Bond Betrayed (7 page)

Glancing down at her attire, a terrycloth towel wrapped tightly around her body, he took a steadying breath and then walked away. He was a man, but he was a strong man, damn it. More importantly, despite his last name, he was an honorable man.

He walked to his bedroom without a backward glance. He needed a shower and it didn’t matter that she’d used up all the hot water. His was going to be as cold as possible. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. As the icy bursts of water pummeled his body, he quickly began to shiver. He wouldn’t turn it off or warm it, though. Not until it’d washed her out of his system.

The water continued to hit him until his teeth chattered and his skin was covered in goose bumps. And still he refused to stop the torment. He breathed through the pain until his mind was as numb as his body. Only then did he turn off the water and step out of the shower.

After wrapping a towel around his hips, he stilled with disbelief for a second as the not-so-distant chime of Nikki’s voice intruded on his hard-won calm. Of all the things he was certain about in his life at that moment, the most definite was that he shouldn’t be hearing her voice while standing in his bathroom. This wasn’t good.

He opened the door to his bathroom and surveyed the scene in front of him before stepping onto the battlefield. As he’d feared, Nikki lay on his bed, still wrapped in that towel with the phone to her ear.

“No, I don’t need Jacob to come over and rescue me. I’m quite comfortable where I am, thank you very much.” She didn’t miss a beat in her conversation, but her attention was focused solely on him now.

“Out.” He’d whispered the word, but her challenging smile told him she heard it.

She put her hand over the mouthpiece of the phone before saying, “That’s not really an order.”

“Intentionally so. I’m trying to be more careful.”

She smiled innocently at him. “Aren’t you a sweetie?” Then her attention returned to her conversation. “No, not you. You’re a pain in my—”

“Please get out of my room, Nikki.”

She sighed heavily. “I’ve got to let you go, Izzy. Now he’s being unreasonable.” She paused for a moment, her face draining of some color. “No you won’t! I will handle this my way. Goodbye.” She ended her call and turned her entire attention to him.

“What do I have to do to get you to leave my room?” His voice betrayed the strain he held tightly in check.

“Take off the towel.”

He was done letting her manipulate him—for now, at least. “This isn’t a game, Nikki.”

“I thought we agreed that it was.” She stood up and then took two steps toward him. “’I’m confused.”

“You called it a game, I didn’t argue the point,” he clarified.

“See, we agreed.” She took another step.

“I can’t— We can’t do this. Not with me holding your bond.”

“Come on.” She took another two steps. “I want you. You want me. We’re both consenting adults…”

If she took one step closer, he’d be able to reach out and touch her—he’d be able to strip her of that towel. Only, he wouldn’t. “I wish I could be certain. But there’s no way.”

She looked at him hungrily and took that last step. “There’s always a way. You just need to find it.”

“Can’t you see how fucked up this is? I can’t even be certain that you want me to want that—to want you.”

Her laugh was dark. “I’m a seductress. I want every man to want me.”

“No. I won’t—” And then, as she ran a finger down his bare chest, it all became so clear. “If you decide at any moment you don’t want this—if there’s even a shadow of a doubt—for any reason, you have to tell me to stop. That’s an order, Nikki. Do you understand?”

“Oh, I understand. But don’t expect me to say it.” With one pull, she freed his towel.

He moaned as she grabbed the back of his neck and brought him down for a passionate kiss. Sparks that had been smoldering deep in his soul caught and lit to a roaring fire. His blood knew hers. Now his body wanted the same honor.

Walking her across the room, he stopped when the back of her legs hit the edge of the bed. She was trapped between it and him. Not that she seemed to mind. She undid her own towel and then stretched against him. Every luscious curve and hard plane of her body was pressed against his.

And damn if she didn’t fit perfectly. It almost hurt to take a step back. And, judging from her whimper of complaint, she wasn’t too happy about it either. But he needed the space to lower his mouth to one of her lovely breasts. As much as he enjoyed the feeling of her silky skin against him, he couldn’t explore her without pulling away from her. And he was going to explore.

Her earlier protest changed to a low moan as he ran his tongue over her nipple. She was irresistible. He opened his mouth to her breast as his hands skimmed down her sides to her hips. She was lean—fit, but she had a woman’s hips. Lovely, flared, curvy hips.

She went still for a moment as he grazed her nipple with his teeth, but then wrapped her hands around the base of his head to pull him tightly to her. “I’m not glass, Isaac.” She tugged on his hair in reprimand and he took the hint. Grabbing her hips, he pushed her back so she was sitting on the bed, her thighs spread in invitation for him. “Please.”

He looked down at the tempting sight, the thick folds of her sex glistening with moisture, and licked his lips. To taste that heaven, to run his tongue over her until she squirmed, begged for release. He sank to his knees in front of her to do just that, but then he looked back up to her eyes.

This wasn’t the first time his gaze had met hers, but this time it was different. Her eyes had always been beautiful but now, dancing with the light of desire, they were breathtaking. For a second, he was powerless to move. He could only stare into her gaze. And, for a moment, she seemed happy to allow him the pleasure. But then she stiffened and a flash of pure panic cooled the desire that had lit her eyes only a second ago. Everything had just changed, though he wasn’t sure why. And, as much as he wished to be wrong, he knew what was coming next.

“Stop.” It was a mere whisper, but he felt it down to his soul. At her command, he forced even his breathing to freeze. Not in a desire to gain control—he was in control. But because he wanted to memorize her as she was. This was the last chance he’d ever have to see her in such a magnificent state of abandonment.

“Always.” He backed away from her slowly and then, when the sight of her became painful, turned to retrieve her towel on the floor.

“Isaac, it’s not what you think. I didn’t mean—”

“It doesn’t matter what I think.” He turned to face her as he held out the towel for her and was stricken by the look of fear in her eyes. Anger killed what was left of his desire. But he had to fight to hide it from her. He was mad at himself, for whatever he’d done to scare her, not at her. “You don’t have to make excuses. I would never hurt you. And I would never try to coerce you into my bed.”

“But it’s not—”

She was interrupted, thankfully, by the beeping of his cell. Picking it up, he cursed at the text message that waited for him. So his mother had decided to inform the others. “The Council is meeting to discuss disciplinary action in three days. They’ll expect you to testify against me.”

“Isaac…”

He wrapped the towel around his waist. As flimsy as it was, he needed to cover himself and that was all he had. “Go back to your room. Get dressed. Izzy will be here with your stuff soon.”

She frowned at the command, but he couldn’t care less at this point. In three days the world he’d spent a lifetime creating could very well start to come unraveled. They could pull his enforcer’s status, which would make getting Molly back more difficult. He had to stay focused. And not on the nearly naked woman hell-bent on driving him insane.

Might as well throw climbing Mt. Everest on that list while I’m at it. It’d probably be easier.

He growled at his own weakness as he grabbed some clothes out of the closet. Molly was counting on him and he was obsessing about a piece of ass like a horny teen. He had to be stronger. He had to be better if he had any chance of succeeding. Problem was, for the first time in his life, he didn’t want to be better.

Chapter Five

Nikki woke up for the third day in Isaac’s bed with the same ache in the pit in her stomach. If she were being honest with herself, she’d concede it was his bed only in the sense that he’d bought it and it was currently in his house, but she didn’t particularly feel like being honest with anyone right now, let alone herself. Besides, stubborn ass that he was, he deserved to be the center of the gossip—even if she was the only one with knowledge of it.

If he’d only listen to her, she might actually be sleeping in his real bed. But no. He knew what was best for her. Hell, according to him, he was a fucking expert in all things Nicola Rathe, including her emotions. Please! He wouldn’t recognize her emotional state if it bit him on the ass, which was a rather appealing thought right about now.

She hadn’t panicked three days ago because she was scared of him. And she hadn’t told him to stop because she didn’t want him. Much to the contrary, she’d panicked and told him to stop because she
had
wanted him. Suddenly it hadn’t been a manipulation or a game. She’d sincerely, desperately wanted him. But she hadn’t realized it until he’d looked at her.

Just remembering that moment sent a wave of heady desire through her, strong enough to make her whimper and fist the covers in her hands. Nobody looked her in the eye—ever. And it wasn’t because they were gawking at her other assets. That would be normal. She could live with normal. People didn’t look her in the eye, though, because they were superstitious. A seductress could devour a person’s soul and leave behind nothing but a broken shell.

She couldn’t blame them. Oh, she had when she was young. But that was before she’d seen what her father had done to her mom. It’d been a lesson she’d never forgotten. A warning she would never been able to get out of her head. If he was willing to do that to his mate just to get the high, what would she be willing to do to a stranger?

Yeah, she understood why people never made eye contact with her. But it made the rare times that someone did that much more precious. Like when she’d been a child at Molly’s house. Though the memory had caused Isaac pain, she relished the warmth of it. Not only had he looked her in the eye, he’d entrusted his baby sister’s well-being to her.

She realized he was just making an off-the-cuff comment to one of his sister’s friends, but the trust he’d shown that day meant a lot to her. And, now that the opportunity had been put in her lap, she was going to live up to her agreement. She was going to help him free Molly. But, in order to do that, she’d have to stand in front of the Council. And they weren’t going to like her being back.

The thought was enough to cool the frustration and irritation eating at her. She’d have to be at the top of her game to make it through her encounter with them. After throwing the covers off, she tried not to cringe as her toes hit the cold, wooden floor. She may not be afraid of Isaac, but the same couldn’t be said for the Council. Since he’d told her the about the stupid disciplinary hearing she’d been a nervous wreck, worrying about what they might do to her. After all, the Council didn’t have a particularly forgiving reputation.

Walking to the closet, she considered what she should wear to the hearing. Definitely something businesslike—respectable, she decided quickly. That way, even though she felt like shit, they’d never know it. And it wouldn’t hurt her feelings if Isaac paid her a little extra attention.

Yes, looking awesome was just what today called for. And thanks to Izzy’s foresight, she had plenty of designer suits tucked away at Isaac’s to do just that. She picked a lovely slate skirt suit and finished it off with a bold peacock-blue cami. The single strand of pearls she’d been wearing when she’d met Isaac and a pair of black heels completed the look.

And what a look it was. As she carefully examined herself in the bathroom mirror, even she was thrilled with the results. Granted, for modesty’s sake, she probably shouldn’t be quite so happy. But she couldn’t help it. She was image conscious. And she liked to be admired, especially by those who were out to destroy her. There was an irony to the whole “if it were up to me you would be swinging from the gallows but only after I’d fucked you” mentality so many in the Council had that appealed to her defiant side. And today she needed her defiant side. It could very well be her saving grace.

She found Isaac downstairs chatting with his housekeeper over breakfast. It was a routine that, in only three days, they’d grown rather comfortable with. He’d even made her some oatmeal and a cup of coffee. They would never be mistaken for an old, married couple but, despite what he’d have her believe, they weren’t exactly slave and master either. If she were to classify them, they’d almost be friends. They were certainly friendly if nothing else.

His attention shifted from the housekeeper to Nikki and his sentence died mid-thought as Nikki nudged him to let him know she was there. When she was certain she had his attention, she sat on the stool next to his at the kitchen island. She flashed him her best smile as she picked up the spoon. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” He leaned back so he could presumably get a better look at her outfit. His gaze, starting at the stylish twist her hair was captured in, swept down her body, making her tingle. “You look…nice.”

She pretended to pout as she dragged the spoon through the oatmeal. “Not the look I was going for.”

He sighed heavily as he turned back to his own breakfast of wheat toast and juice. It was so boring she was surprised it didn’t put him back to sleep. “Not now, Nikki. I don’t have the patience to go up against both you and the Council today.”

She smiled sweetly as she took a bite of her oatmeal. After she swallowed she calmly said, “You do realize you aren’t the only person going up against the Council today, don’t you?”

“It’s different. They won’t be deciding your fate.”

She froze as his words sunk in. “You honestly think my fate isn’t tied to yours?”

“This is a disciplinary hearing. They’ll only be concerned with me—my actions.”

Could he seriously not have considered the consequences of dragging her in front of the Council? “They’re going to want something from me, too. They always do.”

“What could they possibly do to you at my disciplinary hearing?”

“The last time I stood in front of them, it was to file a grievance about the way the enforcers handled my mother’s investigation. Seemed straightforward enough. Do you know what they decided?” She waited until he shook his head. “That I was a monster waiting to bloom. And their ruling? I was banished. At twelve.” Some of the old anger had leaked into her voice as she spoke and it grew as she continued. “They did give me a choice at the sentencing, though. I could leave the Community alone or with my sister. I was twelve. They made a twelve-year-old make that decision.” Her appetite abandoning her, she pushed the bowl away from her. “Doesn’t matter why you stand in front of them, they always want something. And they’ll find a way to get it.”

He stared at her in silence for a moment. His whole body appeared tense, even his fingers seemed to strain against the countertop. “I didn’t—no one knew. They told us you’d gone to live with an aunt in another Community. After everything you’d been through, we thought we were respecting your right to grieve and heal in private.”

The laughter that exploded from her sounded a little crazy but, given the circumstances, she excused it. “There was no aunt. There was no other Community. We were raised in foster care. Human foster care,” she clarified. “And not everyone was in the dark. Some knew.”

“I don’t—” He stopped to run his fingertips along his forehead as if to relieve a sudden headache. “Jesus. How did you survive? When you reached maturity— I mean, as a seductress, you would’ve have certain impulses that would’ve been uncommon for your age in the human world.”

“Stop.” She held a hand up as she said the words. There was no way she was going to discuss that with him. Even remembering her teen years made her sick with dread. The nights she’d stayed awake just to make sure her foster fathers didn’t try anything. The dances she’d refused to go to so boys wouldn’t get the wrong idea about her. The friends she’d lost to fits of jealousy. They were the worst years of her life and, given how shitty her life had been, that was saying something. “I knew what I was and I was as prepared as possible.”

“All that and you still took care of Izzy.”

“Don’t make me into some saint. I didn’t take her with me to look out for her. I took her so I wouldn’t be alone. If I hadn’t, she would’ve been more prepared to deal with our father and his drugs. She wouldn’t have spent a decade romanticizing his memory and lifestyle. I was selfish and she paid the price.”

“I don’t think she’d see it that way.” He took a deep breath before clearing his throat. “And I don’t see it that way. I can’t imagine what it must have been like—being out on your own, away from everything and everyone you’ve ever known.”

His words were too painful for her to hear. “I didn’t tell you that for pity or understanding. I only wanted you to see that I have just as much, if not more, as you do on the line today.”

“No, this time will be different. This time, I’m here. I’ll protect you.”

“Better be damn good protection. Molly’s life may very well depend on it.” She pushed away from the island and walked out the door without glancing back to see if he followed.

“It is.” His obvious confidence eased some of her tension but didn’t dispel it altogether. Whether he knew it or not, they were heading into war. And, as much as she dreaded it, she was craving a little vengeance, a little bloodshed. As long as it wasn’t her side’s blood that was lost, that is.

He followed her out of the house and to the car without further comment. And, much like their journey to his house, the ride to the hearing was done in silence. She was okay with that. It gave her time to relax. To focus on her breathing and push all of her insecurities and fears to the back of her mind. Her only complaint was that the reprieve was over much too quickly.

“We’re here.” His voice intruded on her calm and reminded her that her eyes were closed.

She nodded before opening them to the sunlit day. “Good. Let’s get this over with.”

“As soon as this is over, we’ll be able to set the final pieces of the rescue into play.”

“Either way?”

“Either way. Molly’s an enforcer. That’s how Rathe got close. So even if the Council terminates my position, the enforcers will keep me on as an independent consultant for this. It’ll be more difficult, but doable.”

“You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”

He shook his head as his gaze shifted to some unimportant spot in the car. “Not even close.”

She was relieved he realized that. After opening her door, she stepped out onto the pavement and tried not to grimace as one of her heels got stuck in a webbed crack that ran through the poorly maintained parking lot. They were at a small office building whose sign declared it a law office of some sort or another. She glanced at the name, but didn’t recognize it. Not surprising since the firm she worked for was one of the top in the city and rather snobbish about which firms they associated with. “This isn’t where I had my hearing,” she said, carefully lifting the ensnared heel.

“They move it every five years. Each new Council president gets to decide where the Council meets for their term.”

“Home court advantage?”

“Something like that.”

He rested his hand on the small of her back as they made their way to the building entrance. It was a welcomed, reassuring gesture, especially now that she’d remembered who he was. How she’d forgotten him in the first place was a mystery. Twenty-one years had passed, but still. They were so similar. Even as children. They’d both almost always been alone because they were too powerful to be trusted, yet, ironically, not powerful enough to protect themselves. Then again, how could they protect themselves from their parents?

“Did they ever threaten to banish you if you didn’t get the ink?”

He stopped. “What?”

“You didn’t want the ink, so they must have threatened you with something in order to persuade you.”

He started to walk again, though more slowly now. “They wouldn’t banish me, I’m too useful to them.”

She didn’t have to ask why. Izzy had told her all about Isaac’s ability the first chance she got. Izzy, not knowing about the blood bond, thought it would make Nikki bolt. Even if Nikki would’ve had the choice, though, she wouldn’t have left. “Yeah, I imagine being able to strip another of their magic would be pretty handy for the Council.” She winked at him as he quirked an eyebrow. It was good for him to wonder how much she knew and where she was getting her information. “So, if not threat of banishment, what did they use? How did they get you to agree?”

“If you could get rid of your father forever, but leave it up to others to clean up smaller messes like Mitch, would you do it?”

She thought for a moment about the petty thug who’d attacked them. “I’m betting just about anyone could take Mitch down.”

“Seeing as you managed to, I’m inclined to agree.”

Her punch was hard enough to sting but not so hard as to leave a bruise, still he milked the abuse by rubbing his shoulder and putting on an injured face. “Serves you right,” she said, refusing to feel any pity for him. “I’m skilled, damn it.”