HEAT Vol. 3 (Master Chefs: HEAT Series #3) (7 page)

“But
you still can’t say my father killed yours.”

He
turned to me, his eyes dark.  “Your father was a rich and powerful man, Lilly. 
All of Paris knew him, or knew of him.  One word from him, and no one in all of
France would have ever hired my father, not even to mop the floor.  How was he
supposed to recover from that, especially after all he’d been through?  Your
father knew that.  He knew how weak he was, how fragile he was, especially
after my father lost a son and then his wife, yet he still openly accused him.
That was the bullet that killed him. He lost his dignity and pride…the only
thing he’d had in his mind.”

“He
had you…”

“No,
he didn’t.  I was just the child left behind, the unwanted one who lived in my
dead brother’s shadows. My father didn’t know what to do with me after my
mother killed herself. Your father was the one who convinced mine to have him
and you look after me at the chateau. It was the only time I felt  like I had a
family again when I was with you here.” He took my hand in his before he said
bitterly, “Then just like that, your father threw me out, abandoned me too. It
was like taking a knife out and gutting me when he tore me apart from you, from
my family…my chance at a family with my beloved Lilly.”

Releasing
my hand, he stood and looked out the window.  Reflected in the glass, I saw his
face, his eyes drenched in sorrow and loss.  “So now you have your answers.  I
guess you have no other reason to remain here… with me.  The limo will be out
front waiting for you.”  He turned on his heel and left me without a glance
back.

Stunned,
I stared at him, unsure what to do.  I could leave him to his misery.  Like
he’d said, I had my answers.  Then again, I knew it wasn’t enough.  I couldn’t
stand the pain I felt for him, and though my memories were scattered and vague,
I felt a strong connection to him.

I
wanted more clarity.  I wanted more of him.  I just wanted more, especially why
I couldn’t remember any of my past except when I entered the convent.  What
happened to me that made me lose all those memories?

“Rial,”
I called as I stood and headed out of the library.

Chapter 8

I
reached the hallway, but he’d disappeared. 
On a hunch, I headed to the left hoping to find him, but as I turned down one
hall and glanced in the various rooms, I suddenly became aware of how familiar
it all was.  Before I reached a door, I knew what lay behind it, and before I
turned a corner, I knew what I’d found there.

It
had changed.  The colors were different and updated, the fabrics a little more
modern and the art more varied, but it was still the home I’d grown up in.  As
I reached the atrium, I suddenly remembered running through with Rial chasing
after me.  I’d been scared, and thrilled, and happy.

Each
turn brought a fresh memory and each door I opened brought me closer to my true
past.  As I passed through the grand salon, I saw a vivid image of Rial being
scolded by his father.  Rial had brought their beloved pet, Blanche, to a park
near his school, but had neglected to keep the small dog on a leash.  Eager to
cross the street to chase another smaller dog, Blanche had been struck by an
oncoming car and her life had been snuffed out right in front of Rial.

I
could still remember it, his devastation and his guilt.  His father, so cold
and heartless, had berated him instead of consoling him.  After the tirade,
Rial had retreated to the study.

I
turned around and followed the same path he’d taken that day, certain I’d find
him as I had found him then.  Heartbroken and inconsolable, he’d sat stiff and
unresponsive when I finally found him, tears streaming down his cheeks.  Even a
hug from my frail little arms and the promise that everything would be all
right hadn’t stemmed the flow of tears.

A
boy of fourteen isn’t supposed to cry, I’d thought.  But I’d been charmed and
warmed to see this soft hearted side of him.

As
I opened the door to the study and found him gazing out at the acres that
surrounded the chateau, I was charmed and warmed all over again.  He could be
so brash and bold, even arrogant, but I’d always adored the tender side of him.

At
that moment, seeing his sorrow reflected in the window, I saw the young boy, so
sad, and so lonely.  Feeling just like the little girl who’d desperately wanted
to console him then, I walked up to him and touched my hand to his shoulder. 
He turned to me and I was crushed by his stormy eyes.  So far away, it seemed
he was in another time, reliving the tragedy that had been his life.

Unshed
tears gleamed in his eyes, but he quickly hardened his gaze and blinked the
tears away as his gaze dipped into the opening of my robe.  My breasts
glistened with sweat and I could see the battle in his eyes; lust and loss;
anger and hunger.

Caught
up in all the emotion, I too battled with my need to set things straight and a
sudden desire to ease his pain in any way possible.  My body longed for the
latter, to ease his pain by satisfying my growing hunger.  I was more aroused
than the situation should have allowed, but I couldn’t deny the dampness in my
panties and the burning in my gut.

“You
shouldn’t have had to go through all that alone,” I managed to say.  “I’m sorry
you feel such anger towards my father, that you hold him responsible for what
happened, but you must put it past you and drop this whole revenge scheme of
yours.”

“He
ruined our lives, Lilly.  I lost everything because of him… my father… you. 
How should I get past that?”  He grabbed my arms and pulled me close, crushing
me against his chest, against the length of his body, so hard and tense, but it
was the large bulge that poked at my belly that held my attention.

For
all his pain, he was just as aroused as I was.  With his every breath, his
hardened shaft twitched and nudged me, reminding me of the attention it sought,
and reminding me how hungry I was.

“My
father’s no longer here,” I said softly.  “You need to let it go.  You need to
move on from your past, from our past and move forward.”  I brought my hand to
his shoulder, hoping to soothe him.  “Let go of the anger, Rial, before it
consumes you for good.”

“I
can’t,” he muttered, his eyes pained, but still refusing to leave my breasts. 
“He insulted my family’s honor.  He broke a sacred brotherhood. He betrayed me,
but worse…what he did…he caused you to forget me, to forget everything about
us.”

Cupping
his handsome face in my hands, I brought his gaze to mine and was once again
taken aback by the beauty and pain.  “But, Rial.  I’m here.  Despite
everything, you found me and I’m back in your life once again.  Please, let go
of all that and let me help you.  I can set everything straight between our
families; help you find your honor again.”

“Do
you realize how far our families go back, Lilly?  The ties that bound them as
brothers, and the ties that now bind us go back before the days of Napoleon, or
Charles or even Louis V… back to the days when France was a part of the Roman
Empire.    What your father did…”  He shook his head.

“But
I’m the only one here.  I’m the only one who can right the wrong and mend the
fences that have been torn down, right?  I’m the only one who can give you your
dignity once again, dignity to your name… and to mine.”

He
nodded.

“Maybe
the whole reason behind our engagement was to keep our families together.  I’m
not sure I can guarantee that, but, Rial, I’m sure we could be friends, great
friends.”

“Friends?”
He spat back at me.  “You want us to be friends?  That’s the most ridiculous
thing I’ve heard.  I’ve longed for you for years, finally find you, finally
taste the sweet juices that have been promised to only me and you want me to just…
what?  Shake your hand and wish you a good day?”

“Rial,
it’s just that…”

“No. 
I felt you, Lilly.  I felt the reaction of your body, the immediate response to
my caress.  You want me just as badly as I want you.  Your lips may try to deny
it, but your body can’t.  It can’t lie.  No, there will be no friendship
between us, but a veritable relationship between a man and his woman.”

“Then,
tell me, Rial.  How can I right the wrongs of the past, of my father?”

“Be
mine.”

“Rial,
you know I can’t do that.  I’m with Bobby.”

“Really? 
Are you two engaged?  Has he bought you a ring?”

“No,
it’s far too soon for that, but… well…  He’s the first serious relationship
I’ve had.  I don’t want to rush into anything, and I’m sure he doesn’t’ want to
either.”

“You
really think that’s the reason?  Really, Lilly.  The boy’s barely reached
puberty.  You think he has the maturity it takes to satisfy a woman like you?”

I
didn’t want to admit just how close to the truth he was.  Bobby did have an
immature side to him, and he was only in the first year of culinary school
while I was working and had even taught at his school. In fact, he still relied
heavily on his sister, and on Errol. Our sex life had become a little routine
lately.  In fact, our entire relationship had become routine and there was no
hope of an engagement in sight, although he seemed serious about me.

There
was also the matter of an entire ocean that would ultimately separate us.  My
life was in France and I wanted to stay there, while his was in New York and
he’d surely want to return once his studies were completed.

As
I thought more about Bobby and me, I realized we were headed straight towards a
dead end, but were too blind to see it.

“Do
you think he could take care of you like I would, that he would make hot,
passionate love to you every night and be a loving and devoted husband
everyday?   He hasn’t the capacity or the means to treat you like a queen, not
like I could.”

He
gestured around the elegance and opulence that surrounded us.  “I can give you
back your childhood home.”

I
looked at him as this reality sunk in.  “Now that you mention it, how is it
that you came to be in my home?  What are you doing here?”

“I’ve
had enough of your questions for now, Lilly.  What I want to know is the
meaning of the conflict I see so clearly in your eyes.  I can see how tormented
you are by your loyalty to that boy and your attraction to me.”  He ground his
teeth and leaned in close to my ear.

Just
the heat of his breath against my cheek was enough to drive me crazy, and my
entire body responded.

“You’ve
always loved me. And in the year all that tragedy hit between our fathers, I
fell in love with you. You just don’t remember how much we cared for each other
so much so that you were willing to die for me once. You almost did, and that
is how you came to be the way you are now. How you lost your memories. Memories
or not, you're mine, Lilly. I hope you will remember how much you once loved
me, but if I have to make you fall in love with me once again, I will.”

“I
wished I could remember everything…”

“I
do too, but it would be too painful. That’s why you’ve blocked those painful
memories. After we left, and you got into an accident trying to go after me,
against your father’s will, against the guards he placed outside so you
couldn’t leave freely that you tried climbing out your window, only to fall
nearly to your death…” He stopped then, catching his breath.

“I
did?” I asked.

“I
wasn’t there,” Rial said. “I wasn’t there to catch you.” He had tears in his
eyes. “I heard about it years later, but you were no longer at the chateau.
They said you attempted to run after me, and they guarded your room so the only
way out was through your bedroom window which was so high from the ground.  You
climbed out, but lost your grip and fell so hard, you hurt your head, and after
that your father took you somewhere for you to recover but you never went back
to the chateau. You never tried to find me again. You forgot about me, and for
that. For what your father did to you, I hated him even more.”

“He’s
dead, gone.  I’m the only one left. Tell me what do I have to do to get you to
move on, Rial. How can I make it right again between our families? Between us?”

 Rial
looked at me with questioning dark eyes. “If you really want me to forget all
about your father’s betrayal…”

More
than anything, I longed to clear the slate.  “What do I have to do?”

“Give
me one night with you, one long, special night.”  His fingers traced a line up
my thigh.  “Let me make love to you.  Let me show you just a glimpse of what
marriage to me would look like… feel like.  Tomorrow, decide what you want to
do… who you want to be with.”  He slipped his hand into my panties and stroked
my clit, already sleek and moist.  “You're so hot already, Lilly.  Can you feel
it?”

I
groaned.

His
eyes lit up with lust and mischief.  “You’re so wet, your panties are soaked. 
We’ll have to take them off and let them dry before you can leave.”  He tugged
them down and let them pool at my ankles while his hands went around to grab my
bare bottom.  The heat of his soft hands on my skin was intoxicating.

“This
smooth silky skin,” he murmured.  “This full, round ass, so firm, so perfect… I
just want to get lost in it.”

Grabbing
me by the waist, he hoisted me up and wrapped my legs around his waist.  My
moist pussy rubbed up against his engorged cock.  Even through the fabric of
the robe that separated us, I could feel how hard he was.

A
deep, animal groan rode up my throat as instant pleasure filled me.  I wanted
more of his cock.  I wanted to see him, fully aroused and stiff as a rod.

Instead,
he set me down on the sofa, my legs in the air and my entire sex open to his
gaze.

“My
sweet Lilly.  Look at how beautiful you are.”  He ran his fingers along the
creases of my sex, so wet and hot for him.  “I always did find you beautiful,
Lilly, but now… now you're sultry, sexy… a real tigress.  I could…”  With an
animal grunt, he shoved two fingers up inside me and reached the spot that
instantly had me bucking and begging for more.

Licking
my lips, I looked up at him, happy to see just how hungry and aroused he was.

“You’ve
got the perfect pink pussy, Lilly, and so tight.  My cock is aching just
thinking about squeezing in and getting lost in your moist heat.”

“Then
fuck me, Rial.”  The words slipped out before I could even register them.

He
grinned and whispered, “Not yet,” He bent down until his face was in my
crotch.  “So pink and sweet.”  He kissed my inner thigh and slowly snaked his
tongue up to my pink lips.  “Not yet,” he repeated.

I
could feel the juices flow and my clit throb with the need to be touched, to be
coddled, to be satisfied.  I tilted my hips up, and tried to align my clit with
his mouth, but he dodged it.

“Tell
me what you really want, Lilly.”  He gave my clit a teasing lick that left me
gasping.  “Tell me what you want me to do, angel.”

“Eat
me, Rial,” I said through a heated breath.

“Eat
you?”  Grinning, he lowered his head and licked through the folds of skin. 
“Like that?  Or do you prefer…”  He lowered his head again, this time dropping
his entire mouth over my clit.  His teeth bit gently down on the sensitive nub
before he added a little pressure, while his fingers found my nipples and
pinched and twisted them until I thought he’d rip them off.

“Yes,”
I said, panting for breath as the pleasure took over my body.

“This
is how you like it, Lilly?” he said, his fingers digging into the flesh of my
breasts.

“Yes. 
Yes, Rial.  Harder… even more.”  I thought I’d go nuts if he didn’t fuck me
soon.  My body was on the verge of exploding and I so badly wanted him inside
me when it happened.

He
gave my sex one long, sweet lick then looked up at me through the valley
between my breasts.

“Have
you always found me attractive, Lilly?” he said.