Forever Lost: Becoming Elena - Book Two (9 page)

His lips moved across the orbs of her ass before he licked the top of her thighs while pushing her legs apart and running his tongue along her quivering flesh.

“Turn around.”

She nearly felt whiplash, she turned so quickly, and then he was even with the part of her she wanted him to taste so badly.

“I can feel your heat, smell your arousal,” he said with a moan before he ran his hands up her stomach again and squeezed her breasts.

She wanted to lie down. She wasn’t sure how much longer she would be able to stand before him as weak as she felt. But she simply reached out and gripped his shoulders, letting him be her anchor in this storm of desire.

Dalton leaned forward and ran his tongue along the seam of her opening before spreading her completely open and feasting on her throbbing nub, sucking it into his mouth while his tongue flicked over it.

Any and all thoughts escaped Elena’s mind as his tongue devoured her, his fingers dancing on her skin while he expertly began sending her over the edge of total bliss. He grew rougher and more demanding as he pushed her legs farther apart and slid his tongue inside, making her knees give out as she leaned heavily into him.

Gripping his head, she pulled him to her, feeling no shame as he continued teasing and tasting her, moving his fingers to her backside and squeezing the flesh hard as he lost himself in her. But each time she was about to fall over the edge, he backed off, making her feel as if she were going insane.

“Please, Dalton . . . I need . . .”

She didn’t even know what she needed. She needed release, but she needed him buried inside her. She wanted his tongue and lips to continue to devour her core, but she also wanted them on her breasts and lips.

Her entire body was one big erogenous zone, and she wanted him all over it. She also wanted to touch and taste him, to bring him the same pleasure he was so perfectly giving her.

When he pulled back, his lips were red and glistening with her pleasure; he was the sexiest man she had ever seen. He was her world, her everything, and she was bound to him in ways she knew she could never be released from.

And she didn’t care.

“Please . . . I want you inside me,” she panted.

He licked his lips, sending an instant volt of electricity through her as he stood and took a step back. Elena nearly toppled over with him not supporting her. But then he began stripping his clothes away, and she devoured his body with her eyes.

He was thick and erect, so solid, so strong and big, and for this moment at least, he was all hers. He would sink inside her, and they would be one. Instead of grabbing her, he moved back over to the couch, his legs slightly spread as his thickness stood up tall and proud.

She bit her lip as she felt saliva building in her mouth with her need to lick and suck him as he’d done for her. He was delicious and perfect and she wanted it all.

“Come here, Elena. I want you on top of me,” he said.

She took her first step, her legs nearly buckling, and then she fell into him as she landed on his lap. His hands instantly reached around her as he pulled her tightly against his chest, her nipples getting teased by his hot skin as his thickness rested between her legs. She wiggled on top of him, trying to push him inside her, but he gripped her hips and held her steady as he looked into her eyes — his wild and out of control.

Only in the bedroom did she see his iron clad will begin to shake the slightest bit when he lost some of his control. She wanted to make him lose all of it.

Dalton took one hand and gripped the back of her neck, pulling her forward as he finally latched their mouths together, his tongue thrusting inside while at the same time, he pulled her hip up, and then surged their bodies together, making her cry out against his lips.

Elena knew the moment Dalton was done playing. His focus shifted as his lips grew more demanding and his thrusts grew deeper and harder. Elena moved with him, pushing her body down hard on his as his fingers pushed into the tender flesh of her ass.

She was already so worked up that it didn’t take long for her body to give in to what it wanted. With a scream, she wrenched her mouth from his, and her hot core tightened around his thick shaft, and she shook in his arms.

Dalton let out a groan as she felt his pleasure shooting up inside her as he pulsed strongly inside.

He leaned back into the couch and she collapsed against his chest, both their bodies covered in a sheen of sweat. Elena didn’t think she was ever going to be able to move again, much less have the strength to climb off him.

The entire night had been about seduction, and she was weak from it. But as he began to twitch inside her, still hard, still buried deep, she felt a stirring. She leaned back and looked at him in surprise.

“I want more,” he said as he stood with her still in his lap. The motion pulled him from her, and she sighed her displeasure.

But he carried her off to his room and then proceeded to show her exactly how much she could take — and give. When she passed out sometime in the early morning of the next day, she slept like the dead — with Dalton by her side.

E
lena knew her
relationship with Dalton had changed. It wasn’t something either of them discussed, but there was definitely a shift. Slowly over the next few weeks, she found herself sleeping in his room more than her own.

He never said anything, but after they would have sex — sometimes it almost felt like making love — he would pull her into his arms where she would fall asleep. She was amazed when she would wake up in his bed the next day.

He never was there. Dalton didn’t sleep a lot. That was something she knew about him. The man was lucky to get more than four hours a night. Elena loved sleep. It was the time when she was at complete rest.

Even her dreams had become less and less confusing and frightening. Sometimes she didn’t dream at all. But the closer she got to Dalton, the more at ease she felt in her own skin.

Her memories came back a little bit more each day. Some things were very subtle, and others were pretty traumatic. The memories of her brother hurt Elena more than she wanted to admit even to herself.

In the early days when she’d been held prisoner in this house, she remembered dreaming of a young boy, and she remembered waking up so sad, wanting to be with this child she couldn’t quite remember.

And now that she knew he was her brother, and she technically had her freedom, it tore her apart to not see him. But her mother had seen her, had looked at her only with fear and had turned her back on her and walked away.

How was Elena supposed to move forward with her life when she had nowhere to go?

What was worse was knowing she had grown attached to Dalton. Even though he allowed her to sleep in his bed, and sometimes even showed her kindness, that wasn’t who he was.

If he slipped and was too affectionate, the next time he took her to his bedroom, he was rougher and more demanding. It was as if he was ensuring that she knew he was the one in charge, knew that she was nothing more than a good time. And more importantly, knew that she was replaceable any time he felt like it.

Things were better for Elena, but they were far from perfect.

The more Dalton put her in her place, the more Elena wanted to push back, wanted to make her presence known, wanted to be more a part of his life than just his willing sex slave.

Still, she went about her days doing the best she could while trying to figure out where her relationship with the man was going. She might never know the answer.

“We have a dinner tonight.”

Dalton’s voice startled her as he joined her in the dining room.

“Oh. What sort?” she asked.

“It’s with business colleagues at their home,” he told her before walking back out of the room.

Elena’s heart sped up the slightest bit. It appeared as if she’d passed his tests. He was taking her out with people he knew. Nerves surged through her. She knew if she messed up this night, it would be the last time he would take her out.

Going to her room, Elena spent much more time than normal getting ready. He hadn’t told her how to dress, so she slipped on a simple black skirt and a light blue blouse before spending too much time on her hair, and redoing her makeup three times before she deemed herself worthy of Dalton’s business associates.

When she came down the stairs at a quarter to seven, he was waiting for her in the sitting room. She stood there as he looked her over from her two-inch heels to the top of her coifed hair. She couldn’t determine if he approved or not.

She wanted to ask if he did, but she kept her mouth closed.

Without a word, he led her to the car outside; Lincoln was driving them. Lincoln always drove when Dalton wanted to drink. At least Elena knew there would be alcohol to help soothe her nerves. She also knew she’d better be careful not to drink too much which could lead her to do something she would surely regret. A shudder wracked through her, thinking about the night in the bar.

They drove for nearly an hour before the vehicle slowed and began turning down residential streets with wide, manicured lawns similar to Dalton’s. It appeared his associates made as good a living as Dalton.

Of course that was a foolish thought. Why would he be in business with an unsuccessful person? He wouldn’t. Wealth attracted wealth, and the elite weren’t known for their hospitality.

“Remember, I don’t air my secrets, Elena,” Dalton told her as the car stopped and Lincoln stepped out, waiting for Dalton’s signal before opening the back door.

“I understand that,” she told him, slightly irritated that he felt he needed to say it.

“Good. I want you to enjoy your night. Feel free to visit with the guests and have a good time, but there’s no need for anyone to know how you got here.”

Damn, this man infuriated her. Was he telling her that she wasn’t to tell people she was there with him? If that was the case, why did he bother bringing her? The butterflies that had been fluttering in her stomach multiplied ten-fold.

“Of course.” She said nothing else, fearing she might do something that would earn her a one-way trip back to his house.

For a brief moment, Dalton seemed to soften as he looked in her eyes. She knew he could read her like an open book, but he didn’t seem irritated with her, a good sign.

Lifting his hand, his knuckles skimmed over her cheek before he seemed to realize what he was doing. He quickly pulled back and tapped on his window. Lincoln immediately opened the door and Dalton stepped out, holding out his hand to assist her.

When Elena looked up at the regal home before her, she was impressed. Three stories of rockwork lined the walls, with huge, spacious windows giving a view of the enormous front lawn and circular driveway, now filled with cars she didn’t even know the names of.

This was wealth at its finest, and she wondered how she was a part of this world. Dalton didn’t give her time to think about it. He took her hand and slipped it through his arm before walking to the door where a uniformed man let them in.

Dalton guided her through the three-story foyer. A giant chandelier hung from the ceiling, and beautiful pieces of antique furniture adorned the room. After passing through the foyer, Elena heard voices as Dalton led her down the hallway, through a set of double doors, and into a huge room filled with furniture and at least a dozen people.

A woman stepped from the crowd, a genuine smile on her face, and she walked over to them.

“Dalton, you’re running late as usual,” she said in a raspy voice that intrigued Elena. She leaned in so Dalton could kiss her cheek, and her bright green eyes turned to focus on Elena. “But all is forgiven since you’ve brought a guest.”

The woman looked over Elena, making her feel she’d been probed. Elena had a feeling this woman didn’t miss a whole heck of a lot. Who was she that she felt comfortable enough to be so intimate with Dalton? A surge of jealousy flooded through Elena that she needed to push back.

She didn’t have the right to feel jealousy. But just because she wasn’t allowed to feel something didn’t mean she could so easily push it away.

“Darcy, this is Elena, my guest for the evening,” Dalton said.

Elena wasn’t quite sure how she felt about his choice of words for her, but what else would he say? Companion? Sex slave? Intruder? Elena certainly wasn’t his girlfriend. He might own her, but she had zero rights when it came to making her own decisions.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Elena,” Darcy said. The smile seemed real, so Elena relaxed the slightest bit. Maybe she’d been wrong about the woman.

“Thank you for having me,” Elena told her, grateful to still have Dalton at her side.

That ended quickly. He took her arm from his and stepped back.

“Go and get a drink and wander. I’m going to talk with some people,” Dalton told her.

Then Darcy looped her arm through Dalton’s and the two of them walked away, leaving Elena standing there feeling like a fool. Why had she been excited to go out with him? She knew none of these people, had zero in common with them, and had never had idle chitchat with strangers.

For some reason, she’d assumed Dalton would be at her side for the evening, so she could simply observe, maybe answer easy questions if anyone chose to speak to her at all. But instead she was in a roomful of people who all knew each other, and she appeared to be the only stranger.

Taking Dalton’s advice, she crossed to the large bar where another uniformed man was serving drinks.

“What can I get for you, ma’am?” he asked.

“I’ll take a glass of Chardonnay,” she told him.

He poured it, and Elena decided to sit on one of the stools at the end of the bar. She would rather be near the help than move around the room speaking to strangers, or busting in on someone’s conversation. She was no more elevated than the bartender anyway in this high-society crowd.

She would someday change that, she thought. No matter what other goals in life she had, that was a sure thing. She wouldn’t always be the woman hiding in the corner. If only she could figure out how to change directions in her life.

Her eyes sought out Dalton, and she felt the slightest twinge of jealousy when Darcy leaned against him and whispered something in his ear. Dalton threw back his head and laughed, and that twinge turned into downright possessiveness.

Had Dalton brought her to this place to show her he could do what he wanted with whomever he wanted? Maybe. Elena tore her gaze away from him and began looking around the room, observing more carefully.

The ratio between men and women seemed to be even, with people paring off. Then she noticed a man whisper in a woman’s ear and the nod of her head before the two of them disappeared.

What was going on?

“You’re new here.”

The voice startled Elena as she turned and found a man taking a seat on the stool next to her.

“Yes. I came with Dalton,” she told him.

He nodded as his eyes sought out Dalton. Elena couldn’t help but look at him too. Now his arm was wrapped around Darcy’s waist in what could only be described as intimate.

“Does he realize that?” the man next to her asked.

Elena wanted to make a snarky comeback, but she refrained as she drained her glass of wine and looked at the bartender, who quickly refilled her glass. She would not go crazy, but a slight buzz seemed to be exactly what she needed at the moment.

“I don’t know anyone here. These are Dalton’s friends,” she replied as politely as she could.

The man ordered a bourbon on the rocks before giving his attention back to Elena.

“Are you new to the scene?” he asked, confusing her.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she replied.

Elena wasn’t able to take her eyes off Dalton as Darcy laughed at something the couple in front of them said before her hand reached up Dalton’s back and her fingernails rubbed along his neck.

The man had zero qualms of flashing his intimacy with this other woman in front of not only Elena, but the entire room, even after he’d invited her to be his guest. Was this punishment for something she didn’t realize she’d done? Or was this just how he was?

Elena wasn’t sure.

“Hmm. You are
very
new to this,” the man said. “I’m Arnold.”

“I’m Elena. It’s nice to meet you, Arnold,” she told him. Although she didn’t really want to meet anyone in the room. As a matter of fact, she wanted nothing more than to leave.

She chatted with Arnold for several more minutes, her eyes still glued to Dalton and Darcy flirting and enjoying themselves. Without realizing it, Elena found herself with a nice buzz, her irritation level spiking.

Without saying another word to Arnold, she got up and found herself moving closer to Dalton. She didn’t have time to think that she might be making a mistake. She was irritated, and more than that, she was hurt.

“I wanted to speak with you, Dalton,” she boldly said.

His eyes narrowed as he glanced down at her. Darcy appeared shocked as she remained wrapped in his arm. That was Elena’s place to be, not this woman’s. Even if Darcy
seemed
to be nice.

“I’m in the middle of something right now,” Dalton said with clear displeasure.

“It’s important,” Elena insisted.

This would have been a great time to walk away, but she couldn’t stop herself. She knew, beyond a doubt, she was overstepping her bounds. She also knew that Dalton most likely wouldn’t invite her out again after this.

But she didn’t care. Elena really didn’t want to go anywhere with him if she was just going to be left idly by to watch as he flirted with other women. She’d rather be in her bedroom where she could at least get lost in a book.

“I’ll be back. I’m sorry, Darcy,” Dalton told the woman before lifting her hand and running his lips across her knuckles.

“This way.”

Dalton gripped Elena’s elbow and led her from the room, not causing the least bit of a stir. No one even turned in their direction. That should have made Elena the tiniest bit frightened, but it didn’t.

He tugged her down the hallway and opened a door into a large room that had a table with chairs around it and closed blinds. Dalton pushed her over to the table and then boxed her in, his hands pressed down on the cherry wood while he gave her a censorious look.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.

“You brought me here and haven’t spoken a word to me. I don’t want to be alone anymore,” she fired back.

Her words seemed to shock him, but he didn’t back off, and his surprise ended quickly.

“I can do what I want with whomever I please. I don’t have to tell you what I’m doing, and I don’t have to explain myself to you. This party was a test, and you’ve failed miserably,” he snapped.

“If all you want me to do is stand in a corner and watch while you get ready to screw another woman, then yes, I’ve failed, and I don’t want to go out with you,” she said, feeling on the verge of crying.

“Oh, Elena, you have so much to learn,” he told her, his irritation evaporating as he leaned back, his eyes alight. The look was far scarier than his words.

“Maybe I don’t want to learn anymore,” she said.