Authors: Tawny Taylor

Darkest Desire (3 page)

BOOK: Darkest Desire

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He picked up the knife. His gaze slid to the open door. “Hmmm. In the dungeon?”

She folded her arms across her chest. “Sure, you never know. Someone could be in there, waiting for the right moment to come out. After all, there are plenty of handy places to hide in there, with all that equipment.”

“I suppose you're right.” He flipped the knife in his hand a few times.

“Anyway, now that I know a prowler isn't creeping around, looking for stuff to steal, I can head back up to bed.” She stepped a wide circle around Malek or rather, as wide as the narrow corridor allowed.

He almost let her by before stopping her with a touch to the arm. “Lei, I told your sister I'd watch your back. I always keep my word.”

“I don't doubt it.”

“Now, about the car that was following youâ”

“Oh, that was nothing. I was mistaken.”

His eyes narrowed a smidge, just enough to let her know he didn't believe her.

She explained, “I wasn't watching the rearview mirror the whole time I was driving home.”

“Of course.” He raised one eyebrow. “And . . . ?”

“I assumed when I pulled out of the dungeon parking lot that the headlights behind me were yours. So, I think I convinced myself that you were following me, which was wrong. I'm guessing the car that turned out of the lot after mine probably turned somewhere and I didn't even realize it.”

“Maybe.”

“So, wouldn't you agree it's too soon to be jumping to conclusions ?”

His expression said
no
. His mouth said, “Maybe.”

“Good. Now I'm going back to bed. Good night.”

“You shouldn't go to dungeons by yourself.”

How she hated it when someone tried to tell her what to do. Yes, he was looking out for her safety. Yes, his motives were probably good. But after being told where to go, what to do, when to sleep, what to eat, and who to fuck for over a year, even words of well-meaning advice made her teeth clench. She was still working on that with the therapist, along with a bunch of other shit.

“I appreciate the concern, Malek. And I'll keep your
suggestion
in mind.” She took a couple more steps.

He stopped her again, this time by grabbing her wrist. She hadn't even turned around before he'd released her, though. “Lei, about the dungeonâ”

“I was admiring your flogging technique,” she said, cutting him off before he said anything about her panic attack. “Nothing more. Now, I need to get to bed. Good night.”

He lifted his hands, letting her know he wouldn't stop her again. “Good night.”

As she rounded the corner, turning back toward the stairs, she heard the dungeon door shut with a
click.

Malek paused a moment after entering the dungeon to get his bearings and clear his mind. Lately, since seeing Lei scening with that submissive, his thoughts had been almost exclusively focused on one strong, determined, vulnerable, and damaged young woman with a set of dark eyes that made his heart race. He'd triedâhow fucking hard he'd triedâto shove those thoughts aside. But he'd failed.

Since that moment in the dungeon, even his dreams were haunted by those dark eyes, precious face, and tight little body. In fact, it was after he'd woken from such a dream, hard and hurting and needing release, that he'd come down to the dungeon to see what Talen was up to.

Finding her here, touching her, had his balls aching now. He needed a wet, tight sheath. A willing partner. Male. Female. Preferably both.

“Malek,” his brother yelled, invading his thoughts.

“Yeah?” He gave a mental head shake.

“Get the fuck over here.” Talen was standing now, his cock limp, his face flushed a deep crimson. Brent and April, two of his best friends, and closest lovers, were looking at Malek with expectation.

April licked her lips. “Yeah, Malek,” she said, her voice a low, silky purr, “Get the fuck over here.” She stood, sauntered toward him, curled her fingers into his hair, and sneered.

Malek's nerves electrified. She wasn't Lei. She was nothing like his little Lei. But April was sexy. She was willing. And ... she was cupping his balls through his clothes, making his knees weak. He gathered her long silky hair into a fist and pulled, gently easing her head to one side. Then he tasted her neck while fingering one hard nipple.

April's grip on his hair tightened. A little moan slipped between her full lips, the sound igniting tiny sparks of desire through his entire body. His engorged cock pressed painfully against his boxer shorts.

“I've had enough for one night,” Talen said, heading for the door. “Night.”

Malek tossed a wave at his brother before murmuring, “Suck my cock,” to April. With his fist, he eased her head down where it needed to go.

“Oh, yes. Please, may I?” April was an unusual vixen. She was just submissive enough. She loved to suck cock. Loved to fuck, loved to be fucked. But she wasn't Lei. Was she wife material? Her eyes sparkling up at his, she fingered the waistband of his pajama pants. “Please?”

Shoving aside the sobering thought of his duty to marry, Malek gave a little nod and, while April tugged his pants down to free his cock, waved Brent over to play with her hungry little pussy.

Before he knew it, he was ramming his rod into a warm, wet mouth, eliciting little whimpers from April. Brent finger-fucked her pussy and ass.

Oh yeah, that was one decadent sight. A gorgeous, sexy woman on her knees, taking his cock to the hilt, Brent fucking her tight hole with two fingers. A searing wave of need blazed through him.

“Enough. I want that ass.” He jerked out of the wet warmth of her mouth, motioning her toward a bench. “There.”

“Yes, thank you, Malek.”

The three of them went to the bench and arranged themselves. Brent stood at one side, his cock in line with April's mouth, while Malek stood at the other, positioned perfectly to pump in and out of her tight canal. He smoothed some lube around her puckered hole and breached her in one long stroke.

Damn, that was good.

He closed his eyes and let his head fall back as he settled into a steady rhythm of deep strokes. In his head, he imagined it was Lei's hips he was gripping for leverage. It was her ass taking him from tip to root. Her whimpers and moans of ecstasy filling his ears.

He reached around her hip, fingering her clit, and the ring of muscles clamped even tighter around his cock. “Yes, baby, that's it.”

“Master, please may I come? Please?” she pleaded.

Beneath his hand, he felt her trembling, felt her muscles coiling into hard knots. She needed release. And he wasn't about to deny her. “Yes, baby. Come now.”

She started quaking, and her ass spasmed around his rod as the first pulse of her orgasm ripped through her body. The room filled with the sound of her cries of ecstasy. In his mind, he saw Lei toss her head back, her silken hair cascading down her shoulders and back. He heard her voice echoing in his head. Felt her ass rhythmically clamp his invading cock like a fist.

His orgasm charged through his body like a lightning bolt, setting his cells on fire. His cum surged down his shaft and exploded into her canal, while he pumped harder, slamming his hips against her bottom until the sharp slap of skin meeting skin drowned out her plaintive cries for more.

When he'd spilled his last drop, he opened his eyes to discover Brent was sprawled on some cushions on the floor, looking sated. April was still bent over the bench, eyes closed, a ghost of a smile curling her lips. Her face was still a sexy shade of pink, just the way he liked it. And her skin glittered with a sheen of sweat.

“Damn,” she whispered. “What got into you?” She raised her heavy-lidded eyes to Malek. “I mean, you've always been good, but tonight you were so aggressive. That was hot.”

“Glad you enjoyed it.” Malek cupped her cheek and brushed a soft kiss across her smooth skin. Then he went to Brent and lay next to him, rolling onto his side to face him, head propped up with a bent arm. He nipped Brent's lower lip, tasting pussy. His semi-flaccid cock sprang to life. “Mmmm. I could go again in a few. What do you think, Brent?” He hooked his fingers, dragging his nails down Brent's thick chest.

April groaned. “I would love to stick around and watch you two boys play, but I gotta get up early.”

Brent gave Malek a little taste of his own medicine. Chewing on the lower lip Malek had just nibbled, Brent circled Malek's hard nipple with a forefinger. “I drove. So I guess that means I have to go, too.” He lifted himself onto all fours, crawling over Malek, and looking down at him with hungry eyes. “Damn, it's hard leaving you.”

“It's hard having you leave.” Malek grabbed a fistful of Brent's shaggy brown hair and pulled, forcing his head down. They kissed, their tongues battling, mating, dancing. Malek's body grew hard, hot. The air seemed to thicken. The room filled with the soft echo of their gasps. Malek's hips thrust forward, his cock grinding against Brent's thigh.

“Okay,” April said, loudly. “Brent, I have to go.”

“Shit,” Brent grumbled as he hefted himself off of Malek. “You can't wait twenty minutes?”

April laughed. “Twenty minutes? With you two, an hour is the minimum. No, let's go.” She clapped her hands. “Gogogo.”

Brent scowled. “She's like my mother.”

“What are you talking about?” April asked. “Are you trying to say I'm a nag?”

“Oh no!” Brent waved his hands. “God help me, that's not what I meant.” He gave Malek a quick wink.

Laughing, Malek tugged up his boxers and pajama bottoms while April and Brent gathered their clothes and redressed. At the door, he kissed them each, first April, then Brent. April cleared her throat at least three times while he was giving Brent his good-bye kiss.

Ten minutes later, after they'd left, Malek headed up to his room, hoping he'd be able to sleep now. But he hesitated outside of Lei's open door.

Since she'd come to stay with them, she'd never once slept with her door shut. He wondered if it had anything to do with what she'd been through. Maybe someday he'd ask.

When he heard a little murmur, he tiptoed inside the room. Had she spoken to him? Or was she talking in her sleep?

Curious, but battling a serious case of guilt for coming into her room uninvited, he tried to leave. Instead, he ended up standing next to her bed, watching her in the semi-darkness.

“No, please. Not again,” she mumbled. Her legs started kicking. Her face twisted into a mask of pain, fear. “No.”

He bent low, risking a slug if she started swinging, and whispered, “Shhhh, baby. It's okay.”

“Please, make them stop. Get your filthy hands off,” she muttered, eyelids clamped tight, her eyes beneath jerking back and forth as she dreamed. “Please.”

“Shhhh. You don't have to be afraid anymore,” he whispered. “They can't force you anymore. You're safe. You're free.”

She inhaled, then exhaled a slow, deep breath and stilled. “Thankkkkk . . .”

“You're welcome, baby doll.” Fighting the urge to kiss her, he left.

“I
feel like crap.” Rin plopped on her butt on her bed and gave Lei a pouty look.

“If you're worried about me . . .”

Rin visibly swallowed. “No, that's not what I meant.” Before Lei could respond, Rin clapped her hand over her mouth and dashed into the bathroom. The sound of retching and heaving followed.

Ah,
that
kind of crap.

Lei hurried after her sister to see what she could do to help. In the bathroom, she gathered her sister's long hair into a ponytail and held it for her. When it seemed Rin was through, she asked, while handing Rin a damp washcloth, “Are you okay? What can I do?”

“Nothing?” Rin dabbed her face, her watery eyes. “That was fun.” Slowly, she rose to her feet. “Wow do I feel woozy. Maybe traveling to Spain isn't such a good idea.” She staggered out into the bedroom, Lei supporting her. After sitting on the bed, she added, “I mean, I wasn't one hundred percent sure about it, anyway. I don't want to leave you.”

“I'll be perfectly safe. So please don't stay home because of me.”

Rin narrowed her eyes at Lei. “But what if... that bastard . . . decides he wants you back?”

“He's not going to go to all that trouble,” Lei reasoned, intentionally avoiding speaking his name. They had both agreed it would never be spoken aloud again.

Whatever it took, she had to convince her sister she was safe. Rin had already sacrificed so much for her. Too much. Including her freedom. Granted, after a few months, it was looking like Rin's marriage of convenience had turned out better than she'd hoped.

Lei said, “Not when it's so much simpler to just go buy some other girl from the traffickers. He's not above kidnapping, but generally he lets someone else do the dirty work. He just picks and chooses his girls, pays for them, and puts them to work.”

“You make a good point.” Rin sighed.

Lei sat beside her, taking her sister's small hand in her own. It was so hard to believe Rin would soon be a mother. “How are you feeling?”

“Better.”

“Good.” Lei had so little knowledge of pregnancy she wasn't sure what to do. Once there'd been a pregnant girl in the very first brothel she'd worked. She remembered that girl would eat crackers first thing in the morning, before she'd even gotten out of bed. “Maybe you need to get something in your stomach? That might help.” Sadly, that girl had disappeared shortly after arriving. Lei had thought about her from time to time, wondered what had happened to her. That girl had vanished, and so many more after her.

That was why Lei had done what she had.

“I am hungry,” Rin admitted. “Very hungry.”

“Why don't you get back to packing, and I'll run down to the kitchen and make you some toast?”

“Thanks.”

Rin looked like she needed a hug, so Lei gave her one. Afterward, she scampered downstairs, whipped up some toast and tea, and headed back upstairs. It seemed Rin hadn't moved since she left. Not a muscle, outside of getting the remote for the TV hanging on the wall opposite the bed and tuning it to the morning news.

Lei set the plate on her nightstand and handed her the tea first. “It's ginger. Ginger is great for woozy stomachs.”

“Thanks.” Rin sipped.

They watched the weather report in silence.

Then Lei watched the next clip with her heart in her throat.

The news reporter was standing in an alley Lei knew all too well. “The body of a young woman was found in this alley last night. The identity of the victim is unknown at this time, as is the cause of death. The deceased woman was in her twenties, and she had a fairly recognizable tattoo of a cherry tree on her back. If you have any information about the victim, police are asking you to call Crime Stoppers. As always, your identity will remain anonymous.”

Lei swallowed hard. A huge lump had wedged in her throat and she needed to clear it. She couldn't breathe.

Rin seemed to key in to her reaction immediately. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing.” A lie. There was no way she could tell her sister the truth. Absolutely determined to convince Rin there was no reason for worry, she struggled to hide her anxiety while frantically fighting for air. It wasn't easy, but she had no choice. “I'm just... a little choked up about you becoming a mom. You've been such a wonderful sister. I know you'll make an even better mother.”

Rin's eyes teared up. “Oh, Lei.” Rin hugged her and sniffled. “I love you so much. You deserve to be happy, as happy as I am.”

“Are you happy?”

“I am. Very. I wasn't expecting to be, not the way things started out with Drako.”

She'd basically sold herself into an arranged marriage to buy Lei's freedom, so her marriage was looking bleak in the beginning. To hear she'd found some measure of happiness was a huge relief. “I'm so glad to hear that.”

Rin ran her hand over her flat stomach. “Ironically, it all turned out okay. I have a good husband, and you and I both have a great life now, better than we ever would have . . .” Rin's eyes widened. “I'm not saying your being sold was a good thing. It wasn'tâ”

“It's okay,” Lei interrupted her backpedaling sister. “You're right. It did turn out well. For both of us.”

“Once you've graduated from college, maybe you'll think about getting married and having a family of your own.”

“No way. Before I was sold, I'd already decided I'd never be married. My... experience ... only solidified that decision for me. Marriage is not for me. Neither is parenthood.”

Rin's expression dimmed, but she didn't say a word to try to change Lei's mind. Lei was thankful for that.

Lei grabbed the plate and waved it under Rin's nose. “Come on, eat some of this toast and then let's get you packed. Even a perfect husband has his limits on patience. After all, he went to a lot of trouble to plan this surprise for you. I know you don't have the heart to disappoint him.”

“You're right about that.” Rin snatched up a slice of bread and nibbled.

Lei spent the rest of the morning getting her sister's suitcases packed for an extended stay in Spain while hiding her shock and upset over what she'd watched on the news.

That girl... with the cherry tree tattoo. Lei had known her very well, back when she'd been working the alleys and back rooms. Eve had been one of the lucky ones. Rumor was she'd been freed by a wealthy relative. Bought and paid for, just like Lei.

Lei, however, knew the truth.

But that didn't explain what Eve was doing in that alley. Nor did it explain for sure who had killed her.

For the sake of her own sanity, as well as possibly her sister's, Drako's, and his brothers' safety, Lei needed to find out what the hell had happened. Was her former pimp behind the murder? If he was, would there be more deaths?

“You're next.” Drako clapped Malek on the back, giving him a slant-eyed grin. “Time to bite the bullet and find a wife. I've done my part.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Malek drained his coffee mug, then stood to refill it. “No need to rub it in.”

Talen, looking hung over, stumbled in just as Drako was about to say something else. “Coffee,” he grumbled.

“It's hot. And fresh.” Setting the carafe back on the burner, Malek stepped aside to give Talen plenty of room. He cautiously took a sip, felt it burn its way down to his gut, then went in search of food.

He was damn hungry this morning.

“You look like shit,” Drako said, sitting at the table, digging into a big bowl of granola with milk.

Talen grunted.

“Your time's coming, too,” Drako pointed out, waving his spoon at Talen. “And don't think for a minute that your wife will be okay with you fucking everything in sight like you do now.”

“I don't fuck everything in sight,” Talen said, sounding injured. “I have some standards.”

Drako scoffed.

So did Malek.

Drako said around a mouthful of granola and milk, “By the time I get back from Spain, I expect Malek to have a ring on someone's finger.”

“How long are you going to be gone?” Malek asked as he pulled some plastic containers out of the refrigerator.

“Only as long as I need to be. You know how I feel about leaving the two of you here by yourselves.”

Talen gave a dismissive toss of the hand. “We'll be fine. Uncle Bob's dead. After losing their leader, Chimera has splintered into dozens of little factions again. They won't be any trouble for a long time.”

Drako didn't look so sure. “That's what you'd like to think.”

Talen refilled his coffee cup. “That's what twenty-something years of experience has told us. It was only when Uncle Bob, pretending to be John Dale Oram, walked out of that hospital that we started having problems with them again.” He put the pot back on the burner.

Drako dug another heaping spoonful of granola out of his bowl. “Still, we'd be fools to let our guard down.”

“We're not,” Talen said. “We're just not going on the offensive like we were. There's a difference.”

Drako ceded with a grunt.

Talen, having consumed one full cup of coffee now, turned to Malek, who was loading an empty plate with precooked sausages and scrambled eggs. “Have you come up with any candidates for Mrs. Malek yet?”

Malek didn't answer right away. He wasn't about to tell them whom he'd like to consider for his first and only candidate. Not yet. “No.”

“Hmmm...” Talen narrowed his eyes at Malek. “You're lying. Who is it?”

Drako raised one brow. “You keeping a secret from us?”

“No, I'm not keeping any secrets. And I'm not lying. There's no âcandidate' yet.”
Not technically.

“Then there's someone you'd wish to make a candidate,” Talen said, striking a little too close to the truth for Malek's comfort.

“No, there isn't.”

“Who is it?” Talen was like a hound on a blood trail. He'd always been that way. For once, Malek was not happy about it. “Is it one of the Randall twins?”

“No.”

“April?” Talen asked as he refilled the coffee filter with more grounds.

“No.”

“Oh, wait.” Talen squinted at him. “Is it Lei?”

Lei picked that exact moment to come into the kitchen. Malek's gaze flew to her face. Her eyes had that look about them, the one that said she'd heard Talen say her name.

“Good morning,” she said, pretending she hadn't heard them talking about her. Malek wondered how much she'd heard. He sent a warning glare to each of his brothers. Talen responded with a smirk. Drako's response was a sober nod.

“Good morning.” Talen filled the empty carafe with water. When Lei turned to reach into the cupboard, the asshole actually had the nerve to leer at her like the classless bastard he was.

Malek fought the urge to knock him upside the head and gritted his teeth. When she turned back around, an empty glass in her hand, he gave her a little friendly tip of the head.

“Why are you holding a sausage?” she asked.

“Uh.” Malek glanced down. He'd forgotten he'd been getting some breakfast. “I was just about to warm these up. Want some?”

Talen coughed.

Drako cleared his throat.

“Um . . .” Lei's cheeks pinked up a bit. He liked that shade on her. “No thanks.” She headed for the refrigerator, then opened the door.

“Just thought I'd offer.” Malek shot each of his brothers a get-lost look. Of course they didn't leave. Drako munched on his stupid granola, and Talen poured the water into the coffee maker and hit the button, powering it up for round two.

Malek shoved his loaded plate into the microwave.

Looking extremely amused, Talen said, “So, Lei, Malek here was just telling usâ”

“That I was thinking about taking a couple of classes at U of M next semester.” Malek twisted around, shooting Talen a warning glare. Then he returned to poking the buttons on the appliance to get it started.

A vanilla yogurt in her hand, Lei gave Malek a semi-smile. “Oh, really? What were you thinking of taking?”

“Sewing,” Talen said.

“Sewing?” Lei echoed.

Malek's blood boiled. Bastard.

Doing his damned best to hide his irritation, Malek dug back into the refrigerator for something else to eat with his sausages and eggs.

BOOK: Darkest Desire

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