Hidden Obsession (The Club #2) (4 page)

Chapter Eight

“Raven?”

My eyes flutter open and for a moment I panic. Where am I? I sit up, my memory slowly filtering back. Conrad.

“Come in,” I call out, embarrassed that I’d fallen asleep.

He opens the door and steps inside, his blue eyes locking on mine.

“I must’ve fallen asleep.”

“Yeah, well, you probably needed it. How are you feeling?” he asks.

“Better. Less stressed.”

“Good. Are you hungry? I figured we could go out. I know a great Thai place.”

“Sounds good. Give me a few minutes to freshen up?” I ask.

“Take all the time you need.”

We walk into the tiny restaurant. He signals to the waiter, who leads us to a table and presents us with menus. My stomach growls and I giggle, embarrassed. I haven’t eaten anything all day and my body is angry at me.

“Shall we get some appetizers and get some food into that stomach?” Conrad smirks, raising his eyebrows. “Before you start eating the tablecloth, I mean.”

I narrow my eyes and give him a death stare, but I’m not really annoyed. I’m actually enjoying myself. “Appetizers sound good.”

We order a platter of appetizers because I can’t decide what I feel like. When the food is placed in front of us, my mouth is watering. I don’t wait before digging in as Conrad watches me.

“I like a woman with a healthy appetite,” he chuckles.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize this was a date,” I shoot back, reaching for another egg roll. “I was under the impression you were just a nice guy offering me somewhere to stay. I hope you’re not suggesting this is anything more?”

He grins and rubs his jaw, drawing my attention to the light ripple of stubble that peppers his chin. As if he wasn’t sexy enough…

“This can be whatever you want it to be, Raven.”

His words send a chill down my spine. I can’t deny the attraction between us, but I’m scared to rush things. What if we move this too fast and I’m not ready? “

Hey, I was joking.” He makes a face. “Well, kind of. The last thing I want is for you to feel uncomfortable.”

“It’s not that,” I sigh, not sure what to tell him. “Let’s just see how this goes. We’ve got plenty of time, right? There’s no need to rush this.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” he says, winking at me. “Now shut up and eat.”

We leave the restaurant and drive back to his place. I’m determined to get a few more hours of study in before I go to work, but it seems Conrad has other ideas.

“Have a drink with me,” he says, leading me into the living room.

I laugh. “I can’t. I have to work, remember?”

“So have a soda. I’ll drink.” He smirks.

I roll my eyes and agree, sure he’s not going to give in until I do.

“Good. Sit down and relax. You study too much anyway.”

“I wish my grades suggested that,” I call out as he disappears into the kitchen.

He comes back a few minutes later juggling a beer, soda, and a bag of chips. Sitting down next to me of the sofa, throws the bag on the coffee table.

“Why business?” he asks. “It seems odd when you work in security. Why not law or something?”

“Because I dream of running my own club someday.” I grin.

“I’d be up for that. Would you let me in?” he teases.

“I don’t know, it would be pretty exclusive. I wouldn’t want just anyone in,” I reply with a laugh. “You might attract the wrong kind of clientele.”

“Me?” he gasps, offended. “I’ll have you know I’m a fine, upstanding member of the community—”

“With a taste for all things kinky and naughty,” I add with a devilish grin.

“Doesn’t that make me a typical guy?” he retorts, his eyes sparkling.

I laugh and lift my leg onto the sofa, tucking it under me. I could quite happily sit here all night chatting to him. The more I get to know him, the more I like. If only I didn’t have to be at work in twenty minutes.

“I’m having fun, but I really need to get to work,” I say sheepishly.

“Let me drive you,” he suggests, getting to his feet.

“No, you’re already doing too much for me,” I protest.

“Seriously, it’s fine. I was on my way there anyway,” he says with a chuckle.

I raise an eyebrow but don’t question him any more. To be honest, if he’s headed there to fuck other women I’m not sure I
want
to know about it. “Okay. But that means you’ll have to pick me up too.”

He cocks his head and smiles. “Who said I was planning on leaving?”

Chapter Nine

It’s been nearly a week and I’ve heard nothing from my stalker. I was sure the fact that I was staying with Conrad would annoy him into acting out, but I’m relieved that I might be able to go back to my own place soon. Not that staying with Conrad doesn’t have its perks. He’s a hell of a cook and it’s been great getting to know him.

“I think I might go home tomorrow,” I say, sitting down at the table with my coffee and toast.

“Sounds reasonable. We haven’t heard from him and the guys turned up no leads with the people living in your building.” He shrugs and stands up, clearing his plate and cup. “I guess we wait until he does act out again and go from there.”

It makes sense. I’m not stupid enough to think that he’d moved on, but a small part of me hopes that on some level maybe he’d gotten the message how spooked his actions had made me.

After Conrad leaves for work, I pull out my books, ready for another long study session. I only have two days until my next exam and I’ve done next to nothing to prepare for it. I open my textbook and try to focus on the words in front of me, but I’m struggling.

I reach for my phone and search for my aunt’s number. I haven’t been in contact with her for a while and I feel bad. Pressing call, I wait for her to answer. She does almost immediately.

“Raven, hey!”

“Hey, Carmel, sorry I haven’t been in touch.” I wince, wondering why I didn’t find the time to call a month ago, or even a week ago.

“We were worried about you, Rave.”

“I’m fine, I just…” My voice trails off. I don’t want to burden Carmel with my problems, especially with her being so far away. As far as my family knows, getting away from home has meant the end of my stalker.

“What is it? Are you okay, baby?”

“I’m fine, just homesick I guess,” I fib.

“We’ll get up there and visit you soon, I promise.”

“That would be good.” I sniff. “How are the girls?”

“They’re good. They miss you.”

“I miss them too. I’ll try and call after school one day so I can speak to them.”

“They’ll like that, sweetie. They know you’re busy with college. How’s school?”

“It’s good. Hard, but good,” I laugh, pushing away my books. I stand up and walk over to the sofa and sink down into the cushions, setting my feet up on the coffee table.

“Well, don’t study too hard. Make sure you get out there and have some fun, okay?” she chastises gently.

I laugh and wipe away the tears rolling down my cheeks.

No sooner have I hung up the call than my phone rings again. I don’t recognize the number, which immediately puts me on edge. Taking I deep breath, I press answer.

“Hello?” I say carefully.

“Miss James? This is Paul Stojer, your building manager. I need to let you know there’s been a disturbance at your apartment.”

“Disturbance?” I repeat, my heart racing. What the hell does that mean?

“Yes, a neighbor noticed your door wide open and notified us. We’ve called the police, but you should get here as soon as you can so you can file a report.”

“Okay,” I mumble. My hands shake as I set down the phone. I was stupid to think this was all over. I text Conrad to let him know, asking him to meet me at my place. Grabbing my purse and my jacket, I switch off the lights and head outside, locking the door behind me.

Arriving back at my apartment holds mixed emotions for me. I’m nervous about seeing what the damage is this time. Is he angry I’m staying with Conrad? What if he directs his anger toward him next in an attempt to push him out of the picture?

The place is mess. There is stuff everywhere, and everything breakable has been broken: vases, photo frames, lamps. I shiver, thinking about the anger he had to have been feeling to do this. I walk over next to the sofa, where a smashed photo of me with my parents has been discarded. I crouch down to examine the damage. It’s one of the few things I brought with me to remind me of my family.

“Don’t touch anything.”

I glance up and see Conrad standing in the doorway, a grave expression on his face.

He looks around and shakes his head, a look of disbelief in his eyes. “Wow, someone really did a number on this place,” he mutters.

“Someone?” I laugh. “Come on. I think we all know who’s responsible.”

“Maybe,” he agrees, but he looks hesitant.

I stand up, my arms crossed over my chest, and wait for him to continue.

“It’s just this is a pretty big jump from his usual M.O. He’s never acted violent toward you in the past. There’s a lot of anger here if it was personal.”

“What would you call him masturbating on my bed?” I laugh. I can’t believe he’s saying this. It’s almost like he’s standing up for the psycho who’s trying to ruin my life.

“I’m not saying the guy isn’t a giant ass, just be careful about attributing everything that happens to him.” He glances around the room again. “Is anything missing?”

“I’m not sure,” I mumble. I walk through to my bedroom, which looks just as bad as the rest of the apartment. I notice a few pieces of jewelry are missing, and the bottom drawer of my dresser, where I’d hidden some cash, is now completely empty. “Some jewelry and some cash is missing.”

Could Conrad be right? Could this be an unrelated coincidence? I don’t know what to believe anymore.

“Make a list of what is missing and I’ll file a report for you.”

I nod, but don’t move. How can things get any worse? Whether it’s him or some random robbery, how much worse can my luck get?

“Don’t worry, Raven,” he says, his voice soft. He steps toward me, wrapping me into his warm embrace. “You can stay with me for as long as you need to. We’ll get all this sorted out, I promise.”

“Go lie down. I’m going to call the club and tell them you can’t work tonight.”

I open my mouth to protest, and Conrad holds up his hand.

“No arguments. What you need more than anything is a break, okay? I’ll sort everything out.”

I sigh, too tired to argue, and trudge down to my room. Slipping out of my jeans, I fold them and leave them neatly on the dresser, along with my shirt. In only my bra and undies, I climb under the sheets and curl up to my pillow.

He’s right—I do need a break, but it’s more than just a night off from work that I need. It’s a night off from my life. I want just one night where I can forget everything that is going on and pretend I’m just a normal girl—something I haven’t felt in years.

Closing my eyes, I feel myself drifting off to sleep. My mind is still going, but eventually it gives in, allowing my body the rest it craves.

I stretch, opening my eyes, and see Conrad sitting on the edge of my bed. I fumble for the sheets, which during my sleep had been tossed aside, leaving not much for his imagination. He chuckles as I blush, which makes me blush even more.

“I called the club. They’re fine with you having as long as you need off. I hope you like Chinese, because dinner is on its way.”

“Thanks,” I mumble, sitting up, clutching the sheets to my chest. “How long have you been sitting there?”

“Not long. A few minutes. I came in to wake you for dinner, but you looked so peaceful.”

“I think I really needed a good sleep,” I admit. “I’ll get dressed and be out in a minute,” I add, hoping he takes the hint.

He does, rising from his spot. I wait until he closes the door and then I get up and throw my clothes on. I pick up my brush and run it through my hair, then dab a little lip gloss on my lips. I’m not sure why I’m going to so much trouble for Chinese takeout, but I can’t deny I want him to be attracted to me. The thought of him watching me sleep in only my underwear both thrills and terrifies me.

Dinner is lovely. I don’t know how, but he’s managed to choose all my favorite dishes. I help myself to a second serving of chicken and rice as we kick back and watch television.

It feels good. I’m so relaxed around this guy it’s not funny. He makes jokes and I laugh. Everything feels so natural. I finish off the last bit of food and push my plate away, full. The thought of eating anything else makes me feel ill—until he mentions the raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake he has in the fridge waiting for later.

“You sure know how to impress a girl,” I giggle, stretching out on the sofa.

He reaches down and pulls my feet onto his lap. I groan as his fingers begin to work the knots out of my feet. The feeling is magical and just what I need. I’ve never been so close to orgasming with minimal sexual contact—that’s how good this guy is with his hands.

“Oh God,” I whimper. “That is so freaking good.”

“Come here,” he whispers, helping me onto his lap. “Now, why did you have to go and get dressed?”

I shiver as his lips touch my neck. He undoes the buttons on my shirt one by one, taking his sweet time by kissing me everywhere in between each button. With my shirt undone I feel exposed, straightening my arms as he slides the silky fabric off over my arms.

He kisses my neck, his fingers fiddling with the clasp on my bra. My nipples harden as he unravels the black lace from over my breasts. Next, he moves on to my jeans. He unbuttons them, and I lift myself off his lap long enough to peel them off my legs. Kicking them aside, I resume my position, lacing my arms around his neck.

Slowly his hands work their way further up my legs. My body aches for his touch, desperate for more, and he knows it. He smirks, his fingers teasing me as I edge apart my thighs. Raising my arms above my head, I groan as he plunges two fingers inside of me. My thighs clench as he continues to tease me. I’m naked apart from my thong, which he has no trouble working around. I grip his shoulder through the fabric of his shirt and whimper as he glides his fingers deeper inside of me.

His hands drop to his zipper. He releases his hard cock, guiding my hand around its thick shaft. He’s big and my pussy is aching for him. He has me so worked up it takes all my resolve not to jump on him. Instead, I wait patiently as he pulls a condom out of his pocket and rolls it on.

“Come here,” he murmurs. His hands grip my ass and I groan as he pulls me forward.

I collapse on his length. Throwing my head back, I gasp as he fills me. He’s incredible. Everything about this guy is beyond amazing.

My arms around his neck, I ride him, grinding my body against his groin as his nails dig into my back. I can feel I’m close, every thrust pushing me closer to orgasm. He plunges deeper inside me and I groan, my fingers clutching onto the front of his shirt.

“I’m gonna come,” he growls, his eyes growing dark. “Fuck, you’re so beautiful.”

“Ohh!” My head falls forward as spasms ravage my body. I can’t take it and yet I need more. I gasp and clench my thighs, which only intensifies the pleasure I’m feeling. “God, stop,” I gasp, lifting myself off him.

I lay back in his arms, my head resting on his chest. There’s not a whole lot of room on his sofa, but I like being so close to him. I smile as he kisses my forehead while his fingers play with my hair.

“That was unexpected.” He smirks. “I need to invite damsels in distress into my home more often.” He laughs as I slap him on the chest.

I narrow my eyes at him. “So this isn’t something you do on a regular basis then?” I say playfully.

“I can honestly say this is the first and only time I’ve done this,” he assures me, kissing my nose.

Satisfied, I lay my head back down. I close my eyes, loving the sensation of his nails on my back. His words make me feel confident that this isn’t just all a way to get in my pants, but I can’t help but worry; what if my stalker goes after him? I couldn’t live with the guilt I’d feel if he was hurt because of me.

He’s a cop, Raven. He deals with violence and criminals every day. If anyone can handle themselves, it’s him.

“Where’s your head?” he asks softly.

“I’m just thinking about stuff,” I mumble, not wanting to ruin the moment. I feel like all I ever do is go on about my stalker. It’s like everything comes back to him, and I hate how much he rules my life.

“He won’t hurt you while I’m with you, Raven. I promise you that.”

“But how can you?” I laugh. “And it’s more than that. What if he decides to go after you to get to me?” I drop my gaze. “Especially if he thinks we’re involved.”

“Well, maybe what we need to do is work that in our favor.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, confused.

“Chances are he’s a member of the club because you work there. What if we went there and put on a show for him? Maybe that will draw him out, give us something more to go on.”

“You want me to have sex with you in public?” I say, my voice high-pitched. I can’t say the thought wasn’t turning me on just a little bit.

“Why not?” he smirks, cocking his head. “I’m just suggesting we do a bit of this…” He nibbles my neck and I sigh. “And this…” I groan as his fingers graze past my nipples. “In an environment where he can see. I think the only way we are going to catch this guy is by making him angry. Then he’ll fuck up.”

I hesitate. It’s not the
worst
idea I’ve ever heard, but I’m still not convinced. I know what goes on in the club; I work there, for God’s sake. As much as I love the thought of participating in what goes on there, I’m not the kind of girl who can just let loose like those girls do.