Dawned (Circle of the Red Scorpion Book 3) Page 9

  Her robe parted to reveal her delectable flesh. He looked down her body invitingly displayed in such a wanton fashion from her breasts to the tight curls above her spread thighs. God, she was so beautiful. His cock swelled.

  "Lift up, angel." He released her to allow her to move.

  She held onto his shoulders and lifted up, her knees resting on the cushion. He pushed his pants off his hips and slid them down to bunch around his ankles. He pulled his tee shirt over his head.

  Elise looked down and saw his fully erect cock standing at attention and let go of his shoulders to slide to her knees in front of him.

  Her husband had a magnificent cock and Elise’s mouth watered to taste it. She couldn’t remember the last time she did. She placed her hands on his thighs and leaned in to lick him from the base to the corona, licking around it and avoiding the top. Broderick sucked in a breath and gripped her shoulders.

  “Oh shit, angel. That feels so…”

  He didn’t finish his words as she sucked him deep into her mouth and started to move up and down, her hands surrounding the base to hold him in place. His thighs trembled, and he thrust upward, causing her to gag on his thick girth. She took a deep breath relaxed her throat to take more of him, bobbing up and down, reaching closer and closer to the base.

  Broderick nearly died with mind-blowing pleasure when Elise swallowed his cock so skillfully. She was working him hard, and he felt his balls tighten. If she didn’t stop, he would come down her throat, and he wasn’t ready to do that.

  He lifted her up to straddle him again, ignoring her protest. Her erect nipples were at his mouth level, and he wanted to taste each one. He latched onto one nipple, sucking and twirling his tongue around it. He bit down lightly causing a tiny sting of pain and her body jerked. He chuckled deep in his throat as he repeated it on the other nipple.

  Sparks of white-hot pleasure shot through her. Her nipples burned and tingled at the same time. She was on fire. His mouth was pure magic.

  “Broderick, I need you inside me."

  “Upon your knees,” he ordered her as she straddled his thighs. The fingers of his left hand danced down her stomach and lower. He ran his fingers over her and found the spot he sought. His fingers caressed her sex, sliding two fingers inside her. Gripping her ass with his other hand, he held her in place as he continued to plunge his fingers in and out, his thumb rubbing her clit in agonizing circles. She rocked on his fingers, trying to get them as deep as she could but he held her tight, controlling each movement. She cried out her frustration, and he chuckled, knowing she was close. He sucked a nipple back in his mouth and bit down, and she came apart. He loosened his grip, and she rode his fingers as the paroxysms of her orgasm rippled from one to the next. She was so high on erotic sensations; she wasn't aware of him removing his fingers and settling her onto his rock hard cock until he filled her completely.

  Elise felt the head of her husband’s cock touching her cervix. She started to ride him, her sensitized sex still quivering from her last orgasm. Pleasure began to slowly ramp up again as her clit rubbed against his cock. She needed this most intimate of connections with the man she loved with all of her heart. The specter of Solomon lurked angry and possessive in the back of her mind but her husband; her brave, strong, loving husband drove the demons away.

  Broderick leaned against the window sill and let her ride him, to have her way with him in any form she needed. Each delicious plunge surrounded him with her slick hot channel that squeezed his cock like a tight fist. He licked her sweet juices from his fingers as he watched her move up and down, her glorious breasts bobbing with each movement. He felt his release building quickly as her sex gripped him in a series of spasms that took her over the edge once more. He grabbed her hips and thrust up into her as his balls tightened and pleasure shot through his groin and down to his toes as his release filled her.

  She slumped down on his lap, his cock still inside her, and sighed with overwhelming satisfaction. She cradled his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. He held onto her as he kissed her back, not wanting to separate them. He wanted to stay forever connected to her in body, in spirit, and in love.

  Broderick and Elise never made it out for lunch. Instead, they ate on the balcony and made love again into the early evening. Forgotten were the harsh words spoken in a haze of pleasure and indescribable happiness.

  In the stillness of the night, he held his wife as she slept, the photo of Elise and Blackwell etched in his mind. If he hadn’t known them, he would have assumed they were a real couple. If only things could stay the way they were right now, nothing would come between them, Broderick thought as doubt about Blackwell and his wife refused to leave him. Dammit, why was he torturing himself? If he didn’t stop, it would drive him insane. He had to let it go.

  ****

  Broderick heard his wife moving around in their dark bedroom and looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was four o’clock in the morning. He reached over and turned on the lamp.

  “Angel, what are you doing up so early? Come back to bed.”

  “I can’t. I have to go down to my studio,” Elise told Broderick as she pulled her old, ripped painting tee shirt over her head.

  “Why so early?”

  “I have to get the paintings prepped to be taken to the gallery for the exhibition tonight,” she said, her voice eerily distant and he knew why. He’d caused it.

  He frowned. “It can’t wait a few hours?”

  “No. The gallery owner is sending someone to pick them up at noon. The paintings still need to be hung and the final preparations completed.”

  “Will you have breakfast with me before I leave for the office?”

  She sat down on the bench at the foot of their bed and pulled on her socks and tied her tennis shoes. “I can’t. I’ll ask Mrs. Sims to have something brought to the studio.”

  “You can’t take a few minutes to sit down and eat with me?”

  She turned and glanced at him, her face expressionless. “I have a lot of work to do.”

  “Angel,” he spoke in a soft, measured tone. “Just a half hour. That’s all I ask.”

  “I’m sorry, Broderick, I can’t spare the time.” She turned quickly and left, closing the door behind her.

  Broderick watched his wife leave their bedroom suite with regret. Things had been going so well between them since the incident at breakfast a few weeks ago until she had come into his study and handed him an invitation to her upcoming art exhibition. After that regrettable conversation, the playful interaction they had enjoyed between them ceased, and Elise spent the last three days sequestered in her art studio. All his attempts to engage with her fell flat. He was at a loss. He didn’t know what to do.

  Frustrated and with no desire to go back to sleep, he got up and went into the bathroom to take a long shower. He had to get to the office early to take care of a few things before he headed to SeaTac to catch his flight to Portland.

  The morning went quickly. Broderick was glad because he was still smarting from the conversation with his wife.

  Beverly walked in and handed him the folder he needed for his meeting in Portland.

  “Thanks, Bev.”

  “No problem, Broderick. Have a good trip.”

  He smiled. “I will.”

  He stood up and retrieved his briefcase beside his desk, placing it on top. He opened it and was about to put the folder inside when he noticed the invitation Elise gave him for her art exhibition. He stared down at it, so stylishly done on red matte card stock with gold lettering and a festive Christmas border and read it again.

  He remembered when she came into his study. She had been excited about this exhibition. She had worked tirelessly for weeks to get the paintings finished. He thought they were some of her best work to date and he was very proud of her. The buzz around the exhibition was huge and the Seattle Times was touting it as the biggest event of the year. Art collectors were coming from
as far away as New York to attend.

  “Broderick, I know you are busy with your cases, but I was hoping you would be able to break away and go to my art exhibition, just this one time. It would mean so much to me.”

  Broderick looked up from the file he was reviewing and saw the expectant look in her beautiful green eyes and ground his teeth. A new lead had come in yesterday evening, and he’d been pouring over the photos and his lead investigator’s report for hours, trying to find that one shred of evidence he needed to nail Solomon Blackwell. He spoke with his team of investigators, and a meeting was set up with a Portland police detective who came across some interesting information he thought could be related to the case he was working. It involved two of Solomon’s men and an unidentified dead woman. The meeting was set for the day of his wife’s event. He’d never make it back in time to go with her.

  “Angel, I’m sorry, but I have a very important meeting in Portland that day, and it is crucial that I attend. If it wasn’t so important I’d…”

  He saw her stiffen. “I understand, Broderick,” she replied quietly, not letting him finish as she looked at him. “It’s probably better you’re not there. I will be so busy with all my guests; we wouldn’t have much time together, anyway.” Her face gave away nothing as she laid the invitation on the corner of his desk.

  “Angel… I’m…”

  “I have to get back to the studio,” she interrupted and quickly left his office before he could say another word. But he didn’t miss the disappointment on her face and the spark that died in her eyes. He knew he’d fucked up and hurt her yet again. How many times had he done that to her? He had attended very few of her exhibitions since she started showing her work. He was such a selfish bastard but what was he to do? Ignore potential evidence he could use against Blackwell? He’d been chasing this fruitless trail for so long. He just wanted to finish it once and for all.

  His investigation into Blackwell had come to a screeching halt as Solomon’s cronies, in local law enforcement and the local government refused his request to open the cold cases and he had to go it on his own. Too many forces were working against him. This new information could be the break he needed.

  He stared at the invitation and remembered the crushed expression on his wife’s face. He sat down and closed his briefcase. He picked up the phone receiver and dialed the number written on the folder.

  ****

  At five-thirty, Broderick started wrapping up for the day. He was putting on his black tuxedo jacket when Beverly poked her head into his office.

  “Going somewhere?” She asked.

  Broderick straightened his black bow tie and smiled. “My wife’s art exhibition is tonight, and I thought I would surprise her by showing up.”

  Beverly beamed. “That’s wonderful. I saw the announcement in the newspaper. I wanted to go but my husband is down with the flu, and I need to take care of him.” She smirked. “He’s such a big baby when he’s sick.”

  “You spoil him too much.”

  Beverly laughed. “I do.” Her face grew serious. “You being there will make her night. Besides, you work far too much.”

  “I do, and I need to change that. I hope she’s happy to see me. I was such an ass to her about it.”

  “Think positive, District Attorney.”

  Broderick rolled his eyes. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me Broderick?”

  Beverly wrinkled her nose. “More than I can count, but it seems so disrespectful since you are my boss.”

  “Beverly, we’ve known each other for a long time now. You and your husband were witnesses at our wedding. I consider you a dear friend. And since I am your boss now, I order you to call me Broderick, how’s that?

  She laughed and put her hands up. “Okay. Have a nice time tonight… Broderick. Are you coming in tomorrow?”

  He winked at her. “Don’t count on it.”

  “We can survive one day without you.”

  Chapter 10

  Broderick pulled up in front of the gallery forty-five minutes later and got out of his car. He handed his car keys to the valet and went inside. The pre-holiday gala was in full swing. Thousands of twinkle lights decorated the gallery. A man in a red and gold dinner jacket was playing Christmas music on a baby grand piano. He scanned the room for his wife. Guests dressed in tuxedos and festive evening gowns filled the gallery. He spotted his wife at the rear of the gallery in front of a large painting of Snoqualmie Falls, a large crowd gathered around her. A waiter with a tray of champagne flutes walked past and Broderick took two glasses and headed in Elise’s direction. He waded through the guests, greeting people as he passed by them and stopped dead when he saw who was standing beside her. Solomon Blackwell. A little too close beside her. The bastard had his arm around her waist. They were laughing and shaking hands with an older couple.

  Broderick bristled immediately, his anger rising quickly. He wanted to punch Blackwell in the face, and his jaguar growled low and menacing, eager to do much more harm. As if sensing him, Solomon’s eyes fixed on him over the crowd, and he dropped his arm. He leaned in and said something in Elise’s ear then walked away in the direction of the bar. The scowl on his face told the story. Blackwell was pissed to see him there. It served the bastard right, Broderick thought. At least he had the good sense to remove himself. When Solomon turned around to glare at him, Broderick flashed him a smug grin, and Blackwell narrowed his eyes and turned back to the bar.

  Elise glanced around until she saw her husband. Her face immediately lit up. She excused herself and headed for him. She was beautiful in the jade green evening gown, and her mahogany hair was swept back in a long wavy ponytail secured by a silver and diamond hair banana clip. Her smile was radiant, and her happy expression tugged at his heart. He made the right decision.

  “I thought you couldn’t make it.”

  “You look stunning, angel. I don’t tell you that often enough.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheek. “I changed my plans. I realized I needed to make time for you. You are important to me. Your career is important to me. I’m sorry I’ve missed so many of your shows.”

  “You’re here now, and that’s what matters.” Her eyes glistened with tears. She put her arm through his. “Come, let me introduce you.”

  Blackwell’s annoyed black eyes bored holes into Broderick and Elise for the remainder of the evening, and Broderick loved it. The bastard acts like Elise is his. He needs to find someone else’s wife to covet. Broderick was further amused to see Blackwell leave with his two bodyguards well before the exhibition was over.

  During the evening, one of Elise’s colleagues told him Blackwell was one of his wife’s staunchest supporters. He sponsored the event, matching twenty-five percent of the night’s sales, and donating the money to Elise’s favorite charity. Broderick hated that his wife spent so much time with the degenerate who pretended to be a gentleman and patron of the arts. He had to find a way to get him out of his wife’s life. But he’d worry about that another day. Tonight, it was all about his angel.

  After the event was over, Elise watched Broderick go outside to get his car brought around to the front. She was so happy her husband came to her exhibition. It meant more to her than selling her paintings. Despite Solomon’s attempt to convince her that her husband didn’t appreciate her, she knew it wasn’t true. No doubt Solomon would make her pay dearly for her husband ruining his plans tonight, but she didn’t care. What more could he do to her than he had already done? She would enjoy the night with her husband and deal with Solomon later.

  Broderick helped Elise into the Range Rover when the valet pulled up.

  “Where are we going?” She asked. “To the penthouse or back home?”

  “The penthouse,” he replied as he pulled onto the street. “I thought we could eat at the restaurant at the Edgewater Hotel and then take a stroll along the bay before going back to the penthouse. What do you think about taking the ferry t
o Bainbridge Island after breakfast tomorrow and exploring some antique shops? We can lunch at the Streamliner Diner before heading back to the hotel.”

  Elise squealed with delight. “That sounds wonderful! Thank you for thinking of it.”

  Broderick stopped at the red light and reached over to squeeze her hand. “We haven’t had much time together, and I want to make the next two days special.”

  The restaurant closed at ten o’clock, and they made it there just in time. Broderick ordered the Sautéed King Salmon, and Elise ordered the Sautéed Diver Scallops. Both had a Caesar Salad and shared the Roasted Spinach and Maine Lobster Mac & Cheese. For dessert, they shared the Triple Chocolate Mousse.

  After dinner, they took a short walk along the water before getting in the car and heading for their penthouse.

  ****

  Broderick took off his tuxedo jacket and his bow and placed them over a dining chair. He unfastened his cuff links and laid them on the table.

  “I’ll put on some music,” he said over his shoulder as he flipped through the CDs. He inserted one into the CD player and pressed the remote control. The soft chords of a piano instrumental replaced the silence.

  “What do you want to do, Angel?” he said, as he set the remote control on the coffee table.

  Elise press the switch for the fireplace and the flames ignited, bathing the room in a warm, cozy glow. “I’d love to take a shower and then have a nice glass of cabernet in front of the fireplace.”

  Broderick’s face spread in a broad smile. “That’s funny; I believe I need a shower too.”

  Elise laughed. “I don’t mind sharing. Besides, I can never reach far enough to wash my back.”

  He chuckled. “I can help you with that.” He pointed to the bathroom door. “You first.”

  “I need help with the zipper of this gown,” she said, as she turned from side to side, making a feeble attempt to reach it.