Lydia's Secret (The Secret Series Book 1) (13 page)

His arms wrapped around her thighs, jerking her against him as he drove into her wet heat again and again.

The soft, mewling sounds coming from her coupled with her nails digging into his back was his undoing. Roman Castillo, a two-thousand-year-old, seasoned vampire lost control.

He rose to his knees and swiveled his hips, grinding against her with enough pressure to work her clit along with her G-spot into a commanding release. “Come for me, baby. Come for me now.”

Lydia screamed. Her back bowed off the bed, and her pussy clamped down on his cock, milking him of his own orgasm. Roman’s head fell back, and a shout burst from his lips as powerful jets of his seed expelled from his body with a force that temporarily paralyzed him.

He’d never felt anything like it in his long life. Not with Ione or any of the others he’d been with over the centuries. And there had been many.

It seemed an eternity had passed before his body stopped shuddering and his mind comprehended what he’d done.

Roman brought his head up and softly touched her face. “Lydia?”

She opened her beautiful eyes and stared up at him in silence.

“I’m sorry for being too rough. I lost control and…” He ran a hand down his face. “I need you to relax your muscles while I pull out of you. Okay?”

Other than the blush climbing up her neck, a subtle head nod was the only indication that she understood.

“Good girl.” Roman dropped his gaze to the place where their bodies were still connected. With gentle care, he backed out of her depths, wincing at the smears of blood staining his still-hard cock.

As much as he hated that he’d caused her pain, he had been her first, and that thought pleased him more than he cared to admit. “Don’t move. I’m going to grab something to clean you with.”

Chapter Fourteen

Lydia felt the loss of Roman before he’d completely pulled free of her body. The feel of him entering her, stretching her and moving inside her had to be the most incredible sensation imaginable. Even the initial pain of his entrance had been extraordinary. The feel of his thickness straining to penetrate her would forever be burned into her mind.

An overwhelming emotion washed through her, tightening her chest and squeezing her heart. She was falling in love with Roman Castillo. An ancient vampire who’d probably been with more beautiful and experienced women in his life than most men could find on the beaches of Miami.

She couldn’t imagine what he was thinking right now. He’d just had sex with a mother of a six year old only to realize she’d never been with a man before. He was no doubt swimming in confusion and disbelief, she thought, glancing at the door he’d disappeared behind.

Suddenly embarrassed, she pulled the sheet up to cover her nakedness.

Roman didn’t look at her as he came back into room carrying a damp washcloth and sat next to her on the bed. “How bad is it?”

“I’m fine.” She reached for the washcloth, but he pulled it back.

“Let go of the sheet so I can check your injuries.”

Her warm, fuzzy feeling was quickly replaced with anxiety. “Really, I can do it.”

Roman took hold of the sheet and dragged it down her body, baring her to his gaze. Her thighs were suddenly pushed up and out without being touched, the same as he’d done before.

He moved between her open legs, staring at her exposed sex with a hooded expression until Lydia turned her face to the side, unable to endure his bold perusal of her most private place.

“How is it that you are a virgin? You have a daughter.”

The deep timbre of his voice added to the fact that she could feel his gaze on her pussy brought on a fresh round of need.

“Lydia,” he growled, moving closer. “It’s too soon to take you again. You’re bleeding, and the pain would be too great.”

She straightened her head and met his gaze. “Jacie was my sister’s daughter. I took her after my sister died in childbirth.”

He laid the damp washcloth against her, gently applying pressure as he cleansed the blood and his seed from her soft flesh. “Why have you never been with a man?”

Lydia blushed. It sounded so ignominious coming from him. “Well, I was raised by my adoptive parents until the age of twelve.”

“Why until twelve?

The sensation of his hand softly moving the washcloth over her thighs made it hard to concentrate. “That was the age my adoptive father started becoming a little too friendly.”

“He touched you?” A muscle ticked along his jaw.

“Yes. He went to jail for it, and my adoptive mother Peggy abandoned me. If Peggy hadn’t walked in on him trying…” She shook her head. “I hate to think of what would have happened.”

“I’ll kill him.”

“He’s not worth it, Roman. He’s probably in prison somewhere.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, I was placed in foster care where I stayed until I graduated. Shortly after high school, I found my paternal grandmother and my biological sister, Joan.”

“Joan is Jacie’s mother?”

“
Was
. She died giving birth to her. I was twenty years old at the time. Grandma helped me raise Jacie until she was three, and Grandma passed away. I dropped out of college, moved to Atlanta, and got a job at the hospital.”

“That’s when Jacie became ill?”

“Yes. She was diagnosed over two years ago. You know the rest.”

“I’m sorry about your daughter, Lydia. I wish there was something I could do.”

“There’s nothing anyone can do.”

The sound of a cell phone ringing startled her, and she quickly sat up, bringing the sheet with her. “It could be about Jacie.”

Roman gathered her clothes from the floor and retrieved her phone from the pocket of her jeans. “I’ll give you some privacy.” Handing her the cell, he grabbed his own clothes and trailed off to the bathroom to dress.

She pressed the Send key. “Hello?”

“Hi, Miss. Hughes, it’s Jeanie. I’m here at your house, but no one’s home.”

Lydia couldn’t believe she’d forgotten about Jeanie’s home visit. So much had happened since yesterday she was surprised she remembered her own name. “I am so sorry, Jeanie. I’m at Roman’s. Go on inside until I can figure out what to do. I don’t think Roman will allow us to go home tonight and—”

“Have her come here,” Roman’s deep voice interrupted.

“Would you mind holding for a second, Jeanie?” Lydia covered the phone receiver with her palm and shifted her attention to Roman. “Jacie’s insurance won’t cover overnight stays until…” She couldn’t finish the thought.

“I’ll cover it.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Lydia questioned, watching as Roman advanced toward the bed.

“I will pay her expenses. My kind is the reason that you cannot go home. You and Jacie are my responsibility now, and I take my responsibilities seriously.” He held out his hand, palm up. “Allow me.”

Lydia surrendered the phone, studying his profile as he gave Jacie’s nurse directions to the compound. “I’ll let Madison know you’re coming.”

Ending the call, he took a seat on the edge of the bed and brushed Lydia’s hair back from her face. “No more worrying.”

“Thank you for that. I don’t know what I would do without Jeanie’s help.”

Roman nodded. “Whatever is needed, but I do not want you leaving the compound without me.”

“But Jacie has doctor appointments.”

“And we will cross that bridge when we come to it. Sawyer will accompany the child on daytime outings.”

Lydia’s stomach tightened. “How long are we going to have to stay here?”

Hurt was apparent on his face before smoothing into an emotionless mask. “Simon will stop at nothing to have you in his grasp. Neither will Svetlana.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but he gripped her shoulders, cutting her off. “And even if I manage to destroy them both, others will surely take their place.”

Lydia’s heart began to pound, and nausea rolled in her gut. If what he said was true, no place on earth would ever be safe.

His gaze softened. “You can never go back.”

With jerky movements, Lydia pulled her sweater over her head and slid from the bed. She shimmied into her jeans and picked up her bra, panties, and boots. “I have to go check on Jacie. Jeanie will be here soon.”

Roman stood also. “I’m sorry, Lydia.”

She averted her eyes, afraid he would see the tears swimming in their depths. “It’s not as if I have family anyway, right? Everyone I’ve ever cared about is gone. Jacie is all I have left, and she’s being taken from me too.” She broke down on that last word.

“Lydia…” He reached for her, but she stepped back.

“Please, don’t.” She turned on her heel and fled.

* * * *

Roman stood frozen, staring at the evidence of Lydia’s virginity left on his sheets. She had given herself to him freely without coercion or flowery words as if she’d wanted him as much as he’d wanted her. So why did he feel like such an ass?

He wandered to the bathroom and washed his face. Lydia’s life was spiraling out of control. Her daughter, the only family Lydia had left, had only months to live. How did one cope with something like that? Roman had lost plenty of people he’d cared about in his long life, but never a child.

He couldn’t imagine what she felt. He only knew that it took a tremendous amount of strength to hold up under the kind of pressure Lydia faced on a daily basis, and he’d just taken her innocence in the midst of it all.

Gazing at his reflection in the mirror, Roman swore to make the next time better for her. And there would be a next time. Of that, he was certain.

He finished dressing, left his apartment, and headed for the security hub on the first floor. Simon was still out there somewhere, watching and waiting for the chance to get his filthy hands on Lydia Hughes. Roman would see him in hell first.

“Any movement tonight?” he asked, entering the hub and taking a seat next to Sawyer Jareau, a three-hundred-year-old werewolf from New Orleans.

The two men had met during Roman’s weeklong visit to the infamous French Quarters nearly twenty years before when Sawyer had nearly lost his life to a local Warlock bent on revenge. The wolf would have been dead and buried long ago if not for Roman’s quick intervention.

“Nothing on the screens, but I can feel them out there.”

Roman could sense the outside presence of a few creatures also, yet they were far enough from the walls of his compound to be considered an immediate threat. “Let’s hope they are smarter than the ones I ran into tonight.”

Sawyer jerked his chin toward a screen in the upper corner of his console. “What are we going to do about her?”

“Her name is Ivy. She’s one of Svetlana’s creations.”

A growl came from the large wolf seated next to him. “She’s just a child.”

Roman ran a hand down his face and leaned back in his chair. “Svetlana will kill her if we let her go.”

“I know. But we can’t keep her locked up forever.”

“Max seems to think she’s harmless,” Roman offered, watching the screen as the young vampire paced her cell.

“Is that common sense speaking or his hormones?”

Roman grinned. “Isn’t it impossible for both to share the same space?”

“I reckon,” Sawyer replied without taking his gaze from the monitor.

Glancing at Sawyer’s expressionless profile, Roman couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen the guy smile—or if he ever had, for that matter. Sawyer was unusually quiet and uptight, but he got the job done without mishap, and Roman trusted him with his life.

“I’ll speak to Madison about her tonight,” Roman offered. “She’ll know if the kid is salvageable or not.”

With a slight nod, Sawyer went back to scanning a log sheet he’d obviously been working on earlier.

Roman stood and clapped him on the shoulder. “Buzz me if you sense anything out of the ordinary.”

A soft noise in the back of his throat was the guy’s only response.             

* * * *

Lydia quickly changed out of her clothes and brushed some semblance of shine back into her hair. The storm had finally let up which meant that Jeanie would be arriving soon.

Though it would be nice to have Jacie’s nurse at the compound for the night, how was Lydia going to explain their reason for not going home afterward?
I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

She sat on the foot of her bed, wincing at the tenderness between her thighs. She’d just given herself to Roman Castillo without a second thought, and she wouldn’t change it for the world.

Her eyes slid shut as she recalled the fullness of him inside her…moving, stretching, and caressing. Butterflies took flight in her stomach, remembering his mouth on her, his unseen tongue pleasuring her. In all her life, she’d never imagined anything could be so incredible.

“Miss Hughes?” Jeanie’s muffled voice interrupted her trip down memory lane.

Lydia quickly sat up and smoothed her shirt. “Come in.”

The door opened, and Jeanie entered the room. “Sorry I’m late. The drive was slow-moving due to the snow still falling.”

“I thought the storm had passed,” Lydia responded, getting to her feet.

“It has, but my little car isn’t the fastest-moving vehicle I’ve ever owned.”

Lydia laughed. “At least you have a car.”

“True that. Where is my Jacie?”

“She’s hanging with Max and Madison in the game room right now. She’ll be down shortly.”

Jeanie reached for her scarf. “May I?”

“Yes, of course. How rude of me.” Lydia moved forward and grabbed the other woman’s bag. “I’ll just put your things in your room.”

Jeanie followed close behind. “This place is amazing, Lydia. You really picked a good one.”

Lydia set the bag down on top of the big purple bed. “Roman and I are just friends, Jeanie. Nothing more. We have only known each other for a couple of days.” Although it felt like weeks to Lydia, she thought, turning to face the brunette.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply anything. You’re not the sort to hook up with a guy you barely know. But if you don’t want him, I’ll take him.” She grinned, glancing at the bed. “Is this where I’ll sleep?”

Jealousy was like a kick to the gut, but Lydia somehow managed to push it back. “Yes, and if you need anything, push that button next to the bed. It rings housekeeping. The fridge is fully stocked, and the bathroom has pretty much everything you could need.”

“This is great, thanks. I’ll just get settled and freshen up. Let me know when Jacie returns?”

“Absolutely. Take your time.” Lydia stole back to her room with a sinking feeling in her stomach. What must Roman think of her? She’d slept with the man after knowing him for two days. And if Jeanie thought to get her hands on him, she’d better think again. Roman was definitely off limits as far as she was concerned.