Deception (Infidelity #3)

“I love that idea,” I said, “but if she gets in, she’ll want to hang out at the apartment on 112th.”

“As long as you’re okay. Just so you know, I hesitated leaving you this morning. I may have hung out for a minute or two, but then as things sounded like you and Mr. Good-looking were getting along, I felt a little like a stalker and snuck out.”

Memories of Nox telling me that he loved me and my professing the same gave way to thoughts of this bed. I shifted against the soft sheets. “Yes, other than the minor little problem with the shooting, we’re doing much better.”

“You sure know how to keep life exciting. Your face is everywhere. Even my mother called. I hadn’t spoken to her for a few weeks.”

I scrunched my nose. “Sorry.”

“No, don’t be. I wanted you to know that she and my dad were worried. She even said that Aunt Adelaide and Uncle Alton were upset.”

“Yes, they called.”

“And…?” Patrick encouraged.

“Same old story. Come home to Savan—” An incoming call interrupted my sentence.

I peered at the screen. Talking meant there wasn’t a tune to alert me to friend or foe, only a vibration.

NOX PRIVATE NUMBER.

I sucked in a breath. “Hey, Pat, Mr. Good-looking is calling.”

“Oh, then girl, you talk to that man. Tell him to hurry up and finish whatever work he’s doing and get his fine ass back to you.”

Fine ass? Most definitely.

My smile blossomed to full bloom. “I will. See you tomorrow.”

“Love you, little cousin.”

“Me too.” I swiped the screen.





“MR. DEMETRI,” I said, connecting to his call. “I didn’t want to bother you while you were working.”

“You could never bother me.” His voice rumbled deeper than the thunder beyond the windows.

The sound of his voice lifted any remaining fog, the rich bass tone resonating through the room, eclipsing the outside winds and rolling to my core.

“I seem to recall some rules,” I teased.

Nox cleared his throat. “I do like rules.”

“Something about only calling you if I had a question that you needed to answer.”

“I believe I’ve mentioned that the rules have changed.”

“So that means I can sext?”

“Only if you want Deloris and quite probably other members of my security to see it.”

I wasn’t sure what had gotten into me. Well, that wasn’t true. I was thinking about what had been inside of me earlier this afternoon, more accurately who. “Only if that’s what you want, Mr. Demetri.”

“Fuck!” His expletive came out like a growl. “I’ve told you before what will happen to you for making me uncomfortable. When you say my name that way, it makes me so fucking hard, it hurts.”

“I wish I could make it feel better,” I purred, pushing my limits on seductress. The power my words wielded was suddenly intoxicating.

“Tell me where you are.”

I bristled at the change in his tone. Apparently, Nox wasn’t in the mood for my seduction. I answered him, “I’m still in Rye. I told you I’d spend the night.”

“Where are you?” Nox asked again. “Exactly.”

“I-I’m in the bedroom. What’s the matter?”

“No questions,” Nox said with an air of dominance that twisted my insides. “That’s my job. Yours is to reply appropriately. What are you supposed to say?”

My heartbeat quickened. “Yes, Nox.”

“Are you in the same bedroom we were in this morning?”

I fought to breathe and speak as my response came out in a whisper. “Yes.”

“Do you remember my lips on you?”

“Yes.”

“How about my hands, my fingers?”

My suddenly dry tongue darted to my parched lips. “Yes.”

“I know you were sounding all sexy a minute ago, and I like that, but right now, princess, I need to be in control. Do you have a problem with that?”

“No, Nox.”

“Listen carefully.”

I nodded, though I knew he couldn’t see me.

“If I were there, I’d do what I did this morning. I’d unwrap you, like a fucking Christmas present. Each piece of your clothing would find its way to the floor as I exposed your perfect, sexy-as-hell body. I’d run my fingers and tongue over every inch of that soft skin, tasting you and leaving goose bumps as a trail of my exploration.”

My eyes closed as his words touched me.

“Princess, I’d punish your ass for your insolence in pushing to go back to the city tomorrow and for scaring the shit out of me by not answering your phone. Then after I turned it fire-engine red, I’d make it feel better, showing you how much I admire your strength and determination.”

My neck strained as I sucked in a breath, lifting my behind from the mattress and imagined all he described.

“I’m not there,” Nox continued, “but I’m going to take what I can get. Do you have a problem with that?”

“N-no.” My voice sounded wonton, even to my own ears.

“Now, princess, tell me what you’re wearing.”

I hurriedly kicked back the covers, revealing my yoga pants and stocking-covered feet. “A big t-shirt, yoga pants, socks…”

“Stop.”

I sucked my lower lip between my teeth, waiting for his next command.

“Tell me what I want you to be wearing.”

“Nox?”

“Is the bedroom door locked?” he asked.

“I-I don’t remember, but Silvia went back to her part of the house. She gave me her number.”

“Lock the door, Charli.”

Without thinking, my feet, covered with fuzzy socks, landed on the soft rug that surrounded the big bed. My socks slid as I skated across the wood floor, no longer worried about ghosts or Demetri secrets.

My thoughts were now consumed with everything Nox.

I tested the knob. As I did, it clicked and the small button within the knob popped out. I pushed the button back in and verbally confirmed my mission. “The door’s locked.”

“Are the blinds shut?”

I turned toward the windows. Was it still raining? I couldn’t hear anything but the way Nox’s voice reverberated through the phone, sending shockwaves throughout my body, my blood coursing to keep up. “They’re shut.”

“Keep the lights on.”

My hand lingered over the switch. Would he know if I disobeyed?

“Tell me they’re on.”

With a sigh, I did as he said and moved my hand away from the switch. “They’re still on.”

“Now, put me on speaker phone. I want you to fix the attire problem we mentioned earlier.”

My lower lip disappeared as I hit the speaker button and laid my phone on the bed.

“Charli, you need to respond to me. I can only hear you.”

“Yes, Nox.” My t-shirt grazed my now-sensitive hard nipples. “I-I promise, I’m responding.”

His deep laugh echoed through the room. “Tell me. How?”

I pushed the yoga pants over my hips, stepping out of them. One by one, I kicked off my socks. Though my skin became covered with goose bumps at the timbre of his voice, the chill I’d felt earlier was gone.

“M-my nipples are hard.”

“And now you’re wearing…?”

“Only my panties.”

“The blue ones from earlier?”

I shook my head. “No, these are white.”

“White?” A laugh rumbled from his throat. “White is for good girls and what I want to do to you isn’t appropriate for good girls. Princess, if I were there, I’d fuck you so dirty you’d never wear white again.”

I sucked in a breath. “I wish you were here.”

“Me too. I’m so fucking hard. We’re going to keep going. Are you still all right with that, my naughty princess?”

“Yes, Nox.”

“Before you take off the panties, go to the closet.”

The closet?

“I want you to find one of my belts.”

“O-oh God…” I murmured, both anxious and excited about his unspoken plans. Reaching for the phone, I carried it into the large closet, switched on the light and began opening drawers.

“Talk, Charli. Tell me you’re doing as I said.”

“Yes, Nox. I’m looking for your belts.”

“On the right,” he directed.

I turned that direction and opened another drawer. There, perfectly coiled, were different belts in varying colors. “Do you have a favorite?” I asked.