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  “I didn’t call you to gripe me out, Shane. ”

  “Great. Now you’re even sounding like a teenager. ”

  “Dammit! Listen to me! I called because I know I can count on you to be there for me when I need it. Can you please just help without making me feel worse than I already do?”

  Before Shane could respond there was a banging sound, like someone pounding on her windows, followed by Lia’s scream, and then the line went dead. Shane immediately redialed but the phone just rang until it went to voice mail. The sound of her sweet and cheery recorded voice quickly soured his stomach as visions of what could be happening to her clouded his mind.

  Terror engulfed him as he pushed the gas to the floor and sped from town. He almost passed the gravel road, and then nearly spun into the ditch when he yanked his wheel to the right and took the corner at ninety miles an hour.

  His car would never again be the same after the way he flew down the gravel road, destroying his shocks. He couldn’t care less. The car was replaceable — Lia wasn’t.

  It felt like forever before Shane found the dilapidated barn with screaming music filtering through its shabby walls. Throwing his car into park and jumping out, he was overcome with anxiety as he eyed the place, unsure of where to start his hunt for Lia. She could be anywhere.

  Hoping for a miracle, he barreled through the seemingly endless miles of empty vehicles, his ears not missing a single sound around him as he dialed Lia’s number again and again. The farther he was from the barn, the easier it was to hear. He kept hitting resend when his call reached voice mail, hoping Lia still had the phone on her even if she couldn’t answer.

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  With every minute that passed, his stomach tightened further at the thought of what might be happening to her. His mind perversely recalled many horrifying stories he’d watched on crime shows, and he grew even more frantic in his pursuit. When he thought he’d searched everywhere and was just getting ready to call in the cavalry, he heard a slight chirping noise like that of a ringtone, and then he picked up voices. What they said lashed him into a fury.

  “Come on, baby. You know you want to. Everyone comes to these parties to get high and get laid. ”

  “If you don’t stop now, my boyfriend is going to pound the crap out of you when he gets here!”

  Shane rushed in the direction of Lia’s voice just in time to see her head whip back as some ass**le slugged her. She slumped over and another guy reached for his pants. Her clothes were ripped and Shane prayed she hadn’t been raped already.

  Rage leading him, Shane rushed forward and knocked two of the four guys out before they even knew he was there. When the other two saw his face, they immediately retreated, leaving their friends to take their punishment.

  As much as Shane wanted to bloody the two remaining guys and go after the would-be-rapists now scurrying away, he couldn’t fight the innate urge to help Lia first. Her body lay crumpled on the ground and blood was seeping from her cut lip.

  His anger fought to be released, but Shane tucked it away as he gently lifted Lia in his arms and began moving toward his car.

  “Shane? I knew you’d come,” Lia whispered as her eyes cracked open. Her hand lifted to his face and rubbed his prickly stubble.

  He knew her faith in him was unwarranted — he wasn’t the hero she thought he was. Too many dark secrets from his past still haunted him. He acted carefree most of the time — it was how he survived.

  “Take it easy, Lia. I don’t know what you’ve ingested. We’re going to the ER. ”

  “No. Take me home, Shane. You can give me your own special tender loving care,” she pleaded as her hand moved down to his neck and rubbed the top of his chest.

  How much was he supposed to withstand? Shane had to remind himself that this wasn’t just any woman; this was his best friend’s sister. Rafe had already been betrayed by one of his best friends. Shane was worried that if he fooled around with Lia, Rafe would never trust anyone again.

  “I can’t, Lia. Rafe would kill us both. ”

  “I really don’t want to hear my brother’s name when I’m picturing you stripping my clothes off,” she replied with a flirtatious giggle.

  With tremendous relief, Shane reached his car and carefully placed Lia in the passenger seat. While bending across her to secure her seat belt, she reached out and grabbed his head, catching him off guard and pulling until her lips whispered over his.

  Shane tried to pull back, but the sweet taste of Lia’s mouth on his tongue melted his resolve. He pressed harder against her until she let out a cry. Only then did he remember her cut and bruised lip.

  “I’m sorry, Lia. That shouldn’t have happened. ”

  “Much more should happen, Shane. I know you want me, and I — it’s just that my lip is throbbing, and my head is about to explode,” she responded, cringing.

  Shane gently shut the door, hoping to minimize the sound, and rushed around to the driver’s side. Jumping into the car, he started the engine and made his way more carefully back down the gravel road. He wanted to get her to the hospital as quickly as possible, but didn’t want the jarring road to make her feel worse.

  Halfway down the road, Lia’s hand crept over to his thigh, making him hit the gas too hard and causing him to swerve into a bush before he managed to gain control over the vehicle again.

  “If you want us to make it to town in one piece, don’t do that, Lia,” Shane groaned through his tightly locked jaw.

  He was worse than slime to be lusting after his best friend’s sister, especially when she was not only hurt, but also obviously drugged. Shane figured there was a special place waiting for him in the depths of hell if he didn’t pull himself together.

  He didn’t want to ask, but he needed to know whether the men had done anything other than rip her clothes and slug her in the face. Trying to hold back the bile rising in his throat, he looked over before speaking.

  “Lia, did they…um, did I get there in time?” he asked hoarsely, unable to say what he feared.

  It took a moment for her to understand, then her eyes widened as she seemed to realize the amount of danger she’d placed herself in.

  “Yes, you did, Shane,” she whispered before turning away. The fear in his gut wouldn’t dissipate. What if she was lying to him out of embarrassment?

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  “You know you can tell me the truth, right?”

  When Lia didn’t respond, Shane looked over and found her passed out against his seat. With new urgency, he floored the gas as soon as he was on solid pavement again. He couldn’t reach the hospital fast enough.

  Chapter Five

  Ari didn’t want to feel the sweet anticipation of what was to come, but she couldn’t control her hormones. She wanted to hate Rafe, she even planned to hate him, but as he opened the door to their suite, all she felt was lust — pure unadulterated lust.

  How far she’d fallen from the prim, repressed, bookish female she’d been not a year ago, someone who’d worried that she might be frigid. He’d opened a door that she couldn’t shut no matter how hard she tried, and now it seemed her appetite was insatiable. The clicking of the hotel room door made her jump. They were all alone for the first time since she’d set foot on that jet. Nerves began to take complete mastery over her body as she made her way across the entryway into the huge living room area.

  Her tiny apartment wouldn’t fill even a quarter of the space of the giant suite. Ari understood Rafe’s desire to have the best in life, but wasn’t this a bit pretentious for a temporary visit? Sheesh!

  Yet the huge windows were calling her name as she made her way across the plush carpet, and she couldn’t contain a gasp at the view. Central Park!

  Especially after her mother’s grave injuries and then near-fatal cancer, this was a place Ari had thought she’d see only in the movies. And yet, here she was, almost in tou
ching distance. She noticed a telescope to her right and quickly put the eyepiece over her eye, clueless to what she’d see, but not caring. She just wanted to feel truly in New York City for the first time.

  Ari squinted as she peered out at the park and to her delight saw a few people strolling down the walk, several couples walking hand in hand, and a group of kids with glow sticks all over their clothes performing a dance. She wanted to run down the stairs and join in, but she knew there was no way Rafe was leaving the room now.

  *****

  Rafe watched with amusement as Ari’s enthusiasm for a city he’d been to numerous times practically leaped off her. She pivoted from one foot to the other, and held on tightly to the telescope as she did her best to see everything at once. After pouring himself a glass of bourbon, he sat on the couch and watched her play with the telescope until she was satisfied with the settings.

  He found himself smiling when she gasped over something she’d spotted. What was it that she found so fascinating? She had piqued his curiosity, but he stayed seated. He had big plans for them that night, and he needed to take a few minutes to calm himself.

  If he took her too soon, his pleasure would end far too quickly, and he certainly didn’t want that. Considering how well she responded to him, they could play all night and it still wouldn’t be enough. He drank the amber liquid, enjoying the burn as it glided down his throat and entered his bloodstream. But not even the potent liquor was helping him tamp down his raging lust.

  His patience was up. He needed to take Ari — and he needed her to know he was in charge from here on out.

  “Ari. ” He left no doubt by the command in his voice that he wanted, and expected, her attention. Now. Pleasure filled him as she let go of the telescope and slowly turned around, her expressive eyes widening at the unveiled desire in his own.

  He had not a single doubt as he watched her quiver before him: she could fight him all she wanted, but in the end she was his to command — and pleasure.

  *****

  “Come closer. ”

  Everything in Ari told her to resist. She couldn’t allow herself to cave in so easily to Rafe, but wasn’t that the point? He had to exert his dominance. If she fought him, she’d only lose — and even worse, she’d end up aching.

  With a steadying breath, she took a step toward him, and then another. Soon she stood only five feet from where Rafe was lounging on the couch, her nerves stretched thin as she waited for what was to come next.

  “I want you to strip for me. Start with your skirt, then your top. Leave on your bra, panties and heels. I want to admire your body with only a few pieces of lace concealing your most feminine areas. ”

  Tremors shook Ari at the husky sound of his voice. An overwhelming shyness fell upon her as she gazed at him. The room was well lit, the curtains open. She couldn’t just strip down to nothing in full view. She was horrified at the thought.

  “Ari, I don’t like repeating myself,” he said firmly.

  With trembling fingers, Ari reached for the buttons on her skirt. It took a few fumbling tries, but she managed to get the small pearl circles through the holes and loosen the top of the dark blue garment. With no flourish, she released the loose material and it floated down her body to land at her feet. She kicked it away, then reached for the top button on her blouse.

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  The darkening of Rafe’s eyes as she undid that button and the next gave her the confidence to continue. He shifted on the couch as his desire escalated visibly and violently and his body hardened. Her small striptease was turning him on, and that knowledge sent heat flooding to her core.

  She shouldn’t want to please him, but the look of admiration in his eyes was a huge stroke to her ego. He desired her — wanted her — thought her body was something special.

  As the trembling in her fingers ceased, Ari dealt with the rest of the row of buttons and parted her blouse, then shrugged her shoulders, letting the light material fall first down one arm, then the other. With a slight tug, she pulled the shirt free and tossed it over her skirt.

  Unsure of what she was supposed to do next, Ari waited for Rafe’s instructions. As his eyes moved down her body, resting upon her br**sts, stomach and thighs, heat continued to build. She felt her ni**les harden, the sensitive peaks begging to be touched. Her panties became damp, her core readying itself for his large arousal to fill her once again.

  “Very good, Ari. You are flawless in every single respect. The swell of your br**sts, the womanly curve of your hips, the roundness of your sweet ass are all perfect. I could take you over and over again and still not get enough. ”

  His words should have offended her, but they were melting her from the inside out. She’d never imagined that someone could so completely desire her, and yet here Rafe was staring at her as if she were the most delectable dish known to man.

  “Take off the bra,” he said, his voice low and urgent.

  Reaching for the clasp in the front, Ari slowly unclipped it, then felt a rush of relief as the bra parted and she felt the straps loosen on her shoulders. Holding the material to her chest with one hand, she reached up and slid one strap down before switching hands and taking down the other side. Never before had the mundane task of unhooking her bra become such an erotic sensation as it was while she was displaying her na**d charms to Rafe. When the soft material fell from her body, she was left there shaking as she stood before him in nothing but a small piece of black lace and three-inch black heels.

  Though the look in his eyes made her feel sexy, she still had to fight the impulse to lift her arms and cover herself. The longer he gazed at her in silence, the more self-conscious she became. She didn’t know how much longer she could just stand there.

  “Raise your hands and cup your br**sts — feeling their weight. ”

  “What?” She couldn’t do that!

  “Now, Ari! Don’t question me. Hesitation is a prequel to punishment. I find satisfaction in watching your hands slide over the mounds of your br**sts. I want to see you pinch your ni**les between your fingers. Do this while slowly walking toward me. Keep your hands in place while you climb onto my lap and straddle me. ”

  Ari was frozen, her hands stiff at her sides, as she waited for him to tell her he was just kidding. Yet he didn’t break the stare as he waited for her to fulfill his command.

  With her stomach on fire, Ari timidly lifted her hands, her fingers grazing her quivering belly as they crept upward. When she reached the underside of her br**sts, she paused. This was wrong — so wrong. She wasn’t supposed to try to pleasure herself.

  As her hands started moving up and over the curve of her br**sts, his eyes lit, fire practically leaping from their deep purple depths. The look of unadulterated lust in his expression gave her the courage to continue, to reach down and find her inner harlot — something she’d read that all women had buried deep inside, though it took a certain man to bring it out. Rafe was exactly that kind of man. To discover this of herself brought such sexual confidence, she almost didn’t recognize who had taken over her body.

  She covered her br**sts, lifting and squeezing as he’d demanded. Her head tilted back as her palms brushed her sensitive mounds and caused the ache in her core to pulse. A moan escaped her tight throat as desire flooded her body.

  Moving her fingers, Ari circled her dusky pink ni**les and pinched, sending more heat through her body as she opened her eyes and moved forward. Oh, this felt good. As much as she wanted his hands on her, the feeling of touching herself while he watched was unbelievably pleasurable.

  She gently squeezed her br**sts and pressed them together as she reached him, her legs bumping his knees. His eyes were dilated and almost black as desire clouded his vision. Without any more hesitation, Ari scooted forward, straddling his lap as she sat down and continued to massage her aching br**sts.

  “Now, move one hand down and touch your heat. Lean back
and rub your very core. I want to look in your eyes as the pressure builds inside you,” he whispered, his voice hoarse.

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  Ari didn’t hesitate this time. His hands gripped her back as she leaned into the strength of his arms while she moved her hand down her stomach and inside the lace of her thong. Wetness flooded the area, making it easy for her finger to circle the aching bud where so many nerve endings converged. She rubbed the spot, her pleasure quickly rising, and her h*ps surged forward, seeking Rafe.

  Just as she felt herself nearing orgasm, Rafe gripped her hand and pulled it away. She groaned in frustration — she was so close.

  “Very good, Ari. You are supremely sensual. There are many desires in you just waiting to be set free,” Rafe said in praise before taking her finger inside his mouth and sucking on it. Ari’s h*ps ground against his hardened arousal, needing this game to stop and for him to satisfy what felt like an unquenchable thirst.

  “Please, Rafe. I’ve done what you asked. Please don’t leave me like this,” she begged.

  Rafe pulled her forward and took her lips. This wasn’t a slow, sensual meeting of mouths. It was hunger — possession — greed. He reached down and shifted his clothes, freeing his solid length before rapidly sheathing it, and then quickly ripping away the last barrier of her panties. He surged up inside her as his breath exploded from his lungs.

  “Ride me, Ari,” he called as his hands gripped her hips.

  Ari grabbed hold of his shoulders and her body took over as she began moving up and down on his thick shaft, in and out. She was so close to leaping over the edge. It wouldn’t take much at all. She didn’t want this to end, but she didn’t know how to prolong it.

  “Yes, Ari. Faster. You feel so good — a perfect fit. ” Rafe’s voice was strained with need and he lowered his head taking one of her peaked ni**les into his mouth, sucking it hard.

  “Rafe…” she screamed as the pleasure built higher and higher.

  “Let go, Ari,” he demanded as he pulled her tightly against his chest, while grabbing her h*ps and taking over the movement. He thrust hard inside her, pounding her wet heat as he groaned in pleasure.