Power (Romantic Suspense) (8 page)

Breathless, I nodded.

More buzzing came from his pocket. Sighing, he pulled my phone out, slid his finger across the screen, and then glared at me.

“Another dick pic?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said. “You have shitty taste in men.”

“He’s my ex.”

“If he sends another dick pic to this phone, I’m going to find him and cut that little thing off.”

Finally, the evening brightened.

“Oh, goodie,” I said. “Could I be there to watch?”

Chapter 5

Noah

An intellectual had been at a wedding-reception.

As he was leaving, he said:
"I pray that you two keep getting married so well."

–Philogelos (The Laughter Lover)

A
gitated
, I stood in the living room, waiting for Mary Jane.

It took Crusher ten minutes to get the dresses and shoes up to my apartment, another ten for Mary Jane to pick something. She’d wanted the chocolate first, but I refused to give it to her until we got in the limo.

Maybe I can use candy to make her listen. She’s insane. It’s like she doesn’t even see the guns. And hitting Fuji with the dildo? What the fuck?

I sent Mary Jane to my master suite’s bathroom to get ready. After her snooping around in my sex room, I didn’t want her back in there.

What was she thinking when she saw all of that stuff?

I hadn’t used that room in years. When I first moved in, Butterfly had helped me decorate. Or more like she tried to take over as much as possible. That room was one of Butterfly’s concepts, until I gave up and told her I didn’t need any help. After decorating the rest of my loft, I made changes to the Butterfly-inspired room and simply dedicated it to the girls I brought home.

The women never cared. Most were the dirty and heartless kind. When they slithered into my bed, they were fucking power, not Noah the man. It didn’t matter who thrust into them. It could’ve been Crusher or Fuji, Toad or Domingo. They just wanted to sleep with the guy who was at the top of the game, get in his head, and get shit out of him. Not me. They all tried and failed, realizing that the ice in my eyes reached deep down to my core.

Females like that were never brought to my bedroom. One didn’t close their eyes to women like that. If the person did, they probably wouldn’t wake up the next morning. These chicks seized opportunities and stabbed guys in the chest when their dicks were wet and limp on their thighs.

That’s why I hadn’t been in the room in years. I’d gotten tired of sticking my cock in vile holes. Instead, I kept a few main ones around, making sure that they knew it wasn’t more than sex, but understanding that I’d have their backs as long as they had mine. I picked a hotel and kept them out of my home.

I’d have to call one of them tonight. In that moment, as I waited for Mary Jane to finish dressing, I could hear the sounds of fabric sliding across her skin. Things snapped too. I wondered what each item was. And the whole time, my cock grew hard, just as stiff as it was when we stood outside in the hallway, and I really yearned to pound into her.

She’s lucky that Crusher came in and interrupted us. I damned sure was about to take my cock out and let the cards fall where they may.

However, I wouldn’t lose control like that again. There would be no reason to mess with a woman like her. She was too square, led a normal life, and had no stomach for my world.

An English major? No way. English majors didn’t hold the hands of thugs, they clutched their pearls and ran away in fear.

When the door opened to my bedroom, all thoughts evaporated.

“Okay.” Mary Jane stepped out wearing a beautiful red dress. The material didn’t hug her body, but flowed over every curve and didn’t do a good job of hiding them. She’d gathered her lovely mop of curls into some sort of up-do, giving me a better view of her face.

She blushed. “This is the only dress where the girls would fit.”

Her breasts barely stayed snug. They appeared close to busting out. I wondered what her breasts looked like in the other dresses.

I should’ve had her model them for me. What the fuck am I saying? We don’t have time for that.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Do you want me to take this off?”

Fuck.

I had nothing to say. If I’d been hard before, now I was past the point of no return. Within seconds, my cock stuck straight out and pushed against my pants.

“Noah? Is this okay?” She tossed me a weak smile and then her gaze lowered to my cock. “Oh. I’m going to take that as a
yes
.”

Look at it like that again and it’s going to be inside of you.

I might’ve said that, if I hadn’t been gritting my teeth and digging my nails into the palms of my hands to keep my fingers off her. Instead, I walked off.

She followed, mumbling something behind me.

What did she say? No. Forget what she said. I have to focus on Domingo. What the hell am I going to do when I get to this party?

My old friend was a smart man. He knew that the only place he’d be safe tonight was at my god son’s house. Junior’s celebration would solidify Domingo’s safety.

Looks like you’re going to have a few more hours to live, buddy.

“So were those your parents in that picture in your bedroom?” she asked.

“Why?”

“I thought it was cute that you had the photo at the side of your bed.”

I walked in front, so I could adjust my dick and make it less obvious that I was hard.

“Alrighty,” she said behind me. “I guess that cute couple that looks like you will always be a mystery to me.”

“Yes. They’re my parents.”

“Are you a mommy’s boy?” she asked.

Does she not get who the fuck I am? You don’t ask me shit like that.

“Come on, boss.” She winked at me. “Mama’s boy?”

“Yes,” I grunted.

Why the hell am I answering her?

“Awww,” she said. “That’s kind of adorable.”

I stopped and turned around, blocking her from walking further. “I’m not adorable and I’m not your friend.”

She remained silent, but did her best to maintain the confident look in her eyes. I knew it was an act, because she was smart enough to fear me.

“Do you understand me?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Good.” I turned back around and stalked off.

We got outside.

I am adorable? She’s fucking ridiculous.

The full moon hung in the sky. Despite all that had gone on, the city rest at peace. The usual traffic filled the roads. Honking and ambulance sirens went off blocks away. The restaurants and nightclubs surrounding my place had opened. Most of the eateries were Italian. An herby scent of pasta and roasted tomatoes skittered in the air. Pop songs boomed from the florescent lit doorways of every lounge.

All the night-goers had come out. They were mostly gay men in this section. So most of the pedestrians were male. Many walked hand-in-hand. Dressed impeccably with tailored clothes better styled than mine.

Because of my no female policy, I’d opened my place around gay clubs, so it wouldn’t look weird when only guys entered and left my building during the day. Rasheed thought it was too much of an effort. Domingo hated homosexuality and avoided coming by as much as possible. He claimed gay people were damned to hell. He judged them even though his murdering ass would be the first one to deal with the devil when his time came. I could care less about who other people fucked and only worried about my own dick.

Crossing the busy street, I led Mary Jane to my limo outside. My hand at the center of her back. Fingers itching to slide down and cup her lush bottom.

Several of my men followed. Guns hidden beneath their jackets. Scowls adorned their faces. They scanned the buildings and streets, searching for any sign of Domingo’s or Rasheed’s men. War had been officially declared when Domingo stabbed Rasheed on my property and then escaped. With that action, he’d disrespected me, and sent a message to others that I wasn’t shit. Nothing could save his life now. According to the streets, I’d have to end him. According to my rules, he was definitely a dead man.

In my limo, Crusher was driving and I had him keep the divider up. The windows were tinted. I could see out, but no one could look in. Besides Mary Jane, I didn’t want any other civilians with me. I would make sure to protect her, but I couldn’t protect others like my usual driver and staff. The club would have to stay closed, too, until everything was settled.

Fuck.

I held the door open for her and she took her time climbing into the back. It gave me a great view of her soft ass.

Stop it. Focus on Domingo. Why the hell did I bring her? Well, I couldn’t leave her with Fuji again. And all of the other guys couldn’t be trusted to not hurt, murder, or rape her.

That was exactly why I kept women out of my game. The men that walked this life tended to be psychos and sociopaths. None of them had rules like me, and something so soft and sweet as Mary Jane would be devoured fast, even if they knew I’d kill them later.

I slid in next to her and closed the door.

She glanced my way. Her hands rested in her lap. Every few seconds, she twisted some of the dress with her fingers.

I handed her the Snicker’s bar. “Here. There’s more junk food coming your way, if you don’t beat anymore of my bodyguards with dildos.”

“Thank you.” She ripped off the wrapping and did something odd. Instead of taking a simple bite, She turned it in front of her two or three times as if trying to figure out the best place to take the first bite.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Checking for the weak spot.”

“Weak spot?”

“The weak spot is where there is a perfect ratio of chocolate, nougat, peanuts, and caramel.”

She decided on a spot on the side of the bar and began to nibble. Again, she grew more strange as she began to eat the outside of the snicker bar first and then commenced to alternating between the top and bottom of the bar with each bite.

She’s insane.

When she finished, she licked her fingertips and grinned. “So. . .we’re going to a boy’s birthday?”

She already knows too much. I’ve just sat there and talked around her with my men like she was mine.

“Yeah,” I said.

“What did you get him?”

I rubbed my forehead. “I guess I’m going to give him a stack of money.”

“Meh.” She glanced around the limo.

“You need baby wipes?” I pressed the compartment in the side of the door and pulled one out for her.

“You keep baby wipes in here?”

“It’s a quick solution for wiping off blood in a hurry?”

Silence came as she widened her eyes.

“Why did you say
meh
earlier?” I asked.

“I-it’s just that. . .”

My head throbbed. “What?”

“Kids like money, sure, but not as much as opening a box and pulling something new and shiny out.”

“So what would you get him?”

“Hmmm.” She twisted her lips to the side. “A Segway board.”

“What?”

“It’s like an electric skateboard, but you don’t have to push it. You just have to lean your body different ways and the board will move you there.”

“Interesting.” I pulled my phone out and dialed Fuji.

The big guy answered on the first ring. “Yes, Boss?”

“Go pick up a Segway board and rush it over to the birthday party.”

“A Segway board?” Fuji asked again.

“Yes. Get a blue one and make sure it’s wrapped.”

“O-kay.”

I hung up the phone. “There. I’ve gotten him something.”

“Cool.” She tapped her feet continuously, while still twisting her dress’s fabric in her hands.

“You’re nervous?” I asked.

“Do you like this dress?”

“That’s not an answer.”

She sighed. “Yes, I’m nervous. Of course, I’m nervous. Shouldn’t I be?”