Marcus
It hadn’t been difficult to get tickets to the charity event being held in Miami Beach at some fancy club I’d never been to before. All I’d had to do was cough up the required money for a ticket, and I gained my entrance into the exclusive gathering, the place where Gregory Becker would come through the door momentarily with his date. I wasn’t interested in him at the moment. I was here because Danica was apparently coming here with him tonight.
Obviously, she wasn’t prepared to listen to my advice, so I was going to have to be more assertive and clear about her staying away from Becker.
Goddammit! Why did she have to be so damn stubborn? What hold did Becker have over her? I refused to acknowledge that she might actually like the asshole.
I looked around the ballroom, a venue that was rapidly filling up with guests. I’d grabbed a table that gave me a perfect view of the only entrance to the room, and I’d already tossed back more than one glass of Scotch while I’d been waiting.
George had driven me here, and he’d be waiting for me whenever I left, which I hoped would be soon. The large space was air conditioned, but the humidity was ruthless, and my tuxedo was starting to become uncomfortable as the place started to get overcrowded with guests.
Yeah, I’d attended plenty of these events, but I wasn’t usually attending because I was pissed at a hot redhead who wouldn’t listen to my warnings. I generally had a reason to come to a formal affair. Otherwise, I just sent a check to my charities and they were perfectly happy.
My blood pressure rose as Becker finally strolled through the door, looking just as pretentious as he had the few times we’d met in the past. But my hypertension was being caused by the woman he was manhandling, his arms around Danica’s waist like he fucking owned her.
If anybody owns her, it’s me!
My random thought startled the hell out of me. I wasn’t a possessive kind of guy, and I’d never wanted a woman all to myself. Sure, I had my share of liaisons with women. My sexual appetite had always been healthy. Well, it had been before I went and kissed an angel who made me feel all kinds of bizarre emotions I’d never experienced before.
Really, I didn’t want to own her, right? That was just sick and twisted.
Maybe own wasn’t a good word, because I had no desire to control her other than moving her away from danger. Okay. Yeah. I didn’t want another man touching her either.
After watching Dani for a few more seconds, I decided I was definitely sick and twisted when it came to her. The desire to punch Becker out and drag Dani away from him was still as strong as it had been when they’d walked through the door. Maybe worse!
It didn’t help as my eyes roamed over Dani’s form. I knew her well enough to recognize that her appearance wasn’t really her usual style. The black dress she was wearing was a formal, but it had a figure-hugging design, and the hem landed well above her knees. Once again, she was wearing a ridiculously high pair of stiletto heels that were black, and I had to pull my mind out of the gutter as I wondered what kind of lingerie she was wearing under that cock teaser of a dress.
Her hair was in a sleek bob, the black dress enhancing the red of those bouncy strands. I had no idea what was up with the heavy makeup she was wearing. From what I’d observed, she didn’t seem like the type to layer makeup onto her skin. She certainly didn’t need it to be fuckable. Really, all she needed to do was breathe and my dick was hard. I was pretty sure any guy with a healthy sex drive would feel the same way.
I motioned for a waiter to bring me another Scotch. I desperately needed it now that I’d seen Dani with Becker.
I watched as the couple progressed around the room, Dani quietly staying by Becker’s side, the expression on her face not quite what I’d expect from a woman who was excited to be with her date. Her smile was weak and unnatural, and her demeanor was submissive, something I knew damn well wasn’t normal.
The event was crowded and she’d never noticed my presence, which was just what I’d wanted. I’d situated myself that way purposely. I could watch her, but she wasn’t seeing me.
Over the last year, I’d become damn good at stalking her undetected, which was something I wasn’t exactly proud of, but I’d accepted the fact that I couldn’t lose the overwhelming desire to protect her. The tendency was much too strong— even for me—to stuff back down and ignore.
Eventually, they moved to the bar. Becker shoved some pink and fluffy drink at Dani, and he accepted what I assumed was some kind of gin from the bartender.
It seemed like Becker was doing all the talking, because she was just nodding obligingly back at him with the same false smile.
Finally, she put her drink on the bar and then headed off alone. It was the moment I’d waited for and I discreetly followed her.
Because I’d been watching women coming in and out of the restroom, I had to wait for the last female I’d seen go in to exit again before I entered.
Dani was drying her hands by the time I plowed through the door.
She took a superficial look at me. But within a blink of an eye, her gaze snapped back to me again with astonishment. “Marcus? What in the hell are you doing here? And you can’t be in here. It’s the ladies’ room.”
I didn’t care where we were. Everyone was out of the restroom, and I needed to talk to her. I crossed my arms as I leaned against the counter. She wasn’t going anywhere. “There’s nobody else in here. Why are you with him, Danica? I warned you about Becker. I’m not here for no reason. He’s dangerous.”
“And I remember telling you that I wasn’t about to heed your warning, Marcus,” she answered tightly.
She tried to duck around me after she dried her hands, but failed miserably.
I moved to block her exit. “What is it with you and Becker? Does he have some kind of control over you? Because I sure as hell don’t believe you’re enjoying yourself.”
She shrugged. “He’s hot. He’s rich. Plenty of women want to be with him.”
My calm resolve was beginning to waver. I pinned her against the granite vanity where the sinks were located, preventing her escape. “That’s bullshit, Dani, and we both know it.” I swiped my hand against her cheek. “How many layers of makeup are you wearing?”
“Greg likes me to wear it like this,” she protested, pushing against my chest. “And it doesn’t matter to me.”
“What in the hell do you need from him that you aren’t getting? What is he doing for you? You told me you weren’t sleeping with him.”
“I’m not. But maybe I want to be with him,” she answered angrily. “What in the hell does it matter to you?”
My ability to think rationally was challenged, and I was so incensed at the idea that she might want to sleep with Becker that I threaded a hand through that sleek, sexy red hair and lowered my head, my mouth crashing down on hers.
I wasn’t gentle with her, but I could be. Dammit! She belonged in my bed and not Becker’s. Never Becker’s! I’d give her whatever the hell she needed to get away from that asshole.
I felt the exact moment she gave in to the kiss, her body melting against mine and her arms twining around my neck.
Any sense of reason I had was gone as I lifted my head, my breath sawing in and out of my lungs like I’d just run a marathon. Fuck! I could not resist this woman for some unknown reason. I wanted to claim her as mine, but I sure as hell couldn’t do it here.
My hands stroked down her back and landed on her shapely ass. I kissed the sensitive skin of her neck as I lifted her short skirt in a damn frenzy.
My cock was rock-hard as I realized she was wearing very little under her dress. Just a tiny pair of panties and a garter belt to hold up those sheer stockings.
Her breathless moan of pure desire almost made me come undone as my hand moved between her thighs, where my fingers met her silken heat below her barely there panties.
“Does he make you feel this, Danica?” I asked demandingly, watching her head fall back as I stroked through her wet folds and teased the tiny bundle of nerves that was practically begging to be touched.
“Marcus. Somebody could come in here,” she said, panting.
The throaty, needy tone of her voice as she said my name made my cock throb painfully.
I ignored it. This wasn’t about me…
However, she was right about being too exposed, so I quickly yanked her into one of the stalls and closed the door. The upscale bathroom cubicle provided full enclosure except for overhead. It offered more privacy, yet I’d still be able to hear if somebody entered.
Dani’s back was against the wooden wall, her expression raw and confused.
I stroked her cheek. “Does that turn you on, Dani? The thought that you might get caught while you come?”
She was adventurous. I knew that. And I honestly didn’t give a damn if she was screaming my name when somebody entered. Hell, I’d welcome anybody who would know that she was mine.
“No, that’s crazy,” she said tremulously.
“Is it?” I asked, my fingers on her pussy again.
Her head slammed back against the wood, but she didn’t seem to notice. “Oh, God. Why are you doing this?”
“Because I want you as much as you want me, Danica. I don’t want Becker touching you. I want it to be me who makes you come every damn time,” I rasped against the side of her neck.
My touch was firm on her clit, but not enough to send her over the edge. I was enjoying watching her pleasure too much for this to be over quickly.
“Why? Why me?” Her voice was quivering with raw passion.
“I have no fucking idea, but I really don’t care anymore,” I answered in a graveled voice.
I watched as she sagged against the wall, totally lost in the need to find her climax, her hips pushing against my hand frantically.
Jesus! She was fucking gorgeous when her face was relaxed, her beautiful eyes filled with need.
At some other place, I’d taste her, feast on her, and then fuck her until she became completely undone. But I didn’t lose track of exactly where we were and the limitations that presented.
Regardless of the way she talked, I was fairly certain that she hadn’t been with anybody since I’d kissed her. I knew what she’d been through at the hands of the terrorists. And it was going to take a guy who understood what she needed. And that man was going to be me.
I heard the bathroom door open, and I put a finger over her lips. I stroked over her clit faster, adding the pressure she was craving.
“Yes,” she whispered, aware that somebody had come into the restroom, but unable to hold everything back.
I put my mouth close to her ear and whispered in a husky tone, “Come for me, Dani.”
Her eyes closed and she bit her bottom lip, desperately trying to be quiet.
I used that moment to thrust my finger into her slick sheath, almost groaning myself at how tight, wet, and inviting that channel was as I added a second finger and thrust into her while my thumb still teased her clit.
One hand was on her ass, stroking over her exposed butt cheeks because she was wearing some sexy thong panties.
“Marcus!” she whispered urgently. “I can’t.”
“Oh yes, you can,” I told her in a hoarse, low tone.
Her head thrashed, and I felt her body begin to tremble, so very close to release.
When she opened her mouth and her body tightened, I slammed my lips down hard over hers, swallowing her scream as her orgasm tore through her body. My hand on her ass supported her as her legs appeared to give way. I lifted my mouth and kissed her temple, my hand reaching back to lower the toilet seat before I helped her sit down on top of it.
She was gasping for breath as I removed a clean handkerchief from the pocket of my tux, crouched down, and gently wiped the sweat from her face.
I’d heard the water running out at the sink, and the guest left the bathroom, leaving us alone again. At least for now.
“Are you okay?” I asked, concerned that I’d pushed her too hard.
She wasn’t afraid of me anymore, nor was she frightened of her own sexuality. Knowing that she’d been aroused without thinking about what had happened to her at the hands of her captives told me just how far she’d come with therapy.
She shook her head and then took the handkerchief from my hand to pat down her neck and face. “I don’t know what happened to me,” she confessed, still looking shaken.
“You came,” I offered helpfully.
“It doesn’t happen for me like that.”
“Maybe it’s what you need, Dani. And you aren’t going to get it from Becker,” I grumbled.
She stood up suddenly, forcing me to straighten up along with her. “Oh, God,” she said anxiously. “Greg. He’s going to be so mad. I’ve been in here too long.”
I grabbed her arms and shook her lightly. “You can’t keep dancing to his tune, Danica,” I rumbled, angry about her concerned response.
“I have to,” she said in a desperate voice. “I need him to trust me.”
“Fuck no, you don’t,” I said to her forcefully. “You don’t need his sorry ass at all.”
“You don’t understand,” she said in a pleading voice. “I have to go back.”
“Not happening,” I answered. “Not until I have some answers. Christ! I just got you off, Dani. And you want to run back to Becker?” I was about ready to lose it.
“I need to get back to the party,” she answered, trying to claw her way out of the stall.
I let her go because I couldn’t stand to see her so terrified. Not after what she’d been through.
She sprinted to the mirror and tried to quickly fix her makeup and hair.
Finally, I said, “Go. Go back to him. But I’ll be watching. You don’t love him. Hell, I don’t think you even enjoy being with him.” I’d seen the way she looked at Becker, and it certainly wasn’t how she’d looked at me with desperate passion in her eyes, her expression begging me to make her come.
I slammed out of the restroom, more furious than I’d been when I’d first come in to find Dani. Jesus! The woman was going to give me a damn heart attack. I slid into my seat at the table, my dick still as hard as granite.
Dani exited a few minutes later, her eyes searching for and finding Becker not far beyond where I was sitting.
It took everything I had not to block her way as her sexy ass got closer and closer, but to my surprise, she stopped at my table. She was watching Becker, but his back was to both of us.
Without missing a beat, she swiped my Scotch from my table and downed it in two big gulps and then set it back down on the pristine white tablecloth.
“I hate pink, fluffy drinks,” she mumbled and then moved on toward her date.
I smirked. I had to admire a woman who could knock back a good whiskey without flinching.
My eyes never leaving Dani, I signaled the waiter for a refill.