“Get your goddamn hands off of her,” a powerful, rich voice boomed from the darkness, in that thrilling bridge between tenor and baritone that seemed to speak directly to my soul.
With a yank, Sydney was pulled into the still impenetrable blackness, his yelling cut off like a power switch had been thrown. I stared in the direction he’d been yanked, seeing nothing until, like a ghost materializing out of nothing, Kade walked toward me. His eyes glowed too, but unlike Sydney’s glowing of madness, his glowed with something else—deeper, exciting, and holding the promise of something I’d been missing my entire life.
“Kade . . . ” I whispered before he gently pulled me into his arms, his body strong and comforting. I laid my head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, knowing that as long as it was Kade, I’d be safe.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Kade said, pushing me back enough to look into my eyes. Even though his eyes glowed with a black light, they were still full of potential and acceptance. I could never lie to those eyes, could I?
“I . . . I’m sorry,” I answered, unable to look away but not wanting to anyway. “I was ashamed of what he was trying to make me do.”
“That wasn’t what I meant,” Kade replied, his lips curling in an amused little smirk. “I understood that. I meant, why didn’t you tell me how you felt about me?”
I felt my mouth open and close silently, unable to confirm or deny what Kade was saying. How could I, when the truth was looming so large? Instead, I blinked and pulled him tighter. Kade’s reply was to lower his lips to mine, and like two puzzle pieces, we kissed. I’d never felt such a sensation. There were no words capable of describing it. Soft yet powerful, smooth yet rough, it was everything I could ask for in a kiss and more.
We stayed there like that for an eternity, just kissing, my soul satisfied with that and nothing more, until Kade’s hands roamed down, lower than my waist to cup my suddenly naked ass. I pulled back to realize we were both naked, and the black had pulled back to reveal Kade’s bed at the mansion. Lifting me up, he carried me over like I weighed nothing before he laid me on the sheets like I was a precious jewel.
“You know there’s nobody better for you than me,” Kade said, kissing me again. I couldn’t refuse his caresses as his hands rubbed my arms and shoulders, his body pressing me into the soft mattress. I was on fire, my skin swimming in wonderful sensation as our bodies touched. “If we do this, there’s something I need.”
“What?” I asked him, my body crying out for what I so desperately needed.
His voice whispered, sibilant and penetrating deep into my soul. “I want your heart, your soul, your love. Forever,” he said. “In return I’ll keep you safe and protected, cared for and cherished.”
Kade faded back more, and all I could see was his eyes, black glowing against black. Desperate, I reached for him, and still he faded, until I was left alone, my heart aching as much as my body. Tears threatened at my eyes, and I felt like I could never go on, but then his voice drifted out of the darkness, lending me comfort as well as a promise.
“I promise you . . . when you’re ready, I’ll be there.”
* * *
Suddenly, I woke up, my body aching with desire and want and tears running down my cheeks. What was that? Shaking my head, I closed my book and sat up, trying to figure out what the hell the crazy dream meant as the details grew fuzzy and the dream slipped from my mind. All I could remember was a feeling of great fear, then comfort and security, then a feeling of passionate completion that I’d never felt in my life. All I knew was that my body was yearning for sexual release, and that Kade’s name kept whispering through my head as I tossed and turned for the rest of the night.
Chapter 6
Kade
That Sunday was the last day of our three day reunion. Saturday had been pretty laid back, with the three of us driving up to UC Irvine for a basketball game. Dad played small forward back in his college days, and while he didn’t like the way the modern pro game was played, he loved small college ball, and UC Irvine was local.
On Sunday we all drove down to Dana Point for breakfast at a little shop along the shore. “It’s so early though, Derek,” Layla complained as she got into the back seat of my car. “And why did you ask Kade to drive, anyway?”
“Well, my son spends half the time he and I talk bragging about this car, so I wanted to see it for myself,” Dad said. I suspected what Dad was up to, considering I’d found my car keys in the wrong pocket that morning, but kept my lip buttoned. If Dad wanted to spring a surprise on Layla, it wasn’t my place to ruin it.