Page 14 of Crave You

Him back, taking me in those weapons of arms. Come with me. You know you want to.

When I finally lift my head from the phone, he’s gone.

Chapter Five

Zander

I’m almost at the top of the stairs when I realize that Leona isn’t following me. A quick glance over the banister confirms it.

I feel a surge of anger swell inside of me, but there’s something else too. Something I hadn’t expected. I feel excited in a way I haven’t felt in a long time. I honestly can’t remember the last time anyone said no to me, even if she didn’t actually use the word. Why did it have to be her? I feel anger as she has already bested me once today and I was intending to make her pay for that. I am going to break that girl. However, at the same time, I’m also intrigued by her refusal to come with me. Intrigued and turned on.

I go to the bathroom just for something to do, as I am up here.

Who the fuck is this girl? She’s gorgeous, there’s no denying that, but so many of the women I have fucked have been gorgeous and not one of them has drawn out this kind of reaction from me. Even now, I can picture Leona in such exquisite detail it’s as if she’s standing right in front of me.

Those tilted eyes. Those delicious lips. The kind of curves that require nakedness.

I have to accept that what normally has girls jumping to my orders has no effect on her whatsoever.

I go back down to the party. I tell myself I’m not going to look for Leona, but I don’t have to. My eyes are drawn to her without my having to think about where she might be. She’s standing laughing with Erin and Damien. Her pink dress makes her skin look pale like untouched snow and I want to touch her. I want to leave bruises on that perfect porcelain, to leave my mark and have her bend to my will.

I reach the bottom of the stairs and instantly some random blonde is touching my arm and saying something to me. I pull my arm away and duck away from the girl. Another girl steps into my path and I step around her, too. I sit down with Shawn and Lucien. They are surrounded by girls. As soon I sit down, one of them moves herself onto my lap. Normally I would happily let her but now I shove her off roughly. She makes an indignant humph sound as she finds herself sitting on the couch instead of on me. I only have one woman on my mind and none of these little tramps can hold a candle to her.

“What’s with you?” Lucien asks.

Lucien is definitely enjoying his share of the girls. His shirt is already off and he has a cute redhead straddling him and running her tongue over the bare skin of his chest, but he ignores her and talks to me instead.

“I’m not in the mood for another skanky hookup,” I say.

The girl beside me makes an abrupt, indignant sound, which I ignore. I mean, she can hardly deny it. She basically left the queue to sit on Lucien’s lap and then jumped onto mine as soon as it was available. That’s not the way a demure girl acts.

“Skanky is not so bad when it’s available skanky,” Lucien says with a grin. He stands, lifting the redhead with him and she giggles. He kisses her and she writhes against him. He nods to himself, a decision made, and he sets her down. Then, he takes her hand and leads her away.

“I’m going to get a drink,” I say.

“I can get you a drink,” a blonde girl says, sliding into Lucien’s seat. I shake my head and go towards the kitchen, stopping several times on my way to laugh with various girls. I even go as far as to let one of them whisper in my ear. I don’t want any of them. I just want Leona to know I have options. Maybe then she’ll see that she was wrong not to obey me.

I am angry, again, by the time I reach the kitchen and I do a large shot of vodka. I go back into the lounge and spot Leona. I go up behind her and lean in, speaking quietly so only she can hear me. “Come along, now. Or I can show you in front of everyone what happens to girls who disobey me. Right here. Right fucking now.”

Leona flushes. “Excuse me a minute,” she says to her companions before she turns to face me completely.

Her voice is cold when she hisses, “You seem to use the word ‘fuck’ a lot, Zander, so I guess you know what it means. So, why don’t you fuck off and leave me alone. Who do you think you are to just issue orders to someone you barely know and think they will drop everything to do your bidding. I don’t know, actually, but maybe that’s what usually happens. Prepare yourself for disappointment then. I didn’t want to join your frat — oh, I mean house — and I don’t want to run after you at a party like a puppy, just so we can make out and you can feel like we are equal again, after this afternoon.”

So the little tiger has claws after all…

Time for a different angle. The flat of my hand meets the back of her head.

“You’re the first one I’ve wanted like this,” I say.

Her lips remain undecided.

“Come with me now, Leona, and let me show you why neither of us will be sorry.”

Chapter Six

Leona

I want to resist his command. I want to tell him no, again. But more than the feel of his breath on my skin, his soft words send a shiver of desire through me. The fact that he opens himself to me, even a little, directs an emotion, almost like fear, through me. In that moment, I have no doubt in my mind that he means what he says. The worst part is, I like it. I like knowing he was forced to change tack for me, but that he still wants me to do his bidding.

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