Seduced - Book Three - Surrender Series (28 page)

Rafe

“Come on, Shane! This is stupid.”

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way, but it
will
happen.”

Rafe looked into his best friend’s eyes, trying to determine how serious he was. When Shane didn’t back down even a little, Rafe knew this would be a battle to the very end. Though he was frustrated and more than a little bit sick of this bachelor party, he figured it would be better to get the event over with.

When it came time to deal with Shane, Rafe wouldn’t hold anything back! That guy had gone beyond cruising for a bruising.

As Rafe sat down and felt ropes binding his arms to the chair, he closed his eyes and held on to the fact that the very next night, he’d be married to Ari and the two of them would be far away from all this nonsense.

“What in the hell are you doing?” Rafe’s eyes popped open as he felt strong hands holding his legs against the bars of the chair and wrapping rope around them. He’d thought having his arms tied up was ridiculous, but he’d never agreed to being bound up so tightly, and on the legs, too.

“Just go with the flow.”

“Like hell I will. This is no longer amusing. Untie me at once,” Rafe demanded, letting his friend know he was finished. His tolerance for Shane had run out and he was leaving.

“Sorry, buddy — lights out.”

Before Rafe could say a word, a cloth was stuffed in his mouth and quickly fastened around the back of his head. He was shooting a deadly glare at Shane before a dark cloth covered his vision. He was seriously going to kill Shane when this was all over.

Struggling against his binds, Rafe would have  sworn out loud when the sultry music started and all the men whistled, but the gag prevented him from doing so.
Dammit!
He knew a stripper was coming. He had no desire to look at, touch, or come near a half-naked stranger. Why would he? Ari was waiting for him, and she was the only woman he needed. Who held a candle to her anyway?

When he felt a set of fingernails scrape along his neck, then undo the top button of his shirt, his struggles against his binds became frantic. When he got out of this, he was going to land a right hook straight at Shane’s nose.

But he wasn’t getting loose— his “friends” had tied him down too securely. Since struggling was getting him nowhere, he went completely still. He’d just wait them out.

As the woman straddled his lap, then rocked forward, her breasts pushing into his chest, Rafe felt the beginning stirrings of desire licking at his groin. Mortification filled him. He hadn’t so much as looked at another woman since meeting Ari. Why in the hell would he desire a stripper?

It had to be the amount of booze he’d drunk during the evening, or maybe the blindfold. He tried tuning out the whistling men, the feel of the stripper grinding against him, and the smell of her sweet perfume. He pictured Ari in his mind, and without knowing it a smile appeared on his previously pursed and angry lips.

Wait. He knew that scent, knew it better than anyone. This wasn’t just any stripper — this was Ari. He didn’t know how she’d managed it, but she was here and giving him the best damn lap dance he could ever hope for.

The feel of her breasts pushing against his chest, her nails scraping his skin — it was all familiar, and it all turned him on beyond anything imaginable.

He groaned as she kissed his upper lip, wishing he weren’t gagged so he could sink his tongue inside her mouth. At his groan, her body stiffened.

The realization hit him that she didn’t know he knew who she was. Good. They’d tied him down, made him go through this ridiculous scheme, and tormented him — now it was his turn to torment his tormentors.

Throwing his head back he moaned a bit louder through the gag, and pushed his hips up, letting her feel his arousal. His moan quickly turned to a squeak as her nails dug into his chest.

His kitten had claws and they were definitely showing.

The crowd roared as they watched the scene before them, and that’s when Rafe realized that Ari was most likely scantily dressed in a room full of horny men. His enjoyment was squashed flat.

As the blindfold came off and he looked into the fiery eyes of his very pissed-off fiancée, he glared right back.

“How could you be turned on by a stripper?” she snapped, still straddling his lap.

His eyes pointed down at the gag in his mouth, and it took her a moment to realize what he wanted her to do.

Finally, she got it and untied the knots. As soon as it was off, he looked angrily Shane’s way, and saw that he was deriving way too much pleasure from the situation. Rafe definitely owed his best friend a solid right hook.

“Everyone out now!” Rafe roared.

One look at his face and the men decided not to argue. It had been all fun and games up to that point, but they could see that Rafe’s mood was murderous.

The men began pouring from the room, Shane being the last to leave.

“Have fun, kids. Don’t hurt him too badly, Ari,” he said before firmly shutting and locking the door.

“Again, how in the hell could you get turned on by a stripper?” she asked, rage shining in her eyes.

“First off, I knew it was you as soon as I smelled your perfume. I’d know that scent anywhere. Secondly, what in the hell are you wearing?” he thundered.

Her eyes widened at his words, and then softened in pleasure.

“You really knew it was me?” she asked.

“Of course I knew it was you. I know everything about you, Ari!” he growled. His question still hadn’t been answered.

“Oh, that’s good then,” she said as she pushed her hips against his and brought back to his focus the fact that he had an almost painful erection trapped beneath his jeans.

“I asked you a question. There’s not much of your body that’s covered, and every one of my friends just saw it!”

“Well, I couldn’t let a strange woman grind all over you. I mean
really
! Your honor was at stake. As soon as your sisters told me there was going to be a stripper, we came down here. I didn’t have much time to think about it, actually,” she admitted as she looked down at her breasts, which were flirting with a major wardrobe malfunction.

“I will have to kill every man who looked at you,” he said.

“I don’t think that will be necessary. The room is pretty dark,” she said. She began moving to the music, which was still playing.

Rafe was trying to concentrate on their fight, but he was quickly losing the battle. How could he stay angry when she was expertly pushing every button he had?

“Untie me, Ari,” he said.

“Nope,” she said. “But I will undo the rest of these nasty buttons for you.” After she finished unbuttoning his shirt and parted it, her hands glided across his chest. “Mmm, you are so spectacular, Rafe.”

He groaned when she bent down and ran her tongue along his lips, not quite connecting their mouths, but teasing him while her hands stroked his chest.

“Baby, I will make you sing if you just let me out of these ropes,” he promised, wanting so much to reach up and unclip the bra she was wearing.

“It’s your bachelor party, Rafe. I think I’ll be the one making you sing tonight,” she said. She stood up and turned around, wiggling her hips before bending over and touching the floor, giving him a nice view of her thong-“covered” derrière.

“Hot damn, Ari, I like that outfit,” he gasped as she backed up and rubbed herself on his lap. “I really need to touch you,” he moaned.

She turned around and smiled, glorying in the control she held. Rafe struggled more against the restraints, but he wasn’t making any progress. The men had locked him down tight.

Ari turned back around and then undid his pants, sliding them down to the bottom of the chair and freeing his pulsing hard-on to her view.

“Yum,” she said as she ran her finger from the tip to the base and then back, circling the wet head.

Then she stood back and reached to the front of her bra, unclasping it and letting it slide down her arms, releasing her beautiful breasts. She did another little twirl, making them bounce, and causing Rafe’s mouth to go dry.

She took off her skirt and stood before him in a small red triangle of fabric that just covered her core, a black garter belt and fishnet stockings, and the sexiest damn red heels he’d ever seen.

Turning in a circle, she lifted her arms, dancing seductively to the music, making her breasts sway as she moved toward him. Leaning down, she rubbed one of her breasts across his mouth, and he quickly latched on to the nipple, sucking it inside his mouth and running his tongue over the hard peak.

Before he could do more, she pulled back, her eyes glazed with passion.

“Oh, that’s good, Rafe,” she said as she bent down and kissed him — just a fleeting moment of their lips touching.

Then she kneeled before him and quickly sucked his arousal into her mouth, making him cry out as she took him deep, then set up a seductive rhythm matching that of the music, making him nearly lose his mind.

Before he embarrassed himself and released in her mouth, she stopped, climbed back up his body and kissed him again, rubbing her luscious breasts against his chest.

He was going to explode before he got the chance to enter her.

His only salvation was in the fact that she was just as hot for him, just as ready to come.

Turning around, she backed up to him, sliding her panties out of the way while looking over her shoulder as she gripped him tight in her hand and guided him inside her from behind. Rafe looked down at her rounded behind, wanting so much to take it in his hands, squeeze the feminine flesh as she sank down on him.

Bending over so her hands touched the ground, she began moving her hips up and down his shaft, setting up a rhythm pleasing to them both, her buttocks hitting his legs as she slid all the way down his length.

“Oh, Rafe, this is good,” Ari cried as she sped up, sliding up and down him in a frantic need to give them release. Just as he was nearing his peak, she stopped, pulling her body from his. He cried out his displeasure.

It didn’t last long. She straddled his legs and then sank back down on him, continuing her breathless rhythm as her breasts mashed up against his chest and she grabbed his head, locking their mouths together.

Within a few minutes, she screamed as her orgasm overtook her, her tight heat gripping him while she continued to slide up and down. Rafe shouted out with her as he felt the pressure build, and sweet release finally overtook him.

When the last of their tremors fell away, she went limp against him; neither spoke while they caught their breath.

“That’s one hell of a bachelor party,” Rafe said with a chuckle. “Now will you untie me?”

“Oh, sorry. I completely forgot.” Ari bent down and undid his legs first, and then his hands.

Rafe rubbed his tender flesh before picking up the ropes and looking at her with intent.

“Hey, I’m not the one who tied you up,” she said, backing away. But Rafe could see the excitement in her eyes. She wanted this.

He made a move toward her and she ran around the pool table.

Perfect!

He caught her and then she was his.

The rest of the night he found out just how many ways he could make her beg for mercy. They barely had the energy to walk to their waiting car as the sun began rising in the sky.

It was her wedding day, and she couldn’t believe it. After so much heartache and trauma, she was about to marry Rafe Palazzo. No second thoughts, no worries stared back at her when she looked in the mirror.

She was a little tired and had woken up alone in the early afternoon with circles under her eyes, but a makeup artist had worked magic. She was now dressed in her perfect gown, with her hair, makeup and nails done expertly, and she had about two minutes before her bridesmaids came in.

“You are stunning, Ari.”

Ari turned to find Lia standing inside the door. Ari hadn’t even heard it open.

“Thank you, Lia. Thank you for being here now, and for the last three years. I don’t know what I would have done without you,” Ari said as she moved forward and wrapped her arms around her friend.

“You would have been fine because you are beautiful, smart, talented and a real prize for any man. All you have to do is let me know if my brother isn’t treating you right, and I’ll come and straighten him out,” Lia said with a twinkle in her eye.

“I have a feeling that you enjoy terrorizing Rafe,” Ari said with a laugh.

“Oh, he well deserves it for the numerous pranks he played on me while I was growing up,” Lia said.

“Where’s Rachel? I thought she would be here by now,” Ari asked; she realized it was getting close to time to walk down the aisle and yet there was no sign of Rachel anywhere.

“That’s odd. I haven’t seen her since this morning, when we dropped off the dresses here. She said she would be right behind me. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had time to think about it,” Lia said, concern apparent on her face.

“Let’s check her room,” Ari said, sure that everything was fine, but with an undercurrent of worry because only she and Lia knew about the baby.

They stepped into the hall and made their way down to Rachel’s fitting room. Ari knocked on the door and there wasn’t an answer, so she tried the doorknob. It was unlocked.

The two women opened the door, calling for Rachel. Still no answer.

Ari felt her stomach heave with fear. She was afraid to look around, afraid they’d find Rachel lying on the floor bleeding. What if she’d had a miscarriage and had been lying there dying all
day? She’d never forgive herself for being so self-absorbed that she hadn’t noticed her dear friend missing for an entire afternoon.

“Oh, Ari,” Lia gasped, making Ari turn slowly around. She was afraid to see what had made Lia’s voice so frightened.

What she found was Lia holding a note. That wasn’t so bad. Or was it?

“You’d better come here,” Lia said, and Ari made her way over to her.

Ari didn’t recognize the handwriting. It wasn’t Rachel’s.

When she read the words, she blanched.

This wasn’t good — not good at all.

“What do we do?” Ari asked.

“We have to talk to Rafe,” Lia replied with dread.

“He’s not going to be happy,” Ari said as she paced to and fro in the small room.

“No, he’s not. Do you want to finish the wedding first?”

“Are you kidding me, Lia? Of course not. This is far more important,” Ari said, and she walked from the room. Lia was right behind her.

Ari entered Rafe’s room, stopping in her tracks when she saw just how breathtaking her future husband was. Shane and he froze in the process of putting on their black ties.

“You aren’t supposed to see each other,” Shane said, his mouth agape, the new shiner on his right eye not detracting from his looks at all. Lia was obviously taking a bit too much pleasure in the bruise left by her brother on Shane’s face.

“You need to see something, Rafe,” Ari said as she moved forward.

He read the note, and fire instantly entered his eyes.

“Is this a joke?” he asked, looking between the two women.

“No, unfortunately, it’s not,” Lia said, looking decidedly uncomfortable.

“Why wasn’t I told of her condition sooner?” Rafe thundered.

Ari knew he was upset, but that was no reason to take out his temper on her or his sister. She sent him a warning look, and he calmed down, though rage was still brewing in his eyes as he passed the note to a very confused Shane.

“She wanted to wait to let you know,” Ari told Rafe.

“You knew.” It wasn’t a question, just a statement as he looked from Lia to Ari.

“Yes, of course we knew. She didn’t want to be yelled at for making a mistake, but she needed to talk to someone about it. So she told Ari and me about everything roughly a week ago,” Lia confirmed. “She swore us to secrecy.”

“I can’t believe you kept this from me. Had I known, she wouldn’t be in the situation she’s in,” Rafe said in exasperation.

“What? She wouldn’t be pregnant?” Ari asked.

“There’s nothing I can do about that, obviously. That’s not what I mean. She wouldn’t be gone,” he said, running a hand through his hair.

“What do you want to do, Rafe?” Shane asked, his own eyes narrowed in outrage after reading the note.

“I’m going after my sister, of course,” Rafe replied.

“I’ll go with you,” Shane told him.

“I can handle this, Shane. I don’t want your ass hauled to prison for insubordination. We both know you leave tomorrow,” Rafe said as he patted his best friend on the shoulder.

At the mention of Shane’s departure, Lia cast dangerous and disgusted looks at both men.

“Lia, we need to talk,” Shane said as he watched her stiffen.

“No, Shane. You go play G.I. Joe and leave me the hell alone,” she said, turning away from him.

“Sorry, Rafe, but your sister is a pain in the ass. I need to have a chat with her while you and Ari figure this out.” Shane strode toward Lia.

Ari watched her friend take a step back, but she didn’t look frightened. Excitement gleamed in her eyes. Shane followed, picking Lia up and carrying her from the room while she yelled bloody murder.

“It seems that both of my sisters are having man problems,” Rafe said, running his fingers through his hair, mussing it up just the way Ari liked it.

“I will inform the guests that the wedding’s been postponed,” Ari said a bit sadly at the thought.

“We can still do this, Ari. I don’t think Rachel is in danger. I just refuse to allow this man, this king, who I thought was my friend, to do what he’s done,” Rafe told her as he pulled her into his arms.

“Your friend?” Ari asked with confusion.

“Yes. Do you remember a couple of years ago — the business meeting you sat in on with me? Prince Adriane was there.”

“Oh, my gosh! That’s the man!” Ari gasped.

“Yes. We’ve worked on deals together. I never thought he’d be the sort to take such liberties with my sister,” Rafe roared.

“Now I see why she couldn’t resist him at the beach,” Ari said, remembering well how handsome Prince Adriane was. Hell,
handsome
didn’t capture his physical appeal. The man was magnificent.

“Excuse me?” Rafe said, his eyebrows drawn in.

“Let me explain…” Ari told him all she knew about how Rachel and Ian had met, and then how Rachel had found out she was pregnant.

“He still can’t get away with this,” Rafe said.

“I know. You need to go after her, Rafe,” Ari told him.

“What about our wedding?” Rafe asked. He wrapped Ari in a hug.

“I can’t have a wedding without Rachel here. It wouldn’t be right,” Ari sighed as she rubbed along his back.

“I love you, Arianna Harlow. I
will
make you my bride,” Rafe vowed.

“And I love you, Rafe. But for now, you do whatever it takes to save Rachel. I’ll face the crowd. You realize they’re all going to think I’m a jilted bride?” she said with a smile.

“Ah, baby, they all know that I’m so in love with you, that could never happen,” he assured her.

Ari knew it, too. She wasn’t worried. She reluctantly withdrew from his arms and left the room. Informing all their friends and family in attendance at their wedding that the ceremony was postponed wasn’t exactly her idea of fun.

As the huge double doors were opened for her, she found it quite amusing to be walking down the aisle on her own with no music. She should have them play a break-up song and really worry the crowd.

She stopped and gave Rafe’s parents a brief rundown of what was going on, then stepped up to the stage to face the crowd while the two of them rushed from the room to find Rafe.

As she turned to look out among the audience, she saw a few sympathetic looks from people thinking that Rafe had gotten cold feet. She also saw a few hopeful looks from some of the women. Too bad, ladies! He was still taken.

“I’m sorry, but the wedding has been postponed. There’s been an emergency in the family,” she said simply before stepping down and exiting.

When she entered the room, Rafe was pacing, already on the phone. His mother was holding the note, her face grew pale as she read the words.

To Rachel’s family,

I have taken Rachel to see my personal physician. After he clears her for travel, we will leave for Corythia, where I will be able to care for her and my child. Though Rachel is hesitant about the upcoming nuptials, I will notify you of my plans for the wedding when they are final. You are welcome to join us, but I must inform you that I will not change my mind on this matter. She carries the heir to the throne of Corythia, and she will be my wife. Rachel will be well taken care of as the royal consort.

King Adriano of Corythia