Possess Me (19 page)

“I fell.”

“You were thrown,
cher
. Why are you lying to him? He deserves to know.”

Ben, who was touching her skin as he smoothed on the bandage, froze beside her at Bone Daddy’s words. The Loa was pacing beside them, glancing out the windows with a telling agitation.

“What do I deserve to know?”

Michelle growled, struggling to get away from him, but Ben pulled her closer and opened his mind. The angry being possessing the girl from the club, a being Michelle recognized—one who’d attacked her before in New York—Ben sensed it all. Felt Michelle’s fear and her feeling of helplessness.

Why hadn’t she told anyone? Him? Was this why she’d been pushing herself so hard? Taking all those defense classes?

Pain knotted his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. He wanted to kill the bastard for tormenting her. Wanted to shake her for keeping something this important from him. He’d almost lost her before she’d even come home. And she’d never said a word.

“I don’t like this house, Benjamin.” Bone Daddy looked around uneasily. “It’s making me edgy. I’m going to look around, make sure that
djab
isn’t about.”

Michelle looked up.
“Djab?”

He saw Bone Daddy grimace as though he’d tasted something sour. “A wild, rogue spirit. Not unlike myself. But this one seems to feed off pain and fear as opposed to pleasure. I didn’t recognize him.”

Ben narrowed his gaze on the frustrated spirit. “You didn’t recognize him? And you can’t ask, can you? You’re ignoring the other Loa, staying under the radar so you don’t have to go back yet.”

“You’re judging
me
for hesitating? Get your own house in order, Benjamin Adair.” Bone Daddy disappeared through the fireplace, rocking the picture frame above with the force of his anger.

“That wasn’t really fair, Ben.” Michelle’s voice was soft with reproach. “I’m starting to like that sinning specter. And I think he knows lonely better than—”

“Than I know you?” He finished her sentence, pressing his forehead against hers. “
You’re
the one I’m worried about, Mimi. The Loa may be sad, but he’s immortal. You’re not. Instead, you’re alone, facing God knows what that thing was. And you can’t lie to me and say that your mother never told you how to deal with this kind of thing, because I know better.”

 

 

 

MICHELLE GAVE A WATERY CHUCKLE. SHE NEEDED TO BEAT
something up, to do something. Vulnerable wasn’t her style. She didn’t like feeling weak. Didn’t want to need him. Yet, ever since she’d seen that
djab
thing, seen her brother, all she could think about was being alone with Ben. That she’d be safe with him.

It was a dangerous train of thought, thinking she could rely so completely on someone other than herself.

Coming here had only made it worse. He’d bought their dream house, Isabel’s house. He’d hung up the drawing she’d worked on night and day, hoping to have it ready in time for his ninth birthday.

Had she always been such a blind fool?

“Ben, please. Not right now. I don’t want to—I
can’t
think about this right now.”

She watched him hesitate, could practically see the wheels turning in his mind. He wanted answers. But she didn’t have any. And she didn’t want to think about the questions. She wanted him.

She reached behind her to unsnap her bra, letting the straps tumble down her arms. “You said you’d be my new distraction, Adair. I could surely use one right about now.”

His jaw locked, but his attention slipped to her breasts. He started to reach for them, but his palm passed over her bandage and he pulled back. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then don’t leave me wanting.”

Her legs wrapped around his and her fists curled in his shirt, pulling him in for a kiss filled with all her pent-up frustration, her passion.

He matched her aggression with his own, his mouth ravenous as it fought for supremacy with hers. He dragged her by her legs, her butt sliding across the smooth black surface until her sneakered feet landed on the piano bench, and then he tore his mouth away from hers. “Stand up, Mimi, and turn around.”

She smiled down into his hungry expression, obeying without a word. This was what she wanted. What she had to have.

Her shoes and socks, jeans and lavender butterfly thong were all methodically removed as she stared in the direction of Isabel’s picture above the mantel. But she couldn’t see it. All of her energy was focused on Ben.

He wasn’t talking, wasn’t caressing, wasn’t kissing—yet she found her arousal growing with every moment that passed.

When she was completely naked he stepped back. She heard the sound of his clothes being removed and she started to turn around, but his rumbling growl stopped her in her tracks. “I’ll spank you if you do, Mimi. And I’ll enjoy every minute of it. Kneel on the bench.”

She stopped turning and knelt, but she couldn’t hold in the laugh that bubbled out of her mouth. “If that’s your deterrent, big man, you’ll have to work on a new angle. I’d love to be spanked by you.” The palm of her hand made a cracking sound as it landed on her right cheek. “Here.” She slid the same hand around her hips to cover her bare sex. “Or here.”

He was silent for so long she was worried she’d shocked him. She was about to disobey and turn around when he swore under his breath.

“You’ve had too many distractions for my peace of mind, babe. I think there’s only one thing I can do.”

She groaned. “If you’re about to say get dressed and catch a matinee, you should know I’m a black belt.”

His sensual laugh sent shock waves down her nerve endings. How much longer was he going to wait to touch her? She bent forward, lifting her ass in the air and placing her arms on top of the piano, feeling the cool ivory keys brush against her heavy breasts. The sensation felt surprisingly arousing. “Oh. Um, so . . . what is the only thing that you can do?”

Ben leaned down to whisper in her ear, his breath hot and delicious. “Make you forget them all.”

She heard the scrape of a chair against the floor and then he was there, hands on her hips, placing openmouthed kisses on her ass where she’d smacked herself.

“I love your ass, babe. I have to admit there were times I’d get you riled up on purpose, just so I could watch you walk away. Watch the sway of your hips, the curve of your round bottom bounce. It made me want to kneel at your feet and beg for a bite.”

He scraped his teeth across her skin, biting down with just enough force to make her whimper. One hand dropped from her hips to seek out her wet sex, groaning when he discovered the wetness there. “You want me. For more than just a distraction. I felt it all those years ago. I sense it now. Why, Mimi? Why did you keep me at arm’s length for so long?”

He didn’t give her a chance to answer. And then she had a hard time thinking at all. Two thick fingers filled her, slipping in and out of her while another caressed her piercing.

His other hand gripped one cheek of her ass, spreading her wider for his inspection. “Damn, Mimi.”

Michelle’s body jerked, her breasts mashing against the loud piano keys when she felt his tongue trace a line up her ass. “Oh my God.”

Her body was taut, a fine vibration running through her as he devastated her with his fingers, his mouth. When his tongue probed her ass, she cried out.

His fingers gathered her arousal, his mouth lifting long enough to coat her with her own juices. His thumb applied pressure, pushing through the tight ring of resistant muscles.

“Yes!”

He stood up abruptly behind her, the chair crashing to the floor as he bent down to grab a condom from the pocket of his jeans. She felt a pang of disappointment that anything would come between them.

He laid the flat of his palm against her back, catching the thought and releasing a shaky breath. “Mimi, baby, don’t tempt me.”

His cock filled her sex, thrusting deep, and they were both lost for a moment in the intensity of the pleasure, the connection. He pulled out, and she moaned. But he had other plans.

Michelle’s temples started tingling and she felt his need, his desire to go slowly, not to hurt her. But she didn’t want slow. “Fuck me, Adair.” Her demand was breathless. “Do I have to dare you?”

“You are amazing, baby.”
I love . . .

She sensed the unfinished thought as he spread both cheeks wide, the head of his now soaked cock seeking entry. She took a few slow breaths, trying to relax her muscles, to open for him.

Her arms were shaking, barely able to hold her up. Two hearts pounded as one as he filled her. Inch by agonizing inch. Stretching her. Claiming her.

There were no words after that. No sounds beyond the straining breaths and moans of pained pleasure at the profound feeling of fullness.

Michelle sensed the moment he lost control, and screamed in approval as he quickened his pace. He thrust deep, dragging his cock back through her clinging flesh.

He reached around to rub her clit with rough fingers, and she arched her spine, unable to hold back the flood that crashed around her with her climax.

“Yes, Mimi. Fuck, I can feel—” He came with a shout of male triumph, hips pumping against her, teeth closing over her shoulder in a passionate love bite.

Tell her something she didn’t know.

A SHARP PAIN IN HIS NECK WOKE HIM UP. HE SAT UP ON
the small antique sofa and rubbed it, groaning a little at the aches and pains making themselves known all over his body.

“That’s the last time I sleep on this thing.”

He had a perfectly decadent bed in the master bedroom. He’d had plans for that bed, kept promising himself he’d get Michelle in it before the night was over. But his lover kept distracting him.

After the episode against the piano, they’d gone upstairs for a shower in his large master bath, the only room he’d had completely remodeled after buying the place.

He’d made love to her again under the water’s spray, unable to stop touching her, kissing her. They’d dried off and, after he’d rewrapped her wound, they’d chased each other down into the kitchen to grab some of the leftover étouffée he’d brought home last night.

Ben smiled. They’d christened that room, too, and then come back to the music room to snuggle on the couch, whispering about Isabel’s treasure. Plotting, as they had when they were children, what they would do when they found it.

He looked around the room, noticing his clothes had been folded neatly and were stacked on the floor by the sofa. Hers were gone. “Mimi?”

There were no sounds on the floor above, no smells of coffee brewing in the kitchen. She’d left without saying a word.

“Son of a bitch.”

He threw on his jeans and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Every single time. He was getting sick and tired of her running away from him. Did he have to tie her to his side?

He’d thought last night was a breakthrough. That she was finally opening up, trusting him. His gaze snagged on a tall, crooked cane leaning against the wall. It was beautiful. It also wasn’t here last night. Had Michelle left it there for him to find? Did she give presents to all her distractions?

He was such a hopeless fool about Mimi. Where was his line in the sand? When was he going to stop chasing after her?

Ben wrapped his hand around the top knot of the cane and an electric current shocked him, sending him to his knees. The piano started to play and he heard a gruff male voice behind him say, “Never, boy. The answer is never.”

Ben turned to the grand piano to see an elderly black man, his beard stark white against his dark skin, his face kind. “I love music. There’s something so soothing about it. Magical. Don’t you think?”

“Who are you?” Ben lifted himself up to his feet, still reeling from the power of the zap that had felled him. “What are you?”

The old man smiled, shaking his head. “Who and what I am is not your question. Your question is where is your woman, and how can you find her in time to save her.”

“Michelle? Is she in danger? Where the hell is she?”

Ben watched the stranger push himself up from the piano bench, the music still playing without him, and walk to the fireplace to look up at Michelle’s childhood drawing.

“Passion is good. You’ll need it. But before I tell you, I need you to promise me something.” He turned to pin Ben with his sparkling ebony gaze. “You love each other, and it’s what will give her strength. This particular
djab
feeds off fear, not love. But succeed or not, you must find Isabel’s treasure. Everything depends on it.”

Ben rubbed his temple. The
djab
? The treasure? Was he dreaming? And why did this man look so familiar?