Page 23

CHAPTER 22

C assandra

The most powerful orgasm I’d ever had in my life.

That was the only thought running through my mind as I made my way out the set of sliding doors.

He’d been more truthful with me than I’d expected him to be, yet had managed to hide behind a cloak of protection. It was a beautiful dance we’d both gotten very good at. I knew from personal experience how to dodge questions when necessary, using my legalese to ward off potential danger.

From my own private and very secret life.

I’d walked into the den of a monster and couldn’t bring myself to leave because I just didn’t want to.

The light breeze was cool, even cold against my skin, yet I wasn’t shivering. There was too much heat and fire running through my veins. While I felt the kiss of adrenaline as well, Wilder’s unwavering stare had kept me crackling with energy.

I’d never felt so free or alive in my life. A smile remained as if painted on my face. All because his mouth and tongue were magical implements.

Wow.

I moved onto the deck, taking another deep whiff of the soil, sand, and water. The combination was irresistible. A tingle of excitement trailed down my spine. It was the same feeling I always had when walking into the courtroom the first time only seconds before facing whatever criminal element I’d been assigned to prosecute.

Killers were my favorite.

I’d enjoyed toying with them, using my knowledge about the human psyche to dig deep into the twisted regions of their minds.

Perhaps too much.

I’d savored every battle won as well as every time I’d ripped a hole in their warped lives. To date, not a single killer had walked away from my courtroom a free man.

I’d found it interesting I’d yet to prosecute a woman. Perhaps because we were far too cunning to be captured and taken to task.

We.

Yes, I considered myself as conniving as any cold-blooded murderer.

What I found most fascinating of all was that it seemed I’d met my match with Wilder. Or perhaps I’d simply let my guard down when I shouldn’t have.

But as I stood naked and barefoot outside on the cold, hard deck’s surface, my fingers gripping the railing as I peered at the ominous flow of water, I couldn’t ignore the intense eagerness.

Sensations were flowing through me, catching my breath as vivid images continuously popped into my mind.

I was impatient for his touch.

Wilder toyed with me, keeping me naked and on edge for at least five minutes. The moment he walked onto the deck, I felt a flash of even more explosive heat.

He moved closer and I glanced over my shoulder. I was thankful he’d removed his clothes, the slender moon providing the perfect illumination of his rugged body. I could do nothing more than stare at his broad shoulders and muscular chest, his abdomen muscles breaking a deeply carved V leading to his groin.

And his magnificent cock.

While everything remained in the swirling, twisting ebb of shadows, only the briefest of light accentuating his incredible physique, that didn’t mean my mouth wasn’t watering. He had that kind of effect on me.

He knew it too.

He’d realized perhaps the very night he’d saved me from David that he’d captivated a part of me I wouldn’t be able to let go.

I took a deep breath, savoring the hint of fresh citrus in his aftershave as I allowed my gaze to fall to the thick boards beneath my feet.

His face was devoid of expression, but the absence of light couldn’t hide the stark, almost harsh piercing look in his eyes. Tonight, they were unreadable, but the look in them had changed.

Using a single finger, he rubbed the rough pad down the length of my spine, taking his time before he trailed it between my ass cheeks.

Every shiver I experienced was more pronounced than before, the heartbeat thudding in my chest echoing. We were repeating the dance of silence, the few words of his command likely the only ones I’d receive.

Maybe because he’d realized days before that there was no reason to direct my actions. I followed his lead.

I remained rigid, goosebumps popping along my arms and legs as he examined me, using his knee to knock my legs further apart. The light brush of his finger tickled me and raw, powerful vibrations electrified every part of me. As he continued his exploration, I was aware I’d closed my eyes. This wasn’t about blocking out the rest of the world, but about allowing my imagination to run wild.

He rubbed his finger down the back of one leg, sliding the tip up the inside of the other until he reached my pussy.

A slight moan escaped my lips and I was forced to dig my fingers into the wooden railing. As he lowered his head, blowing from one shoulder to the other, I could swear in a strange way he was marking his territory.

Wilder took his time, flicking his finger back and forth across my clit. It was still extremely sensitive from before and I gasped, almost involuntarily jerking away.

He knew as he seemed to with everything else about me, his fingers wrapping around my arm to keep me from fleeing.

As if I could go far.

A strange understanding that it wouldn’t matter where I went, the man would find me popped into my mind.

He was so tender, his actions romantically gentle, but I had a feeling that was a facade or perhaps the only foreplay he’d ever offer. I sensed his needs increasing, his heavy breathing a dead giveaway.

I wasn’t certain how much longer he continued caressing my skin, but the softness of his touch allowed me to be lulled into a peaceful moment. My eyes were closed, my fingers relaxed around the thick railings.

But the moment he dug his fingers into my hips, yanking me back by a foot, I was once again wide awake and alert.

He was no longer interested in providing some fantasy of a romantic moment. He simply thrust his cock deep into my pussy, holding his cock inside as it swelled and pulsed against my muscles.

“Oh!” I threw my head back, trying to take a deep inhale while the sensations prickled every inch of my skin. The man knew me far too well and that alone should be disturbing.

But I’d never been so aroused in my entire life.

Panting, I rose onto my toes as soon as he pulled out, plunging into me again. The force was brutal, driving my waist into the edge of the railing.

If he cared, I wouldn’t know. His actions were far too intense, his concentration blocking out everything. He continued thrusting, the sound of his skin slamming against mine filtering into the breeze around us.

I opened my legs even wider, tilting my head so the wind could cool my face. Beads of perspiration trickled down both sides, my heart thudding like a monotonous sledgehammer.

There was nothing like the feeling of being completely breathless. And the air I needed to breathe was infused with his scent.

So dark.

So musky.

I was lost in a sweet lull as he pushed me even harder. Even the pain from him digging his nails into my hips was exquisite.

I bit back a laugh, stretching my back as much as possible.

As expected, he smacked his hand across my backside not once, but several times and just from him doing so, I was thrown into another incredible orgasm.

I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Dear God, the electricity was so intense, my mind blown by the sparks like fireworks going off in my system. Every growl he issued was more savage than the one before and the sound added to the ambiance.

The climax refused to stop, a single one slamming into another until I could no longer breathe.

“Oh, God.” They were the only two words I managed and when he slowed, I flopped over the edge of the railing.

Wilder wasn’t interested in allowing me even a moment of peace.

The man wasn’t done.

As with everything about him, there was no pretense, no warning. He simply shoved the tip of his cock against my asshole. As usual, it puckered, but there was nothing I wanted more than to have the full feeling of his shaft inside me.

For a man so brutal and demanding, when he slowly pushed it inside, I was surprised. My body reacted and I jutted my hips backwards as I’d done before.

His laugh was dark and ominous and he immediately gripped both my breasts, pinching my nipples at the same time. “My Lady Butterfly thinks she can control me. She’s very wrong.”

He kept my legs pulled away from the railing, using the full weight of his body to push me down until my chest was only inches away from the thick wood. As he pinched and twisted my nipples, I moaned.

The combination of ecstasy and agony was intense, pushing and pulling the sensations and my emotions at the same time. I cinched my eyes shut, gasping in some crazy effort to fill my lungs with air.

It was impossible.

“My bad girl. My little tease. My naughty vixen.” He released one nipple, instantly cracking his hand against my backside six or seven times. The burn was incredible, tingling every inch of my skin.

The powerful man pulled out his cock until only the tip was inside before slamming into me again. That’s the moment he shifted his hand, cracking several fingers against my pussy.

I was shocked, whimpering loudly. The pain was both frightening and exhilarating. I could feel my entire body shaking as the sting turned into a burning sensation.

The way he continued to pinch my nipple was another reminder I was very much alive and floating on cloud nine.

He wasn’t reticent in his actions, repeating them not once, but twice. I was floored at the sheer agony, and the way tiny tics had appeared in the corners of my mouth. My knees were threatening to buckle.

But there was also such an intense rush of pleasure that my vision was foggy. I could tell I was tossing my head from side to side as he snapped his fingers against my clit. I also knew I was screaming, but I couldn’t hear it clearly from the rapid beating of my heart.

Or maybe it was the brutal slapping sound.

Either way, I was completely lost in some crazy haze that I wasn’t certain I could come down from.

Or if I wanted to.

All the while, he continued pumping into my ass with a perfect rhythm. My crazy mind was marveling in how he could handle three distinct tasks with such precision.

Wow. Just…

Wow.

He thrust even harder, our bodies slamming together and for a few precious seconds, not only were we as one, but I sensed he was crawling into my mind.

Learning all my dark secrets.

Absorbing all my brutal desires.

Consuming all my lethal needs.

And together we’d become an impenetrable force of nature.

* * *

I’d learned a long time ago than being alone didn’t equate to loneliness. However, I had a feeling Wilder had no real understanding about how to deal with having people around him. With his business, he could come and go as he pleased, refusing to tolerate being in a crowd for any extended period of time.

While I’d fallen asleep in his bed after he’d fucked me a third time, there’d been no conversation and no pillow talk. He wasn’t capable of that. He’d come into the room more than once, but he’d stayed somewhere else. I’d felt his presence every time, waking from a fitful sleep, but remaining as quiet as he was.

Maybe I’d wanted to see if he could break through his barriers and come be with me. As I stood staring out the window at him, I was aware I didn’t have any decent answers.

I’d snagged his tuxedo shirt instead of returning to the dress, finding my thong inside his jacket, which I’d also retrieved. Let him be angry with me. Since the air was chillier than the night before, I pulled on his jacket, which he’d left tossed over the back of the chair.

I headed outside, carefully going down the stairs in my bare feet. The patio led to the sandy beach fronting the calm body of water.

He’d pulled on sweatpants and a tee shirt. The comfortable look made him appear less formal.

And perhaps less dangerous.

He immediately sensed my approach as I’d come to do with him. Every muscle tensed, but he immediately reeked of desire. When he slowly turned his head, his eyes were hooded as they’d been when he’d driven his cock deep inside.

I shuddered visibly and he chuckled.

“How did you sleep?” he asked.

“Better than you did.”

He took a deep breath and eyed the water once again. “I rarely sleep.”

“Big business?”

Wilder laughed. “I no longer need to stress about decisions made within the company.”

“Nightmares.” This time the single word wasn’t a question.

I wasn’t prepared for him to nod, but he did so only once.

“There are some things in life that won’t go away even with time. That’s something you need to remember.”

“Another warning,” I said as I moved closer.

“This time, yes, it is. That’s why your experience with the Blackwell Group is over.”

“What?”

“You heard me, Lady Butterfly.”

“You’re forbidding me from playing your games?”

“You can play Dark Nights to your heart’s desire. I’ll be happy to provide you with a subscription or the physical game if you’d prefer. However, you will not be allowed to participate in subsequent life games. Period.”

“I’m a big girl.” Somehow, I doubted my insistence meant anything.

This time, he snapped his head in my direction. “And you will not go against my rules. Do you understand?”

“Why?”

He seemed exasperated I was pushing him. “Because you’re full of integrity, Cassandra. That’s something I very much admire, but won’t bode well for you in the Obsidian environment.”

“So you’re saying what you do goes against the law.”

“I’m saying what happens goes against many beliefs about humanity and decency. Are we careful not to cross any illegal lines? Within the games themselves, absolutely.”

“But not personally.”

The way he sucked in his breath was as if he was accepting he was a very bad man. But there was so much angst in his features and pain in his eyes.

“Cassandra. My life isn’t what you need, just what you think you want. Go home. Live your life. Be a great attorney. However, you will not find what you’re looking for and even if you do, that won’t bring you peace.”

The man was ending what we’d shared. Why? It wasn’t about hiding from his past because I had the distinct feeling he wasn’t certain what he and his brothers had actually been through. The truth had been hidden from them. My guess was they’d been lied to.

“Maybe you need to find out about your past.”

My suggestion was met with a hard snort. “What good would that do? Only to confirm what I already know?”

“Maybe it’ll give you closure.”

“Maybe it will evoke the rage all over again.”

There was an unusual tension between us.

“Who was she, Wilder? Who was the single woman in your life that made you want to be a better man?”

I was certain he was going to explode, his features suddenly so stark and cold, but he almost immediately softened. “Just a girl I couldn’t save. She died in a manner no human being should suffer.”

“And you blame yourself.”

“I’m angry that I didn’t follow my instincts.”

As I moved even closer, he bristled. He definitely didn’t know me very well. I refused to take his clues that he wanted me to back off. I touched his arm and the cords in his neck were tighter than I’d ever seen them. “And you honored her by killing those responsible, but that didn’t end your pain.”

He cupped the back of my head, lowering his. Just when I thought he’d allow me to help him crush the walls he’d built until it was a fortress, he merely kissed me on the forehead.

“Go live your life, my Lady Butterfly. Know that you will always be in my heart, but eventually the ebb and flow of darkness will eat you alive. That’s not something you want or deserve.”