Rebel Obsession (10 page)

“Then I’ll fit right in,” she said playfully. “Okay, so…do you have a brush or a comb or something for my hair?” She glanced around.

He went to his dresser and picked up a large-toothed comb and handed it to her before retrieving her clothes from the bathroom. “I’ll put your clothes in the wash.”

She winced. There was only one reason why he would need to wash her clothes. “Did I throw up on them?” She hadn’t even noticed, apparently too concerned with her hair and face to see vomit on her clothes.

“Just a little.” He winked reassuringly, his smile warm and inviting. He crossed the room and disappeared through a doorway. The light came on and she heard the sounds of a washer being started. A moment later, he reappeared, turning off the light and shutting the door.

“I’m so embarrassed.” She looked down, holding the comb against her stomach.

“Don’t be,” he said. “I’ve seen worse done by less beautiful people than you.”

“Liar.”

He shook his head. “It’s the truth”

He stood only a couple of inches taller than she did, but at least he was taller. Normally, she loomed over males. It was nice having to look up for a change, at least to meet someone’s eyes other than her father’s.

“Thank you for the comb.” She lifted it awkwardly as if he wouldn’t remember giving it to her. Her mind traveled unbidden to when he had brushed her hair at AKM, and she bit her lip, her gaze darting away from his as heat burned her face.

“What?” His eyes twinkled as his smile widened.

“Nothing.”

“Come on. I can tell it’s something.”

With a sigh, she met his gaze again. “It’s just…well, I…” She puffed out her cheeks and blew out an exasperated breath. “I was just wondering….” She nibbled her bottom lip. “If you’d like to finish brushing my hair? Like you did at AKM?” She had fantasized about him brushing her hair for two weeks.

“I didn’t think you wanted me touching you.” He was teasing her.

“I changed my mind.”

Io took a step toward her. “So, you want me to brush your hair?”

She nodded. “Yes. If you don’t mind.”

The look on Io’s face was pure mischief and self-assuredness. He clearly enjoyed hearing that she wanted him to be so intimate with her.

“Don’t look so self-satisfied,” she said, teasing him back.

He chuckled. “Self-satisfied?”

“Uh-huh.” She was shamelessly flirting with him, but she didn’t care. She enjoyed it. And he seemed to, as well.

“Well, since I
was
interrupted last time….” He took another step toward her. “I would like to finish what I started.” He brushed a wet strand of hair out of her face. “I can even dry your hair for you if you’d like.” His eyes smoldered as if he knew how often she had thought about that night at AKM, when they had met.

Could he see inside her thoughts? Did he somehow know that she had thought of those few precious minutes with him repeatedly ever since? Him brushing her hair had been the most erotic thing she had ever experienced…until he’d kissed her earlier, of course.

Heat flushed her face. “If you want to…yes, that would be nice.”

What game were they playing? It certainly felt like they were playing a game akin to cat-and-mouse, but Miriam didn’t know which she was, the cat or the mouse.

“I do want to.” His voice was low, his gaze following his hand as it caressed the side of her face and his fingers dipped into her wet hair.

Not only had he brazenly kissed her earlier, but now he openly came on to her. Miriam’s pulse raced, her heart thumping so hard she was sure he could hear it. Still, she forced herself to maintain propriety.

“You flirt with disaster, Io. You do realize that, don’t you?”

“You can stop me. Just say the word.” His hand pushed further into her hair.

It took all her willpower not to lean her head into his palm.

“Normally, males refrain for fear of my father. I have never had to tell a male to stop, for none have ever touched me as you are now.”

“Never?” he said, his eyes narrowing. His hand stilled on the side of her neck.

“Never.” She had a feeling he had already expected as much.

He seemed to think about that a moment then grinned. The upward turn of his lips and the way his eyes narrowed and sparkled with what looked to be satisfaction appealed to her, and her heart skipped.

“Well, I’m not like other males,” he said.

“I’m beginning to get that impression.”

The sound of her mobile phone ringing made her jump away from him. She laughed self-consciously and reached for her purse then pulled out her phone.

It was her father calling.

“Speak of the devil.” She dropped the phone back in her purse.

“You’re not going to answer it?” Io stepped up beside her, placing his hand on the small of her back.

She held her breath at his touch, and then turned her gaze toward him. “No. He probably just wants to yell at me.”

“Maybe he wants to make sure you’re safe.”

She shook her head. “I doubt it. He hasn’t cared about my well-being in years.”

Io stared at her lips as she spoke, and her gaze followed suit, dropping to his mouth.

“Well, rest assured that your well-being is in good hands here, Miri.” His hand caressed lower to the curve where her back met her bottom.

Oh, Io was definitely tempting Fate.

She inhaled as warmth cascaded through her body. “I’m where I want to be.”

The air crackled between them, but she remained still despite an unbelievable desire to kiss him again. Even if she wasn’t educated in the art of kissing, it didn’t diminish her excitement when she thought about his lips on hers. But she wanted him to come to her. She had liked how it felt for a male to throw caution to the wind as he had earlier.

Io was so close now, his body heat blending with hers to warm her. He leaned down.

“Give me five minutes?” His lips brushed her cheek beside her ear as he spoke.

Was he seducing her? Because if he was, he was damn good at it.

“Five minutes?”

“To shower,” he said. “Five minutes and I’m all yours for the rest of the day.”

Why did that sound so damned enticing? He would be all hers.

“I’ll be right back,” he said. “And then I’ll comb your hair, and dry it….” His lips brushed gently over her eyebrow. “And I’ll take care of you.”

Miriam closed her eyes, his deep voice and the words he said making her feel decadent. But then he drifted away from her, and she opened her eyes to watch him grab a change of clothes from the dresser, step into the bathroom, and shut the door.

And I’ll take care of you,
he had said. She exhaled, not even aware she had been holding her breath.

Something told Miriam that simple statement meant more than Io was willing to admit.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The muscles in Malek’s back clenched and his hips slapped hard into the woman he called Gina. For over an hour, he had fucked her with everything he had, and only now did his cock cooperate and let loose into the condom she had insisted he wear, even though he knew he couldn’t give her any diseases.

As a vampire, his blood was pure. Disease couldn’t live inside him, so there was no way he could pass any on to her. Still, he could get her pregnant, so the condom had been a good call, because the last thing Malek needed was to sire young. And just his luck, he would be that one vampire in ten thousand who could impregnate a human when he wasn’t in his
calling.

Growling out a groan of relief and frustration, he thrust again then again, feeling the effects of the first orgasm he had allowed himself to have with another woman since….

His stomach lurched violently.

Like a shot from a gun, he yanked himself away and rushed to the bathroom before disgracing himself in front of her.

“Oh my God! Are you okay?” The woman hurried in after him, still naked, still looking not at all like the one he really needed…or the one he wanted, now that he took a good look.

He needed Gina, but he wanted Carmen. His sweet, perfect Carmen. Guilt ripped through him. What had he done? He had defiled Carmen’s memory by fucking this whore while fantasizing that she was Gina. He hated himself right now for his lack of self-control.

“I’m fine.” He avoided the woman’s eyes, wiped his mouth, and stood up before flushing the toilet. Then he bent down in front of the sink and turned on the faucet.

“Can I get you anything?” The woman was genuinely concerned, even though she didn’t have to be. She shouldn’t have been, because Malek wasn’t worth her worry.

“No. I’m fine.” Embarrassed and ashamed was what he was. Add to that a side of self-loathing and disgust, and he had a four-course meal of anguish to digest.

He scooped water to his mouth in the cup of his hand and sipped then swished the water around and spit it out before drinking more.

His long, black hair draped down on either side of his head, getting wet as the ends fell into the rush of water pouring from the faucet.

The woman hovered and Malek could feel her discomfort. He could see inside her thoughts and saw that she found him attractive, despite his gastrointestinal pyrotechnics. She wasn’t sure what to do. Should she stay? Go? Rub his back?

Just what he didn’t need: an admirer.

Before exiting her mind, Malek caught a further glimpse of her feelings for him. She was grateful for the way he had treated her. Unlike most of the men who bought her services, he had treated her with respect. She thought he had a heart.

If only she knew the truth. He had no heart. He had lost it a long time ago. Then Gina had come along, stirring his soul in a way only Carmen had so long before her. Malek slammed his eyes shut. No. He couldn’t acknowledge the way his heart had begun to open again when he met Gina. He refused to recognize how Gina had held him captive the moment he had laid eyes on her two weeks ago, and he certainly didn’t want to address the nagging questions about where she was now or whether or not she was okay. She was gone. As soon as Severin had forgiven her for what she had done, Tristan had released her. It was anyone’s guess where she was now.

No doubt her guilt over what she had done to Severin was eating her alive, but Malek didn’t want to think about that, because then he would go crazy wishing he could be with her to soothe her through the gnawing despair, because he knew the feeling all-too-well. He knew what it was like to feel lost and broken.

He had sensed disgrace in Gina before she left, as if she felt unworthy to continue living. She had thought she was avenging her brother by going after Sev, but once she had learned the truth—that Sev had been more-or-less framed by a jealous commander—she had been beside herself with grief. Gina prided herself on being the best. In her mind, she felt she had allowed herself to be duped, as if it was somehow her fault and she should have known better. The thought she had almost killed an innocent male had mortified her. She had even tried to get herself killed by faking her own escape attempt—an attempt Malek had barely prevented when Sev’s father, Lakota, had almost blown her head off.

God, he hoped Gina hadn’t done anything to hurt herself or worse now that she was out in the world, alone. If only he knew where she was, he could see her through this.

Once more, Malek smashed his eyelids closed, scrunching up his face. He couldn’t think like that. Gina had no place in his life. None. Only Carmen belonged in his heart.

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay?” the woman said, breaking him from his thoughts.

“Yes. Yes, I’m fine.” He stammered over his words, feeling helpless and breathless as he shut off the faucet, pushed himself up off the edge of the sink, and turned around before peeling off the condom and dropping it in the trash.

Dawn was about to break, and he could sense the woman’s fatigue. He had kept her here longer than he should have, but he hadn’t thought it would take so long for his body to release itself. Then again, he wasn’t used to being with women. Malek’s hand had been his only sexual partner for so long it was amazing he even remembered where his pecker went during intercourse.

He combed his wet fingers through his hair and glanced at her. “Look. You can stay here in one of the spare bedrooms if you like, or I can call you a cab. It’s up to you. I won’t hurt you if you stay.”

She licked her lips, obviously interested, but then shook her head. “No, that’s okay. I should go home. You look like you need some rest.”

Malek nodded and steadied himself as he walked weakly from the bathroom. “Okay, let me get your money.”

He opened a drawer and pulled out a leather pouch that looked like a bank deposit bag. After unzipping it, he pulled out ten one-hundred-dollar bills. Then he grabbed a few more for good measure.

“Here.” He handed the bills to her.

She frowned, realizing he had paid her more than he said he would. “What’s the extra for?”

“Buy yourself something nice,” he said. “A pretty dress, a nice dinner.” He brushed a hand over her hair. “A day at the spa. Just do something nice for yourself, okay?”

“Okay, sure.” She smiled and folded the money into her fist.

“So, what’s your real name, anyway?” He didn’t want to call her Gina, anymore.

“Jess.” She smiled and blushed. “Well, Jessica, but everyone calls me Jess.”

“Jess? That’s a pretty name, Jess.”

“Thank you.”

He glanced away then back. “I’ll call you a cab. Feel free to grab a quick shower before you dress. I’ll make you breakfast while you get ready.”

She nodded and smiled again. Malek got the sense none of her other customers treated her so well. From the bits of thoughts he had snagged from her mind earlier, they probably didn’t.

A half-hour later, Jess was freshly showered, dressed, and had put away three scrambled eggs, two slices of toast and jam, and four sausage links. A honk out front signaled her cab was there.

Jess started down the front hall to the door while Malek stayed behind in the safety of his kitchen, where the sunlight wouldn’t hurt him once she opened the door. Suddenly, she stopped.