Traded (Blood Ties Book 5)

London’s big hand slid over my knee as we sat in the study, then moved higher to massage my thigh as he snarled into his phone. “I need his location immediately, Jacob. I don’t care how many men you need, just make it happen. Find my fucking son and find him tonight.”

He was nervous, I thought sex would calm him, but only made him more possessive.

He didn’t wait for a response, just lowered the phone, his gaze fixed on the rear wall of the study. Still, that hand didn’t stop moving, it just slid higher to push the opening of my dress wide. His thumb stroked my bare skin, the movement born from the need to control something. Right now, that something was me.

I lifted my hand and slid my fingers along his arm as I sat cross-legged on the end of his desk. “They’ll find him.”

“Will they?” he asked as he turned his head and looked at me.

He was panicked now, panicked and dangerous. His messages and calls to Colt had gone unanswered. At first, he’d thought Colt was pissed about Carven. But as the hours passed, he realized this was more.

I’d never seen him this cold…this deadly, not even when he’d strode into the middle of the gun battle between Ryth, her brothers, and The Order.

His grip clenched around my thigh, then slid downwards.

No, he’d never been this…out of control.

He held my stare as those demanding fingers drove deeper, until they brushed black lace and slowly, that look turned predatory. “Look at you, so pliable, so needy. Open your legs, Vivienne.”

My breath caught, because I was still tender from the machine…and then his body. But I couldn’t fight him, not now…maybe not ever. My thighs parted on their own.

“Wider,” he commanded.

I took in a deep breath as my tendons tightened and my knees spread open to give him what he wanted. An ache flared as he stroked down the crotch of my panties, up and down…up and down, each time digging in a little deeper, pushing the tenderness away with the lick of heat.

His jaw flexed and the muscles went tight as he slipped his finger under the elastic. “So willing to please me, just to get what you need. Such a blissful form of torture, isn’t it, relinquishing your control to me. And I do control you, don’t I, Vivienne?”

His finger curled to circle my clit. I swallowed a moan. “Yes.”

He gently pinched my clit, making me shudder. My mind was a mess. But under the panic and the desire came a thrum of terror.

I braced my hands against the desk edge beneath me as he pushed inside.

“So, you’ll tell me anything for one more thrust of my finger, won’t you?”

I bit down on the inside of my cheek and nodded.

“Use your words, Vivienne.”

“Yes. God, yes.”

“So tell me, then, how do you know the Ares girl?”

Ares…

Ares?

My mind raced as I tried desperately to tear myself away from the feel of his fingers and think.

“I want you to tell me everything you know about them,” he demanded. “Leave nothing out.”

“I…I know her,” I panted.

“How?”

“I’ve seen her there….at The Order.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “Oh, God, London.”

“Focus.”

I was trying to as he pushed two fingers inside and slowly thrust, then took them away, glistening. I looked down to where my panties were bunched against his hand.

“You’ve seen her at The Order. Who with?”

I slowly shook my head as I came apart under the brutal strength of his control.

“No one…I don’t know. I…I never saw her with anyone other than The Teacher,” I moaned and closed my eyes as my hips rocked to meet that slow thrust.

“How many times?”

I squeezed my eyes shut tight as the need to come slammed into me. “Five, maybe six times, I don’t know.”

But he didn’t ease up, just stretched me out as he thrust. “Over how long a period?”

His touch hit me deeper, harder, and made me fist my hands. “London, please.”

“How. Many. Times, pet?” he asked again, his tone unforgiving.

I hated him at that moment.

Hated him and loved him all at the same time.

I lost myself when I was with him.

My control. My will.

I was nothing more than this.

“Since I was there.”

His strokes stopped cold, tearing me from the peak of release.

“The entire time?” There was no playing in his tone now.

I met those dark eyes as they bored into mine. “Yes.”

“And you never saw Dante with them? Just her.”

“And the mother.”

He scowled. “Are you sure?”

I gave a nod and expected him to slip from my panties and leave me wanting, now that he had what he’d wanted, which was me, panting and desperate. His brow furrowed, but his fingers didn’t slip out, still deep inside me.

I lowered my head to stare at his hand cupped against my sex, until slowly…his fingers moved.

“Good girl, pet,” he praised, as he curled his fingers to stroke me. “All it takes is two fingers to get what I want. Now lie back…and let me finish what I started.”

My elbows trembled, then collapsed, and sent me thudding to the desk. He moved fast to grasp me under my shoulders, then lowered his head.

Warmth licked and wetness slid between his fingers.

I didn’t care that I was exposed in a house full of armed men.

I didn’t care that I was wet and needy.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he moaned as he licked deep. “So fucking beautiful.”

I lifted my leg to thrust against him. It didn’t take long, not when I was…so…goddamn…close. I dropped my head back and unleashed a guttural moan as he sucked. My pussy quivered and sent shudders through me as the rush hit me.

“My beautiful plaything.” He kissed the inside of my thigh as he eased my panties back into place with a brush of his fingers.

He had me whimpering.

“Just wait until it’s all three of us.” He lifted his head to meet my stare. “This perfect cunt is going to be dripping.”

I carefully eased my thighs closed. The thought of all three of them made me throb while I tried to find the strength to push upwards as London’s phone beeped. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his hands before he answered. “Yes.”

I slid to the edge of the desk and pulled my dress into place as relief descended across his face. “You saw him two hours ago? Where? Okay. That’s good. That’s real fucking good. Yes, I appreciate it. Thank you, Jacob. Okay.”

He lowered his hand and turned to me. “He was spotted two hours ago downtown.”

I released a pent-up breath as a pang tore across my chest. “Thank God…” I whispered. “Thank—”

But my words were cut short as London’s phone beeped again. He glanced at the screen, then answered. “Parker?”

Seconds…that was all it took, before London’s spine stiffened and that hard look of rage to return. “You fucking what? You can’t be associated with me? We’ve been in business together for twenty fucking years, and you’re going to cut me out? Why, you at least owe me that.”

My pulse raced as the heavy thud of boots echoed along the hall coming toward us.

“Well then,” London snarled into his phone. “Let me refresh your memory about where I stand. You’re either by my side, Parker, or you’re against me. So, if I were you, I’d take this opportunity to look very fucking carefully where you are right now. You do not want me as an enemy.” Then he ended the call.

A second later, Guild stepped into the room as London lowered his phone.

“Have you seen this?” He stepped closer and offered his own phone.

London glanced at the screen alight in Guild’s hand and stared at his own image. “What the fuck is that?”

“Press play, London. You’re going to want to see it.”

He didn’t want to…and neither did I. I shook my head as my body still hummed from London’s need as he reached out, grasped the phone, and hit play.

We have the scoop at Lead Investigators. According to sources, the police are launching a brand new full-scale investigation into the death of Killion Dare. Due to an anonymous tip, detectives are looking at billionaire London St. James as a person of interest into the brutal slaying. We can’t wait to have more information on this as it unfolds.”

“Team three to base. You’ve got three detectives pulling up outside and making their way to your front door.” The call came over the two-way strapped to Guild’s belt.

I sucked in hard breaths and slowly turned my head as hard knocks sounded on the front door.

“No.” I shook my head as London turned toward the door. “London…no.”

Thud…thud…thud.

“It’s okay, pet.”

He was so utterly calm as he strode through the doorway and left me behind. I jumped to my feet and rage tore through me as I hurried after him. “Like fucking hell it is.”

The world seemed to stand still as London opened the front door to three plainclothed detectives waiting.

“London St. James?” one asked.

“Yes.”

“I’m Detective Gerald Brown and these are my officers Justine Shale and Marcus Brownstone. We’d like you to accompany us down to headquarters to answer some of our enquiries in regards to Killion Dare’s death.”

“Am I under arrest?”

The detective said nothing, just shifted his gaze to Guild, who strode forward and grabbed my arm.

“I said, am I under arrest?” London repeated.

I shook my head as the detective stepped forward. Silver cuffs glinted in his hands. Ones he slapped around London’s wrist with a snap. The sight of that tore something inside me. I unleashed a moan and surged forward.

“Get them off him!” I screamed, even as Guild pulled me back. He didn’t belong in cuffs. He didn’t belong with them! “London…London!”

But my stoic protector didn’t fight, not even when they yanked his hand behind his back and locked the other cuff in place.

Instead, he called quietly, “Guild.”

“With my life, London,” he answered beside me, his grip tight around my arm. “With my fucking life.”

I didn’t understand what they were saying.

Not until the police began to pull London away.

I strained forward even as Guild tried to hold me back and managed to yank my arm from his hold as it hit me.

London hadn’t called Guild’s name to protect him, he’d called his name to make sure he protected me.

With my life.

That’s what London had made sure of, that our bodyguard would protect me with his life.

My heart leaped and slammed in my chest as the cop car door opened and London was seated. Tears came as I tore out the front door, my dress billowing as the car door closed with a thud.

“NO!” I lunged at the car and slammed my fists against the window as the engine started.

All I could see was London sitting in the back, that stony mask securely in place…until he turned his head and looked at me.

Then I saw it.

For a fleeting second, the man I knew surged to the surface. His brow creased as a look of fear flashed across his face.

I love you, he mouthed the words as the vehicle moved forward, slipped away from my fingers…and left me behind.

I love you…

I threw my head back and swiped my tears aside as Guild’s heavy steps approached.

“You need to get back inside, Viv.” He pulled me, but I couldn’t move.

I was pinned to the spot by my pain.

First Colt…

Now London.

Who was going to leave me next?

I closed my eyes as I swayed. “Bring them back to me,” I pleaded. “Do whatever you want with me, but please bring them back.”

My tears finally fell, drawing lines down my cheeks…

Until slowly, they fell to the ground.