Pandora's Box (13 page)

When Alistair was still not convinced after fifteen minutes, Dr. Volk moved on to another subject saying that Alistair should think about it and talk with Sophia.

Alistair was making his way through the conversation for the umpteenth time that day when a loud knock startled him. He spun on his heels to see his brother looking at him through squinted eyes. “Christ, Tavish Uilleam!”

“What did I do?” Tavish cocked his head to the side. He had knocked twice before Alistair heard him. “You look troubled. What is it?”

Just Sophia not using my surname.
“Nothing, nothing.”

“Are you sure? Is it Sophia? Is she felling unwell again?”

“No, it isn’t Sophia, she is fine.”
It’s my ever complicated self.
“What do you have for me?”

Tavish shrugged at his brother’s stubbornness. “The schedule for next year’s exhibitions.”

“Hmm… I don’t need to approve that. You can do it yourself with the guys. In fact, just inform MacKeenan of the openings. He’ll take care of informing Sophia’s secretary. And both of us will be there.”
Or so I hope.
Eyeing the notebook in his brother’s hands. “Now. Have you brought me the results of MacCraig Magnificent’s sperm sale?”

“That stallion is a goldmine.” A wide smile opened Tavish’s lips. “I also brought the results of the auction of the Richmond Stable.”

“You’ve always had an eye for art and animals, Tavish Uilleam. Let me see,” Alistair shook his domestic problems out of his head and concentrated on work. He would deal with his private problems later.                        

Chapter 7

London, The City. Ashford Steel Industries.

11.47 a.m.

“Scott? Could you please open the latest floor plans for the charity facilities in India and China, please?” Ethan motioned for Scott to put them in front of his engineers.

“So, these are the ones sent yesterday by Mrs. MacCraig.”

Ethan observed Scott. As always, dressed impeccably, he pointed out the changes Sophia and Mrs. Chanda had implemented on the floor plans, without stammering or getting nervous. He mused that when dealing with business, Scott was totally different than when dealing with his personal affairs.

Ethan questioned whether he was being fair to his assistant.

That unnerved him.

He didn’t use to question himself as he had been doing recently. He was not the same person he was before meeting Sophia.

“Mr. Ashford, Mrs. MacCraig has informed me that she will be free to travel with you on the first week of March. From the second to the eighth. This will give them time to get things up and running, since the facilities will be opened in January. She requested to confirm the plans with you and said that she’d like Mr. MacCraig and her daughter to accompany her too,” Scott told him.

Oh, Sophia. This was supposed to be enjoyed by just the two of us.
Ethan forced a smile. “Excellent.”

London. In a dimly lit room.

Friday, September 10
^th
, 2010.

1 a.m.

Ghost had amassed enough money to live comfortably under a fake identity, a middle class private detective, while working as a hacker. But he was greedy. He wanted more, much more.

When he reached the end of the rainbow, the first pot of gold led to another.

He had found just the right source from where to dig pots of gold. In fact, many right sources. Because now Ghost knew which were Sophia’s weak points. Not to mention Alistair’s and Ethan’s too.

But he would have to plan things carefully, very carefully to keep the rainbow shining.

He sent text messages to three persons in three different places:

Unknown. 1.04 a.m. - Want revenge? Call this number tomorrow at 7pm

Unknown. 1.05 a.m. - Want revenge? Call this number tomorrow at 8pm

Unknown. 1.06 a.m. - I have the info you need on S.L. Still interested? Call this number tomorrow at 9pm

With a last look at the note stuck to his screen, he turned off the light and went to bed with a satisfied smile on his face.

Atwood House.

7.19 p.m.

Sophia silently closed Gabriela’s bedroom door and started to walk down the corridor when she saw Alistair seated on the TV room sofa, fresh from a shower, wearing a white T-shirt and stone-washed jeans. He was nursing a half-filled glass of whisky in his hands and his profile was turned to her. His mind was so far away from the room that he didn’t even blink.

She paused in the dark, analyzing him. He had been strangely subdued since she had started working again.

She also considered the fact that Gabriela had begun kindergarten. He had accompanied them and insisted on visiting the entire school, from attic to basement. He had talked to the teachers and the headmaster, ensuring that it was what Gabriela wanted. Eventually, after seeing her happiness, he left the building, instructing Devon to sit at the bench on the other side of the road until Sophia was back to pick her up. If Alistair weren’t so concerned, Sophia would have laughed.

Maybe it is the house.
But she ruled that out as they had discussed it lengthily and decided that living there together was the best option. They would live in her house and he would pay for everything after their marriage.

Or perhaps, he has lost his desire for me because of my breakdown and my taking drugs again to steady myself.
The thought made her feel disgusted with herself.

On Wednesday when she had asked him if there was a problem, he said there was nothing wrong, held her in his arms quietly until she fell asleep as he had been doing since the Leibowitzes visited for the first time.

Sophia sighed. She could not fathom what was happening. She was feeling better every day since. She hadn’t liked the way he had faked sleep Thursday night when she had appeared from the dressing room donning a silvery lace gauzy camisole, and nothing more, ready to seduce him.

All right, you had your time.
“Hello,” she said cheerfully, walking into the TV room.

Time to finish this, Alistair Connor. You have brooded enough.
Alistair pasted a smile on his face and turned to look at his wife. “Good evening.”

Good evening??
Sophia shook her head at his formality.
Where has my Lord Caveman gone?
“I didn’t order dinner yet. I was not expecting you so early. Are you hungry?” She sat beside him, tucking her legs beneath her. “I was just wondering, since you arrived early, and it’s Friday, we could go out.”
I have ordered the employees to vanish as soon as you arrived and our bed is ready for me to jump your bones.

She shifted on the sofa getting closer to him and Alistair felt his pulse quicken.
White roses, vanilla and orange blossoms.
“Hmm?”
It has been a while since we made love.

She almost smiled when she saw the telltale vein on his neck appear. “Do you want to go out?”

Her perfume wafted around him when she threw her long hair to the side. It clouded his consciousness. He managed to answer hoarsely, “Nae.”
I want to take you to bed. Correction, I will.

“Mmm…” She took the glass from his hand and leaned over him, with a hand on his thigh to put it on the table. His muscles tightened under her touch. On her way back, her hand lightly touched his crotch and she felt his half-arousal.

I have to set things straight between us first.
He hooded his eyes and swallowed his moan.

She sighed relieved and asked naughtily, “So, Lord I-don’t-want-to-go-out, what can I do for you?”

He looked at her for a moment through the slit of his long eyelashes. He’d missed making love to her. He had missed their friendly talks. The last few days had been quite difficult to handle. He hadn’t resisted jacking off alone while she slept, only to return to bed and find that her warm, pliable body could turn him hard again within minutes of coming.

Fuck. Fuck the married name. Fuck everything.
He didn’t say a word as his fingers dipped in her hair and his free hand snatched her by the waist onto his lap. His mouth closed over hers with a hunger that only she could fulfill.
It’s you that I want. Every way you want to give yourself to me. Any way.

She could feel his manhood get even harder under her buttocks and plunged her hands into his hair, her fingers fisting it to pull his head back. She breathed on his mouth, “I missed you. Make love to me.”

He stood up carrying her in his arms and walked to their bedroom, kicking the door closed.

As soon as he put her on her feet, he quickly got out of his clothes.

Sophia smiled devilishly and unhurriedly untied her dress and shrugged, letting it fall to the floor. She combed her hair up and let it fall and spill down. Locks bounced over her bare shoulders, caressing them, as he wanted to.

Alistair looked at her and licked his lips, suddenly famished for his wife. His eyes drifted down and it was then that he saw what she was wearing underneath the dress.

A black and silver transparent strapless corset that concealed only half of her nipples, tied with large silk ribbons on the front and a thong so transparent that it showed she had waxed everything, made him swallow loudly.

His ink-black brows rose and he rotated a finger in the air.

She turned slowly on her feet, circling her hips.

He saw that it was nothing more than a thread between her cheeks. He took a ragged breath. “Fucking hell, Sophia.”

Her hands went to the silk ties, but his shot out to stop her. He wanted to feel those wanton lips around him, sucking him deep in her mouth, dressed just as she was. He got harder just thinking about the erotic vision she would make. He looked at her lustfully and commanded, “On your knees. Suck me.”

She didn’t hesitate and a molten fire spread through Alistair’s body as she took him in her mouth, slowly, wetting her way down, her hand massaging his balls.

He dipped his fingers into her hair, fisting it as she sucked him with greed and started to move her head up and down his erection, mimicking what she wanted him to do with her. Faster and faster, until he was moaning loudly and saying her name.

In a groan, he ordered, “Stop.”

When she didn’t, he gripped her hair firmly in his hand, and giving it a yank, stopped her motions, repeating, “I said stop.”

Startled, she looked up at him. She knew he enjoyed coming in her mouth; that he usually said stop when he was about to come and didn’t mind if she continued.

But there was something different in this time.

She obeyed and scanned his face. She had learned to read him and she could see a tension he was rigidly controlling. Something told her he wanted to lose that control.

Alistair wasn’t sure if she would comply with his request, but he had reasoned with himself during their honeymoon that he would never know if he didn’t ask.

Let’s see your reaction.
The green in his eyes was dark and his deep voice was a Scottish rumble. “You have to learn to obey me.”

Oh. My.
She sucked in a breath and lowered her head a bit, hiding a naughty smile under her hair. “I’m so sorry. I’ll behave better next time.”

Fuck, Sophia. You’re hot.
A shock ran up his spine. He hadn’t expected her to agree. He tsked twice. “Anyway, you’ll have to learn to obey. I dictate your pleasure tonight.”

She had wondered how it would feel to have someone ordering her around in bed. And, what was much more difficult to imagine, if she would be able to obey every order without rebellion. She wanted to know what he would do to her.

He gave her hair a light pull. “On the bed. Lie on your back.”

Although, Alistair had never requested her to play submissive, she was horny and eager enough to let him order her around. She lay down and looked at him, tethering on such desire her hands itched to touch herself.

When he saw the naked need on her face and her rapid breathing, he tsked, “You’re a wanton woman.”

“Yes, master.” Her voice was unrecognizable to herself, laden with anticipation.

NAE!
He gripped her chin and said, “Nae, not master. I’m Alistair Connor. Understand?”

Sophia drew in a loud, ragged breath. “Yes! Alistair Connor.”

He closed the curtains around the bed, cocooning her in a cozy, sensual space. Sophia could hear him rummaging through his nightstand, taking out a few things, but not knowing what he would do made her even more aroused.

He climbed over the bed with pouches, a black, thick blindfold. There was a feral grin on his face, and ink-black locks fell over his forehead and left eye. He looked like a pagan god.

He put the blindfold over her eyes and pushed her arms up in the bed and knelt between her legs. “Hold on the headboard and don’t move.”

The prospect of not being able to see and stay in such a defenseless position was exhilarating.

He bent her legs, planting her feet on the bed with her legs spread wide. “Now relax and enjoy, because I’m going to. I want to hear all your moans and cries. I want to know that your pleasure is all mine.”
Mine!

She could hear the pressed need in his voice. She expected him to take her corset and thong off, but he didn’t.

Alistair licked the hollow of her throat, thrilled by the way her pulse was beating rapidly. He kissed his way down her neck to her collarbone, whispering what he was going to do to her.

Sophia bit her lip to stifle a moan but it came out anyway. She was breathless by the unexpected way he was behaving. She had thought he would take her fast and rough as he liked it when he was agitated. But he was enjoying playing with her, making her hornier than ever.

He continued a path down to her breasts, and rested his mouth in their valley, licking from one mound to the other. He licked the outer part of her breast as much as the corset allowed, without tasting her nipples.