Elle's Seduction (15 page)

Darren slowed and moved in time with the Master, the hard touch of his fingers begging her to find release, his tongue and mouth working her breasts. Elle was caught up in the dance, the rhythm climbing inside of her, begging to get out. Threatening to finish her.

Another hard thrust sent her skyrocketing into Darren’s hands, the pleasure spiraling out of control. She couldn’t contain it anymore. It was too much. Her arms strained against the metal, her butt slapping against the Master, her inner muscles begging him for more, milking his cock, squeezing him with each hard thrust.

Then, with a soft bite, a shiver of pain, Darren threw her over the edge. Pain and pleasure burst through her, funneling down to her core where the Master slammed into her and expanded her already sensitive muscles.

Her screams of pleasure rent the room as she bucked and thrashed against the Master, the feel of him beyond description. His own orgasm followed, his hips thumping harder as the heat of his cum filled her even inside the condom. His murmurs of pleasure sent chills down her spine. But Darren remained unfinished. His hands, complete in their duties, brushed her sex one last time as he let go of her nipple. A smile and wink let her know he was okay before he moved to the table.

The masked man came up with fresh wash clothes and a towel. A look passed between them but Elle was too exhausted to care. All she wanted to do was sleep. Maxwell, her Master kissed her neck, a moment of sheer bliss filled her, and this was what she wanted.

Then he stepped away. The cold air stung her backside.

Too soon Maxwell was gone, his sexy voice and devilish hands with him. Elle wanted to go after him like that woman on the leash had gone after her Master.

Darren slammed the limo doors and told Luke to wait. Elle stumbled behind him, bedraggled and carrying her shoes even as the aqua ribbons fluttered in the breeze. The satisfied smile on her face told him everything he’d wanted to know.

They’d been right about her.

Now if only he could do something about the raging hard on that just wouldn’t let up. Since he’d had Luke, he hadn’t been able to think of much else, but taking that man and doing things with him that would make Elle blush.

He chuckled as Elle wearily made her way into the elevator. She didn’t even have the strength to push the buttons. She might have slumped in the elevator if he hadn’t been holding her up.

Damn, if Maxwell had just kept her at The Den for the night. This would have been easier. But the old man was on edge. Darren could see it. He thought briefly of how things would change if Maxwell fell in love. Already things were changing, The Den was being sold so Darren could move to L.A. and the next place would be all his own, instead of being halfsies with Maxwell.

Maybe Maxwell was ready to settle down with his own woman. Elle would be perfect.

Darren would be left out in the cold; his best friend swallowed up in domestic bliss.

At Elle’s door, he took the keys from her and helped her in. He would have settled her into bed, but instead she kissed him goodnight and left him at the door. Darren stood staring at the tan door, smudges of dirt mottling the ugly color. Yeah, he was alone again.

A sound behind him had him turning.

There, in the hallway, was a man with wild gray hair and sagging striped pajamas. “You Elle’s date?”

“Yeah.”

The man strode forward with a hobble and put his hand out. “Garfield Cranfield, Elle’s neighbor.”

“Darren Miller.”

The old man gripped his hand firmly and held it longer than necessary. “You look familiar.”

Darren skirted around the old man and tried to pull back.

“Yeah, I know you. You’re the one with the crazy mother.” Garfield proudly shook his hand harder.

Darren wanted to hide. He had long ago left his past behind him. When his mother’s crimes and trial had gone out in the papers, he’d been as protected as he could. But when a high-profile family has one of the worst child abusers in the state of Virginia, it was hard to keep the press out.

Thank god, he’d grown up since the news had first come out. Today he only retained a few of the same memorable characteristics of his eleven-year-old self. Unfortunately, he was still recognized.

“You know, young man, that was a horrible thing that happened to you.”

Darren nodded, unable to form a coherent word.

“But let me tell you something—you don’t let your wretched mother determine your future. For instance, Elle over there, she’s the sweetest woman I’ve ever known. You can’t do wrong getting involved with her.”

Unable to stand there any longer, Darren moved toward the elevator. “Yes, Sir.”

That was when the old man stopped him in his tracks, his eyes getting all steely and hard. “And I want you to live a full life and find love. Hell, you deserve it. But son, I’m telling you now, if you’re mother did what I heard, I imagine some things about relationships are hard for you.”

It was the first time someone had approached him outright about his past. Darren was shocked that this little old man would be so frank. The elevator arrived and the man wouldn’t let him go.

“I’m telling you this now, but I mean it. If you can’t give yourself completely over to Elle, I mean body, mind, and soul; if you cannot be totally committed and treat her with the respect and love she deserves...walk away now.”

Darren did a double take. “What?”

Garfield stepped closer. The frailty of age dropped away and in a moment of insight, he knew this man could take him. “I’m telling you this because her father isn’t here to protect her. But in short, a past like yours will deprave a man. Turn him inside out...into a monster. I don’t want that for her. Or for her future. Understand?”

Darren’s spine stiffened. Even twenty-two years later, others were judging him, despite his own innocence. “Loud and clear. Mr. Cranfield. Don’t worry, I’m not the one she wants anyway.”

Garfield’s eyes widened. Darren managed to extract his hand and walked into the elevator, anger and shame filling him. Out in the cool night air, he stepped into the limo.

Luke pulled out without saying a word. The silence was deafening as Darren ran through the conversation in his head. Why had he allowed the old man to bother him? He’d come to terms with his life and the lifestyle choices he’d made. He didn’t need some uppity old grandpa judging him.

Fifteen minutes later, Luke pulled up in front of his apartment. Seconds turned into minutes as the limo idled.

Darren turned to stare up at the modern high-rise he lived in. There were few of them in Nashville, but he’d snagged a small apartment on one of the top-most floors so he could have a view. In another week, he’d sell off everything and start fresh and new in L.A. but the truth was he would never outrun his past.

The window separating the back from the driver slid open. Luke’s brown eyes reminded him of caramel glaze and warm hot chocolate swirled into one. “Your apartment, Mr. Norton.”

In a pique, Darren offhandedly replied, “It’s empty you know.”

Luke swallowed. “Sir, you could get anyone you choose from The Den.”

He was right. He could use The Den’s address book and in a heartbeat have any man or woman he choose in his apartment at his beck and call. “Luke, have you ever wanted a relationship? Something more than just a hook-up? Something real and permanent?”

Luke sat stock still, his eyes narrowed and thoughtful. “Like home?”

Darren laughed. His gut twisted in self-loathing and disgust. “Home. Yeah. That’s not likely. Who am I kidding? I was meant to be alone.”

With a jerk, he opened the limo door. Happiness, homemade cookies, and apple pies weren’t even in the cards. Just the idea of being married to a homemaker left him nauseous and incapacitated. Even now, he could remember his mom taunting him with chocolate chip cookies if he’d just play her demented games.

He’d been off cookies ever since.

His mother had gotten more aggressive after that, using her own hands to violate him and force him to do unspeakable things that no nine or ten year old should have to do to a woman’s body. He’d blocked a lot of it out of his mind. But on nights like tonight, he wished, just once, that he could erase his mind—start over.

When the memories set up a psychotic loop of pain, a gun would be better than his own company.

He’d come to realize long ago that he would never be able to handle someone holding him. There would never be someone that could love him and be there for him. Hell, even if he wanted it, he would never let anyone get that close to him.

Tonight, for just a moment with Elle, he imagined wanting to go home to someone that was there to take care of him. Someone who didn’t care about the sex.

He shook his head and grabbed the door to the building.

Rapid footfalls came up behind him, a hand reaching around him and stopping his him.

Darren looked up to see Luke standing there. The elegant shirt and pants ruffled by the breeze but his eyes bright and alert. “Darren?”

The limo sat silent in the limo parking, the lights off. He was too tired for questions. “Luke, go home.”

“Darren, let me come up.”

He wanted to protest, no one deserved to deal with his issues. Garfield was right. He didn’t need to poison other people with his depravities, let alone something as pure and good as Luke—no matter how much he wanted him and what he offered.

Darren ignored the offer and pulled the door open.

Luke blocked it, coming up close and standing right in the doorway. “Darren, you aren’t the only one who’s lonely.” Brown eyes pleaded with him, begging for something more than sex. Maybe more than he could give.

In a moment of weakness, he ushered him in. Maybe he was pathetic but damn it, he wanted just a moment of contentment. Just something that he’d created with someone else instead of having it thrust upon him.

Maybe, just maybe, he’d fill the aching hole in his chest. Even if only for one night.

***

The weekend passed- too slowly as Maxwell tried to lose himself in the business he had in LA next week. Time was running out, and while he wanted nothing more than to invite Elle to The Den for another night, the truth was he had too much business to get through.

Monday, he woke restless and piled his briefcase into his Mustang and whizzed through the light early morning traffic to the empty office. He liked going in early, when he could be by himself and think without the hustle and bustle of the normal daily traffic.

He just had to get Fred in line and this product on the market and it was smooth sailing and the future he’d planned for nearly a decade. Ever since he, Darren, and Zackary had first stumbled upon the lifestyle and he’d realized where his real passion lay. X Toyz had been born. He knew he couldn’t get in overnight. First, he and Darren had helped Zackary find the financing for Z Toyz and had slowly over the last few years relinquished their shares for seed money for their own companies.

After Z Toyz, they’d focused on Darren’s business, The Den. To both their delights, it had become more popular and successful than either of them imagined.

Now, it was his turn.

L.A. called to him. X Toyz already had made inroads into the Adult Toys industry and would make it even bigger once they’d setup shop in the hub of everything X-rated. To do that, they had to get out there.

The timing couldn’t be worse. He needed more time with Elle. Friday night hadn’t been enough. He’d half hoped that one time with her and he’d be over it—that he could move on. But the more he saw her every day, the more he knew that no matter how much he wanted it, one time would never be enough.

Then he’d slid into her.

The experience shouldn’t have shocked him. It should have taken care of his need and been the last. Even now he remembered the sweet smell of vanilla and sex with her soft mewling cries, her sweet southern voice purring out his name as she squeezed and contracted around him, begging him with her body for more.

He’d lost himself in her, her tight pussy wet and hot, searing him.

While thinking about her, he hardened and had to keep his fingers from grabbing his phone to call her.

He wouldn’t let a woman rule his life.

He and Darren had made a pact. They were moving to L.A. and nothing was stopping them from making X Toyz a reality. Darren had even sold The Den, making more in just one week than any of them had made the first six years out of college.

Once in the office, he piled his coat and briefcase in his cube and went in search of some coffee. If he got the woman out of his thoughts, maybe he’d get some work done.

***

Elle shuffled into work barely able to function. Restless nights and one sexy man had weighed heavily on her mind the whole weekend. She’d desperately hoped for another invitation to The Den but strangely the weekend had been quiet. She’d even rented that carpet cleaner and hauled it up to her apartment and Garfield’s.

With the muggy heat, the carpet was just finally drying. It smelled better though, and that was a win for her.

At her cube she was startled to see Sally, a stack of folders in hand, going through her drawers.

The lack of manners had her jaw flapping for a few seconds before she could get something out. “Sally, what are you doing?”

Sally jumped at her voice and dropped one of the folders. “Elle. You scared me.”

Elle bent down to retrieve the folder and papers. She skimmed through the contents. Sally wasn’t supposed to have these. “Sally, those were supposed to go to Darren.”

Then the address caught her eye. That wasn’t Z Toyz address. “Wait a minute. Sally, where’d you get these.”

“Why, I got them from your drawers.”

“What?” Elle heart rate sped up as she reviewed the invoices. That was a P.O. Box, not Z Toyz, yet that was Fred’s signature. “Let me see the others.”

Sally handed them over; her eyes wide and innocent.

Elle skimmed the totals. “Sally, this is about how much is missing.”

Maxwell came up just then whistling. “What is missing?”

A few moments ago she’d worried how she’d deal with him, flush and hungry for just a glance. Now she cringed as she realized what this might look like.

Before she could say a word, Sally sidled up to Maxwell. “I wasn’t sure what to do, Mr. Stranton. I’d suspected, but Elle’s so sweet and all.”

Maxwell came to attention, his eyes narrowing on Sally. “Suspected what?”

Elle’s mind whirled as Sally turned to Maxwell and put on her best sultry look. “Well, you know how Elle kind of runs the place.”

Elle wanted to kill her. Even as she stood there, she knew this was about to come around to bite her and there was nothing she could do about it.

“Fred would do just about anything for her. So I put two and two together and figured she had to be the one that knew where the money had gone. I mean, she can approve and get Fred’s okay on just about anything.”

Elle watched Maxwell, her heart in her throat. Those eyes, so beautiful when aroused, were cold and merciless as he’d turned them on her. “Let me see the folders.”

Helpless to fight it, she handed the folders over. Taking a deep breath, she put on her most professional attitude. “Those are not my folders. Sally was here when I arrived, planting them in my desk drawers.”

Maxwell seemed not to listen as he looked over the papers and ruffled through the pages, all business. Sally snuck a mean grin at her that disappeared when he snapped the folders closed.

“Elle, come with me.”

Passing Sally, Elle wanted to slap her silly. How dare the woman try to accuse her of stealing? She’d set this right and then have the satisfaction of seeing Sally fired.

Down the hall and into the conference room, they walked. Every person in the office stopped talking to watch them. Office gossip spread fast. In the conference room, Maxwell slammed the door behind her and threw the documents down in front of Darren. “We found the missing invoices.”

Darren glanced up, saw the look on Maxwell’s face, and straightened from his stack of papers. “What is it?”

“Sally found those in Elle’s desk.”

Darren’s brows crinkled as he shuffled the papers. Twice he went through them. The third time he pulled out a calculator and began punching up numbers. “Those are the missing invoices all right, but there’s no way Z Toys would authorize this kind of stuff. They don’t sell bulk items like that.”

Elle reached down and grabbed the top most invoice. “300 Matchbox cards. 500 Pokemon. 5,000 Pokemon cards. 10 Bakugan? 1,000 Bakugan? Why would we buy other companies toys?”

Darren glanced at Maxwell and then at her. “Elle, these were found in your desk?”

“Files that Sally—”

Maxwell raised his hand and stopped her. “Sally found them in Elle’s drawers.”