Bane (8 page)

The door to the elevator dinged and I stepped out, eyes trained on the door down the hall. A fellow guest passed me and gave me a courtesy nod. I returned the gesture.

For now, I booked this room for the month so I wouldn’t have to continue checking in each day. Why I was doing all this … there was no answer—at least not one I would entertain. I wasn’t sure what was going on with her brother, but I planned on getting more information to investigate. This whole situation was like a clusterfuck of questions. I mashed my teeth together at the thought of her own flesh and blood pimping Maren out. She was a good person. Even with my darkened soul, I could still see the goodness in others.

Slipping the keycard in, I opened the door, holding my breath, wondering if the angelic brunette beauty would be here again. Much to my delight, Maren sat on the cream fabric couch, at the end, with a bottle of water. Today she was in some sort of dress that emphasized her tits. My dick pressed against my zipper, having a mind of its own around her.

Calm the fuck down. This isn’t puberty.

It wanted inside Maren. Badly. I wondered what her tight pussy would feel like as it clenched around me as I brought her pleasure beyond her wildest dreams. Fuck, why was I torturing myself with all this talking?

“Hey, stranger.” Her cheery voice was similar to how she’d been in the kitchen at Discrete Encounters.

I took the same place on the couch, but slightly turned Maren’s way. “Hey. Seems like you decided to come back.”

Her genuine smile created an involuntary one on my face as well. This was the most odd and fucked up way to meet someone, but it did give us anonymity to escape … for a bit. At least that was what I wanted. Freedom from the past. Maybe I’d be able to flee from the nightmares even though I deserved each one.

“It would seem so. I wasn’t sure if I would come back.”

There was a small part of me that thought she wouldn’t, but hearing her voice the words created a desire within me to want to know more. Her leaving now would be the best for us. But, I had to know where her head was. “Why’s that?”

She casted her eyes down. “Let’s say that I wasn’t prepared for the grilling I got.”

“What kind of grilling?” Anger boiled under the surface, assuming her brother gave her a hard time.

She gave a tired sigh and twisted the lid of her water bottle on and off. A nervous habit. “Jewel told my brother yesterday that you booked me for the entire month. He asked what I did to make you want me like that. He wanted me to do things.”

“Things?”

“Things to make you want me more, to pay more. This is so messed up. I wanted to come, but I don’t want to drag you into anything with my brother.”

Fucking bastard. I bet the self-entitled prick didn’t even have a job while he mooched off his sister who had four, if you counted the escorting. “What’s his name?”

Alarm shot through her eyes as they met mine. There was good reason for her to feel that way. “Why?”

Stay calm.
There was information I needed. “I’m curious. He obviously has my name now. Don’t you think it’s only fair we’re on equal footing?”

I’d rather have the information from Maren. But, I’d get it regardless. I still had access to Discrete Encounters’ mainframe while the security team updated the system. From the front desk run-in at the dating service, I knew his first name was Frankie, but that could be a nickname. It’d take me longer, but I’d still find out who he was.

Leaning forward slightly, to look me straight in the eyes, the dress moved slightly revealing the side of her breast. And damn it, I wanted to run my fingers against the soft plumpness.

“You promise you aren’t going to do anything?”

Countering with a question generally distracted anyone and kept me from commitment to anything. “Why would I?”

Maren shifted toward me and that intoxicating perfume came over me. “Because I think you can be dangerous if you want to be.”

“Then why did you come back?”

We leaned into each other, only a few inches separating us. “I don’t know.”

Maren’s chest heaved as her breath quickened, eyes darting to my mouth. Hell, this was dangerous. Abruptly, I stood and made my way to the bar, pouring myself a glass of bourbon.

Hesitantly, Maren approached as her hazel eyes watched me. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No.” I took a big sip and allowed the burn to cover my throat.

“Our last name is Kincaid. He’s Frank Kincaid.”

I nodded. Maren made her way around the bar and came within a few inches of me. “Listen, I’m sorry for whatever I did.”

“Why are you dressed like that?”

She looked down before looking back into my eyes. Her wrap-around dress needed to come off her body. “I had an interview after my shift at the vet clinic and changed there. I forgot more clothes and didn’t have time to run home. The bus route would have put me getting here an hour late and I didn’t want to miss seeing you again.

I nodded as my thumb went to her cheek, slowly dragging its way down her neck. Her skin was as soft as I’d believed while jacking off in the shower this morning to the thought of Maren. I’m not sure what’s going on between us.

Lust clouded her eyes as she watched me intently. Continuing to draw the line down the center in between her breasts, leaving a wake of goose bumps, I murmured, “You’re beautiful.”

The fabric moved easily as my fingers descended.

Shit! This woman made me lose all of my composure. She blushed, but didn’t back away as we stared at each other while my finger stopped level with the bottom of her breasts. “Thank you.”

That same stare trance started, and I felt Maren lean in to my touch. She wanted this as badly as I did.

Maren broke the silence. “I’m not taking your money. I’m going to call Jewel and tell her. It’s not right. You’re a good guy, Bane. I can sense it.”

How wrong she was.

“Why do you stay with your brother?”

My words ended our moment as Maren took a step back, breaking the connection. Her nipples were beady points against the fabric. To keep from closing the gap, I took another large gulp of bourbon.

Giving a tired sigh, Maren explained, “Because when Dad died, Frankie kept me from getting absorbed into foster care. He took care of me. When I turned eighteen, he changed. I took his youth. I owe him.”

Like fuck she did. At this point, if he planned on pimping her, the odds would have been better with foster care. “What about your mom?”

“She died giving birth to me. Frankie helped my dad raise me. I’m helping him out of this last bind and then I’m done. I’ve paid my debt to him. I realize he’s out of control with him willing to whore me out. It’ll only get worse from here. I’ve been a pushover for a while. It’s time I found myself again—the person my father raised. It took a big wake-up call for me to realize it.”

This woman confused me.
Did she have an alternative agenda?
Watching her closely, she seemed innocent and sweet. Not someone out to fuck people over.

Giving me a sweet smile, she said, “It was nice meeting you, Bane. It’s been awhile since anyone has been kind to me.” She touched my hand and warmth emanated from her. “Thank you.”

She turned and walked toward the door. Propelled into motion by the thought of not seeing her again, I caught up to her and placed my hand on her back. “Wait.”

A gasp of air escaped Maren. “Bane.”

“Hear me out.”

If she chose to leave, I would let her go, which would be best for us. When she turned, we were but a breath apart. The movement of her tongue touching her lips filled me with a need to taste them. I knew it’d be even better than feeling her soft skin.

Patiently, Maren waited for me. What the hell was I doing? Why the hell was I even contemplating? I wasn’t even sure why I was drawn to this woman. “Stay. Let’s spend the month together.”

Maren raised an eyebrow. “And what would we do?”

“Whatever the hell we want to do. I’ll pay for your time to keep your brother off your ass. Use this month to recharge. Stay here at the hotel.”

“Bane, I’m not a whore.”

Her words infuriated me and I raised my voice. “Have I treated you like a whore?”

“No.” She took a step back.

I knew I needed to calm down. “I won’t touch you unless you want me to.”

Maren massaged her temples and took another step back. “And what am I going to tell my brother we’re doing? What are we doing? I’m confused by all this.”

A headache loomed at the base of my head. “Tell your brother we fuck like animals.” She gasped. “I don’t care what you tell him, Maren. Quite frankly, it’s none of his damned business.”

“I can’t accept money.”

“Then, accept a gift.”

The breaths expelled from her body became quicker. Swallowing hard, she took a step back. “I can’t become a paid prostitute.”

“You won’t. If we fuck, it will be because we want to. Not because I’m paying you.” I could feel Maren’s walls breaking down and I was happier than I should be about the fact that she was going to agree.

“But—” Maren looked torn as she chewed on her lip, contemplating.

I held my hands out to the side. “There are no
but’s;
I’ll leave and not come again. However, take this month and recharge. Tell your brother and Jewel whatever you want.” Rooted in place, I tried to decipher what Maren thought. “If you want me to leave I’ll go, Maren. No questions.”

She took a step forward and a little tension eased out of her shoulders. “I don’t understand; why are you doing this?”

“I don’t have a damn clue as to why, but I want to spend the next month away from all the nonsense of the outside world.” This was either going to be the best or one of the worst ideas I’d had.

The familiar charge built around us as she asked, “Will we have sex?”

I stayed in place. If Maren wanted me to touch her again, she’d have to make the first move. “If we want.”

“Do you want?”

Hell yes, I wanted this. “I’m a man, not a saint, Maren.”

A small chuckle escaped her. “And if I don’t want to?”

“Then, we don’t. It’s as simple as that.”

Maren headed to the bar and took a sip of my bourbon, coughing as the amber liquid made its way down. “What happens at the end of the month?”

This woman made my head spin.

“We go our separate ways.” I took a few steps in her direction, but stopped a foot away.

Maren took another sip of my drink. “What about staying friends?”

It was best to get it all there up front. I would leave after the month. There was no way I would break my motto. “Maren, I don’t do relationships. I don’t do friends. I lead a solitary life with no connections.”

A frown appeared. “That sounds lonely.”

“It’s my life.” That was all I would say.

She took a step toward me. “Okay. I can respect that. After the month, I’ll leave and never contact you again.”

I believed her and that’s what made this perfect. She took another step toward me, now only inches from me. “I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”

“Tomorrow.”

Maren reached up on her tiptoes and kissed my lips. I thought she would pull back, but she pressed against my body.

That was my cue.

Things turned in an instant when we tasted each other. My arms surged around her as I sought entry into her mouth. Legs wrapped around my waist and I pushed my dick against her core, eliciting a moan. She tasted of sweet cherries. Hell, I wanted all the way in her.

I sat her on the bar, putting her heat at the perfect fucking height. Reaching for the tie of her dress, I pulled it open. Blindly, my hands sought her nipples. As I rolled them between my fingers, she threw her head back, arching her tits into my hands. Sliding my hands down her stomach, I wanted to rip off her cotton panties. She breathed heavily as she watched my hand.

Nearing the lips of her pussy, a knock came from the door.

“Fuck!” Maren gave a frustrated sound. “I’ll be right back.”

Whoever the hell was outside that door had a death wish. I wrenched the door open.

“Housekeeping. Would you like the turn down service?”

“No.”

She nodded and turned. A turn down service cock-blocked me? Coming back in the room, ready to pick up where we’d left off, I found Maren dressed again.

She wasn’t ready.

“Why don’t you go home and pack? I’ll meet you back here tomorrow night.”

My statement obviously threw Maren. She’d probably expected me to seduce her into having sex with me.

“Okay. Thank you.” I needed to get out of here so I did the right thing. Starting for the door, she called, “Bane?”

I turned my head back to her, but kept facing forward, fighting the urge to taste her again. “Yes.”

“Can we keep this a secret? What we’re doing.”

What the hell were we doing? “Absolutely.”