SiNN (7 page)

“No,” he insisted, sounding pissed. “Now do as I say.”

“Or what?” she challenged.

Swifter than Lea would have believed possible, Jake clamped
his hands on her shoulders, pushing her down to the mattress that smelled of
leather and musk. Her mouth fell open in a startled gasp. Allowing her no
chance to recover, he ran his calloused palms down the inside of her thighs,
spreading them widely.

The chilled air licked her damp clit while his thumbs
stroked her smooth vulva.

She mewed at his intimate touch.

“Louder,” he ordered, dragging his forefinger over her clit,
sending pulses of sensation to her belly and down her thighs.

Lea emptied her lungs in a lusty moan.

Jake swung his head to Toby, the movement freeing several
strands of his ebony hair. They tumbled over his forehead. “Grab her wrists,”
he instructed the man. “Make certain she can’t move.”

“Trust me, she won’t,” Kneeling at her side, Toby grabbed
Lea’s wrists in one hand, dragging them up, keeping her imprisoned with his
brutal strength.

His body was magnificent. Dark-brown hair dusted his
muscular thighs, the tint the same shade as his brows. Prominent veins entwined
his thickened cock, its ruddy color matching his plump balls.

A bead of sweat ran down Lea’s neck. She attempted to
swallow, but could not. Her body softened in anticipation of his and Jake’s
coming invasion of her. She smelled their lust, no different from her own. The
only thing that differentiated them was her expected surrender.

Lea gave it, voicing no protest as Toby slipped his fingers
beneath her mask, pulling it from her face. Crisp air touched her hot cheeks,
unable to cool them.

With his free hand, Toby unlatched the chain around her
throat, pushing it down to her cunt. There, Jake took over, stripping her of
the body jewelry, leaving her exposed and unprotected.

Her nudity registered in every part of Lea’s being, her
subservience to these men far from complete. Lips parted, she watched Toby
lifting his leg and straddling her, his knees grazing the sides of her breasts.

A throaty purr escaped her.

His fingers tightened around her wrists. He ordered, “Suck
me. Take me as deep as I can go. Drain me fucking dry.”

Desire echoed through Lea and her body responded. More
moisture seeped from her sheath, encouraging Jake to invade it with his cock.

He gave her his tongue instead, lapping her juices, swirling
the tip around her erect nub.

Her mouth hung open on a feral cry cut short by jolting
pleasure.

Seizing the opportunity, Toby eased closer, his free hand on
his cock, directing it to her lips.

She smelled him first, the scent of an animal, his former
propriety gone. Grunting crudely, she licked the back of his crown, the bumpy
skin that afforded him the greatest sensation.

His shoulders bunched. He pushed her wrists into the
mattress while Jake latched his mouth onto her clit, stroking it slowly,
relentlessly with his tongue even as he worked two fingers into her opening.

On a strangled moan, Lea closed her eyes, fighting her
tormenting need to climax, not yet wanting the act to end. Demanding her
attention to him, Toby eased his cock deeper into her mouth, sliding the hard
column in, then out, going further each time until she’d accommodated his full
length. His thick brown bush tickled her nose, delivering a wave of his musk.
His plump balls touched her chin.

Shamelessly, she submitted, sweeping her tongue over his
length, tasting the saltiness of his pre-cum as he again pulled back. He
stopped abruptly, the sensations she’d created clearly too much. His body
shuddered.

Lea’s toes curled.

Instantly, Jake pulled his fingers free of her sheath and
clamped his hands on her ankles. Pushing them toward her thighs, he kept her
prisoner, licking and suckling her opening.

In the chairs surrounding the stage, the men made the
leather creak as they leaned up for a closer view.

Lea struggled to open her lids, but could not. Her world
became Jake’s tongue rasping her clit and Toby’s cock sliding in and out of her
mouth.

Together, they used her, allowing no protest, no escape. A
cry of delight gurgled in her throat.

“Lea.”

At the sound of her name, she frowned.

“Lea.”

Forcing her eyes to open, she saw Toby’s face tight with
lust, his orgasm only a lick away. Between her legs, Jake continued to enjoy
her.

Lea’s body tensed at her approaching orgasm, relief edging
close. She swirled her tongue around Toby’s cock. He trembled.

To the side, someone repeated, “Lea.”

She glanced at the faceless men in the chairs. One of them
held a knife in his hand, its cruel blade glinting in the room’s muted light.
At his feet lay something red and shiny.

Without warning, Toby’s words rumbled in Lea’s mind.

“He sliced off the face of one of his victims. A young
woman. The daughter of his competitor. He cut out her brother’s heart. Cubrero
won’t stop until you’re dead.”

No.

With a start, Lea awakened, her eyes unfocused, her dream
evaporating, leaving behind overwhelming dread, along with a sense of longing
and warmth. Bewildered, she looked from the windows to Toby, who was regarding
her in the rearview mirror.

Jake’s attention was also on her.

An image rose in Lea’s mind of him spreading her legs, his
tongue licking her slit. Joining it was a picture of Toby straddling her, the
tip of his cock brushing her lips.

Heat born of pleasure curled through Lea, giving her a sense
of well-being she’d rarely known. Working her tongue around her mouth, she
inhaled deeply, then asked, “What?”

“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Jake said, his expression
intense as he studied her.

“He was just trying to wake you up,” Toby offered. “You were
really out of it, sleeping through the accident.”

She frowned. “What accident?”

“Happened a few minutes ago,” Jake said, his thumb stroking
her biceps.

Lea’s skin tingled. Looking down, she saw that Toby’s jacket
had fallen to her lap.

Making no move to lift it, Jake continued, “One of the fools
who’d been speeding clipped a vehicle as he tried to pass. It didn’t look bad.
Toby called 9-1-1.”

Lea nodded even as something nagged at the corner of her
mind, snatches from her dream. A car honking. Tires screeching. Men sounding as
if they were arguing. Had Jake wanted to stop and render assistance? Had Toby
warned against it because of her?

Cubrero won’t stop until you’re dead
.

Jake squeezed her arm. “Hey, you all right?”

No, she wasn’t. Not even close. Impossible need gripped Lea.
She wanted to move into his and Toby’s embrace, her body melting against
theirs. At least until they left her, and they would. No more than strangers,
they were simply doing their jobs and would protect her for only a few more
days. Frustrated and saddened, she asked, “Why did you want to wake me?” Did he
have more bad news to tell?

He regarded her for a moment before answering. “We’re at the
safe location.”

Not expecting that, Lea noticed that Toby had slowed the SUV
considerably as it moved up a narrow road that looked to be private. Glancing
at the front window, then out both sides, she saw heavy vegetation illuminated
by the headlights.

A sense of foreboding shrouded Lea. She had no more than a
few days here with them and then she’d be going somewhere distant and unknown.

As though Jake sensed her concern, he squeezed her arm
again. She looked down at his hand, then up as they reached the top of the
drive. The vehicle rolled to a stop in front of an extravagant wrought iron
gate attached to a fence built of stone.

Beyond it towered a two-story structure, the vehicle’s
lights showing it to be of Southwestern design with rounded posts decorating
the top of its façade. The massive front doors were of colored glass in bright
greens, reds, yellows, depicting a geometric design seen in Native American
cultures.

Lifting his hand to the sun visor, Toby pressed a small
rectangular device. With a faint creaking sound, the metal gates swung open.
Simultaneously, lights flicked on inside the building, blazing from the
numerous windows.

Lea stared.

Without comment, Jake removed his hand from her arm, while
Toby directed the SUV toward the brilliantly colored front doors.

Chapter Four

Impatience ate at him, as did anger, but Cubrero refused to
yield to either emotion. Now was the time to think, not react. To learn all
that he could about his prey.

With his hands protected by latex gloves, he moved
unhurriedly through the modest apartment, glancing at personal items…a bouquet
of dried flowers that smelled of dust, clipped grocery coupons, a gaudy trophy
that blocked several pictures on the unstable metal bookcase. Putting the award
on the floor, he regarded the photographs, pausing on one of Lea Baptista. In
the shot, she’d narrowed her eyes against the potent sun, her arm slung around
the shoulder of her friend…the woman who’d danced as SiNN tonight.

What was her name? She’d given it to him at the club.

Gaze turned inward, Cubrero struggled to remember. Was it
Deborah? No. Diana? His frown deepened. It began with the letter D, of that he
was certain. Other names flashed in his mind, with one jumping out.

Danielle. That was it. Hearing her say it in his mind, he
glanced over.

At the end of the brief hall, Danielle’s calves were
visible, the soles of her feet showing that she was lying face down on the
carpet near her mussed bed. Once inside the room, one would see her opened eyes
staring into eternity.

It had been such an easy matter to break her neck. She’d
died instantly, without a sound, making no fuss, not alerting or alarming the
neighbors. An easy kill that no one would ever attribute to him. No one saw
them leave the club together, he’d made certain of it. When they’d arrived here
so she could change into something appropriate for dinner, the parking lot was
empty of people, the lights of the other apartments off.

Yes, an easy kill, and far less trouble than having to
appear interested as Danielle had talked about herself when he’d wanted her to
tell him about Lea. When her name finally came up, he’d asked, “Is this Lea a
friend of yours?”

Danielle’s lovely face glowed with affection. “Since we met
in foster care. I’d do anything for her. I took her last performance of the
night.”

He pretended surprise. “You weren’t supposed to dance as
SiNN?”

“No, I’m LuST.” She smiled broadly, showing her dimples.
“Pretty much the same thing, you know?”

His chuckle told her he did, encouraging her to relax even
further.

Moving into him, Danielle trailed her fingers over his neck.
He responded with a deep breath, sensing she’d like that.

She murmured, “Are you sorry I took her place?” Her leg
moved between his, the top of her thigh nudging his groin, gauging his response
to her.

His erection was immediate and impressive at the pictures
playing in his mind—her beneath him, moaning in delight before gasping in shock
and pain. Turning his face into her hand, he licked the side of her thumb, then
answered her question. “I would have been disappointed if you hadn’t. Lucky for
us she had a hot date.”

Danielle rested her free hand on the knot of his tie, her
fingers stroking it. “Only with her textbooks.”

He slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her into his
stiffened cock. “She left early for schoolwork, not a man?”

“She’s dedicated to what she wants. So am I.” She brushed her
lips over his throat, her breath warming his skin.

Feeling nothing, he moaned as though she aroused him, then
murmured, “I’m grateful you’re not her, since she doesn’t like men.”

“I didn’t say that.” She licked his neck and nibbled his
earlobe, sighing deeply at his rough groan. “She did mention two guys at her
last show tonight. She was definitely interested in them.”

“Lucky men,” Cubrero said as his thoughts raced, recalling
when Lea had caught him watching her.

She hadn’t looked interested. She’d seemed surprised at his
unexpected scrutiny. So who were these men? Had she lied about schoolwork and
left with them instead? “I’m certain she won’t be studying all night.”

“Good for her if she doesn’t.”

“I agree.” Lifting his hands to Danielle’s head, sinking his
fingers into her thick mane, he brushed his mouth over hers.

On a whimpering sigh, Danielle parted her lips to his.
Filling her with his tongue, Cubrero kissed her deeply, with passion generated
by revenge rather than lust. Not understanding the difference, she yielded
without pause, forgetting about dinner, inviting him to her bed.

As she undressed, he did not, trying to get more out of her
about the men Lea had found interesting. Offering nothing of value, she finally
frowned, as though suspicious of his questions. He responded with a smile. It
brought quick alarm to her eyes. Before she could do anything about it, she was
dead.

Replacing the picture on the metal stand, he went to the
desk in the corner of the room and rifled through its drawers. Within minutes,
he had Lea’s address, but little else. He checked Danielle’s cellphone to see
if Lea had called or texted.

She had not.

Tempering his irritation, he located Lea’s number, punched
the correct key and waited through five rings. At last they broke off, replaced
by a bit of static.

“Danielle?” a female asked. Lea.

Delight brought a quick smile to Cubrero’s face. He said
nothing, listening instead to what sounded like someone slamming a car door,
then a deep male voice asking, “What are you doing?”

“Talking to my— Hey!” Lea cried.

There was a series of clicks as the call cut off.