Stark Surrender (29 page)

“You know, because I’m telling you so now. I will not leave you and our little star. And I’ve never lied to you. This—” he drove his erection against her softness, “—is for you, and so is the rest of me. For good.”

His gaze, every iota of his stance told her he was sincere.

Joy rocketed through her. Kiri kissed him again, putting her heart into it this time. She rocked herself against him, his taste and musky scent and the feel of his cock filling her senses, and driving her wild with pleasure and need.

“Oh, no you don’t,” he rasped, driving one hand between them. “Not without me, not this time.”

His face was hard with sheer lust, his eyes hooded, his lips damp and soft from her mouth.

“Then you’d better hurry up,” she challenged, holding his gaze.

His knuckles raked her inner thigh, then fabric abraded her skin as her panties were torn away. His bare, hot cock slapped against her swollen, drenched opening, and they both moaned.

“You’re mine,” he growled, and withdrew just enough to drive into her, sliding deep with one hard thrust. “I’m done waiting for you, Kiri. No more.”

She gasped with shock, her body struggling to adjust to his girth, and with pleasure at having him exactly where she needed him.

“Say it,” he demanded, his gaze searing hers, his lips grazing hers. “Say it.”

Kiri gave a half-shriek of frustration. She needed him to move.

She glared at him, and dug her short nails into his shoulders, already damp and hot with perspiration. “I’m yours, damn you. Now fuck me.”

He was already drawing back, and thrusting home, hard and fast. “Oh, I’ll fuck you, Kiri mine. Until you know who this lovely little body belongs to, for good. And until you know I belong to you.”

She hung onto him, foreheads tipped together, breath mingling as he took her hard and fast, hammering into her with a force that should have hurt, but instead drove her wild with pleasure. The galaxy narrowed down to his body in her arms, his cock in her pussy, tighter and tighter until pleasure imploded inside her and burst outward in waves of shuddering ecstasy.

She heard her voice crying his name, and his deep shout of release, and that was perfect too.

He sagged against her, holding them both up with his legs as they panted like runners after a race, hearts pounding together.

Finally Logan braced his arm against the wall, and straightened, letting her down as he slid out of her. His seed trickled down her inner thighs, and her nightie was plastered to her with sweat. Her legs felt useless, trembling, so she leaned against the wall for support.

Then Logan swayed, and she looked up to see him looking dazed. She thrust her arm around his waist. “Logan, you need to lie down.”

He let her steer him toward the bed, where he dragged his pants up, and collapsed onto the bed.

“Are you all right?” she asked, leaning over him, cold fear chilling her haze of repletion. “Do you want me to link your doctors?”

“God, no,” he muttered. “I’m fine. Although, probably should’ve done that in a more prone position. It seems I’m not yet as fit as I thought.”

He gave her a crooked smile that looked just slightly embarrassed, and she snickered.

“That’s what you get for showing off.”

He raised a brow at her. “You enjoyed it.”

Hard to argue that, when she’d been screaming his name a moment ago. Ignoring the flush that burned her cheeks, Kiri rose. “I need to clean up.”

Logan held out his hand. “Come back, kitten. Please?”

“I will.”

He relaxed, rubbing one hand over his face and yawning deeply.

He was asleep when she got back. But when she crawled into the big bed beside him, he turned to her. Kiri moved close beside him, into the curve of his arm, her head on his shoulder. He roused, and then settled down again with a deep sigh.

Her face against his skin, breathing him in, warm and strong and alive, and smelling of musky man and sex, Kiri let happiness sweep through her in a sweet, giddy rush.

She and Logan were together again. And despite everything, she knew that this time she could trust him to take care of the part of her that truly needed it—her heart.

He’d opened up to her, and honestly shared the darkest pieces of himself, and given her the chance to walk away, because he cared more for her happiness than his own.

Even without the words, that was love. And he’d promised to do his best to be a father, too. To help her care for Peabean, their little star voyager.

They were in a dangerous situation with a seeming madman, but they had this moment ... together. And sometimes a perfect moment was all one could count on, so she’d hold tight to it, against the darkness ahead.

Logan woke her in the night, and made love to her again. This time it was slow and sweet, and afterward, she lay on his chest, his cock still inside her, and he told her his plan for the following day. One that would give them an edge over Mordacity, and might even draw the ganger into a trap.

“Are you sure?” Kiri asked. “What if it doesn’t work?”

He stroked her back. “Then we’ll try something else. We’re going to get him, kitten. One way or another.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “Together, we can make it work.”

Chapter Thirty-One

When Kiri woke, Logan was already up and gone. She lay still for a moment, soaking in the luxury of waking in his bed, with his scent surrounding her, the slight soreness between her thighs a reminder of their hot coupling the night before.

And to be perfectly honest with herself, she wanted more. She lifted her head, listening for sounds of him in his lav, but the room was hushed. She slid out of bed, went into his closet to scavenge a brown silk robe and wrapped it around her before heading back to her room.

She met Taara in the passageway, already dressed for the day. She surveyed Kiri with wide eyes before rushing to envelop her in a sweetly perfumed hug.

“You sneaky little snake, you have the look. Not just good sex, but happiness. I knew you and Logan would work things out. Was it good?” She waggled her brows at Kiri.

Kiri smiled at her friend. “Yes. It was very good.” Although over too fast. Logan had always had impressive stamina, and she surely hoped he regained it.

“Wonderful,” Taara gushed. “I can’t wait to hear more. Hey, I know—I’ll go have Natan fix a breakfast tray for us, and you can tell me more while we eat in your room. It’ll be fun.”

“Uh, sure. Okay.” Maybe Taara needed to talk too.

“Good. You go have a lovely showerdry. I’ll see you in a sec.” Taara hurried off.

Kiri was humming to herself as she walked into her own lav. She showerdried, fixed her hair and applied light cosmetics, smiling at her flushed, happy reflection in the mirror. No wonder Taara had known instantly something had happened between her and Logan.

Although of course she and Logan had pleasured each other before. But then things had been still unsettled between them.

This morning, she was a woman who knew her feelings were reciprocated. And she wanted to be with him even more than she wanted her first cup of coffee. Was it love, or because she was reduced to drinking decaf?

Chuckling to herself over this, she hurried to don a pretty, figure-hugging cashmere top in deep orange-red, and the matching tights, then slipped her feet into a pair of matching flats.

She met Taara in the passageway, guiding a tray of breakfast dishes and coffee. Taara shook her head, pointing at Kiri’s room, but Kiri forestalled her. “Start without me, okay? I’ll be right back. I just remembered something I have to do.”

Taara’s face drooped with disappointment. “Oh, you’ll get with Logan, and you won’t come back. I want to hear about your night.”

“Be right back, I promise,” Kiri called, already hurrying through the penthouse.

The door of Logan’s big office was closed, but Kiri heard his voice inside. A smile blossoming inside her, she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Then she stopped.

Logan stood with his back to her, head bent, his attention focused entirely on the woman in his arms. Kiri could just see the edge of her blonde head, and her hand with glittering nails wrapped around his upper arm. Liss.

“Don’t go,” Logan was saying in a low, urgent voice. “Stay with me, Liss. I know it’s been tough lately, but it’ll be good, I swear it.”

“What about her?” the blonde asked, a pout in her voice.

“Kiri?” Logan said, and Kiri flinched at the callous way he said her name. “Forget her. She’s just someone my brothers pushed at me. You know I belong with a woman like you now.”

Kiri stepped back, and her elbow struck the door with a small thump.

Logan whirled, his brows drawn in a scowl.

Liss moved, thrusting out one hip and setting her hand on it. Kiri’s gaze flickered to her, and she froze, her gaze glued to the delicate fall of gold laced with diamonds on Liss’ throat.

It was the necklace Logan had given her the night of the New Seattle Ball. The one she’d worn while they had hot, daring sex in a shadowed alcove. The one he’d told her had been made especially for her.

The necklace was more than jewelry, it signified sexual possession—his.

“Did you need something?” Logan asked, his voice devoid of emotion or warmth.

Kiri stared at him. Then she slowly shook her head, and backed through the door of his office. “There’s nothing in this room that I need.”

She slammed the door on the couple and turned away. Only to find herself facing Logan’s brothers, and their wives, and Bronc.

Taara started forward, her face full of dismay. “Oh, Kiri, I’m sure it’s not—”

“Taara,” Creed said. “Stop.”

Taara subsided, her face crumpling. Joran gazed at Kiri, his gray eyes turbulent, while Zaë gave her and then Joran a bewildered look. Bronc gazed stoically at nothing.

Kiri looked at the men. “You knew?” she cried loudly. “That he’s still with her?”

“Kiri?” An arm slid around her, and pulled her into a warm, hesitant embrace. It was Kai. “Sis, what’s wrong?”

She shook her head, a hand to her face.

Her brother’s arms tightened. “What the hells have you done now?” he demanded fiercely over her head.

“Nothing for you to concern yourself with,” Logan drawled behind her.

Kiri staggered as Kai let go of her and rushed past her. She turned just in time to see him attack Logan, smacking him full across the face with the flat of his hand, then the other. Liss shrank away her eyes wide.

“Kai, no!” Kiri called.

Logan staggered back against the wall of his office, blood welling at the corner of his mouth. He straightened, his gaze on Kai. “I had that one coming. But next time I’ll fight back.”

Liss licked her lips, her avid gaze darting between the two of them, and Kiri had had enough of the woman and the situation.

“Leave him,” she said, taking Kai’s arm to pull him away. “He’s not worth it.”

Logan gave her a look full of turbulence. She lifted her chin and turned away from him.

She would have led Kai from the room, but Joran stepped into their way.

“You need to stay, honey,” he said. “We’ve got things to discuss.” His gaze slid over Kiri’s shoulder, loaded with a warning message for someone behind her.

Kai led her to a chair on the far end of the room, and then stood beside it, arms crossed, glaring at the rest of the family.

“We do have things to discuss,” Logan said, striding to the center of the room. “Plans to make.” His deep voice was still cold, emotionless. He did not look at Kiri again, a huge relief. Her heart was pounding, and she had to clench her fists between her knees to keep from rushing to pummel Liss’ smirking face.

“First things first, I’m done with our so-called allies,” Logan went on, “And I’m letting them know this now, today.”

“You sure that’s wise?” Creed asked, scowling. “We’re gonna need help to go against this Mordacity, Logan.”

“No we don’t,” Logan snapped. “We’ve got the might of LodeStar, and we’re enough. I don’t want anyone around I can’t control. I call the shots, and that’s it.”

“Does he have brain damage?” Kai demanded of the room at large. Bronc gave him a look, but said nothing.

Liss was curled on the corner of a divan across from Kiri, gazing admiringly at Logan. Kiri wondered, not for the first time, how the blonde would look with fingernail scratches down her smirking face. Of course her cosmetics were so heavy Kiri’s hands would probably slide right off.

“Ah, here’s our friend now,” Logan said, as Tal Darkrunner’s holovid image appeared before them.

Tal glared at him. “What the hell, Stark?” he demanded. “I thought we agreed to meet later? I’m a little busy.”

“We don’t need to meet later,” Logan countered. “Or anytime. I want nothing further to do with you, Darkrunner.”

Tal raised one ebony brow. “You finally lost the rest of your tiny mind, Stark? You need me.”

“Need a low-life street ganger?” Logan laughed. It was not a pleasant sound. “Not in this lifetime. You need me and my people, but you’re on your own. But don’t worry—this Mordacity can’t have that many GloJacs left to fight.”

Tal’s eyes widened. “Wait. You can’t do this, Stark—”

Logan broke the link, and Tal disappeared.

Kiri shook her head, rising from her chair to press both hands against her temples.

“Tal’s right,” she said to Logan. “You’ve lost your mind. But unfortunately not your incredible arrogance. You’re going to kill us all with your stupid pride—and I know you don’t care about me and Kai, but your family is here, in case you’ve forgotten.”

His face tightened.

“We done here?” Creed said, already on his feet with his arm around Taara, his face stormy.

“Certainly,” Logan said, waving his arm expansively.

Kiri turned away. She walked back into her bedroom and sank onto the divan … waiting.

She heard Kai’s voice in the passageway, low but furious.

“So don’t tell me nothing is going on. One skill I learned and learned well as a slave, and that’s reading people. Stark is with that woman, and I wanna know why he had to destroy my sister to get her.”

“I can’t tell you, Kai,” Bronc replied, his deep voice hushed. “I’m sorry. Believe me, I don’t like it either. But it’s for the best, you’ll see.”

Kai snorted. “Right. So don’t count on you for any help. Fine, then, it’s me and my sister against the mighty Stark machine.”

“It is not,” Bronc sounded pissed now. “Fuck, I gotta go. See to your sister.”

“Oh, I will. And if he comes near her again, I’ll kill him. And you if you get in my way.”

“Hells,” Bronc muttered, “The GloJacs may kill us all, so you won’t need to.”

He stomped away.

* * *

Kai stayed with Kiri in her room until Taara joined them, distraught and angry.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” she said. “I thought he really meant it this time.”

“She’ll be fine,” Kai said. “He’s not worth crying over.”

“Okay,” Taara said uncertainly. “Well, good for you. girlfriend. God knows you’ve got that bitch beat with looks, class and intelligence.”

“She does have bigger breasts,” Kiri muttered, eyeing her slim reflection in the mirror. “A lot bigger.”

“Fakes,” Kai said. “And not that good a job. She looks like she’ll pop with too much movement.”

Kiri smiled crookedly at him. “You’re right.”

Kai looked quietly pleased. “I am right, aren’t I? Now go glitz up, and make the magnate swallow his tongue.”

“You’re going back out there?” Taara asked. “Good for you—and good for you, Kai. Keep encouraging her.”

“You’re a master of manipulation,” Kiri said dryly. “You should go into politics.”

Her brother’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll consider it. Go on now.”

Kiri went, and she glitzed up. She applied enough cosmetics that she looked—she hoped—seductive, although in a purely unattainable way.

Then she donned a shimmering topaz top cut to fall from one shoulder over a tiny black cami, a pair of black tights and matching heeled ankle boots.

She draped a necklace of her own around her throat, an intricate fall of tiny jet beads that matched her dangling earrings, all pieces purchased on her shopping trip with Taara and Zaë.

Kai gave her a nod of pure approval, and they strolled arm in arm to the sitting room, where the family was all present.

To Kiri’s intense relief, Liss was not.

As they walked in, Kiri felt Logan’s presence like a force, filling up the room, enveloping her. She stopped, hands on her hips, and raised her brows at him. “Well?” she challenged. “What do you have to say for yourself, Mr. Stark?”

He smiled slowly at her. “You were magnificent.”

She grinned gleefully. “I was good, wasn’t I? She swilled it down like cheap wine.”

“Hey,” Taara called. “What is going on here?”

“I think,” Zaë said primly, “That we’ve been had.” She gave Kiri an injured look. “Not very kind of you, I must say.”

Kiri winced. “I’m sorry. It was Logan’s idea to fool Liss into believing we’re all falling apart here.”

Zaë winked solemnly at her. “It’s okay. I wondered …”

“So the whole fight between you two, and the smooching up to Liss was a farce?” Taara demanded.

“Yes,” Logan said, smiling at her. “And it was my idea, so I take all the blame.”

“Oh, not all,” Taara said, narrowing her eyes at Kiri. “But at least you’re not heartbroken Kiri, so if you spend lots of money at our boutique when we get home, I may forgive you.”

“But why the charade?” Zae asked.

“Because, Liss is a spy,” Logan said.

“A spy?” She looked as shocked as Kiri had been when Logan told her last night. “For whom?”

“Mordacity—or one of his lieutenants.”

“So you were feeding her information you want Mordacity to hear,” Taara said. “Well, that was a good idea. But you should have let me and Zae in on it. We could have helped.”

Creed smiled at her. “Next time.”

“But how did Liss meet them?” Zae frowned.

“Bronc discovered that. He and Joran brought her here for her protection because she’d helped me, but Opal didn’t trust her, so she kept eyes on her here, and Bronc set spybots on her when she left here to go shopping. One of Mordacity’s lieutenants made contact then. She greeted him as familiar, so Bronc believes they’ve been meeting for a while. I don’t know what he promised her to betray me, betray us, but it’s evidently attractive.”