Cravings (19 page)

Chapter 44

W
hen Sasha woke up the next morning, Sanj poked at her with his long, stiff self.

“Nothing fancy this morning,” he whispered to her. “I just want to fuck you.”

Nobody had ever quite said those words to her before. All of her clients and lovers contentedly allowed her to take over. Play the game. Be in control. But she found herself nearly purring at the thought of Sanj simply wanting to fuck her. Sweet.

He snuggled up behind her and kissed the back of her neck, sending warm chills through her. Lovely soft kisses, making her arch her back. “Mmmmm,” she said.

He grabbed her ass and pressed himself into it, now gently biting her back.

His fingers found her, entered her. Then he gently but firmly pulled her to her knees and lifted her ass to him.

“Damn,” he said. “You are perfect for me,” he growled and filled her at the same time as he pulled her to him. They lay still for a moment, him deep within her. “I could . . . stay like this,” he moaned.

“So good,” she said. Now his hand was at her breast, fumbling around on her nipple. She could not help but arch her back, taking him ever deeper. She grasped at the bed to give her more friction.

He growled and pressed into her, then thrusted harder. “You take all of me in,” he said.

She couldn't speak. Their bodies collided so exquisitely it was hard to catch her breath, let alone speak. He reached down and found her clit. Between his pounding at her G-spot and his fingers at her, she found herself lifted to place where all she was was parts. She felt like an animal unleashed.

Undone. She was undone.

He was hard and still pounding her and in a quick ecstatic rush, him deep inside, hitting the very end of her, with a little twinge of pressure and his finger touching her clit just right, she came in a pulsing rush. This time it sent him into a wild orgasm, leaving him gasping for breath as he came all over her back. Warm. Sticky. Madness.

 

Later, in the shower, it occurred to Sasha it was just as good having someone else take the lead in sex. Maybe it didn't have to be one way or the other. Maybe it could be both. God, sometimes she felt like a teenager, finding her way. She had had no normal relationships at all with men. How was this supposed to work?

It was just sex, she told herself. She was enjoying herself. No need to overthink everything.

Dressed and ready for brunch, she walked into the kitchen and found Sanj starring blankly at his cell.

“What's wrong?” she said, reaching for the coffeepot.

“It's probably nothing,” he said. “It's Jennifer. She's not returning any of my calls.”

“Hmmm,” Sasha said. “Maybe she's found a lover.”

“You don't know Jennifer very well, do you?”

“Not really,” Sasha said.

“Finding a lover is not within her personality. Finding a husband is,” he said.

“You'd know about that, wouldn't you?” she said.

“Know about what?” Josh said as he walked into the room.

“Never mind,” Sanj said. “Any news?”

“Actually, yes. And it's bad news,” he said. “We've been up all night wrangling with this. “

“What's that?” Sasha said, sitting up.

“The locals are almost to the point where they are giving up on the search for Everidge and Maeve. No trace of them. I think I've talked D'Amico into a few more days. But the working theory is Everidge's gone,” Josh said. He reached for a croissant and spread chocolate over it.

“How could he get out of the country without being found?” Sanj asked.

“Boat,” Josh said. “That has to be it. The waters are more lenient than the skies. Even if he had a private plane, like us, and he does from my understanding, he'd still have to clear airspace, even though he'd not have to go through customs or anything.”

“Where are you off to today so dressed up?” Sanj asked.

“I'm going to Emma's funeral,” he said. “Hoping I can pick up some clues. Then I hope to catch up on some sleep.”

“I read they were having the service in the States,” Sasha said.

“Actually, they are having two. One here, at her husband's request,” he said and paused. “Mozingo had some problems and may not have been a nice guy. But it turns out he really loved his wife.”

Sasha and Sanj exchanged uncomfortable glances and Josh raised an eyebrow.

Chapter 45

S
anj was smitten and trying to keep his head about him. The boundaries of their relationship blurred. It was supposed to be about sex, yet he found himself more deeply satisfied than ever before. And more curious.

He was afraid and worried for Maeve and Jackson, yet Sasha was ever on his mind. What other pleasures could she offer him?

“Sanj,” she said, interrupting his thoughts. “I am curious.”

“Yes,” he said, clearing his throat.

“You saw those photos of me online, right?”

He nodded.

“Did you like what you saw?” She tilted her head—her skin catching the light. He barely noticed her scar anymore. It was there—right across her cheek—but it was such a part of her.

“Well,” he said. “I didn't like seeing you with other men.”

She laughed. “Is that so?”

“Yes, I guess I'm jealous,” he said.

“No reason for it. Those men paid me,” she replied. “With you, it's different. Of course.” She shifted in her seat.

He saw her discomfort. What was she getting to?

“But I did like seeing you naked and half-naked and you must know . . . how very much I enjoy you,” he said, leaning into her and kissing her, slowly, tenderly, feeling his parts come to attention.

“Ah, yes,” she breathed. “I do kind of know. But I wondered . . . would you like a little more . . . um, play?”

He was twitching against his zipper now.

“You know,” he said, “I think I would. But I'd like anything with you.”

She slid onto his lap and straddled him, wrapped her arms around him. “I feel the same way.”

She was all woman, wrapping herself around him, her breasts pressed up against him and warmth emanating from between her legs. A kiss. Yes. Another kiss. Those lips—soft, yielding—and tongue, sliding, exploring.

“Hey,” a voice said. “Do you mind?”

“What are you doing back, Josh?” Sanj said and groaned as Sasha stood. Josh's eyes took her in. Sanj's belly tightened. Josh shrugged and grinned. “Sorry, boss,” he mouthed to him.

He'd have to get used to other men looking at her, liking her. She was one of the most well-put-together women he'd ever been with. Sanj shot Josh a look of reprisal. Josh laughed.

“I wonder if we might go out today,” Sasha said.

“I might be able to arrange it,” Josh said. “Where do you want to go?”

“I'd like to go to a toy store,” Sasha said with a mischievous look.

Josh laughed. “What? What kind of toy are you looking for?”

Sanj watched her reel him in with her soft, beckoning eyes. He had an inkling what she was looking for—and he knew she enjoyed making people uncomfortable when she thought they had ventured into her private life.

“I'm looking for sex toys,” she said, grinning devilishly.

Sanj almost spit the coffee out of his mouth.

“You know,” she said, flirtatiously, mockingly. “I'm looking for a paddle. Sanj has been a very bad boy.”

Josh's mouth dropped open as the newspaper he held fell to the floor.

Sanj laughed and lifted his coffee cup. What a good way to pass the time, instead of stewing about Maeve when it appeared they could not help find her, and had indeed been warned by the police to stay out of it.

“Funny,” said Josh, red-faced and attempting to regain his composure.

 

They arrived at the shop in a bulletproof limo that pulled right up to the door. Mistress Suzie's Shop of Pleasure—Sasha knew the place from having been to the island before, and she was thrilled to show Sanj around. Josh and a police officer stood outside the door, causing a bit of a spectacle—especially among the shopkeepers.

“Everything we do here is legal,” one young woman behind the counter said.

“Of course,” Sasha said. “These men are not interested in you or your business. They are here for our protection. And you really don't want to know why.”

She reached for Sanj's hand and dragged him into the clothing area. “Choose,” she said. “I'll wear whatever you want.” Sasha wore an air of confidence he had not really seen before. It was like she had stepped out from behind a cloak. The woman was in her element.

Sanj breathed in the scent of leather and ran his fingers along a row of leather corsets. How had he never noticed the sensual appeal of leather before? How could he choose? Lace-up. Zipper. Hooks. Ribbons. Red leather. Black leather. White, trimmed in black. Oh, what the hell?

“I'll take one of each in her size,” he said to the salesgirl. “And those three pair of boots. Size seven.”

“Madam?” the young woman asked.

“You heard him. One of each. Let me write down my measurements,” she said.

“Now follow me, Sanj. It's not all about the clothes, you know,” she said, leading him into a room of strange-looking items.

“What is that?” Sanj looked at an odd-looking belt with a device hanging from it.

“A forced orgasm belt,” Sasha said. “I've used it on several women. They orgasm until they beg for mercy.”

Sanj felt heat rising to his face. “Sounds unpleasant.”

“Yes, not my thing at all,” she said.

Sanj let his breath go. Thank the gods.

“How about this belt, where I'd strap a dildo on and fu—”

“No,” Sanj said. “Not
my
thing at all.”

Sasha grinned. “Okay then. How about some clamps?”

“For me or you?” he said and grinned back.

“We can share.” She pushed against him and kissed him.

“Yes,” he said. “Whatever you want.”

“I'll take the clamps and the beads for now,” Sasha said to the clerk. “Where are your paddles?”

“Paddles?” Sanj said, eyes wide. “You weren't kidding, were you?”

She looked up at him as if she were caught with her hand in the S&M cookie jar.

“I do like a reddened bottom on a man,” she said, as if she were talking about the weather and not an ass.

Sanj cleared his throat. He'd heard of such things, but hadn't given them much thought. He suddenly realized he'd been quite a straight-up guy when it came to sex. He'd always considered himself lucky to be getting any sex at all.

“I . . .” he started to say.

“You don't need to answer now,” Sasha said, sliding up to him. “I will be your fuck friend as long as you want. So let's get a few paddles and some restraints, shall we?”

The sales clerk tagging alongside them became overloaded with things by this point.

“Can you ring us up?” Sanj said.

“Absolutely,” she said. It took all three of the staff to take care of them.

 

Sasha stopped outside the doorway and hugged Sanj. “Thank you,” she said.

He wrapped his arms around her. “Maybe I should be thanking you?”

Her smiling face suddenly fell, the color drained from it, and her warm brown eyes turned to stone.

“What—”

“There,” she said, grabbing for Josh. “You see the man in the yellow ball cap?”

“Yes,” he said. “What of it?”

“Careful,” she said. “We're being watched. He's one of Snake's men.”

Josh talked into a wire in his suit. Within minutes the place crawled with officers. Sanj and Sasha were pushed into their car and driven off.

Chapter 46

S
asha slipped back into the protective inner space she knew very well. She couldn't let herself feel or think too much or she'd be a mess. More of a mess than usual. She tried not to think about the man she had seen, about what a coldhearted killer he was. How he liked to torture women to the brink of death and fuck them. No. She couldn't think about Maeve being anywhere around Snake or any of his men. She hoped Maeve was off the island, long gone. Or better yet . . . she was dead.

Better dead than tortured by this man. A sob escaped from her as the car pulled up to the resort.

Sanj reached for her and helped her out of the car. Her legs felt as if they would fall out from under her body at any moment.

“You have seen some terrible things in your life,” Sanj said in a soothing voice, after getting her a glass of water in his condo. She nodded. Was she as pale as she felt? Was she a wisp? “Things will change for you,” he said.

Dear sweet Sanj. She wondered if the past was ever something she'd get over enough to move on.

Sanj's cell phone buzzed. He answered. Sasha drank from the glass and listed to the phone. “Trinidad?” he said.

Trinidad? What had she recently heard about Trinidad?

“Shit,” Sanj said. “Well, at least we know where to search next. Have the authorities been informed?”

Oh, that's right. Maeve's journal. Something about a gene bank where the oldest cacao genes were kept.

She drank from the cool glass and looked out the window at the beach where she had been walking two days earlier. The skies darkened. Rains came in quickly and moved along, gray skies against the turquoise blue.

“I see,” Sanj said into the phone. “So Everidge does have a boat. A rather large one.”

Sasha's stomach twisted. “He has a huge yacht,” she said.

“No, I don't think we can do that,” Sanj said, his voice trembling. “I need to reach Jackson. Any idea where the man is and why I can't reach him?”

The last they had heard from him was the Skype conference, when the connection had finally failed.

“Okay. Yes, please keep me informed,” Sanj said, then turned to Sasha. “Everidge is heading to Trinidad on his yacht, according to the guy they picked up. Good work, Sasha. I'm so glad you spotted him.”

“What next?” she said.

“I don't know,” Sanj said. “I suppose we'll head for Trinidad. Josh is checking into some things. Trying to clear some airspace.”

“Trinidad? Interesting. Remember Maeve's journal? How it mentioned Trinidad?”

“I remember. I wonder if there's something more about Trinidad we missed.”

“Doesn't Jennifer still have the journal?”

“I think it was given back to her.” He pressed a button on his cell, held it up to his ear, and got her voice mail—which was full. He couldn't leave a message.

“I need to head down to her place—if the security will let me,” Sanj said. “She's not answering her phone. Will you be okay here for a few minutes?”

Sasha nodded. “I think I'll take a bath.”

“Good idea,” he said. “If you want, I can book you a quick massage.”

Sasha thought a moment. “I think the bath will suit, thanks, love.”

After Sanj left the room, Sasha stood in front of the window looking out over the beach and watched the storm roll in. The waves heightened, with huge white caps on them, and the sky darkened. Splats of rain pelted the window.

Trinidad.

The place where Paul had asked her if he could be her collared man. Some used the term “slave,” but neither one of them did. It brought up too many concerns close to home—like white slavery, and child slavery in the cacao fields. Both of them had experience with those issues.

Paul had talked about Ecuador, which was one reason for her journey—the other was to find Maeve. She had no idea she was missing, then. And since then, coming to Saint Lucia made her feel closer to Paul. Maybe it was because they had been here together. Maybe it was because Yvette was here.

Oddly, in feeling closer to Paul she also felt closer to Sanj. At first she had simply wanted his help. His protection. Here she was, now his lover.

She made her way to the bathroom and started her bath. Oh yes, chocolate-scented bubble bath. She relaxed a bit, sighing. Paul had always said this place went over the top when it came to marketing chocolate. She found it delightful.

Ah, yes. She slipped into the hot water, surrounded by bubbles, and breathed in the steamy air. What next?

Yvette had offered to set her up in business in Paris, after paying for her to get some training. Sasha really no longer needed Maeve's help. But she still needed to see her, to let her know she was still alive. And she still wanted to see Maeve—a woman who loved, respected, and honored Sasha's Paul.

She leaned her head back on the tub and breathed in the scent of chocolate. Soothing. She felt each muscle in her body loosen a bit. Had her neck and shoulders really been that tight?

The bathroom door swung open and she turned her head to see Sanj, his face contorted with anger.

“Sanj? What is it?” She said.

“It's Jennifer. She's gone,” he said. “She's gone to Trinidad with bloody Jackson.”