Hunting Lust (Orion the Hunter Part Three) (21 page)

I released the breath that I’d been holding.  “That’s it?   You’re not pissed?”

He looked genuinely puzzled.  “Why would I be? I had the most beautiful woman in the world in my arms, it’s all the men who see this that’ll be pissed.  Pissed that you’re not in their arms and in their bed.”

“But you hate socializing.  You said that you deliberately shy away from this, that you’d hate it.”

He nodded as his hands took mine.  “That’s true but things have changed.  I finally have someone that I want to be seen out with and, at long last, I don’t have to hide anymore.”

Hide?
I couldn’t imagine Lucas hiding from anyone or anything.  “What do you mean, you don’t have to hide anymore.”

Immediately, a dark look flitted across his face and then was gone.  I’d seen that happen before.  Suddenly, I wanted to know what it meant.  I’d let it go before but there was something he wasn’t telling me.

I sat down next to him, noticing that he hadn’t answered me.  “Lucas, why do I get the feeling that you’re not telling me something? Something big?”

He pursed his lips and appeared to be wrestling with something – presumably, whether to let me in or not.

He sighed and turned to face me.  “I have kept a low profile for several reasons.  The main one was because of the business that I’m in.  Until you’re a big player, you can’t compete on a level playing field with the other major league players.  They fight dirty – real dirty – and there are many pitfalls and potential repercussions for people trying to break into their league.  The lower your profile, the easier it is to fly under the radar.  Does that make sense?”

I nodded and he continued.  “I guess habits die hard.  I’m not exactly playing in the junior league anymore and haven’t been for some time but there was one deal that I needed to do before I could feel secure and step out of the shadows.”

“And that deal’s been done now, I take it?”  I looked to him for confirmation although I knew that it must’ve been done – that’s why he’d agreed to take me out, to get involved with the band … to kiss me in front of a paparazzo.”

He nodded. “It’s been pretty much in the bag for a couple of weeks but that call from Daniel on Friday, as we travelled to the Festival, that confirmed it.”  He grinned like a big kid who’d won a pissing contest.

“It must have been a very important deal.”

“Oh yes, it was.  I acquired majority shares in a company that has been the bane of my existence for far too long. Then I liquidated it.

My mouth fell open – not just at the extreme nature of his business dealings but at the obvious delight he had in liquidating a company without considering the plight of the employees and their families.  This was another side to Lucas Hunter that I’d not been privy to.  But then there was no way he would be a billionaire at his age unless he was either very talented or very ruthless … or both.

“What do you mean, the company had been the bane of your existence?”

Immediately he snapped, “It’s personal and well deserved.  I really don’t wish to discuss it any further.”  His stony expression then melted when he smiled.  “It’s the future that’s important now.  I just need to find a way to convince you that my future consists of adoring you and finding ways to keep you happy.”

My mind was whirling.  Being with this man was like taking a ride on an emotional rollercoaster.  His mood could change in the blink of an eye but I knew, deep down, that he was a good man and I knew better than most how childhood trauma could have an impact on your personality.

I raised an eyebrow.  “One day at a time, Lucas.  Don’t push me, please?”

“I won’t.  But it was sweet of you to worry that I might be upset.  Life, my dear Issy, is for living and I intend to begin living mine to the full, being honest about who I am, what I like and what I want.  As the saying goes, ‘you’re a long time dead’.”

I couldn’t argue with that.  And taking one day at a time with this gorgeous man wasn’t a chore … in fact, if life was for living, I should seize my opportunity.

“I like the sound of living life to the full and finding out what I want.  I need you to arrange that visit to a BDSM club.  I want to see what else is out there.”

His hurt expression made me realize what I’d said.  “Oh no, Lucas.  I’m happy with our sex life, it’s great but I know there’s more out there.  I want to taste lots of different flavours until I found what I really like.  I may hate it all or I may find something that is for me.  I won’t know until I explore and I want to explore it with you.”

He nodded and sighed.  “Okay, I’ll set it up.”  But he didn’t look altogether happy about it.

I collected my overnight bag and my clothes for the morning, which Lucas promptly insisted on carrying, explaining that because it was early evening on a beautiful spring day, he’d walked instead of bringing the car.  We were just approaching the Orion Building when Lucas’ name was called, followed by bright flashes of light.  I looked up to see two paparazzi in front of the building. 

“Relax, it’s fine,” said Lucas, through smiling lips.

“If you say so,” I mumbled.  “I wish I’d spent more time getting ready.”

He laughed and put his arm around my shoulders as we entered the building.  Clarke was there to make sure that the photographers didn’t follow us.  Lucas thanked him and instructed him to keep them out and to call Carter if there were any problems.

“Who’s Carter?” I asked as we approached Lucas’ elevator.

“He’s my go to guy.  Basically, he oversees security for me.”

“I thought that was Clarke’s job.”

“Clarke controls who comes in and out of the building, not my personal and business security.  Clarke reports to Carter, as does a team of security staff.”

“Oh.”  I had no idea that Lucas had personal security.  I wondered whether we were regularly watched and followed – the thought made me shiver so I asked him.

“No.  Not unless I asked them to.  Being a social cripple and unknown business mogul has made it unnecessary in the main.  The main risk has been for the business.  They have concentrated on overseeing my business deals, making sure they go through without sabotage and they also prevent unauthorised online access to my company network.  I have some of the best computer techies in the world working for me.”

I absorbed this new information and had to agree that it made sense.  Because Lucas wasn’t your typical billionaire playboy, it was easy to forget that he wasn’t just a normal person.  There was nothing flashy about him at all – no fancy sports cars, private jets … no lavish lifestyle at all, considering his wealth.  He struck me as a person who just liked to get things done, no need for flashing his status, expecting preferential treatment or trying to be better than anyone else.

Once inside his apartment, Lucas told me to put my things in his dressing room.  As I walked into the room, there, hanging right in front of me, was an emerald green dress, full length and made of silk.  It was breathtakingly beautiful. 
What is it doing in here?
  It had a lace up corset style bodice and from it, sheets of silk cascaded to the floor.  I put my things away and went to find Lucas.  He was in the kitchen, brewing a pot of our favorite addiction … okay, so maybe coffee was our second favorite addiction!

He turned to face me, eyes alight and grinning like an idiot.  “Do you like it?” he gushed.

I frowned.  “Do I like what?” And then the penny dropped.  “The dress?”

He pulled a face.  “Yes, of course I meant the dress.  I thought we might make an appearance at a fundraising gala later unless you’re too tired, or you don’t fancy it.”

I gawped at him.  “Who are you and what have you done with my Lucas?  I thought you avoided those like the plague.”

He stalked over to me and pinned me against the wall, playfully but, as always, there was an undertone of menace.  “My Lucas?  I’m yours then am I?”

“You know what I meant!  The Lucas that I know.  The socially crippled phantom.”

“Ah well, I’ve told you.  I don’t have to worry any more.  I’m now a big fish in a relatively small pond.  Nobody can bring me down now.”  His voice softened and he nuzzled against my cheek.  “And will have you on my arm.  I want the world to see you with me.  I want them to know that you’re mine … even if it is only for now.”

I resisted the urge to push him away as familiar suffocating feelings threatened to overcome me.  I rationalized that he’d never given me cause to suspect his motives and he’d never tried to hurt me.  We could have dinner in the apartment or we could eat out at a fundraising gala – that was the only difference.

I was floored by his ability to perceive my thoughts and feelings.  I’m sure he knew what was going around my head when he said, “This evening is for a charity that I support; it fights to give children the right to a good education, wherever they were born and whatever their circumstances.”

“Well, I’d better start getting ready then.  Oh, I don’t have shoes or a wrap here that I could wear with that beautiful gown.”

He kissed the tip of my nose.  “That’s okay, because I bought those too – and a matching purse.  But why you would need to start getting ready now, is beyond me.  You look amazing, Issy.  You always do.”

I laughed.  “Men! You just don’t value the time and effort that we women put into our appearance.  I’m going to go and shower and get started.”  I kissed his cheek and he released me.

“I’ll leave your coffee until you’ve showered then.”

I dashed back to his dressing room and found the sexiest pair of heels that I’d ever seen.  They had 6 inch heels and were all straps and Swarovski crystals.  There was a matching purse that I would have killed to own.  A silk emerald green wrap that matched the gown was lying on a chest of drawers.  I picked it up and felt the cool, almost fluid fabric against my fingers.  Then, I spotted that hidden underneath was an emerald green silk thong.  I knew I wouldn’t need a bra because of the corset bodice of the dress.

I grabbed my things and headed into the shower.  I was glad that I’d thought to bring my own toiletries with me.  I shampooed, conditioned, exfoliated and washed away the last traces of the festival and was just wrapping a towel around me when Lucas came in with my coffee.

He grinned but his eyes betrayed his amorous thoughts.  “I was going to ask where you wanted me to put this, but now I’m tempted to rip that towel away and have my wicked way with you, right here on the floor.”

I shook my head and pursed my lips.  “Have you seen that dress?  There is no way in hell that you are going to prevent me from having my moment in the spotlight tonight.  I shall feel like a million bucks.  So put your lascivious thoughts away until later.”

He cocked an eyebrow suggestively.  “Later?  You can count on it.  I have a surprise for you later.  I think you’ll like it.  I think you’ll like it a lot.”

“Oooh, what is it?”

He chuckled.  “I said it was a surprise.  Let’s just say that you might well be begging for me to fuck you by the end of the night.”

My sex responded with a clench and I pressed my thighs together.  “As I recall, I frequently do, Mr. Hunter.”

He walked up to me, gracefully stooped and slid his hands on my ass, underneath my towel.  He rubbed them suggestively, before digging his fingers in and pulling my ass cheeks apart.  “Then you’ll be begging me to stop, but you won’t mean it.  You’ll want me to continue even if your wet cunt can’t take anymore.  You’ll be naked, bound and subjected to whatever I wish to do to your delectable body.  And you will love it. That is a promise.”

Then he released me and sauntered arrogantly out of the room. 
That damn man!  Damn that man!
I was already wet and now, I had a gala dinner to get though with thoughts of being bound and at his mercy, floating around my head.  I wondered what the surprise was as I blow-dried my hair but, I just couldn’t imagine so I had to be content to wait and see.