Razing Kayne (26 page)

TWENTY-EIGHT

Kayne threaded his fingers through Jess’s as they stepped out of Maddy’s room two
nights later. Instead of tugging her toward the stairs that led to the master bedroom,
he headed toward the far end of the house.

“Where are we going?”

“You asked about my artwork, I want to show you some of it.”

She giggled. “You need a better pickup line than that, if you’re trying to get me
back to your place to look at your
etchings, sir.
”

Kayne came to grinding halt, giving her a heated look. He wrapped an arm around her
waist and pulled her against him. “I wouldn’t ask,” he said softly, seductively. He
buried his face in her hair, inhaling deep before letting it slowly out. “I’d just
scoop you up and carry you off to my cave, where I would strip you bare and love you
with my hands and mouth before I buried myself deep inside you.”

Jess’s nipples puckered, and her sex clenched at the thought of it. She eyed their
surroundings, wondering what he might do
.

Kayne caught her chin, turned her face to him, and kissed her softly.
“Drawings first.”

Jess reluctantly fell into step beside him, excited to see his art work, but slightly
disappointed that he’d had the willpower not to take her right then and there. But
when they stepped into an unused study, she was glad he had.

He pressed the wall switch, and soft light filled the room. He’d turned the room into
a studio. Since Jess rarely came to this part of the house, she’d had no idea. The
loveseat and chairs had been moved against the interior wall, and his drawing table
and chair sat near the balcony doors with a thick black artist’s portfolio lying atop
it
.

He picked up the portfolio and led Jess over to the couch. “Sit please,” he said,
before sitting down next to her and setting the portfolio on the coffee table in front
of them.

Kayne shifted his body so he could see Jess better. “I’ve been drawing a long as I
can remember. When I was little, Nina would shove a coloring book at me to keep me
busy while she was entertaining her johns. The summer we moved to America, the man
who’d brought us here put me in a summer program, figuring I’d learn English quicker
if I was around other children my age. That’s where I discovered I loved to draw.
By the time I went to live with Ben and Luann, I’d become good enough to get paid
for it.” It was how he’d made sure there was food in the house when Nina couldn’t
be bothered to do so.

Jess captured his hand and entwined her fingers with his, pulling it into her lap
.

Kayne reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I don’t want your pity,
baby. I just want to share these with you.” He pointed to the folio.

“Okay,” she whispered, clinging to his hand with both of hers.

Kayne watched the gentle rain streak down the exterior glass doors for a moment as
he gathered his thoughts. “You know, Pop was a youth pastor, but I’m not sure if I
told you that he was pretty much the sole provider for a wife and six kids, including
me when I first moved in. I figured it wouldn’t be long before they decided they couldn’t
keep me, so I started spending all my time down on the boardwalk, doing caricature
sketches for money.”

Kayne watched the lightning flash in the distance, feeling restless. “I’d been living
there for several months when I overheard Ben and Luann talking finances one night.
I’d gotten up to get a drink of water and stopped just out of sight, when I heard
what they were talking about. I wanted to know what they were going to do with me.
I don’t know how long I stood there, but not once did they say ‘Hey we need to get
rid of that troublesome Russian kid.’ I’d known money was tight for them, but I could
tell by the conversation something had happened. Mama was pregnant and they were trying
to
rebudget
their lives.

“Ben said he was going to try and pick up some construction jobs, and Luanne argued
that he’d never be home for us kids. She said, ‘Your sons need you, especially Kayne.’”
Kayne flashed Jess a self-deprecating smile. “That’s when I finally got it. I was
part of their family, and whatever happened, it was us standing together against the
world. So I slipped back into the bedroom I shared with three brothers and pulled
out my hidden stash of money. I marched back into that kitchen and placed nearly two-thousand
dollars on the table in front of them.” Kayne shook his head and chuckled. “Of course,
I had to do some fast talking to explain how I'd
legally
earned it.”

Kayne smiled, remembering how scared he’d been standing up to Ben. Not from fear of
being hurt but of being rejected. “Pop and I argued for nearly an hour. He refused
to take the money, and I refused to continue living there if I couldn’t help out.
Finally, I threw up my hands and shouted, ‘I thought this was my family too, I should
get to help take care of them!’ and that finally swayed Pop. He realized that I needed
to be needed.” He looked at Jess, hoping she understood what he was trying to say.
He needed to be needed here too.

Jess nodded. Whether because she heard what he was saying or to encourage him to continue,
Kayne wasn’t sure.

He pulled his hand free and wrapped his arm around her, wanting her closer. “Somewhere
long after Mama had gone to bed, Pop and I finally negotiated a compromise: As long
as school and grades remained first and foremost, I could continue selling my artwork.
But
I had to put half in savings for college. At the time, I couldn’t imagine going to
college, but I agreed because he said I could use the other half as I saw fit.” Kayne
had kept a few dollars of spending money for himself or for something special for
one of his siblings from time to time, but everything else had gone into savings or
to his family.

“So why didn’t you become an artist?” Jess asked softly.

“I wanted to save the world.” Kayne laughed, the sound far more bitter than he’d
intended. “I couldn’t even save my own kids.”

Jess’s heart broke for Kayne. She hated that the strong, vibrant man next to her
felt that he’d failed his first family.

She watched as Kayne opened his portfolio. The first sheet was a half-finished sketch
of Kayne’s parents with their children. “Oh my God, this is incredible!”

“That’s for their anniversary next month, if I can get it done in time,” Kayne said,
before he carefully flipped it over to reveal the next image.

He showed her dozens of pieces. Some were simple little black and white drawings,
others portrait size done in color. Every one exquisitely detailed images of shadow
and light, capturing
the subject perfectly. There were pictures of his siblings and their children, of
Jess and their kids, and pictures of Nikolai and Natalia with Oksana.

“Did you do these from pictures?” Jess studied what she could only describe as a candid
shot of herself, but she had no memory of anyone taking her picture the day of the
snowball fight.

Kayne shook his head. “No, everything I draw is from live subject or memory.”

When Jess moved to reveal the last sketch, Kayne put his hand down on hers. “Don't,
please.”

“
It's
okay, Kayne.” Jess realized the picture must be another drawing of Oksana. It wasn't
as if Jess didn't realize how lovely she'd been, or how much the images spoke of Kayne's
affection for her. And if the image of a beautifully pregnant Oksana had made her
more than a little jealous, that was her problem, not his.

Kayne searched her face for a long moment,
then
very reluctantly let her lift his hand out of the way.

Jess gasped. The picture wasn't of Oksana, but the woman was stunningly beautiful
and gloriously naked, revealing the full curve of her breasts with their rosy pale
nipples aroused, a narrow waist, and gently rounded stomach that flared into hourglass
hips. She was lying in bed, a riot of curls cascading around her heart-shaped face.
Her eyes were hooded, her cheeks flushed with latent desire, her swollen lips spread
slightly in a seductive smile. In short, she looked like someone who'd been well loved.

“This is how you see me?” Jess whispered, hardly able to believe his perception.

His voice was laced with frustration when he said, “No. You are far lovelier than
anything I could ever capture on paper. No matter how hard I try.” 

Even if it were a lie, she loved him for it. Jess shifted until she could cup his
face in her hands and kissed him gently. Then again more passionately as she pushed
him back against the couch.

***

Holy Shit! He liked this aggressive side of her.

Within minutes, they were both naked. Kayne shoved the coffee table out of the way
and took her down to the thick-carpeted floor. He came to rest atop her and kissed
her deeply. He pressed a knee between hers, nudging her open, and then settled between
her thighs, bringing his erection in contact with her clitoris. God, he wanted to
be inside her, but it seemed she was having none of that.

Jess pushed at his shoulder.
“Over.”

He rolled onto his back, taking her with him. There was no hesitation anymore, she
simply spread her thighs to accommodate his hips, then planted her hands and shoved
up off his chest until she straddled him. She gave him a seductive smile as she reached
down, took his turgid shaft in hand, and gave it several firm strokes. He loved the
confident way she touched him, with just the right amount of pressure to drive him
insane.

Kayne reached up and cupped her breasts, relishing in the sound of her shuddering
gasp.
“So sensitive, baby.”

His cock in hand, Jess poised herself to take him in. “I want you to draw us. Just
like this.”

Kayne watched as she opened for him, taking him in ever so slowly; inch by tantalizing
inch. “Okay.” Christ, he’d grant her about anything at that moment.

She released a deep breath and sank completely onto him, taking him balls-deep. “With
you buried inside me, just like this.”

Kayne closed his eyes, letting his head fall back. He wanted to howl from the pleasure
of his shaft being so tightly fisted in her hot wetness. He fought the caveman within
that demanded he drag his mate under him and
take
her fast and hard.

Jess panted. “I want it for my office.”

His eyes popped open.
“Your office?”

She rose off of him, poising with just the tip of his cock inside her sleek folds
as she waited for an answer. “Yes.”

Jess shifted away when he tried to arch up into her. He growled in frustration.

She taunted him with her body. “I’ll put it in that nook behind the door, so only
I can see it.” She lowered herself, allowing a couple shallow strokes before she sank
deep and stilled.

Kayne jackknifed into a sitting position and captured her lips for a soul-searing
kiss. “Christ baby, you're killing me.” The slow fuck she was giving him was driving
him batshit crazy, but he was determined to let her lead for as long as he could.
And then she shifted, wrapping her legs around him so that he was seated as deeply
as he could go, the tip of his erection kissing the entrance to her womb.

Slowly, she began to rock against him. Just enough movement to keep him achingly aroused,
but not enough to take either of them over the edge. As he looked into her eyes, he
realized this was what she wanted, this face-to-face intimacy that he often, unintentionally,
overlooked because he was so goddamned hot for her. He wanted that, too, he realized.
Kayne hoped she’d recognize the fire for her that burned in his soul and prayed to
God he'd see it reflected in her.

And so they talked in hushed tones as they touched and caressed, whispering of dreams
and desires, and oftentimes nonsense. Kayne held on by his teeth, and when he couldn't
take it another second, he pulled her under him, covered her, and plunged deep, all
control gone. He caught the back of her knees with his forearms, spreading her wide.
Each drag and thrust threatening to send him over the edge, and he knew she was right
there with him, could feel her muscles contracting around him, taking all of him.

Kayne shifted slightly, reaching between them to stroke her clit with his thumb, even
as he whispered, “Come for me, baby.” She did, his name a benediction torn from her
soul. He howled her name to the heavens as she took him with her.

Kayne collapsed onto his side, dragging Jess with him in a tangle of arms and legs,
their bodies still joined. He sucked in gasping lungfuls of air as his heart beat
a frantic tattoo against his ribs. Good God, it had been the most amazing orgasm he’d
ever had.

“You okay?” He managed to press out between breaths.

He felt her nod against his chest, but whatever words she said were drowned out by
the thunderstorm’s arrival.

Lightning flashed like a noontime sun, lights flickered, and thunder cracked and rolled.
A split second later, the house plunged into darkness.

“The kids!”
Jess cried, pushing at his shoulder. “They'll be looking for me.”