~ ~ Zack ~ ~

As I listened to Ellis groan, my chuckle was almost raspy as he shut himself inside the bathroom and I looked back at Sasha. She peeked up at me beneath her dark lashes and I placed a finger under her chin and raised it so I could see her clearly.

Sasha searched my eyes for something, but then her gaze dropped to my mouth for a split moment, causing a tightening in my balls. I lightly ran my finger across her bottom lip and she visibly swallowed.

"There is nothing you wish to tell me?"

"I'm okay," she reassured me again, clearly stating she had overcome or resolved whatever had been upsetting her.

I had expected some push back or bratty behaviour from my two new toys upon returning to the apartment. So imagine my shock when I found them and my brain registered the scene before me: both naked, with Ellis looking ready to fuck Sasha up against the wall.

And fuck, if that didn't turn me on in a way I didn't expect.

It should have caused me concern, and it did, but it also gave me something else. Something different. Desire. Lust. I felt an eagerness to touch and be touched. And a vision of them fucking each other senseless shot through my head.

It baffled me that I'd not picked up on the sexual tension between them. Reading people was a skill I'd honed over time, but these two surprised me and not in an uncomfortable way.

I would admit, it was nice to find that a sub, or in this case, two subs, could still surprise me.

Leaning in a fraction, I lowered my voice. "Have you completed the chores, little girl?"

The way Sasha responded to my use of little girl was telling. A flush burst across her cheeks, flooding down her throat and across those pretty, perky breasts. But it was those expressive eyes, watching them dilate, that sealed it. Praise Kink. Her eagerness to please went beyond submitting. She craved the praise.

"I have, Sir."

"Good girl. Come. Show me." Taking her hand, she eagerly guided me, proud of her newfound knowledge of the washing machine.

Next, she led me into my bedroom and into the ensuite. It shocked me she'd actually done as I'd asked... and more.

Ryan, her dad, would call me a liar if I told him.

I shut the door behind us and spun her around and lifted her effortlessly onto the countertop. Her gaze lifted to mine, long thick eyelashes parting wide and at the same time her mouth puckered a little around a soundless question.

"I am pleased." Three simple words and she gasped softly. "I want you to understand my punishments are always justified and with good reason." That wasn't true in most cases, I got off being a bastard. Subs were only there for my pleasure, or torture.

But I couldn't be cruel to Sasha. Quite the opposite, it seemed. "I reward good behaviour, little girl."

Sasha slowly nodded. Her eyes were wide and now filled with something else. Affection. Tenderness for me. Affection I should stamp out. And if I was a decent man, I would. "You may choose your reward."

She snort-laughed, and a glorious smile filled out her cheeks. "Choose? I get to choose? Oh, this is easy. I want a—"

I lifted a finger and pressed it against her soft, plump lips. If I was a betting man, my money would be on her choosing my mouth on hers. A kiss. And on cue, her eyes fell on my lips. And not kissing her had been just as much a torment for me too, although I doubt Sasha would believe me.

Fetching her face closer to mine, her soft breath whispered against my lips and if I dipped just a fraction, I could end our sweet torture.

Closer still, I feathered her skin, moving both hands to sit on either side of her and ran my nose up the column of her throat as she angled her head to allow me free rein.

Fuck, she smelled good. It reminded just how much of a temptation she was and lifting my head I stared into hungry eyes.

"You could have anything, so choose wisely." It was an effort to tame the smile that teased my mouth and dampened the demanding gleam in my eyes as I stared wolf-like at her.

"Anything?" There was a hint of teasing woven in with her surprise as she now chewed on her bottom lip.

"Hmhmm." I hummed my reply.

"A kiss. Please, Zack, kiss me."

I didn't wait and at the first touch of my tongue against her lips, a crack of riotous energy filled up my body, surging through my bloodstream. I kissed her like I wanted to keep her, which right now I fucking did, and my heart throbbed as hard as my cock.

Fucking hell.

That one kiss shot my control to hell as Sasha's hot little mouth greeted my tongue and sucked me in, rousing those parts of me I wanted to keep hidden from her. It almost took me aback.

Kissing her was more than I could have imagined. Her teasing tongue was both eager and submissive. Her lips were soft as I claimed her mouth. My kiss was forceful and deep and she didn't fight the shudder of breath against my open mouth, her throat rumbling low enough that I felt the vibrations.

I didn't rush to the finish line, letting it run till its natural end.

"Holy shit," she muttered, blinking rapidly.

It was more of a breathless whisper than words when I asked, "Satisfied?"

Her eyes were bright, cheeks flushed, and her lips slightly parted. "Satisfied?" she repeated as I cocked my head at the now dreamy expression staring back at me.

She barely tamed the smile that wanted to break free. "I'm not sure I would go as far as to say... satisfied." She gave her head a dramatic little shake and wrinkled her nose. "I think I need another just to y'know..." Her eyes sparkled. "To confirm if what I'm feeling is in fact, satisfaction."

This sassy-mouthed, brunette, who if I was honest, intrigued the hell out of me, pulled from me a full-blown smile and her jaw dropped. 

"You're smiling," she gasped, smiling herself. "It's real god's honest smile!"

What?  I smiled, occasionally... okay rarely.

"Thats enough sass outta you!" I leaned forward, and her groan was all natural when I diverted to the shell of her ear. "Be careful what you wish for, little girl." A wanton moan crawled free from her throat. "Too much satisfaction can become addictive." I breathed as I stroked a finger languidly along the curve of her bare shoulder.

She shivered whilst her skin was blazing hot under my finger.

Fuck it.

My mouth pressed downward, and a startled squeak came from her at the bite of my teeth. The indentation pressed into her skin, the bite not deep enough to break flesh but sharp enough that it was a threat.

It was primal. I wanted to mark her. Mark, what was mine.... For now, at least.

Her fingers dug into my arms as she wrapped her legs around me, trying to pull us closer as she rubbed her bare pussy against me, to seek friction from my eager erection.

I raked my teeth slowly across her shoulder, my tongue licking the sweetness of her skin as Sasha let out a breathy... "Oh, god. Zack."

This was enough. It had to be before I lifted her from the countertop and flipped her over and fucked her right there.

I eased back and reached around to unhook her legs.

She pouted.

"Don't pout." It was kinda cute.

Fucking hell. Cute!?  What was this woman doing to me?

Inhaling a deep breath, I backed away. "I want you ready for seven."

Her shoulders sagged a fraction. "Fine."

"Not a second past or I will have to punish you before we leave."

It was hardly a threat, and she grinned and pushed off the countertop, causing her tits to jiggle invitingly. "You could shower with me?" The space evaporated as her small hand slipped under the hem of my shirt. "Make sure I'm on time."

Fuck. It was time for me to leave. I wanted to grab a work-out and if I stayed here, my dick would be the only part of my body exercised.

"Seven, Sasha." I freed her hand and spun her around and, not able to resist, slapped her delicious ass. "Go." Shutting the door to the bathroom behind me, I heard her muttering, but it was drowned out when she turned on the shower.

Humming to myself, I quickly changed. Heading next door to what should have been another apartment on this floor, I had instead converted into a gym.

Lowering the dumbbell, my eyes fixed on the shift of my bicep before I raised the weight again. But I felt something—a stirring of awareness, like a ghostly tap on the shoulder. My senses weren't wrong when the sudden disappearance of music caused my ears to ring in the silence, but I didn't allow it to derail my attention.

Without seeing a face, a familiar scent announced my unwanted guest.

"How can you listen to that angry-man music?" A deceptively sweet voice called from across the room. "I never understood your taste in music, Zack."

"Who let you in?" Keeping my focus, I finished my set and placed the dumbbell back on the rack.

When was the last time she dropped by? A year? Eighteen months?

"Zack. You know I can sweet talk anyone." From the corner of my eye I saw her cast a quick glance over me.

She wasn't wrong, and I wondered who I would need to fire. Rolling my shoulder, sweat cooled my body and my hair was sweat-damp too. I walked over to the small refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water.

From behind, her heels clipped the floor. "A very handsome half-naked young American answered your door, and then I heard music and followed the awful sound," she hummed. "It led me right to you."

Mental note: get soundproofing.

Ignoring her whilst I drank down the water, I wiped across my mouth and tossed the bottle into the bin. "What do you want, Tabitha?" I drawled, finally turning my head in her direction. "Why are you darkening my doorstep?"

She pressed a tanned hand to her chest. "Me, darken your world, brother?"

Tabitha Strickland.

One of a kind and I suppose that was a blessing in itself. She looked, as always, flawlessly perfect. Her slender figure encased in a red silk dress. Hair of caramel and a complexion warmer than gold, the kind that was intimate with the sun but beneath that smooth skin beat an even blacker heart that even I could boast.

Tabitha was vapid and self-absorbed. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it sooner, but I'd been young and stupid. Quite frankly, I'd been thinking with my dick most of the time, that, and she was a masochist.

She confidently danced toward me, with her wavy hair flowing behind her, and I was relieved that I had taken precautions to protect my new wooden floor from her ridiculously high stilettos.

Fuck me. 

I was getting old if I was standing here, worried about the floor beneath her terrible taste in garish footwear.

"Oh Zack..." A wicked temptation of a smile gave chase. For many years, that smile had worked me over. She turned slowly in a full circle, checking out the room. "The place looks amazing by the way. You must give me the full tour sometime."

When hell froze over.

Closer, there was something different, though. Her face you wouldn't think a day over twenty-five. The magic of fillers, but honestly, she shouldn't have messed with her lips.  I would begrudgingly admit they were perfect.  

Emphasis on the were. 

Now she looked like she'd been slapped in the face with a bat or a bunch of crazed wasps had repeatedly stung her.

"Going a little overboard on the fillers wouldn't you say?" I knew my insult would barely touch her, because Tabitha wore confidence that few others could boast.

"Oh, do you not like?" She ran a finger across her bloated bottom lip. "Perfect for cock-sucking I've been told."

That didn't even warrant a response.

"What do you want?" 

It was one of two things. Money. Fuck. Or maybe both.

Tabitha Strickland wouldn't be getting either from me.

She ignored my question and moved forward with her agenda. "Miles was asking of you only a few days back."

I seriously doubted that. Miles was her twin brother, and he hated me. I'd not seen him since. Since Nathaniel. A familiar ache travelled across my chest. But I refused to give her a reaction.

My tone was anything but friendly. "I'm bored. Get to the point, Tabitha."

"Polite as ever." As she feigned an appalled look.

As far as I was concerned, politeness could kiss my ass when it came to this woman.

She sighed dramatically and then a smile stretched wide, and her manicured eyebrows piqued. My rudeness did little to chip away at her cheerful facade. Both our heads turned at the sound of the door opening and a head of wet blond hair appeared.

Blue eyes hooked mine, and his forehead creased. "Everything okay, Zack?"

"Ah. Look," singed Tabitha, "The American."

Oh fuck.

"I'm Tabitha."  Her chin lifted with an imperious tilt, and an unwavering resolve shot through her gaze. "And who might you be?"

My spine locked as I restrained an eye-roll, but not an irritated growl.

And now Ellis was staring at her, his mouth hanging open just slightly.

Yeah, she did that to most men. Me at one time included.

Ellis pushed the door open and stepped into the room, bare chested, wearing only his jeans which hung lower on his hips, having two buttons unfastened.

That fucking sight of him alone would be fricken' mental porn for Tabitha. Fuck, I wasn't immune either, and it really pissed me off she was seeing him—like that.

Ellis flicked his chin up with a cocky smirk plastered across his face. "Ellis Jenson."

Tabitha's head shot in my direction and, without missing a beat, she asked. "Max's son?"

"Oh, you know my dad?"

Without looking at him, her intense stare stayed on me. "Not directly. But my mother spoke fondly of him."

That was a fucking lie. Her mother hated Max... and Ryan. She married my father when I was fourteen and with her came them. Tabitha and Miles, who were twelve at the time.

Katherine Strickland was a bitch of a step-mom and wore the title proudly, although never in front of my father. And before my dad was cold in the ground, she was warming her bed with another man.

I felt Ellis' eyes back on me. I breathed out heavily through my nose. "I'm fine Ellis. You can go back next door."

Tabitha hummed as she shifted all her attention to Ellis. And not even subtle. Her eyes fell down his torso and Ellis stood taller, liking her obvious perusal. "What brings you into Zack's clutches?"

"I'm working here for the Summer."

"Oh." A quick glance aimed at me showed me exactly what was running through her thoughts.

I butted in. "As much as this conversation is titillating, It's time for you to leave."

"And what is it you do for Zack?" she asked, ignoring me completely.

Ellis raked a hand through his hair and shrugged. "Oh, this and that." His eyes wandered appreciatively over her and you couldn't miss the erection he was now sporting.

She laughed. "I can only imagine—" Her voice had a huskiness that wasn't  there a moment ago. " —what this and that entails."

Fucking hell.

Ellis couldn't handle her on his best day. The woman had claws sharper than Freddie Kruger's. "Tell me, Ellis Jenson. Do you prefer cock or pussy or maybe both?"

I froze on the spot, and Ellis choked a cough.

But then Tabitha pushed into motion toward Ellis and I moved fast, putting myself between them. Tabitha stopped. "Possessive I see?"

She tried to look around me, but I shifted to meet her gaze head on. "This ends now. What is it you want, Tabitha?"

"What I want can wait. I want to know more about your friend."

Without turning, I barked out my instruction. "Ellis. Leave. Go back next door."

"What!?" he blustered. "Seriously?"

"Yes. Now." I growled.

"He reminds me of someone." She pressed the tip of her tongue to her top lip, but those sharp eyes told me she knew exactly what she was doing.

"Don't," I threatened, and I had no right to feel territorial, but I did. Ellis was mine. "Leave him out of it."

Her smile was calculating as she asked her next question. "Has he corrupted you yet, Ellis? Made you question—"

Cutting her short, I grabbed her arm and tugged her closer. "One more word." Those caramel-colour eyes were huge as she stared at me triumphantly.

She drew in a breath and said the words. "You like this one?"

Fucking damn this woman.

"What's she talking about?" asked Ellis from behind me.

"Ellis. I won't ask you again. If you do not leave right now. Then I will personally put you on the next plane home!"

He muttered something and huffed, but then my stern order worked and I heard his bare feet pad on the floor as he retreated.

Tabitha laughed, and unfazed by my grip removed all the space including air, so that we were touching from thighs to chest, pressing her perky but expensive breasts into me. Not satisfied, she then pushed up onto her toes and ran her tongue along the scruff of my day old stubble. "Awe, you sent him away... and I was in the mood to play."

"I won't repeat myself, Tabitha." But she already knew she had gotten under my skin. She had seen my reaction up fucking close.

"Look at you all dark and moody, still."  Her long fingers crawled up my bare arms. "I could help with that."

Over my dead body. I dislodged myself and stepped away as her hands fell to her sides. With a sweeping hand toward the door. "Get to the point or get the fuck out!"

"Buzz-kill." Her lips curved into a small smile. "I need money."

"No."

A pout appeared.

"Ask your mother or brother. Or here's a novel idea—get a fucking job!"

"I could work here... the eye-candy alone would be worth it."

Ha. Was she fucking high!? I turned and started walking away. "The answer is no. Show yourself out."

I left her standing there and retreating into my apartment, slammed the door behind me. Ellis came from around the corner, but at least he'd slipped on a t-shirt.

"Who is she, and what was she talking about?"

A horrible, sinking feeling fell through me and knotted in my guts. "She's nobody. Forget her."

I hated that she could still get under my skin. Not in a sexual way. Hell, no. I would cut my dick off before sticking it inside her again.

"Are you okay?" His voice held a note of concern.

"I'm fine, Ellis." I went to walk past him, but he put his hand out to stop me.

"You don't look alright."

Godsdammit. Fucking Tabitha Stickland.  

I was on edge now. An irritated off-kilter feeling itched beneath my skin and now made it impossible to relax. I'd wanted tonight to be a step toward something I thought I wouldn't want again.

Shouldn't want again as every part of me screamed it was wrong to want it. Want them.

And not only because of the obvious complications. In the past, I'd pushed too hard and got burned. And just to emphasise my point, an image of Nathaniel stabbed me right behind the eyes. It's been years since I left myself to even think of his name. See his face clearly.

I should send them both back home. End this—whatever the fuck it was. Right now.

But I was a bastard still at heart and I knew I would continue down this fucked up path, accepting whatever shift-storm headed my way.

Brushing off his concern. "Wear a suit." I made damned sure he heard the command in my tone. "I'm going to shower. Be ready for seven. Or we leave without you."

I could feel his now angry stare on me until I was out of his sight.

~ ~ ~

A/N - Sorry no update 15/11, been a crazy work week and then throw in some good ol' family drama! And my free writing time left me focusing on only one story this week. Next update 22/11