Dark Dichotomy Read online

  With a frustrated groan, Aidan opened his eyes. Holly, his insatiable mistress, stood in the doorway. Her sleek brown hair gleamed in the sunlight and desire burned in her dark eyes. Why not? He could make the compulsion that much stronger if she pleasured him.

  “Close the door and shut the blinds. I need to concentrate.”

  She accepted his decision with a nod and stepped into the office. He lifted his hips and shoved his garments down to his knees while she closed the blinds. Without a word, she knelt in front of him and licked her lips.

  Moving his hands to the arms of his chair, he relaxed his abdominal muscles and anticipated the warmth of her mouth. She didn’t hesitate. Her moist lips encircled his cock head and she began to suck. Pleasure twisted through his belly and tingled in his balls.

  “Deeper,” he urged.

  Her fingers closed around his shaft as her head began to bob. She stroked him with firm pressure, while her mouth continued to tease. He channeled the sensations into the meld, inundating Ryan with sexual urgency.

  Power burst within the link, slamming him backward and severing his connection to Ryan. “Damn it!” He shook his head, dazed by the sudden eruption. How had they sensed him? He’d been so careful to shield his presence.

  Holly released his cock with a wet-sounding pop and lifted her gaze to his face. “What’s the matter?”

  It was too dangerous to try and reestablish the link immediately. All Aidan could do was wait and see if his strategy worked. Hopefully Ryan would push too hard and the human would panic. If Ryan stalled until sundown, Torral was sure to terrify her. Torral was ruthless and she was human. It was only a matter of time.

  “Do you want me to continue?” Holly pumped his shaft as she waited for his answer.

  Holly had been sent to him by a San Francisco escort service. He “dated” her twice before proposing a private arrangement. The escort service demanded that he buy out her contract if he wanted her exclusively, and Aidan had been happy to oblige. Holly was passionate and adventurous. He fucked her as often as he liked, in any way that pleased him, without guilt or emotional commitment. She was a prostitute, a professional whore. He compensated her generously for the use of her body.

  “You almost had me. I don’t want to come in your mouth.”

  She smiled. “How do you want to come?”

  “I haven’t decided yet. Lift your skirt. I want to see if you’re wet.” She never wore panties in his presence. He loved knowing she was accessible, wet, and waiting for him.

  She lifted her skirt to the waist, exposing her lower body. A garter belt held up her silk stockings, but her sex was bare. Her pubic hair had been trimmed into a neat triangle and her folds peeked out from between her slender thighs.

  “Make room for my hand.” Her lips trembled and her eyelids drooped as she obeyed. She was such an obedient little slut. He pushed his hand between her thighs, delighted to find her moist and hot. “Do you like having my cock in your mouth?”

  “You know I do.”

  He didn’t know if the claim was true or a practiced lie meant to please her employer. He honestly didn’t care. She was here for his pleasure, nothing more. Still, her pussy was soft and he enjoyed touching her. He traced her slit with his middle finger and felt for her clit with his thumb. She started violently as his thumb brushed across the sensitive nub.

  “Unbutton your blouse.”

  Her deft fingers worked the row of buttons in quick succession and parted the blouse so he could see her breasts. She wore a bra, but the center of each cup was cut out, exposing her tight pink nipples.

  “Very nice.” He pulled her toward him and caught one tip with his teeth. She yelped then groaned as he soothed the nip with firm suction. “Do you want my fingers or my cock?”

  “Both,” she murmured, rubbing her breasts against his face.

  He chuckled, pleased by her eagerness. Kicking off his shoes, he pulled his legs free of his pants and let his shirttail cover his erection. He moved a stack of file folders to the floor and cleared one side of his desk.

  She knew what he expected without having to be told. With a half-smile curving her lips, she turned and leaned over his desk, extending her arms so she could grasp the far side of the desktop. Tucking the hem of her skirt into the waistband, he bared her rounded ass and the dusky folds of her sex.

  He pulled open the bottom drawer and located his favorite toy. The shaft was long and slender, perfect for anal stimulation. After smearing the toy with lubricant, he turned the base and activated the vibration. “Don’t hold back. I want to hear you scream.”

  Parting her ass cheeks with one hand, he used his other to wield the toy. He circled her anus, smearing her opening with lube while he stimulated her nerve endings. Her thighs tensed and she shifted restlessly.

  Power uncoiled within him. She was utterly dependent on him for release. If he chose to withhold it, she had no choice but to do without. His cock bucked against his shirttail. Perhaps he would take her prisoner, stash her in some remote location, and take their games to the next level.

  Her body opened for the vibrator, surrendering to the cool penetration. He pushed with slow, steady pressure. Her breathing hitched and her ass cheeks flexed beneath his fingers.

  “How does that feel?”

  “It drives me crazy and you know it.”

  He could keep her writhing on the verge of orgasm for hours. This built her hunger to a fever pitch, but she had never been able to come unless he touched her clit. He turned the toy slowly inside her then drew it almost out.

  She tossed her head and bucked against his hand. “Please!”

  A cruel smile parted his lips. He loved it when she begged.

  Thrusting the toy deep, he reached between her thighs and circled her vaginal opening. Her silky cream coated his fingers while she whimpered helplessly.

  “So hot. So wet. Tell me what you want.”

  “Please, touch me. I really need to come.”

  He chuckled and pushed two fingers into her core. The snug passage constricted with rhythmic welcome. Surrounded by heat and vibration, he explored her most intimate flesh, stroking and sliding, caressing everywhere but where she needed him most. The spasms grew stronger and her whimpers gave way to harsh panting.

  He pulled his fingers out and turned off the toy. “You’ll come when I’m ready to let you and not before.”

  She kicked out at him and tried to push herself off the desk. “Either fuck me or don’t! I hate it when you get like this!”

  Pressing her down with the weight of his body, he whispered into her ear, “You hate it when I get like what? When I make you desperate?” He positioned himself at her entrance and paused to turn the vibrator back on. Her moan turned into a wail as he drilled her with the marble-hard length of his cock. “Better?”

  “No. That’s not what I—”

  He silenced her protest with the first brush of his fingers. Catching her swollen clit between his thumb and forefinger, he gently rolled the tender stem until her pussy exploded in distinct spasms.

  Matching each firm lunge with a careful pinch, he built the intensity of her orgasm. She clutched the edge of the desk and rode the pleasure. Flesh slapped against flesh. Her cries echoed off the walls, each sharp moan fueling his possessiveness. How many men had heard the sound of her pleasure? How many felt the velvet grasp of her pussy?

  He twisted his fingers in her hair. Hating her. Needing her.

  No! He didn’t need this well-used whore. He needed a woman who would want him, and him alone. Fresh and innocent, his woman would be malleable, someone he could teach, train to obey his every command.

  Lust consumed him as he imagined such a woman. She would kneel before him naked, her arms bound at the small of her back. He’d break her slowly, teach her to crave his cock and surrender completely to his touch.

  The image focused. Burnished red curls flowed to her shoulders and emerald fire erupted in her luminous gaze. Yes! Oh godsGod, yes! Why ha
dn’t he thought of it before? What better way to destroy the arrogant Burtons than to master one of their mates?

  His pulse sped and his balls tightened. He closed his eyes and slammed into the whore. With a muffled groan, he came in shuddering spasms, the pleasure sputtering out like a spark in the wind.

  As soon as he caught his breath, he withdrew and reached for his pants.

  “Take that thing out of me,” Holly whispered, still too weak to move.

  Aidan ignored her and crossed to the window, his mind filled with possibilities. “How did the interview go?”

  She scrambled off his desk as he opened the blinds. “You can be such an asshole at times. I don’t know why I put up with it.”

  “If you’re dissatisfied with our arrangement, simply repay me for your contract and you’re free from all further obligations.” The window overlooked downtown Napa, the central location from which he ran limousine tours of the surrounding wineries. In three months he had built a passing fancy into a thriving business and still discontentment ate at him night and day.

  “Don’t threaten me,” she snapped.

  When she stepped up beside him her clothes were righted and anger flashed in her dark eyes. What had she done with the vibrator? He imagined the toy still impaling her ass and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

  “It’s not a threat. I pointed out your options.”

  “I don’t have that kind of money and you know it.”

  “And if you did?” He crossed his arms over his chest and arched his brow. “Were you treated so much better by your other clients? Is having numerous customers really better than pleasuring me?”

  Her features settled into an expressionless mask. “I have other options.”

  “If you had other options you wouldn’t be a whore.”

  After a long pause, she said, “My mistake. It won’t happen again.”

  “Good. Now tell me about the interview. Did you get the job?”

  “I start tomorrow. Why do you want me to work for the Burton brothers?”

  “You don’t need to worry about my motivation, just keep your eyes and ears open.”

  She sighed, though frustration radiated off her in waves. “Just so we’re clear, what exactly do you expect from me?”

  “Information, nothing more.”

  “You don’t want me to use my other skills to extract this information?”

  “Don’t sound so hopeful.” He turned back toward the window as his mind spun on ahead. “If one of the Burtons shows an interest in you, you’re welcome to respond. But you are not to initiate sexual interaction and don’t forget whose side you’re on.”

  * * *

  The bedroom door swung open and Ryan stood framed by the threshold. Torn between worry and confusion, Kendra waited for his next move. His face looked pale. Tension creased his brow and compressed his lips.

  “Are you all right?” she asked again. If he wouldn’t tell her what was wrong, how could she assist him?

  He took a step forward and gasped, immediately shifting his weight to his left leg. “It’s nothing. Really. I got a cramp in my thigh.” He paused to rub the muscle with both hands. “I figured if I walked it off, I wouldn’t have to admit my frailty.”

  He appeared lean and healthy. No one would accuse him of being frail. “Would it help if I…massaged it?”

  Heat erupted in his gaze and one corner of his mouth quirked. “I’m willing to try anything.” Despite the fire in his eyes, his voice sounded strained.

  Moving up beside him, she guided his arm to her shoulders and helped him limp to the stairs. He sat on the landing and she knelt between his feet two stairs down from where he sat. She started with his knee and worked her way up his leg with a firm circular motion.

  He groaned, his head falling back on his shoulders. “Gods, that feels good.”

  His leg was warm and hard beneath her hands. The muscles felt wonderfully defined. “Gods? Do you believe in more than one?”

  “Depends on the day.” He caught one of her wrists and drew her hand to his mouth, pressing a kiss into the center of her palm. “Thank you.”

  Tingles skittered up her arm and heat blossomed across her cheeks. She couldn’t remember the last time a man made her blush. Her fingertips curved of their own volition, touching his lean cheek, advancing the unprofessional contact he’d initiated.

  His gaze held hers, waiting, silently encouraging her to explore. She traced the high arch of his cheekbones with her thumb. The faint rasp of beard stubble teased her fingers. She pushed one hand into his hair, while the other followed his jaw line downward. He was beautiful yet utterly masculine. If the rest of him was as appealing as his face, she was in serious trouble.

  She outlined his lips and he shivered.

  “That tickles,” he whispered, playfully nipping the pad of her thumb.

  His passivity vanished in an instant. He took her face between his hands and leaned down to kiss her. She started to object, but his lips brushed against hers, hot and enticing. His rich, woodsy scent filled her nose and logic melted beneath desire’s insistent blaze.

  She inhaled deeply and parted her lips, needing to know his taste as well as his scent. This was madness. She’d only just met him, yet the hunger would not be denied. His tongue brushed over her lips, beckoning and tempting.

  For one sweet moment, she abandoned herself to the madness, unleashing the need trapped within her lonely heart. He was everything she’d dreamed of in a lover. He was… Other than handsome and wealthy, she had no idea what he was. She knew little more than his name and occupation. With a frustrated sigh, she tore her mouth from his.

  “I’m sorry.” She guided his hands away from her face and pushed to her feet. “I don’t get involved with my clients.”

  He placed his hands behind him and leaned back, a mischievous smile parting his lips. “Then I won’t hire you.”

  “I need this job more than I need a lover. I thrive on these sorts of projects. No one else will provide the same attention to detail or commitment to authenticity. I’m the perfect person to restore this house.”

  “How can you dismiss something you’ve never tried?” Resting his forearms across his knees, he leaned forward and captured her gaze. “I’ll have one of my brothers execute the contract, then I won’t be your client.”

  “Mr. Burton, I—”

  “You can’t pretend this didn’t happen.” He rose and moved onto the same step she occupied, bringing them close without actually touching her.

  Kendra pressed her back against the wall, feeling surrounded and overwhelmed. “It was a kiss.” He caged her with his body, his gaze boring into hers. “What do you think this means?”

  “I know what it means, but you’re not ready to hear it.” He swept her cheek with the back of his knuckles and his gaze focused on her mouth. “What do you feel when I touch you?”

  “I won’t deny finding you attractive. What woman wouldn’t? But I don’t fall into bed with every man I find attractive.” She turned her face away from his light touch and looked past him, using the small separation to compose herself. “I’m interested in the renovation project. If you have anything else in mind, we have nothing more to discuss.”

  “I’d like you to meet my brothers. Are you in a hurry to leave?”

  After a tense silence, she licked her lips and said, “I have nothing else scheduled today. I’d enjoy meeting the rest of your family.”

  Chapter Three

  Despite the tranquil setting, Kendra couldn’t shake her sense of foreboding. The sun hung low on the horizon by the time they returned to the main house. Ryan filled the silence with a casual narrative, detailing the history of the winery.

  “Prohibition was a challenge, to say the least. Most of the wineries in the area just closed down. We applied for a waiver allowing us to produce sacramental wine.”

  “Very clever.” She fiddled with the pages of her presentation, afraid the merest contact with Ryan would rek
indle her desire.

  “It was a poor substitute for full-scale production. Still, it kept the land in the family and provided enough of an income to keep the creditors at bay.” They reached the narrow expanse of grass bordering the gravel drive and Ryan paused. “Much as I would enjoy it, I’m not going to throw you to the ground and have my wicked way with you. Please, relax.”

  She was more afraid of her own response to his nearness than his obvious interest in her, but she wisely kept that fact to herself. “How long did it take the winery to recover after Prohibition?”

  “Several decades. By the mid-seventies the winery had been modernized and restored to full production.”

  “And you’ve never lived anywhere else?”

  He indicated their surroundings with a sweeping gesture and a distant smile. “Why would I want to?”

  She couldn’t argue with that. The estate was lovely and the climate mild. They were secluded enough for privacy yet close enough to civilization to fulfill most any need. “There are six Burton brothers, is that right?”

  “Yes. We come in sets of two, so sometimes it feels more like there are only three.”

  “I knew you were a twin. Are you saying all of your brothers are twins?”

  He nodded and motioned her toward the mansion’s main entrance. “Leos and Daniel are three years older than me and Torral, Evan and Joseph are two years younger.”

  “I’ve never heard of so many twins being born to one woman. Was it naturally occurring or did fertility treatments play a part?”

  “It’s not just my mother. Twins show up with surprising regularity throughout my ancestry.”

  “Has anyone ever done a detailed study of your family’s genetics?”

  “It’s been suggested more than once down through the years. We refuse to subject our women to scientific study.” Opening the front door, he ushered her inside. “I thought your expertise was architecture, not biology?”

  “It is. I just have a vivid imagination.” He hadn’t come right out and told her to change the subject. Still, his reluctance was obvious. Instead of pursuing the topic, she asked, “Does everyone still live here, in this house?”