Page 47 of Played
He skims his fingertips over the back of my neck, and fuck, it feels so good. Pleasure skitters down my spine. I turn around and come face-to-face with his intensely dark eyes and theface that haunts my every waking thought, not to mention my dreams. “I just wanted to…” I swallow, the rest of the words refusing to form.
He takes a step closer. “What do you want, King?” His voice is husky, his warm breath dancing over my skin. He slides his hands inside my jacket to grip my waist.
“This,” I whisper.
He dusts his lips over mine, taunting me with the faintest hint of a kiss.
“I want to feel connected to someone.” My voice cracks.
And so does he. He seals his lips over mine and slips his tongue inside my willing mouth. I moan at the contact and he swallows the sound, greedily exploring with his tongue. I fist a hand in his thick, dark hair, unable to stop myself from wanting control. I tilt his head and tongue-fuck him back, flicking my tongue in the dark recesses of his mouth as I devour him. He feels like everything I need.
“You taste like cheap brandy,” he murmurs.
I kiss him again. “You taste like mine.”
“Fuck, King,” he groans, and I love the way he says my name. All need and hunger. I unzip his pants and wrap my hand around the base of his shaft.
He does the same to me as I push him back against the wall. Our mouths explore each other, throat and jawline, ears and forehead. We kiss and bite and suck while we work each other over, jerking each other off to the same punishing pace. When I’m close to the edge, I capture his lips with mine once more, kissing him so deeply that I feel like I’m going to pass out from lack of oxygen.
I break the kiss and suck in a ragged breath. “Come with me, baby boy.”
He curses in Spanish as hot ribbons of cum spurt over my hand. He grips me tighter, giving me a final tug that has me coming right along with him.
I press my forehead to his and we catch our breath.
“Was that enough of a connection for you, Hotshot?” he says, laughing.
“I’d have preferred to come in your ass, but yeah, it was enough, baby.”
“You drive me crazy, mi rey,” he whispers.
That’s what he used to call me, a lifetime ago.My king. And despite what we just did and how far down his throat my tongue was, that was the connection I’ve truly longed for.
Before it can take root, he breaks it, pulling away and zipping up his pants. “I’ll go get some paper towels.”
As he disappears into the bathroom, I tell myself not to take it personally. It’s his instinct to protect himself where I’m concerned, and I can’t blame him. I lied to Mason eighteen years ago when I told him that I never loved him. I loved him more than anyone or anything in this whole goddamn world.
The truth is I still do.
Chapter
Twenty-Four
MASON
The headline about Astyn Bartley makes me snort: “Tech wiz who’s about to take the AI world by storm.”
More like “Tech wiz who somehow stole Jamestech’s patent and is getting all the credit.” Nothing but a fucking fraud. I scroll down to his picture and shoot daggers at him through the screen. There he stands in front of his Bugatti, wearing a sweater tied around his neck. Who the actual fuck dresses like that? Pompous jackass. He’s smiling, and I can tell they’re not his real teeth. Porcelain veneers I’ll bet.
I scroll to the message at the bottom of the email.This goes live tomorrow. Thought you’d want to see it first. Shelby xoxo
I went to college with Shelby, and we once got so drunk on tequila that we were arrested by campus security for stealing a bust of Shakespeare from the library. For the rest of our time there, we were inseparable. She’s a journalist now. A top-class one who reports on important stories, like wars and presidential elections, but she keeps an ear to the ground for the kind of stuff that she thinks would be on my radar. She’s a good friend.
I fire off a quick thank-you email, then shoot a text to King, asking him why he hasn’t found my leak yet. It’s been three weeks, and he doesn’t seem any closer to the truth. While I’mwilling to cut him a little slack given his personal tragedy, the article has really shined a light on the importance of getting answers. Thus far, King’s updates have consisted of who the leak is not.
Funny thing is I used to respect Astyn as a contemporary, even with his pretentious name and diabolical taste in fashion. We were rivals, but I never begrudge people anything they earn through talent and hard work. Now I see he’s nothing but a fraud, and it’s annoying that I ever admired the guy.
Less than two minutes after I sent my text, my secretary shows King into my office. Despite him looking nothing like any health and safety auditor I’ve ever met, I will admit he’s done a good job of fitting in here. We run a casual office, and most of our male employees don’t wear a suit and tie every day. King has adapted his uniform accordingly, and it now consists of slacks and a fitted white shirt with long sleeves, which he obviously rolls up. Why hide those beautiful tattoos if he doesn’t have to? He looks more comfortable than he did in a suit. He looks fucking hot.
