Dark Desire

Chapter Sixteen

WOLFF

There was no way Mariana was real. No way she wasn't a pigment of my imagination or a part of a fictional world that had leaped off of one of the many books in my shelf.

My morning has been filled with nothing but Mariana. The memory of her hands on me, her soft fucking lips, her flushed cheeks when she's horny and fuck—she was wet. All for me. She was so fucking ready and I—Goddamn. I jerked off in the tub until my skin was all pruny and shit.

I could still smell her on my fingers. I'd have to refrain from bringing my hand to my nose every few seconds to get my high or else I'd keep a hard on too long to the point of pain.

Jesus Christ.

Axel suddenly came up behind the island counter and snapped me out of it. "Get dressed."

"What?"

He started pacing and was more agitated than usual. I noted his attire; bow tie on his neck, form-fitting suit, sleek hair...

"Wait. Why are you—what's going on?"

Axel might have cursed under his breath. It was hard to tell from all the pacing he was doing. "It slipped out of my mind. Your mother's Gala. It's tonight." He ran a hand over his face. "We're late. Get dressed."

I had nothing to say but, "Fuck."

***

There was a reason why I never visited my family after I moved out years ago. When I was diagnosed with my addiction, they went ballistic, caring more about how it could possibly damage our family's name than how it could affect me.

My mother was the worst of them. She insisted on sending me to rehab, try all the clinical remedies for sex addicts just so I could stop...wanting sex. Like it's something that could be treated by pills and I'd be fixed. A brand new son she would no longer hide from the world. No longer a disappointment.

But rehab was a nightmare. It was—

"Wolff?"

My head whipped to my door that I had absentmindedly left ajar. Mariana's head was poking through and she had the most adorable look on her face. Pink cheeks and lower lip tucked behind her front teeth like she was shy. Of me. Of what we did this morning.

If someone had the sense to be shy, it should be me. Perhaps even ashamed for jacking off purely from her smell. But my mind was completely shaken. Suddenly, half of my sex-filled brain made room for the anxiety triggered by the stress my family brings. Fuck, I didn't want to go to that damn Gala.

"Come here, please?" I asked Mariana despite my composure wearing thin. I just needed to hold her so bad and kiss her again.

Her face softened and she came to me. She stopped inches from my chest and I pulled her close, my arms circling her waist, nose nuzzling against the slope of her neck. She smelled of roses and vanilla and I was fucking weak.

"You're all dressed up. Where are you going?" Her voice was soft against my chest.

I pulled back slightly to peer over her. "There's a good chance I'm going to hell tonight and I'm bringing Axel with me."

Her mouth curled and my thumb reached out to trace it. "Look at you, cracking jokes."

Just like that, the tensed muscles in my body loosened and I began to breathe a little better. My thumb moved up to her cheek, stroking the blush that wouldn't leave. "You're flushed. I like you like this."

Mariana groaned, her palms coming up like slaps to both sides of her face. "I can't help it." She peered at me over her lashes, looking even more shy. "I'm inexperienced. Like so much it's not even funny. And-and with you looking like that..."

I inched closer. "Like what?"

She seemed breathless. Her pink tongue slid between her lips, wetting the swell of her lower lip. "Stop. You know you're hot."

My own mouth twitched and I leaned even closer. "Am I?"

She bit that soft lower lip and I lost it. I pounced her like a lion, backing her onto the doors of my closet. Her gasps were muffled against my mouth, fingers tangled through my hair and on the lapel of my suit.

Both my hands slipped beneath her sweatshirt and I moaned at the softness and warmth of her skin. Jesus, how would the rest of her feel? I was dying to find out. So much that my fingers unhooked her bra too fast and too easily that she didn't even notice it happen.

I wanted to know what those nipples feel like. Look like. Taste like. I'd bet all my damn books they were hard and swollen and—

"Kurt, are you re—"

All of us paused. Wide-eyed. It was Mariana who slipped away first, straightening her sweater and gasping when she felt her unclasped bra. She blinked at me like a little doe-eyed dear.

I fought a smile as I moved behind her, slipping my hand inside her sweater to hook her bra. Just then, Axel took a hesitant step inside.

"Um, sorry, I was just wondering if you're ready to go." He cleared his throat and tried to smoothen his tie.

"Yeah, just a minute." I spun Mariana around and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "We'll be back by midnight." I whispered against her brow, feeling her nod against my arms. At this moment, holding her like this, it felt like the most normal thing in the world and I would have given anything to stop the time.

Unfortunately, reality sucks and I had to let her go when she stepped away.

"Mariana, wait." She was barely at the door when Axel reached out a hand to stop her but quickly pulled his arm back as she spun to his direction. "Will you be interested to go to a Gala?"

"No." The answer didn't come from her but from me. "There's no way I'm going to let her go through whatever shit my family's up to these days."

The sigh Axel released floated loudly in the room, sending the message that he was extremely tired and didn't want to argue. Well, that made two of us.

"She could help you get through it. You're more relaxed when she's around—"

I snorted. "No. This is not up for dis—"

"It's okay. I want to go."

"Mariana—"

She was back in my arms again, her palms pressed against my chest. "I told you that I want to be in this with you. Let me help you, Wolff."

I knew I had a weak spot for her but I didn't know how much until now when all I could suddenly think was okay, I'd agree with anything you say. Anything. And then, I was nodding before the weight of my decision fully registered to me.

It was a trip to hell. And the girl I really fucking like was coming with me.