Page 27

CHAPTER 27

K ara

Lights flashed in front of my eyes.

He was so large, his shaft throbbing against my pussy muscles.

I watched in near fascination as a single bead of sweat trickled down the side of Havros’ face. It slowly dropped, falling on my cheek. His grin was infectious, but it was the look of sheer lust in his eyes that kept mine pinned on his.

“I’m going to fuck you like you deserve to be fucked,” he told me.

“Yes. Oh, yes.” I wrapped my legs around him, kneading his chest muscles with my fingers. He narrowed his eyes before yanking first one arm over my head then the other. His large hands easily fit around my wrists, pinning me in place.

I wiggled, struggling with his firm hold, but as before, I was going nowhere.

Not that I wanted to.

He dropped his head suddenly, pressing his lips on mine. The move was restrained, almost gentle even as I darted my tongue past his succulent lips. He ground his hips in response, fully seating himself inside. I was tingling all over, my pussy muscles spasming from the wide girth. How could any man be this large?

A laugh almost bubbled to the surface. This was the feeling of absolute freedom, becoming totally uninhibited with a man who’d awakened all my senses.

He thrust his tongue inside, dominating mine, telling me in no uncertain terms I belonged to him. The thought was unrealistic, but thrilling. Tiny vibrations danced throughout my skin, the electric jolts more sizzling than ever.

He captured the moan with his mouth as he explored the dark recesses of mine. I wiggled again, pressing my knees against his hips. When he broke the kiss, rearing back, I gasped. Yet the angle was switched, the moment he plunged even deeper, pushing me into pure euphoria. I almost came, but he pulled out again, holding just the tip inside.

Teasing me as I’d done with him.

Pleasure coiled at the base of my spine as he fucked me, taking it slow and easy at first. His eyes were now locked on mine, the powerful man never blinking. In his eyes I witnessed so much emotion, a level of devotion I hadn’t thought existed. He made me want more. So much more.

“I want to touch you. Please,” I whispered.

He squeezed his hand around my wrists, his expression turning darker. But he let go of my arms, allowing me to roll my hands up his chest and over his shoulders. In turn, he grabbed one leg, lifting and easing it over his shoulder.

His cock went even deeper, his actions rough, almost brutal. He pushed us both into the bed, the headboard slamming against the wall. I imagined what anyone in the other room must be thinking.

“No one will ever touch you again. Do you hear me?” He growled the question, his entire body tensing.

“Yes. Yes, sir.” Calling him sir felt dirty yet right, a further awakening of the bad girl inside of me. The pleasure became so intense that I arched my back, forced to fist the bedding. I was losing myself in the man, unable to keep my mind from wishing for a fabulous future. But that wasn’t possible. Not with a man like Havros.

When I cried out, he withdrew, a concerned look on his face. “Are you okay?”

“More than okay. Just don’t stop. Please fuck me. Hard. Fast. Rough.” I wanted to feel raw, to have the sensations of his cock lingering for a long time. I needed him to paint me with his cum, allowing the scent to remain long after we were finished.

But he needed to come inside of me. I felt it. I sensed it instinctively. It was another way of him claiming me.

I bucked hard against him, savoring every tingle, every drip of perspiration running from his face to mine. I was electrified, my moans reflecting the utter rapture only he’d been able to provide.

My body couldn’t take any more, the wild sweep of a climax spinning through me like a tidal wave. “Havros!” Screaming out his name was natural, the sound fluttering against my tongue. The jolts of current were insane, tickling every nerve ending. A fire tore into every muscle, my body spasming.

Coming down was hard, my mind unable to process such ecstasy.

He dropped his head suddenly, his growls vibrating against my lips. He pressed up on both hands, his predatory stance sucking me into a dark and dangerous lair. But I no longer cared as long as I was with him.

He took my mouth again, our tongues twining as he pushed hard and fast. His muscles tensed, his guttural sounds roaring up from his throat. My climax finally ebbed, yet I squeezed my pussy muscles. Within seconds, his body responded and he erupted deep inside.

Havros continued pumping as he filled me with his seed. When he was finally spent, he pulled back, taking as many gasping breaths as I was.

“Fuck. So damn hot,” he murmured before tearing himself away, rolling onto his back. I stretched out, basking in the warmth and the delicious scent lingering in the room. I might never breathe normally again. When I eased onto my side, rolling my fingers lightly across his chest, he turned his head toward me. He tugged one of the pillows, planting his head on the surface. “You’re amazing, my kitten.”

“I think we both are.” The feel of his skin was sizzling, searing my fingertips, but more welcoming than I would have ever believed. “Being here with you in Paris is special. I shouldn’t say that. I know this means nothing.”

He rolled over onto his side, pulling my hand into his. As he kissed my knuckles, I allowed a single shudder. “Why do you think that?”

“Because it can’t. You have your life in Greece. I have my life in New York. You don’t want a relationship and eventually I do. I wasn’t certain I did until meeting you. I love this. Even though your world terrifies me more than I care to admit, the way you live your life by always being on the edge excites me too. That’s the way our passion is. Eventually, it will burn out. You know that.”

His deep breath lasted for several seconds as he brushed the rough pads of his fingers across and down my face. “No, I don’t know that. I’m not going to lie and tell you that I wanted anything like this because that wouldn’t be true. Watching Dimitrios with Willow sometimes does make me realize all I’m missing, but my life is hard on any relationship. I don’t need to explain to you why.”

“No, I guess you don’t.” I felt at peace, although a moment regarding my past swept through my mind and I hated myself for it. “I almost died under water.”

“What?” He furrowed his eyebrows.

Nodding, I closed my eyes briefly. “I was dating a man who worked with me when I was at the New York Times . The relationship was good enough I placed my trust in him. We went on our first vacation together to the Cayman Islands. It was so beautiful, the water crystal clear and the beaches pearlescent white. We went diving the second day and it was perfect. So we went again.”

Havros tensed. “What did he do?”

I placed my hand on his chest. “I can’t prove he did anything, but I feel it in my heart. You know? You just have an innate sense of when someone isn’t who they say they are. Or if they want to hurt you. I became tangled in a net or something. I honestly don’t know what it was other than it was holding me under the water. We were almost out of air and over seventy feet down. Which technically meant I should come up very slowly.”

“He left you there.”

“He swam off acting as if he didn’t see me. I could swear he’d surfaced. I was fighting with the rope, unable to cut it with the knife. Then it broke. He’d given it to me.”

“He sabotaged it.”

“I think so. Again, I couldn’t prove anything.”

“How did you get out?”

“Thank God for another diver. He saw me struggling and headed toward me. By that point, I’d panicked and lost the regulator from my mouth. The other diver cut me free and slowly, we started to make the ascent. He allowed me use of his regulator, calming me with his eyes.”

“When did the shithead show up?”

“Oh, he made an appearance jumping in the water when we only had maybe twenty feet to go. He told me he’d gotten a cramp and had to surface. Bullshit. I knew better.”

“Why would he do that?”

I thumped back on the bed, raking my hand through my hair. “Because my career was starting to take off. He wasn’t getting anywhere. I’d told him about a story idea I had. When we made it home, I found out two days later he’d pitched the idea to our editor. The editor went for it. And as they say, the rest is history. He won a Pulitzer over the article I’d already penned fifty percent of. There was no way to prove that either. So you see, trust isn’t on my bucket list right now. Not really. Not until you.”

After shifting to face him once again, I ran my finger from one side of his jaw to the other. The stubble felt good against my fingers.

“Does that mean you trust me?”

My laugh sounded fake because I was still nervous around him. “For some insane reason, I do. I know you wouldn’t hurt me.”

He rubbed his hand down my arm, the excitement from his touch as ripe and wonderful as before. “I promise with all I have, my kitten, I will never lie, or try to hurt you.”

“I promise you the same. But I don’t know if I can offer anything else. I mean… not in the long term.”

“Then we take it one day at a time. Yes?”

I nodded several times, feeling a sense of relief I’d shared the horrible experience. To a basic stranger, only we knew each other better than so many people did who’d been dating for months. “Does it ever get old? Being in a dangerous lifestyle, I mean.”

His gaze became even more pointed as he took a deep breath.

He shifted and suddenly sat up. “Why don’t I get us both a drink?” The fact he didn’t wait for me to answer meant he wasn’t planning on doing so. I watched him as he left, still able to marvel at his toned butt. After he’d disappeared, I felt a sense of loss. Why did I care about him so much? Was I just as crazy as before?

I moved off the bed, shocked at how close the Eiffel Tower appeared.

The night was crystal clear, not a cloud in the sky. The brighter moon appeared so close, highlighting the gorgeous view. I wanted to be completely mesmerized by the setting, the city, and the passion, but something remained off. I wasn’t certain what other than that for all Havros’ claims of possession, I knew he didn’t mean them. It was all the heat of the moment.

What was maddening was that I was beginning to get used to the idea. At least a little. I’d pushed him away even seconds before. I was now the one being hot and cold.

A heavy sigh escaped my lips and I moved away from the window, turning down the bed. The scent of the man washed over me, creating additional tingles. This time had been incredibly different, holding a closeness that I hadn’t expected.

Yet it was still all in the moment.

But what a moment it was. I glanced at my laptop case, considering writing out a few notes. Somehow, I didn’t think the man paying for this fabulous trip would appreciate me highlighting our sexcapades. I almost laughed at the thought. Now that would spice up the article.

I crawled under the covers, instantly fluffing all four pillows before easing against two of them. Still able to see the wondrous sight, I let out a happy sound. But soon the fairytale would end and I’d be shuttled back to reality. It had to be that way.

I wondered if I would eventually convince myself of that.

Havros sauntered into the room, stopping when he reached the end of the bed. His gaze was even more heated than before and I did so adore the way his chest rose and fell when he looked at me.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, playing coy.

“I didn’t tell you that you could cover up that gorgeous body of yours. I guess I’ll need to use these.” He pulled up a pair of handcuffs, grinning like a big kid. It was refreshing.

Exciting.

Even shocking.

“I don’t think so.”

“Did you forget something?” He placed the cuffs on the nightstand, immediately throwing back the covers to the end of the bed.

“Sir. Sir!” I laughed, but could tell he was serious. When I patted the bottom sheet, he lifted an eyebrow but sat down, immediately handing me a drink.

“I should spank you again.”

“No. Oh, no. Please, sir. Just be with me.”

He sighed, but allowed another smile.

“To answer your question, Kara. Yes, being cautious, always concerned about what enemy might crawl out from under a rock does get old. But it’s a life I was born into and the reinvented business does allow me to feel pride.” One leg was bent at the knee and he seemed more pensive than before.

I brushed my hand down his arm. “What you and your brothers have amassed is impressive. I just don’t see any happiness in your eyes. Boats. Cars. Jets. Your apartment cost several million euros. You have everything you could ever want, but to me, it seems as if you’re destitute.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Because you have nothing personal. Yes, you’re close with your family, but I’ll venture a guess you grow weary of them, enjoying your own space.”

He huffed. “More than you know.”

“But are you lonely?”

His expression softened. “From time to time. I’ve thought about having children before I’m too old to teach them to sail or play soccer, but my concerns over safety outweighed my paternal needs. Those same concerns outweighed my romantic needs as well. That is until you came along.”

“I’m not certain what that means.”

“It means you talk too much. We’re enjoying spending time together. Yes?”

He pinched my chin between his thumb and forefinger, leaning over until he could press a kiss against my forehead.

His intoxicating scent scintillated my senses all over again. “Yes, absolutely.”

“I have one question. Did you leave the fucker who didn’t deserve you?”

“As soon as we returned, I moved out. That was when I could no longer work for the same company. I never looked back. It’s funny. I was devastated by the betrayal, even hating my editor for buying the asshole could come up with the idea. But I learned so much from the experience. I decided to take lemons and make lemonade. That’s something my mother always told me.”

“Your mother sounds like a carbon copy of you.”

I allowed my thoughts to drift to her. “More like the other way around.”

“If you tell me the jerk’s name, I’ll handle it.”

“Not a chance, Havros. That was years ago. I’m older and much smarter.”

He sucked in and held his breath.

“We have business tomorrow, the meeting very important to the advancement of our legitimate businesses. The clubs are our babies. The three of us are very proud of the creation. The thought of someone attempting to destroy us from the inside is pushing me into a rage. But you don’t need to see that.”

“I’m your partner.” I batted my eyelashes on purpose and sipped my drink.

“I never fully agreed to you helping me with this mess.”

I threw out my hand for a shake. “And I’m not leaving. Get that through that pig head of yours. I’m here for the long haul. In other words, you can’t get rid of me. So make a deal with me and I’ll be the one to make you proud.”

Havros looked down at my hand before slowly bringing his gaze back to my face. “As long as you do everything that I tell you to do. I’m not fucking around with this, Kara. I can’t keep you safe if you don’t follow the rules. Do we have a deal?”

I stuck out my arm even further, offering him my hand. “We have a deal. But…”

“Always a but with you.” His eyes twinkling, he gulped part of his drink, thudding the tumbler on the nightstand and giving me a stern look.

“Yes, and there always will be. My only demand is that you answer my questions honestly and without skirting around them.”

He grabbed my hand, holding it in place. “You’re certain you want to know all the dirty secrets?”

“Yes. In turn, I promise you I will not print anything you don’t want.” Maybe I was testing whether he would trust me enough. Or maybe I wanted a stronger reason to be able to walk away when this was finished. I just wasn’t certain at this point.

What I knew in my heart was that leaving him and Greece would be the hardest choice I’d had to make in my life.

But he could never love me the way I feared I would love him. I would always be that weakness, even an excuse to shut down. I didn’t want that for either one of us.

“Then we have a deal, little kitten.” He took my hand, the serious expression on his face turning more devious after only a few seconds.

When he yanked the handcuffs into the air, I tried to scuttle off the bed, already laughing. His playful side was so unexpected that I immediately felt lighter. At least we did have this moment in time together.

He snagged my leg, jerking me back and immediately taking the glass from my hand. His cock was hard once again. How did he manage to do that? I licked my lips, my pussy responding, throbbing more than before.

“Not so fast, kitten. I told you we weren’t finished.” He tossed me onto all fours, immediately slapping the metal around my wrist.

“You’re crazy.”

“You bet I am.” He snapped the other cuff around the wooden bedpost and grinned at me mischievously. “That’s exactly the way I want you. Restrained and ready for my use.”

“You’re still a bastard. Sir.”

He crawled behind me and I tugged on the bindings. “So you’ve told me many times.” When he cracked his hand on my bottom, I yelped. But the pain was quickly replaced with another wave of intense pleasure when he thrust his cock deep inside my pussy. As he pumped several times, I fisted the pillow, a smile permanently planted on my face.

The man could make me happier than anyone else ever had. And he could piss me off even more. Maybe the stars meant for us to be together.

He cracked his hand on my bottom twice more before removing his cock completely.

“That’s no fair!” I whimpered. “Sir!”

“Didn’t I tell you nothing in life is ever fair? Not in love and war. Not in hate and lust. And not with the man who owns you.”

The moment he pressed the tip of his cock against my dark hole, I stiffened just like I’d done before.

Only this time it wasn’t about uncertainty or the fear of discomfort. It was because of the words he continued to use.

Falling for him wasn’t an option, but that’s what I was doing.

Hard and fast, totally and completely.

Another round of hatred reared its ugly head as well as reaffirming the promise. Walking away was the only logical choice.