Page 23
Story: Seducer (Legacy of Kings #2)
CHAPTER 23
Z ach
Anger was an emotion I knew well. I’d also learned over the years when and how to control it. Although as I walked through the club, comforted by wearing a mask, I realized that there were some bouts of rage that needed a release. Internalizing the dangerous passion only resulted in loss of life.
Not that I’d ever shied away from performing the act.
Whatever Brant had gotten himself mixed up in had left him as nothing but a pawn, used to draw out the Blackwell brothers. But there was more to it. My instinct told me somehow Sara’s connection to me had offered a rare but deadly opportunity.
What I knew in my gut was that the game I’d wanted to play had taken a more treacherous turn. Keeping her safe was even more important. Did that mean I wouldn’t be allowed to resume playing in the future? Absolutely not.
I noticed Sara only minutes later, the outfit utter perfection on her lithe body. She was standing with her friend, swaying to the music while she constantly scanned the club.
Did she have any idea how important she’d become to me? Did she feel the electricity from before, the need to taste, touch, and fuck? Perhaps, but she’d yet to acknowledge my existence. She was playing a little game of her own. Did she really believe she’d ever been given the opportunity for control?
Perhaps I’d need to keep her caged for an extended time. Taming her would be delicious.
My cock throbbed from the thought. My God, she was truly perfect. The woman held an air of confidence, majestic in a way that always captured my breath. There was a feral side to her like every good kitty, a woman determined to fight her own battles no matter the danger or the cost.
Almost immediately, men started hitting on her, asking her to dance. I suspected even offering her a drink. One dared to place a fresh one on the small table in front of them.
My good girl refused to drink it.
I took a sip of my scotch, barely acknowledging the rich flavor as I studied her. She was by far the most beautiful woman in the club, successfully thwarting off the half dozen men asking her to dance.
She wasn’t interested.
The use of costumes included several men wearing Purge-style masks.
She’d paid attention to every one of them, keeping her distance while in her way luring them closer.
There was no obvious spark between them as there always was between the two of us, yet I still found myself irritated as fuck.
Was my wild kitty waiting for me? Could she sense my presence? Is that why she constantly scanned the perimeter of the crowded room? Is that the reason she’d altered her appearance yet again, selecting a body-hugging dress? She knew I’d be coming for her.
My good little kitty.
Her outfit wasn’t far removed from the very one that had brought her existence to my attention. Yet tonight she’d added a touch of darkness, allowing her natural hair to fall around her shoulders. I envisioned twisting the long strands in my fist as I fucked her from behind.
My pulse continued ticking higher and higher. It was about time for the real game to begin. Only there would be two players.
My mind was filled with filthy images.
Fortunately, the rational side of me was still attempting to determine who was behind the fucking charade. I calmed my nerves and my libido, forcing myself to play this carefully.
She and I needed to talk.
Minutes ticked by, the music drummed out by the heavy beating of my heart.
Another man approached, the fucker matching her sidesteps. What bothered me more than his actions was the fact he was dressed in all black, his attire similar to mine.
He was also wearing a Purge mask.
Like mine.
Eyes, nose, and X’s for a mouth glowing from a hidden LED unit. Was the fucker trying to confuse her by copying me?
I was incensed, angry enough I almost reached for my blade. Then I reminded myself I wasn’t ingenious in crafting costumes. What I was wearing had been used in movies and depicted on book covers. Right now, I needed to focus on the action, not the look.
She smiled, but her body language remained tense. The moment she attempted to sidestep his advances, he blocked her, crowding her space.
Then the fucker made the mistake of touching her.
My ferocious kitty was quick to react, scratching her nails down one side of his face. She almost ripped off his mask. My wild kitty was more than feral.
Rage swept to the surface, blinding fury that could only be abated with a single course of action. The moment he acted as if he would retaliate, I took a step from the protection of the shadows. Inside these walls I couldn’t use a mask preventing my true identity from being seen. I’d need to remain cautious, but not at the expense of her safety.
My wild kitty attempted to rid herself of the unwanted attention a third time and I almost intervened.
It didn’t matter that the music was loud or there were over two hundred voices in the room. I overheard the bastard after he threw up his hands and just before he walked away.
“You’re a fucking cunt, aren’t you? You deserve what you get.”
I fisted the glass, hearing a slight cracking sound from the pressure used. While she acted as if the man’s ugly words hadn’t bothered her, I knew better. There was nothing about my sweet, spectacular kitten that I hadn’t discovered.
The rage remained and I shifted my gaze toward the jerk as he smashed the drink he’d been holding down onto a table where three of his friends were waiting. They all laughed, each man turning his attention toward my beloved. To add insult to his atrocious behavior, he flipped her the bird before heading to the bathroom.
I left my perch, making my way through the crowd. There was no need to rush. He wasn’t going anywhere.
Except to meet his maker.
Exhaling, I remained in the shadowed corridor, waiting for the right moment to walk inside. Thirty seconds passed before he left the stall, barely acknowledging my presence.
I watched him as he turned on the water, waiting until I noticed his nervous glance before advancing. I was well trained in various art forms, not just in extermination. I wrapped my arm around his throat, cutting off the majority of his air supply and the entirety of his voice. While he clawed at my arm, almost immediately he lost strength in his muscles.
After pushing him into the hallway, I immediately moved to the rear exit. Certain things were best handled in private. There was no reason to disturb anyone inside the club. Most had done nothing wrong.
“Who… What?” he attempted, his voice strangled.
“You fucked up. Now, you pay the price.”
I shoved him outside into the alley, immediately sliding my hand into my pocket. As soon as I wrapped my hand around the handle of my favorite blade, I pulled him more tightly against my chest.
“Let me… go.” His insistence in words and finally fighting for his life was amusing as fuck. Did he really believe he was strong enough to break free?
“You destroyed any chance of survival the moment you touched her. Fondled her. You see, she doesn’t belong to you. She belongs to me.”
“Wha… Fuck you.”
They were always so brave, so intent on keeping their honor, they lost sight of the fact I held their lives in their hands. I pressed the tip of the blade against a pressure point in his neck, wishing I could spend more time highlighting his decades of mistakes.
But that wasn’t possible unless I wanted to risk police involvement.
“No fake apologies? No sense of remorse?” I squeezed until I was at the point of forcing him to pass out. His now silent struggle kept a smile on my face. “I’ll take that as a no.”
As I raked the sharp blade from one ear to the other, I was careful to avoid getting blood on my shirt. His body started convulsing almost immediately as his life’s blood was drained from him. While he was still alive, I ripped off his mask, exposing his true self.
He was a nobody, a college kid following the latest trend that virtual reality had made famous.
When I was certain he was dead, I hoisted him into the air, easily tossing him into the tall dumpster. If he was lucky, his body would be found prior to the morning’s trash pickup and crush. If not, his friends and family would wonder for years about his disappearance.
After taking a deep breath, I brushed my fingers through my hair and walked back inside.
Now to much more important aspects of my evening.
Capturing and caging my little wild kitty.
Did I feel any remorse from my actions? None whatsoever.
Whoever ‘they’ were had a network of people working with them. Perhaps some had been blackmailed into presenting the dark game that was being played. Whether or not I’d been the original target, my brothers and our company being seen as collateral damage was entirely possible.
But I now had no doubts Sara had been brought in as a player, perhaps considered a ringer. I mulled over the possibility her past had been too juicy to ignore.
Headlines could be made, our company stock plummeting after we’d been made out to be natural born killers. A connection to a mafia family because of Sara would just be icing on the cake. But why the charade? Why go to such elaborate attempts?
After returning to the club, I scoured the room in search of her.
But after seeing her friend talking with a couple of other ladies who weren’t Sara, my instincts told me she’d either left or had been taken. Since her friend was laughing and drinking, my gut told me Sara had left of her own accord.
I headed to the entrance, moving out into the night. I followed my instincts, heading toward the direction of where I’d parked my car.
Not long after, I noticed her walking by herself. I could feel the crackle of electricity that occurred every time we were within a few feet of each other. I remained in the shadows, determined to follow this through my way.
Once she was safely under my roof, captured and kept, I would go hunting for entirely different prey. What I wanted to learn was whether someone else was stalking her as prey. Remaining in the shadows for now was my best objective.
Or perhaps I just wanted to kill the son of a bitch.
I headed in her direction, admiring the way she constantly kept an eye on her surroundings. When she crossed a street, heading into a more residential location, I closed the distance. She stopped and turned around. I could tell she was looking for me.
Hungering for me.
Just like I was doing with her.
“Run, little kitty. Run.” I whispered the words, unable to help myself.
Her steps picked up in pace. She dared me to come out and play and I almost honored her request.
But she moved to the edge of the sidewalk, still determined to run free and wild.
The moment she stepped off onto the pavement, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. What the fuck?
Rage cooled until I felt nothing. Could hear nothing. Could see only one thing.
My perfect kitty.
She was in danger. I sensed it.
I heard an engine coming closer, the driver accelerating. I knew instinctively what was coming. With headlights blinding her, Sara seemed frozen on the spot. I rushed forward, managing to grab her just seconds before the dark car smashed into her. The hit would have killed her.
I reached for my weapon, managing to get off a single shot.
Damn it. I was certain it had gone wild. Fuck. Fuck. The driver sped around the corner.
But not before I’d had a chance to see the son of a bitch was wearing a mask.
Another goddamn Purge mask.
A violent laugh almost erupted.
She scrambled to her feet, instantly racing away from me.
I was one fucked-up man. All I could was smile. She was a fighter. I threw a single look over my shoulder as she ran before racing after her.
I caught up to her quickly, pulling her to my chest and fingering her breast. “Time’s up, little wild kitty.”
“Is this part of the game?” she gasped.
Behind my mask I smiled. “Consider it your personal invitation.”
“Zach,” she whispered.
I was momentarily struck. My wild kitty took advantage, exceeding my expectations, struggling enough to rip my mask from my face. I held in a roar as I pulled up her dress, enjoying our contest as we struggled. I gained control, her breathing heavy from more than just exertion as I tugged her thong to her knees. Her sweet scent greeted me and grew stronger as I began to bring my hand down sharply on her perfect ass.
As I finished marking her as mine, I tugged my mask back into position before releasing her. As soon as she had her clothes back in place, she bolted. She was quick to her step, weaving through trees and heading to a house. She was attempting to get help.
I found that fascinating.
Remaining in the shadows, I waited as she pounded on the door.
No one came to her aid.
It was time to end this. Past time.
The fucking game, the hunt had placed her life in jeopardy. That wasn’t acceptable. I was to blame.
And so, I did what I had to do.
I captured my feisty wild kitty, the woman kicking and scratching. But she was mine.
All mine.
Now I could keep her safe.
As I kissed her, I pulled out the syringe, giving her a slight sedative. It would wear off quickly, but would allow me to take her to safety.
After getting her settled in the car, I made a decision, one I hoped I wouldn’t regret.
I contacted my buddy, the detective. Perhaps it was time to do the right thing. Plus, I could use his help in exchange for providing him information. I pulled out his card from my wallet, studying the front.
Hmmm…
I turned it over, dialing his personal number.
He answered on the second ring. “Yeah?”
“Detective?”
“Who is this?”
I laughed. “You don’t recognize my voice?”
“Well, fuck. I didn’t anticipate hearing from you, buddy. At least not so soon. You up for a drink?” He was out of breath. Interesting.
“I’m looking for some help in your capacity as a man of law.”
“Well, I’ll see if it’s something I can do. I can’t break the law.”
“Of course not and I wouldn’t ask you to. Except I need to know the owner of a license plate.”
“That’s pushing my boundaries a little. Why?”
“Because the driver just attempted to run down a friend of mine. I’ll make it worth your while. Trust me. I have positive proof of the person responsible for killing Jerry Offsinger. I’ll be happy to provide that to you.”
“Do I need to worry about what you’re involved in?”
I remained on the street, studying the area. “I don’t think so. You forget I know people, some in very dark places. They don’t appreciate being threatened. Sometimes they ask me for help. This time I want to do the right thing.”
He acted as if he was hemming and hawing. “Do you mind if I ask who this person tried to run down?”
“A very special lady friend. She’s safe. She’s also very important to me and in truth, I think could do some damage to a certain group of men. As you might imagine, keeping her name out of this right now is better for both the lovely lady and myself. Are you interested?”
“Maybe. Give me the license plate number and I’ll go out on a limb since we’re friends. But you better come through on the evidence regarding Offsinger.”
“I will. I never break a promise.” I’d memorized the license plate, although the fucker had attempted to block it out.
“I got it. I’m headed to another crime scene. It might take me a few hours before I can get back to you.”
“That’s fine. Just call me when you have something.”
“Will do. Just remember what I said. I scratch your back, you scratch mine.”
I snorted. “Absolutely.”
As I ended the call, I peered over my shoulder at Sara’s peaceful face. Now my lovely wild kitty would need to fill in the blanks.
My instinct was working overtime. Someone believed she had solid information on the crime family her mother and father had been killed by. Maybe she did.
Or maybe the act of revenge didn’t have a time limit.
That much I truly believed in.
There was something very powerful about cradling her body as I entered my house. No other woman had been here. Not a single one. This was my place of peace, a location where I could relax and refresh.
But hearing her soft mews, knowing that she was completely safe, offered an entirely new set of feelings and emotions. She gently placed her hand on my chest, even opening her eyes.
By now, the sedative was starting to wear off, but I sensed she was exhausted. The hunt took a lot out of a person.
I’d prepared a room for her, ensuring not only her safety, but her comfort as well. She would soon learn this was where she belonged.
With Sara still in my arms, I threw back the covers. Her complexion was pale, but her lips were a rosy pink and I was drawn to how voluptuous they were. No one else would ever kiss them again.
I removed her shoes, placing them gingerly beside the bed. As I covered her up, she pursed her lips as if just for me. She was perfect in every way, but not only because of how badly she’d wanted to become a member of the Obsidian Society. She had a natural way about her that complemented her beauty.
Tonight, with her hair spilled over the pillow, she looked just like an angel. I could do nothing more than stare at her for hours.
I tugged the covers around her, folding her arms across her chest. As I brushed the tips of my fingers along one arm, she murmured in her sleep.
“Zach.” The single word enthralled me. She was already dreaming of me as I’d done with her.
“Rest, little one. Just rest. I’ll be here to watch over you.”
I stood for a few minutes over her, ensuring that she was resting easily. Finally satisfied, I moved toward the single chair in the room, sitting down so I could fulfill my promise.
As I leaned back, I thought about my life, which was not something I was used to doing. Why should I at this point? I’d done all the things I’d set out to do, including becoming a billionaire. When I was a kid alone in my room, I’d read books. It had been the one thing I could keep secret. The small paperbacks had been my only refuge, allowing me a peek into the lives of others. Cowboys. Construction workers. Rodeo stars. Doctors. I’d been able to be anything and everything I’d wanted to be without admitting it to anyone.
No one had listened anyway.
I made more money than anyone I’d read about, but just as with other aspects of my life, the wealth meant nothing. At least not like it used to.
Maybe I was just getting old.
I laughed softly and closed my eyes. What if I became a different man? Someone who no longer needed to pretend.
What if I was able to quiet the demons?
When I was with Sara, they were the last thing on my mind. Then why the recent dreams and images when I wasn’t? My fucking father. He’d destroyed my life thirty-nine years before and his existence was almost doing it again. Fuck him. I refused to allow it.
Maybe, just maybe it was time to settle down, prove to everyone I could be a family man. Another laugh threatened to rise up from my throat. What exactly did that look like?
I had no clue, no memory of good times. I didn’t envy Xander for remembering our parents. I’d seen the look of sheer torture in his eyes. What he’d been through had been much worse than with Wilder and me. That didn’t mean the years afterward were any easier, but we’d survived.
We’d thrived.
Only something significant was missing and I’d always known what that was.
Love.
A simple emotion for some. For me, it was brutal as well as difficult. And in truth, I feared I would fail. I’d never failed at anything.
Except possibly at being considered a human being with a conscience.
I no longer trusted myself, which meant I shouldn’t around her. But somehow, she managed to quiet the ache, turning it into a different need.
Admitting I not only wanted but needed her was an entirely different animal.
But as a smile crossed my face, I realized it was one I was ready to tackle.
Love.
Yeah, maybe it was time to cease playing virtual reality games and join in on real life. What could it hurt?
Yet even as I promised myself to give normalcy a try, all I could think about was how much I wanted her. And a single word continued to come to mind.
Mine.