Chapter Ten
He had his driver take them to his house in Beverly Hills, very aware she would be the first woman to set foot inside. Why did he have this need to see her there? He should take her to the condo, but ... he didn’t want her there.
For fucks’ sake, he thought to himself. He had no idea what he was doing. Cora was getting him to break all his self-imposed rules.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“My place.”
“Your place? Then we’re going in the wrong direction.”
“Not to the condo.”
“But I thought the condo was your home.”
“I have a house in Beverly Hills.” He knew how this next part was going to sound, but he never sugar-coated things. “The condo is where I take women for sex.”
A flash of hurt was followed by incredulity. “Well, that explains why there wasn’t any food.”
Then she turned her back as she stared out the window. “You should take me home.”
He didn’t like her turning away from him. “Don’t feel insulted.”
She let out a soft snort and shot him a withering glare. “It’s hard not to, when you’ve been told you’re a basic fuck.”
He blew out his breath. “You’re not.”
“I was,” she argued back.
How could he explain? “I don’t trust people.”
“That’s obvious.” She turned her back once more.
“But for some God-damn reason, I want to trust you.”
Her whole body tensed, but she didn’t stay anything. Nor did she turn back around.
“That’s why, for you, I’m bringing you into my sanctuary. This is the first time I’m allowing someone behind my walls.” And he despised how vulnerable that left him.
“Why? Why me?”
“I...” How did he explain? “Do you have any family?”
“My dad’s dead,” she said. “Mom remarried and is off living her own life.”
“You’re alone.”
She nodded. “Ever since I was eighteen. As soon as I could legally live on my own, she was gone.”
“Do you talk to her?”
“No. She walked away. Why would I talk to her?”
“See? That’s why,” he said. “Right there. The people you’re supposed to trust, you can’t. The people who are supposed to love you, don’t.”
She finally turned around so he could see her beautiful face. “And if you can’t trust them, you can’t trust anyone,” she whispered.
“Yep. My old man was white, but my mom was Hispanic. He left, and she got hooked. Neither gave a shit, so I ended up running with gangs in East LA. I’m sure you can put the pieces together of what I was like.
And in that life, you can’t turn your back, so when I eventually got away from being a barrio I knew I couldn’t trust anyone. ”
“Including women,” she concluded.
“Especially women. But the moment I saw you, I knew you were different. I saw it in your eyes.”
“You don’t have to flatter me.”
“I don’t flatter. I tell it as I see it. And you and I? We’re the same.”
It was probably the most honest thing he had ever admitted.
“What do you want from me, Hades? If you want to fuck me, then do that and don’t make me feel like I could be something more for you.”
“I don’t know.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I look at you and I ... want you. I have this need for you that confuses me. Look. Do we have to define anything right now? Can’t we just be?”
She sighed. “Just be honest with me. Please.”
He picked up her hand and kissed the back before entwining their fingers. “I will be. I promise.”
****
When they arrived, a guardhouse protected the gate, and the driver waited until it parted before driving through.
She glanced out the back window and saw two men patrolling the grounds.
Hades Sinclair was a complex man, and without a doubt, if she knew him for a hundred years, she knew she would still find different facets to his personality.
Then she saw the house, and her mouth dropped. The place had to be ten thousand square feet. It was huge. Located in Beverly Hills, the Mediterranean-style house had a white exterior with black trim, and it was framed with a circular driveway.
The car came to a stop and Hades unfolded himself from the back before holding out his hand for her. Slowly, she took it and exited the car. He led her up the stairs and the front door was opened by an older gentleman who greeted them with a nod of his head.
“Good evening, sir. Miss.”
“Cora, this is Henry. He takes care of the house.”
She smiled at him and held out her hand. “Hello, Henry. I’m Cora.”
Henry looked at her hand and then to Hades, who nodded. Only then did the older man take it and shook on their greeting.
Stepping through the threshold, the two-story foyer had marble tile, and a grand, sweeping staircase that wound to the second floor. Wide-plank white oak floors, soaring ceilings, and abundant natural light created a warm yet grand atmosphere. It didn’t seem to fit Hades at all.
“You live here?”
“Yeah,” he replied. “Why?”
“Oh, no reason. Only it seems more like a family home instead of belonging to ... you.”
“Ouch,” he said.
“I mean, how many bedrooms does this place have?”
“Six.”
“Why do you need six? Do you know six people?”
“I think I’m being insulted.”
She grinned.
“You’ll get used to it,” he added.
Used to it? That made it sound like she would be here more than once, but she reminded herself that Hades promised her nothing. Well, except honesty, but how honest was he really? Best not to read too much into his words.
He led her upstairs and their footsteps echoed in the long hallway. At the end was the master bedroom, and she could fit the entire tenant house where she lived in there. She honestly didn’t know where to look next or what to think. This was a level of wealth that she’d never experienced.
“Come here,” he said, and tugged her into his arms.
He brushed his lips against hers. Cora moaned, knowing he was going to be the end of her.
It was too much, and it wasn’t enough. The kiss deepened, and this was what a kiss was supposed to be.
A spark turning into an inferno. A whisper turning into a roar.
It brought her to life in a beautiful kaleidoscope of emotion.
Hades bent and wrapped his arms around her hips, lifting her off her feet and marching her into the ensuite bathroom. A huge free-standing bathtub rested against one wall. White with black accents, the industrial look could be featured in the pages of a magazine.
He stepped back and slowly undressed, giving her a striptease she couldn’t look away from.
Hades was absolutely beautiful, with muscles laced with intricate tattoos.
He walked over to her and tugged her dress off, leaving her in panties and a bra.
Her underwear wasn’t special. It was bought for durability rather than seduction, but he still looked at her like she was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.
He led her into the shower, where the overhead rain shower caused steam to billow around them.
Water sluiced down their skin as her fingertips traced over the sinewy strength of his arms and down his chest where his stomach contracted with her delicate touch.
His cock was hard as granite, and a groan rumbled from his chest as she encircled him with her hand and gave a tug.
“Get on your knees,” he ordered, his voice thick with lust.
Obeying, she knelt and licked the water from his skin.
Slowly caressing, she squeezed harder from the base of his shaft to the top.
His hips followed the rhythm. Up and down, she pumped his cock, while he watched her with a heated gaze.
It was erotic and hot and she loved giving him pleasure.
Then she took him into her mouth, jerking him even as she laved the tip with her tongue.
Going down on him, loving the salty essence as she swallowed, he placed a hand on her head and guided her.
Increasing her speed, making her gag. Tears leaked from her eyes, but they were washed away in the shower.
Abruptly, he pulled back and lifted her to her feet and turned her around. She placed her hands on the tiled wall. He pulled her hips out until her ass protruded and kicked her legs wider. Then he sank into her pussy with one thrust.
He fucked her hard, holding her hips as he pounded into her. The angle caused him to hit a spot inside that tightened all her muscles. Then she reached the plateau and fell, and he joined her with a loud groan.