Exotic Desires: The Complete Series Box Set (42 page)

“Fast,” she said as she grasped my cock and led it to her entrance.

I nodded. I would go fast in a moment, but I needed to ease inside the first time. I rested my forehead against hers as I moved forward inch by inch. I kept one hand on her back and put the other beneath her dress. If this was going to be fast, she'd need a bit of help to get off and I was determined to give her at least one orgasm.

A sharp pain went through my earlobe as she bit down. Her mouth started to move down my neck, lips and teeth setting my skin on fire. I took that as my cue and started to move. Fast but deep strokes that left her empty one moment and filled the next. My thumb played across her clit and she whimpered, a sound of pleasure and not pain, one that made my stomach clench and my balls tighten. I was so close. Her thighs quivered around me and I knew she was nearly there too.

I thrust into her two more times and groaned as I exploded, unable to hold back anymore. I rocked against her, giving her the friction she needed to follow me over the edge. We stayed that way, locked together in an embrace, our bodies still joined, breathing harsh, blood rushing in our ears. The world outside would wait a little longer. Right now, we were safe and she was in my arms. That was all that mattered at the moment. We'd face the rest soon enough, but I would keep her here as long as I could, letting her know without words that she was safe and I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to her again.

Chapter 16

Nami

I wasn't sure when I managed to fall asleep, but with Reed's arms around me and my head on his shoulder, it didn't surprise me. With the exception of that one night in the hotel, I'd only been sleeping in fits and starts since I’d met Tanek. An hour here and there, waking suddenly with a pounding heart and the certainty that Tanek was there in the dark. In Reed's arms, with his scent around me, the memory of him throbbing between my legs, I was able to let myself go. Even in sleep, when the darkness tried to frighten me, I knew he was there and the thought was enough to keep the demons at bay.

“Nami.” His voice was soft in my ear, but loud enough to pull me from sleep. “We're almost home.”

For a moment, I felt panic and my eyes opened. Then I realized what he meant and the fear faded, though the adrenaline had made me suddenly and completely awake. Reed gave me a concerned look as I sat up.

I didn't give him a chance to ask if I was okay. I had a feeling I would be sick of that question very soon. “Did you sleep at all?” I asked him.

He nodded. “A bit, but I don't think I'll really relax until we're in a place I know no one can get to you.” He reached out and put his hand on my cheek, his touch light enough that it didn't hurt.

“Where are we going?” I asked suddenly, realizing I didn't know any details.

“Philadelphia,” he said. “I have some friends there I can trust.”

“Friends, not family?” I put my hand on his arm.

“No,” he said. “I can't try to work things out with them and worrying about you at the same time.”

“I don't want you worry about me or Halea,” I said.

He gave me the kind of smile that said I just didn't understand. “You're my world, Nami. How can I not worry about you?”

Before I could think of something to say, he was on his feet and heading for the cockpit.

“I like him.” Halea sat down next to me. Her face was pale and she looked tired even though I knew she'd slept through most of the eight hour flight. She reached over and took my hand. “I know you think you have to protect me, but I am stronger than you think.”

I smiled as I squeezed her hand. “It wasn't your strength I doubted. It was mine. I could bear what Tanek did to me, but I couldn't have handled anything happening to you.”

Tears spilled over, running down Halea's cheeks and she buried her head against my chest, her arms wrapping around me so tightly that it hurt. I didn't ask her to stop, putting my own arms around her and kissing the top of her head. My own eyes burned with tears.

“It's all right now, little one,” I murmured. “Shh. We're safe now.”

By the time Reed came back to tell us that we'd be landing at a private airstrip just outside of Philadelphia in a few minutes, Halea and I had both regained our composure enough to excuse ourselves to freshen up. I returned to my seat just as the pilot announced that we needed to put on our seat belts. I sat next to Reed. Now that the immediate concerns were out of the way and we were now simply waiting to hear from Kai and Tomas about my parents, I found myself growing nervous. Not at what was going to happen with Tanek, but rather what would be waiting for us in Philadelphia.

“Your friends,” I asked as the plane began to descend. “Are they picking us up at the airport?”

“They are.” Reed reached over and laced his fingers between mine. A faint flush stained his cheeks. “Do you remember me telling you about Piper?”

It took me a moment, but then I placed the name. “The woman whose decision to go with another man sent you to Europe?”

The corner of Reed's mouth twitched and his ears began to turn red. “I wouldn't have put it exactly like that, but yes. She and her boyfriend are picking us up. They moved in together earlier this summer, but she has an apartment in Fishtown that still has a lease on it. She hasn't been able to find someone to sublet it to, so we can stay there as long as we need to.”

“That's very generous of her.” I hoped I didn't sound suspicious, but I found it strange that a woman who'd rejected Reed would go to all this trouble to help him.

“Nami, there's nothing between Piper and me but friendship.”

I looked up at Reed and found his expression serious. He raised our hands and kissed the back of mine.

“She's actually the one who told me that if I loved you, I needed to go after you and not let anyone stop me.” He squeezed my hand. “What Piper and I had...it wasn't real. She and Julien are meant to be together.” His eyes were warm as they met mine. “Just like we are.”

Because of the six hour or so time difference, it was a little past one in the morning as we left the airplane and I shivered as a gust of wind whipped across the landing strip. Reed slid his arm around my waist and pulled me against him as we walked towards the couple who were waiting next to a normal-looking car. That was surprising. I'd assumed that Reed's friends had as much money as he did.

I looked at her first. She was about my age, maybe a year or two older. Bright red hair that she had pulled back in a ponytail. Dark green eyes and a light dusting of freckles across her fair skin. She was quite pretty, but the way she looked at the man standing next to her kept me from being jealous. She was clearly in love. He was tall with black hair and bright blue eyes, a handsome man, I thought, but not my type.

“Thank you guys so much for helping us,” Reed said as we reached his friends. He put out his free hand and shook Julien's hand. Piper came forward to give him a half-hug, then gave me one as well, surprising me enough that I couldn't cover it.

She smiled. “Julien and I both know what it's like to have everything working against you.” She reached behind her and he took her hand. “Any way we can help, we're more than happy to.”

“Thank you,” I said. All of the anxiety I'd had at meeting her melted away. She had one of the most sincere faces I'd ever seen. “I'm Nami and this is my sister Halea.” I gestured towards Halea who gave Piper a shy smile. I purposefully left off our titles, though I supposed Reed had told his friends who we were. I didn't want them to think of us that way though.

“We brought the car rather than having someone drive us,” Julien spoke up. “Figured it would be the best way to keep from drawing attention.” He glanced at me and offered an additional explanation. “The apartment's not in a bad neighborhood or anything, but a town car would be noticed, even this early in the morning.”

“Thank you,” I said again.

He opened the back door and I climbed in while Halea walked around to the other side. Reed got in beside me as his friends put Reed's luggage in the trunk and then got into the front of the car.

As Julien began to drive, Piper half-turned in her seat so she could see us while she talked.

“You asked us to keep an ear out for any international news,” she said to Reed. “There hasn't been anything yet.” She looked at me, her expression open and compassionate. “I am so sorry for what happened to you.”

I didn't know how much Reed had told her, but I knew at least some of the evidence was still clear on my skin. I nodded, swallowing hard. Reed put his arm around my shoulders. My stomach flipped and I closed my eyes for a moment, fighting a sudden wave of nausea. It was jet lag, I told myself. Jet lag and nerves. I'd been sick every day since Reed had been arrested.

“The place is mostly empty,” Piper was saying. “We wanted to keep it furnished in case we had a renter who preferred it that way, but it's pretty plain. I went over right after we got off the phone and cleaned, then went shopping.”

I opened my eyes and caught Halea looking at me, concerned. I managed a smile and turned my attention to the city I could see through the windshield. We didn't go downtown though, heading off to a neighborhood outside what I would have considered the city. Piper informed us that Fishtown was part of Philadelphia, but not the business or historical district. I was going to ask why they called it Fishtown when one of the streetlights illuminated the image of a fish on the side of one of the buildings. Not like a drawing or anything like that, but rather a metal cast. I couldn't see much detail as we passed, but it was enough to confirm it was a fish.

“Here we are,” Julien said as he pulled up to the curb.

We were on a cobblestone street off of the main one, parked in front of what I would have thought of as a row house rather than an apartment. It was a rustically beautiful red brick building. I was sure it would be even nicer looking in the daylight.

Piper went up the steps and unlocked the door while Julien grabbed Reed's bags. He kept his arm around me as we followed Piper and Halea followed us. We stepped into a living room just as Piper flicked a switch, lighting things up. It had been painted fairly recently, I saw. Not enough that we could smell it, but enough for it to be clear that she'd done some work on the place.

“It's lovely,” I said.

“Thank you.” Piper gave me a warm smile. “I brought over some clothes for you to wear if you needed them. They're upstairs in the main room. Linens are in the hall closet just outside the bathroom. The fridge is stocked with food and drinks.”

“You didn't have to do all of that,” Reed said.

“Yes, I did.” Piper turned her smile on him, but it was clear it was only platonic. “You did so much for me, it was the least I could do.”

“It's late,” Julien spoke up. “We'll leave you to get settled. Give us a call if you need anything, no matter the time.”

“Thank you.” Reed put out his hand again and Julien shook it.

The three of us stood in silence for nearly a full minute after Piper and Julien left. The apartment was quiet and any sounds from outside were muffled. Reed released me to walk over to the door and turn the deadbolt. I had a feeling he wasn't doing it because he thought we needed protection from people in the neighborhood.

“Why don't you two head upstairs,” he said. “I'll see what Piper has in the kitchen and whip us up something while you're showering. When you're done, I'll bring up some food and take a shower. There are two bedrooms. The bigger one's on the right. I'll be in the one on the left.”

“No,” Halea spoke up. “You and Nami will share the bigger room.”

“Halea.” I could feel the heat burning in my cheeks.

“I am not a child, Namisa.” Halea's eyes narrowed and, for the first time, I saw myself in her face. “You two need to be together. End of discussion.”

As she started up the stairs, Reed turned to me with a half-smile on his face. “That is definitely your sister.”

I laughed softly. “Yes, she is.” I held out my hand. “Shall we find something to eat before going upstairs to our room?” I liked the sound of that.

He took my hand and then sighed.

“What's wrong?” I asked.

“We finally get a room where we won't be interrupted and I'm too tired to do anything but sleep.”

I laughed again and stepped into him, wrapping my arms around his waist. His automatically closed around me as well. I rested my cheek on his chest. “That's okay. We have plenty of time. And falling asleep in your arms sounds like the best thing in the world right now.”

He kissed the top of my head. “Yes,” he agreed. “It does.”

Chapter 17

Reed

Waking up in that bed, with Nami in my arms, the bright sunlight streaming in between the curtains, the smell of whatever it was Halea was cooking wafting up the stairs, it was like something out of a dream.

Piper had left some of her clothes for the girls and I still had a clean outfit or two in my bags, but it was pretty clear that one of the first things we needed to do after breakfast that morning was go shopping.

I called a car and the three of us went into the city. There still hadn't been anything on the news about the girls being missing and I was beginning to suspect that there wouldn't be. Tanek still had until tomorrow evening before the king and queen knew something was wrong, I was willing to bet that he would do whatever it took to make sure they didn't find out. That probably meant he’d try to figure out where we'd gone and come after us. I just hoped that by the time he realized we'd left the country, Kai and Tomas would have gotten Ina to the king and queen.