The Deception series boxset: FaCade, Cadence, Beneath Innocence (22 page)

THE BOAT ROCKED, NEARLY PLUMMETING me over the side when I stepped into it. Dante’s hand shot out to steady me. His humor was vibrant and I couldn’t help but feed on it to keep up this mask I held in place to keep him from suspecting that I was feeling anything but in love and happy to be going out with him. I managed a small giggle. I was actually pulling this off despite the raging unrest happening inside. “Thank you.” I settled onto one of the tiny seats.

My eyes widened when our driver or pilot or whatever the hell he was called, started pulling away from the island. “Shouldn’t we wear those vest things?”

Dante sucked in his lips, trying to stop his laughter at my nerves. “Don’t worry, baby. I’ll jump in after you.” His eyes roamed down my dress, generating a shiver that was nothing to do with the breeze our speed whipped up around me. “And I’m sure you’d look stunning with that dress wet and plastered to your amazing body.”

My cheeks flushed. I turned my head to look at the lights twinkling on the mainland. Excitement bubbled in my belly. I was finally out of the house, the warm summer air fresh and filling my lungs.

I ignored the pain in my chest when the vision of my real name followed by Dante and Delia filled my head, her smirk cruel as she pulled her panties up her legs.

“Who is Delia?”

Dante frowned at me, his body tensing. “A friend of ours. Why?”

I shrugged. “I just wondered if she’d managed to find anything else out about my memory loss.”

He shook his head and turned away, dismissing me. I sighed and looked back to land, smiling when I realized it grew closer and closer.

I gasped when a gust of wind flicked up the loose material of my dress, my hands pressing against it in my lap to keep it in place.

“Move your hands,” Dante ordered.

I gawped at him before flicking my eyes to the driver and shaking my head. He leaned forward and snatched my wrists in his hold. “If I want to look at your pussy, then I will. I don’t care where we are, and who is in our company. I own it, Star. I will look at it when and where I please.”

My chest heaved. I was sick of his control. I snatched my hands back and glared at him. “I think you’ll find I actually own it, not you.”

I shivered as darkness descended over him. I pressed against the seat, my fingers gripping the edge hard as the boat swayed when one of his hands seized my neck, his fingers tightening around my throat as his other hand slid straight up my dress, and he tore my panties away with one simple pull.

“Dante!” I choked out.

He ignored me, leaning further into me. “Open your legs.” I shook my head, denying him. “Open – your – fucking – legs!”

The driver looked at us over his shoulder. I knew my quarrelling with Dante notified him of our argument more than my surrender would, so I gave in and slowly opened my legs.

Dante immediately dropped his hand from my throat but kept his mouth at my ear. “Your defiance will be the death of both of us. Stop fucking fighting me every step of the way.” I nodded, moving my eyes from his. He gripped my chin and tilted my head until I was looking at him. “Don’t spoil tonight, Belle.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. I wasn’t but I knew my apology was expected. Dante frightened me and if I was to find out what was going on, my constant rebellion would be more of a hindrance.

He regarded me for a moment then nodded and pulled my face towards his, his mouth crashing on mine. I gasped under him, the passion in the kiss a contradiction to the anger that had resided in him not moments ago. Dante’s mood was so unpredictable. My surprised gasp turned into a low moan when one of his fingers suddenly thrust inside me, swirling around, stretching my inner walls wide and driving my lust into a dangerous level. I was disappointed in myself for a split second, wishing that we hadn’t got company and were whizzing across water in a boat that rocked too much for my liking.

Another finger joined the first, his hand pumping until I instinctively started to grind down on him for more stimulation. I couldn’t hold in the loud moan when his thumb pressed against my clit. Cringing at the sound of myself, knowing our chauffeur would have heard me, I kissed Dante harder, trying to disguise my annoying noises.

He reared back to watch me as I became unglued under his touch, his deep eyes observing what he was doing to me. His finger fucking continued, one of his fingers now curled into my front wall, igniting shots of bliss to vibrate in my blood every time he stroked over the sensitive area inside me. He allowed me to lean into him, my mouth biting down on his shoulder to hide my vocal orgasm when he flicked his thumb over my swollen clit, dragging my climax into the stars. I gripped the seat so hard I was frightened of snapping the plastic when every single nerve ending in my body exploded with ecstasy.

“That’s it baby, sing for me,” he whispered in my ear when I released a long groan of pleasure. I couldn’t help it, it was the only way my body could deal with the overload of gratification Dante always gave me with his touch.

The boat slowed then come to a stop as we pulled into a small jetty. Dante slid his fingers from me then brought them to his mouth and slowly ran his tongue up the two fingers that had been inside me before he slipped them fully between his lips and sucked them. His eyes closed and he sighed almost contentedly. “I’m sure nothing will taste as good as you tonight.” He smiled when he climbed from the boat and held out his hand to help me step clear.

I nodded, a shiver racing through me. I could feel the flush on my cheeks. The dazed look I knew I wore was the reason for the small smile that erupted into a humorous grin on his face. He winked at me as he gripped my hand and led me up the dock. “Now it’s time to feed you.”

I sighed. I had fooled him. We were inland. The boyish grin on his face was such a contradiction to the other side of him, the unpredictable side; yet like this, the playful, happy Dante, made my heart swell in my chest. This is who I could believe I had fallen in love with. However, I blinked and frowned to myself when I realized he’d never told me he loved me. Did he?

The discovery caused me to stumble slightly. Dante grabbed me harder, halting my fall. “Jelly legs?” He laughed.

“Yeah.” I nodded with a forced smile. “Something like that.”

I couldn’t keep my hungry eyes in my head as we meandered up a few streets, the cobbled road under my heels generating a few more stumbles. Dante held me up, his arm secure around my waist.

“Where are we?” I asked as I peered into numerous shop windows. He didn’t answer me and I turned to him. He smiled but still didn’t answer. “Dante, where are we?” I repeated, to be greeted with more silence.

I shook off the anger at his ignorance and continued to keep my attention on the variety of goods adorning the mass of stores along our journey. Large stones, a pretty blue in color with specks of red were displayed in every single window and I assumed it to be specific to the island. Pebble jewelry and ornaments incorporated it. I needed to get online, which Dante had so far refused, to find this stone’s origin.

Dante led me across the road and into a small door. The lighting was subdued, almost too low as we walked through another door. We were welcomed immediately by a tall man in a black suit. “Mr. Troy,” he greeted with what sounded like a French accent, thrusting his hand towards Dante.

I frowned as my gaze roamed the entirety of the room. It was completely empty apart from a couple sat at the back and two men engrossed in conversation at a center table.

“Bernard.” Dante smiled widely, taking the man’s hand in his. “Thank you for doing this.”

“It is my pleasure, sir.” He turned to me with a large toothy smile. “Miss.” He swept a hand out to the side, towards the middle of the room. “If you’d care to follow me, your table is ready.”

Dante pressed a hand to my lower back and directed me after Bernard who led us towards a small round table to the back of the room. It didn’t escape my notice we were also seated away from the front of the restaurant and windows.

A man stood from his table when we passed. Dante stiffened so much I thought his spine was going to snap in two.

“Well, well. Good evening, Troy.” He turned his sneer to me and I shivered. “And your lovely fiancé. Star, isn’t it?” He was mocking me for some reason.

“Yes, sir,” I answered politely. He knew me as Star…

His gaze roamed my body, a sickening smirk on his face. “Out for dinner?”

What the hell was this guy’s problem? What did he think we were doing there?

Dante slid his fingers around my arm. I winced when they tightened to bruising point. “Yes, Davies. Now if you’ll excuse us, we would like our privacy. If we had wanted company, I would have made sure not to alert you to it anyway.”

It was my turn to stiffen this time with Dante’s harsh tone and harsher words.

Fury covered Davies’ face but Dante didn’t wait for him to reply before he continued to lead me over to our own table. I gawped at him but he appeared completely relaxed, smiling at me as he pulled out my chair for me to sit.

After we were seated, Bernard lifted the bottle of champagne out of the bucket on the table and proceeded to fill our glasses before he placed it back in the ice then left us to it. I scanned our surroundings again to check for more people, an exit maybe I could slip out of. I could find somewhere safe and then call Dante to tell him I needed time.

Dante smiled at me over the rim of his glass, and as if sensing my question, he answered before it was asked. “I paid for us to have privacy but Davies. He’s a hanger-on. With you being in the public eye, and because he knows me, he thinks it entitles him to some of the notoriety. He’s a fame hungry vulture.”

Nodding and forcing a smile, I tipped the glass and took a sip of bubbly. It hit my stomach and forced its way back up instantly. I spluttered, coughing like a fool and spitting the yellow liquid all over the table.

Dante shot up, his hand gently slapping my back. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, laughing lightly to hide my embarrassment. “I think it went down the wrong hole.”

He continued to rub my back for a while before he sat back down and stared at me across the table. The conversation was stilted and I gazed around the room, giving my thoughts something other than Dante and Delia to focus on, but they struggled to remain inside me, like the champagne. I snapped my eyes to his and bit the bullet. “Why were you putting your shirt back on when you came out of that building with Delia?”

His eyes widened before they darkened and a small tic twitched furiously in his cheek. He leaned forwards on the table, his fist propping up his chin as he glared at me. “Have you been spying on me, Belle?”

“What? No, the studio window looks directly over that way, I couldn’t really miss it… or the way Delia made sure I saw her slip her panties back up her fucking legs!”

He blinked at me in confusion. “What?”

“Oh, don’t deny it, Dante. I saw you both. The smug bitch made sure she had my attention, a dirty fucking smile on her ugly fucking face as she shimmied them over her legs.”

I lifted my chin proudly. Wow, I was feisty. I liked it.

His confused expression morphed into one of humor. He tipped his head, studying me intently. “I do believe you’re jealous.”

My mouth popped open. “Of course I’m jealous. You’re my fiancé… or so you keep telling me. Forgive me if I’m wrong but I actually thought when you’re marrying someone that makes you kind of exclusive. I’m not into open relationships, Dante. Nor will I ever be!”

I couldn’t work out if he wanted to laugh or smack the living hell out of me. He was silent for a while, his eyes dark and intense, making me squirm as I waited for his reaction. I knew this relationship was far from normal, but shit, any other woman who watched the man they were about to marry walk out of a building putting his shirt back on while a bitch pulled on her panties had a right to be fucking mad.

My body stiffened instinctively when Dante slowly stood up and walked around the table. I kept my body braced for his fury, my eyes fixed on the table as my teeth furiously savaged my bottom lip. I gasped when he dropped to his haunches beside my chair.