Page 100 of The Midnight Club

Seth’s cock, huge and throbbing, plunged into her as she clamped her legs around his waist. She grinned up at him as they fucked. “If you knew how long I’ve thought about this.”

Seth, his face serious, buried his face in her neck. “God, Netta …”

They drove each other to orgasm then lay, panting. Netta looked over at him. “Mr. Cantor, that was better than I ever dreamed.”

Seth laughed softly. “And was probably a big mistake, Nets.”

She rolled onto her side and gazed down at him. His body was finely honed—the result of working out twice a day, but it had still surprised her with its hardness, its fierce masculinity. Seth Cantor was strong not just in mind, it seemed. Netta pressed her lips to his nipple, teasing it with her tongue. Seth smiled down at her.

“Nets, seriously. We should keep this between us for now.”

“Oh, I agree,” Netta said, not at all stung. “But weshouldkeep it.”

Seth laughed out loud then. “You are insatiable.”

He rolled her onto her back, shaking his head as he smiled. “Where did you come from?”

Netta’s eyes were suddenly serious. “Seth … are you really telling me you didn’t know I’ve had a thing for you for years?”

“I really didn’t,” he admitted ruefully. “I wish Ihadknown.”

She kissed him. “Let’s not waste any more time then.” And they began again where they had left off.

New York City, five years previously.

The Museumof Modern Art was packed with guests for the charity gala. Alex scanned the room for Maceo and saw him talking to a beautiful woman across the room. Alex grinned to himself. He nudged Seth who was standing by his side. “Look.”

Alex nodded at Maceo and Seth rolled his eyes. “Of course.”

They made their way over to their friend, who grinned widely when he saw them, embracing them both. “Alex, Seth, allow me to introduce Viola Redman. Viola, Seth Cantor, Alex Milland.”

While Seth was talking to the woman, Maceo nudged Alex. “I brought her for you, Alexander. She’s 26, a Brown graduate, and a junior partner in a publishing firm.”

Alex sighed. Maceo was forever trying to fix him up, but he had to admit, Viola Redman was stunning with long dark hair that fell in waves to her shoulders and large brown eyes the color of honey. As Maceo very unsubtly steered Seth away from the couple, Viola smiled at Alex. “He’s quite a character.”

“He’s something, all right,” muttered Alex darkly, then laughed. Viola really was beautiful, her smile gentle, her eyes friendly. He found it easy to talk to her and before long, he realized he had been chatting with her for nearly an hour.

“Viola,” he said, snagging her another drink from a passing waiter, “would you like to have dinner with me later?”

He tookher toThe Palm,where they had lobster and talked late into the night. Alex was smitten. Viola was funny, erudite, and sweet; she gently ribbed him about his “boys’ club.'

There was no question that they’d spend the night together. The moment Alex unzipped her lavender dress and let it fall to the floor of his hotel room, he knew he had met the love of his life. Viola wasn’t shy in bed; as he plunged his cock into her, she cried out his name, raking her nails down his back, spurring him on. They fucked all night, and in the morning, she’d gone, leaving him a note with her phone number on it.

He hadn’t waited to call her. Viola moved in with him two weeks later and everybody,everybodyknew they’d be together forever.

Until Viola was murdered and Alex fell apart …

“Mr. Bartoli?”

Maceo looked up to see Ori’s surgeon smiling at him. Maceo had been gently sent away from Ori while they did some tests on her and now he was in the small relatives’ room, cold, exhausted, and drinking some very weak coffee.

“Mr. Bartoli, why don’t we sit?”

He’s going to tell me she’s not going to make it.“Okay.” He steeled himself as they sat. The doctor nodded to him.

“We think Ori’s coming out of the coma.”

Maceo’s heart began to thump hard against his ribs. “Really? Oh my god, I mean, really?”