King's Command (Fire & Vice Book 3) Read online

  “What the fuck!” he snarled, immediately ending the kiss and reaching for the wound.

  His hand came up to his neck so fast that Claudia didn’t have time to duck. It struck her hard in the side of the head. Already off balance, she tumbled sideways, hitting the island hard and falling to the floor. She stayed where she landed, dazed and terrified of his retaliation.

  Tyson realized right away what had happened when he pulled the pin out of his neck. He stared down at her, his face unreadable. She shrieked and backed into the island, pulling her knees up, when he crouched in front of her. He searched her pale face and then gently touched his fingers to the red mark on her cheek where he had struck her.

  “I’m sorry, baby. I never meant to hurt you.” His tone was regretful and his touch gentle.

  Claudia was completely exhausted. She nodded slowly and forced her limbs to uncurl. “I know,” she said. “I’m sorry I stabbed you. It was a bad plan from the beginning. Your neck is incredibly thick, like your head.”

  He laughed. “That tiny prick is definitely not a stabbing, beautiful. Believe me, I’ve seen plenty of bad shit in my life.” He backed up and held a hand out to her. She took it with some hesitation and allowed him to pull her to her feet. “Though, now that I know you’re willing to use weapons against me, I’ll have to increase my vigilance.”

  She smiled slightly. “I don’t think I have the stomach for a real stabbing. I regretted pricking you almost as soon as I did it.”

  “If your life was ever in danger, I would expect you to use whatever weapons are at your disposal with deadly force.” His face grew serious. “Never take a weapon to me again though, sweetheart. That sort of behaviour won’t stand between us. I could have seriously injured you, even if it was an accident. You need to be more careful.”

  She arched a blond eyebrow at him. “Seriously? You’re telling me to be careful around the hulking giant in case he accidentally, what… falls on me or something?”

  “Funny,” he said, urging her onto one of the barstools at the island. “I’m telling you not to prick me, stab me, burn me or whatever else that imagination can come up with. It may end in an injury to you, and I can’t abide the idea.”

  His dark eyes held hers. She nodded slowly. It felt like a bizarre conversation to be having, but then again, she did stab him after trying to run away and steal one of his vehicles. So all told, she was getting off pretty lightly with just a forceful kiss and an accidental smack to the side of the head, which he apologized for. Strange man.

  And now, it would appear that he was making her a sandwich. He toasted a couple pieces of focaccia bread, spread mayo on them and added turkey, tomato, lettuce and avocado. She salivated while he prepared the food for her and placed the sandwich in front of her.

  “This is my favourite sandwich at Knight’s Out, where I work. I eat them almost every day,” she said, picking it up and taking a huge bite.

  “I know,” he said, watching her eat.

  She stopped chewing and stared at him. He really did know everything about her, right down to her food preferences. The thought should probably frighten her, since she barely knew the guy. But strangely, she felt cared for. Something she hadn’t felt in a very long time. Tears prickled in the corners of her eyes, as longing for her parents swept over her. She dropped her gaze and took another healthy bite of the sandwich.

  “What’s going to happen to my job?” she asked once she had swallowed the food in her mouth.

  “Don’t worry about it. Your job’s been taken care of.”

  She frowned at him. “And what exactly does that mean? I don’t have a job anymore, or you arranged things so I could leave for a while?”

  His eyes caught and held hers. “I mean, you can stop worrying about the café job. Your boss has been compensated for giving you a job in your time of need and recognizing your talent. However, she’s aware that your services are no longer for sale.”

  Claudia’s jaw dropped. “What in the actual hell!?” she snapped. “That’s just great! Do you have any idea how freaking hard it is to get a job when you can’t provide a criminal record check or references?”

  Tyson sighed in annoyance and rubbed a hand over his head, “Just shut up and eat Claudia.”

  She seriously thought about arguing, but decided her empty stomach combined with his ridiculous misogynistic attitude made eating quietly more advisable. For the moment anyway.

  He watched her finish her sandwich without further comment, his gaze lingering on her lips. He ate the leftover avocado and tomato from the cutting board and then began cleaning up. He was a very tidy man. Everything had a place. He definitely wasn’t the type to toss a coat on the floor or let piles of paper stack up on a table or desk. Exactly the opposite of her. She had an armchair in her tiny apartment that was dedicated full-time to holding clothes. She used her treadmill as a drying rack for hang-to-dry clothes (once she discovered she hated running even more than washing clothes by hand) and she dedicated her pantry to shoes, since the shelves were a perfect fit and she despised cooking.

  “Thank you,” she said politely once she finished eating. She wiped her mouth on the napkin he handed her and then dropped it onto the plate, which he took.

  After finishing up in the kitchen, he came around the island and pulled her stool back. “Time for bed,” he said, putting a hand on her arm and helping her off the stool.

  Claudia stood next to him, looking up well over half a foot. He was such a big man, she wondered if she would get used to his size. Then she blushed, remembering the size of his erection as it had pressed against her. Her heart picked up speed and her mouth went dry. She stumbled a little when he tugged her forward toward the stairs. He turned the stereo and lights out behind them as they left the room.

  When they arrived upstairs he turned to look at her. The lights from the city created a gentle glow in the glass-walled room. He touched her face, running his fingers over her cheeks. “I want to fuck you more than I’ve ever wanted any other woman, Claudia.”

  She nodded, knowing he was going to have his way. At least, she hoped, he would make sure she enjoyed herself. She supposed she should feel grateful for that.

  “But tonight, I think you just need sleep,” he said, stepping back from her.

  Her eyes flew up to his. “You’re not going to…”

  He chuckled, “Not now, baby. Believe me, I want nothing more than to fuck that delicious body. But I prefer my women conscious and you look as though you’re seconds from passing out on me.”

  She had no idea how anxious she was about the inevitability of sharing his bed, but once he announced her reprieve, tension left her body. She closed her eyes in relief, tiredness overwhelming her. She swayed on the spot, unable to open her eyes again.

  He reached for her before she could collapse.

  “I’ve got you, sweetheart.”

  He laid her on the bed. Claudia drifted off to the feel of him removing her clothes from her limp body.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Tyson had meant to let her sleep. She had been so tired the evening before, she hadn’t murmured a protest when he’d removed her clothes and settled her on his bed. He had also meant to put one of his T-shirts on her. Good intentions fled as her beautiful, curvaceous body was revealed to him. Careful not to disturb her, he reached over and turned a lamp on. Her skin glowed pale in the dim lighting of the room.

  He wondered how this goddess hadn’t been snapped up before now. She was perfection, from her long, slim feet to her wide hips, small waist, rounded breasts and graceful neck. She wasn’t fashionably slim, but soft and curved in a way that made Tyson’s mouth water.

  Despite her incredible body, it was her face that arrested him most. Her thick eyelashes, slightly darker than her honey blond hair, were swept down across the top of her cheeks. Her eyes, which sparked green fire when she was angry or turned to shining liquid when she was turned on. She had a strong jaw and a wide mouth with full lips. He loved the feel
of her plush lips under his.

  He allowed her a few hours sleep before deciding he could wait no longer. He had patiently waited months to have her in his power, and now even a few hours longer felt like too many. Tyson always got what he wanted, and he wanted Claudia.

  His plan was to make sure she was well and truly turned on before taking her. He was not a small man, and though she wasn’t exactly small either, he knew very few women could take him comfortably on the first encounter. Especially a woman of Claudia’s relative inexperience. She’d had few lovers in her twenty-nine years and none in the last fourteen months. The wetter she was for him, the better it would be for her.

  He didn’t want to wake her up right away, as he was fairly certain she would begin struggling. He disliked the thought of coercing her consent. Though he would, if necessary. He would do what was required to bring Claudia under his power. But for some reason the thought of hurting Claudia more than he already had wasn’t particularly palatable to him.

  He started with light touches, sweeping a hand down her body, gliding over her silken skin. She didn’t move. Growing more bold, he lingered over her breasts and hips. Touching her as she slept. His mouth watered at the thought of tasting her. Never one to deny himself, Tyson leaned over and gently took the peak of one plump breast into his mouth. He swept his tongue across and around the pink nipple, enjoying the way she sighed and shifted slightly toward his hot mouth. The peak stiffened in his mouth, encouraging him to move onto her other breast to administer similar treatment.

  Claudia shifted restlessly on the bed, her naked body sliding against the sheets. She looked like a goddess in the glow of the lamp, with the gorgeous waves of her hair spread across his dark bedding. He sifted the fingers of one hand through the powdery soft strands, marvelling at the delicate look of the locks against his big, dark hand. His cock surged at the sinful sight, urging him to continue with his seductive intentions.

  Tyson was a big man. There was no getting around the physics of their differing body sizes. He wanted her to enjoy their coupling, but worried he might hurt her. He had wanted her so badly for so long that he was afraid once he started, he wouldn’t be able to go slow enough for her to adjust.

  He knew her body wasn’t as used to penetration as he would have liked. Not that he wanted to imagine her with other guys, but the thought of her playing with sex toys had him vowing to do a little online shopping once she was over her initial shyness. Which is something he would spend the next several weeks working on. Tyson had never been an inhibited man and he suspected Claudia could match his sexual appetites once she felt truly freed from the stresses of the past few years. He acknowledged that her existence was one of survival with little time for sexual awareness. He relished the thought of remedying that.

  He knew from their earlier tussle on the couch that she was capable of passion with him. That she had been turned on was undeniable, despite her resistance. He knew he could make sex good for her and he looked forward to bringing her pleasure more than any multi-million dollar acquisition. Glad that she continued to sleep deeply, he eased the blankets and sheets that had tangled around her hips and legs away from her body. She murmured a tiny protest and mindlessly reached for the disappearing warmth.

  Tyson took her wrist in his hand and gently held it against the bed until she settled again. He let her go and very gently pressed her legs apart. She had a thatch of honey blond hair protecting her vagina. She had shaved around the lips and clitoris though. He had always enjoyed a natural look on women, but found he also liked being able to see every pink part of her. He eased his body in between her legs, mindful of spreading them too much and waking her with his shoulders wedged in between her thighs.

  He spread one hand above her pussy across her lower abdomen, enjoying the contrast in skin colour. The soft curve of her belly felt so good against his roughened fingers. He slid his hand forward, gently touching the light-coloured pubic hair curled above the part of her he craved to taste. He used the fingers of both hands to spread her labia apart and examine the tiny hooded clitoris nestled within. Softly, he petted her inner lips and clitoris with one big finger, shaking slightly at the effort it took not to devour her in an instant.

  Tyson knew that, in order to play his cards right, she would have to be mindless with lust before she woke up and before he forced her body to take his huge cock. He was not normally known for his consideration of others, but Claudia was different. Though, through his heavy-handed intervention, she was now living in his home, he wanted her to be happy. If he could satisfy her sexually, she may learn to enjoy her time with him. He realized now that her body was only one facet of what he wanted. He also wanted to own her smiles, her happiness and her joy. He wanted every part of her.

  A better man might have given her more time to adjust to life with him before making sexual demands. Tyson was used to getting what he wanted, and he was done waiting to have his woman. Leaning forward, he flicked his tongue over her clit. She quivered, but didn’t wake up. He stroked her with his tongue, learning every part of how she felt and tasted. He took his time, stroking her at leisure, prolonging the moment of her waking.

  His hand shook with need as he gripped her thigh and gently pushed it back, giving him better access to the heart of her. He gently pressed a thick finger into the sweet folds of her vagina, entering her slowly and savouring the tight clasp. She was wet enough to ease his way, but she was still incredibly tight. He stroked his tongue up her labia and sucked on her clit, drawing the tiny bud out.

  Claudia moaned and shifted in her sleep. She rocked her hips forward, pressing her pussy against the tongue that was pleasuring her so well. She tossed her head and brought one delicate hand up to clasp her pillow.

  Tyson continued to arouse her body, enjoying the beautiful pink flush that was spreading out from her core. He knew that she would wake soon and pressed his advantage, sucking and licking her with more force. He pressed his finger in and out of her body, her own pleasure easing his way. He added another finger, gently stretching her.

  With a moan and a gasp, Claudia woke up.

  “Tyson?” she asked, her voice husky with sleep. She blinked down her pale body at him.

  He tensed, expecting fear or anger.

  Claudia frowned and shifted her legs restlessly. She tried to close them, but his wide shoulders, wedged between her thighs, stopped her. The heels of her slender feet brushed against his biceps. She stared at him, her eyes wide and cloudy. Tyson moved his fingers out of her body and thrust them back in, pressing the pads of his fingers against her g-spot as he slid home. She cried out and arched her neck back, widening her thighs.

  Tyson hadn’t realized that she was so close to orgasm. He’d thought only to pleasure her and then convince her to go further when she woke up. He hadn’t imagined she would be this responsive. She rocked her hips back and forth against his fingers, encouraging him to continue thrusting into her willing body. Tyson obliged and lowered his face to continue his oral assault.

  “Oh god!” she moaned, reaching down to place a hand on the back of his head, her fingers grazing his thick hair.

  Tyson grinned and around the delicious folds of her pussy said, “That’s Tyson to you, darling.”

  “Tyson, Tyson!” she called out as his tongue drove her relentlessly toward the precipice of her orgasm.

  She screamed, her body shaking and bucking against him as she came. Tyson gripped her legs tightly and watched as the most beautiful woman he could imagine flew apart in ecstasy. He had known for months that this obsession with Claudia Cantore was more than fleeting. Now he knew for sure. He was in love with the woman. He wanted all of her smiles, all of her words and all of her orgasms. He was keeping her forever.

  Kneeling above her, Tyson reached for a condom and rolled it on over a cock that was almost painfully erect. He watched as she drifted back down from the high of her orgasm, a blush spreading across her breasts and the peaks of her stiff little nipples. He watched as
she realized what was about to happen and slowly turned her head on the pillow, her soft, pale hair a halo against the dark sheets.

  “Tyson…” she whispered.

  “I’m going to fuck you now, baby,” he said, gripping her thighs in his hands and forcing her legs back, exposing her lush pussy. “You will belong to me after tonight.”

  * * *

  A pleasurable buzz flowed through Claudia’s body. Her head was fuzzy from sleep and the remnants of her orgasm. She couldn’t think, couldn’t piece together what was happening to her. All she knew was she wanted Tyson’s long, thick cock inside her. She shivered when he shoved her legs back, rendering her helpless. She gripped the pillows in her hands and rocked her hips against the smooth sheets.

  She watched him as he looked down at her exposed pussy. He stroked a finger tenderly through the slippery folds, then took his cock in hand and lined it up against her vagina. Claudia knew it would hurt. It had been a long time since she’d been with a man. Not since Dante. When she masturbated, she used only finger to clit contact, rarely fingering herself inside.

  “This might hurt, baby,” Tyson grunted, pressing the tip forward.

  Claudia thrust her hips up to meet him, grinding her teeth against the pressure as he penetrated her. “You… flatter yourself!” she gasped out.

  Tyson’s laugh rumbled down his chest and against her legs. Claudia cried out as pressure turned to pain. Then he wasn’t laughing anymore. He held himself still, the tendons on his neck straining as he held himself tightly in check. Sweat beaded his dark forehead.

  Claudia forced herself to relax under him, the pressure of his entry gradually diminishing. Tyson dropped his head and kissed her leg close to where his hands gripped.

  “That’s a good girl,” he grunted.

  He pushed himself steadily further into her resisting body until he was completely engulfed by the heat of her pussy. He waited until she once more relaxed before pulling back. Like a dance, he moved forward within her and then withdrew, using her body language to gauge when he should thrust or retreat. She took him beautifully, bravely moving her hips up to meet his, seeking her own pleasure once more.