Stolen Fate Read online

I haven’t cried since I was a child, and I guess everyone has their breaking point. This is mine. Never mind the raging hormones coursing through my system.

  Drayden edges away from me, clearly not sure what to do. One minute I’m attacking him, spitting in his face then I try to escape, bawling like a mad woman when I have no more fight left in me. He must think I’m possessed, pregnant with the spawn of Satan or something.

  He’s still dripping with disdain as he makes his way toward the door, stepping over the massive mess he created not five minutes ago.

  “I hate you!” I cry out as he leaves.

  “Ditto, sweetheart,” he tosses back at me as he slams and locks my door.

  Karma is a cruel bitch.

  I brought this all on myself. I have no one to blame but me. The sooner I accept it, the sooner I can begin to deal with my situation.

  When I wake up a little while later, the disaster is cleaned up and there is fresh food waiting for me by my bed.

  I guess he doesn’t hate me as much as he says.

  { Chapter 12 }

  Clearly, my actions were enough to warrant the absence of the man holding me hostage. It’s a full week before Drayden makes his way into my room again; at this point, I’m not sure how I feel about it.

  A weird part of me misses the physical joining which brims between us, smothered in our obvious hatred for one another. But it’s the only thing I have to look forward to. Something which makes me feel alive, like a human being reaching for some kind of connection, on whatever level it may come.

  In his absence, crew-cut guy brought me my food. He was also good about bringing me fresh clothes each time he visited, taking away my dirty ones. I tried to talk to him, to ask him questions, but the only answer he gave me was his name. Hedge. That’s it; just Hedge. And while he doesn’t talk to me, I can see a small sign of compassion and sympathy etched into his otherwise-hard features. Clearly, he is a man of all business, but there is a more gentle soul underneath it all; I just have to dig deeper to bring him over to my side.

  When Drayden does make his appearance, he’s dressed in casual wear, consisting of jeans and a red button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, exposing those damn-sexy forearms again. Once he looks in my direction and we lock eyes, a hot tremor shoots through me, ricocheting through every sensitive cell in my wound-up body.

  I’ve seen the error of my ways, and I now have to somehow convince him of that. I know he’s attracted to me--it’s obvious every time I see him steal a glance in my direction--so I decide to play with him a bit. I’m wearing black, low-slung yoga pants, a white camisole and a fitted sweatshirt. I take off the sweatshirt. I’m not wearing a bra simply because, why would I? I’m all alone in this room with no one to be appropriate in front of.

  My movements catch his attention. This is good. All I need out of him is to fix the ache which keeps throbbing between my legs. I don’t need him to pretend to like me. Hell, I think it will be better if the sex is angry. It will be more fulfilling at this point.

  He’s in the middle of putting my food tray on the appointed table when I walk past him, brushing my chest against his arm. His inhale is sudden and short, making him still instantly. I smile to myself.

  I’ve got him.

  “Sorry about that,” I say, lowering my head and quickly batting my eyelashes.

  He is still frozen in place. “How are you feeling?” he asks me while slowly regaining his composure. He’s still turned away from me and focusing on the food. For this to work, I need him to look at me, so I move into his line of vision. I pull my camisole up a bit and expose my temporarily-flat stomach.

  “I get warm sometimes. Like now. I can’t stand having clothes on most days, but I know I must, in case someone comes in here.” I walk away from him, making his eyes follow me. Throwing my head over my shoulder, I ask, “Do you mind if I take my clothes off while you’re in here with me, Drayden?”

  He looks stunned for a second, as if he can’t believe I’ve asked him such an off-the-wall question. But soon, a slow, devious smile makes his lips turn up at the corners, making him look super-sexy. “Do whatever you want, Essie. It’s your room.”

  I take that as my cue. There is no way in Hell he’ll be able to resist a beautiful, naked woman standing right in front of him. No way.

  He leans against the side of the wall with his arms crossed over his chiseled chest. He looks the part of the relaxed man, feet crossed at the ankles and his eyes zoned in on my every movement. I slowly peel off my top and when it clears my mass of thick, dark hair, I go to work on my pants, deliberately taking my time so he can enjoy the show. Once I’m in my full birthday suit, I move past him and head toward the bed, sitting on the edge with my eyes focused solely on him.

  He is still staring at me, raking his eyes all over my naked form. But he doesn’t utter a single word. And he doesn’t move from his spot, although he’s still sporting that cocky smile. What is he thinking? Is he going to make a move, or is he going to make me do it? At this point, with all of these uncontrollable hormones running around, I’m not beneath advancing toward him first.

  After another minute passes of us just staring at each other, I get up from the bed and slowly walk toward him. He’s following my every gesture with his eyes but is still not giving anything away. He’s doing a great job at playing cool. Then I see him move his leg and shift his weight a bit, all the while keeping his hands crossed over his chest. I’m gifted with the sight of his arousal hardening beneath the fabric of his jeans, giving me a clear outline of the one thing I want more than anything right now.

  I need him to fill me up and throw me into another universe. The one time we did have sex, it was fantastic. He knew how to move his body, gifting me with an orgasm almost immediately. I want to feel his hands on me, squeezing my needy flesh. I want to feel his mouth on me, claiming me as we ride our own shooting star into the heavens.

  I’m wanton. I’m shameless. But I don’t care. All I care about is rocking his body until he shouts out his own release.

  I stand directly in front of him, running my hand down his chest, attempting to unbutton his shirt as my fingers trail along the seam of the fabric. The first button undone gives me hope this is going to happen. The second button has me smiling, anticipating feeling his naked flesh beneath my fingertips. But the third button undone sends me reeling over the edge with all the naughty thoughts dancing around in my sex-hazed brain.

  But then he stops me, grabs my wrist and pushes me away from him.

  My smile falls.

  His smile increases.

  “What are you doing? Why did you stop me?” I can’t hide the disappointment on my face.

  Now it’s his turn to step toward me. “If I wanted to fuck you, you would have been on your back already.” His body is so close to mine, his scent making my need reach an even higher level. This is pure torture. “I’m calling all the shots here, so you would be wise to not forget that.”

  I’m so confused, but I’m also pissed off. “So, you’re not going to do anything?”

  “Nope,” he casually says, taking a step back. “I don’t make it a habit of sleeping with women I can’t stand, nor trust.”

  I can’t stop myself. “I’m sure you don’t have any such boundaries, Drayden. I’m sure you fuck just about anyone. Actually, I know you do. As long as they have a pussy and a pair of tits, you’re game. I’m not asking for you to like me, because it’s obvious you don’t. Shit, I don’t like you, either. But we both have needs, so why not do it?” He looks shocked that I’m actually verbalizing my needs. “Besides, this child of yours is wreaking havoc on my hormones, and I’m so horny right now, I can’t see straight.”

  I don’t know if it’s my crassness or the mention of his baby which makes him shake his head and take another step away from me. Clearly, I fucked up. I thought he would have appreciated my pure need for sex and nothing more. I’m not asking him to fawn all over me and treat me nicely. I’m not e
ven asking him to engage me in meaningless conversation. I just want him to bury himself inside me. That’s it.

  “I’m late,” he simply says before making a move to exit the bedroom.

  “Wait!” I cry out, beyond frustrated. “Where are you going?” I’m desperate, and I’m not afraid to let him witness it.

  “I’m going to have sex with a woman who hasn’t deceived me. One who is probably just as ready to go as you are right now. The only difference being, I’ll be burying myself inside her sweet body until we’re both so tired neither one of us can move.” And with that declaration, he makes his exit, locking my bedroom door from the outside as usual.

  I’m left standing there, naked and baffled, thinking of ways to pay him back for this.

  { Chapter 13 }

  It’s just after two in the morning when my bladder feels like it’s going to explode. I’m not even showing yet and already I’m having issues. Making my way to the bathroom, I turn on the light but leave the door ajar. Once I’m finished, I wash my hands and make my way out back toward the bed.

  And that’s when I see him, leaning against the back of the bedroom door.

  I didn’t even hear him come in. I must really be tired. But without missing a beat and acting as if I couldn’t care less whether or not he’s here with me now, I cross the room without even making eye contact with him. I’m almost to the bed, ready to dive in and hide under the covers, when his hand connects with my waist. Because I wasn’t paying attention to him, I didn’t even see him move toward me. He pulls me closer to him and his touch ignites my skin. I realize I’m still naked, which is making this all the much harder to deal with right now. When I regain my wits, I realize he’s been drinking. I can smell it on his warm breath. He’s not as drunk as he was last time, but he’s feeling good nonetheless.

  “Does that offer still stand, woman?” he snarls in my ear. He’s the one approaching me now, so why is he so ornery? His fingers dig into my side and make me wince from the slight pressure. Maybe his date didn’t go as planned. Well, I’ll be damned if I’m going to be his second choice, a mere convenient afterthought.

  “Hell no,” I say as I try to pry his fingers off me. “I’m not spreading for you tonight, or any other night, for that matter. Actually, I’ll never come on to you again, Drayden, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

  His hold only intensifies. I can feel he’s ready to go for some action; he’s practically stabbing me in the stomach with it. “Come on, baby. You know you want me. I can see it every time you look at me.” His tongue snakes out and moistens his lower lip. There is a part of me who wants to bite it, enticing him to taste me all over. But the other part of me wants to slap him for acting like such an arrogant ass.

  “Oh, you’re so full of yourself, aren’t you?”

  “You could be full of me right now if you would stop all these games and just give in to me. Right here. Right now.”

  This is what I wanted from him earlier today, when he was pushing me away. But now, I’m a mixed bag of emotions. When I lock eyes with him again, I blurt out the first thing which comes to mind. “What? Your date not put out? Is that why you’re here?”

  “No. I figured, why not have sex with the one woman who’s already pregnant? You know, no risk there anymore.”

  What an ass!

  He’s slowly walking us back toward the bed but I’m not putting up much of a fight, not for someone who is supposedly not interested in having sex right then. His mouth descends down onto mine, his tongue delving into the warmth of my mouth, eager to taste me. When his hands come around and grip my backside, grinding his cock deeper into my belly, I just lose it.

  To Hell with this. I’m not going to make myself miserable just because I want to put up a fight. I can fight with him tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that. Tonight, I want release, a temporary escape from my life. My hands find the back of his head, holding him in place while I kiss him with such ferocity I think we’re going to wreck each other. I suck on his tongue and bite his lip when he comes up for some much needed air.

  Once the back of my legs hit the barrier of the bed, he turns me around and pushes me so I’m on all fours. My head is hung low, waiting for him to do something. The budding ache is almost painful, my body crying out for a hurried release. Then I feel his finger touch me there, sliding between my folds, preparing me for his entrance.

  “You’re so wet already. Were you thinking about me fucking you, Essie?” He leans over and bites my shoulder. “Were you?” he asks me again.

  “Yes,” I say, trying to catch my breath. The anticipation is too much already. “Please, Drayden. Stop teasing me.”

  “Do you want to feel my cock slide inside your sweet pussy?” He bites me again; not enough to draw blood but enough to know he’s as turned on as I am. I hear him rustle with his clothing, no doubt pulling himself free.

  “Yes.” It is all I can say, my scattered thoughts trying to gain some semblance and find a way out of my mouth. When I writhe back toward him, trying to entice him to take the bait, he slips his finger deep inside me. He crooks his finger until he makes contact with the bundle of nerves tucked securely inside, a secret lock only he has the combination for.

  “I’m going to fuck you fast and hard, Essie. Can you handle that?” He’s already guiding himself into position, waiting for my confirmation. I reach my hand back to feel him, letting him know I’m on board for whatever he wants to do to me.

  With one quick thrust, he’s seated all the way inside me, forcing me to catch my breath to accommodate him fully. I forget how big he is, how big he feels inside my tight heat. I don’t want this to end, but I also can’t hold out any longer to get what I need from his body. I need to come, and only he can do that for me. I grip the sheets in both hands, preparing myself for what is to come, every pun intended.

  I rock back and forth, trying to get him to start moving but he remains still. What the hell happened to fast and hard? Well, I’m not waiting anymore. “Fuck me hard, Drayden!” I cry out as I continue to move back and forth in front of him.

  As if snapping him out of some kind of daze, he reacts to my words. He seizes my hips, pulls himself almost all the way out and slams back into me with such force, I’m pushed up the bed. I steady myself, knowing the hard and fast is just making its appearance, and he doesn’t disappoint. He thrusts into me with everything he has. All his anger, all his confusion, all his vulnerability is pushed into me as if he’s trying to get rid of it. As if my body will somehow right the wrong which has happened over the past month.

  “You have the best pussy, baby. It’s so fucking tight and warm, squeezing my cock, begging for me to come inside you.” He’s moving faster now, mixing in a few rotations of his hips which is driving me closer and closer to convulsing all over him.

  I can feel myself building to my ultimate goal. I need this so badly. My body needs this release, but my mind needs it, as well. I need to think clearly and when all of my thoughts are focused solely on one thing, I am of no use to myself.

  “Yes,” I moan. “Keep doing that. I’m almost there.” I start matching his rhythm, pushing us both further and further toward our own orgasms. The chase is on, and the finish line is right around the bend. His body punishes mine, pushing me to my limits and allowing me to experience true carnal desire. He’s bordering on being painful but I push it away, focusing only on the build-up happening deep in my belly, trying to escape at the site of our connection.

  His breathing becomes more erratic, each breath matching each one of his thrusts. My body doesn’t wait for his completion, instead pushing me off the cliff in the most heavenly free fall I’ve ever experienced. I’m quickly followed by Drayden moaning out from his own satisfaction.

  He moves within me for a few more seconds, both of us coming down from our long-awaited high. Then when he is good and done, he withdraws from me, leaving me instantly cold from his absence. And as I’m turning around to face him, I hear the clic
k of the lock behind him.

  To say I’m stunned is an understatement. I know we don’t particularly like each other, but didn’t we just share some kind of connection? A connection which at least deserves a few words after the deed is done? Hell, even prostitutes get a thank you from their john.

  { Chapter 14 }

  “I want out of this room.” I verbally attack him as soon as he walks through the door. I can’t believe he had sex with me then didn’t bother to check up on me for six whole days. But I guess that’s the type of man I’m dealing with. The type of man who I’ll now have to deal with for the rest of my life.

  I’m torn between cutting him off from my body forever and wanting him to touch me, to fulfill the need which is constantly brewing. These hormones are no joke, but they can’t be my crutch for standing up for myself and telling Drayden to take a long-overdue hike.

  I guess I’ll have to take one day at a time and see what happens.

  “And where exactly do you want to go?” He brings in my food tray and sets it in its usual spot.

  “I don’t care, but I can’t spend one more day cooped up in this room. I’m going stir-crazy, Drayden, and I’m sure all of that anxiety can’t be good for the baby.” Yeah, I’ll play the baby card as many times as I deem necessary to get what I want. What I need.

  This catches his attention.

  “No. I can’t risk it. You’ll try and escape.” He walks into my bathroom, checking on my toiletries situation, I’m sure. Once he’s satisfied, he comes out and checks a few more things before attempting to leave.

  “Wait!” I shout. “Please. I can feel myself slipping further and further into insanity. I need fresh air. I need human interaction. I need to stretch my legs.” He grabs the door handle, ready to escape my ramblings. “Please, Drayden. This is inhumane.”

  He doesn’t turn around. He doesn’t acknowledge my pleas. “The doctor is coming back tomorrow to check on you. Early.”