Chapter Three
Nico thrust his fingers in his hair. Teaching her all he knew about sex would take a lot longer than one month. He didn’t need the guilt trip from Zaine or to mess up their friendship over this. Besides his brother Marco, Zaine was the closest person Nico had in his life. Zaine had always trusted and counted on him, particularly after having lost his twin brother Zachary to cancer years ago. “You mean you’re turning down money, let’s say, a quarter million dollars, to go on an international trip with me?”
She stared at him, with those gorgeous hazel eyes, unfazed.
“Half a mil?”
He’d increase the price if need be.
She waved him off, rolling her eyes. “Don’t be an ass. I don’t need your money. I need your body.”
He snorted. Yes, he’d fantasized about screwing Emma silly…but not under these conditions. “I’m not a gigolo.”
“Maybe you haven’t been paid, but it’s not like you’re a saint, either.”
Christo, he had to agree. He’d had his share of threesomes and bedded some of the most amazing women in the world. “Be glad I’m not easily offended.”
“Listen, will it be such a hardship to teach me some tried-and-true bedroom tricks? I understand I’m no runway model or movie star. But I’m a fast learner.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose and cursed under his breath. Was he really discussing her eagerness as a student? Shit, he shouldn’t have eaten her out. His mistake set this whole thing in motion. Truth was, he needed her to go with him on the trip—God knew how long it’d be before he had an opportunity to meet Desmorais in person again. Probably never.
Why not make the best of it? She spoke French, knew Desmorais, and best of all, had an excellent rapport with him. Besides, his gut stirred. Wouldn’t it be fun to fuck Emma until she forgot her own name? His cock strained against his jeans, obviously agreeing with the plan. He drew in a breath, restless, frustrated.
He opened his mouth then closed it. She perched her hands at her waist, and he imagined how lovely she’d be under his weight. He’d love to bend her over the sofa and fuck her deep, while playing with her breasts and pulling her lustrous hair.
Arousal stirred in his groin. No. If he screwed her right now, it’d be self-gratification. He needed to make sure she’d enjoy it from beginning to end, and sex with her would fit her needs—her lessons. Lessons would make the bargain a lot more objective.
He strode to the foyer, hearing her trail behind him. When he reached the door, he spun around and said, “Zaine can’t ever find out about this. Do you hear me?”
“Yay.” She clapped her hands. Flecks of silver shone in the depths of her arresting hazel eyes. “I won’t tell him a thing. Promise.”
He swallowed. What did her eyes look like when she was fucked beyond belief? “You’ll follow my lead. No questions asked.”
She nodded quickly. “Deal.”
He touched the door handle. “Are you on birth control?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I’ll email you my latest medical information. I just had a physical a week ago.”
“W-what do you mean?”
“So you’ll know I’m safe,” he said. He hadn’t had unprotected sex in years but couldn’t pass up the opportunity with her. A dirty image of Emma with his cum dripping from her thighs assailed him, and he had to gather all his strength not to turn around and give in to the roaring need.
“Okay.”
He glanced at her one more time before agreeing to the second biggest mistake of his life. “Tomorrow night, I’ll pick you up for our first lesson.”
Nico knocked on the door, less than twenty hours later. Less than twenty-two, to be exact. He knew, because he’d spent his whole day looking at the clock, knowing he could have changed the arranged time and called her sooner. Maybe she was working that day, or doing something she couldn’t reschedule.
He’d preferred not to call, because changing the time gave her the upper hand, a mistake he wanted to avoid at all costs. Even though she needed lessons of a sexual nature, Emma was smart enough to know the dynamics of modern relationships. If a man appeared to be too eager to meet a woman, too desperate, she’d take advantage of him. Hadn’t it been like that with his parents? The first relationship he’d witnessed?
“Nico,” Emma said, opening the door.
She held the door wide open, with a nervous smile on her face. Dio, her loser fiancé didn’t know what to do with a woman like that. She’d thought it’d been her who didn’t know how to screw, but Nico was sure the bastard didn’t appreciate her the way he should.
Maybe the prick had another woman on the side. Not my problem. Hell, all he had to do was screw her and get her to help him secure the Desmorais deal. No more, no less.
“What are you wearing?” he asked, pointing at her gray sweatshirt and pants.
“Is this okay?” She touched her sweatshirt, which had the UCLA logo monogrammed on the top. “I thought, since we’re having sex, why not be comfortable? I just showered, so I’m good to go,” she said, then pushed up her sleeves.
He managed to keep a serious expression, even though his inside was dying to burst out laughing. No wonder she needed help. “You expect me to bang you right here?”
“No? What’s wrong? I’d imagined you’d want to get things out of the way.”
He gave a humorless laugh. No shit, she had stuff to learn. “First lesson—anticipation is an aphrodisiac. You want to let your mind dictate your body.”
“Excuse me, Dr. Phil.”
He ushered her away from the foyer and close to the hallway leading to the stairs. “Change into a sexy dress. No underwear. And put on red lipstick.”
“Why red?”
“Because I’ll look at your bow-shaped lips and imagine your sinful mouth around my cock,” he said, his voice dropping an octave.
A shade of pink stained her cheeks. “Red it is. Be right back,” she said, before dashing to the room she’d been occupying at her brother’s house.
Her brother. His best friend. A cold shiver rolled down his spine, but Nico willed it away. No point in rehashing his decision at this point. She was an adult woman who’d made her choice.
He glanced at a photo of Zaine and Monique together and then turned it away so he didn’t have to face his happy friend. Okay, so maybe the subject wasn’t closed, but he’d do his damn best to prevent Zaine from finding out about them. I can’t keep coming here. What if his neighbors recognized him and told Zaine he’d been coming to see his sister?
From now on, he’d do what he’d avoided like the plague—he’d bring a woman back to his place.
“Better?” she asked, smoothing her hands over a black halter dress that clung to her body.
Man. She had some delectable round hips, shapely legs. His heart skipped a beat, only to resume working at a frantic pace. “Yes. Shall we?” he said, offering her his arm in an old-fashioned manner. How ironic, given what they were about to do.
“You know, I was thinking… You’re sure going through a lot of trouble to buy a property from Desmorais. It must be a kick-ass estate, otherwise why wouldn’t you buy another one just as good, near the same location?” She closed the door behind her.
“I’m going through a lot of trouble, because I want to excel at my end of the bargain. If you lead me to him, I’ll offer to buy the very same house where he lives. Buying a man out of his home isn’t easy.”
She disengaged her arm from him, and her face paled. “You want to buy his home?”
He glanced at her. She probably thought it was wrong of him to try to purchase Desmorais’s home. “Yes.”
She shook her head. “A-are you crazy? That’s not right. Who in their right mind would sell their home out of the blue?”
Nico shrugged. “Honey, you don’t know how many times I’ve heard people say they wouldn’t sell a property, and they changed their mind when the price was right.” Hell, he’d tell Desmorais his own sob story if needed. His connection to the place had to help him persuade the old man to sell.
She lifted her chin. “I don’t think you’ll be able to buy it. I would never have propositioned the deal knowing that was your plan. I thought it was just some random vacation home or building.”
He waved her off. Now it was too late for second-guessing. “I applaud your values, but you’ll have to let me do my thing.”
She shifted her weight from foot to foot and glanced around him like she was looking for the right thing to say. Why did she make such a big deal? “I can’t convince him to sell it to you.”
“You’ll watch me do it.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Listen, if you have any doubts about…”
“No. I’m good. We’re doing this. What are we eating?”
“You’re my main dish, piccola,” he said, gazing at her alluring eyes. “And I’m sure I’ll want seconds.”
Nico slid out of his seat, beat the valet to opening Emma’s door and seeing her out of the car.
“Your invitation, sir?” the blond man in the black suit asked, as usual.
He fished it out of his pocket and showed it to the man, who scanned it with a small device and nodded. “Thank you, sir. Please proceed.”
Nico gave him the key to his car, and looked at a baffled Emma. He hadn’t told her the details of the place where he’d take her, because well, watching her reactions would be so much more fun. He’d attended this sex club a few times in the past, and a couple of times he’d brought women who knew all about the rules and expectations.
They walked into the club, which looked like an abandoned warehouse, from the box-shaped, dark exterior. He held her hand in his, and a thrill of excitement shot up his arm. Being here with her would definitely be…different.
“Is this a new restaurant?” she asked when they entered the dimly lit reception area.
“No,” he whispered. “This is a club. Just follow my lead.”
The attendant, a ginger-haired woman in her forties, walked up to them carrying a silver tray on which two Venetian type masks sat. He’d RSVP’d early that morning, and he hoped this place wasn’t too much for Emma.
If she thought she was ready to learn everything to keep a guy interested, he wanted to start it with a bang. Maybe she’d run for the hills and decide the idea wasn’t for her, which would make everything less complicated. After all, he’d argue that he’d tried, but she hadn’t been up to it—therefore, she still had to maintain her end of the bargain.
He truly hoped she didn’t enjoy any of it, because if she did, he was in deep shit. Don’t forget you’re giving her the tools to get her fiancé back. Not you, who has gotten a vasectomy for the purpose of not having kids or settling down. Not you, a voice inside him echoed. A man who hadn’t protected his brother, who’d wronged him and never even had the guts to tell him about it.
…
Emma put on the mask the attractive woman handed her. It was a small version of those carnival ones—it covered her face but left her mouth free and also exposed her eyes. For the past half hour, she’d slipped on an invisible mask from the moment he told her about his idea to buy the same house where Desmorais planned on building an animal sanctuary.
Acid rolled into her stomach. If she had told Nico about her project with Desmorais, she’d be infringing the confidentiality agreement. Not that Desmorais would find out, but still, it’d be wrong.
Yeah, right, that’s why you didn’t tell him. Because you’re so fucking altruistic. If she had told Nico there was no way Desmorais would sell his beloved home because he loved it so much that he wanted to turn it into a shelter, Nico could possibly ax their deal. She’d had to persuade him to begin with. He wouldn’t teach her how to be good in bed for the heck of it. And now, skimming around her surroundings, she realized she wanted him to teach her everything. Badly.
“Emma,” he called, pulling her from her temporary guilt.
She wondered if this was one of those progressive eateries where people shared a meal with strangers on a bed. She inhaled, trying to determine the type of cuisine, but no food aromas came to her.
“What’s this for?” she asked Nico, shaking her wrist, where the woman had put a red plastic band.
“Means you’re here as a voyeur. No one will touch you,” he said, placing his hand on the small of her back and prompting her to walk in the direction of a set of tall, heavy doors.
“What if they touch anyway?” she asked, a pang of fear in her voice. She’d be willing to learn things from Nico, but not from some random strangers. If he thought she was into orgies, she’d be out.
“They won’t. If anyone touches a hair of yours, I’ll knock out their teeth.” The muscle in his jaw twitched.
A flutter traveled through her, almost as if she strangely felt…protected. Simon was a sweetheart, but he’d never punch another guy for her. Not that he didn’t love her—he did—but he always preferred talking things out and finding sensible solutions. That’s why she always knew he’d be a great partner and father.
That’s why I’m here.
Nico pressed a hand on her back, and her pussy tingled. Nico was enormous, his hand on her so strong and powerful. Would she ever become like him? This sexy, and capable of arousing someone else by the simplest touch? Doubtful. Just because someone took acting classes from Meryl Streep didn’t mean they’d become Oscar winners overnight, but hey, it had to freaking help.
A bald man impeccably dressed in all-black shirt and pants greeted her at the entrance. He opened the door for them, and Nico brought her closer to him still, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
Clouds of smoke filled the air, and the blend of expensive fragrances, sex, and sweat pushed into her nostrils. She blinked once, then twice. A myriad of tents, varying in shades of pink, purple, and black occupied the immense space.
People walked around them, some of them fully dressed, a few women topless, and others completely nude. She swallowed the lump of confusion in her throat. What the fuck did he expect her to do?
“What’s the goal here?” she asked him.
A black mask with gold beads covered half his face. He flashed her the wolfish smile that weakened her knees. “Tonight’s second lesson: unleash your inhibitions.”
“This place is better suited for a graduation, not a beginner’s first day.”
“It’s an intensive course, piccola. If you don’t think you’re up to it, though, I understand. I’ll need you to complete your end of the bargain, of course, but I won’t judge you for changing your mind about your request.”
She snorted. Did he want to scare her away? Well played. “Not a chance. It’ll take more than a few naked, horny strangers to change my mind,” she said, happy to exude the confidence she certainly didn’t have. What if someone from her day job recognized her even with the mask? She dealt with various translation agencies and direct clients, and hoped she wouldn’t be running into any of them tonight.
“Good. Come,” he said, and lowered his hand on her back. Past her back.
Did he just touch my ass? A wave of warmth spread across her cheeks and neck. She’d always known her butt was larger than half the population unless you were a Kardashian. She’d tried working out, but instead of disappearing, her ass had only gotten bigger and more toned, like the creature from an Alien movie.
He squeezed her cheek, making it clear it hadn’t been a mistake. She cleared her throat, unsure if she should keep walking or slap him in the face. She glanced around them, and in the fuchsia tent, a lot worse was happening.
A woman was blindfolded, and two men screwed her, one from behind and the other from the front. Moans of pleasure filled the air, and one of the men spanked her ass. She yelped but rocked her hips into his penis, obviously enjoying the game. The crowd watched them, at all stages of undress. A woman removed her own clothes and reached for her partner’s pants, unzipping them.
A lot of those attendees wore green wristbands.
Nico planted a kiss on her bare shoulder, and she shivered. He brought his hands to her waist, enveloping her from behind, linking her in a cocoon of heat and hazy arousal. His hard-on poked her, and she sucked the air from her already constricted lungs. Holy crap. How the hell was she going to fit all that monstrosity inside her?
“You have a sexy ass, Emma. Round and so full,” he said in a growly voice so close to her ear only she could hear.
“A-are you serious?” she asked, because damn it she had to be sure. The women he’d dated, according to a quick social media search she’d done, had all been slim and tall. “I thought I wasn’t your type,” she said, remembering how she had to goad him into sleeping with her for a month.
He kissed her earlobe, provoking tingles on her flesh. “You’re any man-with-a-pulse’s type.”
His compliment made female pride swell in her chest. Maybe he said that to every girl he dated, but she didn’t care. She regarded the threesome in full swing several feet from them. The man screwing the woman in the ass produced a dildo twice as big as his dick, then thrust it in and out of her with gusto.
Sweat glistened on her naked body, the sheets around them rumpled. Even though a dozen people watched them, the dim lighting and soft colored fabric behind them still gave the ambience a tone of intimacy.
Nico cupped her breasts, and she leaned into his body, the circular movements of his fingers on her nipples driving her out of her mind. He caught her right nipple between his thumb and index finger, squeezing it, and she moaned louder than intended. She immediately looked around them, but thanks to the threesome’s live porn show, no one paid attention to her or Nico.
A third man joined the trio, wearing a red mask with black accents. He had pierced nipples and tattoos covering most of his abdomen. When he approached the woman, she gave him a rueful smile and whispered too low for the audience to hear.
He began playing with the man who used the dildo on her, and his cock hardened.
Whoa. One outing with Nico and he’d already introduced her to a modern-day Caligula live show. How would he top this lesson?