Ariel's Song (In Bed with the Enemy) (11 page)

Colin
walked into his bedroom. “Ariel.” He pitched his voice low.

She stood
at the end of the bed, her hand on the bed trunk as she removed her heels. “You got it all sorted out?”

He closed the distan
ce and gripped her waist, turning her around to face him. “I will now.” Colin closed his mouth over hers and kissed her, possessiveness filling his chest. Ariel dragged her hands up his arms until reaching his neck. She clung to him, her soft breasts pressed against his chest.

Colin
dropped his hands to her ass and pulled her closer to him, letting her feel his rigid cock. He untangled himself from her and grabbed her hands, guiding her to the standing mirror. He stood in back of her. “Tonight will be different, Ariel.”

She parted her lips and looked at his r
eflection in the mirror. “How?”

Colin
raised his hands to her hair and dropped one by one the pins holding it up. Locks of hair tumbled to her shoulders one at a time, her familiar violet essence teasing his nostrils.

“
Tonight it’s all about you,” he said, inhaling deeply as he trailed his fingertips down her neck to her arms. “Tell me something, gorgeous.” Colin glanced at the mirror, locking her eyes with his. “Does my past bother you?”

Through heavy lids, she said, “
N-no. Of course, not.”

His
hands closed on her waist then he trailed them up to cup her breasts. Ariel moaned, throwing her head back, resting it on his shoulder.

H
is lips brushed her temple. “You don’t believe the rumors are true? It doesn’t bother you in the least to be seen, to be known as the girlfriend of a possible murderer?” Colin squeezed her breasts.

Her back
tensed at his last words. Ariel tried to move away from him, but he held her in place. “No. If I did, I wouldn’t be here, Colin.” She stared back at him in the mirror.

The
gleam in her eyes and the confidence in her voice told him what he needed to know—for now. Ariel was his to keep. Colin unzipped her gown, letting it pool at her feet. He pulled her in his arms, looked directly into her eyes for a moment, and then turned her to the mirror again.

“Tonight, I want you to be mine.”
Colin slid his hand to her pussy. He groaned at the wetness seeping through her thong.

“I’m already yours
.” She sounded breathless.

“No, I meant for you to be mine, completely.”
Colin slipped his fingers inside her thong and parted her folds, his thumb circling her bud. “There’s no turning back after tonight, darling,” he said increasing his pace on her clit and stroked her breast with his other hand.

Ariel
moaned swaying her hips against his hand.

“I don’t want any more barriers between us,” he whispered. His fingers played with her nipple.
“I’m going to slide my cock in your pussy, feel you take it all in.” He kissed the curve of her neck. “You’re going to come.” Colin thrust two fingers in. “And when you think your orgasm is over,” he slid his fingers in and out of her. “You’ll clench your muscles around my cock when I come inside you, and I’ll make you come again.”

Ariel’s knees gave way as her muscles contracted around his fingers.
Colin tightened his arm on her waist, keeping her on her feet while his fingers rode her orgasm with her. “Are you on the pill?”

Ariel
nodded. “Yes.”

He wanted to mark her as his.
“Ariel, I need to know you’re willing to take what we have to the next level.”

She panted.

Colin removed his hand from her pussy and cupped her chin with it, forcing her to look at him, in the mirror. “I’m clean. I hadn’t been with a woman until you, and I don’t want any more barriers between us. I want you to be mine. Do you trust me?”

She nodded.

He traced his wet fingers along her lips. “I need to hear you say it.”

“Y-yes.
I trust you.”

“This will change
everything. There’s no going back, gorgeous, because after I come in you tonight I’m not letting you go. Tell me you’re okay with that.”

Ariel
darted her tongue out and licked his fingers. “I don’t want you to let me go.”

He didn’t plan to let her go. She
’d be his.
Mine to keep.

“
Colin, please. Fuck me already.” She turned to him and undid his suit’s buttons, helping him rid of it.

He w
ound his arms around her waist, lifting her off her feet. “I said I’m not fucking you tonight.” Colin carried her to the bed and removed the rest of his clothes. He paused and looked at her naked form lying in the middle of his bed, waiting for him. He crawled on the bed, positioning himself between her legs, his cock at her entrance.

Ariel reached for his neck and pulled him down to kiss him. Colin
closed his lips over hers, tongues colliding as they explored each other’s mouths. The heat of her body traveled the length of his, searing his skin with every kiss, every move, every caress. His cock ached with the anticipation of feeling her without barriers, all the tension, all the heat pooled in his balls.

She jerked
her hips and he drove into her, sinking into her wetness. Colin broke the kiss and hovered over her, resting his body weight on his arms so he wouldn’t crash her. Their labored breaths mingled. He stared into her eyes as the heat of their bodies consumed him inside out. Colin closed his eyes for a few seconds, inhaling deeply, enjoying the feel of her warmth on his cock with no barriers between them. Ariel rocked her hips, securing her legs on his waist.

“Ariel…” Colin opened his eyes
, and kissed her as he drove into her. He reached between them and played with her clit, not once faltering in his thrusts.

“Colin,” she whispered
, matching his rhythm.

He increas
ed his thumb’s pace and she tossed her head from side to side, splaying her hair on the pillows.

“
Yes, gorgeous. Let go,” he said.

A loud cry
left her lips as her body trembled underneath his. Colin claimed her mouth, keeping his pace until her breathing slowed down and her shudders faded. He broke the kiss and increased his pace, driving into her harder and deeper each time.

“Colin, I don’t think I can.”

He slid his hands under her shoulders, holding her in place as he thrust into her. “Yes, you can.” Her body shook with her orgasm and her muscles tightened around his cock. With one last hard lunge and a growl, Colin let go, filling her with his cum, thrusting his hips until the last wave of his own ecstasy left him.

“I’m never letting you go, Ariel.”
Colin rolled off her and stretched his arm to open the drawer of the night stand next to the bed. He turned his attention to her, and pulled her to him, looking her in the eyes. “All I ask in return is your trust. If anything in my past bothers you, promise me you’ll come to me and ask. Promise you’ll trust me.”

Ariel raised her hand to his face and caressed his cheek. “
I trust you. I promise.”

He leaned forward and kissed her. “Thank you,” he whispered
on her lips. “I want you to have this.” A black obsidian necklace dangled from his hand, a violin pendant with a skull at the top and small diamonds encrusted in it hung from the middle of the chain.

She caught her breath. “Oh, it’s
beautiful.”

“It’s perfect.”

Ariel shifted on the bed, adding a few inches of space between them. “When did you get this?”

“When you weren’t looking.”
His lips curled into a smile.

“Don’t be a smart ass. I’m serious.”

“One day on my way back from rehearsal I took a detour. I wanted some time alone and ended up shopping for this.” He lifted his hand, the chain swinging from it.

“So, you buy diamonds
when you’ve nothing better to do?” Ariel let out a soft laugh.

Colin
shrugged. “Something like it. You can’t fault me for thinking of you.” He slid the chain around her neck and secured it.

Ariel
touched his face, dragging her finger to fasten a loose strand of hair behind his ear. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He twisted his head and kissed her wrist
, gliding his lips down her arm, leaving a trail of kisses along the arch of her shoulder and finding his way to her core. Colin parted her legs and gave her pussy one lick before moving back to her breasts, tracing his way back to her mouth. His hand closed around her neck.

“
This marks the start of our relationship.” His eyes bore into her then he kissed her.

“I thought we already had a relationship.”

“It just got serious, gorgeous,” he said.

Chapter Fourteen

Ariel crossed the threshold of his study making her way to the large oak desk. She pulled the chair and sat down, crossing her leg. She traced her fingers over the necklace, recalling the events of last weekend. His request to take their relationship to the next level, making love without protection surprised her. Then he’d given her a violin, skull, and diamonds necklace, marking the start of their relationship. Colin didn’t say he loved her, but neither did she. For now, being with him, trusting him was enough.

Since they
returned to his home, they fell back into their daily routine, though things were indeed different. Good different. Ariel didn’t always go with him to rehearsal. Logan’s assistant did a pretty darn good job keeping her busy with coordinating all the arrangements for Colin’s upcoming concert. No matter what, Ariel made it a point to have breakfast and dinner with him.

At night,
he’d made it part of their routine to play a song for her. Colin hadn’t finished composing the one he’d played for her in his music studio a few weeks ago. Every time she asked, he said it wasn’t ready yet.

Ariel
shook her head and fixed her attention on her beeping inbox. She straightened on the chair and grabbed the papers sitting on the desk. Today, she’d stayed behind to take care of things. Her days became busier as the countdown to the concert began. Ariel didn’t have the energy to work, but if she didn’t she’d have nothing to do the rest of the afternoon. She didn’t expect Colin back from rehearsal for another few hours.

“Miss Parks?” the housekeeper said from the door.

Ariel looked up. “Yes, Lola?”

“That musician lady is at the door asking
to see you. She says there’s an urgent matter regarding Mister Hoskins she needs to discuss with you,” Lola said.

Ariel didn’t need anyone to tell her who the
musician lady was. She looked at the time on the laptop. What could be so urgent? Did something happen?

“Let her in, Lola.” Ariel placed the papers in her hand back on the desk.

“Oh, there you are.”

The hairs on the back of her neck stood at the sound of
the familiar voice. “Penelope,” she said, glancing up at her unwanted guest. “Is rehearsal over?” Ariel tensed as Penelope approached her.

Penelope
stood across from the desk and waved her hand in front of her. “I left after lunch. I wasn’t feeling well.”

Ariel eased back in her chair, taking in
Penelope’s moves. “So, you know Colin isn’t here.”

A disparaging smile formed on
Penelope’s face. “Yes, I know.” Penelope’s gaze zeroed in on Ariel. “I heard your good news. Congratulations. I’m happy for you both.”

A chill ran through Ariel’s body at the insincerity of
Penelope’s words. She glanced at the door. The damned woman closed it all the way when she’d entered. The dark pools of Penelope’s eyes swallowed her whole with hatred.

“
So, what’s this urgent matter you need to discuss?” Ariel asked.

Penelope
ran her fingers across the edge of the desk. “Have you found out any more about what happened with his ex?”

Of course, what did she expect of
Penelope? How did she not see it coming? “No, I haven’t.” Ariel pushed to her feet. “Penelope, I don’t have time for this. You know the way out. Have a good afternoon.”

“Ariel, dear, you’re such sweet girl. Don’t let the devil fool you. I came to warn
you. Colin can be very persuasive and make you believe things. Bad things. You don’t want to regret losing yourself in him.”

Ariel wouldn’t listen
to Penelope’s lies. “He’s not what you want me to think he is.”

“When he comes after you with a gun or a knife, what are you going to do? Who’s going to hear you scream in this big house?”
Penelope gestured to the big room.

“He wouldn’t do that.”
Bile rose to her throat.

“Oh, but he did. Remember what happened to his fiancée? Never forget
it.”

“
Penelope, please leave.”

“I’m going.
Never say I didn’t tell you so.” Penelope waved to the bookshelves. “Search in this room. You’re a smart little thing. It’s possible you can find the rest of the clues of his last tragic love story here.”

“Please leave.”

Penelope smiled and spun on her heel. She glanced at Ariel one more time, as she walked out, leaving the door ajar.

Ariel ran her hands over her arms
trying to get rid of the goose bumps spreading through her. She refused to believe a word Penelope said. She sat back on her chair and went back to work. She reviewed the documents on her desk and responded to Marissa’s emails. Ariel looked at the time and sighed. Colin wouldn’t be home for another hour.

No matter how hard she tried
, she couldn’t get Penelope out of her mind. Why did she pay attention to her venomous words? Ariel trusted Colin. She’d been at the same place, too. The rumors weren’t true. They couldn’t be. Maybe if she found some sort of proof she’d scream to the world his innocence. She’d talk him into showing everyone how wrong they’d been.

Ariel
pushed her chair from the desk, and against her better judgment, she walked to the secret compartment she’d found a few weeks ago. She removed the faux books and pulled open the door to the partition discovering a black leather portfolio in it. A cold chill surged through her, her knees almost gave way. Ariel swallowed, hesitating for a moment, and then reached for it. She sat on the floor and with shaky hands she opened the folio.

Ariel scanned the police report
and newspaper clippings, learning it’d been a homicide-suicide. Valerie was stabbed to death and her killer, according to the evidence, committed suicide, allegedly shooting himself with Colin’s gun. Making matters worse, the bullet extracted from the guy’s head proved to be the same caliber as Colin’s, which placed him at the scene the night of the heinous crime.

Except forensics worked on his favor
showing his gun hadn’t been fired. To clear any lingering doubts, the timing of events didn’t coincide with his whereabouts that night either, according to his testimony in addition to several witnesses’ accounts. Ariel knew it. She’d been there.

Ariel recalled how t
he media made a circus of the case with the little bit they learned, regardless of it being true or not. The press published their theories on why the moment Colin walked into the detective’s office, not another detail on the case was ever known. Unhappy with how the powers that be handled everything behind closed doors, the media did their worst to muddy his reputation. The case went cold after a while.

“What are you doing?”

Startled, Ariel jerked her head up. Colin strode in her direction. “I-I…” She shut the folder in her hands.

Colin leaned down and yanked the
file from her hands. “You said you trusted me. What the fuck, Ariel?”

She
rose from the floor and advanced him. “It’s not what you think.”

“
Care to explain what it is?” Colin walked over to the desk, tossing the portfolio on top. “I know what I saw.”

How would she explain
she’d done it to prove Penelope and everyone else wrong? The words didn’t come to her.

He raked
his hands through his hair, setting it loose of its strap. “You promised to trust me. You said my past didn’t matter to you.” He met her gaze across the room.

“I
do trust you. I didn’t mean to—”

“Why are you snooping around? I said you could ask me anything. You wanted to know what happened to Valerie, I had no problem telling you.
I asked you to ask me. To trust me, Ariel.” Colin surveyed the room.

“I’
m sorry.” Ariel went to him. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, I do.”

“
No. You don’t.” He stared at her, and she raised her hand to touch him. “I’m done talking with you.” Colin pushed her hand away and walked past her, leaving his study.

Ariel watched his back retreat into the hallway
, fighting the urge to go to him. Her heart ached because she’d hurt him. It’d be useless running after him to make him listen to her right now. She’d been so stupid letting Penelope’s words get to her. Only now did she realize the woman’s goal. To break them apart, and Ariel fell right into her trap. Ugh. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

****

Colin paced in his music studio going over what Ariel did. Her trust meant everything to him, and she’d broken the trust he’d placed in her. Without trust they didn’t have anything. He’d learned his lesson the hard way with Valerie. After Val, he didn’t see the need to pursue any other woman until Ariel.

W
hen he thought he had a chance at being normal again, Ariel proved him wrong. He walked to a cabinet on the far end of the room, opened the door, and removed a bottle of bourbon. Colin sat on a brown leather stationary chair and took a mouthful from the bottle, letting the strong liquid set his throat on fire as it made its way down to his stomach.

He remained in his studio alone for a few hours
, hoping no one came to disturb his peace. Colin looked at the bottle in his hand, realizing he’d imbibed more than half. He wasn’t drunk. Correction. He didn’t feel drunk, though the room did seem to spin a bit. All right, so he might be a little drunk.

“You can’t come in.” Lola strode in
to his studio behind Penelope.

“Colin, dear.”
Penelope ambled toward him.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”
His words slurred. Shit, he
was
drunk. Colin waved Lola off. She looked from him to Penelope then left.

Penelope
ran her finger over his face. “Did you get in a fight with her?”

He threw his head back, rest
ed it on the chair then closed his eyes. “It’s none of your fucking business.” Colin shifted in his seat, opening his eyes. “What do you want?”

Penelope
straddled him. “You. I want you, Colin. I’ve waited for this moment so long.”

“
What the fuck? Get the fuck of me,” he said.

“First, Valerie. You only had eyes for her. Now, it’s
her
. I can’t even say her name without making myself sick. No more, Colin. It’s time you look at me the way you look at them.” She cupped his face with her hands and leaned forward, lips puckered.

“Colin!” Ariel stood by the door.

He pushed Penelope from him as he stood, and her ass landed unceremoniously on the floor. “Ariel.”

“Colin, you hurt me,”
Penelope said.

“Get the fuck out of my house.”
Colin felt more disgusted at himself than at Penelope. He dropped the bottle in his hand, and fixed his pants. Ariel shook her head and left. “Ariel, let me explain.”

****

Tears rolled down her cheeks as Ariel made her way to the entrance hall. She needed to go for a walk to order her thoughts after what she’d seen. Whether something indeed happened or not, didn’t matter. Colin let Penelope go too far. Would he go to her or some other woman every time they argued? Ariel didn’t plan to stay around to find out. The little bit she’d seen hurt her in more than one way.

“Miss Parks.” The housekeeper
stepped in her path.

“Not now.”

“Mister Ashby is in the hall asking to see you and Mister Hoskins,” Lola said.

Ariel whispered her thanks and quickened her pace to the entrance hall. “Logan.”

“Ariel, is everything all right?” Logan asked.

Her lips quivered and tears rolled on her cheeks.
He placed his arm around her back, hugging her to him. “Come here, sweetheart.”

“I don’t want to be here,” she said against his shoulder.

“Come on. Let’s go.” Logan guided her out the door and to his car. He drove the short distance to the village. “Are you hungry?”

Ariel look
ed out the car window. “No.”

Logan parked his car. “
A little food will do you good.” He got out and made his way to her door. He helped her out and led her to a patio table of a small restaurant.

She
welcomed the fresh air along with the comings and goings of the tourists and locals walking on the sidewalk they sat next to. “Sorry for screwing up your plans.”

He
glanced at her. “You didn’t. I have news to share with you and Colin.” A waiter came by their table to take their orders.

When the waiter left, Ariel asked, “
News about my brother? Please say there’s at least a lead.”

Logan
beamed at her, lines cracked around his eyes. “More than a lead. Do you know anything regarding the trust your dad left for you and Tanner?”

“No. Not much. I know
Uncle Ken had a power of attorney until my brother turned twenty-five years old. Tanner would take everything from our uncle and assume his responsibilities in Dad’s company.”