11 comments/  56991 views/  25 favorites

Dance with the Devil Ch. 02

By: Peachyrome



Marcellus arrived fifteen minutes early. He rang the bell and waited. He would wait all day if he had to, but he knew she was home. He had one of his men following her all week. He didn't want her to skip out on their agreement. Marcellus was a man that had built his own empire and did not take lightly to anyone who attempted to back out of any deals that were made. There were stories about the man that had been known as the devil since high school. Some were true; most were made up. Either way he had earned a reputation, and that is what kept him from Darien. 

Oh he had known who she was before she even said her name. He had been having her followed every since he found out that she was Devin's sister. Devin wasn't a hustler but he wanted to be. Truth be told he could never fit into the world of the hustler. It wasn't in him. Marcellus had put up with Devin long enough for him to screw up so that he could get to Darien. Every since the day he saw them standing in front of her apartment complex, Marcellus had wanted her. He had liked the look of her in her jeans. He had always been an ass man and Darien's was perfect. As he thought about it everything about her was perfect. 

Marcellus heard the door open and looked into the face of natural beauty. There was no make-up. Darien did not mutter a word. She simply stepped aside and let him in. Marcellus did not sit. He waited until a seat was offered then noticed she sat in another chair facing him. The sight of her tongue grazing her bottom lip had Marcellus adjusting his weight as he sat in the chair. Darien turned to him then decided to stand up. She went to the kitchen and poured two glasses of juice without asking if he actually wanted any. When she returned she handed him the juice and then stated flatly, "I can't go with you."

Marcellus stood and turned those scorching eyes on her. He didn't say a word, but did notice that she backed away from him just a bit. Smart girl, he thought. "Darien your brother owes me a lot of money."

"And I have it all for you right here." She pointed to the bag that was sitting on the table. Marcellus took a glance at the bag on her coffee table. Until now he had not paid it any attention. "I know you said the date between us would cancel Devin's debt, but I can't go with you."

Marcellus remained quiet. He then sat down and stared at the bag of money. Darien began to pull the money out of the bag. It was ten thousand all neatly wrapped. The sight of money usually was enough to give him a hard-on, but all he wanted was to kiss the girl that had been haunting his dreams for the last three nights. He wanted to feel her body pressed against his and hear her lips release his name in ecstasy, but instead she had said she would not go. Marcellus knew how to fix that.

"I applaud your effort, but due to the interest this is not enough."

"Interest? What the hell do you mean interest?" Darien was now angry. Her eyes were ablaze with the fire she felt. 

"Devin didn't tell you about the interest?" Marcellus hated doing this, but it was now time to stop having the bleeding heart and to make Darien understand that she would belong to him. "Your brother's debt doubled as of yesterday." He watched her sit down and begin to nibble her fingernail. "I still say we can have just one date and I will cancel the debt."

"And if I don't go with you, what happens to Devin?"

Marcellus had to stay firm with her in order to get his way. "He'll die."

Her intake of breath was so quick he wasn't sure if he had seen it. Darien was still. A million thoughts raced through her mind, but one in particular was that Marcellus was too close. She could smell the seductive scent of his cologne. She liked the way he was dressed in his casual clothes. She even thought he was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen, but she wouldn't go with him. 

Darien stood to gather their glasses; his remained untouched. She was in the kitchen rinsing the glasses when Marcellus walked up behind her and placed his hands on her waist. Darien jumped. "I don't bite, Darien." She remained silent. Marcellus kissed the side of her neck lightly. His kiss sent a shiver through her. She tried to move away, but then one hand moved to her breast. Again she was not wearing a bra. "I see you want to stay in today," he said as her nipples became hard at his touch.

"Marcellus, don't do this to me." 

"I am not doing anything, but making you say yes to our date. If you say yes, I will stop and we will leave your apartment. If you say no, I will assume you want to me to go further." To prove his point he moved his other hand down to the apex of her thighs. He could feel her heat through her cotton shorts and he wanted to taste it. 

"Marcellus, let me go, please." Darien knew if he continued she would not be able to resist him. She had been thinking about him for days; had gotten herself off thinking about him in the shower right before he arrived. She knew he was attracted to her, but there was no way she would allow him to know she was attracted to him. She pushed back against him with a small force. "I can't do this and I won't go with you." She tried to assert herself. 

Darien walked away from him but he grabbed her by her hair and swung her around. His lips came crashing down on hers. Feisty women had always turned Marcellus on, but Darien was a deadly combination of feisty and sexy. His lips devoured hers. Her breast pressed up against him felt right and he just couldn't control himself. He pushed her against the kitchen wall and held both her arms with one hand while his other hand snaked up under her shirt to feel her soft breast. Darien struggled to get free, but nothing worked. The harder she fought the tighter his grip got. Why did she let him in? How was she going to get out of this? A thousand questions raced through her mind and then she felt his hands lifting her to the counter and he pinned both arms behind her back. He lifted her tank top with his mouth and slowly kissed a path to her breast from her stomach. 

She heard him groan as he kissed one honey colored breast. The sable tips were hard and sweet to the taste. He noticed she began to give up her fight as he gently sucked and kissed each breast. Her breathing became shudders with each pass of his tongue on her breast. "Marcellus, please." 

"Please what?" He was teasing her. He brought his lips to meet hers and when she returned his kiss he released her arms. He took the opportunity to slide those tiny shorts down her smooth legs only to reveal a lavender thong. "Purple was always my favorite color. How did you know?"

Her response was a sensual moan as he began to caress her clit. Marcellus lowered to the floor until he was kneeling between her legs. He kissed and caressed her thighs until she was moaning and moving closer. The fire he stoked within her was too much to bear and when he looked up into her soft brown eyes he saw the want. He glided his tongue along the length of her wet pussy, "Mmmmm," she moaned. He threw her legs over his shoulders and went about kissing and licking her pussy until she was pumping up to meet his tongue. She ran her fingers through his hair as she brought him closer to the sweetest pussy he had ever tasted. He knew she would taste sweet. He continued to look up into her eyes as he continued to lick her. When Darien was on the verge of coming, Marcellus sped up his efforts and swallowed all of her as she release her sweet juice into his mouth. He then went up to her mouth and kissed her senseless. "Are you ready for our date, now?"

Dance with the Devil Ch. 03



Marcellus opened the car door for Darien and watched as she swung those sexy honey colored legs into the car. How was he going to make it through this day without tasting her again? He had never been with a black woman before, but something about Darien turned him on. His father used to tell him not to get involved with black women. Marcellus now believed his father may have had a love affair with a black woman and she broke his heart, because the man was bitter towards black women in his old age. He had been thinking of the old man all week since that first kiss with Darien in her room. The same question came back to replay itself in his mind -- what is it about Darien that makes him forget everything?

Darien crossed her legs and the skirt she was wearing rode up about two inches. This only exposed more of the legs Marcellus had been sneaking glances at since they got into the car. "So, where do you want to go?"

"I'm just a prisoner; we do as we are told." Darien's reply took him by surprise. He understood the reason for her words, but didn't like them at all. 

"Darien, if this is going to work, we have to make it fun." Marcellus had stopped at the red light and was now looking at her. She turned towards him and saw the lust in his eyes. He caressed her cheek and gave one of the most devastatingly handsome smiles before saying, "and we both know how fun it can be, right."

The timber in his voice made her panties wet. She could only remember the feel of his tongue as it stroked her to a climax she had long been deprived from having. She uncrossed her legs and then re-crossed them in an effort to keep the sensations at bay. The look in his eyes told her to not fight it and to let go, but Darien knew after the sex play in her kitchen that she would want more and more of Marcellus Christos.

Darien looked over at him. You could see the Sicilian features in every fiber of his body. He was tall and tan and sexier than any man had a right to be, but Darien remembered the one thing that got her into this mess. Marcellus Christos was a dangerous man. He wouldn't think twice about killing her or anyone else and that thought had her nervous. How could Devin have gotten her mixed up in this mess? 

"We have arrived." The sound of his voice brought her back to the real world. She looked around and noticed they were behind the art museum parked next to the pond. The expression on her face asked the question. "I like this place. It calms me."

Darien nodded. She didn't want to let him know this was her favorite place and that she often came here to study under the big weeping willow or to just take pictures. Photography had become a hobby of hers, lately. 

Marcellus took her by the hand and began to walk the length of the man made lake. He never let her hand go. They looked more like a couple than two people who were settling a debt. They had walked down the lake about thirty minutes just talking about different things. He learned that she liked to read, and that she had not had a boyfriend in quite some time. He shared with her that while he believed in marriage he would never get married. This took Darien by surprise. Most of the street people she knew from her old neighborhood never even mentioned the word marriage. But, Marcellus wasn't from her old neighborhood and he wasn't your typical street hustler. 

When Marcellus slowly pulled her closer to kiss her, it was like second nature to give in. She wanted his kiss him. She wanted to feel those soft sexy lips against hers. She remembered how they made her moan for him earlier in her kitchen. Her thoughts began to wonder about how it would be to have sex with him and to ride the seductive wave of passion for hours on end. Darien had to catch herself. What was she doing fantasizing about being with him? A drug dealing murderer, who was only interested in her because her brother owed him money. She backed away from him.

Marcellus read her face correctly, "don't go there, Darien." 

"How can I not go there? Its obvious we are attracted to one another, but to know we are only here because of debt that is owed to you, I can't do this." She began to walk away from him. Marcellus was hot on her heels. 

"Darien, you can't blame me for what happened," Marcellus said as he grabbed her arm and snatched her back around to face him. "I didn't put you in this position. I only took advantage of it."

"That makes me feel so much better. I guess you were bored with women that fall at your feet all the time so you decided to force me to go on a date with you."

"Darien, you are so far from the truth it's sickening." Marcellus had let go of her arm and was now standing in front of her. "Think about it?"

Darien had been thinking about it all week. She had wondered what the hell it was about her that made Marcellus come up with this outrageous deal. She had seen Marcellus out at clubs. He was always with some beautiful girl that just couldn't seem to get enough of him. Darien had run into him, literally, coming out of the ladies room of the Pleasure Principle. He was busy fixing his clothes and she was trying to enter to check her make-up. Once inside she had noticed the flavor of the week brushing her hair and touching up her make-up. It was obvious what she and Marcellus had been doing. 

"What do you want from me? I am not your usual flavor if you know what I mean and we have nothing in common." Darien was trying to spell it out for him in terms she knew he would understand. 

"I don't have a particular flavor, unless you consider sexy a flavor." That cocky smile of his was kryptonite for her. He reached for her hand. "I know what you think you know about me. But this life for me is almost over. I have enough private ventures to keep my money working for me for the next 10 generations. I just want to get to know you, and sex you so good; you don't remember anyone but me."

"I'm not sleeping with you, Marcellus."

"That's what you say now. We'll talk about it later." He took her by the hand and walked her back to the car. They rode in silence to their next destination. 

Marcellus escorted Darien to a private hanger at the airport. She hesitated once she was out of the car. "Where are we going?" 

"Dinner," was his one word response. 

"On a plane?" He had expected her question and had sensed her fear. 

"No, Miami. I like this restaurant called Rendezvous and I want to take you there."

"Can't we go somewhere local?" 

"Darien, I just need you to trust me. Think about our day so far. If I were going to do anything to you it would have been done already. I just want to take you somewhere nice, and I know there are nice restaurants here, but I want your undivided attention." He saw the uncertainty in her eyes. "You can call Devin and tell him where you will be." He handed her his cell phone. He knew she was going once she walked away to make her phone call and then handed the phone back to him.

The first half an hour of the flight was spent in unsure silence. Marcellus was busy asking himself why he had done this, and Darien was skeptical of what was to come. There was low sensual music playing somewhere in the distance. Marcellus noticed Darien sway to the music so he asked her to dance.

"We can't dance now in mid air."

"Sweetheart, it's my plane, we can do whatever we want to do." 

The smile he gave her was mesmerizing. She walked into his arms and it felt right. Marcellus moved his hands up and down her soft curves. He was sure Darien felt his erection, so he didn't attempt to hide it. He massaged her hips and caressed her backside and they swayed to the music. He leaned closer to smell the exotic scent of her perfume and to glide his tongue along the side of her neck. He kissed her earlobe and planted small kisses alongside her jaw bone. When his lips finally met hers she felt his heat. It was the same heat she had seen in his eyes the first night they met. It was that same angry heat that was in his eyes earlier when he had completed a business call by slamming his cell phone shut. It was the same heat that made her remember rumors she had heard about how he released his anger.

If she remembered correctly he liked to have sex to release his anger and frustrations. Well, she thought he doesn't have a reason to be angry now. They were dancing and it was making her want him. She felt his erection pressed against her middle. She felt the soft kisses he planted on her lips and cheeks and down her neck. She felt her breast pushed up against his hard chest and her nipples puckered.

Marcellus could smell her want. He knew she was ready. He smiled to himself. He could have her right now on this plane if he wanted to; and he did indeed want her. How could this girl, yes girl, do this to him? At ten years younger than himself Marcellus considered her a girl. He still didn't know what it was about her that drove him crazy. He was to a point of distraction this whole week just thinking of what he had planned for her. After tasting her this morning in her kitchen he just had to have her. He slid his hand to the hem of her shirt and then his hands moved underneath it and up towards her breasts. Her tips were hard pebbles that were begging for him to suck them. Darien was so hot. The pathway between her brain and her nipples was blocked and all she could do was feel. Marcellus removed her shirt and unhooked the front clasp of her bra. His mouth immediately sought out one nipple.

"Mmmmm," was the soft response from her lips. She placed her hands on his head to keep him still. 

Marcellus went about massaging her other breast with one hand while he removed her panties from underneath her skirt and placed them in his jacket pocket with the other. His fingers began to play in her wetness and the feel of her electrifying heat against his fingers made her knees weak. Marcellus sensing her getting close placed her on the soft rug. He removed the rest of her clothing and grabbed the throw that was on the leather couch and covered them. He looked down at her glowing skin. His lips ached to kiss and taste every inch of her. Marcellus noticed the purple polish on her toes when he removed her sandals. He smiled into her eyes and kissed his way up to the sweetest place on earth. 

Marcellus kissed her thighs and the closer he came to kissing her core the more she fell apart in his arms. He locked her legs over his shoulders and gave her the most intimate kiss. "Yes," was her breathless response. Marcellus made a pass along her lips again with his tongue. This move made Darien raise her hips to meet his lips.

"That's right, give it to daddy," he said as he continued to lick and kiss her delicious pussy. "By the time we land you are going to be mine." With that said and Darien so close to release Marcellus entered her with one long thrust. Once he was buried deep inside her he just savored the feel of her tightness. He rose up on his arms and looked into her eyes. Her curls were spread out so seductively around her he just wanted to touch them. She looked like a woman that was made to love a man in this way. With the blanket covering their lower halves, Marcellus began to thrust into her. Long sure strokes that were meant to break down barriers. He wanted this girl. He needed Darien. Wanted her to feel how long he had waited for her. Just the thought of how long he had waited to have her made him want to ride her long and hard. Marcellus lifted her ass and grabbed it in his hands and he continued to pump strong and hard into her. Darien was so close to the climax she deserved, and then Marcellus withdrew all but the tip of his hard dick from her. He watched as Darien's eyes met his. Her eyes pleaded with him for release, but he would not oblige. He withdrew completely and allowed his cum to leak onto her legs and stomach. When he was done he got up and walked to the private bath, leaving her on the floor shielding herself with the small blanket. 



Dance with the Devil Ch. 04



Darien had never felt so used. She was standing in the second bathroom looking at herself in the mirror. What had gotten into her? She had just said that she wouldn't sleep with him and she had done just that. She had slept with the devil. Her mind was now racing with thoughts of how she could slow this roller coaster down. She had to admit to herself that he had made her feel sexy. Desired. Wanted. Her skin tingled every time she thought of how he had driven her to that exotic place where only the sexually satisfied landed. Now she wondered how she would get through the rest of this "date" without wanting more of him. 

Marcellus had showered and changed and was now waiting for Darien to come out of the bathroom. He knew she was hiding. He smiled to himself. He got an instant erection every time he thought of how it felt to be locked deep inside her. It felt like heaven to him and he wanted more. Everything in him told him that Darien would try to resist him for the rest of this date, but he would not allow that. He would be a fool to allow that. Now that he had experienced what had been the most mind blowing sex of his life, he wanted more of it. He wanted her with him, always. 

Darien decided to quit hiding in the bathroom. When Marcellus heard her approach he got hot all over. Instead of taking her previous seat next to him, she sat on the other couch. Marcellus sensed her withdrawal. He attempted small talk, but her one word responses were grating on his last nerve, so he stopped. 

Darien was sure most women usually felt privileged to be chosen by Marcellus, but she was not most women. She knew how dangerous this situation could be for her. She knew that if she slept with him again it would be over for her. She was not ready to make those types of changes. She wasn't ready to become just another girl to him. She had to be strong and stick to what she knew was right for her and her life. And, that life did not include being a mistress to Marcellus. She stole a look at him. He was staring right at her. She saw the heat in his eyes and swallowed hard. Then she continued to read the magazine that she had taken from the table next to her. 

So, she was going to ignore him. That's what she thought at least. Marcellus laughed to himself. He had plans for her once they landed in Miami. He had not meant to bring her to the meeting he had planned, but knew once he tasted her this morning that he couldn't let her out of his sight for the rest of the day. 

Possessiveness was a new emotion for Marcellus. He had been in relationships before, but this thing with Darien had him feeling like he needed to be a part of someone else's life. He had prided himself on no attachments. This included women and children. He had promised himself he would never marry, and he didn't believe in children being born out of wedlock. He knew Darien wanted a husband and children and a simple kind of life. He also knew he would never be able to give it to her, but he didn't want to let her go.

"We will land in Miami in approximately twenty minutes, so please buckle up." The pilot's voice came through the speakers and both Darien and Marcellus fastened their seat belts. Both continued to be silent towards one another. 

When the plane landed Darien just followed Marcellus' lead. There was no luggage to collect, so that part was easy. At the end of the runway was a limo the driver opened the door, but Marcellus took her hand to help Darien into the car. A part of him just didn't want another man to touch her. She slid to the far side of the seat and made sure there was more than enough space between the two of them. 

"Are you not speaking with me after all we have shared today?" Marcellus asked her.

It took her a minute to respond and when she did he was livid. "I am just trying to get through the rest of this date so that I won't have to ever see you again." 

"Well, you are long way from home right now, so lets just make the best of it shall we."

"Whatever you say." She hated him right now. She hated how he made her feel. She hated that he didn't realize he had offended her by walking away from her after they had sex. She now knew where she stood. It wasn't as if she didn't know that before, but now it was confirmed. She was there for his pleasure, not hers. 

The limo stopped in front of the most beautiful house she had ever seen, and it sat right on the beach. She stepped out of the car and Marcellus immediate clasped her hand in his. She felt that normal spark of electricity between them but ignored it. She walked along side him to the house. It was quiet. Darien didn't know what she had expected, but she didn't expect the quiet.

"Welcome to my home." He smiled at her.

"It's beautiful," was her quiet response. 

"I'll show you where you can change." Marcellus walked up the grand staircase.

"I don't have a change of clothes."

"I took care of that." Marcellus continued to walk up the stairs. Darien followed. Marcellus opened the door to a suite of rooms that any girl would envy. There was a young girl about her age waiting for her. Darien was skeptical of the girl's presence. "Darien, meet Casey, she is going to help you get dressed and do your hair and make-up. She is your personal stylist for the day."

Casey smiled and then rushed over to Darien. "Hello," she stuck out her hand to shake Darien's. "You are just as beautiful as Marcellus said you would be." She was smiling at Darien.

"Thank you. Its nice to meet you," Darien said shaking the young woman's hand. 

"Ok, Marcellus, out!" Casey ordered. Then she closed the door behind him. 

Darien eyed Casey and wondered about her relationship to Marcellus. "We are family." Casey answered the unasked question. "Marcellus took care of me when my dad was murdered." Casey saw the look of sympathy in Darien's eyes. She appreciated it. "Don't be sad for me. I have a great life. My mom and I don't want for anything. Marcellus put me through school and now when he needs me to do small favors I take care of them."

"So, you've styled his women before?" Darien asked.

"Yes and no." At least she was honest, Darien thought. "I have styled women for Marcellus before, but I have never been asked to style them in his home. He usually has them come to one of my salons." At Darien's questionable look Casey replied, "You're the first to be invited to his home."

The ladies continued to chat as Casey worked. Darien learned that Casey studied fashion in Italy and New York. She graduated with double majors from Columbia and Marcellus had paid for it all. Darien liked the friendly young woman and had decided once she moved to New York for her new job she would visit Casey's salon. Time had flown by and the two women only became aware of it when they heard Marcellus knock on the door.

"He is going to be blown away," Casey said as she stood behind Darien in the full length three-sided mirror. Darien had to admit Casey knew her stuff. Her make-up was not overdone and looked natural. He normally curly shoulder length hair had been straightened and pinned in a sexy up-do that gave the impression that little effort went into the style. The strapless lavender gown that stopped right above the knee showcased her curves and made her legs appear longer. The four inch strappy stilettos made the package complete. Darien smiled, took a deep breath and then went to the door.

The door finally opened and Casey stepped out first. Marcellus couldn't hide the look of disappointment. "I'm not offended this time. Only because I know you are going to be in for a real treat." Casey said. 

Darien stepped into the hall behind Casey and Marcellus was speechless. He had known her natural beauty, but this vision in front of him took his breath away. "You are beautiful."

"Thanks to you."

Marcellus offered his elbow to her and she hesitated before taking it. She was still not speaking to him, but had decided she would make the best of this evening. It would be over tonight and she wouldn't have to see him again. Darien took a deep breath and went with Marcellus. 

They arrived at another mansion. There were plenty of big cars, lots of jewels and designer clothes. Darien took it all in. Numerous people approached Marcellus to shake his hand. His introduced her simply as Darien and never left her side. They went to an area of the house where it seemed a stage was set for a play. Marcellus led Darien to a private area set up for him. They sat in silence while they waited for the show to begin. 

The room went dark. Darien and Marcellus sat up straight in the seats so that they could enjoy the show. A spotlight came on and there was a woman standing in the nude. Her body was beautiful. Darien noticed she was about the same complexion as the girl. Then a man came up behind her and cupped both breast in his hands. The music began and the two actors began their program. Darien watched in awe as they moved in sync with one another. There were no words spoken. The couple just danced and expressed themselves with their motions. They told a story of resistance and surrender. Darien felt Marcellus turn toward her and began to trace a line up her thigh. He kissed her neck and nibbled her earlobe. Her breathing became heavy. He touched her breast softly stroking her nipple through the bodice of her dress. Darien moaned softly as the heat within her began to grow hotter. She looked up at Marcellus and he captured her lips. He kissed her to a point where she lost track of where she was. He glided his hand up her dress and began to stroke her soaking pussy. The heat of her felt good against his fingers. He removed her thong and placed it in his pocket. He laughed inwardly and wondered why he had even bothered to purchase the damn things for her. While her legs were slightly apart Marcellus inserted two fingers into her and began fucking her while his thumb played with her now hard clit.

Darien looked over at him and he kissed her again before saying, "keep watching the show." Darien looked back at the show and the man was on his knees with his face buried between the legs of his partner. She was laid back on the table top and she noticed the hard lines of the muscles bulging from the man as he pleasured his woman. 

Darien had never seen another couple have sex except in movies and she realized what a turn on it was for her. At the same time the woman began to shake from her orgasm, so did Darien. Marcellus enjoyed feeling her release on his fingers. He removed his fingers once her trembling subsided. He wiped her clean with a handkerchief then licked his fingers, as Darien watched. He leaned over to her and whispered, "See we can still have fun even if you aren't speaking to me." 

Darien remained silent. Her body was excited and if Marcellus were to touch her even in the slightest way she would be ready to surrender to him again. They said their good byes and while walking to where the valet had the car waiting Darien could smell the sexiness of the city. It heightened her sexual craving for Marcellus. She had been trying to ignore him so that the date would be over soon, but each new thing they had done only made her want him even more. 

Marcellus had designed a date so that he could get her out of his system. He thought tasting her would do it and that had not worked. He thought once he had sex with her it would be enough. That had only increased his wanting. He had left abruptly on the plane after mating with her and it was just so he wouldn't go for another round. This particular woman had him all twisted. Was it her innocence? He knew just from today she had never been fucked properly. Was it her resistance to him? She was still trying to ignore him in hopes of this date being over soon. What the hell was it? Marcellus was definitely not used to this. Everything about Darien intrigued him, her eyes, her lips, her skin and definitely the constant scent of her arousal. It was as if he was drugged when it came to her. He needed space to breath.

Marcellus was quiet for the entire ride back to his home. Once inside his home he read the question in her eyes. "We will leave in the morning." She only nodded and went to the room he had given her. 

Marcellus watched the sexy way her ass moved as she ascended the stairs. He followed her. With each step toward her he told himself just this last time. What will it hurt? Inside her room, Darien undressed and got in the shower. She didn't hear Marcellus enter her room, and didn't know of his presence until the shower door opened. Without words he backed her against the shower wall and kissed her roughly. Darien resisted. She didn't want him like this. He was angry about something, and she didn't want to be the recipient of his angry sex, but he wouldn't let her go. His hand was around throat as he kissed her. He roughly teased and bit her breast as he forced himself between her legs, but didn't enter her. He jammed both of his hands into her hair and held her in place while looking deep into her eyes. "I want you. I know you don't want me. I know you can't wait to get back home and never see me again, but I have to have you tonight." He closed his mouth over hers and kissed her hard. His hands went to her breast and he pulled roughly on one as his other hand went to the center of her and found her to be wet. She hated that he had her so excited that she would accept him even like this. Marcellus lifted and entered her in one stroke and began to pound into her as he held her against the wall. The water sprayed down on both of them. Lost in his own need, he almost lost it when he felt her pussy suck him in deeper, milking him of what he had never given to another woman. He lifted her by her ass and continued to stroke into her with such a force that the wall would certainly leave a bruise on her back later. When he felt the pressure in his balls he went into her faster. Darien met him stroke for glorious stroke and they both came together, holding on to one another. Marcellus carried her back to the bed and they continued what they had started in the shower until the wee hours of the morning. 

Darien awoke the next morning to find she was in bed alone. On the night stand was an envelope. A short note from Marcellus telling her that her flight back home would leave at one that afternoon and the car would be waiting outside for her when she was ready. The note also stated that another envelope was in her purse. Darien checked her purse and found an envelope that contained five thousand dollars. If she had not felt like a whore before - she did now.



Dance with the Devil Ch. 05



It had been two weeks since Darien's trip to Miami with Marcellus. It had also been two weeks without so much as a hello. How could she let him get to her this way? Now that her body had been made aware of its sexuality, how was she going to go without it? Two whole weeks and not even a hang up call on her voicemail. Darien had spent the last two weeks berating herself for allowing him to use her, but she knew that she had to get over that. 

Rya had called and asked her to go clubbing and after the midterm exams and the stress of not hearing from Marcellus, she had decided to go. Rya knew about the arrangement for the one date to clear Devin's debt, but she had no idea how far that one date had gone. She had asked Darien plenty of questions, but they all went unanswered or she would simply say, "We had dinner in Miami." She could never mention the sex.

The sex. Every time she remembered the feel of him inside her she got wet. She had brought herself to sensual release so many times over the last two weeks that she had lost count. No other man had this affect on her, but tonight she wanted to forget Marcellus. She had to forget, lest she be shackled to him and she could only guess what hell that would bring. 

Darien heard the bass of the music before she entered the club. The front-man at the door took one look at her and allowed her and Rya passage. She had seen the look of lust in his eyes as his gaze traveled the length of her legs. She was not tall by any means, but her legs gave the illusion of being attached to a tall body, a tall curvy body. Tonight she had decided to let go and to forget. She was dressed in tan mini dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. She wore little make-up and carried her Coach wristlet that was given to her by her boss at work for her birthday. On her feet were a pair of five inch pumps that just screamed, "catch me, fuck me." 

It had been easy for them to find a table, and they saw a group of their friends from Canisius and asked to sit with them. The table of ladies hadn't convened five minutes before the first round of drinks arrived. "Drink up ladies, this round is on my brother. Its his way of saying happy birthday to his little sister," said Jasmine. The ladies all drank and then several made their way to the dance floor, including Darien.

Darien moved around the floor from partner to partner. Rya was never too far away as she danced all over the floor as well. Suddenly, Darien was pulled against a very muscular male chest. The grip on her arms was determined. She looked up and saw Church, one of Marcellus' bodyguards, had a firm grip on her arms. She smiled up at him, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you standing there." Darien attempted to step back out of his grasp, but instead of letting her go, he pulled her forward. 

"I've been ordered to have you come with me." The big man's words left no room for discussion.

"Get your hands off me, Church." She jerked away from him. Rya, seeing what was going on, went over to her. 

"Is there a problem here?" Rya asked.

"Miss Darien is to come with me, by any means necessary." As the meaning of his words sank in Darien flinched.

"We came together," said Rya. "That means we leave together."

"Suit yourself," was all Church said before both girls were swept off their feet; Church carried Darien and Moe, the other bodyguard, carried Rya through the crowd. Neither was settled on their feet until the elevator doors closed and they were moving upward.

"What's this about, Church?" Darien asked him. She remembered him being friendly before.

"Boss says he wants to see you. My job is to make that happen." The big man only looked at her. He had a soft spot for her every since that first night in her apartment. She reminded him of his little sister, Jaycee. Like Jaycee, Darien was full of fire.

"Did you have to drag me out of the club?" 

"No, but would you have come otherwise?" Church's expression told her that he knew the answer to that question so she need not answer. Rya cleared her throat.

"Rya this is Church. Church, this is Rya." The big man smiled at Rya, when she smiled back he had a look of surprise on his face. Most girls were afraid of him. He could tell she wasn't. 

They remained silent for the remainder of the elevator ride. Darien and Rya were escorted by Church and Moe to Marcellus' loft apartment. Marcellus didn't look up right away when he heard their approach, but his senses went on alert the moment he smelled Darien's perfume. This particular scent was only sexy on her. He knew the scent and had inhaled it plenty of times, but on Darien it made his dick hard, and his need for her grew stronger. . 

After being ignored for much longer than she was willing to put up with Darien dared to speak his name. Marcellus looked up from his game of pool to acknowledge her presence. That was all he did. Anyone not used to his heated stares would think he was angry. Darien knew he was turned on by her appearance. That knowledge made her body temperature rise another 10 degrees.

After winning the game of pool, Marcellus walked over to Darien. "What are you doing in my club, Tesoro?" She didn't answer him. 

His voice reminded her of a lover's caress. She tried not to let the fact that he was getting to her show when she spoke, "I didn't know this was your club. I purposely avoided the Pleasure Principle." Her words let him know she was trying to avoid him. 

Marcellus smiled at her. He raised his hand to caress her cheek and she backed away from him. This angered him and Darien knew it, but she would be damned if she gave in to him again. Marcellus withdrew his hand and turned toward Rya. "Hello, Rya." He saw the surprise in her eyes that he knew her name. "I am Marcellus Christos, El Diablo, as I have been referred to lately." 

Rya smiled. She found it amusing that he knew of his own reputation. She had referred to him as El Diablo plenty of times when she saw him out at his clubs or when she saw his men carrying out his orders. "Nice to meet you," Rya replied. 

"Rya, I want to know if you can help me. I have been trying to get your friend and our one date off my mind, but for some reason I can't do it." Darien swallowed hard. She knew Marcellus was a private person so he would never disclose how far that date had gone to anyone, but she wasn't sure.

"What do you want, Marcellus?" Darien asked.

Darien watched as Marcellus walked back toward her. He leaned in close so that he would not be heard by anyone, but Darien. He was so close she could feel his heat. It was the heat that she knew was a permanent part of him. The Devil, as he was known suited him. His eyes held fire. His body emanated a degree of heat that made her want to step back as much as she was drawn to it. Darien felt herself shiver when he whispered, "You." 

Darien lowered her head and then out of nowhere landed a slap to his cheek that was heard throughout the loft. Marcellus took hold of her wrist in his hand with such a tight grip that Darien winced in pain. "Rya, if you will excuse us for a moment. I need to speak with Darien in private." Marcellus then led Darien roughly into the next room. Darien was hurled toward the piano bench and made to sit down without Marcellus saying a word. He stood over her at his full height of six feet four inches. He roughly lifted her chin to look at him. He saw the fear in her eyes and he was sure the anger in his registered with his. "So you want to play rough." 

Darien saw the light in his eyes go dark and the storm clouds moved in. She made a move to get up and he pulled her roughly towards him. Before she could inhale her next breath his mouth was upon hers, kissing her into submission as she struggled within herself. Not again she thought. I can't do this with him. Marcellus' grip on her wrists made it impossible for her to move. 

Darien felt herself being lifted and then her backside was resting on the wood surface of the piano. Marcellus released her arms and stepped between her legs. He then began kissing her this time as his hand traveled to the soft folds of her core. She was hot. The pleasure he evoked made her stop fighting. Darien was now giving herself freely over to Marcellus to do as he pleased. 

Marcellus took in her attire. God, she was sexy. He felt his cock strain against his pants at the sight of her laying back on the piano with her short dress riding even higher on her legs and those pumps making those legs look sexier than any he had ever seen. He roughly pushed up her dress and realized she didn't have on any panties. This only enraged him more. Why would she go around with no panties? Who had she been planning to see? With each new inch of her body exposed he grew more intense; his hands on her were rougher. 

Marcellus kissed her stomach and the scent of her readiness was more than he could stand and he went lower. Being this close to her clean shaven pussy made him groan with the anticipation of filling her to the hilt. Marcellus hurriedly unfastened his pants and was buried balls deep inside her before she could think about what was happening. He pumped into her with blunt force. He was lost inside her tightness. He wanted to punish her for being apart of his dreams for the past few weeks. He wanted to let her know he was in control and could have her whenever he wanted her. He jammed his hands in her hair as rammed into her. He had tried to stay away from her, but the moment he saw her on the security cameras he knew he had to have her. 

Marcellus had deliberately stayed away from Darien. He had wanted her to go on with her life and to forget all about him. He had attempted to erase the memory of their one date by fucking one of the shot girls in the club. It had only made him want Darien even more. Looking down at her honey coated skin and seeing those sable tipped breast of hers was like going home, and when he realized how deep inside her he was, be stopped moving. He had never meant to take her like this. 

Marcellus had wanted her so badly that he just lost it once she slapped him. He knew she would hate him for doing this to her. He felt her move and at the same time felt the tightening in his balls signaling he was on the verge of blowing his loan inside her. He lifted her from the piano and stood pumping his climax into her until she went limp in his arms. 

Once Marcellus heard Darien's moan of release and she was running her fingers through his silky hair, he followed with his own climax. He allowed her body to slide down the length of him and he sat her on the bench. Darien was taking in deep breaths to steady her heartbeat as she leaned against the piano. 

When Darien was able to control her breathing she pulled herself up to a standing position and walked into the small bathroom across the room from where they stood. Marcellus walked over to the bathroom door and heard her crying. He knocked softly and then entered when she didn't respond. "I'm sorry, Tesoro. I didn't mean to hurt you." Marcellus was feeling guilty for taking her during his moment of blind rage after she had slapped him. He touched her shoulder and kissed the back of her neck. 

Darien didn't respond. He thought because he had taken her in a rage that she was hurt. Her tears only confirmed his feelings. If he had been able to remember her response to him he would have known she had loved every moment of it. 

Darien was grateful he thought he had hurt her. It allowed her to reclaim the small amount of dignity she had left. Darien straightened her shoulders and stepped away from him as much as she could in the small space. "Will you give me a moment to clean up? I don't want to worry Rya by going back in there looking like this." Marcellus reached out to touch her then withdrew his hand.

"I will wait for you outside."

"I'll just be a minute." 

Marcellus left her so she could clean herself up. He informed Rya that she would be right out. Rya had long ago suspected something more was going between Darien and Marcellus, now she had proof. Marcellus instructed Church to escort the ladies back to Darien's apartment. Church walked over to Marcellus and whispered, "I hope you got this out of your system."

Marcellus shot him a fiery look and said, "make sure the ladies are home safe." He then walked over to Darien and took her face in both of her hands and kissed her cheek lightly. He then watched as she stepped into the elevator and leaned against the wall, all the while looking down at the floor. She never looked up as the doors closed shut.



Dance with the Devil Ch. 06



The weeks rolled by and May brought Darien's graduation. Devin and Rya sat out in the audience to represent her family. They were the only family she had left. Devin could be a distraction most times, but it was times like this that she remembered their childhood. A part of her had hoped Marcellus would show up, but the reasonable side of her knew he would not. They had successfully avoided one another for six weeks. Yes, she was counting. She had grown accustomed to his touch and she had been tempted to seek him out on occasion but had decided against it. Instead, she had thrown herself into her books and preparations for graduation. She assumed Marcellus had gone back to his life before their date. 

Marcellus stood at the back of the auditorium. He had wanted to stay away but knew this day was too important to Darien for him not to acknowledge it in some way. He had not seen her in six weeks. Six weeks of not touching her. Six weeks of not kissing those soft full lips. Six weeks of not being inside her tight body. She looked beautiful as she walked across the stage smiling and waiving at Devin and Rya. Marcellus smiled to himself. He remembered those rare moments when she had smiled at him that way. Those times were over and done with now. 

When the ceremony was over he put on his sun glasses and made his way to his car. Church was waiting for him. As the graduates and their families all spilled out of the auditorium, Marcellus looked back and his gaze collided with Rya's. He placed his index finger to his lips, telling her to keep their secret. She nodded slightly and turned her attention back to Darien and Devin. 

Church watched from the review mirror as Marcellus just rode in silence. "You ok, Marcellus?" 

"Yeah, Churchboy, I'm good." 

"I know it's hard to let her go, but you have to." Church usually did not get into the personal affairs of Marcellus. He never had a reason to until now. Marcellus' reaction to Darien had him acting in ways that Church had never seen. They had been friends since they were both on the high school football team. Church was on his way to the pros before he got sidelined with a knee injury in college. Marcellus had encouraged him to finish school. Church went and got a degree in Heath and nutrition and then became a personal trainer. When he and Marcellus had gotten back in touch with one another, again Marcellus had convinced Church to partner with him. He needed someone he could trust, and with Church, whose real name is Keylin, Marcellus knew he had chosen right. Under the guise of being a bodyguard, Church was able to see and hear things that Marcellus would miss. Church glanced at his boss and friend from his review mirror again. "You can go and claim her soon." 

Marcellus had a hint of a smile on his face. "I don't think she will have me." 

"There are ways around that. You know that more than anyone." 

"Naw, after our last time, I don't think she will want anything to do with me." Marcellus ran his hand down his sun kissed face. He was in awe of Darien. Nothing he did, normally, worked with her. He would buy expensive gifts for women, with Darien that wouldn't work. He would take them on exotic trips. He had done that with her and it had not worked. He had given out wads of cash at times. Darien took that as in insult. He smiled when he remembered going back to his home in Miami and finding the cash, he had left her taped to the full length mirror with the words "no thanks" written in lipstick underneath it. 

Darien. She was an enigma, something so different. Marcellus was not used to defiant women who would stand up to him. Hell, he was not used to anyone that stood up to him, except Church. The fact that Darien was so independent made him want to choke the hell out of her in one moment, and hold her close the next. What was he going to do? She was slowly driving him crazy. 

Church stopped the car and Marcellus got out. They had made their way to the foot of Ferry Street. Lake Erie flowed along and with it came the smell of sewage and fish. Marcellus hated coming down here, but this was one of the few open places he knew of in the city. It provided him and his associates the anonymity that they needed to conduct their business. Marcellus watched Moe walk toward him, but paid more attention to the man leaning against the car behind Moe. "What's up with Meech?" 

"He's just being Meech." Moe had hoped Marcellus would not notice that Meech was high. 

Marcellus shook his head. How dumb did Moe think he was? Why would he attempt to cover the fact that Meech had been snorting his shit, unless they had been snorting it together? Nothing irked Marcellus more than a dealer who used the product. That usually just made for bad deals, snitching, and murders. Too bad, he had really liked Moe. Marcellus looked over at Church. Church only nodded.

"Yo! Meech," Church called the skinny white boy over to where he and Marcellus were. They both noticed that Meech seemed more sluggish than usual, and he needed a shower badly. 

'Meech, I need you and Moe to load the keys in the back of truck."

Meech nodded and he and Moe began taking the suitcases from their vehicle and loading them into the mini-van, that Church would drive to the next location. Marcellus would take the car that he and Church had ridden in. Once the van was loaded, Church went back over to Meech and Moe. "Meet me in the Falls. We will go to the casino and spend a little time at the club. Both men nodded then left.

"Call Jimmy and tell him to take care of them." Marcellus then walked to his car and drove off. 

Darien was all smiles as she let herself and Rya into her apartment. She spotted the lavender tulips sitting on the granite counter top and she stopped. Rya ran toward the bouquet and inhaled deeply. She looked for a card, there was none. "I guess we'll never know who sent these."

"Throw them out or take them with you." Rya was confused by Darien's words. The flowers were beautiful. "They are from Marcellus. You can take them with you or they will go in the garbage."

Rya placed the flowers along with the vase in the kitchen trash bin. She went to the guest room to change her clothes. She had been staying with Darien for the last few days while her apartment was being painted. She actually liked having a roommate and if Darien were not moving away for her new job Rya would have suggested they room together, but her friend was only going to be around for another two weeks so she had to make the best of it.

Darien was sitting on the couch checking her email from her laptop when Rya came back into the living room. The girls had decided to have a movie night. They had ordered a pizza and were going to stuff their faces all night. Darien looked forward to it. Rya had cancelled her date for the night and Darien as usual did not have any plans. She had decided to relax until it was time for her to start her new job. 

They were getting ready to sit down with the first movie when the pizza arrived. Not too long after the pizza arrived, Devin dropped by unannounced. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to talk to you." Devin looked at Rya. "In private."

"Don't even try it, Devin. I don't have anything to hide from Rya."

Devin looked skeptical but then just blurted out that he needed to borrow some money. A feeling of déjà vu came over Darien. She finally realized that no matter how many times she tried to help Devin he would always get himself into more trouble. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes briefly, and then reopened them. 

"Get out." Her statement was plain and simple; her words clear and concise. She was finally able to see her brother for the user he was. The memories of his last urgent visit came back to her and with them came thoughts of Marcellus. She had been fine without the memories and now here was Devin throwing them back in her face. 

"C'mon, Dee, I need you."

"Why, do you owe money to some other criminal? You want to pimp me out to them, too?" Darien was livid. If she had a bat she would slug him right up side his head. "Get out, Devin. I don't have money for you or anyone else. You will just need to get yourself out of this one." Darien went to the door and opened it. Devin left out and turned around, but then turned to look at her and she slammed the door in his face. 

Darien sat quietly thinking of the last few weeks. She was done doing Devin anymore favors. She had almost lost herself with the last one. Marcellus had been on her mind constantly. She would begin to miss him and then catch herself. Why was she missing someone that treated her like a whore? He had all but raped her the last time they were together, but her conscience reminded her that she had been dripping with excitement, literally. Darien would remember the part of their date when they walked by the lake at the park. She would remember their first kiss and then remember the heat that was Marcellus. She would force herself to remember how he took her on top of the piano in his loft. She had to stop this before she drove herself crazy.

"Are you ok?" Rya had remained silent.

"I'm cool." Darien remained quiet. She went to the kitchen and took out a can of ginger ale. She filled a cup with ice and poured the soda into it. Out of nowhere, she began to speak. "Between Devin and Marcellus I am going to lose my mind." She took a big gulp from her cup. "I can't wait to leave town."

"You will only miss us." Rya tried to make light of the situation.

Later that night in her room, Darien tried to read, but it was close to impossible to concentrate on her book when her mind only wandered to thoughts of Marcellus. What was it about this man? Was it the power? Darien could barely contain herself when she thought of the night he had taken her to the show in Miami. Marcellus had brought her to a climax with just the use of his experienced fingers. She tried to shake off the memories. It was a waste of time to think that she would ever be able to understand it. She barely knew him, but she had given herself to him completely. He had left her not once but twice, and yet she had been easy prey for more. How long would she be haunted by the memory of this man and his sex? She looked over at the clock. It was almost two in the morning. She decided to get some sleep. 

At two in the morning, hell was just waking up and the Devil was wound tight. Marcellus sat in his office waiting for Jimmy. He had to know that his orders had been carried out. This one had been a hard decision. Moe was one of his right hand men, but when Marcellus had suspected him of skimming, he was irate. Then the day at the foot of Ferry Street made him realize Moe was for sale. It would not have been too long before Moe sold him out. Church was sitting across the room. They had discussed the situation earlier. Both men now just waited. Both wondering how long before they could walk away from this life and start living. They were both deep in their own thoughts when Jimmy walked in. 

"Everything cool?" Marcellus had spoken. 

"It's done." Jimmy was another friend from the old neighborhood. He had been running with Marcellus and Church since they were teenagers. 

"Now let's get down to our other business." Marcellus sat down at his desk. He was preparing to go into details about some of their holdings when his office door burst open, and Devin was being forced through it. Church and Jimmy both reacted by drawing their guns. Marcellus stood and just shook his head. He could not do this right now.

Marcellus walked slowly from behind his desk. He ran one hand through is hair and the other remained in his pocket. Why was Devin so stupid? He had lost a package worth ten thousand dollars, and Marcellus had allowed that to go unpunished in order to get a taste of Darien. Now he had been suspected of stealing a key out of one of the packages. When would the stupidity end? Marcellus knew the answer. He had known what he would have to do weeks ago, but he had met Darien, and a part of him could not bear to bring sadness to her life. Killing Devin would do that. 

Devin stood in front of Marcellus. He was nervous. Marcellus could smell his fear. He hated weakness in men. It meant they would never be any good to anyone. They served no purpose. "Lock him in the basement." Marcellus then walked out of his office. He wanted to distract himself from the very thoughts that came to him at the sight of Devin.

It was rare that Marcellus sat at the bar of any of his clubs. Tonight he did that. He watched the partygoers breeze past him. He was deep in thought about the man locked in his basement, and what that meant for the woman whose essence he could not shake. His cell phone rang. "What's up, Church?" 

"We have to do something with Devin."

"Church, you of all people know I can't kill him." Church was quiet. He understood what Marcellus was going through. "Let Devin sit for a while. Give me a chance to figure this shit out." Marcellus pushed the button to end the call. 

Devin had been locked in the basement a week. The first thing Marcellus took notice of was the stench. It was almost unbearable. Marcellus knelt down in front of Devin. It was a while before he spoke. Devin had pissed himself a few times, his breath smelled like death, and the mixture of stale ass and shit hung in the air. "Devin, tell me why I shouldn't kill you?"

Devin lifted his head to look at Marcellus. At first, he thought the man in front of him had been a mirage. He reached out to touch him. Marcellus moved out of reach. "You smell as if death has come to claim you."

"I can't die in this hole." Devin stated.

"Devin, you are not going to die. I am going to make you an offer you should not refuse. You can thank your sister for saving your life."

"What does Darien have to do with this?"

"Let's just say, she's a nice girl, and I would hate to bring sadness to her life." Marcellus motioned for Church to unlock Devin's restraints. They helped Devin to his feet. "I am going to let you live. I understand your parents are no longer living. All you have is Darien. All she has is you. You are going to retire." Marcellus readjusted his hold on Devin. "If I hear of you doing anything remotely close to something illegal, I will kill you myself." They continued to walk.

They walked to the back alley behind the building. Jimmy and a few others were waiting. Marcellus pushed Devin toward Jimmy. The big man captured Devin by the front of his shirt. Having not walked in a week, his legs were like jelly. "What are we doing?"

"Show him why he is not to refuse my offer, then dump him." Marcellus walked away, but not before, he heard Devin scream.

Darien heard ringing in the distance. She covered her head with her pillow. Who the hell would be calling at four in the morning? She reached over and knocked the glass of water off her nightstand, "shit," she groaned. "Hello." Her voice was scratchy from sleep.

"Is this Darien Brooks?" The female voice asked.

Darien sat up. The caller sounded official. "Yes, this is her."

"Miss Brooks, I'm calling from the emergency room at Erie County Medical Center. Your brother, Devin was brought in about an hour ago. We need you to come right away."

"Is he ok?"

"He's critical," was all the caller would say.

Darien dressed quickly. ECMC was a fifteen-minute drive from her apartment complex. She had called Rya once she was in the car. Rya had said she would meet her there. When Darien arrived at the hospital the person at the desk explained to her how Devin was dumped in the parking lot of the hospital and was now in ICU. The doctors had him in a drug-induced coma so that it would be easier for them to work on his multiple wounds, one of which was a cracked skull. 

Rya had arrived while Darien was getting the briefing from the doctor. Both women were led to Devin's room, with instructions to only stay a short time. Rya waited in the family waiting area while Darien went in to see Devin. The sight of Devin hooked-up to a breathing machine was her undoing. She immediately blamed herself for not giving him the money he had needed. She got angry with herself for not calling him this last week, but she had been so pissed off with him that she had not wanted to see or hear from him. She held on to his hand and said a silent prayer for him before walking out of the room.

"You ok?" Rya asked.

Darien nodded. "I have to call Minka." She exhaled the breath she had been holding. Minka was Devin's off again on again girlfriend. They had been on lately.

"I'll call her for you." Rya offered. 

"Thanks."

After hearing from the doctors that Devin would recover it would just be a while and he would need a stable environment, Darien had decided to contact the job she was to start in Atlanta and explain her situation. The agency representative understood her situation. She liked Darien and did not want to see talent like hers go to waste. She gave her the name of a friend in Buffalo who had an advertising firm. The firm had been looking for a graphics designer and Darien was hired. Now, that her career was secure, Darien concentrated on getting a new place to live. She needed one that would accommodate both she and Devin. She found a loft apartment in the theatre district. There was a huge bedroom with a private bath on the first floor and Darien would take the second floor and the master suite for herself. 

It had been a month of Devin being in the hospital. Darien had been so busy getting situated in her new job and her new apartment that she had not had time to consider a personal life. A coworker had asked her to go out to dinner with him. She thought about it then declined. Darien wanted to avoid all contact with rumors of affairs at work.

Rya had called and told her she needed to get out and breathe. They decided to go to Epiphany's for dinner. It was within walking distance of Darien's apartment. As soon as she entered the restaurant, the hairs on the back of her neck stood to attention. She began to get that nervousness about her that she had not felt in a long time. She spotted Rya sitting at booth in the corner and walked toward her. 

"This place is great. How did you hear about it?" Darien asked.

"Church, told me about it."

At the mention of Church, Darien lifted one perfectly arched eyebrow in question. Rya only smiled slyly and pretended to read the menu. "Rya, be careful."

"I am being very careful." She then looked over at Darien. "I'm also having so much fun. You knew I was attracted to him that night we went up to Marcellus' loft."

Darien nodded. Heat rose within her upon hearing Marcellus's name. She tapped her foot rapidly underneath the table. Something just was not right with this setting. Darien looked around, and seeing nothing unusual went back to reading the menu. 

Marcellus watched the screen. Her honey brown face was worry free. She had begun to wear her normally curly hair, straight. He preferred it curly, but it was sexy nonetheless. The subtle way the business suit hugged her figure was alluring. She stood to got to the ladies room and he was so turned on by the sway of her ass that he had not heard Church enter his office. 

"I see you have found something to hold your attention other than spreadsheets."

"What is she doing here?" Marcellus turned to Church he knew him or Rya had something to do with this.

"She is having dinner with Rya. You should go say hello." Church was smiling.

"Church, stay out of this." 

"Go say hello." Church held the door open for Marcellus.

"I can't. I've decided that I want her, but I am going to wait until I am legit."

Church laughed. When was Marcellus going to realize they would never be legal? It was not in them. He may as well get used to the idea and claim what he felt was his woman before someone else did. Once Church realized Marcellus was not going to approach Darien, he closed the door. What the hell had gone on between those two? Church could only imagine. He knew how Marcellus could be. When he was angry, there was only one way to exert that energy. Any other way would cost someone their life. The latter had been his vehicle of release recently. Everyone that had crossed Marcellus in the last few months had come under some excruciating and fatal circumstances, all except Devin. This only proved Darien's hold on Marcellus was stronger that even Marcellus realized. 




Dance with the Devil Ch. 06



Later that night Marcellus was pacing in his loft. Sleep was long ago forgotten. He stood looking out at the waterfront view of his loft. He thought about Darien. He remembered the feel of her smooth legs wrapped around his waist. He remembered so clearly, how easily her body accepted him into hers. It had been almost four months since he had last tasted her. The memory of that last night, right in that very same room where he now stood was vividly playing in his mind. He needed her again. He would be damned if he waited any longer.

Darien had been thinking of Marcellus every since she returned from dinner with Rya. It was late and she was still wide-awake. How in God's name was she going to function tomorrow? She went downstairs to the kitchen to get a glass of juice. She went into the living room and stopped in her tracks. Marcellus was sitting in her chair. She closed her eyes, thinking it was just her imagination. When she reopened them, he was standing in front of her.

"You're not dreaming, tesoro, I came for you."

The glass she had been holding slipped from her hands and crashed to the hardwood floor. They both ignored it. Darien was too afraid to take her eyes off him. Marcellus caressed her cheek with his hand and felt her slightly turn into his caress. Darien hated the way her body responded to him. Her nipples puckered and her pussy became instantly wet. He would always have this affect on her. She knew this now. He lifted her easily and carried her over to the couch, and sat with her straddling his lap. 

At the feel of his erection brushing against her panty-clad pussy, Darien snapped out of her reverie. She pushed against him but he held her tight. "We can't do this, Marcellus."

"Of course we can tesoro. You want me just as much as I want you. I feel the heat of you against my dick. Your body misses me. You miss me. He slid his hands under the tight t-shirt she was wearing and began to play with his nipples. 

Darien fought against the feeling. "How did you get in here?"

"You're asking too many questions." Marcellus had her shirt up exposing those beautiful full breasts that he had missed the taste of over the past few months. He took one nipple in his mouth as he rubbed the other between his fingers.

"Marcellus, don't." She pushed against him again. 

"Don't fight this Darien. I told you on the plane that by the time we landed you would belong to me." He kissed the fleshy part of her breast and then took the nipple back into his mouth. "I meant every word. I have gone without you long enough. Tonight that stops." He was now sucking on her left nipple and his right hand was playing in the folds of her pussy. He found her clit and gently began circular motions. 

Darien could not think when he did this. She felt her body responding to him and she wanted to stop it, but he was right her body had missed him. She had missed him. She had missed this. Her hands moved from his chest, where she had been pushing him away, to his hair where she was now pulling him closer, so he could give her nipples proper attention.

"That's it tesoro, give in to me. Let me take you to our private place. Allow me to give you the pleasure you can't give yourself."

How could he have known she had thought of him when she was lonely and had gotten herself so worked up she had not choice but to please herself? Before she could form a reasonable answer, Marcellus was removing her panties and had removed his pants. He felt the wetness of her pussy on his cock and groaned. He lifted her slightly and grazed the tip of his dick against her heat. She tried to lower herself onto him, but he wouldn't allow it. Her body absorbed his heat as he continued to stroke her intimately. She tingled all over. What was it about his touch that just made her want to release herself to him in this most primitive way? When she thought, she could take no more he lowered her to his dick, but only allowed the tip to open her up. 

"Please, Marcellus," she was begging him to fill her up.

"Please what, tesoro? What do you want me to do?" He was now holding her still above him, not allowing her to lower herself on him. He looked into her eyes while he held her face in both of his hands. She knew what he was asking. He wanted her with him. Darien tried to ease herself onto his erect cock. "No, Darien. Tell me what you want."

Darien looked into his eyes. Those deep brown pools were calling to her. She had become addicted to him after the first time on the plane. She knew she was his. She decided to stop fighting. "Marcellus."

"Say it, Darien. Say what you want"

"I want you to fuck me." She gave in.

"I didn't hear you. If you want it you have to ask me for it nicely." Marcellus was letting her know that he was in control.

"Marcellus, please fuck me. I need you inside me. I ache to have you right here." She slammed herself onto his cock. His sharp intake of breath let her know that he was not as in control as she thought. He wanted her just as she had wanted him.

"You want me to fuck you? You want me to bury my dick so deep in this hot pussy." Marcellus was wild. He filled both hands with the fullness of her plump brown ass. He moved her on his dick, controlling her rhythm. Just when Darien was about to come for the first time, Marcellus rose and pumped up into her tight canal with such a force that he continued to hit her spot over and over.

"That's it. Marcellus...mmmm...I'm going to come,"

"Don't hold back. Come with me, Darien. Let me feel you come all over me. I've missed you, tesoro. I have missed being inside you. Marcellus still had his hands full of her ass and when he felt the beginning of his climax, he pumped up with stronger strokes. Darien jammed her fingers in her hair. She kissed his lips and threw her head back in complete release.

Marcellus' climax was soon after. Darien felt his hot seed flow up into her. She loved the feel of him inside her. Marcellus lowered her to the couch. Instead of allowing her to catch her breath, he laid her on her back and continued to pump into her. "Marcellus, we can't do this again."

"Yes we can. Let me show you what this pussy can do. Its mine; you're mine. I am going to make sure you don't forget it."

Darien felt him grind against her clit. The feeling was pure electric. Darien wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and lifted her ass from the couch. She matched every stroke with one of her own. She allowed her hands to run all over his tanned chest. Marcellus pulled her back up so that he could taste her nipples while she rode his dick hard. The second wave of ecstasy crashed around them and they could only hold on to one another. 

Darien awoke the next morning wrapped in Marcellus' arms. He felt her move and he held on tighter. Darien, tapped his arm. "I have to go to the bathroom."

Marcellus lifted his arm and grumbled something about not being gone too long. When he heard the shower running, he got up to join her. In the shower, he got up close behind her, cupping her breasts in his hands. He kissed her neck and licked her earlobe. His hands slowly moved up and down her thighs. Darien leaned into him and moaned. Marcellus moved his hand between her legs and began playing with her clit until her legs began to shake. He pushed her against the wall, lowered himself to her bare pussy, and feasted upon her until she was leaning on him for support. When she could no longer stand on her own Marcellus carried her back to the bed. It amazed Darien how she was always ready for him. Even, now, she wanted to feel him stretch her pussy to its limits. 

"Come on, tesoro, tell me how you want it." Marcellus was deep inside her now and his lips were kissing up and down her neck. He lifted a hand to her neck and began to pound into her. He was lost in her. They were so connected at this moment he didn't know where he ended and she began, and he saw no way out of it. 

"Hard." The pushed up to meet his thrust. "Harder." She was met with another thrust. This one was harder than the first. He then lifted her ass off the mattress and slammed her against him. "Yes, Marcellus, that's it baby. Give it to me. Make me want more of you."

"I will give you more, baby girl. I will give you more." He pulled out of her and flipped her onto her stomach, before she drew her next breath he had entered her hard from behind. He gripped her hips and began to pound her hard. He knew she liked it a little rough. So he gave into her wants. Just this once he thought, she could have her way.



Dance with the Devil Ch. 07



He felt the walls of her pussy tighten around the thick head of his dick. He moaned in pleasurable agony as she slowly lowered herself. He moaned again, and then right before he could lift up into her completely, she moved back up. It was beautiful to watch her body in motion as she pleasured not only him but also herself. As much as he did not want her to stop, it was pure torture of the sweetest kind. He wanted to fill her with his cock but she would rise just out of reach each time he moved to fully enter her. 

She leaned her back against his chest when he began to pinch her nipples. She moaned so low and sexy against his lips that he almost lost it. He slowly moved his hand toward her clit and began rubbing it slowly. This brought her so much joy that she pushed down hard to encase his full length into her hot tunnel. Yes, she was enjoying this. Each moan of pleasure let him know that no matter what, she was gloriously happy right now. 

He wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her so that she was not facing the back of the couch. He moved his leg to accommodate her body and caught a glance of the butterfly tattoo on her ankle. He smiled. That was one of the few things that had turned him on about her. Then he saw those sexy toes peeking out of those fuck me pumps that she liked to wear and he drove his dick home. He felt her tremble when he hit her spot, so he pulled out and hammered in again. She was melting; he could feel it all over his large member. Her juices now leaking to his balls as she pushed back against him again and again. 

This woman that was now his was a handful. He watched as her brown ass moved back and forth over his cock. The sight of him gliding in and out of her while her juices shined on his dick was enough to make him want to come, but he held on. He did not want this feeling to end. He was in that place somewhere between love and lust. Right now lust was taking over and he liked the feel of it.

She was so close to coming that if she didn't soon she would start rubbing her clit to make it happen faster. She enjoyed fucking this man. She knew he belonged to her and only her. He had done everything to avoid it and now he was hers. Her mind screamed for this madness between them to stop but it did not. It could not stop. As she thought of these things, she threw her ass back against him in a circular motion. She knew how sensitive the head of his cock was. She knew if she continued to rotate and pull forward at the same time he would come. Just when she was about to come he pulled out of her and placed her on the back of the couch with her legs spread so wantonly that he had full access to what he now called his pussy.

He began to lick her repeatedly. His tongue felt like heaven against her pussy. He took long slow strokes as she held on to the back of his head. It would never be better than this. How much better could it possibly get between them? He wrapped her legs around his neck and he feasted upon her as if she was the most delicious meal he had ever tasted. 

She continued to hold his head firmly against her pussy and began rotating her hips. He felt her about to come. He did not want this to end just yet, so he lifted her in his arms and placed her legs around his waist and rammed that monster pole into her while standing in the middle of her living room. "Ughhh!" was all she could say. He drilled into her with such frenzied efforts as he held on to her petite frame. 

He watched as those beautiful twin brown globes bounced with each stroke. "This is what you wanted right?" She could not speak. She was so wrapped in this cocoon of love and lust that he had built around her that she could not repeat her own name if she had to. She wrapped her arms around his neck as a signal to give her more. "So, you want more of me, huh?" He placed her on the countertop table that sat in the corner and spread her legs wide. He never disconnected himself from her. It would be a sin to do that. 

He felt her claw at his chest as he pounded into her. He would retreat and then slam into her. He knew how she liked it. A lot of love mixed with a little kinky. Her small body took all that he gave. He played her pussy like a beloved instrument, made her sing every time they were together like this. He watched as her long curly hair brushed her shoulders as she threw her head back in ecstasy. He could watch this over and over. How beautiful she looked when she reached her peak. Her face became a mixture of pleasure and pain. Her release was often forced out of her, because she never wanted to come before him. It made her come harder knowing that they came together. 

"I'm almost there, baby."

"I know. I can feel it." He then hit her spot and she came. Her body wracked with wave after wave of the most exquisite vibrations. 

She watched his orgasm as it moved through his body. She felt a little conceit in knowing she had made him feel this way. It was then that she tightened her inner muscles and zapped him of all he had left. As she walked to the shower, she felt their combine juices make a path down her legs. She smiled at how sexy it made her feel. 

When she came out of the shower, he was laying on her bed. "So what time is your meeting with Marcellus today?" Rya asked.

"In about an hour." Church watched as Rya moisturized her skin and then slid on a lacy pair of boy shorts and matching bra. "What are you doing today?"

"I'm going to help Darien and Minka get Devin settled. He is being released from the hospital today."

"That is one lucky bastard," Church replied as he looked over at his woman and she slid that beautiful body into a girly looking sweat suit.

"I guess so. I mean if you want to call being beaten badly and left for dead lucky." Rya noticed Church did not say anything right away.

"Keylin, did you have anything to do with Devin being in the hospital?" Church knew if she called him by his government name that he was in trouble. They had been seeing each other now for about three months. He knew her quirks.

"I didn't have anything to do with it." He reasoned with himself that he was not lying. He didn't actually participate in any of the beating. "I just hope he listens to Marcellus and takes the offer that was made."

"What offer, Keylin?" Rya was getting agitated. She could tell from his cryptic tone that he knew a lot more than he was telling. She also knew that she did not want to know. The more she knew the worse off Darien would be. Rya decided to leave it alone for now. 

Darien woke up unsure of her surroundings. She focused her eyes on the man sitting in the chair across from the bed. Her hair was disheveled; she still had last nights lipstick smeared around her lips, and yet he had never seen anything more beautiful. She smiled at him and he came closer to her. Marcellus noted the devilish grin on her face and he kissed her. Every kiss had him wanting more of her. Every touch from her hand made him want to be the man of her dreams and every moment spent with her led him closer to the decision that they could never really be a couple. 

Darien had been brought up in every way he had not. Until her parents had been killed in an accident, she and Devin had been the epitome of middle class America. Then they were uprooted from the suburbs and moved to the East Side of Buffalo to live with their aunt. Darien had continued with her parents plans of college and career. Devin decided to follow the streets and those streets had led him to Marcellus. 

Marcellus continued to look into her deep brown eyes. He caressed her cheek and smiled at her. "Good morning, Tesoro."

"Good morning, Marcellus." Darien pulled the sheet up around her breasts. Marcellus was disappointed. He had liked watching those sable tipped beauties as she slept. 

"What are you doing today?" Marcellus watched as she stood and began to gather her clothing in order to prepare for her shower.

"Devin is coming home from the hospital today. Me and Rya are going to help him get settled at Minka's." Marcellus looked confused. 

"I thought he was going to stay with you." 

Darien had just shrugged her shoulders. She had wondered how Marcellus would react to losing Devin as one of his workers. "He was going to, but he decided he had invaded my privacy enough over the last few months." She and Marcellus shared a knowing look. They both knew Devin's meaning. 

It had always been their elephant in the room. Neither ever spoke of how they started. How their relationship had been a negotiation versus one of genuine respect and love. Darien often thought of how Marcellus would have never looked at her twice had it not been for the fact that Devin had owed him money. Marcellus knew he was not her first choice for a man. He knew she never dreamed of loving a criminal. She was something he would never understand. Her hustle matched his hustle, yet she was legal. That was something that would always keep them apart. 

Marcellus kissed her lightly and left the room. He understood Atlas, the Greek who carried the world on his shoulders. "I'm glad to see Devin is getting better." His demeanor had changed. They had been lovers now for a while. She was beginning to learn his moods. Something was not right with him.

"Marcellus, I don't know if Devin has told you or not, but he found a job with a construction company." Darien just watched him.

Marcellus did not say anything. He knew from her conversation that she had no idea he had ordered Devin beaten. How could he have missed that? He had to tell her before she got into a conversation with Devin. "Are you free for dinner this evening?"

"Yes, as long as dinner is in this city. I have to work in the morning." Marcellus smiled as he remembered the first time he had taken her to dinner. They ended up in Miami watching the most sensual performance he had ever seen. 

"How long are you going to work?" Marcellus' tone was low.

Darien was confused by his question. She looked at him in awe. She was not sure how to respond. She had never had to think about that question. How long was she going to work? That had never been a question. She continued to think about Marcellus' question the entire time she was in the shower. She still did not understand it.

Marcellus silently cursed himself. What had made him ask her that? It almost sounded like he was asking to take care of her. That is not what he wanted. He meant what he had told her about marriage. He believed in marriage but it was not for him. Therefore, he should be glad that she was so self sufficient, but he was not. Why did he feel the need to make this woman his? He had started asking himself where he thought this was going, but he had no answers. He only knew that he had to keep her close. He had never given thought to a future with any woman, but the thought of her not being with him drove him mad. He was sure she would give herself to him freely, but he would never ask her to do so. 

Darien and Rya went to the mall after helping Devin get settled at Minka's place. Minka had reassured Darien that everything was fine and that she could handle the rest. Darien finally relented and allowed Minka to take care of Devin. 

"It was good seeing Devin up and around," said Rya.

"Yes it is, even if he has to use the crutches." 

Rya only nodded. "So, have they had any leads as to who did this to Devin?"

"You know how this city is, no one is going to say anything if they do know." Darien just shrugged her shoulders in frustration. "I am just thanking God that they did not kill him."

"That is a blessing in itself. I was really scared that first night at the hospital." Rya paused. "Did Devin ever say who he owed that money to? I bet they are the ones that did this."

Darien was quiet for longer than was required. Rya noticed but did not say anything. "To be honest with you, I have been thinking that Marcellus had something to do with this. I just don't want it to be true. But he acts all weird every time I mention Devin."

Rya was glad that her girl was not slipping. She had not wanted to be the one to tell Darien that Marcellus had ordered Devin's attack. Rya had known that Marcellus was responsible. She knew Church would never admit it to her, but she knew. If she didn't know anything else, she had learned to know Church over the last few months, and she knew by what he was not telling her that Marcellus was behind the beating. She had decided not to say anything to Darien. If anything were to be said to her, it would have to come from Marcellus. "I'm sure we'll find out soon enough, " Rya said. She had wondered why Devin had not said anything to Darien. What was he waiting on, a wedding? Rya could only hope that Devin had decided to let Marcellus be the one to tell her the truth. It would be the only way to keep them together. 

Marcellus' driver opened the door to car to let Darien out. "Have a good time." Darien smiled at him.

"I hope to," she replied sweetly. She entered the private dining area and saw that Marcellus was not alone. An older gentleman was sitting at the table with Marcellus. Darien knew to stay back until they were done talking, so she waited. 

Marcellus picked up her scent and cursed himself for not having Carlo gone long ago. Darien knew what he did, but he never wanted her to get close to his business. He had been successful in keeping his world with her far away from his underworld dealings. He turned and smiled slightly. When he turned back to Carlo, he noticed the man enjoying the view of his woman. His woman? For some reason the thought of Darien as his woman no longer made him cringe. He had noticed that she was wearing a red dress that stopped mid thigh. Those curls that he loved so much, bounced over her shoulders. He turned back to Darien as he waited for the normal feeling of panic to come over him, as it normally did when he thought of them being a couple. It never came. That let him know his decision to tell her that he had ordered Devin's beating, was the right one. Marcellus had decided to let Darien know how he had been feeling and he had taken steps to get things right between them. However, he knew they could never move forward until he told Darien about Devin. He had planned to do that tonight, but Carlo was still here. For some reason he had chosen tonight to be overly talkative. Normally, he would be quick in his business but today Carlo was not so quick to leave. He had to get rid of Carlo so he and Darien could discuss the decisions he had made. 

Darien had waited by the door for him to acknowledge her, when he did she walked over to the table. Marcellus watched each step that she took. He enjoyed watching her walk. He liked the way her dress moved around her legs. Speaking of those legs, they went on for what looked like miles, but she was not a tall woman. She stood near him as he introduced him to his guest. 

"Darien, I'd like you to meet Carlo Borelli. He is a business associate." Darien shook the man's hand.

Carlo's eyes looked over her hungrily. The look was not wasted on Marcellus. He placed his hand on the small of her back and moved her closer to his side. Carlo did not miss the hint that Darien belonged to Marcellus. "You were right, Marcellus. She is even more beautiful than you could have described." 

Darien was flattered by Carlo's words. It warmed her a bit to know that Marcellus had discussed her with one of his associates. "Thank you," she said as she nodded in his direction. 

"Darien, believe me meeting you is the most exciting end to this day." Carlo was still flirting with her when Marcellus held out the chair closest to him for her to sit down. 

"Carlo, flattery will get you no where with this young lady."

"Oh you mean she doesn't like being told how beautiful she is or how gorgeous she looks in that dress." Darien smiled. Marcellus grimaced. Darien noticed; Carlo did not. 

Marcellus had hoped Darien's presence would signal to Carlo that their meeting needed to end. Carlo continued talking and when he let out that Marcellus was thinking of quitting the business, Darien turned to look at Marcellus. He would not look at her. Darien realized the meeting was not going to end anytime soon, so when the waiter came over for the third time she ordered her dinner then excused herself to the ladies room. 

Darien redid her makeup and fluffed her hair. After washing her hands she made her way back to the table. Carlo was standing to leave, but Darien could hear him saying something about Devin. "So, I understand you took care of the problem from our last shipment." Marcellus did not say anything. "I bet Devin won't steal from us again."

Darien found it hard to breathe. The one thing she had not wanted to hear was the one thing she had walked right into. Marcellus turned to face her when he heard her soft gasp. Her eyes let him know she had heard the conversation. Carlo noticed her return, but she hid her emotions well. Carlo walked over to her, "beautiful lady it has been my pleasure." Darien bid him good night. The man kissed the back of her hand, and then shook hands with Marcellus. 

Once Carlo had left, Darien ate her dinner. She never mentioned to Marcellus that she heard his conversation. Marcellus knew she had heard the conversation. He was glad it was out in the open, but she had not said a word. The waiter came to take their dessert order, Darien declined. Marcellus ordered coffee. He spoke into his cell phone to Jimmy, and made a few minutes after he completed his call he noticed she had not spoken to him. "Tesoro, we have to talk." 

"Can we get out of here?" Darien had had enough. She wanted to get away from Marcellus as quickly as she could. She played it cool just so she could get home and decide how to handle this. There was no way that Marcellus was going to get away with this. 

They had been traveling for five minutes before Darien realized they were going in the direction of Marcellus' house. "I need to see Devin before the night is over. I told him I could come by." She was hoping Marcellus did not pick up on her lie. 

"I wanted us to talk tonight." He was losing her; he felt it. If he let her go right now, she would be lost to him forever. He felt it in his bones. 

"Marcellus, you do remember I have to work tomorrow. I told you this earlier today." She had to get away from him. She hoped he did not try to force the issue. She waited for Marcellus to acknowledge her words. He finally lowered the partition and advised his driver to take Darien home. 

Marcellus had decided not to fight it. If she wanted to be away from him, what could he do about it? The unspoken words left Darien and Marcellus in a place they had not expected to be. She had never been afraid of him, now she was. She had never been unsure of where she stood; she now knew she was no more than a fuck. Marcellus reached for her hand across the seat and she moved it away. 

"Darien, you knew who I was before we started this... this, our situation." Marcellus tried to reason. Darien remained stiff. "What did you expect me to do when your brother was caught stealing from me?" Still, nothing from Darien. "Look at me, tesoro." 

"Don't you dare call me sweetheart. How could you have done this to me? How can you expect me to want to be with you? You are the reason my brother spent weeks in the hospital." "And my feelings for you are the reason he is alive." His words were angry, but they were true. She could even hear a hint of pain in them. She refused to be taken back in. "Darien, I never tried to hide who I am. If it weren't for who I am, we would have never met. Did you forget that we met because your brother owed me money? Did he ever tell you why he owed me the money?" He waited for an answer and when she did not give him one, he moved closer to her. He noticed the tears running down her cheeks. He went to wipe them and she moved away. 




Dance with the Devil Ch. 07



"Take me home. Just take me home, please." 

Marcellus just sat back for the rest of the ride. He was not used to being in a state of confusion. However, that is where he was. He would not stay here long. He just couldn't do that to himself. How was he going to get her back? That was his focus. He would not lose her; not when he had finally admitted to himself that he wanted her. He would let her sleep on this, digest her emotions. Then he would be there waiting for her in the morning.

Marcellus showed up at Darien's apartment the next morning, she had already left for work. He called her office and they said she was out today. He called Church and told him to get info from Rya. When Church called back with the news that Darien had not been in touch with Rya, Marcellus began to get that feeling of loss. Where could she be?



Dance with the Devil Ch. 08



Marcellus stood looking out of his office window. He could see Canada from this view. He had been standing in this very spot every day for the last three months. Darien had not called; she had not come by. No one had heard from her. Marcellus was no fool. He knew Rya knew where Darien was, but she would never tell him. He admired her will power. He had offered her everything he could think of to get her to release the info on Darien's whereabouts. She was not having it. Devin only knew that she was ok. She would only call him from her cell phone and it was always after nine at night. Darien knew Marcellus would contact Devin to get information. She also knew Devin would not be able to keep a secret, so she never told him where she was. Marcellus turned around when heard Church enter followed by Rya.

"What's up with the two of you?" Church motioned for Rya to say something. She bit her lip nervously. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Rya inhaled deeply then sat up straight. She reached into her purse and handed Marcellus a piece of paper. "This is Darien's flight information. She will be arriving in an hour. I wouldn't share this info with you if I didn't think you had a right to know."

"A right to know, I have been asking you for information for three months, Rya." 

"And you have it now, so go take care of your business." Rya stood and walked out of his office. 

Church just looked at him. "Be easy, doc." Church left. 

Darien walked toward the baggage claim. She saw a uniformed driver holding a sign with her name. She walked over to him and smiled. "I believe you are looking for me." The driver smiled and took her suitcase from her hands. He led her to the limo waiting outside. He placed her luggage into the trunk then opened the door for her. Darien got into the car and right away knew she was not alone. Marcellus sat on the seat facing her. She heard the doors lock and the car was in motion. "Hello, Darien." His voice was deceptively calm. 

"How did you know I would be here today?" She was calm.

Marcellus did not answer her. He just sat and looked at her face. This was the face that had eluded him and his men for the last three months. This slip of a girl had managed to hide in plain sight. He knew she was still working for the same advertising agency. He knew she still leased her loft downtown. Where had she been? No one had seen or heard from her in the last three months. No one except Devin and Rya. 

"Marcellus, I asked you a question. How did you know I would be here?" Still he did not answer. "Can you take me back to my apartment, at least?" Silence. Darien gave up trying to get him to answer her. She saw the way his eyes raked over her from head to toe. It made her nervous. She turned and looked out of the window and watched the scenery pass her by as they made their way to his home. 

They came to a stop in front of his home. As always, it astounded her. She had always liked coming here. A few months ago, she had felt safe here, now she was apprehensive and unsure of what to expect. She hesitated before exiting the car. "Get out." Marcellus barked. Darien was startled by his tone. She got out of the limo and Marcellus roughly jerked her close to him.

"Be careful you ass, I'm pregnant." Darien had not meant to blurt out her condition to him, but he had grabbed her so roughly that she had almost lost her balance.

Marcellus was stunned. He loosened his hold on her and then led her into the house. His housekeeper appeared at the door and he told her to show Darien to her room and to make sure she had everything she needed. Marcellus could not talk to her right now. He just wanted her as far away from him as he could possibly get her. Pregnant. Now what was he going to do? He had told her that he did not want a wife or kids. Why had he not known this? This is why Rya said he had a right to know. How long had this been a secret? 

Darien sat on the bed in the room. She looked around and remembered. She remembered making love to Marcellus on this bed, and then she corrected herself it was never love; just fucking for fun. Darien knew that Marcellus did not love her. When she thought about it, she had always known nothing would come of this relationship. Yet, she had dreamt that it would. Darien had wanted Marcellus to love her. But, could she say she loved him? Most of their time had been spent sexually. A real relationship could never be based on a beginning such as theirs. Now, she was pregnant. She had never meant to tell Marcellus of this pregnancy. She and Rya had argued their respective points repeatedly. She knew how Rya felt; therefore, she was not mad that Rya had snitched her out to Marcellus. She just had to figure out what to do. Darien knew she was trapped. Marcellus would never let her go now that he knew about the baby she was carrying. 

Marcellus was in his office pacing. Darien was pregnant. He would not be able to do this. A wife and kids did not fit into his lifestyle. Once your enemies find out that you have a family or anything that you care about they did what they could to take it away from you. He could not subject Darien and his child to that type of danger. Why did he feel connected to this girl? Yes, she was smart. Yes, she was beautiful. Yes he could admit he cared for her, but love he would never admit that. He wondered how far along was her pregnancy. Marcellus had told the housekeeper to make a tray of fruit, cheese and some yogurt for Darien. Marcellus took the tray to Darien's room. She was asleep.

Marcellus placed the tray next to the bed. He watched her sleep, snoring lightly. He had read somewhere that one of the symptoms of pregnancy was exhaustion. Marcellus continued to watch her in this unguarded moment. God, she was beautiful, he thought. He wanted to touch her, but did not want to wake her. Eventually, he could not resist any longer and he lay next to her on the bed and wrapped his arms around her. He encountered her small bump and moved his hand over her belly. His baby was growing right underneath his hands. Marcellus was in awe of the creation process of babies. He had never been this close to any pregnant woman. There had been women over the years that had told him they wanted his baby. Those women had just wanted a free ride in life. He never fell for it. Darien stirred. One soft tendril of her hair fell across her forehead; Marcellus tucked it back into place. He inhaled her scent. He remembered the scent. It was Donna Karan Cashmere. He remembered when he gave it to her. She had tried to give it back, but he would not hear it. 

What was it about Darien that made him want to give up his underground life, he thought to himself. There was clearly no future for them. He would want her to quit working and she would want to continue. He did not see marriage as an option for him, and she deserved better. Marcellus fell asleep with Darien in his arms. 

It was dark when Darien awoke and found the tray of food next to the bed. She ate some of the fruit and drank the juice that was now room temperature. Before she could think of where Marcellus may be he was coming through the door. "You could knock." Her statement was bold. 

"You've got nothing I haven't seen before." He looked at her as if to challenge her to argue the point. She only turned towards the window and continued to look out. 

"What do you want from me Marcellus?" She had asked the questions without turning to look at him. 

"I should be asking you that question. You are the one carrying my child. The same child that I told you from the beginning I never wanted." His words were like ice water splashed in her face. 

Darien turned to look at him. He was right, she reasoned. He had been honest and told her from the beginning that marriage and children were not a part of his plan. That had been why she never thought to tell him about the baby. She had deliberately rearranged her life so that she did not have to worry about Marcellus having any contact with her or her baby. Yes, it was her baby. She had known from the first day of the test results that this baby was hers and hers alone. Darien just looked into Marcellus' eyes. She could not read into them. She gave up trying. "I'm not the one who kidnapped you from an airport. I'm not the one that has been asking your friends where you are and what you have been doing." 

"Darien, wait-"

"No, you wait." She cut him off. "I'm tired. We both know that we can't go any further than where we are right now." She saw him flinch. "I don't understand your need to track me down. I never understood this thing between us, but it drew me to you. I fell into the trap that I am sure so many others have before me. It has to end, now."

"I guess there's nothing else to say." Marcellus turned to walk out of the room.

"So, you will have your driver take me home?" She asked to his back. 

Marcellus turned to see the look of hope in her eyes. "No." That one word, said so low and full of angry heat, caused her to take a step back. Marcellus took note of her slight retreat and remembered the day of their first date. She had done the same thing that night. She had stepped away from him. She had not known him then. She had a right to be afraid then. They had shared so much since that time, so she should know he would not hurt her, but she had stepped away from him anyway. She was afraid of him. 

Darien was afraid of him. He knew, in that moment, that they did not have a future together. Darien did not fit into his world. Oh, she could function, but not without turning into one of those women that he hated. Marcellus did not want to hate her. He did not want to let her go, but knew there was no way to keep her. So, why was he sitting at this desk thinking of ways to do just that? The thought of not being with her bothered him. He had never wanted a committed relationship; Darien made him want to commit himself to her. As he struggled within himself on what to do with her, the only thing he knew with extreme clarity is that he could not let her go until he decided what to do. 

Darien was in the kitchen. She had decided to do what she always did when she was upset, bake. As she kneaded the dough for the piecrust, she thought of what she could do to get out of here. She thought of ways to get Marcellus to let her go. Short of strangling him to death, she had no idea of how to get out of this house. 

Darien had always been an independent person. When her parents died, she had learned to depend on herself. Devin was not really a big help. The relatives that they had lived with were great, but she knew eventually that she would have to depend on herself. She had started working in her teens and had saved all of her money, only buying necessities. She had planned a comfortable life for herself and here she was pregnant and alone. She placed the peaches she had found in the refrigerator and prepared in the shell she had made, covered the sweet gooey mixture with the strips of crust in a crisscross fashion and put the completed cobbler in the oven to bake. She then began pouring batter into cake pans for the mocha chocolate cake she was making. Her mind raced with millions of thoughts as she moved around the kitchen.

Marcellus stood in the doorway watching her. He had no idea she could cook let alone bake from scratch. The he remembered he never really got the chance to know her before he was forcing her to go on dates with him and manipulating her into doing what he wanted her to do. He watched as she moved around the kitchen. He smiled when he saw her lick the chocolate batter from the mixing utensils before placing it all in the sink. Darien then placed her hand on her small bump and giggled. "You like chocolate, huh." Marcellus assumed the baby must have moved. He watched with fascination as she gently rubbed her belly and smiled. Marcellus watched her for what seemed like hours before he went back to his office without Darien knowing he had been standing there. 

Marcellus sat at his desk. The only light was the small lamp on his desk. He reflected on how Darien reacted to feeling the baby move. He remembered how she smiled at the joy of feeling the baby's movement. She had touched her stomach in awe, and communicated with the small miracle by rubbing her belly. Marcellus envied his unborn child. The child had one thing he would never be able to possess, the love of its mother. The child had done what Marcellus had failed to do. He was not capable of bringing joy to Darien. His cell phone rang. The caller ID let him know it was Church.

"What's up?" Marcellus said into the phone.

"I hadn't heard from you since earlier. I was just making sure you were still alive."

Marcellus laughed a little. He and Church both knew how angry Darien would be. "Thanks, for getting Rya to give me the info."

"That was all Rya. She has been trying to get Darien to tell you she was pregnant every since she found out about the baby three months ago."

"You mean to tell me that Darien was pregnant when she left that night after finding out about Devin?" Marcellus did not want to believe that she was that far along, but that would explain the bump.

"She's almost five months pregnant, Marcellus. From what Rya says, she was going to tell you about the baby that night, but she found out about Devin first." Church continued, "After she found out about Devin, she decided not to tell you about the baby."

Marcellus was angry. How could she not want to tell him about his child, their child? "I gotta go, man." He hung up the phone without waiting for Church to respond. He went back to the kitchen to find Darien. 

Darien was taking the cake out of the oven when she noticed his entrance. "Have you changed your mind about taking me to my apartment?"

"No." Marcellus moved closer to her. "You weren't going to tell me about the baby, were you?" 

Darien placed the warm cake on the counter to cool, took off the oven mitts and looked up at Marcellus. "No. I had no intentions of telling you about the baby once I found out you were the one responsible for Devin's attack." 

Coldness set in Marcellus' eyes. He felt as if he had been punched in the gut. He appreciated her honesty, but wondered how they had gotten to this place. "Why? Why would you not tell me about my child?"

Darien prepared herself for the confrontation that she knew would come. "Why would I tell you about a baby that you don't want? Explain to me how am I to tell my child that daddy is a gangster and broke Uncle Devin's legs over some money." 

"Darien, you knew who I was before this started. You knew what I was capable of doing. Hell, we began because Uncle Devin, as you put it, owed me money. How are you going to explain that to our child?"

"You're right. I do know who you are, and I never asked you to change for me. I knew we only existed in the bedroom, and I accepted that, but I will not force my child to accept that you never wanted her."

"Her? It's a girl?" 

"Yes, I'm having a girl." Darien took a step closer to Marcellus. "I know you didn't want commitments in the form of wife and child. I can handle that, but my daughter didn't make that choice. So I did not see a need to tell you, and I won't apologize for that." Darien wanted to offer him some type of comfort when she saw the realization in his eyes that had he not taken her from the airport he would have never known that his child existed. She busied her needy hands by beginning to mix frosting for the cake she had just removed from the oven. 

Marcellus took note of her need to be defensive. He understood it, but did not like it. He met this Darien the night he offered her one date to clear Devin's debt. This was protective Darien. The Darien that stared him in the face and told him she would not go on a date with him. She was protecting Devin then, now she was protecting her child, their child. This fearlessness drew him to her in a new way. Other women he had met would back down to him. They would always give him his way. He was always first. Darien was not like that. She had decided that if there was no future for them, she had to protect her future without him. Everything led back to them not being together, and the more thought he gave to the idea, the more he did not like it.

"Stay with me." His request was simple. 

Darien looked into his eyes for some type of clue as to what he was asking. Was this for the night? Did he mean forever? What was he asking her to do? "I can't stay with you, Marcellus." 

Marcellus walked over to her. His dark brown eyes showing emotions he could no longer hide. His tall muscular frame so close to her she could feel the heat. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. "I want to start over." He leaned his forehead against hers. This was harder than he thought it would be. He took several deep breaths before he continued, "I want us to try to be together. I want you to stay here with me until the baby is born. If you don't feel any different about our situation by then, I will let you leave and I will never bother you again."

Darien gently touched the hands that framed her face and leaned into him. "Marcellus we both know this is not going to work. We can't stay on an even keel five minutes. We are too up and down." She stepped away from him. 

Marcellus reached for her hand. He just felt the need to touch any part of her. "Darien, listen to me. Besides my father, you and this baby are the only thing that can prove I exist. I never understood my attraction to you, but it was always more than sex. I had watched you for weeks before we met at your apartment." Marcellus saw the indecision in her eyes. "I saw you talking to Devin one day. I had Church find out who you were and I watched. It started out as me just trying to make sure Devin was not stealing from me and had you as a partner, but then you began to intrigue me. I had to know about you." He took her hand in his again. "Something about you was different. It made me want to be near you."

Darien stepped away from him. She had dreamt of this moment for so long and here he was presenting her with what she had always wanted, but what was he offering? "Marcellus, I can't." She watched as the determination entered his eyes. 

Marcellus was not used to losing. He made a vow to himself to not start now. As he stood and listened to her rejection of him, he just kept thinking there had to be some way to convince her to stay with him. "What is it that you want from me?"

Darien knew this was hard for Marcellus. Not many women would turn him down, none that she knew would. Yet here she was doing that very thing. "Nothing." The cake was complete. The cobbler was cooling; the two people in the room had come to an impasse. Darien went about cleaning the kitchen as Marcellus watched her in silence. 

"Darien, for the welfare of our daughter-," 

"MY daughter," she said through gritted teeth. She took in a deep breath and turned away from him. She wanted to get away from him. She went towards the door, and Marcellus called out to her. 

"We're not done, Darien."

She laughed. A frustrating sound came from deep in her gut. "Believe me, Marcellus, we're done." She took the back stairs to the room she had been assigned. She locked the door, so there would be no unexpected visitors during the night. 

Marcellus remembered his father telling him that when women are fed up, it took a force of nature or a favor from God to get them to come around. He could only hope that God was on his side this time. He hoped Darien would eventually realize that they had to try, for the sake of their daughter. He wanted them to start over; get to know each other they way couples should. 

Darien called Rya to let her know she was ok, and then called Minka to check in with Devin. "What's going on with you and Marcellus?" Devin asked. 




Dance with the Devil Ch. 08



"Nothing," Darien said sadly.

"Pepper, c'mon, I know when something is wrong with you." Devin had not called her by her nickname in years. It reminded her of how close they were before her parents died. 

"Devin, its simple, Marcellus doesn't want me or this baby. He is only feeling a loss of control, so he wants to keep me here until I give in." 

"You're at his house?" Devin knew what that meant for Marcellus even if Darien did not. 

"Yes, he wants me to stay with him here until the baby is born."

"Pep, as private as Marcellus is, you have to know he has feelings for you if you're at his house." 

Darien did not want to read anymore into this so called relationship than there already was. She jumped when she heard Marcellus knock hard on the door. "Devin, I'll call you back." She closed up her cell phone and went to the door, but did not open it. 

"Darien, I know you are on the other side of the door. Open it." He ordered; not requested. 

"Marcellus, I'm tired. I just want to get some rest."

"If you don't open the door, I will tear it off the hinges." 

"Marcellus, can't we do this in the morning?"

"No, tesoro, I need to do this now." She heard the desperation in his voice. She slowly opened the door, and allowed him to enter. "Who were you talking to?"

"Are you seriously questioning who I was talking to?" This man infuriated her as no other could. 

Marcellus realized if he wanted to convince her to stay, he would have to stop acting like the bull in the china shop. He calmed down. He sat on the window seat; Darien sat on the bed facing him. "Stay with me." He paused. "Allow me time to prove I can be what you want me to be."

"I want you to be true to who you are, Marcellus. I don't want you to change for me, and then resent me for it later." Her eyes began to well up. This was hard for her, considering the feelings she had realized she had for him. "We will be fine. Don't change who you are for us," she said as she placed a protective hand on her stomach. 

"Darien, I am asking you to give me a chance. I just want to get to know you the way couples who are having a baby together should." At her expression he explained, "I know we didn't start out that way, but lets try it. How much worse could it be?" 

"Marcellus," she started, but he would not allow her to finish.

"No, I won't have you deny me this." 

Darien realized she had never seen him like this. These emotions were new to both Marcellus and her. He was hoping for a chance and she was hoping for release. There was no way, in her mind, that they could make this work. Darien reached out for his hand and when they touched, they felt the electric charge. "Marcellus, what do you want from me?"

Marcellus touched her cheek softly. He looked deep into her eyes and simply said, "A chance." 

Darien saw the eye of the storm in his eyes. She knew how hard this was for him. He had treated her like a whore. Had manipulated and mentally confused her, and now he wanted to try to make things work. What had changed for him? Was it the fact that she was now carrying his child? She was not sure about her next move, but she heard herself saying, "Ok,"

Darien had spoken the word so low that Marcellus thought he had imagined her saying it. He searched her face to see if it were a joke. He wanted to be sure that she had said yes. "Are you sure, tesoro?" He asked for clarity.

Darien nodded her head. "But we have to do this on my terms this time." She had thought about this. She knew what she wanted in the end, but she was not sure how to go about it. The only thing she could hope for was that all of the things her mother said were true. "No sex, Marcellus. You are going to court me. We have to see if we can stand to be around one another on a daily basis." She saw his smile spread across his face. "Don't get cocky you haven't won anything. I am serious no sex."

"Can I at least kiss you like this?" Before she could object, he kissed her. It was a kissed meant to promise her the future and make her forget their past. All he wanted her to think about was from this moment forward. 

Marcellus felt the moment she began to participate in the kiss. He felt her surrender and craved her heat, but would comply with her requests. He would comply as long as he could hold her like this and continue to kiss her. He would comply until she said yes, and he was intent on making her do that very thing. He wanted to hear her say yes and beg him to be inside her. "Fine, no sex until you say so." Marcellus walked out of the room whistling. The one thing he knew was how to make her hot for him and he would do it slowly. He had plans to make her beg for it. 

Marcellus stood watching the snowfall lightly on the lawn. The first snowfall always mesmerized him, but not as much as the woman, that lay curled up in the overstuffed chair sleeping. It had been three weeks since they had agreed to try to make their relationship work on her terms. Darien stayed in her room. Marcellus stayed in his room. He had to admit that they had maneuvered around the sex issue quite, nicely. They had spent time with Church and Rya. They had played board games. They had watched so many movies that Marcellus felt he was now caught up on every one of latest films that had come out recently. The most important thing they did was talk. 

Marcellus had learned she was allergic to cats and that she had wanted to be a singer when she was little, until it was brought to her attention she could not sing. He had revealed that his mother died giving birth to him and that he and his father were not that close. Darien had talked to him about how she had longed for an older sister, instead of Devin. He would always tease her. He smiled when he remembered she told him that Devin had nicknamed her Pepper because she had a bad temper when she was younger. He had to remind her that she still did have a bad temper when it came to him. 

Darien murmured his name in her sleep. This touched him. He had wondered how she felt about things, but had been afraid to ask. He had been talking to Carlo about getting out of the business and concentrating on the legal side of his empire. Carlo had not wanted to let him out. Marcellus had made Carlo more money than he could count and he could not stand the thought of that cash flow being cut short. Marcellus wanted nothing more than to be done with this whole life. This last year had been hard on him. He had tossed around the idea of letting it all go for the last eighteen months, but he realized there was nothing to hold his interest the way this business did until he met Darien. He sat in the chair facing her, just watching her sleep. He had one last thing to do to be done with Carlo. He knew it could cost him his freedom or his life, but to spend the rest of his life with Darien and their daughter, he would do it. 

Darien awoke some time later and realized she was alone. She assumed Marcellus was out at one of his many stops that he made through the night. She made her way to the kitchen and noticed the silence most of all. She had always thought his house was big, now it was silent and she did not like that. She took note of the time. It was only eight thirty. Darien thought about calling Rya, but decided she may be with Church, so she decided to read a book and light the fireplace. 

Darien knew she was asleep. She remembered Marcellus waking her to let him know he was leaving. She remembered him kissing her and rubbing her stomach before he left, so why did she feel his hands sneaking up her leg? Why did she feel him lightly touching her nipples through her nightgown? Why were her legs parting so willingly? Why were her panties getting wet? She felt his name about to escape her lips and she came awake. "I need to let Marcellus release my stress," she said to the empty house. She then went to take a shower and get in her bed. 

When she came out of the shower and went into her room to dress, she saw Marcellus sitting in the chair. She smiled and began to put on her bathrobe. Marcellus stopped her. He had never seen a more beautiful sight than a pregnant Darien fresh from her shower. Her baby bump was still small, but Marcellus was drawn to it. He knelt down in front of her and kissed her stomach lightly. Darien felt warmth spread to her core and a tingling on her skin. She could not move at that moment if she had wanted to. "So beautiful," she heard him whisper as he continued to kiss and caress her stomach. Marcellus leaned his forehead at the top of her stomach and Darien cradled his head in her arms. They stood there wrapped in one another for the longest time. Marcellus began to kiss her body slowly moving to his feet as he did. Once he was at his full height, he gathered her mass of curly hair into his hands and brought her mouth to his. 

Darien gave up the fight. She wanted this man. Whatever problems they had they could work out. She just wanted to be here with him. She wanted to be so wrapped up in his rapture that she forgot where she ended and he began. Marcellus lifted her in his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. She noticed he was still fully dressed. Darien looked into his eyes and saw the love that he had yet to say aloud. She kissed him to express the love she had left unsaid as well. Marcellus noticed the difference in this kiss. This kiss connected them beyond the baby they had created. It was meant to solidify two souls, and they gave up fighting it. Marcellus began to walk toward the bed while he still carried her in his arms. He pushed her back against the pillows gently and kissed his way to her toes. He took each toe into his mouth and introduced them to his art of seduction. 

Darien inhaled deeply as he made his way up her legs, slowly separating them as he went. The closer he got to her center the stronger the aroma of her want for him. This scent that was all her own was stronger than any drug he could take to get him aroused. He felt his erection grow as he dipped his head to sweep his tongue flatly against her. The first stroke of his tongue made her moan deep in her throat. Marcellus cradled her hips in his hands and began to lavish long sensual strokes against her pussy. Darien felt her clit twitch with each stroke of his tongue. Marcellus entered two fingers inside her to help bring to climax quicker. Darien arched her back off the bed to signal the orgasm the both knew would soon come. Her inner muscles pulsated around his fingers and her orgasm vibrated through her body. Marcellus stood to undress as he watch ripple after ripple flow through her body. Watching her release was poetry in motion. The sensual way her body showed no inhibitions was enough to make him get out of his clothes quickly and rejoin her on the bed. 

Marcellus gathered her in his arms and rolled so that her body straddled his. "I'm not sure how pregnancy works, but I know I don't want to hurt you, so you ride." Marcellus watched as Darien guided his thickness into her dripping lips. Her pussy sucked him in so tight he thought he would let loose with the first caress from her walls. He wanted to take it slow. He wanted to make sure he did not do anything to harm her or their baby. Darien wanted him hard and fast. She began to fuck him hard. Marcellus bit down on her nipple in order to get her to slow down it only made her wilder. Marcellus gave into her need to have him take her rough. He grabbed her ass in his hands and spread her cheeks. This motion heightened the feelings within Darien. She ground her hips into him and clinched her muscles tight around his shaft. She buried his face into her breast as she scratched down his shoulders and back.

"That's it baby, give it to me. Make me come Marcellus. Take me to our place." Marcellus lifted her off his dick, turned her around on all fours, and rammed his cock so deep into her from behind that it sent an instant message of sexual healing to her clit. Marcellus lifted her so that her back rested against his chest. He reached down and began to worry her engorged clit with hard quick movements. Darien was on the verge of releasing the orgasm of a lifetime. She felt it coming from deep within her. Her pussy began to pulse around the hard cock inside her. She leaned forward a little and Marcellus continued to play with her clit as he pinched one nipple hard. "Ughhh, that feels good." Darien's words only encouraged Marcellus to get bolder. He pulled her back by the hair until his lips were grazing her cheek. She turned to kiss him hard. 

Marcellus felt the tightening in his balls and slowed down so he would not come. He wanted this to last. It had been so long since he had been inside her this way. Marcellus felt her lean forward and she began to push back and rotate her hips all at once. The tip of Marcellus dick was enjoying each delightful stroke she gave. Darien knew how he liked it and she kept giving it to him. Each push back on his dick was harder and pussy muscles sucked him tighter. This was his pussy, he thought and he was going to prove it to her. Marcellus grabbed her hips and spread her legs wider. "Fuck me, baby. Give me this pussy," Marcellus said. "You know you belong to me, Darien. There will be no more separations."

"No, none," she said as he pumped into her.

"No more. We are going to do this the way we should have from the beginning." Marcellus pulled all the way out except for the tip. "You belong to me, Darien. Nothing can keep you from me. Nothing." He continued to pump into her from behind. He kneaded the fleshy cheeks that seem to smile up at him. Oh, he was close. He did not want to stop, but knowing that this woman would be his until the end of time did something to him. He felt his body jerk and then felt his hot sperm spew into her. 

Darien felt his release. She eased away from him and then kissed him deeply. They lay with Marcellus curved around her body as if protecting her. Marcellus placed his hand on her stomach; Darien placed her hand atop his. "I love you, Marcellus." She drifted off to sleep.

"I love you, too."



Dance with the Devil Ch. 09



Darien stretched and felt the cold space next to her in the bed. Marcellus was gone. By the temperature of the sheets, he had been gone a long time. I have to get used to waking up this way, she thought to herself. As soon as her feet hit the floor, a wave of dizziness set in. She leaned over the side of the bed with her head resting on her up drawn knees and waited for it to pass before she did anymore moving. The dizziness had not happened in a while and the throwing up had stopped. Her body had changed in ways she had never imagined. What used to fit, no longer fit. What once looked good on her, no longer looked good. The only thing that had yet to change was the ferocious sexual appetite that she and Marcellus had for one another. If anything, it had increased. She walked to the bathroom smiling as she remembered the night before. 

As she washed her hair, she thought about her day. She had plans to go shopping with Rya. Marcellus had told her the rubber band holding her pants together was no longer acceptable. He was convinced by not wearing maternity clothes that she was smothering his daughter and stunting her growth. Darien relented and said she would go by new clothes. Marcellus had gladly turned over his credit card to her. Rya had convinced her they needed the special treatment so they had decided to make a day out of it. First, they would shop, then they would eat, and the salon was the final stop of their day. Darien looked forward to the salon the most. She wanted to feel pampered and pretty since she seemed to be growing rapidly by the day. 

Darien was in the massage chair while Rya lay on the massage table next to her. Darien was enjoying her massage so much that she almost did not hear Rya when she began talking about how Church and Marcellus were discussing life outside of the business. "I'm sorry what did you say?"

"I said that Church and Marcellus have plans to turn the whole operation over to Jimmy."

"Are you sure you heard that right?" Darien questioned. 

"I know for certain since Church has been talking about marrying me and I keep telling him to save the talk for someone else. I am not marrying him until he is legit." Rya sighed. "It is one thing to fuck around with a known criminal, but I will not marry his ass."

Darien thought about what Rya said, and knew she was right. Even though she was not speaking in terms of her and Marcellus, Rya spoke the truth. There was no future for them if Marcellus did not leave his illegal dealings behind, and she knew in her heart that she could never ask him to give it up for her and their daughter. That was a decision Marcellus would have to make himself. 

Marcellus sat as his desk contemplating his next move. He had just got off the phone with Carlo. Carlo wanted what he always wanted – money. The more he got the more he wanted. Marcellus' organization had been under Carlo since the bosses had allowed Marcellus to set up his own shop. Marcellus was high on the food chain, but Carlo was higher thanks to the efforts Marcellus and his crew put forth. 

"So, how much does he want?" Church asked Marcellus. 

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you." Marcellus stood and turned to face the view. Every since he and Darien had decided to work this relationship thing out, he had been thinking of nothing but waking up to her every morning without the weight of this world on his shoulders. He knew she would never marry him as long as he was not legal, so he had to go legit and fast. Marcellus knew she would not wait for him much longer. So far, she had not mentioned it, but the closer she got to giving birth to their daughter, the more he felt his time was running out. 

"Don't stress the small stuff man. You still have time." Church knew what Marcellus was going through. Before he met Rya, he could have hustled all his life. When he had proposed to her and she turned him down because of his occupation, he knew then he would rather be broke than to be without Rya. 

"One hundred million is not small stuff," Marcellus turned to look at Church. "Churchboy, I have to do this last transaction. That is the only way I will be able to give Carlo that type of money, but something inside me knows he will do something to sabotage me."

"So what are we going to do?" Church asked. 

"I may have to do this one alone." Marcellus' voice was distant. The way he had phrased the sentence was not wasted on Church. 

"You've never been alone in this and you won't be alone in it now." Church stood to his full height and looked Marcellus in the eye. "We ride or die together."

Marcellus nodded and they sat down to discuss their strategy.

It was midnight by the time Marcellus entered the bedroom that he now shared with Darien. She was asleep, as he had suspected she would be. His pressure on the bed caused her to stir. Her sleepy eyes looked up at him a smiled. "I missed you today," she said.

"Not as much as I missed the two of you." Marcellus rubbed her baby bump that had gotten a little rounder. Although she was showing, it was a small bump for someone that was going into her sixth month. Looking at Darien would leave you guessing on how far along she was. She was one of those women that just did not gain any more weight than what was normal.

Marcellus smiled as she stretched her arms out to him. He gladly went into those arms that had been offered and he pulled her closer to him. Darien snuggled into him as he asked how her how was her day. As she replayed her day for him, he began to play with her nipples. She giggled. Since the beginning of her pregnancy, her nipples had become a sensitive spot. Lately playing with her nipples made her come so close to exploding that she would often tell Marcellus to slow down. Marcellus kissed her behind her ear and heard her slight moan. He knew he was more than ready to take her hard and fast but due to the pregnancy he had to go slow. 

Marcellus began slowly gliding his hand up and down her body while his other hand continued to play with her nipples. Darien bit down on her lip to stop herself from moaning aloud. Marcellus bit her gently on the neck and urged her legs apart. He immediately felt the heat at her center. "Why are you trying to play hard to get? You know you want me?" He said this close to her ear as he entered her from the back.

Darien moaned deep in her throat as Marcellus continued to stroke her to orgasm. Marcellus held her leg up into the crook of his arm and pumped into her. He nearly lost it when her sugar walls caressed him and sucked his dick deeper into her core. "You like that, huh?" Marcellus asked as he went deeper. "Tell me how do you want this?"

"I w-want." Darien could not get her thoughts together to form her words. She finally just spat out, "Fuck me, Marcellus. Fuck me deep." He liked it when she got vulgar. "I want you to fuck me and then I'm going to suck you clean." 

Marcellus almost came at the sound of her words. "I might have to take you up on that one, baby." He felt his balls begin to tingle with his oncoming orgasm. Marcellus pinched her nipple hard as he pushed into her one final time and felt his sperm fill her. Marcellus pulled out of her reluctantly. Darien immediately began to suck his dick into her hot mouth and slowly seduced another orgasm from him. Marcellus tangled his hands in her hair as she swallowed every drop of him. Breathlessly, Marcellus lay back on the bed. Darien crawled up to him and kissed him lightly on the mouth, biting his bottom lip gently.

Marcellus lay quiet for a moment. He was holding Darien where had hoped to keep her, close to his heart. "I'm almost done, you know." Darien remained quiet. She did not want to believe that what she had been wishing for was coming true. 

After waiting for a response and not getting it, Marcellus eased his arm from around her and leaned over her. "Tesoro, did you hear me?"

Darien bit her lip. "Yes, I heard you."

"So what do you say?"

"What am I suppose to say?"

"I expected you to be happy. I want you to be a part of my future. You know I love you. Marry me." Marcellus took note of the uncertainty in her eyes. "Darien, you had to have known this was coming. We are about to have a baby. I can't have both lives. I can't risk my daughter's life."

"So it's about the baby?" Darien moved away from him. 

"How could you say that?" Marcellus sat up and took her into his arms. She was stiff. "Darien you have to know that I love you. You should have seen this coming." Darien shook her head. "Don't doubt me, Tesoro." Marcellus saw her slipping away from him. "Darien I want you and the baby. I just know that we have only seriously tried this relationship in the last month. I didn't know if you were ready to be in my life permanently."

"Marcellus, I love you. You know this, but I can't marry you right now." Marcellus leaned his forehead against her stomach and then kissed her there as well. "If you're serious about this, I can wait."

"I don't want our daughter born and we are not married."

"Marcellus, I am not marrying you until you are done with this life. That is my final decision." Darien could not believe the direction of this conversation. "Marcellus, where is this all coming from?"

She noticed he was not quick to respond. Darien pulled away from him. She went into the bathroom to take a shower. Marcellus sat in silence. How could he tell her that for the first time in his life he was afraid? He was afraid to lose her, but knew he would lose her if he stayed in this life. He was afraid to be alone after knowing what real love felt like. He was most afraid of losing his life in this next deal and leaving Darien to raise their daughter without him. Marcellus had so much on his mind that he had slept little to not at all over the last month. Other than the breakfast that he and Darien shared every morning, he had not eaten much. He heard the bathroom door open turned toward her. "I don't want to fight," he almost whispered. 

"Neither do I," she replied. 

"Let's get some sleep. I believe you have a doctor's appointment in the morning." Darien smiled, touched that he remembered. 

Marcellus smiled as he got into his car. He had just left his attorney's office and had signed enough documents to secure Darien for life. He had wanted to make sure that no matter what happened to them in the future, she would not have to worry about finances when raising their daughter. His only worry right now was how to disappear without stressing Darien to the point of jeopardizing their daughter's health. 

Church had advised him to just leave and give instructions to his attorney. It was how he had handled Rya. Marcellus knew he could not do that to Darien. She would feel like he did not trust her and her trust had been fragile lately when concerning him and their relationship. He had decided to take her on a vacation, but Carlo had moved up the transaction date and he only had a couple of days remaining. 

Darien had gone by the advertising agency to formally resign her position. She had been working from home, but working from home had made the desire to operate her own business that much greater. Marcellus had done everything to accommodate her. He and Darien had talked about what she would need to run a graphic design company from home. Darien had solicited quite a few clients through the various contacts she had made while working on different campaigns with the ad agency. 

Marcellus had converted a large room on the other side of his home so that Darien would be able to work and take care of the baby. She had long ago won the battle of no live in nanny. She was no fool, she wanted help; she just did not want the help living in their home and doing more mothering of her daughter than she should. 

Marcellus knocked on the open door to get Darien's attention. "Are you ready for dinner?"

"I'd rather stay in if you don't mind." 

"Are you feeling ok?" He asked.

"I feel fine. I just want some quiet time with you. Can you arrange that?" Her response caught him off guard. It touched him that she wanted to spend some time with him. It also made him feel guilty that in less than forty-eight hours, he would be gone from her and he had no clue if he would ever see her again. 

"Anything you want," he finally replied. 

She smiled at him and then kissed him lightly. "Good, I'll cook you get the dishes."

Darien grilled steak and made baked potatoes. After the salad was put together, she carried the two plates into the living room. She had decided to let Marcellus pick the movie and he chose The Bourne Ultimatum. Half way through the movie, the thought of just packing up Darien and leaving crossed his mind, but he was no fool. He knew Carlo would come looking for him, and Marcellus had never been a great runner. He was a man's man through and through. He believed that if you owe money, you pay it back. If you say you're going to do something, you did it. They were simple rules to live by, but they were values he believed in. He just wished there were some way of guaranteeing his safety so that he could come back to this. This was sitting with Darien and enjoying a quiet evening at home. Just the two of them, no phones ringing every five minutes. 

"Are you ok? You were quiet during the movie."

"I'm good; just enjoying the time with you." Darien was lying with her head in his lap. He leaned down and kissed her. Darien smiled up at him. Marcellus caressed her cheek with his thumb. "I love you."

Darien leaned into his hand and kissed it. Although she had heard Marcellus say he loved her before, it always gave her pause. She never thought their relationship would end up this way. She looked up into his eyes and smiled. Darien rose up and kissed Marcellus. His reaction to her kiss was swift. Marcellus lifted her into his arms and covered her mouth with a fierceness that was beyond his control. He loved this woman. They had created a life and his fear of never being with them had overtaken him.

Marcellus undressed her with urgency. Her growing belly had restricted certain positions so he lifted her unto is stiff rod and entered her in one slick move. The moan that escaped her lips spurred him deeper into his lust. Marcellus took her engorged nipples into his mouth and savored them. Darien had always liked the way he handled her breast. His attention to her breast had always brought her to near eruption. She rocked her hips into him as he held her tighter and closer to him. Marcellus continued to drive into her as he filled both hands with her ass. He roughly massaged her ass while gently biting on her nipples. The heat flowed straight to her clit causing more juices to coat his dick as he continued to allow her to ride. 

Marcellus released her ass and brought her lips to meet his in a sloppy kiss. Darien offered his tongue to her and he sucked on it slowly, savoring the feel of it in his mouth. One hand was tangled in her hair as the other one held her firmly around her waist. Marcellus continued to kiss her. He didn't want to lose this level of intimacy with her. For him the kiss was the most personal and he wanted to communicate his love for this woman through this kiss, and Darien accepted this kiss for how it was meant. 

Marcellus looked deep into her eyes. "I love you." He kissed her again. "I love you."

A feeling of completeness went through Darien. She knew this time was different. Something inside her reached out to Marcellus and joined her soul with his. She could no longer hold back and in that moment she looked back into his eyes and knew that he meant the words he had just spoken. She held on tighter to him and she rode him to a complete orgasm.

When they were both spent, she looked him deep in his eyes and cradled his face in her hands. "Let's get married." Her words took a moment to register with Marcellus. She kissed him lightly keeping her eyes locked with his.

Marcellus wrapped her in his arms and returned the kisses she was sprinkling across his lips and chin. "Let's get married."

Two days later Marcellus and Darien were married at city hall. They celebrated with Church, Rya, Devin and Stephanie by having dinner at the Chop House in downtown Buffalo. Marcellus spent two beautiful nights as a married man, and then it was time for him to pay his last debt to the underground society. He and Church were coming out of the house when she pulled into the driveway. "I have some business, Tesoro. I will be back later."

"Be easy, Mr. Christos." She smiled then. 

"Anything for you." Then he kissed her as if he could not go another second without doing so. 

Late that night Darien awoke from her sleep to the racket of Rya ringing the doorbell and alternating that with beating on the front door. Just as Darien got up and slipped into her robe, she heard Rya calling her name. When Darien opened the door, she saw a ragged looking Rya. Rya pushed past her, closed, and locked the door. "Get dressed."

"What's going on?"

"Darien, look at me. I said get dressed. Would I be here in the middle of the night without Church if I had time to explain it? Get dressed!" 

Darien was no fool. She went to her room and slipped back into the red jogging suit that she had worn earlier. She grabbed her purse, keys, and a laptop. When she went back downstairs, Rya was holding a bag that looked familiar to her. When Rya saw the question in her eyes she just said, "We'll talk in the car. Let's go."

They drove about half way down the block when they heard the explosion. Darien looked back and saw the house she had shared with Marcellus in flames. Rya continued to drive, as she had been instructed to do. When they reached their destination, Rya turned off the ignition and turned towards Darien. "I need you to listen close and be strong. I need you to remember that you have a baby on the way and a husband that loves you more than life itself and that is why we are here."

"Rya, you are freaking me out."

"Good it will keep you alert." She went into her purse and handed Darien an envelope. "This is for you, from Marcellus." 

Darien opened the envelope with shaky fingers. As she unfolded the piece of paper she noticed Marcellus' handwriting:

Tesoro,

I need you to know that I love you. I need you to believe I never meant to turn your life upside down this way. I order to have piece of mind and do what I need to do, I have to know you and the baby are safe. You are to follow Rya's instructions to the letter. To go against her once could mean your life as well as mine. Remember I love you, and there is nothing that will keep me from you.

Your husband

Marcellus.

Darien placed the letter in her purse and turned back to Rya, "so what do we have to do?"

"Church is with Marcellus. I am to stay with you. You cannot go anywhere without me."

"What about our house? What happened back there?"

"Jimmy."

"Jimmy?" Darien's face was a mask of confusion.

"Jimmy had to destroy the house and to make it look like you were there. So tomorrow on the news you will hear about a female body being found in the rubble that used to be your house." Rya held Darien's hand. "This isn't what we signed up for is it?" She tried to smile. 

"Not at all," Darien whispered.

"Just remember that Marcellus is doing this to keep you and this little one safe," Rya said as she rubbed Darien's stomach.

"Just tell me, Rya, is he safe?" 

"Yes, he is safe, and remember no matter what he loves you."

"I love him, too." The two women sat in the car for a while longer then went into the house where they were to be camped out until further notice.



Dance with the Devil Ch. 10



Darien was getting restless. She was never one to sit still for long periods and she had been locked up in this house for three long days. Rya had been great. She had catered to Darien. Church had told her to keep Darien comfortable. So far, there had been no call from Marcellus or Church. Rya kept a close eye on her friend, but knew Darien was getting close to either cabin fever or a nervous breakdown. Either way, Rya did not want to let anything happen to her. Darien sat in a chair by the window. She knew that whatever was going on wasn't as good as Rya was leading her to believe. She saw the worry stretch across Rya's face. She knew that with each passing day Rya grew more worried. 

Rya chewed her bottom lip as she sat deep in thought. She wanted to know what was going on with Church. She wanted to know if Marcellus was okay. She needed to hear something. Her mind raced constantly with scenarios of what could be going on or what could have happened with them by now. Rya heard Darien enter the room. She saw the question in Darien's eyes and she still did not have an answer for her. She groaned inwardly. What was she going to do if this did not turn out well for all involved?

"Rya, I think its time you tell me everything that you know." Darien's statement was spoken so soundly that it gave Rya pause, but just for a minute. 

"Darien, I'm sorry that you have been cooped up in this house for the past few days, but you have to trust that Marcellus planned this all out for your own good."

"Where is he?"

Rya saw the anger in Darien's eyes. She had long hated that look and right now, it served no purpose. "Don't look at me that way. I know how you feel, Darien."

Darien cut her off, "he is my husband, Rya, I have a right to know what is going on with him."

"Don't you dare use that tone with me. Don't you think for one minute that I am sitting here worried about Church Boy? He proposed to me one night and then the next night I am being delivered instructions from his attorney, so you tell me what the hell is going on, Darien?" Rya was now in her face. "I know you have been so caught up in worrying about Marcellus, that you have not given one thought about how Eric is doing. You have not given one thought to how I may be feeling at this point. So, to answer your question, when I get answers; you'll have answers" Rya stormed out of the room. 

A few seconds later Darien heard a door slam and she flinched. She felt disgusted with herself. Rya had been right on every point. She had not been the friend to Rya that Rya had been to her. She had not considered her friend's feelings at all and now, along with being stuck God's knows where, she is without Rya's company. Darien let out a deep sigh then went to the kitchen. She had decided to do what she always did during times like this, bake. 

A few hours later the aroma from the kitchen made Rya's stomach growl. She looked at her watch and realized she had not eaten anything today. She uncurled her legs from the window seat and went toward the scent of what Heaven might smell like. She entered the kitchen and the glorious smell found its way through her nostrils and right to her stomach. Darien turned at the sound of the kitchen door opening. She smiled at her friend. "I hope you have an appetite for all things gooey and sweet."

Rya got the plates down and found some milk in the refrigerator. She poured two large glasses of ice-cold milk and sat down. Darien brought over fresh sweet rolls and darkly rich chocolate cake. Darien and Rya sat in silence for a while and ate the sweet treats. Darien looked up to find Rya watching her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering how many rolls you are going to eat." 

They both broke out in a fit of laughter and when they could laugh no more Darien reached across the table and took Rya's hand. "I'm sorry for being a bitch to you. It's just that I am so frustrated and worried. I'm scared, Ry."

"I'm sorry I don't have answers for you. It would be much easier if we at least knew where they were." Darien only nodded. 

Rya helped Darien clean the kitchen then made her way back upstairs. Inside her room, she took a shower and got ready to read one of the many romance novels that lined the shelves. It was not too much longer that she dozed off.

Not long after dozing off Rya felt familiar hands caressing her legs. If she was dreaming, she didn't want to wake up. If she was awake, she didn't want to open her eyes and find out he wasn't there. She felt Church's hands glide up her leg until it reached the center of her femininity. She moaned and moved her body to give him better access as he gently massaged the tiny bud until her lips were slick with her juice. She began to grind against his hands as he raised her nightgown. She felt his lips kiss her intimately, sucking her clit and excitement into his mouth; that is when she opened her eyes. "Hey baby," she purred as she looked into Church's handsome face as he locked her legs over his shoulder and lifted her up until he was standing with his face buried deep between her legs. Rya held on to Church's head as he continued to lick her senseless. When she began to buck from her orgasm, he slid her legs down and slammed his ten-inch pole up into her while he stood in the middle of the room. Rya held on tight and then found his lips and began to kiss him. She tasted her essence on his lips and sucked his tongue deeper into her mouth. Church began to slowly slide in and out of her sweetness. He looked at her face as her expression went from one extreme of ecstasy to the next. He loved the faces she made. Her face always told him if he was hitting the right spot, and from her movements and expressions, he could tell she was ready to come at any moment. Church took hold of her tiny waist and began to fuck her hard the way she liked it. Rya was definitely his total package, a complete lady in the streets, but the most giving lover he had ever taken to his bed. Whatever he wanted she agreed. He was right now thinking of the time he had tied her to the bed and licked her from head to toe. He remembered her coming so hard that she cried. That thought alone had his balls churning and when Rya whispered, "fuck me, daddy" in his ear it sent him over board and he released into her. Rya immediately got to her knees and licked him clean. This led to his next eruption that sent rope after rope of his come down her throat. 

Rya curled up next to Church with her head on his shoulder. "Where is Marcellus?"

Church grinned and replied, "Probably doing the same thing we just got finished doing, and what I want to do again right now." Then he entered her in one long swift move. Rya sighed and rode the wave of pleasure to her next orgasm.

Marcellus was still asleep. Darien watched her husband in this unguarded moment. He was relaxed with a look of peace and serenity on his face. What a handsome face, Darien thought. As she continued to look at him she took note of the little freckle on he left side of his nose. She noticed there were no creases in his forehead from stress. She kissed him softly and Marcellus did not move. The urge to pee took over and she moved to get out of bed. 

Marcellus's arm snaked out and a caught her around her waist, "where are you going?" He asked sleepily.

"To pee." She felt him loosen his grip and mumble something that sounded like "hurry back."

Through his grogginess, Marcellus heard the shower running. He walked into the bathroom and the sight of Darien naked in the shower caressing her baby bump as she lathered her body made him instantly hard. He opened the shower door and slipped in behind her. He began gently rubbing her belly and kissing the side of her neck. Darien felt his erection snuggle between her ass cheeks and she sighed. This is home, Marcellus thought. This is where my wife is. This is where my children will live. This is where I am going to make love to my wife until she can't take it anymore. This is home. Wherever this woman is, is where my home is. He moved his hands between her legs. He found her magic button and begin to work her into a frenzy. Darien's breathing became heavy. Marcellus recognized the signs. He remembered how much she liked him to play with her pussy. He knew how wet should would get when he worked his fingers deep inside her. Marcellus knew each pant and every moan and what they meant. This was his wife and he was going to spend the rest of the day making love to her. 

"Turn around." Darien did as she was told, and turned to face Marcellus. He knelt down to begin to kiss her stomach. "Hold on the wall for support." Marcellus began to flick her clit with his tongue. 

"Mmm," Darien moaned. 

Marcellus sucked her clit into his mouth and nibbled it.

"Yessss," She moaned again. 

Marcellus lay flat on the shower floor and motioned for Darien to ease down until her pussy hovered above his waiting tongue. His tongue went deep into her pussy and Darien rode it, as he wanted her to. She reached behind her and began pumping his cock with her hands and Marcellus continued to tongue fuck her until she shook from her orgasm. Marcellus helped her from the shower and led her back to the bed.

"Let me please you, now." Darien sat on the bed completely naked and took Marcellus into her mouth. She couldn't take him all the way down her throat due to his girth but she did get half way down his shaft and rendered him speechless with the best blowjob he had ever known. Marcellus couldn't contain himself.

"Baby...I'm....coming." He tried to back away from her so that his cream landed on her breast, but Darien held onto his cock with her mouth and continued to suck. He let go and his come shot out filling her mouth. Very little escaped and she licked her lips seductively to catch it and then continued to swallow it down. Darien licked him clean and kissed the tip before crawling up on the bed on all fours. 

"I know how you like it Marcellus, so fuck me baby. Fuck me nice and slow at first and then ride me hard." 

Marcellus did not hesitate to climb up behind her and ease his dick home. They both moaned as Marcellus slowly slid in and out of her. Marcellus allowed Darien to take the lead. His rhythm was based on her moans and hip movement. He loved watching that honey colored ass pump back on his dick. He watched as her juices glistened on his dick. Nothing aroused him more than the smell of her sex. No matter where she was, he could pick up on her exclusive scent. Darien rose up to a kneeling position and began to play with her pussy and Marcellus drove into her. 

"Yes, baby that's it. Play with that pussy for me." Marcellus moaned in her ear. He pinched her nipples that were extremely tender due to her pregnancy and heard her moan deep in her throat. Marcellus pulled her mouth toward him so he could taste her lips. His fingers slid into her unruly curls, he grabbed a handful as he pulled her head back so he could continue to have access to those full sweet lips. 

Marcellus felt her pussy lips squeeze around his member. He knew she was about to come and knew that he wouldn't be too far behind her. With three hard strokes, they both came apart in each other's arms. Marcellus gathered her close to him in a spoon position with his nose buried in her freshly washed hair and they both fell asleep. 

Hours later Darien arose to find Marcellus carrying a tray of food into the room. He placed the tray on the nightstand and sat down close to her. He leaned over and kissed her sweetly. "Good morning."

Darien smiled. "Good morning, yourself." She stretched and purred like a cat all the while watching him intently. "When are you going to tell me what happened?"

Marcellus bit into the pear that he plucked from the tray. He chewed slowly as he went back and forth in his mind on how much he should tell her. Should he tell her about the death threats from Carlo? Could he trust her to handle that they would soon have to move and settle somewhere else? Would she be able to let him lead her in this situation to ensure hers and their daughter's safety? 

Marcellus took a deep breath. "Tesoro, you have to know that I love you by now, and that anything I do is for the safety of you and our daughter. The less you know the better."

Darien nodded. She would let it go for now. She could tell by the stress lines in his face that he was still leery of whatever had kept him away. She knew it had to do with Carlo and the thought of Carlo made her skin crawl. She sat up and kissed Marcellus on the shoulder. After not having her touch for so long, he felt a tingle go through him with the contact. "I love you, Marcellus. Nothing will ever change that." The sheet had fallen from around her and her nakedness was exposed. Marcellus drank in her form. Her face was glowing and her belly was protruding and smooth. He skimmed his hand down to her belly.

"How are you feeling?"

"I've never felt better." She smiled. The fact that he was here with her made everything better. 

Marcellus continued to stare at her. He took in the clarity of her glowing skin. The swell of her stomach was visible. He kissed her there. "You, pregnant with my daughter, is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

"You really know how to make a fat lady feel special." She was joking with him of course and he knew that.

"You are special to me, angel mio. The day you told me we were going to have a baby was the best day of my life until you became my wife." She had changed his whole world for the better and he had changed hers for the worst in his mind. He had felt guilty for that and had wanted to walk away from her to give her back the life she had. He had often thought about walking away from her so that her life would be drama free. He did not like the fact that Darien had to live in fear as long as she was with him. Church had talked him into coming here. Marcellus had been set to walk away from his new family. He had wanted Darien to have her life back. That carefree life that she was accustomed to before Hurricane Marcellus blew into it, but causing her more pain was not what he wanted to do. The thought of causing her more pain made him feel cowardly. Marcellus watched the gold flecks in her eyes dance with her happiness because he was there. This is how he wanted to remember her if anything were to ever separate them. 

Darien watched as the storm cloud rolled into Marcellus' eyes. She eased closer to him and first kissed his lips and then his temple. She continued to kiss him until the darkness went away and the light returned to his eyes. Marcellus leaned into her kisses as the tension eased. He wrapped his wife in his arms and drifted to sleep in peace.

It had been two days since Marcellus and Church reunited with their women. They sat in the office of the house discussing the next move. They had been closed up in that office for about four hours when they heard the smoke alarm go off. They both started for the door, when Marcellus pulled Church by the arm. "That's coming from the kitchen," he whispered to Church.

"We should check it out." Church was anxious.

"You don't get it." Marcellus paused and went over to the window. His suspicions confirmed. He saw one of Carlo's men standing by the gate and another posted on the side entrance to the house. He took his stainless steel 9mm from the desk drawer. He checked the clip and saw that is was fully loaded.

"What's up?" Church asked as he too checked his gun.

"Darien has never burned anything as long as I've known her. That is her way of telling us that they are in trouble. Look outside. Fats is at the gate. That means Big Baby is at the side entrance and Carlo has my wife and Rya somewhere in this house." He turned to Church. "I hope you are not ready to die."

"Not today, man. Not today."

The men eased out of the office and checked the hallway for any sign of Carlo or the girls. Nothing. "Go the back way," Church, said to Marcellus. "I will take the front." Marcellus nodded and went toward the back stairs that he knew led to the kitchen.

Church went down the front stairs. He saw nothing, but no longer heard the smoke alarm, which let him know that Carlo had discovered Darien's trick. He went out the front door and silently came up behind Big Baby. Church put the gun up to his head and in the coldest voice, Big Baby had ever heard said, "I'll see you in hell" and with one silenced shot to the temple Big Baby dropped to the ground. Church went in search of Fats. He went toward the gate where he knew Fats was keeping watch. He saw Marcellus walk up behind Fats and without so much as a word snap his neck. Marcellus looked over at Church and motioned for him to go back into the house through the front door. Marcellus would go in through the back. 

Marcellus walked through the kitchen and saw no one. He heard Carlo's voice coming from the family room and we quietly entered. Church was standing on the other side of the room. Both men noted that Carlo had the girls sitting on the sofa, both of their hands tied with rope that looked too tight. Marcellus saw that Geronimo, Carlo's number one hit man, stood behind the girls. Geronimo stood at least six feet five inches. He was muscled from head to toe and had no qualms about delivering death to anyone. 

"Marcellus, so nice of you to join us," Carlo said without turning to face him. Darien looked in the direction to the entrance and saw Marcellus standing there. Marcellus winked at her and she looked away. "I assume Church is with you, which means you have probably killed my two men outside." 

"You assume correctly, Carlo. What is this about? I owe you nothing."

"On the contrary il mio amico." Carlo turned to look at Marcellus. 

"We have never been friends Carlo." Marcellus' voice had gotten lower. Darien recognized it for what it was an attempt to keep his anger in check. 

"Now, now Marcellus, we have always been friends. You have always been one of my favorite business associates. I have considered you like family." Carlo's Italian accent was thicker than usual. Marcellus knew that meant Carlo was close to snapping. His mind began to race with what to do to get the girls out of the house safely.

Marcellus looked over to Church. Church sized up Geronimo and looked over at Rya. She sat so still that if you didn't know better you would think she wasn't breathing. It was her way of staying calm. She had told Church once before she just goes to her quiet place and stays there. Church looked over at Darien and saw that she was rubbing her belly, favoring one spot. The baby must be kicking he thought. What were they going to do to get them out of here? 

"Carlo this is between us. Let the girls go."

Carlo gave a look in Marcellus direction that all but said go to hell. Marcellus took it for what it was, a threat to his family. Marcellus stood firm as he watched Carlo's tangent unfold. Carlo stood near the fireplace and watched Marcellus stand there so confident. "What's this about Carlo?"

"I'm making sure you keep your promise."

"Carlo, I paid my debt to you. I have to be done. There is too much at stake now."

Carlo smiled, but it never reached his eyes. "Your commitment is to me." He emphasized his words by pointing to himself. "Your loyalty is to me."

"My loyalty is to my wife and child." Marcellus had a determined, but confused look on his face.

"I was your family before she came along." Carlo was ranting. "You knew nothing about this business and I brought you in and showed you the ropes. You were supposed to take over, not bow out."

So that's what it was about, Carlo's legacy was at stake. Marcellus had to admit the old man had treated him like a son. He had at one time admitted to Marcellus that all of this could be his if he just stuck to his plan, but Marcellus had done the one thing Carlo had never expected and that one thing was falling in love. Carlo could not understand that. He had told Marcellus about Karina. He did not understand how Marcellus could now turn his back on him as well. 




Dance with the Devil Ch. 10



"Marcellus, do you remember the story I told you about Karina when you asked me why I had no children?"

Marcellus could only nod. "I told you she was beautiful and full of life and that I only wanted the best for her. I told you she was dear to me and that I was ready to make her life a fairytale." Marcellus only nodded. "What I didn't tell you is that she was murdered. She was killed while carrying my child, or at least I thought it was mine until I found out about the affair she was having. I found out later that she was having an affair with someone I called friend. She was having an affair with your father." Carlo gave Marcellus time to process the information. Your father took away my one chance at happiness. You doing business with me, took away his. Karina was beautiful. I don't blame him for ruining our friendship over her." The older man continued to ramble as if he was alone in the room. "The car she was driving that day had a bomb attached to the ignition. It was intended for your father, but for reasons unexplained she was driving, and well we all know what happened after that."

Marcellus processed what had just been spat out at him. He went on to listen to the tirade that Carlo continued. Marcellus noticed how his father had been blamed for taking away Karina. She had fallen in love with him on sight. Marcellus remembered his father telling him of his one lost love. He remembered how there were times in unguarded moments his father would be sad. Marcellus remembered one particular argument his parents had and that was the last time he saw his mother alive. She stormed from the house with just her wrap. They later got a visit from the police saying that his mother had committed suicide and left a note. Marcellus was too young to understand and what was going on, and his father rarely mentioned his mother after the funeral. 

"Carlo, don't do this. Take me. Let my wife go."

"No more talking!" Carlo raised his gun 

Panic started to set in. Marcellus was scrambling for words. "Carlo, wait!" Carlo was moving toward Darien as he continued to speak to Marcellus. "Carlo, I wouldn't do that if I were you." Marcellus spoke with his weapon drawn and aimed at Carlo. Geronimo snatched Rya at the same time Carlo grabbed Darien. Church fired toward Geronimo and hit his shoulder. Marcellus watched as panic began to rise in Darien's eyes. He saw Rya kick the gun out of Geronimo's reach and step on the bullet in his shoulder. The giant screamed in agony and continued to hold his shoulder. 

"Put the weapon down, Marcellus. I will kill her."

"Darien, look at me." Marcellus waited for her to make eye contact. "He is not going to hurt you." He said slowly. "Carlo is not going to hurt you. If he does, I will kill him." Darien nodded her head, but Marcellus could tell she was still afraid. Marcellus noticed that Carlo lower his gun just a bit. "Carlo, let her go." 

Carlo pointed his gun toward Marcellus and Darien swung her arm back and hit her intended target right between Carlo's legs. This caused a series of gunfire and Darien and Rya's screams ripped through the room. Darien landed on the floor with Carlo on top of her. 

Marcellus rushed toward her and screamed for Rya to call an ambulance. Marcellus ran his hands over Darien's body to ensure she had not been shot, and was relieved to find she had not, but he did notice her pants were wet. "Shit!" He screamed. 

"Church, take care of this. I have to get her to the hospital now, her water broke."

The color in Darien's face became pale. Marcellus prayed that everything would work out. Rya sat in the back seat with Darien and kept rubbing her forehead as moisture appeared. He knew that if they lost this baby it would be the end for them as well. 

When they reached the hospital, the emergency room staff took over. Marcellus and Rya were left alone in the waiting room while Darien was admitted and assigned a birthing room. Marcellus harassed every hospital staff member that walked passed. He had almost lost it a few times with some of the rude attitudes of a few nurses. Finally, the nurse who identified herself as Christine came out and allowed him and Rya to go into the room with Darien. Marcellus took one look at his wife's ashen face and turned away from her. Darien knew the guilt was eating him up.

"Marcellus." Her voice was weak but she could tell by the way his shoulders stiffened that he had heard her. She waited. Once he pulled himself together, he went over to her. 

"I'm sorry, tesoro." 

Darien shook her head as if to say no. "This is not your fault. You did what you said you would do. You didn't know Carlo would come after me and Rya."

"She's right Marcellus; there was no way to know."

"I was supposed to take care of you and the baby."

"You did. We just have to stay here until our daughter decides to make her grand entrance." Marcellus' head shot up. His eyes met Darien's and she realized he thought she had lost the baby. "They are going to move us to a private room tomorrow if I don't deliver tonight. Christine said that a doctor will be here any minute, and once I have been examined they will contact my doctor and possibly transfer me to the hospital that I already registered at."

Church peaked his head in the door and Marcellus excused himself. "What happened?"

"Everything is taken care of. I called in some reinforcements to help with the clean up, but its done." 

"Thanks, Church Boy, I owe you one."

"Naw, we're even. Rya's alive and so is Darien. We are both free of Carlo, and can move forward with our lives. How's the baby?"

"We don't know much right now. Soon though."

"Well, until then we wait. Lets not keep the ladies waiting. My niece will be here any day now."

They waited through the night and nothing happened. Darien was admitted to a private room early the next morning and Rya waited with her while Marcellus went to get her a few things that she would need. It was explained to Darien that her water had broken and after a sonogram it was determined that her amniotic sack was completely empty and that she would be on complete bed rest until the baby was born. Antibiotics and a saline IV were inserted to keep Darien hydrated and to keep infection away. 

Marcellus returned just as the doctor was giving her directions of bed rest and why the IV was necessary. She also explained the seriousness of her situation. It was explained to Darien and Marcellus that due to Darien only being twenty weeks pregnant that there was a high possibility that the baby would not make it and if so she may have problems. Darien began to cry and Marcellus crawled into bed with her and held her until she fell asleep.

"Hello, Mrs. Christos." The afternoon nurse was walking into the room with her usual greeting. Marcellus silenced her by putting his finger to his lips.

"She just got to sleep," he explained. 

"Sorry," the young nurse replied. 

Later that evening Darien awoke. Marcellus still held her in his arms. She gently caressed his cheek and he woke up. "What happened? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. I was just trying to get up. I have to used the bathroom."

"You are not allowed to get up. I will get the bedpan."

"Marcellus there is too much going on down there for you to take care of me."

Marcellus smiled and kissed her. "You do realize there is nothing down there I have not seen, right?"

Darien gasped, and Marcellus left the bed to get the bedpan. When Darien was done he cleaned her up and emptied the bedpan. He then got back into bed with her and wrapped her back in his arms. "I love you, tesoro." He kissed her temple. "I just want you to know that I love you and that everything will be ok. There is no way we have come this far to lose it all."

Darien looked up into Marcellus' eyes. "You're right everything will be just fine. I love you."

The nurse found them cuddled into the spoon position with Darien tucked safely in his arms; their hands intertwined on her stomach as if to protect their daughter.