(a/n: I kinda like this chapter. Hm.)
Chapter Twenty
Rannia had often asked herself where all of the Amir's money went, since it clearly wasn't towards keeping up the mid-sized, classic suburban bungalow Carter's parents lived in. But now, standing in the grand foyer of Mykel's building, lit with what seemed to be chandeliers painted with gold, light sprinkled with diamonds, and glass coated tiles, she finally understood. This was where it all went to, and Mykel owned all of it.
With her fingers holding the small bag she'd brought along, she leaned against the receptionist's counter top, waiting for someone to direct her to the top floor—which was probably the only occupied room in the entire damn building. Security was built up to the teeth. Guards roamed every level, every stair, and though it disturbed her that an attack or nightly assasination would most likely not be successful, she had to respect the obvious claim of territory Mykel had put in the building.
It was all beautiful, the architecture, but what lay inside was dangerous, and perhaps that was the exact reason it shone so brightly to Rannia's eye. It reminded her of Mykel, that dangerous beauty.
"You're here for a room?"
Rannia turned to face a smiling young man. His dyed afro curls sat handsomely on his head and smiling white teeth greeted her.
"Yes. Well, actually, I'm not booking one. I'm moving into an occupied room. Amir?" She cocked her head at him, eyes shining beneath the golden reflective sheen all over the walls. His eyes ran up and down her body, lips slowly curling at the edges as his eyes enjoyed the sight before him.
"There are two rooms in his suite," the boy told her. "But there are already two occupants to fill it up. If you'd like, I could spare a side of my b—"
"Dammit, girlfriend." A snappish growl travelled at the way down her back and dripped into her skin like hot sweat. "You idiot. I've been looking for you everywhere."
A large hand gripped Rannia's arm and she was torn away from the smiling boy. Her shoulder collided with Mykel's hard chest, and as the man stared down the boy before him, his grip only tightened. Possessively.
"I see you're making yourself acquainted with the building, girlfriend." Rannia had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from hitting him in the balls right that second. She'd always hated him. She'd always wanted to hurt him, but her recent visit to her parents only furthered her hunger for pain, and not her pain—his. "Did you get lost like an imbecile?"
The boy shifted an uncertain stare between Rannia and Mykel. "Are you two...?"
"Fucking Christ n—"
"She's visiting," Mykel all but growled. She felt his hands shift from her arm and slowly pull her body flush against his. When she felt the raging heat of his skin and the wicked pulse of his heart on her body, she felt more warmth surge into her bones.
Mykel settled a disturbed glare on his employee. "Don't you have a job, boy?"
"Yes, Boss." When the boy didn't move, Mykel cracked a knuckle. That alone was enough to send his worker away.
"What were you doing?" Mykel whispered angrily in Rannia's ear. Rannia pushed her elbow into his stomach to get out of his grip. And then she glared.
"Looking for some hospitality," she ran her eyes up and down his body with distaste, "since I clearly won't get any otherwise."
His jaw ticked and she saw one of his fingers twitch.
"Come back." He motioned for her to return to his arms.
Rannia stared at him, unamused. He seemed angrier by the second. Angrier with each command that she did not obey.
"Girlfriend, I said come."
She wasn't his bitch. He didn't have her on some sort of leash.
Crossing her arms, Rannia turned to stalk away, knowing nothing would come of it other than his further enragement. She was two steps in when he ground out a word so deadly and hostile that Rannia froze in place, despite everything in her willing to do otherwise.
"Rannia."
She hated how her jaw was trembling a little when she slowly turned to look at him. She was sure her eyes were wide and doe-like—like fucking prey, that's what he wanted her to be, and that's exactly what she'd become. Weak.
He held out a hand to grab her. His eyes held more words than his lips ever could.
I'm in your house now, she tried to console herself as her body defied her will, I will kill you. I will kill you and Carter and your mom and your sisters and your brothers, until everyone is left dead and I can bring your father to my own. There was a pull on her skin before he even touched her, drawing her in like Earth to water. She was held by his side in a firm grip.
Carter would hold me gently, she thought.
"Doesn't that feel good?" He taunted in her ear. Rannia felt her skin sear where he touched her, causing her body to shake a little when his breath ghosted her neck. "Good girl, Rannia. Little pet."
When she tried to jerk away from him, his teeth caught the outside of her ear and sent heat right down to her underwear.
He tsked.
"Since you're so insistent on leaving, I'll keep you by my side. Now let me make a little promise to you:" Rannia tried to glare at him, but as she stared up, her lips only parted and her eyes were hooded with a regretful lust.
"There are two rooms in my house. One is mine, one is Carter's. Carter will be sleeping alone tonight."
Her breath hitched as her mind conjured up a century worth of scenarios that could play out. Most of which were entirely basked in darkness, red lights, and a lot of heavy breathing.
"Let's find out just how big my bed is, yes?"
She was not-so-gently led out of the foyer and up a long elevator. Light music played in the background, trying to stifle the unbearable tension between the two, but it did nothing but annoy the pair. With his arms still on her body, her entire skin was alight. Every feeling, every nerve, awake. Awakened by him.
Her body's reaction to Mykel's touch was a curse and a blessing.
Mykel's long fingers slid a keycard from his pocket and swept it through the lock, alerting a small beep as the red button turned green. With one small glance to Rannia, eyes disclosing a silent warning to remain quiet, the man pulled the girl inside with a swift tug. His grace was that of a killer. They shared that, at least. Their bloodlust.
Mykel placed Rannia behind his back, disrupting her view of his suite. She could still see the dark wood floors beneath her feet, but everything else was hidden. She tried to peek over his shoulder, but two cool fingers sliding under her shirt and causing a small squeak to escape her lips was all she needed as warning.
"Rannia got lost in traffic. She'll be here tomorrow."
"Mykel? You're home? I made di—" Carter's voice sounded far away.
How big was this place?
Big enough to hide a body.
"I'm heading to bed. Night, kid."
"Oh...okay. I'll store your dinner in the fridge for tomorrow." The sound of clattering plates followed. A pause. "And are you sure I can't just drive by and pick up Rannia?"
"Leave her there," Mykel replied grumpily. "She'll be here for long enough anyways."
Rannia heard the hurt frown in Carter's voice as he mumbled a reply and rushed off to cry, probably. It was a few seconds before Mykel finally turned back around to face her.
"You won't make a noise," he told her, firm hands holding her in place.
When she didn't respond, he glared at her. "Nod if you understand, girlfriend."
She nodded, however reluctant.
"Okay." Mykel sighed, running a hand through his hair. He moved to the side, and the view of his suite was revealed.
Long, tall glass windows lined the entire left and right sides of the suite; two sides of the building, showing the entire city line, west and east, for watching the sun set and rise. Blocky couches formed some sort of seating area, in front of it a tv, and beside all of that a simple bar table with a small fridge. There was so much glass and black, grey and white, that everything seemed monotone.
The air was cold. Rannia briefly recalled Romina talking about Mykel's strange infatuation with the cold.
"Get used to the view of the couches," Mykel remarked. "It's where you'll be sleeping."
"But Carter—"
"First condition." Mykel stated firmly, causing Rannia to roll her eyes in annoyance. Brat, as always. "As long as you are under my roof, you do not sleep in another person's bed."
"What will Carter say about this?" Rannia retorted quietly, crossing her arms across her chest. She felt his eyes slowly run over her features, taking in each minute detail, every crevice and flicker of emotion that passed over her eyes.
"Nothing, if he wants to stay here." Mykel's entire face looked like a moody frog's. Thick brows set, full tips pulled tight and unforgiving, dark eyes set ahead as he forced his stare away from her neck.
His hand nudged her forward. "Go. Up." He pointed.
Tall, spiralling mass of glass and metal pires, forming a cylindrical stairway all the way up to a loft; it being comprised of two closed rooms and one entire view of the rest of the suite, lay before them, and Rannia was disappointed in herself for not noticing it before. Of course he had to have a spiral staircase, and of course it had to lead to a loft.
Was she losing her touch? Normally, upon entering a new place, she had all routes and exits mapped out before she even considered walking around. Something always had her...off, when Mykel was around.
Distracted.
In danger.
Rannia tore herself away from his presence. His body, his aura, it was all very warm, cold, and intoxicating; an entire dilemma, a complete and utter walking contradiction—that was him, Mykel. A mess, a man, and someone she had to kill.
On her way there, she'd noticed how carefully he'd chosen the placement of his suite. Right next to several liquor stores, in case he wanted a change in scenery. Lots of people in the streets regardless of time, letting him blend in as one with the crowd.
Rannia stalked up the metal staircase, taking care to make little noise for secrecy's sake. It would look a little strange for Mykel to pretend his brother's girlfriend wasn't home, when she was, and then proceed to direct her straight towards his room.
As she ascended the metal rail, fingers wrapped around the inner pole, she heard Mykel follow up behind her.
He hadn't actually said to go to his room, had he? Rannia bit her cheek and clenched a fist at herself. Idiot. You really assumed you'd go there—and to go so willingly? Why are you even staying quiet?
The door of his room slid open like a whisper, revealing a pleasant darkness inside. It was closed before Rannia could process the nearly pitch dark room, take in the massive thick blinds on the windows, or notice how Mykel's hand was on the small of her back, lightly drifting to the base of her shirt.
He was forbidden. He was the opposite of everything she should ever want. Yet she sunk into his touch a little too submissively. Stayed a little too quiet as his fingers made her moan. Whimpered when he touched her harshly, commandingly, and without restraint. Holding her below him in the midnight room, hand on her neck, body between her legs. Hips thrusting forward. Bites all along skin. Groans, moans, growls—a possessive, claiming touch.
He felt so good against her. He felt so warm. So cold.
His skin was soft. It was hard. She dug her fingers into his back, arching her own as she eclipsed with a silent cry. There were tears in her eyes.
"Please," she begged, though not knowing what for.
"You're a bad girl, wanting me to do this," Mykel replied huskily. She could not see his face in the darkness, but she felt his stare. Her clothes tangled below their bodies and all Mykel had done was remove his shirt.
Rannia gently rolled her soaking lips against his clothed erection, trembling with each sensation her sensitive clit sent rolling around. She rolled her head back.
"It's so wrong," she whined quietly, whimpering again as he slid his hot tongue along her exposed throat. She was pathetic in his arms.
Mykel groaned as he slowly leaned forward, pressing his dick further into her hips. Both of their breaths were heavy as they kept moving against each other, heat and sickly sweet lust dripping from their every pore and breath.
"I know," was his reply. He bit along her collarbone, marking everything red with his teeth.
Rannia flipped them over and sat her ass right onto his crotch, staring down at him. Her fingers trailed all the way up his body until they reached his chin, feeling each quick beat of his pulse at her fingertips.
"You're doing this even though you know it'll hurt your brother."
With each of her words, his fingers clawed further up her bare hips, digging into her flesh.
She fell forward, holding herself up with her arms alongside either side of his face.
"Do you care?"
He didn't reply. She felt his body gently rise and fall with his breaths
"You and Carter won't last," he said at last.
"What makes you think that?" She whispered. Her hair fell along the sides of her face, almost reaching Mykel's.
A finger slowly slid back into her lower lips. Rannia gasped at his touch, and jerked her hips when he touched her clit. "M—"
"Tell me who's touching you."
"Fucking answer me you br— oh, oh fuck."
"Whose bed are you on, girlfriend?"
His finger started thrusting in and out of her wet hole, setting wet slapping noises out to meet their ears. Rannia's entire body temperature skyrocketed with each bounce of her hips going down to meet his hand. He leaned his face really close, ghosting his nose against hers.
"What's my name?" He grunted lowly.
"Brat," Rannia whimpered.
"Name," he repeated dangerously, finger still fucking her. Rannia felt her core begin to tighten, and she knew he felt it too.
"Fuck, oh- fuck. D-daddy—"
He slammed them around so she was below him. Her legs were split wide open and he placed himself between them, settling his finger right back into her cunt.
Rannia's fingers gripped the sheets below until pain hit her knuckles to resist the screams threatening to escape her lips.
"Not daddy, girlfriend." With the slightest sliver of light slipping past a curtain, she caught the slightest glance of his tongue running along his lips when he spoke again. "Say it, baby. Say it when you come."
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Rannia grit out, blood coming from her cheek from biting it so hard. Her legs were already shaking from how powerful her orgasm would be. "I-"
"Say it."
"Mykel," she gasped out, fingers losing their grip on the sheets entirely as her body started to convulse in ripples of pleasure. Mykel held her neck back into the sheets to keep her in place, one finger still fucking her to prolong her release. Juices gushed from her tight hole and splattered all along the sheets, soaking everything below her.
Just as her brain began to clear, she felt two soft lips leave behind a kiss on her cheek. Her eyes popped open in shock, and even though she could not see, she felt the most knowing smirk on his lips.
"The answer to your question, girlfriend, is that you're not staying for long. You'll either leave yourself," he leaned close, "or some other...thing will get in your way. And you won't be in his bed anymore. You'll go from his to mine."
"Because you're mine, Rannia. Mine. You hate me, and in your pain I will keep you. Below me. On me, around me. Begging, crying. Mine to ruin.
And mine to keep."