Page 3 of The King of Hearts (The Raven Group #1)

CHAPTER TWO

HER

I release a yawn and lift my arms over my head, feeling the muscles in my back and legs stretch and ease some of the tension.

There’s an ache in my joints, especially my hips, meaning I must have slept fitfully last night.

It happens sometimes. Randomly, I’ll wake with a sore body and faint memories of tossing and turning.

I always attribute it to the hazy erotic dreams I have.

They’re always the same. I watch from a hidden corner as a shadowed man breaks into my room.

I’m alone, asleep in my bed, unaware of the nefarious presence lurking nearby.

As I slumber, tucked safely beneath the sheets, the devil approaches.

I watch from the corner as he looks down at the version of me on the bed.

I look so innocent and vulnerable laid out before him.

That’s when he pounces, pure lust taking control of his actions.

He rips the sheet from my body and tears off my clothes.

As I lay there unconscious, he crawls between my legs and forces his cock inside me.

The whole time, I just lay there, remaining unconscious, and from my hidden corner, I’m unable to move, to stop the violent act.

I must have a screw loose because those dreams don’t frighten me like they probably should.

In fact—I press my legs together and feel the slickness between them—I always wake from them soaked between my legs, with a needy ache, and feeling empty in places I shouldn’t.

I don’t let myself ponder too long on the fact that I wish they would last longer, and the visions were more vivid.

What kind of woman dreams about being taken advantage of by a stranger while she sleeps? Even worse, is aroused by the idea?

I hate myself and feel disgusted that I want to fully remember the dream.

Unconsciously, I close my eyes, and a shiver races through my body when I feel the ghost of hands touching me.

Sliding between my legs, touching my slick folds, tweaking my clit.

My pussy grows slicker, mixing with the juices already coating my thighs, and my tongue darts out to lick my lips.

I frown when something slightly salty and bitter hits my tastebuds.

There’s a slight dip on the bed, momentarily distracting me from my thoughts. I smile when Loki makes himself known by putting his two front paws on my stomach.

“There’s my handsome boy,” I coo and scratch my fingers through his soft hair. “How did you sleep?”

He looks at me, or pretends to, and lets out a little meow.

I’ve had Loki for a year. He was a stray that wandered onto our property last summer, crying his sad little heart out.

According to Dr. Finley, the island’s veterinarian, due to the untreated Herpes virus he must have had as a kitten, his eyes were damaged and are covered with a permanent white, clearish film.

He also has no teeth. They had to be removed due to a rare gum disease that’s untreatable.

I snuggle with him for a few minutes before he squirms to be let free, making it loud and clear with his insistent meows that it’s breakfast time.

With a laugh, I pop a kiss on top of his head and let him go.

He darts over to his food bowl and waits patiently.

Since he has no teeth, his diet is strictly wet food.

Once he’s fed and happily gnawing on his food, I pad across the light-gray plush carpet to my bathroom.

I turn on the shower and step under the rainfall showerhead.

It feels good against my sore muscles, and I let my head fall back on my shoulders.

I pour some soap on my loofa and slide it over my body, washing away the residue of sweat and the evidence of arousal from my thighs.

It feels good when I scrape the rough material over my pussy, but I don’t linger there too long.

After patting myself dry, I twist my hair up into a microfiber towel and lather on some of my favorite apple and vanilla-scented lotion.

I leave the bathroom and go to the big walk-in closet.

I choose a pleated teal skirt that goes to my knees and a cream silk blouse with capped sleeves.

Slipping my feet into a pair of flats, I leave the closet and take a seat at my vanity.

I keep my makeup to a minimum. I’ve never been one of those girls who likes to coat their face in cosmetics, preferring a light layer of foundation, soft pink blush, and a few swipes of mascara to thicken my eyelashes.

I pop my lips in the mirror after I’ve applied a peach lip gloss.

After I dry my hair, it falls in natural brown waves down my back, stopping just above my butt. I spritz on a matching apple and vanilla scent before I deem myself ready. As soon as the doors open, Loki dashes out ahead of me.

As I descend the curved stairs in my family home, the area between my legs feels extra sensitive, reminding me of my hazy dream.

Since my memories are fuzzy, my mind runs wild with the possibilities.

I’ve always had a very active imagination.

My art studio, which is connected to my bedroom, can attest to that.

But it’s my secret projects, the ones no one but me sees, that show just how dirty my mind can be.

I pause outside Dad’s office when I hear raised voices come from inside. It’s Dad’s, and he doesn’t sound happy. I move closer to the door and press my ear against it, taking extra care not to make a sound. I shouldn’t be snooping, but I’m naturally curious.

“I want the bastard found, Raf,” Dad’s deep baritone demands. “And I don’t need to stress how that needs to happen before he makes his next move.”

“It’ll be done. We’ve got men searching every inch of the island, including the coasts,” Rafaele replies, sounding just as pissed as Dad. “How do you want him dealt with?”

“Take him to The Reef. I’ll take care of him there.”

Goose bumps pop up on my arms at the mention of The Reef.

I don’t know who the guy is they’re searching for or what he did, but it must have been bad.

The Reef is the lighthouse on the opposite side of Hollow’s Reef, and every inch of its walls have been covered in blood. It’s where people go to die.

“This stays between us for now,” Dad says, lowering his voice so much I have to press my ear harder against the door. “I don’t want Caroline or Savina knowing about it until he’s found. I’ll inform Bishop and Cassio of the situation.”

“Of course.”

My brows pinch together. What is Dad hiding? Obviously, it’s something he thinks will upset my mother and me. Something big, considering the severity in their voices.

To say my father and brothers are protective of the females in this family would be the understatement of a lifetime.

Sometimes, they take that protection a bit too far.

Most times, I get it. Especially considering what my family does for a living.

Even more so because of what happened when I was thirteen.

“Does your father know you listen in on his private conversations?”

The deep voice comes from so close behind me that I can feel the heat of his breath.

I spin around, my heart damn near in my throat. I clap a hand over my mouth to hold in my screech of surprise. I stare at the man, wide-eyed, for all of two seconds before I recognize him.

“Hey, Vina,” Tomas, my longtime friend, greets me, his white teeth flashing with his big smile.

I shove a hand against his chest. “You’re an ass for scaring me like that.”

He laughs, the sound deep and boisterous. “Yeah, but it’s fun.”

“Jerk,” I mutter, but my lips twitch.

“Bitch,” he says right back.

I roll my eyes, my lips going up into a smile. “What are you doing here? I thought you’d be gone a couple more days.”

“Shit happened and we had to move up our timeline.”

Concern settles in my stomach. “Is everything okay? Did it go as planned?”

“Yes. We just had a hiccup, but the end results were successful.”

I breathe a little easier. What Tomas does for my father’s company, the not so legal side of The Raven Group, is extremely dangerous and potentially disastrous if things don’t go according to plan.

It happens; plans shift, schedules change, and we do what we must to accommodate those alterations, but it’s stressful as hell when it happens.

My best friend has been gone for five days.

It was his first official assignment as Lead, and while I don’t like knowing he was out in the field, I know how much it means to him to be part of something as big as this.

It’s been radio silence from him, something I expected.

When you’re out in the field, the last thing you need is distractions from the outside world.

The mission is too important, the stakes too high, to lose focus.

I’m glad he’s back and safe, and because of that blessing, I step up to him and wrap my arms around his waist. He folds his arms around me, and I soak in the woodsy smell that’s uniquely attached to him.

My shoulders relax in relief, thankful I don’t have to worry about him any longer. At least not until the next assignment.

Leaning back, I peer up at him. “Missed you.”

He drops a kiss on my forehead. “Missed you too.”

It was strange not having any form of contact with him.

This was the longest we’ve gone without at least talking.

He and his dad, Rafaele, moved to Hollow’s Reef when I was seven and Tomas was nine.

He, Emersyn, my other best friend, and I became fast friends when his dad started working for mine, and we’ve been inseparable since.

I let him go, and he pecks his lips against my nose, making me laugh and wrinkle my face.