Umm, not exactly. I’ve had very brief introductory chats with them, but no, I don’t know much about them. They are, however, far more loaded than some of the other elites here.”
Dorran scoffs. “Makes sense. These assholes traffic women to wealthy clients all over the world. They fucking swim in money.” He rubs a hand over his jaw.
“They were ready to ship another group of women outside US borders, but it’s a good thing Waleed and his team cracked the location’s coordinates before it–”
“Hold on,” I cut him off, and my eyes widen in surprise. “What the hell does Waleed have to do with any of this?”
“He’s our client,” Dorran tells me. “He’s the one who contracted the kills.”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.
It’s a lot of information to take in. Those elites trafficking women, and Waleed wanting them dead for the same.
I may not be a saint of a human being, but I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to fill my pockets by ruining other people’s lives.
Stripping women of their power and independence – just to toy with them and treat them like objects – is the ultimate, self-made ticket to the deepest chambers of hell. And I’m so glad Dorran and his crew are here tonight for Andres, Tomas, and Rizwana’s deliverance.
“You seem surprised,” Dorran notices.
“I’m…” I shake my head. “It’s just so…”
“Unbelievable?”
“Intense,” I say. “And Waleed is actually a good guy in this situation? But he’s…he’s banging my mom.”
“I know.”
“You do?”
Dorran laughs. “I’m pretty sure all of Riverside does, Cignette.”
I snort. “Touché.” I then remember my conversation with Waleed from tonight.
“We spoke earlier – him and I,” I inform Dorran. “And, I don’t know, he seemed concerned after seeing the scar on my face. Like, really troubled.”
Dorran stiffens, and his demeanor shifts. “Did he touch you?” he asks with molten anger in his voice.
“No.” I roll my eyes. “But he wanted to. Mave stopped him, though.”
“I would have done far more than that,” he grits out.
I chuckle. “I know.” I bite my bottom lip as I hook a finger into the waistband of his pants, then pull him closer.
“Tell me you’ve taken precautions and have been careful in coming here tonight,” I whisper against his lips, even though his intoxicating warmth is making it hard for me to think straight.
He runs a finger over the left spaghetti strap of my dress and pushes it down my shoulder, his anger now forgotten. He then moves the fabric away from my left breast, and pinches my nipple to the point of pain, making me cry out.
“Would it make you feel better if I say yes?” he whispers back, but with a slight smirk.
“Yes.” I close my eyes and breathe in every one of his exhales. “Fucking tell me.”
He bends and takes my nipple into his mouth, sucks on it, then roughly tugs it with his teeth before bringing his face over mine again.
“Solo’s taken care of it,” he says, then pushes his hard length against my stomach. “Fuck, Little Swan; you’re driving me insane.”
I smile and open my eyes. “And we haven’t even done anything yet,” I say.
“Oh, but I’m about to, because fuck if I’ll let you walk away without making that pretty pussy of yours come under my command.
” With a grin, he gets on his knees before me, spreads my legs wider, and hoists my right leg over his shoulder.
“No barriers, remember?” he recalls my demand from our previous encounter.
“No barriers,” I concede. I’m out of breath as I watch him lift my dress up through its v-cut, and when he groans after seeing the silver satin of my underwear, I move my hips forward – silently asking him to get me out of my fucking misery.
I don’t care if someone walks in on us right now. I’m way past the point of return with this man. I’m drugged on him; exalted by the very essence of him.
“Hold this for me,” Dorran orders, referring to the lifted opening in my dress.
I do as I’m told, then suck in a breath when he haphazardly pushes my underwear to the side, parts my pussy lips, and leans in to kiss my clit.
“Dorran…” I moan, and use my free hand to run my fingers through his curls.
He grabs my ass and pulls my hips forward, then takes my clit into his mouth before pressing his teeth onto it.
I arch my back at the delicious pressure, and at the dull, throbbing pain in my ribs from my still-healing bruises, then tighten my hold on his hair when he alternates between licking and sucking my mound.
“Keep those eyes on me, Little Swan,” he says, meeting my gaze. “I want you to watch me as I fuck you with my tongue.” His warm breaths brush against my aching pussy, making my legs tremble a little.
Dorran runs his nose over my bud, drags his tongue over my slit, then circles it on my entrance before pushing it in.
“Fuck!” I cry out. “Harder, Dorran.” I keep my eyes on him, and watch as his head bobs back and forth with each unrelenting thrust of his tongue.
The sound of wet skin against my arousal fills the silence around us, and it’s so fucking filthy, yet so fucking hot, that I grin down at Dorran.
He returns it, then curls his tongue inside me, making me rise on my tiptoes as a wave of heated pleasure rolls through me.
I grip his hair tighter, then rock my hips in time with his tongue.
Dorran groans. “That’s right, sweetheart,” he says. “Ride my face. Just like that. Use me without restraint.”
I move faster, and he pulls his tongue out of me before bringing his mouth back to my clit again. He sucks on it, tugs at it, then repeats, making me lose sense of everything around me.
“Pinch your nipple,” he orders against my skin. “Tell me how hard it is; tell me it fucking hurts because of how good I’m making you feel right now.” He squeezes my ass, then brings a hand forward before slipping two fingers inside me.
“Oh God,” I rasp, and my eyelids flutter as my release builds under his touch.
I cup my exposed left breast, then roll my nipple between my thumb and forefinger, only to hiss when a painful buzz zaps through it.
“So good.” My hand slips away from his hair, and I press my palm on the wall next to my waist.