Radiance (16 page)

Slowing sliding her mouth from him, she laid back on the pillows.  She licked his release from her hand while her other massaged it into her nipple and skin. 

“I love the taste of you, Elijah.” 

As his breathing returned to normal, he took in the image she made sprawled, satisfied, and covered in his come.  A single thought made him smile. 

Harper had
no clue
what he was missing.

Harper Delkin fucked the mouth of the woman his fill-in security team escorted into the apartment and watched her fake tits bounce with the force of his thrusts. 

She still wore the slinky little dress and stilettos she’d arrived in.  Her makeup and hair were less than pristine as he gagged her with his cock and gripped her head to take it.

Within thirty seconds of entering his space, he sent his staff out and instructed her to get on her knees. 

She did so with a knowing smile. 

The diamond bracelet in his pocket ensured she’d take whatever he dished out and
beg him
to do it again if he wanted. 

“Pull your dress down,” he ordered.  “I want to see your nipples on either side of my cock.” 

She obeyed without an instant of hesitation. 

The silicone meant her type never wore bras.  He doubted she wore panties.  He wanted to know.  Taking his cock away, he reached down and pulled the flimsy material over her head. 

He watched her try to catch her breath. 
No panties.
  Part of him wanted to laugh.  The rest of him ached. 

“Spread your legs.  Put your fingers in your pussy.” 

Pressing his cock deep again, he stayed there as she followed his direction.  He went back to using her mouth, watching as she fingered a pussy he had no interest in tasting or putting his dick in. 

Angry, he growled, “I might fuck your ass when I tire of your mouth.”  She moaned around him because she’d agree to anything he wanted.  “Fuck it hard while you make yourself come.  Would you like that?” 

“Mm hmm…” 

“Of course you would.  You like everything.”  He hated
himself
, he hated
her
…and he didn’t even remember her name.  “Make yourself come and don’t fake it.  Imagine whatever you have to but I better know it’s real.” 

She nodded as the heavy makeup around her eyes slid over her cheeks.  He pulled back enough for her to breathe and watched as she frantically played with her clit. 

She was thin and blonde.  Her eyes were a pretty brown but he could only see them as calculating. 

Harper closed his own to block her out. 

He imagined Gabriella in the woman’s place.  Elijah would
slit his throat
if he treated her like his usual women. 

His thrusts would be slower, not so hard.  He wouldn’t want to hurt her.  He’d let her adjust, let her see he could be decent, he could be a good man. 

That he could be gentle with a woman. 

Stroking his fingers through her hair, smoothing over her cheek, he’d smile as she took him.  He’d show her he was grateful to have time with her.  So many people loved to be in her presence. 

She’d touch him and he wouldn’t be afraid.  He’d plan how he would touch her back after he came, licking and massaging every inch of her skin in thanks for the pleasure she provided. 

The tension would build but he’d drag it out, doing everything he could to hold back, because the privilege of her body shouldn’t be wasted. 

When he couldn’t take it anymore, when she moaned around his cock and made his balls ache with the need to come, he’d let himself go. 

She’d take everything because it pleased her to please others.  His climax would be powerful and he’d pump himself dry between her fantastic lips. 

Exhaling roughly, he opened his eyes. 

The blonde’s were still closed as she rode her own orgasm.  When she was done, he pulled from her mouth. 

An unfamiliar sense of shame rolled over him as he zipped up his slacks.  Bending, he lifted her to her feet and dropped her dress over her head.  From his pocket, he removed a linen handkerchief and carefully wiped her face. 

“Harper?”  He met her eyes.  “Whoever you imagined, that’s the person you
need
in your life.  Stop fucking around with women like me.  Someday, I hope a man treats me with the respect you obviously have for her.”

She picked up her purse and he tried to give her the bracelet.  She shook her head and took a bottled water off the bar cart. 

“This is all I need.” 

“Wait.  Wait.  I
need
you to take it.”  He pressed it into her hand and watched a blush tint her skin.  “Use it for something you really want or need.”  After a pause, he added, “I’m sorry.” 

She nodded.  “Don’t call me again, Harper.  I just whored myself for the last time.  See ya.” 

As she left the apartment, he thought about the stack of similar bracelets in his safe. 

He’d never been so tired in his life.

Pressing his palms against his eyes, he took several calming breaths.  Then he made a call and asked for help. 

* * *

After a shower, a nap, and another round of mind-melting orgasms, Brie and Elijah sat at her dining table eating a simple lunch of steak salad she’d prepared. 

She wore a t-shirt and panties, a napkin in her lap. 

Grinning, she told him, “This thing you have with pants could be a problem.” 

He frowned.  “I see
no
problem with you not wearing pants.” 

The knock on the door surprised her.  As she stood to get it, he gently tugged her back to her seat. 

“No pants means no answering of front doors.” 

She laughed and shook her head.  “I forgot.” 

Watching him walk across her apartment in jeans and a t-shirt, barefoot, was one of those moments that settled in her heart. 

Opening the door, he paused before stepping back.  Harper, Natalia, and a young woman in scrubs entered. 

“Hello, darling.”  Glancing at the man in front of her, Natalia added, “Elijah.  How relaxed you look.  I
like
it.” 

Clicking across the room, her friend placed a hand under her elbow.  “I need a minute of your time privately.”  When she stood up, Natalia took in her half naked appearance with wide eyes.  “Good
lord
, you’re lovely.  Come.” 

As she passed Elijah on the way to her bedroom, Brie said, “I told you the
no pants
thing was going to bite me on the ass.” 

Both men’s eyes settled on the body part and the darker man told her, “Absolutely understandable.” 

Natalia closed the door softly.  “Darling.  I’ve had the most unusual request from Harper.  I confirmed with your doctors that it wouldn’t be a problem but it’s totally up to you.” 

Frowning, she asked, “What sort of request?” 

As one of her best friends explained what Harper Delkin wanted her to consent to, it was hard to calm the erratic beat of her heart.  When Natalia finished, she walked to her closet and selected a pair of stretchy capris.  She needed armor. 

Opening the door, Brie approached the young woman and lifted the sleeve of her t-shirt.  The girl removed a syringe and Elijah took two steps in her direction. 

“It’s alright.”  She never looked away from Harper’s face as the girl swabbed her arm. 

When she was injected, the man who’d spent the morning worshipping her body demanded, “What the
fuck
is that?” 

“Birth control.”  Blinking, she broke eye contact with Harper and met Elijah’s green eyes.  “My doctors cleared the safety.” 

Natalia bent and kissed her cheek.  “This was the most unusual liaison position I’ve ever been asked to fill.  I’ll call you later, darling.”  She took the young nurse with her. 

Left alone with Elijah and Harper, she said, “You could have asked
me
.  I have no interest in getting pregnant.  I’m sure you already know I’ve got sparkling blood work.  No nasty little STDs to worry about.” 

Walking past them, she murmured, “All the little details, squared away neatly and done by your own hand.  Smart move.  All rich men should be so clever.”  In her kitchen, she picked up the bottle of wine and refilled her glass. 

“I’ve offended you.”  Harper approached the counter and watched her.  “I didn’t mean to offend you.” 

Elijah stood perfectly still just behind him.  Tension vibrated from him in waves.

“Harper, allow me to clarify.  You haven’t
offended
me.  This isn’t a board meeting. 
You hurt my feelings
.  I’m just
bursting
with obnoxious emotional tendencies so if you could keep your goddamn feet off them, I’d consider it a solid.” 

Setting down her glass, she pressed her fingers against her eyes.  No fucking
way
was she going to let him make her cry. 

“It was meant as a precaution.” 

Inhaling carefully, she shook her head.  “Jesus.  I don’t
want
anything from you.  I’m not going to trap you or blackmail you.  I don’t take what doesn’t belong to me, no matter how
badly
I fucking want it.” 

Lowering into a chair, she said, “Why the hell you’re so fixated on someone you clearly don’t trust or even
like
as a person confuses me.”  Cupping her breasts, she hissed, “It’s just a
body
…a collection of female parts.  I assure you, mine isn’t all that special.  And
as you fucking know
, there are far better.” 

Barely hanging on, she whispered, “Your looks fooled me, Harper.  I never imagined a man who looked so much like my best friend would be so different.” 

He sat in the chair beside her.  There was a frown on his face.  “Winters didn’t worry about pregnancy?” 

Brie stared at the man for a long time.  “We practiced safe sex.  There was no actual discussion but he didn’t arrive with a nurse to inject me.” 

Leaning forward, she said coldly, “He realized I wasn’t a gold-digging cunt out to score the prettiest bauble in Tiffany’s front window.  Then again, he sees me as a
human
.  You see me as a receptacle to deposit your next load of come.” 

She stood and walked to her front door, holding it wide.  “I’ll call when I’m cleared to be fucked so you can make an appointment and check that off your goddamn list.” 

“Gabriella.”  Whipping her head to the side, she met Hudson’s eyes in the hall.  “What in the
fuck
is going on?” 

Hudson entered the room and stole all the oxygen. 

He gently set Brie away from the door and slammed it hard enough to crack the wood of the frame. 

Stepping just ahead of Harper, Elijah murmured, “
Fuck.
” 

“Hudson?”  She kept her voice low and calm.

Black eyes met hers and she could
feel
his rage on her behalf.  Like gentling a wild horse, she touched his forearm, sliding her palm over his suit jacket to the cuff of his dress shirt to his hand.  He held it hard, his jaw clenched.

“Breathe for just a second.  Please don’t force Elijah to fight you.  He can’t let you hurt Harper.” 

“Gabriella…” 

“There’s too much testosterone in the room right now.  I’m okay and I know you know that.” 

Pinning Harper with a livid glare, he ground out, “You think she would
trap
you?  Have you learned
nothing
?” 

“He makes choices based on his history.  You didn’t know what to make of me either but we built a solid foundation and you learned I wasn’t like other people.  It hurts my feelings but I understand where it comes from.” 

“You
defend
him?  How
dare
he insult you.” 

“He doesn’t
know
me, Hudson.”  She shook her head.  “There’s a good chance he never will but I can’t let it damage things between the two of you.  I won’t.” 

She held his hand between both of hers.  “I’m a woman always on the outside of what most people think of as normal.  Your life can’t be defined or impacted by the chaos in mine.  I’ll be okay.” 

“I don’t want you
hurt
, Gabriella.” 

Inhaling carefully, she whispered, “I know but I’ll survive it.”

Hugging her to his side, he growled at Harper, “You
pound
at her spirit with fists when a
whisper
is all she requires.” 

Cupping her skull, he kissed her forehead.  “Call me later so I know you’re alright.” 

She nodded and felt him take a deep breath.  Petting his palm over her hair a couple of times, he released her. 

As the door slammed again, she flinched, exhaled roughly, and rubbed her temples firmly. 

“Thank you for diffusing the situation, Brie.” 

“Of course.  I don’t want anyone hurt because of me.” 

Harper said, “I’m sorry.” 

Staring at nothing, she asked, “Do you know why you’re apologizing?” 

“Not entirely.  No.” 

“I thought not,” she murmured and turned away.

“Gabriella…” 

“Escort him home, Elijah.” 

In her bedroom, she leaned against her door, hurting.

* * *

Harper tallied his list of mistakes and knew shit was beyond fucked up.  Glancing at Elijah, green eyes stared back in fury. 

“I only meant it as a precaution.” 

“She has a brain and a strong sense of self.  Why didn’t you ask her personally?  Why involve Natalia?” 

“I wanted her presence to lessen the coldness of it.”  He swallowed. “I handled it badly.” 

“You handled it as if Brie’s a paid courtesan.  As if her heart wouldn’t see that you consider her as nothing more than another pussy to plant your flag on.” 

“I don’t.  I
know
she’s different.”  Raking his fingers through his hair, he tried to explain.  “Faced with her half-dressed, I couldn’t think.  I was distracted, confused, and wanting.” 

He shook his head.  “The more she verbally thrashed me, the less mental capacity I had to form rational sentences.” 

“Tell me now.”  Gabriella’s voice was quiet as she stood in her bedroom doorway with her arms crossed over her torso. 

Black curls fell around her and she inspired more lust in a t-shirt and leggings, her feet bare, than women had while dressed in gowns and accessories worth tens of thousands. 

He nodded.  “I’m not…it isn’t about you trying to trap me, Gabriella.  You aren’t the type.  I know that about you.” 

She inhaled and then nodded once.  “Thank you, Harper.” 

Crossing the room, Brie poured him a glass of wine and gestured to her dining table.  He sat and she placed the glass in front of him. 

She encouraged Elijah to sit as well.  She ran her hand over his hair before she took her own chair. 

“I’m listening.” 

“Ten years ago, I met Danielle at a society function.  She was well-bred and lovely.  I was the oldest and assumed I needed heirs.  In the beginning, she did what she was told and knew how to be silent.” 

Inhaling carefully, he said, “She met a very short list of requirements.  I ignored her fragile mental state and her emotional instability because it didn’t matter.  I had what I thought I needed and it was all I cared about.” 

He took a long drink of his wine.  “Similar to other women I’d known, I kept her supplied in gifts to leave me alone.  She got pregnant and I congratulated myself on handling things quickly.  Things went wrong in the fourth month.” 

“The hormone changes worsened her emotional problems.” 

“During a party, she screamed my name and I saw her on the third floor above the foyer.  My first thought was that she wasn’t
dressed
for the event.  My second was that she was
embarrassing
me.  I was
annoyed
with her,
angry
even.” 

Reaching out, Gabriella placed her hand on his forearm. 

Swallowing hard, he struggled with the memory and closed his eyes.  “She climbed up on the railing, sobbing as she pointed at me.  Elijah is the fastest man I’ve ever seen on stairs.  He made it to the second floor landing when she screamed
I’ll never be enough.  I hate you.  I won’t give birth to the devil’s spawn.
” 

He whispered, “Then she jumped.  She broke her back and killed our child instantly.  Elijah tried to save her but she died on the way to the hospital.  It was impossible to hide the details.  There were too many witnesses to the horror of it.”

“Did she know about your relationship?” 

“The moment I became engaged, his sense of honor forbade one.  I
never
trusted her with our history.”  Harper’s expression was pained.  “I traveled constantly and Elijah was always with me.  She resented that he had time and attention she didn’t.” 

“Losing him must have made it so much harder for you.” 

“I deserved the loss.  I never even told him my plan to marry her.  He found out when my family did.” 

“Oh god…
no
, Harper.” 

Taking a long pull of the wine, he focused on the glass. “Danielle used to call Elijah my
puppy
.  Don’t you have to train with your
puppy
?  Your
puppy
probably likes trips.” 

He shook his head once hard.  “It fucking
infuriated
me.  I hated her by the end.”  He closed his eyes.  “I hated the mother but I
wanted
the child.”

She stared at him for a long moment before sitting forward with a sigh.  “I understand.  I should have thought about birth control earlier.  I figured condoms or something.  Either of you are more knowledgeable about preventing pregnancy than I am.  It hasn’t been a big
threat
in my life, you know?” 

He watched her stand and tug down the leggings and pull up her t-shirt on one side.  “It would be dangerous for me to become pregnant, Harper.  Parts of my pelvis, thigh, and knee had to be reconstructed.” 

Pulling her clothes back in place, she continued, “I’ve been on high grade narcotics for the majority of a year.  My blood doesn’t clot well, sometimes not at all, because of blood thinners to prevent aneurisms.  The doctors stopped my cycles because I practically bled to death in the hospital and they haven’t reappeared.” 

She shrugged and there was a sadness to it.  “I have no clue if I
could
conceive or if my body would carry a child now.  I have several years left of drugs and scans and probing before it would be safe.” 

Her smile was self-deprecating.  “Not that I’m asking you to sign up for the task.”  Harper found the thought strangely stimulating.  “I’m saying that if you’d talked to me, I wouldn’t have argued.  I would have understood and agreed with the safety measure.” 

For a long moment, she was quiet.  Then she stood up, stepped between his legs, and held his face. 

“Talk to
me
in the future, Harper.  I’ll listen.” 

“I can barely
think
when I’m near you.” 

She smoothed gentle fingers through his hair.  “We’ll come up with some sort of signal so I know you want to communicate but might be having trouble.”  She winked.  “The heart can only pump blood to one head at a time, I’ve heard.” 

“I’m trying.  I don’t…know how to deal with you.” 

Lowering her face, she rubbed her lips across his.  “I’m not complicated.”  He closed his eyes as she planted three kisses over his mouth.  “Touch me, talk to me, and try not to be mean.  It hurts me more than most, Harper.” 

“I’m sorry, Gabriella.” 

Staring into his eyes, she whispered, “Do you know why you’re apologizing?” 

“Yes.” 

“Progress.”  She kissed him again.  “In regards to your deceased wife, we wouldn’t have gotten along.”  Sucking her teeth, Gabriella added, “Puppy, my
ass
.  I’d have slapped the shit out of her
for you
because domestic violence is wrong.” 

Despite the weight of the topic, both men chuckled. 

Staring at a woman who offered something he didn’t understand wanting, Harper said softly, “Thank you.” 

Wrapping his arms around her, he accepted the genuine affection she gave so freely and wondered what ripple effect she would have in his life. 

Shutting off thoughts of the future, he held her and embraced his present. 

* * *

Just after dark, Elijah escorted Harper from Brie’s home and they prepared for a midnight flight to Africa. 

In the apartment, Harper said, “She’s a good person, gentler than anyone I’ve ever met.  I’m sorry I hurt her, Elijah.”

“I need you to be careful, Harper.  She’s breakable.” 

After Brie and Harper settled things between them, she made them dinner and asked a hundred questions about the life they lived.  She focused on things no one ever asked.

Her interests were people and places.  Their favorite place to travel, if there had ever been someone who made them “fangirl,” and how the hell did they cope with jet lag were just a few of the things she wanted to know. 

Smart, funny, and loving, time with her gave Elijah a glimpse of normalcy he’d
never
experienced. 

They took turns kissing her goodnight and she told them to be safe.  She was the first person to say it to him, the only woman to ever be invested in his return. 

It made it difficult to leave her. 

When his bag was packed, Elijah stood beside the door, waiting for Harper.  Checking his phone, he received the updates for the day from the security team. 

Frustrated, he wasted no time when his friend appeared with papers in his hand.  “Stop fucking random women.”  Silver eyes met his in shock.  “You play roulette with her body and her safety.  She’s
clean
, Harper.  I won’t have her contaminated by your drive-thru fucks.” 

Opening the door, he handed their bags to the men waiting in the hall.  “I can’t imagine how
hurt
she’d be if she knew.” 

Defensive, Harper replied, “It doesn’t
mean
anything.” 

Elijah closed the door and stepped closer.  “It seems few things
mean
anything to you anymore.  She
trusts
us.  You can’t keep sticking your dick in anything with a pulse.  It’s fucked up and you know it.” 

“Ah.  I’m to add abstinence to my life.  Understood, Elijah.  Forgive me for filling my time with unapproved recreation while you woo the lady fair.”

“Am I to
pity
you?  There have been
seven women
in the last twenty days on three continents.  The equivalent of
all
Brie’s sexual partners in her lifetime.” 

“Is that true?” 

He could see the surprise on Harper’s face and refused to address it.  “You mock the small amount of time I give her when we’re in the same time zone when you could easily
join
me.  Painting yourself the
victim
is beneath you.”