Inferno Anthology (40 page)

“Why are you here?” I wasn’t even going to pretend to be courteous.

“I needed to speak to you and you won’t return my calls, Syd.” Michael took a step toward me and I took one back. I knew Travis was at my side before I actually saw him just from the look on Michael’s face.

“It’s okay, Travis, I know him. But thank you.” I smiled wearily at Travis to reassure him.

I saw a look of relief on Michael’s face as Travis nodded and walked back to start packing up. “What do you want, Michael? Why do you keep calling me? “ My voice was low to keep Travis under control, but I made no attempt to conceal that I was angry.

“Can we talk?” A pause as he searched my face for something. “Please?”

I exhaled loudly. “Fine, but I have pack up, so you can wait.”

Michael nodded and went to wait by the bar.

I took my time packing up and had to reassure Travis I was okay three more times before he would leave. There were still a few stragglers in the club, so at least I wouldn’t have to be alone with Michael.

Eventually I walked over to the bar, even though I dreaded looking at Michael, no less having a conversation in my place of work with him.

“Do you want a shot of tequila?” It annoyed me that he knew that I did, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing how well he knew me.

“No.” I stood a few feet from him as he sat on the bar stool.

“Can we sit at a table so that we have privacy? Please?” Michael looked to the bartender standing a few feet away and back to me.

I walked to an empty table a few feet from the bar and sat without saying a word, leaving him to follow me like a puppy.

Michael sat and I stared at him, waiting for the reason he was in New York, the reason he was at my job. He looked uncomfortable as he sat there looking back at me. He reached for my hand as he spoke. “Syd, I don’t know where to start. I’m so sorry and I need you.”

I pulled my hand away from his like it had burned me. I was suddenly past angry, closer to irate. I stood and spoke loudly “Is that why you came here?”

Michael jumped from his seat and reached out to grab my arm. “Syd, talk to me. You know—”

“Get your fucking hands off of her!” I heard Jack’s voce before I even saw him.

Michael turned toward the voice and didn’t see it coming. Jack’s fist collided with Michael’s cheekbone and I heard a loud crack. Michael fell onto the table and struggled to regain his footing.

“What the hell?” Michael mumbled as he stood holding his cheek.

Jack’s arm reached out and pulled me behind him as he took a step closer into Michael’s face. “It didn’t look like she wanted you touching her.”

Michael looked to me, confused. “Syd, who is this guy?”

The whole thing happened so fast, I just stood there looking at Michael.

“Babe, are you okay?” Jack’s voice was softer when he spoke to me, but the anger was still there.

“I’m okay, he didn’t hurt me.”

“Babe? Who is this guy, Syd?” Michael’s voice was angry. Did the asshole really think he could show up to my job to apologize after what he did to me and then get jealous and angry?

“He’s my boyfriend, Michael, as if it was any of your business!”

“Michael?” Jack looked to me for confirmation if it was that Michael. I just nodded my head.

I didn’t expect Jack to be happy to have met Michael, but I also didn’t expect him to haul off and punch him again. The second punch landed on Michael’s nose and blood flew everywhere.

Security surrounded us — not that Jack needed any help. “Are you okay, Mr. Heston?”

“I’m fine. Why wasn’t someone here to keep an eye on Syd?”

The security team scrambled for an excuse. “Ummm … she finished playing and the club was almost empty and we were changing shifts….”

Jack didn’t give them time to finish. “Get this asshole out of here and be in my office at 7am. I’m not dealing with this tonight.”

“Yes sir.” The three security guards helped Michael to his feet and for a second I felt bad for him.

Jack grabbed my hand and took two steps toward the door before realizing I was still standing there. “Syd. Let’s go.” His voice brought me back to reality and I took one last look at Michael before I started to walk hand in hand with Jack to the door.

Mateo was waiting outside and I didn’t say a word until we were halfway to Jack’s. Then I remembered why I had been confused to see Jack. “I thought you were out of town until tomorrow?”

“Is that why you were with him, Syd?” Jack turned to face me; his face was masked and unreadable.

“What? No. I didn’t even know he was coming, he just showed up.”

“I came back because I didn’t want to sleep without you next to me.” Jack said it like he was laughing at himself even saying it, no less feeling that way.

I didn’t know what to say. His words were so sweet, but the tone they were spoken in contradicted their meaning. “You don’t believe me?”

“I don’t know what to think, Syd. I walked in and saw that asshole touching you and I lost it. Then I saw your face, and him reach for you, and I wanted to kill him.”

“I’m sorry, Jack.” I reached for his hand and saw his swollen and bruised knuckles for the first time.

Jack turned to me, “What are you sorry for, Syd?”

“I’m sorry that he showed up. I’m sorry that it’s my fault that you hurt your hand.” I spoke each word into his eyes and watched as his eyes softened and I knew he believed me.

“It’s not your fault.”

Jack stood in his kitchen, his back against the island countertop, legs crossed at the ankle, arms folded across his chest, watching me put together an ice pack. I stood in front of him silently waiting for him to give me his bruised hand. “Hand.” I demanded.

Jack raised his eyebrows at my tone, but I caught a twitch upward at the corner of his mouth that he tried to conceal. He gave me his hand and I saw him try to hide his wince as I held the ice to his bruised knuckles that were already a lovely shade of purple. He looked down into my eyes. “What did he want, Syd?”

“He tried to apologize and tell me that we belonged together and he wants me back.” My voice was low.

Jack closed his eyes for a minute and I waited anxiously for his response to come. “Do you want to go back to him?”

“What?” I was shocked he would even ask such a thing. “No! I can’t even stand to look at him! It took me a while to realize it, but I never really belonged with him.”

Jack took the ice pack from my hand and tossed it on the counter behind him. He took my hands in his and pulled them behind my back, securing them with his as he pulled me tightly against him. “Who do you belong to, Syd?”

My heart melted knowing that such a strong, controlling man needed my reassurance.

“You, Jack.”

“Say it, Syd.” He pulled me tighter so that there was no air between our bodies.

My heart fluttered wildly. I knew it was true, but I hadn’t admitted it out loud. My voice was a whisper as I looked up at him. “I belong to you.”

Jack’s grip on my hands behind my back tightened. His pale green eyes turned almost gray, dark and wild. “Say it again. Louder.”

I raised my voice and matched his gaze. “I belong to you.”

His lips covered mine urgently and our mouths slid harshly as our tongues collided with insatiable need. He lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. I felt his hardness pressing into me and I unwittingly gasped. My reaction drew him into even more of a frenzy. His hand on my ass pulled me into him as our kiss deepened nearly into violence. His other hand wrapped in my hair and he forced us apart purposefully. “Say it again.”

I was breathless and panting. “I belong to you, Jack.”

He growled and I felt his hand dive between my legs, sliding his fingers under my underwear, quickly finding my clit with his thumb. He pushed down gently and massaged small rapid circles. I knew he was making sure I was ready to take him. Even in his own frenzied state he put my needs before his own. When he was sure I was wet and ready, he turned us so that my ass rested against the countertop as he opened his pants, freeing his enormous erection.

I felt the wide crest of his cock at my entrance and I tried desperately to free my hands from his strong hold behind my back, desperate to touch it, desperate to glide my hands up and down its massive length. But my attempt was fruitless under Jack’s strong grip. He circled his hips with just the crest inside of me and I arched my back trying to pull him deeper inside of me, but Jack’s other hand pinned me in place where he wanted me. “Again,” he commanded.

“I belong to you. Only you.” My cry was desperate. I needed him inside of me so badly it was painful. But my response was raw and full of emotion and earned me what I wanted. Jack thrust into me deeply, stretching me wide as he filled me to his root. He grinded deeply inside of me, desperate to go further. “Again.” His voice was throaty and deep.

“You, I belong to you, only you.”

Jack held me in place, restraining my movement and pumping deep and hard into me as if his life depended on filling me. His constant, rhythmic pounding over and over, deeper and deeper, had me panting wildly and I was on the edge of what I knew would be a wild, soaring orgasm. I shut my eyes and began to let it wash over me as he continued his brutal thrusts.

“Open your eyes.”

My eyes flew open to meet his. “Again.”

My orgasm ripped through me at his command. “I belong,” I moaned, unable to finish the sentence in one breath. His rhythm quickened and I knew he was unable to hold back much longer. “To you….” The last two words came out in a scream as the orgasm completely washed over my body, shaking me to my core. I felt the heat of Jack’s semen run through me as he emptied his body and filled mine. He growled my name and my body collapsed spinelessly into his arms.

I was vaguely aware of Jack carrying me to the bedroom and covering me up, but I was exhausted and emotionally drained and my body needed to escape to rest.

The next morning I was surprised to find Jack next to me when I woke. We had established a routine of him getting up while I slept and me going to find him in his office hours later. “You’re still in bed.” I smiled and snuggled closer to him.

He spoke with his lips in my hair as he kissed the top of my head. “I couldn’t leave you this morning.”

I knew what he meant. I needed him next to me that morning after the night we’d had too. “I’m glad you couldn’t,” I said softly.

I rested my head on his naked chest, playing with the smattering of hair, twirling it between my fingers. “My mom is coming down for a visit next weekend.”

His hand had been stroking my hair and stopped in its place. “Do you want me to meet her?”

I thought about the question before asking. “I don’t think I have a choice. I sort of mentioned I met someone and she started an interrogation over the phone. If she doesn’t get to meet you, she won’t sleep for a month.”

Jack laughed lightly and I was relieved that he didn’t seem bothered by my response. “Where is she staying?”

I hadn’t thought about it. My apartment was small, but she could share my bed with me for a night or two and deal with the close space. Although there would be absolutely no escaping her inquisition in such a small area. “My place, I guess. We didn’t really talk about it.”