by Anna Zaires
I grin, expecting Julian to stop her at any moment, but he doesn’t. Instead, he listens attentively, his expression approving without being patronizing. When Lisette finishes with the song, he applauds and asks her about her favorite Disney movies, prompting the child to launch into excited chatter about Cinderella and The Little Mermaid.
“I’m sorry,” her mother apologizes to me again when Lisette shows no signs of stopping. “I don’t know what’s come over her today. She’s never this chatty with strangers.”
“It’s okay,” Julian says, rising fluidly to his feet when Lisette pauses to catch her breath. “We don’t mind. You have a wonderful daughter.”
“Do you have any children of your own?” Lisette’s mother asks, smiling at him with the same adoring expression as her daughter. “You’re so good with her.”
“No”—Julian’s gaze flicks down to my stomach—“not yet.”
“Oh!” The woman gasps, giving us a huge, delighted smile. “Congratulations. The two of you will have beautiful babies, I just know it.”
“Thank you,” I say, feeling my face turn hot. “We’re looking forward to it.”
“Well, we must be off,” Lisette’s mother says, grabbing her daughter’s arm again. “Come, Lisette, sweetie, say goodbye to the nice young couple. They have things to do, and we need to go eat lunch.”
“Goodbye.” The toddler giggles, waving at Julian with her free hand. “Have a nice day.”
Smiling, Julian waves back at her, and then turns to face me. “That lunch doesn’t sound like a bad idea. What do you think, my pet? Ready to go home?”
“Yes.” I step closer to Julian and loop my hand through the crook of his elbow. My chest aches strangely. “Let’s go home.”
On our drive back, for the first time ever, I allow myself a small daydream. A fantasy in which Julian and I are a normal family. Closing my eyes, I picture my former captor as he was in the park today: a dangerous, darkly beautiful man kneeling next to a precocious little girl.
Kneeling next to our child.
A child that, for the duration of this fantasy, I crave with all my being.
Chapter 22
Julian
On Saturday morning, I get up early and make my way down to the kitchen. Rosa is already there, and after I verify that she has everything under control, I go back upstairs to Nora.
She’s still sleeping when I enter the bedroom. Approaching the bed, I carefully pull the blanket off her, doing my best not to wake her up. She mumbles something, rolling over onto her back, but doesn’t open her eyes. She looks unbelievably sexy, lying there naked like that, and I try to ignore the hard-on in my pants as I pick up the bottle of warm massage oil I brought from the kitchen and pour the liquid into my palm.
I begin with her feet, since I know how much my pet enjoys a foot rub. As soon as I touch her sole, her toes curl, and a sleepy moan escapes her lips. The sound makes me even harder, but I resist the urge to climb on the bed and bury myself in her tight, delicious body.
This morning, her pleasure is all that matters.
I rub one foot first, giving equal attention to each toe, then switch my focus to the other foot before working my way up to her slim calves and thighs. By then, Nora is all but purring, and I know she’s awake even though her eyes are still closed.
“Happy birthday, baby,” I murmur, leaning over her to massage the oil into her smooth, taut belly. “Did you sleep well?”
“Mmm.” The inarticulate sound seems to be all she’s capable of as I move my hands to her breasts. Her peaked nipples press into my palms, all but begging me to suck them. Unable to resist the temptation, I bend down and take one into my mouth, pulling on it with a strong sucking motion. Gasping, she arches up, her eyes flying open, and I turn my attention to her other breast, my oil-slick fingers slipping down her body to stimulate her clit.
“Julian,” she moans, her breathing coming faster as I push two fingers into her tight, hot channel and curl them inside her. “Oh my God, Julian!” Her words end on a soft cry as her body goes taut, and then I feel her pulsing in release.
When her contractions ease, I withdraw my fingers from her swollen flesh and trail them up her ribcage. “Turn over, baby,” I say softly. “I’m not done with you yet.”
She obeys, and I reach for the massage oil again. Pouring a generous amount into my hand, I massage it into her neck, arms, and back, enjoying her continued moans of pleasure. By the time I get to the firm curves of her ass, I’m breathing heavily myself, my cock like an iron spike in my pants. Climbing onto the bed, I straddle her thighs and lean forward, covering her with my body.
“I want to fuck you,” I whisper in her ear, knowing she can feel the hard pressure of my erection against her ass. “Do you want that, baby? Do you want me to take you and make you come again?”
She shudders underneath me. “Yes. Please, yes.”
A dark smile forms on my lips. “Your wish is my command.” Unzipping my pants, I pull out my cock and slide my left arm under her hips, elevating her ass for a better angle. On a different day, I’d pour the oil over her tiny asshole and take her there, reveling in her reluctance, but not today. Today, I’m going to give her only what she wants.
Pressing my cock to her small, slick entrance, I begin to push in.
Soft, wet heat engulfs me as I work my way deeper into her body. Despite the lust pounding through me, I move slowly, letting her adjust to my size. When I’m all the way in, she moans, clenching around me, and I nearly combust at the squeezing sensation, my balls tightening against my body.
“Julian . . .” She’s panting again, squirming underneath me as I begin to thrust in slow, controlled movements. “Julian, please, let me come . . .”
Her begging pushes me over the edge, and with a low growl, I begin to fuck her harder, pounding into her tight, silky flesh. I can hear her cries, feel her body squeezing me even more, and when her contractions begin anew, I explode with a hoarse groan, my seed spurting into her spasming pussy.
Afterwards, I stretch out beside her and gather her into my arms.
“Happy twentieth birthday, baby,” I murmur into her tangled hair, and she laughs softly, the sound full of delight.
* * *
“Oh, Julian, you really shouldn’t have,” Nora protests as I lock the delicate diamond pendant in place around her neck. “It’s gorgeous, but—”
“But what?” I step back, admiring how the crescent-shaped stone looks against her golden skin in the mirror.
She turns away from the mirror to face me, her eyes dark and serious. “You already made the day so special for me, with the massage and the pancakes Rosa made for breakfast. You didn’t need to get me such an expensive gift as well. Especially since I’ve never had a chance to get you anything for your birthday.”
“My birthday is in November,” I say, amused. “Last November you didn’t even know that I survived the explosion, so there’s no way you could’ve gotten anything for me. And the year before, well . . .” I smile, remembering how much she resented me her first few months on the island.
“Right.” Nora’s gaze is unblinking. “The year before, I had other things on my mind.”
I laugh. “I’m sure. In any case, don’t worry about it. I don’t celebrate my birthday.”
“Why not?” Her eyebrows pull together in a puzzled frown. “You don’t like birthdays?”
“Not my own, no.” My parents routinely forgot it when I was a child, and I’d learned to forget it as well. “In any case, that has nothing to do with this gift. If you don’t like it, I can get you something else.”
“No.” Nora clutches the necklace possessively. “I love it.”
“Then it’s yours.” Stepping toward her, I tilt her chin up with my fingers and press a brief kiss to her lips before stepping back. “Now you should get ready. Your parents are waiting to have lunch with you.”
She blinks, staring at me. “What are we doing tonight? You told them we already have
plans.”
“We do. I’m taking you to a restaurant in the city.” I pause, looking at her. “Unless you want to do something else? It’s your choice.”
“Really?” Her face lights up with excitement. “In that case, can we do something crazy?”
“Such as?”
“Can we go to a nightclub after dinner?”
My first inclination is to say no, but I bite back the words. “Why?” I ask instead.
She shrugs, looking slightly embarrassed. “I don’t know. I just think it would be fun. I haven’t been to a club since—” She falls silent, biting her lip.
“Since you met me.”
She nods, and I recall the conversation we had after lunch with her friends. There had been a certain wistfulness in Nora’s voice when she spoke of going out and having fun, a longing for things she thought she’d never experience.
“Which club do you want to go to?” I ask, unable to believe I’m even entertaining the idea.
Nora’s eyes brighten. “Any club,” she says quickly. “Whichever one you think is safest. I don’t care where we go, just as long as there’s music and dancing.”
“How about the one where we met?” I suggest reluctantly. “My men are familiar with it from before, so it’ll be easier—”
“Yes, perfect,” she interrupts, beaming at me. “Can we take Rosa with us? I know she would love it too.” My expression must reflect my thoughts because she swiftly clarifies, “Just to the club, not dinner. I also want the dinner to be just the two of us.”
I sigh. “Sure. I’ll have one of the guards drive her, so she can meet us at the club after dinner.”
Nora squeals and throws her arms around my neck. “Thank you! Oh, I can’t wait. This is going to be so great.”
And as she heads out for lunch with her parents, I get together with Lucas to figure out how to secure a popular Chicago nightclub on a Saturday night.
* * *
“Wow, Julian, this is amazing,” Nora exclaims as we walk into the high-end French restaurant I chose for our dinner. “How did you get a reservation? I heard people have to wait for months . . .” Then she stops and rolls her eyes. “Oh, never mind. What am I saying? Of course you of all people can get a reservation.”
I smile at her obvious excitement. “I’m glad you like it. Let’s hope the food is as good as the ambience.”
The waiter leads us to our table, which is in a private nook at the back of the restaurant. Instead of wine, I order sparkling water for both of us, and also request the tasting menu after first explaining the restrictions associated with Nora’s pregnancy.
“Very good, sir,” the waiter says, bowing slightly, and before we know it, the first course is on our table.
As we nibble on asparagus risotto and langoustine ravioli, Nora tells me about her lunch and how happy her parents were to celebrate this birthday with her. “They got me a new set of paint brushes,” she says, grinning. “I’m guessing that means my dad’s no longer as skeptical about my hobby.”
“That’s good, baby. He shouldn’t be. You have an amazing talent.”
“Thank you.” She gives me a glowing smile and reaches for her water glass.
As we talk, I find myself unable to look away from her. She’s radiant tonight, more beautiful than I’ve ever seen her. Her strapless blue dress is sexy and elegant at the same time—though much too short for my peace of mind. When I saw her coming down the stairs tonight, in that dress and her silvery high-heeled shoes, it was all I could do not to drag her back upstairs and fuck her for three days straight. It doesn’t help that she used some kind of make-up that makes her lips shiny and extra-lush. Every time she wraps those lips around a fork, I picture her sucking my cock and my pants get uncomfortably tight.
“You know, you never told me what you were doing in that club when we first met,” she says when we’re halfway through the third course. “Why were you in Chicago, in general? Most of your business is outside the US, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” I say, nodding. “I wasn’t here for business in that sense. An acquaintance of mine recommended this hedge fund analyst to me, so I was interviewing him for the position of my personal portfolio manager.”
“Oh.” Nora’s eyes widen. “Is that the guy you were meeting with the other day?”
“Yes. I liked what I saw two years ago, so I hired him. And then I decided to go out and see a bit of the city—which is how I ended up in that club.”
“You weren’t worried about security back then?”
“I had a few of my men with me, but no, Al-Quadar wasn’t yet a major threat, and besides, I didn’t have you to worry about.” It wasn’t until I acquired Nora that I became this paranoid about safety. My pet doesn’t know how vulnerable she makes me, doesn’t realize the lengths to which I would go to protect her. If I had been certain that Majid would let her go unharmed, I would’ve given him the explosive and whatever else Al-Quadar demanded.
I would’ve done anything to get her back.
“Were you planning to hook up with some woman that night?” Nora asks, taking a sip from her glass. Her tone is casual, but the look in her eyes is anything but.
I smile, pleased by her apparent jealousy. “Perhaps,” I tease. “That’s why most men go to clubs, you know. It’s not for the dancing, I assure you.”
“So did you?” She leans forward, her small hand tightening around her fork. “Did you pick up someone after I left?”
I’m tempted to tease her some more, but I can’t bring myself to be that cruel. “No, my pet. I returned to my hotel room alone that night, unable to think of anything but this beautiful, petite girl I met.” I also dreamed of her. Of her face that was so much like Maria’s . . . of her silky skin and delicate curves.
Of the dark, twisted things I wanted to do to her.
“I see.” Nora relaxes, a smile appearing on her face. “And the next day? Did you go out again?”
“No.” I reach for a crab-stuffed fig. “I didn’t see the point.” Not when I was so obsessed I spent hours looking through the pictures my guards took of her.
Not when I already knew I’d never want any woman this much again.
Chapter 23
Nora
By the time we walk out of the restaurant, I feel like I’m in seventh heaven. Our dinner tonight was the closest thing we’ve had to a real date, and for the first time in months, I’m feeling hopeful about the future.
We may never be “normal,” but that doesn’t mean we can’t be happy.
As we drive to the club, I allow myself that daydream again, the one where Julian and I are a family. It feels more real now, more substantial. For the first time, I can picture us raising our child together. It wouldn’t be easy, and we’d constantly be surrounded by guards, but we could do it. We could make it work. We’d live on the estate most of the time, but we’d travel too. We’d visit my parents and friends, and we’d go to places in Europe and Asia. I would have a career as an artist, and Julian’s business would be something that’s in the background of our lives, instead of front and center.
It wouldn’t be the kind of life I dreamed of when I was younger, but it would be a good life nonetheless.
It takes us half an hour to get to the club in downtown traffic. When we exit the car, Rosa is already standing there, waiting for us. Seeing me, she grins and runs up to the car.
“Nora, you look gorgeous,” she exclaims before turning to Julian. “And you too, Señor.” She gives us a huge, beaming smile. “Thank you so much for taking me with you tonight. I’ve been dying to go to a real American nightclub.”
“I’m glad you were able to come,” I tell her, smiling. “You look amazing.” And she does. In sexy red heels and a short yellow dress that plays up her curves, Rosa looks hot enough to be a pinup girl.
“Do you really think so?” she says eagerly. “I got this dress in the city on Thursday. I was worried it might be too much.”
“There’s no such thing,” I say
firmly. “You look absolutely phenomenal. Now, come, let’s go dance.” And grabbing her arm, I lead her to the club entrance, with an amused-looking Julian following on our heels.
Despite the club’s location in an older, seedier part of downtown Chicago, there is a long line of people waiting by the door. The place must be even more popular now than it was two years ago. As we walk by, the men eye both me and Rosa, while the women gawk at Julian. I don’t blame those women, even though some dark part of me wants to gouge their eyes out. My husband dressed up tonight, putting on a sharply tailored blazer and dark designer jeans, and he looks effortlessly hot, like a movie star coming out of a film premiere. Of course, movie stars don’t usually conceal guns and knives under their stylish jackets, but I’m trying not to think about that.
One word from Julian to the bouncer, and we’re inside, bypassing the waiting crowd. Nobody checks our IDs, not even at the bar where Julian buys Rosa a drink. I wonder if it’s because Julian’s men already warned the club management about us.
Either way, it’s pretty neat.
It’s only ten o’clock, but the club is already hopping, the latest pop and dance hits blaring from the speakers. Even though I’ve had no alcohol, I feel high, drunk with excitement. Laughing, I grab Rosa and Julian and drag them both to the dance floor, where tons of people are already grinding against one another.
When we get to the middle of the dance floor, Julian spins me around and pulls me against him, holding me from the back as we begin moving to the music. I instantly realize what he’s doing. With the way he’s holding me, I’m facing Rosa, and the three of us are sort of dancing together, but it’s Julian’s big body that surrounds me. Nobody can touch me, either on purpose or by accident, not without going through him first.
Even in the middle of a crowded dance floor, I belong to Julian and Julian alone.
Rosa grins, apparently also realizing Julian’s agenda. She’s even more excited than me, her eyes sparkling as she shakes her booty to the latest Lady Gaga song. Before long, a couple of good-looking young guys sidle up to her, and I watch, grinning, as she begins to flirt with them and gradually moves away from me and Julian.