Where Darkness Lies

  “Oh?” I stammer.

  “One thing at a time. One hand.”

  I stare at him, confused.

  “I’ll put one hand on you, and you,” he takes a deep breath, “can put one on me.”

  He’s going to let me touch him. The very idea of this excites me to no end. I find myself nodding without thinking it through. I don’t need to think it through. Feeling Dimitri is something I’ve thought so much about. I stretch my hand out to him and I can see his skin almost ripple as it gets closer—this is because he’s flinching a great deal. I gently lay my fingertips on his side and I just leave them there.

  He reaches across, placing his fingers in the exact same area of my body that mine are on his. He’s giving me charge. I slowly lean in again, pressing my lips to his. He lets me, opening his mouth to my needy tongue. When our kiss is heated again, I run my fingers down his side just slightly. I can feel his kiss falter, but he doesn’t stop me. He just follows the same path with his fingers. My skin breaks out as they lightly graze my body.

  I reach the hem of his shirt and I hesitate. I want to take this further, I want to feel him, but I’m terrified. So scared that the moment we take it that step too far, I’ll break. I close my eyes, pulling my lips from his and resting my forehead against his. He’s panting, I can feel puffs of it blowing out against my cheek.

  “Are you okay?” I whisper.

  “Yeah.”

  I don’t know if that’s a go-ahead or not, but I give it a test. I grip the hem of his shirt and I slowly lift it. I move my head back just a touch and watch his eyes as I lift the shirt up to his chest. He’s got them closed and his jaw is tight. He moves, though, allowing me to raise it by lifting his arms. He helps me with the last part of it, and he flicks it onto the floor. Then he takes the hem of mine. I swallow and let him raise it over my head.

  I can see my own chest rising and falling as his eyes lower to my breasts. They’re covered by a lacey bra that actually does good things for my cleavage. My skin looks so pale next to his beautifully bronzed skin. I lift my eyes to his and see he’s now watching me, his expression completely unreadable. I place my trembling fingers back on his side, feeling his warmth radiating through them. He sucks in a breath and stares at me with a pained expression.

  “No one has touched my bare skin since . . .”

  “Since what?” I whisper.

  I know Dimitri was beaten when Hendrix left him at a young age, but I have never been told what else happened. I’m sure, though, without a doubt, that he was assaulted in some way. I just don’t know how. There’s a reason he’s this level of fucked up—I knew it from the moment I met him because I could see behaviors in him that I had in myself after it all happened.

  “Nothing. It’s just been a long time.”

  “Dimi . . .”

  “Jess, don’t.”

  I won’t argue with him. If he doesn’t want to tell me, then he doesn’t have to. I know better than anyone that pushing something like that never ends well.

  “Are you okay with my hand on you?” I whisper.

  He nods, reaching across and stroking my side. “And you?”

  “Yes, Dimi.”

  He gives me a half-smile. “I love the sound of your voice when you call me Dimi.”

  “How so?”

  “It changes. You say it with a gentle tone.”

  I smile and flatten my palm onto his side. He flinches but he doesn’t stop me.

  “What now?” I ask, swallowing.

  “I wanna touch you, Jess. I want my mouth on you in places that have been on my mind for weeks. I want my body inside yours. I want it all, but I want it all with you wanting it as much.”

  “I want it,” I admit. “I’m just . . . I’m scared.”

  He nods and I can see he understands. “How about we just keep goin’ like this, yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Goin’ to touch you more now, baby, because my hands don’t wanna stay still and it’s takin’ everything I am to hold them back.”

  I nod, moving my hand down and over his chest. His body is still tense beneath my touch but he allows it. I can feel the muscles under his skin. They’re hard, powerful, and completely arousing. Just looking at them has me wanting to roll over and climb on top of him, just so I can see them move. My thoughts are ripped from me when his fingers slide up and over my bra. I shiver.

  His fingers graze me ever so slightly, before he gently cups one of my breasts into his hand. I whimper and swallow, staring into his eyes, which haven’t left mine. He moves closer, sliding his hand around behind me and finding the clasp. My heart begins to pound and I begin panting. I’ve never . . . never been exposed willingly to a man. I’m terrified.

  “Dimi,” I whisper and his fingers pause immediately. “I’m afraid.”

  “If you want me to stop, I’ll stop.”

  “No,” I say, my voice trembling. “I . . .”

  “Your voice is trembling, sweetheart.”

  Sweetheart.

  I take a deep breath and say, “It’s okay. Please, don’t stop.”

  He gently unclips my bra and it slips off quickly. He unhooks it from my arms and then tosses it onto the ground. Then he stares down at me. His eyes are on my breasts for a solid three minutes before he reaches out and gently strokes his thumb over my nipple. I jerk and he stops immediately.

  “Don’t stop,” I rasp.

  It feels so . . . nice. I never imagined how it would feel to have someone touch my breasts. Roger, thankfully, only ever took what he wanted—which was sex—before leaving. He never touched the other parts of my body, so I guess this is one of the parts that isn’t tainted by his evil.

  He gently takes my nipple between his thumb and forefinger and he rolls it. I gasp as little bolts of pleasure shoot down my spine, through my belly and into my sex. Oh. My. I see little bumps breaking out over my skin as pleasure takes over. I close my eyes. My hand is still resting against his chest. He rolls my nipple again and I find myself curving toward him.

  Then I feel him shift. I don’t open my eyes until I feel a warm mouth close over my nipple. Then they pop open and I stare down at the thick mass of dark hair. I gently reach out and tangle my fingers in it, then I drop my head back and moan as he flicks the top of my nipple with his tongue, circling it, occasionally nipping it and doing other wonderful things until my sex is clenching so hard it’s almost painful.

  “Dimi,” I gasp. “E-e-e-enough.”

  He pulls his mouth from my nipple and looks up at me. His lips are wet and so beautifully red. Oh. I want them. I reach down, running my thumb over his bottom lip. “It’s my turn.”

  His brows raise. “You’re going to lick my nipples?”

  I burst out laughing.

  “No,” I giggle hysterically. “I meant to touch you.”

  He chuckles and lies down. I notice the peak in his pants and my eyes widen. Whoa. I knew he was not lacking down below but . . . wow. His pants are really straining.

  “Did you want a picture?”

  I jerk my eyes up and smile sheepishly. “Oh . . . I . . .”

  “Baby,” he murmurs with a grin. “If you want to stare at my cock, then you can stare at my cock.”

  Oh.

  Wow.

  Hearing him use the word cock has all that clenching starting back up again. I lean forward, sick of waiting, ready to take the plunge. I press my lips to his neck and he stiffens. “Baby, not there.”

  I move them quickly, moving them up his jaw instead. This seems to please him, because he lets out a deep groan. When I reach his lips, I crush mine against his. His hand moves to my hip, curling his fingers around it and tugging me toward him. He deepens the kiss, while his fingers move over my shorts. He reaches for the button in front and flips it open quickly.

  “Get them off,” he orders.

  I nod and shift out of my shorts until it’s just me in my panties. “You too,” I breathe.

  “I’ve got nothing on underne
ath.”

  “I don’t care,” I murmur. “Off.”

  He jerks his pants down and off, and I hear my own loud gasp. Wow, holy shit, wow. Dimitri naked is . . . shit . . . wow. There are no other words. He’s a mass of corded muscle, bronze skin, and lickable abs. I let my eyes travel down to his cock, and my heart begins to pound. I was right, he’s not lacking down below. His fingers curl around my hip and bring me back closer to him.

  His mouth finds mine again as his fingers begin to travel over my body, down my breasts, over my hips, around my thighs, and back up again. I’m aching for him after a matter of minutes and I push my body closer, giving him an indication that I want more. I need more. He slides his lips away from my mouth and lets them travel down my jaw and neck. He reaches my collarbone and sucks gently on it.

  “I want you to . . . touch me, Dimi. Please.”

  He makes me a rumbling sound against my chest as he moves down.

  “On it, baby.”

  He slides farther, pressing his mouth against my breasts again, warming them right back up before moving lower down. He presses kisses to my belly as he continues down to my pubic bone. I can feel his warm breath against my sex and I bite my lower lip, feeling a mix of emotions. Fear, arousal, uncertainty . . .

  “Say stop, I’ll stop. Do you hear me?”

  I nod, even though he can’t see it.

  “Baby?”

  “Y-y-yes.”

  “Spread your legs, darlin’.”

  My legs are trembling as I let them fall open. Oh God, oh . . .

  “Wider.”

  I let them just fall to the sides, holding nothing back. Dimitri growls his appreciation and lowers his mouth to my exposed sex. The moment his warm lips touch my pussy, I gasp. It’s something I’d never imagined in my wildest fantasies. He curls his arms around my legs and uses that leverage to pull my pussy closer to his mouth. His tongue slides between my folds and flicks my clit.

  My back arches as a sudden bolt of pleasure radiates through my body.

  “D-D-Dimi,” I gasp. “Oh God.”

  He sucks my clit into his mouth deeply, before continuing to flick it with his tongue. His breath is warm against my flesh and his arms are tight around my thighs. The whole experience is exhilarating. I never want it to end. He lifts his hand and brings his fingers up, sliding them around my entrance. My body stiffens the moment he slips one in.

  “Dimi,” I cry out. “I . . . I don’t . . .”

  He removes his finger and lifts his head, looking directly at me. “Won’t hurt you baby, but if you don’t want it, then we aren’t gonna do it.”

  I stare at him, my chest rising and falling, my body wound up to the absolute max. I trust him, I know he won’t hurt me. I also know I don’t want to spend the rest of my life being afraid. He’s not Roger. He is not Roger.

  “I want you to,” I whisper.

  His eyes scan my face, but he nods and moves back down, closing his mouth over my clit once more. His fingers dance around my entrance, stroking and sliding, before he slowly presses one inside. My back arches again and I grit my teeth. It’s Dimitri. Dimitri. He curls his finger and I feel him stroke over that soft bundle of nerves that has my body coming alive.

  It’s Dimitri. Yes. It’s Dimitri.

  He slides his finger in and out while his mouth continues to consume me. I get to the point where my body is trembling and my eyes are rolling backwards as I feel an explosion hanging on the edge. With one final flick of Dimitri’s tongue and a thrust of his finger, I’m coming. Oh. I’m coming. I cry out his name and my body jerks with each beautiful burst of release that travels through my body.

  Before I know what’s happening, Dimitri has slid his body back up mine and is settled between my legs. I can feel his cock poking against me, ready, wanting. I feel my body tighten and I shake my head from side to side. “Dimi . . .”

  “It’s okay,” he murmurs against my neck as he nuzzles in. “Slowly, remember?”

  I swallow and clutch the sheets beside me. His cock is pressing tightly against me, causing just a touch of pressure within my core. He strokes a finger down my cheek. “I love the pink in your cheeks right now.”

  “I didn’t know you could do such good things with your tongue.”

  He smiles, showing me that adorable dimple. “You just wait until I show you what I can do with the rest of my body.”

  I shake my head, grinning. “Cocky much?”

  He rotates his hips letting me know he’s right there, ready. “Oh yeah.”

  “Hmmmm,” I murmur, reaching up and splaying my fingers against his chest. “What does the tattoo mean?”

  He stares down at the tattoo, causing his thick hair to tickle my face. I giggle. He looks back up at me with a lazy half-grin. “Something funny?”

  “Your hair,” I say, reaching up and tugging it softly.

  “Yeah, no idea why I keep it long.”

  “I like it.”

  He tucks a hand under my hip and snuggles us closer. “Mmmmm.”

  “The tattoo?” I whisper.

  “It’s just a symbol of my struggles.”

  I nod, figuring he doesn’t want to say much more, so I don’t push.

  The phone by the bedside rings, making us both turn our heads and look at it quizzically. “Who would be ringing you now?” he asks.

  I shrug. “I don’t know.”

  My heart flutters. I hope it’s not Hendrix. I shift from underneath Dimi and with a sigh, he rolls off. I reach over for the phone and answer it. “Um, hello?”

  “Dimi with you, Jess?”

  It’s Luke.

  “Oh, Luke, hey. Yeah, he is.”

  “Throw him on?”

  I hand the phone to Dimitri, who takes it and presses it against his ear. He’s got a sheet up to his hips, but it’s pitching one hell of a tent. I smile and flush.

  “Yeah?” Dimitri says down the phone.

  He listens for a second and then sighs.

  “Right, I’ll be there in an hour.”

  He hangs the phone up and rolls to me. “I got another fight.”

  “But . . . you just had one,” I say, pointing to his bruising eye.

  He shrugs. “It’ll be fine. I gotta go.”

  I nod, but I can’t help my frown.

  He raises a brow. “You goin’ to come with me?”

  I look up at him as he gets out of the bed and leans down, pulling his pants back on.

  “I-is he going to be there?”

  He gives me a gentle look. “I don’t know.”

  “Do you trust me here?”

  “Should I trust you here?” he throws back, but he’s not being nasty about it.

  “I’m not going to leave you, Dimi,” I say softly.

  He stares at me for a long moment. “I’ll send Luke over. He can wait in the lobby.”

  “You don’t trust me,” I sigh.

  He doesn’t answer me, how can he? The fact is, he doesn’t trust me. Why would he? In his eyes, I’m still here against my will.

  “Just want you protected,” he murmurs. “I’ll be back in a few hours. We’ll spend the night and then head back to my house in the morning.”

  “We’re going back to your house?”

  He nods. “Got more fights.”

  I sigh but I don’t bother arguing. “Okay.”

  He cups my chin and tilts my head up, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

  “I won’t be long.”

  He pulls out a cellphone as he’s jerking his shirt on, and I hear him ordering Luke to head over. Then he turns to me.

  “He’s coming over now—he’ll get here the same time that I get there. You’ll only be alone an hour.”

  “It’s fine. You didn’t need to bring him over at all.”

  He tugs on his boots and nods to my phone sitting on the bedside table. “You need me, use it.”

  I nod.

  He looks hard at me, and I know the expression on my face is that of disappointment. For more
reasons than one. The first is that he’s leaving. The second is that he’s still fighting for information.

  “A few hours.”

  I don’t bother nodding. I just get out of the bed and head into the bathroom.

  “Later, Dimi.”

  I hear him sigh and leave the room.

  That didn’t go how I planned.

  Not at all.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Dimitri

  Boss, you should know we got some information on Jess tonight.”

  I turn to Peter, my second in charge for the night. He’s not much older than me, but he’s a damned loyal worker.

  “Hit me with it.” I say, walking to my locker and opening it.

  “After she ran, you know, obviously, you sent someone after her. He had problems communicating back. That’s why we’re only getting the information now. He said he had troubles with his phone.”

  I don’t entirely know if that’s true. Ted, the man I sent after the cab she jumped in, isn’t the most reliable of sources. The fucker probably didn’t even take his phone.

  “Anyway, he contacted us just after you left to return here. He gave us a big bullshit story as to why it took so long, but that’s not important. He said he got to the hotel just after Jess, because his driver had to do a lap of the block to get a parking spot. She was already inside by the time he managed to find somewhere to park. He said he waited, unable to call it in because of his phone. He said about an hour after he sat, someone came out of the hotel.”

  “Someone?” I ask, strapping my knuckles.

  “Boss,” he hesitates. “He said he saw Hendrix come out.”

  My entire body jerks. Hendrix? Fucking Hendrix?

  “What the motherfuck was that cunt doing there?”

  He shakes his head. “I don’t know, he just said it was most definitely him.”

  He was in her room with her. She saw him. Everything in my body turns to ice. I just gave her a part of myself and she was with Hendrix. God, I’m such a fucking idiot. She’s probably plotting with him. It’s why she’s not leaving, why she’s not running. It’s how she got the fucking hotel room.

  Anger boils over and I drive my fist into the locker so hard a massive dint appears straightaway. Blood trickles out of a split in my knuckles and the throbbing pain doesn’t ease the one forming in my heart.