Her Twisted Pleasures (17 page)

“I did? You were supposed to call it off before you got attached.”

“No, you were supposed to tell her the truth before things got ugly. Do you know how much she hated deceiving you?

How she beat herself up every time she saw me? Or did you enjoy watching that too?”

“I didn’t know how to tell her. I thought she was happy. I thought she was enjoying her forbidden fling.”

He feels guilty. Good. “Oh, she enjoyed it.” Something perverse inside me couldn’t resist taunting him. Will snarled, and I braced myself for another punch, but I didn’t stop. “She enjoyed every screaming orgasm.”

That did it. His fist connected with my jaw, and something cracked.

“Asshole.” Will flexed his battered hand. “You had that coming.”

“She had me coming like a volcano. Over and over….”

That hit landed in my gut and knocked me on my ass.

I gasped for breath. What am I doing? I was practically begging him to hurt me. Maybe I wanted to be punished.

Maybe I deserved it. I braced my arm against the wall and pulled myself up.

Will’s stance turned rigid.

“You were supposed to make her come.”

This argument was getting ridiculous. We both knew the rules. We both knew I’d end up breaking them. But he’d forgotten the most important one.

“You were supposed to make sure she didn’t get hurt.” I kept my voice low, controlled, my anger simmering while my muscles tensed. “You were supposed to take care of her.”

His jaw twitched and his eyes narrowed. As he swung, I blocked his clenched fist and sent a sharp jab to his chin. He wiped blood from his split lip and backed off, but I wasn’t going to let him get away so easily.

“This was supposed to be about her—what she wanted.”

Rage boiled over and I stalked toward him. “It wasn’t about our twisted perversions.”

“She wanted you before I met her.” Pain darkened his eyes and his shoulders slumped. “I thought if I gave her what she wanted, if I knew who she was with… when and where… if I controlled everything….”

The fight went out of me as I realized how much my friend suffered. “I know Emily hurt you when she fucked that other guy, but letting Talia fuck me wasn’t going to help you get over it.”

“Why didn’t you stop me?”

I laughed and shook my head. “You never listen to me when I suggest you’re wrong.

You never listen to anyone, so I let you find out on your own.”

“And you wanted to fuck Talia.”

“Well, yeah.”

He raised his fist. “When did it become more than sex?”

I wanted to deny it. “I don’t know. It caught me by surprise.

I don’t think she saw it coming either.” I leaned back against the wall and dabbed at the blood still dripping from my nose.

Will turned away from me, staring at the elevator and rubbing his bruised fist. “Why was she crying?”

“Crying? She wasn’t crying when she left. She was pissed.”

“She was crying in your arms before you… ended up on the couch.”

Oh, right—the reason she came to me tonight. I shouldn’t be the one to tell him about Talia’s problems with Holland Spencer, but I couldn’t keep any more secrets from him.

“She’s in trouble.”

He turned on his heel, and his face registered shock.

“What?”

“She’s helping him hide a secret account, commingling the firm’s money with client funds.”

“Why would she do

something like that?”

Talia had lied to Will and cheated on him, but he still couldn’t believe she might be involved in something criminal?

“She caught him, and he threatened her, offered her a percentage if she helped him keep it quiet.”

“I could’ve helped her.” The pain in his voice told me that this part hurt him the most.

“Why didn’t she tell me?”

He needed to figure that out himself. “She was afraid to tell anyone.”

Will’s eyes turned fearful.

“Spencer was in the meeting I was watching tonight.”

That explained how he’d had seen us, but not why he looked scared. My heart raced; Will wasn’t afraid of anything.

“What meeting?”

“Senior partners, mob bosses.”

“Holy shit. I knew she didn’t tell me everything. Do you think she knows about the mob involvement?”

“Jesus fucking Christ. She’s in over her head.” Will punched the elevator panel. “I gotta help her. I gotta go after Spencer.”

“No, man.” I blocked his exit.

“You need to go to Talia. Stop trying to fix everything else.

Talk to her and find out from her what she needs.”

His lips pressed together and his jaw twitched. I couldn’t tell if he wanted to hit me or hug me. “You’re right. I need to go to her. Tell her… I was wrong.”

I stepped aside to let him on the elevator. “Good luck.”

“You and me… this isn’t done.” His angry eyes drilled through me as the doors closed.

“Got that right.” I walked into my office and leaned back in my chair, pinching my nose to stop the bleeding. I’d expected Will to hit me—I’d have done the same to him—

but I never expected to give a shit about Talia leaving me.

Was this the end? It couldn’t be. I needed to know what had happened to Talia. I picked up my phone, then dropped it. She was so mad at both of us when she left. Will was on his way to see her, so I’d wait.

Sort of. A text message couldn’t hurt: ‘Are you okay?’

Stupid question. I erased it and typed again: ‘I need to….’

How would I finish that sentence? Delete.

‘I’m sorry.’ Send.

My head pounded as I

slumped over my desk, trying not to count the seconds ticking by with each throb while I waited for an answer. Seconds, minutes, an hour.

Nothing. She didn’t answer.

What did I expect? She was probably with Will. Making up.

Making love. Why did that bother me? She wasn’t my girlfriend. I didn’t want her to be.

Or did I?

If she left Will, would she come to me? Is that what I wanted? My heart pounded and a drop of blood splashed on my desk. I leaned back and closed my eyes, seeing Talia naked beneath me, her eyes dark and her cheeks flushed, breathing hard. I felt her hot damp skin sticking to mine while I fucked her—no, made love to her.

We came together. That had never happened with anyone else. It wasn’t just good timing; it was an emotional response. I was so connected to her that I knew when she was going to come, and my heart synced my body with hers.

Yes, I wanted her. I wanted to make her mine and take her away from all this BS, keep her safe from everyone who hurt her, including Will.

I need her. God, I need Talia so bad.

She told me she trusted me.

That’s when it became more than sex. That’s when I fell in love with her.

But I hurt her, too. How could I have told her she was like me? I essentially called her a heartless, ethically challenged, manipulative liar who screwed anyone to get laid.

How could I love her and be so cruel? I didn’t deserve to love her—or anyone.

I could protect Talia from Spencer and Will, but who would protect her from me?

Punishing Pleasures

I sat alone in the dark, in the same leather chair where this twisted mess began. That night I’d been drunk, half-naked, and highly aroused. Tonight I was stone-cold sober, fully dressed and hot enough to slap Alex as soon as he walked through the door. But I sat on my hands, knowing where hitting him would lead.

What am I doing here? On my way home, I’d been blinded by anger and driven by lust. Will had known everything—from the beginning. I’d never cheated on him. Not once! But he’d let me come to his bed feeling like a cheating, deceitful woman who needed to beg for his forgiveness. He’d been too understanding when I

apologized for disappearing at parties, too naive when I’d called to say I had to work late.

Everything had been too easy. Now I knew why.

And Alex! I couldn’t form words for him half an hour ago, but I had plenty to say now. At a traffic signal on the way over here, I’d stopped, not caring if the light was red or green. My angry breath steamed up the cold windows, and in the corner of my eye, Alex’s text message lit up my phone: ‘I’m sorry.’

He’ll be sorry, all right.

Someone honked and I turned, but when I shut off the engine, I hadn’t driven home.

Now I sat in that damn chair, trying not to remember the pleasure of that first guilty touch between my legs. My pussy. I couldn’t even say the word then. If nothing else, fucking Alex had taught me not to fear dirty words. I didn’t fear much anymore.

The lamp next to me lit up and I jumped.

“This is the last place I expected to find you.” Alex tossed his keys on the counter and closed the door. His nose had swelled to twice its normal size, dark bruising shadowing the hollows under his eyes.

Did Will do that? Why? If Will wanted Alex to fuck me, why would he hit him?

Focus. “Me too.”

“How did you get in?”

“Your doorman was easily distracted by my titty tease.”

“I’m not surprised.” His gaze drifted to my blouse, which I’d forgotten to button up afterward. “How are you?”

Angry, hurt, still wanting you.

“Confused.” I relaxed my shoulder and exposed enough flesh to keep his attention on me.

But he turned away and paced, keeping the coffee table between us. “Why are you confused?”

Seriously? “I think you know the answer to that.”

He stopped and looked back at me. “I want to hear it from you,” he said softly. He moved closer and searched my face, his penetrating gaze gentle but insistent.

I knew that look. “Don’t try to coerce a confession out of me. You’re the guilty party here.”

“What do you think I’ve done?”

“Stop it! I’m not a witness you can cross-examine. I’m the victim!” I jumped up and squared my shoulders, with my fists clenched at my waist.

The fearless Alex Sheridan actually retreated backward toward the door. “I never meant to hurt you. We were trying to help you.”

“Help me? How?”

Alex scratched his head, ruffling his hair. “Will thought you weren’t the same woman he’d met.”

“How was letting me sleep with you supposed to fix that?”

“I have no idea.”

“But you went along with it.”

“We’ve done it before. Back in college, we started swapping girls. It was always fun. But this time….”

“I wasn’t the first?” My stomach gurgled up into my throat. “How did the other girls feel about being used?”

“We never used anyone.”

“What was different this time?” I wrenched the role of interrogator away from him.

“I got attached.” His gaze met mine. The emotions we couldn’t acknowledge on the bathroom floor suddenly became undeniable.

“Don’t! Don’t even try to tell me you felt something for me.

You fucked me—both of you!

You got what you wanted—”

He grabbed my arm and dragged me against his body. “I never wanted to hurt you.” I winced and he let go. “I never wanted to love you.”

“You just wanted to get laid.

You wanted something

forbidden. You wanted something exciting and dangerous.” I was speaking to myself. “That’s what you meant when you said we’re the same.

You can’t love me. You’re heartless. And so am I.” My knees weakened, and I sank into the cold leather chair.

“We’re perfect for each other.

We’re so fucked-up.”

Alex sat on the coffee table and lifted my chin, but I couldn’t look at him. He kissed me, his lips soft and sweet on mine, inviting, enticing. I slid closer, wondering if we could ever have something together —something meaningful and beautiful.

His hand slid into my open blouse and under my bra, teasing my nipple into a hard throbbing pebble. I heard his zipper slide down and found my hand curled around his cock. His fingers crawled under my skirt and invaded my wet pussy. My thighs clenched, trapping his hand. No. His cock hardened in my hand, and I used the drop of cum at his tip to stroke him. He groaned in my mouth and his thumb circled my clit, sending lightning bolts up and down my spine.

“Oh yes.” Damn it. Why can’t I say no to him?

He pulled me onto his lap as his cock slid along my slit, searching for an entrance. “Let me fuck you, Talia.”

Let me fuck you.

Two fucked-up people

fucking each other for their own benefit—no meaning, no beauty. Just using. I couldn’t keep doing this to him—to myself. I had to find the strength to end this.

I am not a victim.

“No.” I put my hands on his shoulders and pushed him back.

Pain filled his eyes, drawing a jagged arch through his brow.

“You mean it.”

I nodded.

His jaw twitched. “Go.” He slid back and let me up.

I tugged my skirt into place and dug into my purse for my keys. When I reached the door, Alex sat on the coffee table, shoulders slumped, his head in his hands.

“I’m sorry.” For what?

He didn’t move.

I closed the door and ran to my car.

I had to find Will, to hear his side of the story in order to make any sense of this—my feelings, his reasons. How did it all fit?

I drove by his house and saw his empty driveway and darkened windows. Where could he have gone?

The drive from Will’s place to mine took forever. I smacked the radio off, annoyed by its pounding bass. Once in the parking lot of my apartment, I sat for a second in the dark, wondering what the hell to do next. Going inside seemed too normal.

As soon as I unlocked my front door and turned on the lights, he spoke. “Took you a while to get home.” Will stepped out of the dark hallway, his arms crossed over his chest. His cracked lip still seeped blood.

I shouldn’t have smiled, but pride and satisfaction filled me, knowing Alex had hit back.

I tossed my coat and purse in the closet. “I went for a drive.”

“With your shirt

unbuttoned?”

Still? “Will—”

“You’re a terrible liar, Talia.”

“I was always surprised when you believed me.”

“Where were you?”

Why did it matter where I’d been tonight? We had so many other things to argue about. “I had to talk to Alex.”

“Why did you go to him first?”