Colorblind (Moonlight) (8 page)

“Leon—”

He spun quickly, pinning her with an almost feral glare. “Go!”

She froze, feeling as if a bucket of cold water had just been doused over her head.

Mouth hardening in anger, she shifted to her wolf. A parting snarl later and she was running in the opposite direction.

***

The next days were hardly better. When Penny showed up to do her office tasks, Leon was either gone, or about to leave for some other task. He was coolly civil with her, even though on some occasions she’d caught him staring at her with unbridled lust. Usually, when she caught him, he’d left soon after.

This day, however, was different. When she’d entered his office, he was seated behind his desk, his eyes trained on the door as if he’d been waiting for her. She nodded briskly to him and took a seat before the account ledgers and other documents laid out for her. When minutes passed and he made no move to leave, Penny lifted her eyes and looked at him. He was staring at her again, this time in a thoughtful way.

He picked up a sheet of paper and handed it to her. Narrowing her eyes, Penny read it. The document contained ten names, all slaves, and the price of each of them. Her name was at the bottom of the list. Confused, she looked up to him before reading the header. It was a Letter of Sale, drafted by M. Leon Arnaud agreeing to the sale of ten slaves to Mr. Victor Julius. He was
selling
them? Selling
her
?

“What is this?” she demanded, slapping the paper down on the desk even as she rose to her feet and glared down at him.

“A Letter of Sale,” he replied calmly, his gaze never leaving her. “I need you to tell me if there is any person on the list who is pregnant, sickly, or addled in any way?”

Penny blinked rapidly before scoffing. “Do you really expect me to help you sell slaves? To sell myself?”

“Yes.”

She drew up to her full height so quickly she heard her back crack. “It seems,
Massa
, that the only addled one here is you.”

Penny stepped around the chair quickly, intent on heading for the door. He beat her to it, placing his body against her only place of exit. She growled a warning.

“Have you seen a Letter of Sale before, Penny?”

She nodded once, her lips curling in contempt.

“And you’re convinced this is one?”

“That is what it says,
Massa
.”

A little smile curved his lips and her brows furrowed. Was he truly losing his mind? She tried to access his mind, and found his shields up.

“Good. I need it to look as realistic as possible.”

With that, Leon moved away from the door, knowing her curiosity would make her stay.

“As realistic as possible?” she queried, moving deeper into the office. “So you’re not selling us?”

“No.,” He fixed her with a long look that clearly said she should have known better. “I’m sending you north under the pretense of selling you.”

Leon picked up the document and handed it back to her. “The journey won’t be easy, especially once you’re in the Northern states and will need to travel by foot. It’s why I need to know if any are sickly, obviously pregnant, or anything that would hinder your abilities to make this trek.”

She stared at him for long moments, relief and something else in her gaze. Eventually, she nodded and sat down.

Ten minutes later, they’d replaced two names. One of the females was heavily pregnant, although she concealed it well, and one of the males would not leave without his “wife” so she was added in place of the pregnant female. The other name replaced was Penny’s. During the seven minutes in which she advocated for her name to be removed, Leon found out just how stubborn his mate was. She listed almost ten points, all to be considered, as to why she should leave last, or close to it. The one that resonated with him most was that she was one of their own, and they would trust her over him, if she told them they were going to a better place. It would lower the possibility of them running away and potentially dying for their efforts.

Leon had his own reasons for wanting her gone. Most had to do with being assured of her safety, but in the last few days, he’d come to recognize it would be impossible to distance himself from her much longer. If she stayed, it would only be a matter of hours, days, perhaps a week, before he made her his. His gaze locked on her full lips, following their movement even as sound eluded him.

“Did you hear me?”

Blinking, he stood and moved over to the decanter at the side of the office. He poured a glass of whiskey and tossed it back before answering, “No, I didn’t. What did you say?”

“You need me,” she repeated, and his brow lifted at the truth of that statement. Penny probably had no idea exactly how much he
needed
her. “No slave wants to be sold. Despite our circumstances, we are still a family. We may not be bound by blood, but one slave is as much my brother as another. I can calm them, reassure them.” She paused. “That’s why you need me.”

“Do you drink, Penny?” Leon asked after a long while. He was on his second glass, and anticipated having a good deal more before the day was out.

“I’ve never been offered a drink before,” Penny replied slowly. Of course. That, too, would have to be remedied. He poured a glass of amber liquid and brought it over to her.

She eyed the brown liquid warily before taking it. “What is it?”

“Bourbon,” he replied, watching her. “Taste it.”

Penny brought the glass to her lips and sipped, wincing at the burn before grimacing at the taste. Leon chuckled and took the glass from her, his fingers brushing hers in the process. She watched him toss back the contents of her glass.

“Alcohol does not affect us as it does humans, although many of us wish it so.” He moved back to his decanter and poured another liquid before returning to her. This one was red.

Penny eyed the glass for long moments, until he said, “This is sherry. It’s not as strong, and much sweeter. Many women like it.”

Against better judgment, she took the glass and sipped, surprised that while the burn was still there, the drink itself was not bad. It tasted like fruits—grapes, but instead of being fresh and sweet, it was almost sour and dry.

“It pleases me that you like it.”

Leon returned to his seat and she placed the glass onto the table before her.

“So am I to remove my name from the list?” she asked.

A half smile curved his lips up, and he nodded once. “Replace your name with another female, Penny.”

She smiled.

Leon stood suddenly and moved to the door. “I have a few matters to oversee in the fields. If you need me, that’s where I’ll be.”

Penny heard the click of the door as he opened it and closed it again. Leon Arnaud confused her more than any other person. He called her his mate, yet avoided her like she’d offended him in some way. Every time she saw him, she wanted to touch him. She wanted to go back to that night, with his body dwarfing hers and his hardness pushing into her….

With a frustrated sigh, Penny looked back to the list, blotting out her name and adding another.

Chapter Five

Anyone who knew the usually calm Leon Arnaud would be able to tell that he was restless. He’d undone the top buttons of his shirt, rolled his sleeves to his elbows, and run his hand through his hair so many times it would be a miracle if it still looked decent. He’d hardly achieved a few hours of sleep the past nights.

Penny plagued him. She plagued his nights, his days. Every conscious and unconscious thought was about her: her eyes, her lips, her tall, graceful body…naked.

In his office, he paced back and forth, from the library stacks to the console filled with spirits, his hands clenching and unclenching as he was pulled between instinct and common sense. Instinct told him to claim her, to make her his immediately. Common sense warned that it was stupid, that he could very well jeopardize everything if he began acting like a crazed lover around his slave.

Nearly five days had passed since he’d almost taken her. During that time, he’d seen her twice, and only when she came to the office. He’d purposefully avoided her, knowing if he was with her for more than a few minutes, the inevitable would happen. And now, he was waiting for her. He could dress it up any way he pleased but ultimately, that was what he was doing. Today was Wednesday, her last day in his office for the remainder of the week.

He froze when the door opened. The scent of honeysuckle rushed over him, seeping into his nostrils, affecting his mind.

Leon closed his eyes. This was it. The decision he had to make.
Instinct
.
Common sense
.

The door had barely closed before he rushed her. Penny instantly pressed back against the door, her gaze frantically searching his. It happened so fast that she could barely get out a word before his lips were on hers, demanding that they open and give him entry.

Penny could not have refused if she tried. As soon as she saw his face, felt his need, her body responded. Her breath hitched. Her breasts grew sensitive; her center wept. He pressed her against the door as he had those weeks ago, his lower body so snug against hers she could feel his hard length.

As her fingers slid into his hair and caressed his scalp, his were undoing the bindings of her gown. Once finished, he pulled away briefly to push her gown to her middle.

Penny tried, and failed, to control her breathing. As her breasts heaved, Leon’s attention turned to them. In that moment, she thanked God for the door. It held her up as he suckled her, his tongue working against her nipples, his canines lightly grazing her. She moaned at the contact. He was suddenly on his knees, yellow eyes holding hers as he pushed the gown to her feet and pulled down the trousers she wore underneath. She whimpered softly when he cupped her sex, his middle finger stroking feather-soft across her slit.

Leon growled.

Seconds later, he pushed her thighs farther apart, lifted one to his shoulder, and buried his face between them. They both moaned as his tongue slid over her. She felt his fingers separate her before his lips settled over her button, sucking and licking as she clutched his hair and stared unseeingly at the ceiling.

Look at me.

She did as told, locking her eyes on his glowing ones, before she focused on the skillful, pink tongue that flicked rapidly against her.

Leon…I’m…I’m…

Her breaths grew more frantic and he secured her hip with his free hand. His tongue continued its rapid flicking, but ever so often he would suck and caress. She watched him pleasure her, moving her hips frantically against his face as a shattering orgasm washed over her. Her legs gave out but he held her steady, lightly licking at her as she rode out the aftershocks of her orgasm.

Leon stood suddenly and lifted her. He moved forward until they stood before his desk. As one hand held her, the other swiped out and knocked the papers and other items from the surface. He set her on the edge.

She watched him undo the laces of her old boots, and kicked them off, barely aware of the thud they made when he began removing his clothing as well. She squeezed her thighs together as the shirt fell to the ground, revealing an upper body devoid of fat. He was all broad shoulders and solid muscle, as she knew from when he’d been pressed intimately against her almost a week earlier. His arms were thick and corded, and his abdomen consisted of cuts and grooves that made her blink. Her mouth grew dry as he shed his trousers, and kicked off his boots.

He was extremely large! She’d seen penises before on the young boys who did not have clothing as they ran about. Even the older men who took baths sometimes, once or twice a week, and usually walked around to air-dry themselves.

A sliver of fear rushed her. He’d been inside her before, barely an inch or so, but would he truly fit? Could all of him
fit
?

Leon moved closer and gently pulled her legs apart. He moved between them easily, and she shivered as his sex nestled against her belly. Leaning forward, he kissed her lips.

You were made for me. Do not fear it. I will fit.

And then he pressed her back against the smooth desk. His gaze swept her body in admiration moments before he came down on top of her.
Tue es une femme très belle.

Although she did not speak French, his eyes told her what he meant. He was appreciating her beauty, calling her beautiful. She gasped when she felt his thick, smooth head press against her opening once more.

Join your mind with mine.

She did, gasping as she felt his pleasure as if it were her own. As he pressed in the first few inches, she felt fullness, but she also felt pleasure at having him inside her. That, coupled with his own pleasure, made her eager for more. She spread wider, locking her limbs around his hips and caressing his tense back. He pressed forward more, and she felt her body resist, felt the jolt of pain as he surged forward, claiming her as none other had. Penny whimpered as she tried to accommodate him, and dug her nails into his back. There was pain, but his pleasure overrode it, and she was beginning to feel her own at finally having him buried deep.

How do you feel?

She shifted her hips slightly, gasping when a shock of pleasure mixed pain rolled through her.

Full. I feel so…full, Leon…

He caught her lips, pressing his tongue into her mouth as he waited for her to adjust to his size. When she dragged away for air, he kissed down her neck before finding a sensitive spot to latch on to. He sucked and bit, licked and teased, until she was unconsciously moving her hips against him.

Only then did he begin to move. He withdrew slowly, watching her mouth open in a small O before pushing back into her body.

“Hmm,” she murmured, tightening her legs around him. He thrust faster, harder, and her breasts bounced rapidly with each stroke. Her hands went to them, and her fingers began lightly pinching them as he held on to her hips and continued his thorough pounding.