Bane smiled down at her and kissed both her cheeks, the spot between her brows, both sides of her mouth and then gave her a gentle kiss on the mouth. “Your face tells me everything. You are an open book, never play poker,” he chuckled. Emma blushed. She had no idea that she was that easy to read. That could be a problem.To distract herself, she traced the outline of a rose on Bane’s shoulder. It was one of several that stretched over his shoulder, down to his arm. She could see a black snake entwined in the roses and a dagger.“Do they bother you?” he asked. Emma looked up in surprise. “No, I find them fascinating,” she told him. She saw his face changing into an amused smile.“You never stop surprising me, angel,” he told her and lifted a lock of her hair and played with it. “Do they have meaning?” Emma asked as she traced the dagger with her finger. “Most of them do. Some are just to fill space and bring it together,” he told her. She made a soft sound to let him know she under
Bane’s firm hands lifted Emma up from his knee and helped her wrap her legs tightly around him. Without ending the kiss, Bane stood up and Emma clung to him like a spider monkey. His hands supported her by grabbing her ass and helped her continue to grind against him. “Remembered what we talked about the second night at the club?” Bane asked Emma. He sounded out of breath.“If I don’t want to continue, I say ‘stop’,” Emma said. In her mind, she thought that there was no way she was going to use that word. “That’s right, any time you feel uncomfortable or scared. Promise me, angel,” Bain used a serious voice.“Promise,” she told him. “I promised you a reward.” Bane gave her one of his sexy smirks, and Emma wondered when she had started to think of them as sexy. Her thought were interrupted by another soul igniting kiss. Emma could feel Bane’s hands let go of her ass and felt him push down his sleep pants and step out of them. His erect cock brushed against her bare ass and left a t
Bane looked down at Emma as she slept. She was curled into him with her head on his shoulder and her golden hair spread all over the pillows. She had never looked so innocent and beautiful. Bane wanted to trace her face with his finger, but he didn’t want to disturb her. He looked at the clock on his bedside table and saw it was almost five in the morning. She deserved to sleep some more. He was satisfied just looking at her.It was a new thing, waking up with someone in his bed. He tried to avoid to actually sleep with the women he had sex with. Sleeping together seemed to invoke intimacy, which he didn’t want. But Emma, she looked right in his bed, like she was a thing that had been missing from it until now. As he looked at her and gently played with the ends of her hair, he had to be honest with himself and confess that he loved her. Even in his own head, those words sounded grand and terrified him. He had no illusions about who he was or what he did. He was a selfish man that to
Emma was sitting on Bane’s bed, waiting for him to return from her room. He was refusing to let her go into her room until it had been cleaned and put together again. She didn’t care what Bane told her. He was sweet. Emma had told him what she would like to wear, and she was hoping the outfit was still in one piece. “It looked to be untouched, so I think it will be fine,” Bane said as he walked into the room, holding a dress bag and her makeup. “Thank you, I will be quick,” she told him and took the things from him and walked in to the bathroom. Something seemed different with Bane today, Emma thought. She couldn’t put her finger on what. Maybe he was a little uneasy about her sleeping in his bed. She had chosen her dress because it made her feel powerful and in control. Se suspected she needed that if she was to sit in on this meeting. It was a white, knee-length, bodycon dress with halter nek. The back was bare. Emma felt it had become her signature. She liked the subtle way of s
There was a surprised silence in the room as they all looked at Emma. Emma looked at Bane. She saw a mild surprise in his eyes, but mostly he seemed amused.“Please tell me more,” he said.“I’m living in your house, eating your food and sleeping in your bed,” she reminded him. “True, but only because I asked you to,” he said.“But you didn’t ask me to take advantage of you last night,” Emma whispered, just loud enough to make sure everyone heard her. She was not comfortable telling him that, and even less to tell the others. But if she was to play this game, she would play to win. Bane looked at her for a second, as if he couldn’t believe what she had said. Then he laughed and kissed her. “You got a point. You did take advantage of me last night,” he agreed. Emma could hear a chuckle coming from Jax. “But I forgive you, and give you permission to do so in the future as well. It was enjoyable,” Bane added. Emma blushed even though she tried her best not to. As Bane turned toward Ol
After a tight hug with Simon and both of them telling the other how much they had missed each other, they ordered coffee and pie and sat down at one of the corner tables.“Work is so boring now that you aren’t there,” Simon told Emma.“It can’t be that bad.”“It is. James keeps coming by asking if I have planned a party for you, or if I know if you will drop by to visit. I never knew he had a thing for you,” Simon said with a teasing look. Emma glanced over at Tom and Luke. They pretended to be busy, but their ears were practically twisting like antennas to pick up what she and Simon was talking about.“I didn’t either,” she told her friend.“But…”“But nothing.”“Oh, come on Emma. My dating life is dryer than the Sahara desert. I need to live vicariously through you,” Simon complained.“Yeah, I’m not dating either. So tough luck,” she told him.“Come on, you have a hot doctor chasing you, you are staying in a mansion, a god honest mansion, with a hoard of more or less good-looking me
Bane enjoyed the moment of quiet he had with Emma in the car to the club. The day had been hectic, to say the least, and he had barely seen her. In one week, he had become used to having her by his side and found that he missed her not being there.“Is something bothering you?” Emma asked. He looked at her. She had her hair down, and it flowed over her naked shoulders. Emma was wearing a black, skintight, shoulder-less dress with a rhinestone harness. She had been in a good mood all day, which was odd when he considered the day she had had yesterday.“No, why are you asking?”“You looked lost, I thought, like you were trying to solve a problem,” she told him. Had she been watching him? The possibility sent a warm feeling through him, and he found he wanted to share his thoughts with her.“The meeting Jax and I went to this morning was with the mayor. Apparently, the city’s finances are tight, and he is asking businesses in the city to donate funds so they can keep healthcare and human
Emma looked at Simon. He was looking back at her with a strange expression. “What?” she asked.“There is something going on between the two of you.”“What are you talking about?”“Oh, come on. I have eyes, darling. He barely could keep his hands off you and that kiss on the cheek, and the way the two of you look at each other. I felt like I needed a condom.”“Simon!”“Oh, come on. Don’t be a prude. Tell me, what is the use of a best friend if you don’t tell me anything?” Simon whined.“Fine, but not here,” Emma said. Looking around the full club. “Let’s go to this VIP-room.”“That sounds like a plan to me,” Simon agreed.“Luke, could you take us to the room that was booked for us?” Emma asked.“Sure, Miss E. Do you want me to order you some drinks to be sent up?” “Yes, please. Two Angel’s bliss and a bottle of champagne, thanks.” They made their way up to the second floor. As they walked up the stairs, they came to a long landing where on one hand you had a long row of doors, on the
Emma sat at her desk, she had gone through the last of the reports regarding the latest batch of potential new clients. She had selected three that she thought had potential. The rest would get a kind refusal letter, telling them the firm had too much on their plate to take them on as clients, but they could recommend the attached list of accountant firms. Simon’s and her business were blooming. They had stopped looking for new clients as they had their hands full with their existing ones and the ones that asked to join. There was a knock on the door and Tom opened it and came inside.“We need to get going in ten minutes if you want to have time to get ready, Mrs E,” he told her. “Thank you, Tom. Could you make sure that these three potential clients get wetted? I’ll just say bye to Simon and then we can go,” she told him. He nodded and took the folders from her. When Emma had started working from the office, Bane had insisted she needed a bodyguard. Since Tom’s injuries, his wife ha
It was time for Emma to deal with things. She had let Bane keep her in their room, with brief visits to the kitchen and the library, for weeks. She felt much better, especially since Bane had stopped thinking she was too frail for sex. Emma almost felt like her old self again. No, that wasn’t entirely true. She felt like a new and improved version, Emma 2.0. Somehow her time with Walker had given her a little more confidence, and the fact she knew she had Bane and Simon in her life left her with a sense of security that she hadn’t felt since she was a child. It was time she put this new version to the test.“I want to see my aunt and uncle,” she told Bane as they were eating breakfast. Emma had convinced him they should start having their meals in the dining room and not the bedroom. It felt like a good sign that he had agreed. “No.”“You said that it was my decision what happens to them,” she objected.“It is. You will tell me what you want, and I will make it happen. No where in th
Bane looked down at Emma. She was licking his still hard cock clean. She had not let go of his gaze and Bane admired the way the rhinestones sparkled in the soft light. His wicked angel. “On your feet, angel,” he told her, and she gracefully got up. It was evidence of how far along she was in her recovery. She had been right that he was trying to hold back, trying to not acknowledge how much better she was. Because if he did, he would have to let her go out into the world. And that scared the shit out of him. He just wanted her safe. But as he drew her into his embrace, kissing her like he had wanted to kiss her since she woke up, with a scoring heat. He knew he had to give in and let her keep going on with her life. “You have been a really good girl. Time for your reward. On the bed, angel, on your hands and knees,” he told her. He saw the radiant smile that appeared on Emma’s face as she almost skipped over to the bed. She was a needy little angel, he thought as he stripped out of
Emma was slowly healing and getting her strength back. The first days she had been on a strict diet that Linda had ordered. But as the week moved on, she gradually could start eating like normal. Bane made sure she got all her meals and snacks in their room. He also made sure she had dessert with every meal. As he had told her, he didn’t leave their room. He was constantly by her side. If he needed to work, he did so from the armchair by the TV. He helped her to the bathroom, and he helped her to shower whenever she wanted to. There was a constant stream of people coming to visit Emma. She was moved by how most of the men, some she had only met in passing, came by to look in on her. She made it a point to thank each of them for helping to rescue her. Then there was Anna. She made sure to bring Emma’s meals herself and stayed to talk a little. Tom and Luke were almost in the room as much as she and Bane. Luke was looking better by the day as Simon was finally talking to him, even thoug
Emma looked up at Bane with big eyes.“But…,“ she started.“No but. You need to stop doing things that put you in danger, angel. But we will save the punishment for later. Now relax,” he told her, and he savoured the feeling as she made herself comfortable in his arms. Having her back where she belonged felt amazing, like the world suddenly made sense again. Her body felt too angular and thin, and her hair had lost its shine. But he didn’t care. She was back in his arms, in his bed, and he had told her he loved her. Bane still had a hard time believing she loved him back, and she forgave him. He didn’t forgive himself and would spend the rest of his life making it up to her if she would let him. A cold hand clutched his stomach as he remembered he didn’t know what they had done to her. He knew she had been beaten from the pictures. Linda had told him she had seen all the signs of starvation and dehydration. But other than that, Bane had had plenty of time to think about what else they
Bane was looking at Emma and at the spot on the bed next to her, but he didn’t move. Emma looked back at him and wondered what was going on. “Come on,” she said, patting the spot again.“I’ll just sit here,” he told her, heading toward the chair he sat in when she had woken up.“Why? I would like you to sit next to me,” she asked.“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said.“Don’t be silly. Simon was sitting there not five minutes ago. Come on, let’s have a talk,” she told him. Slowly, with hesitant steps, Bane rounded the bed and gently got on it. He watched her to see if she was uncomfortable or in pain. Emma just smiled at him patiently. As he sat down facing her, he took her hands in his and looked intently at them. Emma just let him be. He had something he needed to talk about, and she would give him the time to think it through.“I’m sorry,” he said, looking up at her. That was not what Emma was expecting. “For what?” she asked, genuinely surprised. Bane smiled at her and caressed he
Emma woke up feeling dazed. Her mind was fuzzy, and it took her a minute to remember what had happened. She tensed up as she remembered the small room she had been in the last weeks. Then she realised she was home. No, not home. She was in Bane’s bed. Someone was holding her hand, and she squeezed it to make herself relax. “Emma?” she heard Bane say, and she turned her head towards the sound. Bane had pulled up one of the armchairs next to the bed and was sitting in it, holding her hand. Emma smiled at him and felt herself relax. He looked tired, but he returned her smile.“Hi,” she said, her voice sounded hoarse and dry.“Hi, angel. How are you feeling?” he asked. Emma thought about it. She had a feeling she should be in a lot of pain, but she wasn’t. “Fine, a bit fuzzy, like my brain is wrapped in a soft cloud. And I’m thirsty and I think I’m a little hungry as well,” she told him. Bane reached out with his free hand and stroked her hair. “You are on some heavy pain medication. I
Relief so powerful that it almost felt like a tidal wave flooded his system. That was, until he registered the state of her. She looked so tired, and why did it look like she had lost weight? But in her brilliant blue eyes, he could see hope. Then his focus shifted to the man that was dragging her backwards by the arm. Walker’s son, Bane realised. As Emma was dragged out of his view, Bane turned towards the chaos that was playing out on the ground level. Jax and his men had made progress. They were forcing most of Walker’s men to the right while some of Bane’s men herded the guests and workers to the left. No one was foolish enough to assume the guests and workers were harmless. They all knew that there could be numerous guns, knives and other things hidden amongst them. They would be searched and dealt with when this thing was over.“Found the item,” Bane shouted. Jax, Luke and Tom looked at him and he glanced toward the stairs. They all nodded. There was an effort made to clear the
Bane was sitting in the dark van that was parked in an alley, trying to be invisible, which was hard for a vehicle of its size. Bane had a hard time sitting still. He was bouncing his knee up and down, staring at the com system, willing it to come to life. Jax, that was sitting next to him, gave him an annoyed look. Bane glared back at him. Bane’s temper was not at its best. Three weeks. Fucking three weeks. They had made him wait. If Bane was being fair, which he wasn’t in the mood to be, it hadn’t been Jax’s, Luke’s or Tom’s fault that it had taken three weeks. If they had known where Emma had been held, nothing could have kept him from going after her. But that had been the issue. No one could find where Walker had been keeping her. It had taken Spenser less than three hours to find Emma’s aunt and uncle and drag them back. That had been an entertaining evening, Bane thought. Within thirty minutes of Bane stepping into the same room as Jonas Cobler, he had told Bane everything he k