Deep in You (Phoenix #1) (9 page)

Lily finally emerged from the bathroom. I rose to my feet and stepped behind her, jerking her into the corner. I pulled her body flush against mine, her back to my front.

“Have I done something to upset you?” I breathed into her ear, my voice raspy.

“Leave me alone.”

“No. I can’t.” I suckled her earlobe, my teeth grazing her skin. I heard her breath catch.
Good.

She turned in my arms to look up at me. “Why don’t you and Amara just go have fun together?”

I gripped her arm tighter, my other hand snaking around to hug her belly. “You can’t be serious.”

“I saw the way you two were looking at each other. She was throwing herself at you, and you didn’t mind at all.”

“You saw nothing, because there wasn’t anything to see.”

She thrashed. “You’re just as bad as Michael, and she is supposed to be my friend. Just like Allison. I can’t go through this again! Let me go.”

“Lily. Calm down. She tripped. I caught her. I’ll admit she was being a little… obvious in her flirtation, but I never showed her any interest. It’s only you.”

Lily continued to squirm. I gripped both of her forearms and spun her around to face me. “Lily, please hear me out.” She shook her head. “Listen to me. I’m not going to lie to you. I can’t stop thinking about you. I came here tonight intending to pick up someone random to take my mind off you, but it wasn’t working. No one in this entire club could measure up. Lily, I can’t promise you forever. I can’t even promise you a week. I’ve never been the type to settle down. What I can promise you is that right here, right now, my every thought is of
you
.”

Lily looked to be in a trance, but she quickly shook herself out of it. “I knew you didn’t come here for me, like you said.”

“Ah, but I might as well have. None of them stood out to me. Not one. I turned Amara down. As forward as she is, she can’t hold a candle to you. Come back with me. We’ll take things one day at a time and see how we feel.”

She hesitated, so I squeezed her arms and pulled her closer. “Come with me,” I breathed against her mouth, then I sealed the deal with a gentle kiss. “Please.”

Lily smiled against my lips. “Yes.”

I tightened my arms around her, deepening the kiss. I thrust my tongue into her mouth to tangle with hers. She placed her hand on my chest and groaned.

I broke away. “Come with me.” I led her by the hand out the nearby back door into a side alley and was relieved to see no one there.

“Is it safe here?” Lily asked. She sounded nervous, but her eyes glinted with excitement and desire.

I pulled her past some empty beer crates and shoved her against the brick wall, careful to cushion her head with my hand. “Probably not. We’ll have to be fast. I need you, Lily. I don’t want to wait anymore.”

At her nod, I reached into my pocket and drew out a condom. The crinkle of the wrapper sounded louder than normal in the silence of the alley. Unwilling to waste another moment, I unfastened my jeans and slid it on. Her chocolate eyes were pools of blackness in the poor lighting, but there was no mistaking the need I could see there. I’d already had her today, but it wasn’t enough–for either of us. In that moment, I wasn’t sure it would ever be enough.

I reached under her skirt to slide her panties out of the way and was thrilled to discover the slender string of a thong. I inhaled sharply when I felt that she was already soaking wet for me. “Lily,” I rasped, “I want to remove these with my teeth later.”

“Yesss.”

“Put your legs around me. This is going to be hard and fast. I don’t know how much time we have.” I placed my hands under her firm ass and lifted. She wrapped her arms and legs around me, and I impaled her in one fierce move. We had none of the awkwardness of a couple getting to know how to be with each other. We fit together perfectly.

I thrust my cock into her, using the wall to help support her. I was drunk from the taste of her lips on mine, by her smell, the feel of her juices rubbing all over my balls. I’d had great sex before, but never like this.

“Shit, Xander, harder. Please,” she moaned.

Around the corner, I heard the back door of the club swing open. I froze in place and covered Lily’s mouth with my hand. “Shhh…”

The empty crates did a good job of shielding us from view if anyone happened to look in our direction. Even so, it was best to not draw their attention. With a wicked grin, I pumped into her without a sound. I released her mouth and shifted her weight so that I could angle myself better. My breath caught when she wrapped her arms tighter around me and bit down hard on my shoulder.

“Hold the door for me, would ya?” came a deep voice from around the corner. “That door shuts and we’ll have a bitch of a time getting back in. The lines for this place are ridiculous. Damn. I lost my lighter.”

“I’ve got mine,” another voice answered. “Good thing the chicks here are hot. Otherwise there’d be no point to this place.”

“Speaking of, did you see the hot blonde in the miniskirt? She came in with that Indian chick you were talking to for so long, but she vanished into the bathroom a while ago. Too bad. I bet those legs of hers would look real good around my waist.”

I growled low in my throat and continued to thrust into Lily. She tried to smother her gasp in my throat. “Wait, Xander,” she whispered urgently. “Oh my God, please wait. I’m getting close. They’re right
here
.”

I squeezed my hand between us to find her clit and rubbed it with firm strokes that matched my steady rhythm. She clamped her eyes shut and bit down hard on her lower lip, her breath loud and heavy through her nose. Her pussy clenched tightly around me as if that would stop me, but it only served to spur me on.

“I don’t think Amara is Indian, man,” continued the second voice.

“Does it matter?”

“I guess not. Won’t make a bit of difference in the morning.”

Lily whimpered and bit me again. I grunted as the sharp, delicious pain flooded my system. Her cunt began to pulse all around me, her nails pressed into my back. Her orgasm triggered my own release, and I buried myself as far inside her as I could, stifling a moan.

“Hey, did you hear that?” asked the first guy.

“Probably a stray cat. Will you hurry it up already? I already finished my cigarette. I want to get back in there.”

“Just a minute. It didn’t sound like any cat I’ve ever heard. Came from down that alley.”

I slowly withdrew, releasing her legs so she could stand on her own. I caressed her cheek and grinned, holding my index finger up to my lips.

“Man, who cares? I’m going back in. You can look for your phantom animal by yourself. I’m interested in a different kind of pussy.”

“All right, all right. You win. Let’s go back. Maybe your girl’s friend is back, anyway.” A moment later, the sound of the door slamming filled the air.

We both exhaled as one. I chuckled. “I thought that guy was going to come find us for sure.”

“You’re impossible,” she scolded.

“For you, I’m easy. Let’s get out of here.”

Lily chewed her lip, her brow furrowed. “I should go find Amara. Tell her where I’m going.”

“I already told her you’d catch a ride with me. Besides, you heard those guys talking. One of them apparently hooked up with Amara the instant I stepped away, and the other is looking for you.”

She chuckled. “Then you’ll just have to stay close by me so he doesn’t get near.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you want to go back in there? Like I already said, I told Amara I would bring you home. Just text her if you want.”

Lily frowned. “I guess you’re right. Those guys were right about the line for this place, too. Amara and I had to wait for half an hour, and I know some had to wait even longer.” She smoothed out her skirt and adjusted her shirt, momentarily exposing her tits. “It’s a shame, though.”

I stared at her chest, transfixed. “Why is that?”

She laughed. “Hey, my eyes are up here.” She gave me a quick peck on my mouth. “I don’t know. I just have a bad feeling. I’m going to worry all night.”

Well, hell. I can’t have that.
“All right. We’ll go in for just a minute. Say what you want, then we’ll go. Okay?”

“No, Xander, it’s okay. I’ll
try
not to think about it.” By her tone, I could tell that this was the same type of situation as when a woman said she was
fine.
She said it, but she didn’t mean it. No way was I falling for
that.

“No. Let’s go find your friend.” My voice was deeper than I meant it to be, a command that allowed for no disagreement. I took her hand and pulled her around the front of the building, ignoring the massive crowd of people gathered outside. I led her straight to the bouncer, who leaned against the wall, smoking.

He pushed away from the wall to remove the rope that was such a meager barrier blocking those outside. I slipped him another fifty as we passed him.

“Is that really all we had to do? Bribe him? And we wouldn’t have had to wait outside in high heels?”

I chuckled and squeezed her hand, leaning toward her to talk close to her ear. “Doubtful. I didn’t bribe him, I tipped him. He always lets me in straight away.
You
could have bypassed the line by simply showing off your… assets.” I laughed when she smacked me on the arm. “Come on, let’s find your friend.”

We checked out the bar area, since that was the last place we’d seen Amara. Scanning the area, we started to turn back to the dance floor, when I caught sight of the bartender signaling to me. Still holding Lily’s hand, I started to head that way, only to feel her jerk away from me. I turned to look at her.

“There she is!” Lily took off onto the dance floor. I wanted to stop her, but the look on Chrissy’s face told me I’d better see what she wanted. I focused on the direction Lily ran, then marched to the bar.

“What’s up?”

“That guy you were looking for was here.”

“Oh?”

“Yup. Strangest thing. He approached your girl’s friend, but ran off in a hurry when two other guys came in from smoking and joined them.”

“Did he leave?”

“I’m not sure. What do you need with him, anyway?” Her wide eyes sparkled in the reflected light from the strobes on the nearby dance floor.

“Just between us?”

She smirked and leaned forward, displaying her cleavage. “Of course.”

“Keep an eye on him if you see him again. I think he may be spiking drinks.”

“Wait, what? I’ll call the cops if I see him again.”

“No, Chrissy. I have no solid proof it was him. If anything, seeing cops will probably tip him off and he’ll move on. Just watch out for him for now, okay?”

Her forehead wrinkled as she considered my words. “At least he wouldn’t be here anymore. I don’t see how that’s not an improvement.”

“Short term, yes. Long term, wouldn’t it be better to catch him in the act here, where we’re on to his tricks?”

“I don’t like this.”

“I don’t like getting tangled up in all of this, either. Still…” I trailed off, lost in thought.

“This have anything to do with the fact that you’ve now been seen here with that girl twice? I thought the day would never come.”

“First time for everything, Chrissy. Keep an eye out. I’m going to go find Lily.”

I stepped onto the dance floor and searched for Lily but couldn’t find her. I was so intent I almost missed seeing Amara and nearly walked right past, only noticing her at the last second. She was dancing with some guy I’d never seen before, grinding up against him. As I watched, she tossed her hair to the side and bared her neck. He was quick to move in and kiss her there, his attention quite obviously down her shirt.

“Hey, Amara, did Lily find you?”

The guy jerked away, an annoyed look on his face. I stood up straighter, displaying that I wasn’t intimidated. Amara grinned at me, flashing her white teeth. “Xander, I didn’t expect to see you again tonight. Dance with us.”

I glanced at the guy she was with, and it was all I could do not to roll my eyes. “Amara, focus. Where is Lily?”

She pointed. “I’ll still be here when you change your mind.” She started to turn back to her date, but I gripped her wrist, squeezing tightly and pulling her close enough to smell her perfume.

“Hey!” the guy yelled. I glared and held up my index finger in the universal gesture for “wait one moment” and hoped he would back off.

“I don’t know what your problem is, but this,” I gestured between us, “isn’t attractive. I’m interested in Lily, and as her friend you should be happy for her. I’m sure this guy you’re dancing with isn’t impressed by you throwing yourself at me.”

She jerked her wrist, and I let her go. “Throwing myself at you? You have some nerve.”

“Right. Whatever. I’m going to find Lily.”

I looked in the direction Amara had indicated and found myself locked in Lily’s dark gaze. Damn, she looked angry. She turned to a guy who stood nearby and beckoned to him. In a flash she had spun him around and pulled his face down so she could kiss him. Her head cocked to the side and she glared daggers at me.

I wasn’t stupid. I knew what she was doing. I wasn’t going to take the bait. I watched the guy pull her close, saw her shirt bunch, and realized he was touching her naked back.

Before I even fully realized what was happening, I had marched over to them and hauled him off her. It wasn’t until I felt the pain in my right hand that I realized I had punched him in the face.

Oh shit. God damn it, what have I done?

The dancers who had been gyrating and grinding on the floor all stopped and stared. The guy gripped his nose, trying to stem the flow of blood as he struggled to his feet. I had to get out of there.

The first camera flash went off. I wasn’t sure if it was directed at the man on the floor or at me. More followed soon after. I grabbed Lily by the elbow and steered her out of the building, signaling for the valet.

“Let me go!” she snarled. “Let me go or I’ll scream.”

“We need to talk. We were
supposed
to talk, but instead you decided to put on some insane show for the club. Childish. Almost as childish as my fucking reaction. I need to get out of here. I can’t stay and wait for that guy to realize who I am and call the cops. Plus, people are taking pictures. I need you to come with me.”