In Blood and Worth Loving 3 Kiss Cover (15 page)

* * *

That
’
s enough. She needs to rest.

With his hunger for Desiree only slightly abated, Conner angrily lifted his head from her breasts
. He frowned. When had he rolled her onto her back again? He couldn’t recall. He
glare
d
towards the closed bedroom door. Beyond it, in the hallway, the damned, interfering Stoner stood giving him unwanted advice.

Fuck off, Stoner.

Desiree was his woman and he
’
d decide when she
’
d had enough.

She
’
s unconscious and can no longer give consent
by Chand
r
a
’
s standards. So get the hell off of her so I can finally go spend what
’
s left of the night with my wife. If you don
’
t mind.

Conner glanced down and sighed. She was definitely unconscious and covered with bruises. She was not going to be a happy camper when she woke.

He reluctantly eased his cock out of her pussy and rolled onto his back.
Why the hell should I care what you do with your wife, Stoner?

Do I have your word you won
’
t touch her again, Redwolfe?

He sighed.
Yes. Now please fuck the hell off!

He felt a wall of fury projected at him and a cold response.
I
’
ve taken all the shit from you I
’
m going to take in my own house. Get your ass up, get dressed, and get the fuck off my property, Redwolfe. You have fifteen minutes. If you
’
re still here after that, I
’
ll personally toss you out on your ass.

You and what army, Stoner?

You
’
ll find out if you
’
re still on Stoner property in sixteen minutes.

Sensing that Sin-Bad had stalked off, he bared his incisors. He
’
d leave when he got good and ready. He lay beside Desiree in the moonlit room, listening to the alluring sound of her heartbeat and filling his nostrils with her sweet, natural scent. Everything about her charmed him
except for
her annoying insistence on wanting him out of her life and bed.

He turned his head to look at her. A rush of emotion nearly overwhelmed him. She touched and moved him as no other woman ever had. Although she was the one woman he most wanted to please, he continually did the opposite.

He caressed her breasts. They were round, large, and perfect
;
like everything else about her. His emotional and physical hunger for her were like twin aches he couldn
’
t assuage or ease
no matter how much he tried to convince himself she was just another conniving human woman out to snag a full-blood.

His gaze trailed down her beautiful, dark body, coming to rest on the triangle of hair between her thighs. He
’
d been a first-class idiot to deny himself the pleasure of fucking her for so long. Thoughts of tasting and then easing his cock back into her pussy nearly overwhelmed him. Then, realizing how close he was to what could only be called rape, he quickly rose and dressed.

With his hunger still rampant, he didn
’
t dare touch her before he left. On exiting the room, he found Sin-Bad in the hall. He waited for him to point out that his time was up. Instead he stared at him.
“
Do us both a favor
, Redwolfe
and
stay the hell away from here
until you
’
re feeling halfway civilized.
”

“
She
’
ll need some clothes when she wakes up. So I
’
ll be back with her suitcase.
”

“
I suggest you ask Adrian or Jay to bring the case. You
’
re not welcome here at the moment.
”

He silently pushed past Sin-Bad and stalked out. Although he felt as if Adrian had betrayed him, when he was confused and hurt, he sought out his twin.

Adrian took one look at his face when he arrived at his and Brandi
’
s condo before dawn and immediately embraced him.

“
I hurt her again and made things worse with her,
”
he admitted, clinging to Adrian.
“
I don
’
t know what to do.
”

He felt a soft hand on his shoulder before a second pair of arms slipped around him.

Although he
’
d been less than kind when discussing her for the last few weeks, the warmth and love he felt from
Brandi
, shamed him. He turned to face her.
“
I
’
m sorry, honey.
”

She burrowed into his embrace.
“
You have nothing to apologize to me for. I just want you to know that I love you and if there
’
s anything I can do to help, you only have to ask. If you need to talk or a human woman to rage at, I
’
m here for you.
”

He felt Adrian stiffen behind him.
“
The hell you are.
”
Adrian gripped his shoulder.
“
I know you
’
re hurt and angry, but you will not rage at her, Conner. Ever.
”

Brandi reached around him to touch Adrian
’
s shoulder.
“
It
’
s all right, Adrian.
”

“
No! It
’
s not all right. I mean it, Conner. Say anything to me you need to, but you will leave Brandi out of your rage. Is that clear?
”

He should have displayed the same passion for Desiree that he heard in his twin
’
s voice. If he had, she wouldn
’
t now fear him and be on the verge of hating him. Although he felt annoyed, he knew Adrian was only doing what a man in blood should do
;
leave the object of his deepest desires in no doubt about his feelings.

“
It
’
s crystal clear,
”
he said, stepping away from them both.
“
I need a favor.
”

“
Name it,
”
Adrian said.

* * *

The ringing of her cell phone stirred Desiree from a restless sleep. Rolling from her side to her back to reach for her phone, she grimaced. She ached all over. Memories of the previous night invaded her thoughts, filling her eyes with tears.
Even though she had eventually enjoyed having sex with him it hurt t
hat he ha
d
waited until she was unwilling to take her
. It also
dull
ed
any lingering urge to forgive him.

Her cell phone
’s
insistent ringing snapped her from her thoughts. Glancing at the bedside radio, she saw it was after eleven in the morning. She picked it up, glanced at the caller I.D. screen, and pressed the speaker button on her smartphone.
“
Hi Chandra
”

“
Morning, Desi. I
’
m sorry to disturb you but Adrian is here and hoping to see you.
”

Adrian was undoubtedly on another mission to try to make her forgive the unforgivable. Just what she needed.
“
Okay. Tell him to give me some time to figure out what kind of condition my clothes are in and
–
”

“
Just so you know, Adrian brought a couple of changes of clothes from your place with him. Your case, along with one of Max
’
s famous omelets, is outside your bedroom door. At the moment, Sin and Adrian are out on a ride. I expect they
’
ll be gone for a while. So please join me on the terrace when you
’
re ready…in say an hour and a half or so?
”

“
See you then.
”

As she rose and lifted the top sheet from the bed to wrap it around her naked body, she noted the unmistakable spots of blood intermingled with other evidence of sex on the cream-colored sheets. She stared at them, her heart pounding. Connor had been rough with her but it wasn
’
t her blood. It was his. Knowing the significance of his secreting blood during sex filled her with a mixture of awe and sadness.

If she were to believe everything she
’
d been told, she was his blood. Yet he had shaken her senseless, taken forever to apologize, and then had only wanted intercourse with her when he
’
d had to engage in pseudo rape to get it.

Turning away from the bed, she walked into the adjourning bath
room
. A large, guest robe hung on the door. She wrapped it around her body before crossing the room to the door. She opened it. One of her smaller suitcases, along with her makeup bag and a covered tray were next to the door.

Bringing everything into the room, she pushed the soiled bedding aside and slipped back into bed to eat. Even though the omelet was delicious, she found she had little appetite. She managed a few bites, along with a slice of toast. She left the coffee untouched but finished the orange juice before going to run a bath.

Lying in the warm water with her eyes closed, her thoughts turned to Conner and his behavior the night before along with the blood stained sheets. If they meant what everyone said they did, where the hell was he? Why wasn
’
t he there to try to atone for his mistakes? Why did he keep hurting her and then leaving everyone else to make excuses for him?

After a thirty minute soak, she opened her case and realized that
al
though Adrian had brought the case, Conner had packed it. All three dresses were ones he
’
d personally bought her. So he was still capable of little acts of consideration. It was just when it mattered that he showed her that he didn
’
t care.

So stop allowing him to dominate your thoughts and color your mood. You wanted him to fuck you. He finally did and
it was very good after the initial discomfort.
It
’
s time to get over him and get on with your life.

After she was dressed, she glanced at the bed. What the hell was she supposed to do with the blood stained sheets?
You
’
re overthinking things. Chandra is married to a full-blood and surely won
’
t be shocked by the aftermath of vampire sex.

She stripped the bed, put the sheets in the hamper, and wheeling her case behind her, she went to join Chandra on the terrace.

To her surprise, Chandra talked of her job as a detective sergeant, her marriage to Sin-Bad, and their plans for a month long holiday as soon as they could both arrange their respective schedules for it. Other than asking how she felt, she made no reference to the previous night or mention of Conner.

“
What about you? What are your plans
, Desi
?
”

“
I think I need a fresh start somewhere else.
”

“
You mean leaving the city?
”
Chandra asked.

“
Actually, the whole state.
”

“
Are you sure that
’
s what you want to do?
”

She shook her head.
“
No, but I think it
’
s what I should do given the circumstances.
”

“
Is there anything I can do to help?
”

“
You
’
ve already done it.
”

“
How
?
”

“
You
’
re one of the few people who hasn
’
t tried to influence me to forgive
Conner
.
”

She sighed.
“
While I
’
ll admit I always thought he
’
d see the light and you two would have your own happy ever after, I
’
m a police officer. It
’
s not my place to encourage a woman to forgive what she deems unforgivable or to remain in a relationship where she doesn
’
t feel physically safe.

“
You have to do what feels right for you regardless of what anyone else thinks or says. Sin and I want you to place us on the list of people you can count on as friends. It doesn
’
t matter if you forgive him or not.
”

The words touched her.
“
Thanks. I have a feeling I
’
m going to need all the friends I can get in the coming weeks and months.
”
She moistened her lips before continuing.
“
It
’
s strange.
”

“
What is?
”

“
Since you
’
ve made no effort to get me to talk about Conner…
”

“
You want to talk about him?
”
Chandra asked.

She sighed and nodded slowly.
“
I shouldn
’
t but I do.
”

“
Then let
’
s talk about him.
”

“
Do you know how he is or where he is?
”

“
I haven
’
t seen him much lately since Sin has gone out of his way to make it clear that
’
s the way he wants it until he
’
s himself again. I understand from Sin that he…
”

She leaned forward.
“
That he what?
”

Chandra shook her head.
“
I meant it when I said that as a police officer, I will not say anything to encourage a relationship you think is abusive in any way.
”

“
I can
’
t tell you how much I appreciate that, but talk to me as a friend now.
”

She remained silent.

“
Please, Chandra.
”

“
Sin says he
’
s never seen him so out of control.
”

“
Do you think he
’
s dangerous?
”

“
I understand and believe he can be
. T
hat
’
s one of the reasons Sin insists I keep my distance for the time being.
”

She bit her lip and swallowed hard. It hurt that some of the people who cared about him felt he was unsafe to be around.
“
When I remember all the good times we shared, it
’
s so difficult to believe what he
’
s capable of doing. I never thought he
’
d ever do anything to hurt me until he did.
”

Chandra sighed.
“
I think sometimes we forget that they
’
re not human males. They
’
re full-blood vampires used to pleasing themselves. It
’
s a difficult transition for them from their natural instincts to trying to fall in line with what we want and expect once they fall for us.
”
She touched her wedding rings.
“
But if they love us, they make the effort.
”

And if they don
’
t, they do what Conner had done
;
ma
k
e no damn effort at all.
“
Conner says full-bloods don
’
t do love.
”

“
Really? Then when things were difficult, why didn
’
t Adrian or Jayvyn impose their wills on Brandi or
Cayenne
? Sin-Bad wants me to stop working. I
’
m still on the force. Why do you suppose he hadn
’
t forced me to resign? For that matter, why hasn
’
t Conner imposed his will on you to make you satisfied with the relationship he wants you to accept?
”

“
I have no idea.
”

“
I do. Regardless of their
we-don
’
t-do-love
bullshit, they
’
re all in love with us
. Because they are, they accept us
with our wills intact.
”

“
You really believe that?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
I know it
’
s none of my business, but…
”

“
Go on. If I agree it
’
s none of your business, I
’
ll tell you.
”

“
Is Sin in love with you?
”

“
He hasn
’
t actually said the words
yet.
”
She shrugged, a confident smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“
But I know he will. Giving up his countless women and then proposing and marrying me were huge steps for him. So I
’
m content to wait until he
’
s ready to admit what we both already know
–
provided he doesn
’
t take forever to do it.
”

“
Do you think I expected too much of Conner too soon?
”

“
I think only you know the answer to that. I will say, however, that I
’
ve believed he loved you from the moment I saw you two together. As you probably know he has his choice of
both human
women
and fem
s
but you were the one he wanted to spend his quality time with.

“
Whenever he came to a social function-he was either alone or with you. I know Adrian and Jayvyn believe that he fell for you the night you met.
”

“
He has a damned funny way of showing it.
”

She nodded.
“
They are definitely different from human males but then that
’
s part of their charm.
”