Page 32

Chapter thirty-two

Aiden

Hurried knocking at my office door snaps my head up.

“Aiden?” Cibrina calls through the door, her voice pitched higher than usual.

I brace myself for the worst, steeling against whatever news she’s bringing this time.

“Come in.”

She barely waits for me to finish before rushing in.

“Wait here,” she instructs over her shoulder to someone, then closes the door for privacy.

We’ve been plagued with bad news nearly every day since my call with Charles.

Members are being attacked on the street by random thugs and thieves.

Jobs have been drying up because of slander—from people who’ve never been clients of ours, I might add—spreading online about the Guild.

Less income for the members means missed or late rent payments and therefore a smaller budget for food and maintenance after the Tower lease is paid.

If that isn’t enough, we received a letter from the IRS that the Guild is being audited for the last seven years of taxes .

The latest issue has been an investigation into our offshore account that stores money we’d obtained in less than legal methods being frozen.

At this rate, our available funds will be depleted within six weeks and we’ll all be out on the street.

“I just got off the phone with Erik,” she gasps as if she’d run here.

Erik is one of the three members assigned to shadowing Detective Unger.

“Someone sent a package to the detective anonymously with a note claiming that you murdered Thorne for ownership of the Guild.”

I mentally curse the GE president.

I don’t know how much more we can take.

If the police open a murder investigation into Thorne, that drags me and the Guild into it.

We’ll be under surveillance, limiting what we can do and where we can go without raising more questions.

Closing my eyes, I draw a deep breath.

Clear my head. “If there’s no missing person report and no body, he won’t make it far,” I reason.

“The package had Thorne’s severed thumbs in it.”

Fuck.

A DNA test will come back positive if Thorne’s ever been to a doctor.

Now I have to fucking hope that he’d been far enough removed from regular society that there won’t be a match when they run the test.

Unger has already tried snooping around the Guild once, but we’d turned him away.

He promised he’d come back with a warrant.

I expect a positive result will give him exactly that .

Maybe threatening Charles had been ill-advised, but I’ve never been the sort of man to roll over or play dead.

This means we need to speed up our timeline of taking them down.

Once GE is gone, most of these problems will resolve on their own.

“Get the crisis PR team we have working on fixing the Guild reputation looped in on this investigation to get ahead of it. I want the best criminal defense lawyer who can’t be bought. Make sure they have no ties to GE, either. We’ll get them on retainer and start building our defense case now. Thorne’s alive, as far as human legal terms go, so if we get proof of that, the case will drop.”

“Getting anyone of high caliber on retainer will take almost half the money we have left.”

“Sell my Aston Martin. We’ll do a retainer fee, but we won’t pay anything else until they win in court, if it gets to that.”

Cibrina nods.

“Understood.” She hesitates, glancing to the door.

“Should we reschedule the end of month review?”

Of course, it’s that time again.

“No, let’s do it now.” I'm going to continue managing the Guild as if the world isn’t on fire around us because when this fight with GE is over, we’ll still be here and have a business to run.

She nods, then lets in the two she had waiting in the hall. I take that time to shove the issues from Charles out of my mind so I can focus on regular Guild maintenance. I won’t let other things fall behind because of him.

Cibrina begins, “The fight last night resulted in twenty-two hundred in damages, which I’ve split by the responsible members and added to their rent. We’ll have to source a new furniture store, I think, which sells higher quality, solid wood tables that won’t break so easily.”

Money many of them won’t be able to afford next month, but I put that aside. I’m less concerned with the tables. I would rather have breakable furniture than broken and injured Guild members.

“I presume you’ve already researched alternatives?”

She smiles, and the younger woman, who is a step behind her and to the side, titters. Cibrina hands me a file. “They’re sorted by least to most expensive options, with images and their qualities for comparison on each.”

I flip it open and scan the first and second pages. “While I appreciate your thoroughness, how have you had time to compile this in only twenty-four hours?”

Cibrina motions to the girl beside her, encouraging her to step forward. “Penn, here, did most of the work.”

Ah. One of her new assistants. Penn practically preens when Cibrina’s attention is on her, smoothing her already tidy black hair and straightening her glasses with a proud smile. Which means the male on her other side…

“…And this is Quinn. He’s been helping stay on top of member requests or issues, building maintenance, and working with Miranda on the kitchen and bar stock.”

Quinn bows his head in greeting but appears far more serious than Penn. His black hair is styled back, his skin a deep olive shade and his eyes a dark brown. He’s wearing a neat and pressed suit, while Penn is wearing a sheath dress that looks oddly like something Cibrina might wear…if she was a foot shorter .

“It’s nice to meet you both,” I reply, nodding to each of them in turn before returning my attention to Cibrina. “I’m glad you have help. I’ll look these over and give you a decision tomorrow. Is there anything else?”

Cibrina looks to Quinn, who steps forward and offers a stack of files. “Here is the meal plan menu for the next month, as well as the required shopping list of items. There’s also a report of the maintenance tasks completed this month for member apartments, as well as the Guild’s main areas. We’ll need to look at replacing or upgrading our water heaters in the next couple of months, so I have a list of options and what deals we could get if we order them by a specific date…”

Quinn continues to summarize each file, then steps back for Penn to add her stack and rundown. Cibrina finishes it off with some items I can answer immediately and then the ones that require review.

A glance at the clock on the wall reveals it’s already after nine in the evening.

“Thank you for your hard work, as always,” I say—my sign of dismissal. They leave the room, while I stare at the paperwork. Dane’s tried convincing me to have all this done electronically, but I keep better track of these things in their designated folders and either signing off on or rejecting them there before returning them. I’m afraid I’d lose track of so much if they were all emails.

One day, I’ll suck it up and convert.

But it won’t be tonight.

I start by organizing the files by order of priority, which takes some time. The rest of my evening is spent working through one file at a time, adding my notes and decisions before sliding it into the growing pile of completed work.

By the time the words blur together, and my third cup of coffee is empty, I call it a night.

I’ve barely made it through ten percent.

Sighing, I pocket my phone and head for the Loft, trying not to fall asleep in the elevator on the way. It’s just after three in the morning. I’ll get a couple hours of sleep, then keep going.

The Loft is quiet when I enter and remove my shoes. The balcony door is cracked open, and Jack is sitting on the railing. He and I are alike when it comes to sleep. I don’t have the time for it, and he has trouble sleeping at all. Not unless Raegan’s with him. On his own, he’s almost always moving around, thrashing in the sheets until either he or they wind up on the floor. But when Raegan’s with him, he hardly moves. Like her presence calms whatever demons haunt his dreams.

He gives me a two-finger wave when he sees me, then returns to his watch over the city. I head straight for my room, showering and removing the stress from the day under a hot spray beating into my muscles. Once I’ve pulled on a pair of sweatpants, I seek her out.

I’ve passed the point of caring that it’s selfish of me to do this.

They see her all day.

If I have to steal her from them to get my time in, then so be it.

She’s sleeping in Kellan’s bed tonight, so it’s easy to scoop her sleeping form into my arms and bring her to my bed without his notice. Raegan doesn’t stir, perfectly content to mold her body against mine once we’re both under the sheets.

I wrap my arm around her, pulling her into my chest. She nuzzles her face closer, and my heart catches fire. I’m sure I feel plenty of things during the day, but I can’t remember any of them when I’m with her. When the sight of her, the feel of her, puts my heart on steroids and pumps my veins with so many emotions that I can hardly pick one out to name it.

I’ve never felt so alive…so exposed …as I do with her.

It’s simultaneously addicting and terrifying.

I push the hair in her face behind her ear, following her silky tendrils to their ends and then bringing them to my face. A long inhale gives me the vanilla conditioner scent that I crave and a hint of cinnamon that brings a small smile to my lips.

It gives me great pleasure that she now uses my body wash over any of the others. Physical proof on her skin that she still belongs to me even if I’m not with her as much as I’d like.

The two hours of sleep I’d planned for begin to disappear as I graze my thumb over her cheekbone. Down her jaw. Across her parted lips. My thumb stalls there, my heart ratcheting to galloping speed as I stare at her soft lips. As I remember what Jackson’s been telling me about her. It’s all based on trust, though, and have I earned hers? He’s had her trust since almost the beginning, but me…I’m still trying to earn that back. All while I’m testing and exploring my own desires and what they entail.

I can’t afford another misstep with her.

But I’m not sure how much longer I can hold myself back.

I drag my thumb down her lip, watching it catch and pull before it bounces back. My breathing hitches, the knuckle of my index finger angling her chin up as I lean in, as if drawn by an invisible force. Her breath hits my lips, warming them as I hold myself a hairsbreadth away.

I should wake her if this is what I want.

I shouldn’t interrupt her sleep.

I know how hard she’s been working with Kellan and Jackson on her gift. On fighting and building up her stamina. She’s even been spending more time with the Guild, which is another thing that gives me a burst of pleasure. The Guild isn’t my brothers, but they’re the rest of the family I’ve been building the last two years. They mean more to me than I’d ever admit to them, and seeing her with them, seeing them accept her and give her another piece of her life that she’s been missing…

Fuck it.

My lips sink into hers, and I pull her flush against me. She doesn’t wake, doesn’t fight me as my tongue dashes across her lips. As I slip it through her seam and stroke her tongue with mine. My cock jerks to attention, growing at my hip, but I ignore it—as I’ve learned to do so many times before with her. I may have caved to kissing her while she’s asleep, but that’s as far as I’ll take it.

I slide my hand up her face, cradling it and pulling it to mine as I soak in the lushness of her lips. Memorize the feel of her mouth on mine. Drown in the taste of her, like sweet strawberries and a hint of mint toothpaste.

I kiss her until I’m breathless.

I kiss her until I think I’ll burst .

Until that raging need for her lips finally quiets, and I press soft kisses to her lips, adamant that this one will be the last and finding my lips on hers again anyway.

If she only knew how much she affected me.

Finally, I withdraw and catch my breath. My gaze fixates on her swollen, shining lips that reflect the moonlight through the window.

It takes concentrated effort to drag my eyes away from them before I start this all over again.

I think I can say with certainty what obsession tastes like now.

For me, it’s strawberry and mint.

One hour of sleep later, my alarm goes off.

It’s not a typical alarm that would wake anyone, but I rouse at the slightest noise. This one is the soft chirp of a bird every few seconds. Even so, I hurriedly swipe the alarm before it can potentially wake Raegan.

She’s wrapped around me, her head and arm over my chest and a leg splitting mine. My dick strains against my sweats, desperate for attention where her hip leans against it.

Five seconds.

Five seconds, I let myself linger with her. Run my hands over her back, her curves, her hair. Listen to her relaxed breathing. Imagine grabbing her pert ass and grinding my cock into her. Flipping her over and having her sweet pussy for breakfast before sheathing my dick in her heat.

Fuck.

I grip my dick, the throbbing need pulsing angrily when I don’t move to do as I imagined immediately. My balls ache, and a quick probe sends a bolt of pain through me.

Carefully, I extract myself, tucking the covers tightly around her to keep her warm, and then wake myself up with a cold shower and rough hand job. It’s nothing, absolutely nothing compared to the feel of her hands. Her mouth. Her tight pussy. I wonder what her ass will feel like next. Beyond my imagination, I’m sure.

As it usually does, the image of her collared and leashed to me appears unbidden in my thoughts. Ever since she somewhat agreed to it in private, that picture hasn’t strayed far from my mind. She’s on her knees, her hands bound behind her back while I have her dressed in some skimpy strips of lace. She’s wearing vibrating underwear, completely at my mercy as I edge her to insanity while feeding her strawberries.

Only after she begs, sobs for release, will I fuck her.

Ropes of cum spurt from my dick, decorating the tile in streaks of milky white. Leaning a hand on the wall, I gasp to catch my breath and wait for the tension to drain, but it doesn’t. My cock remains at half-mast, and I curse it, dropping the cool temperature to frigid, and finish washing myself like that.

I dress in workout clothes and bring my suit with me to the weight room. It's empty, as always, and I go through my routine for the current day of the week, focusing on strength training today .

Once I’m finished, I take a third shower in the locker room and don my suit.

The kitchen is just starting to work on breakfast, so I swing by to pick up my breakfast sandwich and carafe of coffee from Miranda, then return to the office.

Back to work.

At some point during the day, I take a break from the files and call Dane for a status check.

“How’s the surveillance of the beach house and Royce going so far?” It’s only been a day and a half since the cameras were installed, but we’d worried some of the angles might have blind spots.

The sound of typing fills the quiet as he wraps up whatever sentence or code he’s in the middle of.

“No issues with the cameras yet. I’ve been documenting everyone’s schedule from what I can see, but I’m also trying to keep researching the Board members when things are slow.”

“Who watched them the last two nights?”

“Reid’s been taking the night shift.”

Probably a good idea.

Dane has no qualms about falling asleep in the middle of a task once the sun’s gone down.

“Have you found any new Board members?”

Our last count was four of the ten we still need to find, while we gather more information on the six we've identified. It’s taking longer than I’d like to track and vet these people, but I see the advantage of taking them down before Charles. Once they’re gone, we won’t have to worry about someone going into hiding to restart GE after Charles is dead. It’s better to strike now, all at once, to prevent GE from being reorganized under someone else.

“I’m looking into one right now that could be. But she’s covered up her tracks really well on a surface search. If she tried deleting anything on the internet, I’ll find it.”

“Any change in your arm?” I ask, referring to where Vera had stuck him with something. I can’t believe she would poke him with nothing just to break skin. Did she need a blood sample from whatever she stabbed him with? But the holes were too small to gather any useful amount. None of it makes sense, which worries me that we’re missing something.

“Nope. I’d forget all about it if you didn’t keep reminding me.”

“That’s what I’m worried about. Don’t forget it. Tell me if even the slightest thing feels off.”

“You sound like Rae.”

“You and I both know it’s the other way around. But good. Maybe between the two of us, you’ll take it seriously.”

He scoffs but doesn’t argue. “Are you going to be here for dinner tonight? You’ve missed the last few nights.”

I haven’t told the others yet about the last couple of strikes from Charles. I’ve been so busy since the tax audit hit us the day after we’d fought Royce’s zombies that I haven’t gotten the chance to sit with all of them again to explain the frozen offshore account and the murder investigation .

“I’ll try, but I can’t make any promises. Things are busier than ever with the Guild. And we’re still waiting on GE’s next attack. I can’t believe we’ve scared them off that easily.”

“If they do attack again, we’ll take care of them like last time.”

I doubt they’d attempt the same attack again. If they do show up, I’m sure it’ll be with a stronger team. Or worse, Charles himself.

The door to my office opens, and Raegan pops her head through.

“We’ll talk more later,” I say to Dane, and after his acknowledgment, I hang up.

“Hey,” she murmurs once I put the phone down, slipping inside and shutting the door.

“Did you come here alone?” My first and last thought with her now is her safety. She needs to be within reach of one of us at all times. I thought I’d made that abundantly clear with the others, and I can feel myself getting riled up at the thought that she’s been walking the Tower on her own.

“Jack’s with me. He wanted to wait outside.”

The anger cools, relief swirling in its stead. “Is something wrong?”

“I wanted to see what you were up to. If there’s anything I can do to help.”

She had been terrible with doing any sort of paperwork at school on the island. She and Kellan were frequently written up for not doing their homework or writing nonsensical things on it instead and turning that in.

I wave my hand at the desk, covered in stacks of files and strewn papers so there’s no sign of the hardwood underneath. “As you can see, it’s all just boring paperwork. Nothing exciting to help with.”

She chews on her bottom lip. The same pouty lip that I devoured last night.

My cock stiffens, and I nonchalantly tug on my trousers beneath the desk to get more comfortable.

“What is it?” I demand on a low croon. She’s worried about something, and I’ve made it my personal mission now to see to any of her concerns from here on out.

“I’m just trying to figure out how I fit in with…all of this.” She waves at my office, but I take it as the Tower. The Guild. “With you and the others. Everyone seems to have their place and what they do best…except me.”

“Aside from the fact that you’re still helping us fight GE, you’ve already done more for the Guild and the gifted community than anyone.” She frowns, but I continue, “You’re training, like every Guild member, so you’ll be ready for the big fight against Charles.”

She cocks her head, considering. “Am I a Guild member now?”

“No.” When her brow pinches, I continue, “Do you want to be? Do you want to pay me rent every month, pay for any damaged property you cause, go on jobs to bring in money for yourself and the Guild—”

A tiny smirk lifts the corner of her lips. “Call you Master?” She steps closer, her eyes hooded. “Would you like that?”

My dick throbs, and I restrain the urge to grip it. To so much as touch it while she’s watching me so closely. I’ve lost control over my heart—it having taken off in a race the second she’d sunk her teeth into that bottom lip. Drawing a long, calming breath, I answer her honestly, “If you start calling me Master, I’ll forbid everyone from doing it. I won’t be able to hear it from anyone else.” I never liked the members calling me that anyway.

She hums, moving around the desk and forcing me to turn my chair to follow her. Her ocean blue eyes drop to my pants, to the clear outline of my dick, then jump back to my face, her smirk curling wider. “You know…I’ve been meaning to tell you what Kell and I did the other day.”

“And what might that be?”

“We saw you fighting everyone. Taking them all on in the gym.”

“I didn’t see you there.”

“Mm…no. We were… watching …from the weight room.”

I narrow my eyes. “Watching?”

She kneels, her hands sliding up my thighs while maintaining eye contact. “He fucked me while I enjoyed watching you,” she admits, her tone challenging.

I lunge, gripping the hair at the back of her head and pulling her to me. “Are you telling me this to make me jealous?”

She rubs a hand along my length, and my fingers tighten, air sucking through gritted teeth. Her eyes light up, that taunting smirk bringing out the sharper, more controlling side of me. “Maybe. Maybe I’ve been a bad, bad girl.”

The invisible thread on my self-control finally snaps. I undo my pants, freeing my cock while I hold her in place. “Yes, you have. And what do you think bad girls get?”

Raegan eyes my dick hungrily, licking her lips and making me so rigid it hurts. “Punishment? ”

“Good girl. But first, you’re going to suck me off and swallow every last drop of my cum, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Master.”

Fuck.

It’s ruined. At least for every Guild member, because I only want to hear that word coming from her lips or not at all.

My cell phone rings, and I freeze. I realize then that I’m panting, my heart racing wildly while I’m knuckles deep at her scalp, her mouth held mere inches from the head of my cock. A quick glance shows Cibrina’s name. She only calls me for timely things, then texts or meets me in person for the rest. With our recent luck, it could be yet another attack from Charles. “I have to take this.”

A spark of something flashes in her gaze, but I grab the phone and answer it with a swipe. “Yes?”

Raegan doesn’t wait. She grabs my dick and sucks so hard I go blind.

I slam my fist on my desk, clenching my teeth as if my life depends on it to keep any sound trapped while Cibrina talks in my ear.

Tightening my hand in Raegan’s hair, I squeeze until she squirms, drawing her back with a silent snarl. She looks up at me through dark lashes, that challenging smile on her lips as she swirls her wicked tongue around my crown, over my slit.

It takes all the control I can muster to suppress the groan that sticks in my throat.

“…right now, but I let her know we usually schedule appointments for interviews…” Cibrina continues, completely oblivious to the war happening between Raegan and me over my dick .

I change tactics. Rather than fighting it, I lean into it, dragging her face over my cock until it strikes her throat. Her nails dig into my thighs, her eyes watering as I fuck her face. Just like she wanted. The pleasure is overwhelming, electrifying my body with so much ecstasy that every muscle tenses. I breathe through my nose, controlling my airflow as much as everything else while Cibrina continues to tell me about last-minute interviews that I sure as fuck am not attending to right now.

Raegan’s hand disappears from my thigh. I switch to speakerphone and drop it on the desk so I can snatch her hand when she tries to slide it between her thighs. I shake my head, tsking softly when I place it back on my thigh, then swipe my thumb through her tears and suck them off.

She moans, the sound escalating the pleasure but putting this moment at risk of discovery. I pinch her nose, cutting her off, then release it a second later before she chokes. Her eyes roll to the back of her head, and I just know she’s getting off on this as much as I am. As long as she doesn’t come. Not until I tell her to.

Holding her head still, I thrust into her mouth, bringing myself over the edge with the firm press of her lips and smooth glide of her tongue. My jaw nearly pops as I lock the groan of release in my chest, my hot cum emptying down her throat.

“…that brings us to two tomorrow, three on Friday, and then what do you want to do about the walk-in?”

Deep breath.

Raegan tries to pull off of me, but I hold her there while I answer. “I’m unavailable today, so schedule her with one of the others. ”

“Understood. And the matter with the referral?”

“Bring it to my desk in an hour. I want to think about it more before I make my decision.”

“Of course. I’ll see you then.”

The call ends, and I free Raegan from my cock. Her blonde hair is a mess from where I’d held it, her lips red and swollen as I carve my thumb over it. “We’ll consider that punishment for being impatient, but there’s still the matter of you and Kell.” Gripping her face, I kiss her, sweeping my tongue into her mouth like I’m claiming it as mine, demanding her submission as I own this, her, for the next hour.

“Yes…Sir…” she pants, her eyes blown with lust.

I lift her easily into my lap, maneuvering her to her front with her top half hanging over the arm of my chair and her ass seated perfectly over my leg. Tugging her pants and underwear down to her thighs, I slide a finger between her slit. She’s soaked.

“Such a good girl,” I purr, stroking her pussy. Brushing over her clit. Her body twitches at the contact. “Maybe I will let you come after your punishment. I should clean up the mess I made, shouldn’t I?”

“Please,” she rasps.

I’ll need to make this quick before too much blood rushes to her head from this position. With that thought, I strike her ass, pink blooming over her skin where I struck in seconds. I rub it in firm strokes, then warm up her other cheek.

Slap! Caress. Spank! Rub.

Over and over again. She moans and cries out beneath me. She’s leaking between her thighs, her arousal dripping to a wet patch on my slacks.

She takes two fingers in her cunt with ease. I pump them in and out, and she releases a garbled plea for more. I lick my fingers clean, groaning at her taste. I shove the papers on my desk to the floor, clearing that space and then laying her on it, length-wise.

Raegan moans, her hands going to her breasts as her hips grind on air and seek me out. I bring her to the edge of the desk, straight to my mouth. She’s so wet. So drenched in arousal that I get to work on licking her clean. On taking her taste for myself, licking and sucking every bit of her. I love the way her body quivers and trembles when I hit a spot just right. How she writhes when it becomes too much, her thighs clamping around me as she rocks her needy pussy into my face. I stiffen my tongue, sinking it into her entrance, and she sobs, begging me to fuck her as her cunt clenches, trying to find something more.

I bring her to the brink again and again, waiting for the sign that she’s about to break, then back off. Again. And again. Each time, I wonder if this punishment has been enough or if she can take one more.

At last, I stand without warning, driving my cock into her pussy hard and fast. It glides right in, and the second I strike the end of her, she detonates, screaming my name. Before her orgasm is finished, I slam into her in rough, wild strokes. Her body squeezes my dick, her inner walls fluttering already as I fuck her into my desk. I lift her thighs, her ass, giving myself a better angle as I thrust the full length of my cock into her repeatedly.

She feels like heaven. Like a drug I’ll never get enough of. This is all I want, all I need. Her tight embrace on my dick, her screaming my name, and my name alone as I give us both the release we need.

Raegan shatters again, and this time, she brings me with her. I hilt myself one last time, groaning when I come, and her convulsing pussy sucks every last drop of cum from me. I fall over her, my forearms keeping myself from weighing on her as I catch my breath. I’m spent. Thoroughly and perfectly expended.

By the time she opens her eyes, I’m dressed and put back together again. I guide her underwear and pants back over her legs.

She looks to the papers and files littering the floor. “I’ll help you clean up,” she offers.

How I ever thought this woman could be anything other than the considerate, selfless person she is, is a fucking wonder. Denial in its truest form.

“No, I’ll handle it.”

Raegan’s face falls as if that rejection was aimed at her rather than the task that I’d created for myself. If she asks, I’ll admit that the clean-up effort will be worth every second I spent with her just now. “I guess I’ll let you get back to work then,” she remarks coolly, though I can see through it instantly. She stands from the desk, tugging on her shoes.

“I’m not going back to work yet.” She frowns, giving me a questioning look. “We’re returning to the Loft for a hot bath, where I’ll massage the muscles that I worked up so much so you don’t end up with muscle cramps.” I pinch her face gently, drawing her lips to feather over mine. “I’m not finished with you, Raegan. Not in the slightest.”

Work can wait another hour.