Flawed: (A Psychological Dark Romance) (The Dark Necessities Prequels Book 1) Read online

  A knock on his door broke Ethan’s train of thought, and he spun on his heel just in time to see Kitty in the doorway.

  “You okay?” she asked as her brows knitted together with concern. “It’s nearly nine and you’ve not even come out of your room.”

  Ethan took in the look of his younger sister, and he smiled. No matter what, Kitty had always been there. Kitty still loved him.

  “I’m fine,” he told her with a feigned smile. “If it’s nearly nine then you’d better be off to work. You don’t want to be late.”

  “Right,” she agreed as she checked her watch. “I just wanted to stop in and let you know I’ll be out tonight.”

  “Really?” he asked, aware that his brow had arched even though Ethan knew how much it pissed Kitty off. She always said how much it reminded her of their father. “Anywhere nice?”

  “Yes, really,” she insisted with a huff. “I am twenty-three years old, Ethan. I’m not a little girl anymore, and I don’t need your permission to go out.”

  Ethan held his palms up in front of his chest at her accusations. “Hey, okay!” he replied. “I’m just asking. I’m your older brother—it’s my job to give a shit.”

  Kitty’s expression softened a little at that. “I know,” she said with a sigh. “And I love you for it, but, please, lay off, okay? His name is Shaun and I’ve been seeing him for a couple of weeks, and Ethan—before you jump off about it, you should know—I really like this guy.”

  A couple of weeks? Ethan blinked at the news. Kitty had been seeing this guy for a couple of weeks, already? How the hell had he not known? How had he not noticed? Although even as the queries came to mind, Ethan knew the answer. It was staring him right in the face—just like the answer to everything else—Lily. He’d been so consumed with his own desires that he’d failed to see Kitty falling for her own. The thought depressed him. Whatever else he’d been, Ethan had always counted himself as a good brother to his little sister.

  “When do I get to meet him?” he asked with a wry smile.

  She drew in a deep breath. “Soon, I hope,” she answered coyly. “Just promise me you’ll give Shaun a chance, Ethan. He’s a good guy.”

  He was smiling as he crossed the carpet to where she stood. “He’d better be,” he told her. “Because if he hurts you, I’ll kill the guy, and you have my permission to tell him that upfront.”

  “Oh, Ethan,” she murmured. “When will this big brother act end?”

  Ethan shook his head at her. “That will be never,” he decided. “But seriously, if he treats you right, then fine. Just be careful, okay? Do you know where he is taking you and what time you’ll be back?”

  His mind was already working overtime, trying to use his brotherly concern to conceal the true intentions for his interest in Kitty’s logistics. If he knew what time his sister was due back later, then there was a good chance he could bring Lily around beforehand.

  “Just to the cinema, I think,” she replied. “But we won’t be later than eleven. I mean, it is a school night!”

  Kitty appealed to him with those large eyes she liked to use whenever she wanted to get her own way. Though she liked to pretend that she didn’t need his approval, her need for Ethan’s consent was more obvious from her expression. He gazed down at her affectionately. When had his little sister become so grown up? He swore it was only five minutes ago that she’d still been at school…

  “Fine,” he answered at length. “But if you’re going to be later, then call me, okay? I know I’m not your father, and I know you’re a big girl now, but I still worry.”

  She grinned up at him. “You’re just a big softie,” she responded with a giggle. “But you’re right. There is still some nutter out there, and just because he hasn’t struck for a few weeks doesn’t mean we should get complacent.”

  Ethan inhaled at her words. Kitty had no idea how right she was, although ironically, she was one of only two women in the city who was probably entirely safe from the predator she referred to. She just didn’t have any way of knowing that.

  “Thank you.” Her soft tone interrupted his thoughts and Ethan met her gaze with interest.

  “What for?”

  “For being okay with Shaun,” she told him. “For being so understanding.”

  He snorted. “I never said I was alright with Shaun,” he corrected her, “but so long as you’re happy, Kitty. I want you to be happy.”

  He needed her to be, and deep down, Ethan knew she would need somebody else by her side in the future. He didn’t know what this Shaun was like, but Kitty needed someone dependable—someone who would be there—when he no longer was. His long-term visions were pretty sketchy, but in his gut he had a sense that he’d be moving on to a place where Kitty couldn’t join him.

  Kitty threw her small arms around him, and hugged him tight in response. He startled a little at the deed, but Ethan didn’t resist. She was still the only family he had left, and aside from Lily, Kitty was the only one who ever made him smile.

  “You’re going to be late,” he reminded her gently.

  “Oh shit, yes!” she swore as she retreated back into the hall. “I’ll catch you later, maybe? I won’t be going out until about seven.”

  She was halfway down the stairs by now, her voice echoing around the cream landing. “I should be here,” he called after her. “I’ll leave you a note if my plans change.”

  “Okay,” she hollered, and he heard the door slam as she ran out of the house.

  What was it with the women in his life, he wondered idly? They were always running out on him.

  Chapter Thirty

  It had been an agonizing day. Having gotten virtually no sleep, Lily had managed to argue with her parents on her way out of the house. They had not been pleased when she’d indicated her intention to go out again that evening; her mother in particular had made some rather unpleasant implications about what happened to girls who went out too much.

  Lily rolled her eyes at the memory, before her attention returned to the hair color she was rinsing. It was her last job of the day, and then she’d have to go and face whatever mess she’d created with Ethan. In the cold light of day, Lily couldn’t remember why she’d been so cold to him in the dreamscape, but that said—that niggling sense of dread was still lodged in the pit of her belly—and whatever she did, Lily couldn’t seem to shake it. She was sure she hadn’t imagined it; something was wrong with Ethan—something he wasn’t telling her—and the thought unsettled her. And then there had been those things he’d said, about the dead women. What the hell had that been about?

  She swallowed as she rolled the questions around in her head. She would have to ask him—she’d have to find out—but not now, not today. Right now, she just wanted to put things right between them again. She wanted the strength of his touch and the salvation of his kiss. It might well be pathetic, but she needed it.

  “Are you nearly finished with Mrs. Pembroke’s color, Lily?”

  The sound of her boss’s voice splintered her thoughts, and she looked up to find Stella Dawson glowering at her.

  “Yes, Mrs. Dawson,” she replied as sweetly as she could muster. “We’re nearly done here.”

  Mrs. Dawson’s eyes narrowed. “Good,” she muttered. “You may go after the job is completed, but don’t be late tomorrow. We’re short staffed again, thanks to Jody.”

  And with that, the older woman stalked off down the aisle.

  So far, the hours at the beauty salon hadn’t been much better than breakfast at home. Jody hadn’t shown up again, and that meant a lot of extra work for everyone else. Lily pushed away the paranoia that indicated she should be concerned for Jody. They hadn’t been getting on so well since she’d met Ethan. There had been one particular incident when her friend had actually had the audacity to warn Lily away from him. That had made her laugh! Jody—the woman with a different guy most weekends—was telling Lily to be careful! She shook her head at the memory, but deep down she still cared about her fr
iend, and her absence worried her. To make matters worse, her boss Mrs. Dawson seemed to also be in a black mood. Apparently, there was something about today that meant everything was up in the air, and no one was happy.

  It took less than ten minutes to dispatch Mrs. Pembroke to Kelly for her haircut, and that meant Lily was free to go. Grabbing her purse, she dodged an accusing look from one of the other assistants, and skipped out into the autumn evening. Ethan was parked just where he always was, and despite her anxiety about how they’d left things the night before, Lily couldn’t deny the rush of excitement that flooded her body as she spotted him in the car.

  Opening the passenger door, she met his gaze. “Hi,” she murmured. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  Somehow, she always seemed to be telling him that.

  Ethan smiled at her, but she couldn’t be sure what the flicker of emotion in his eyes was trying to say. “Of course, I’m here, beautiful.”

  “But, things weren’t great last night,” Lily admitted as she slipped into the seat beside him. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

  That wasn’t strictly true of course. Lily had been reasonably sure he would, and she hoped beyond reason that he wouldn’t let her down, but still, there was always that nagging doubt. The anxious voice in her head that told her she’d overstepped the line last night. That she’d pissed him off too much. And Lily had come to realize something over the last week or so. Being in love was intoxicating, but when you were bonded to someone as tightly as she was to Ethan, you were always insecure. How could you not be? He literally held her heart in his hands.

  Ethan reached for her right palm. “Lily,” he started in a low tone that captured her attention at once. “Look at me.”

  Her gaze met his deep blue eyes on demand.

  “I’ll always be here,” he told her again. “Yesterday was just a misunderstanding. Let’s just forget about it.”

  Lily wasn’t sure she actually believed that appraisal. She didn’t think she’d misunderstood anything. What was more likely was that Ethan had chosen not to explain himself, and that thought still perturbed her. She recalled how clear things had seemed in her head in the rectangular room, but sitting in Ethan’s car once more, Lily struggled to remember what had inspired those emotions. What mattered now—more than anything—was their relationship, and after the shitty day she’d had, Lily didn’t want to argue again with Ethan. She just wanted to be with him, to touch him, and maybe if she was lucky, to kiss him.

  “Alright,” she replied with a small sigh. “It’s forgotten.”

  But as she leaned in to graze his lips with her mouth, Lily had to wonder. Could she really forget it? Would those niggling feelings ever really disperse? She pushed the negativity away, focusing only on the heat of her lover’s body, and her body responded instinctively, just as it always did.

  “I want you at my house tonight.” His voice was little more than a low growl, and Lily felt her nipples bead into painful buds at the resonance.

  “Are you sure?” she whispered, her voice betraying her excitement.

  “It’s not a request, beautiful,” he told her firmly. “I’ll pick you up at half past seven from the usual place, and tonight your arse is mine.”

  Lily’s heart skipped a beat at that, her eyes widening as she took in the meaning of his words. Wow, that sounded good, and the pooling wetness at her sex was a testament to that fact.

  “I’d like that,” she just about managed to reply, but even as she spoke, Lily was aware of the heat rising to her face.

  Damn it, she pondered. Why did she always blush like that? It meant no response could ever be hidden…

  Ethan arched his brow at her in that way which made her core ache, and just that gesture alone made Lily even hotter. “I’m pleased to hear it,” he replied in a seductively brooding tone. “Now, let’s get you home for dinner. You’ll need all your energy for our evening plans.”

  Everything was good. Kitty was content, and out for the evening, and the woman Ethan was crazy about stood in front of him, shifting nervously from one foot to the other as she waited for his verdict. It seemed whatever concerns Lily had experienced last night about him had been put to bed for the time being. He couldn’t sense much from her body now except eager, nervous energy, and the palpable sexual chemistry that was burgeoning between them, though he wasn’t stupid enough to think she was over it completely. Either way, he didn’t intend to give her much time to muse on the matter this evening. Ethan had meant what he’d told her in the car earlier.

  He leaned back in his seat, taking a deep breath. This was much more like it—he was back in control and had Lily right where he wanted her—the last day had just been a temporary blip. Ethan assessed her face, and the way she wrung her hands out in front of her. She looked like a wind-up toy that needed release, and the thought made his lips curl.

  “You told me yesterday that you wanted to make things up to me?” His tone was intentionally short, and as she gasped at the sound, his cock began to throb inside his pants. “Do you remember?”

  Lily’s gaze lowered for a moment. “Yes, sir,” she began. “But then there was last night, and—”

  Ethan raised his palm, effectively cutting off her sentence in an instant. “We said last night was forgotten,” he reminded her.

  Though, evidently, it was not.

  She sniffed, nodding her head. “Yes, sir, I’m sorry.”

  “So, tonight, you make it up to me,” he concluded with a wry smile. “And that means I need your complete submission again, Lily.”

  He paused, allowing those words to sink in. “And if you’d rather not commit to that, then you can leave.”

  “Leave?” Lily sounded distraught at the prospect, and Ethan fought to contain the glee that rose in him.

  “Yes,” he confirmed. “I’ll drive you home.”

  Lily took a small step toward him. “I’ll submit, Ethan,” she assured him with wide green eyes. “Like before. Anything you want.”

  Now, that was more like it.

  “Good,” he concluded. “Strip for me.”

  The order made her eyes widen, but Lily’s fingers moved to the hem of her pale blouse in an instant, and he watched with satisfaction as she stripped it from her body. Next, she slid the skirt from her hips, her gaze falling to him at once, looking for his approval, which he granted with a small nod.

  “Yes,” he said softly. “All the way.”

  Ethan’s cock hardened as she slowly slipped her bra, tights and panties from her body. Her performance was smoother than it had been the last time she’d attempted to strip for him, and the thought was pleasing. Lily was learning, and she wanted to yield.

  “I’ve already told you what I want to do tonight, haven’t I?” His brow arched as he asked the question, and Lily responded beautifully, biting her lip and blushing as she was forced to give her answer.

  “My arse, sir?” Her words were barely even a whisper.

  He sat forward in his seat. “What was that, Lily? Speak up!”

  She flustered at that, tucking her hair behind her ears. “My arse, sir,” she repeated.

  Ethan smiled. It sounded even better coming from her gorgeous lips. “Right,” he agreed. “But before then, you’re going to have a little time to think.”

  Lily’s lips parted as though she was going to protest, but wisely her mouth closed again.

  “Wondering what you need to think about?” he asked in a sardonic tone.

  She nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  “Try the way you behaved the last time you were here,” he began. “Refusing to talk and running away instead of dealing with whatever you were feeling.”

  Ethan glanced up into her eyes, and he could see the emotion burning there.

  “But, sir,” she countered, opening her arms in an imploring gesture. “You did the same last night. You wouldn’t talk to me. You wouldn’t tell me the truth.”

  He actually felt his expression harden, and the look on Lily’s
face told him she had noticed, too.

  “What do we agree about last night?” he asked her slowly as he eyed her intently.

  Lily’s face burned a crimson color. “That we’d forget it,” she answered with a low sigh.

  Ethan blinked at her. “One more word about it, Lily,” he warned her. “And you are going to be meeting my belt. Are we clear?”

  She trembled at his words, and sounded genuinely rueful as she mumbled her compliance.

  “Okay, so let’s begin,” he went on, settling back in his seat. Glancing right he saw the bottle of wine he’d already opened, the solitary glass half full already on the small table beside the couch. The door was closed, and the fire was roaring. Lily would certainly be warm enough, which was good because she wouldn’t be allowed any clothes for some time to come.

  “Onto all fours at my feet. I’ve had a hellish couple of days, and right now, I need to relax.”

  Lily eyed him apprehensively as she fell to her knees in front of him. She sucked her lower lip between her teeth as she contemplated his instructions. “Where should I wait, sir?”

  He chuckled, pointing to the spot by his feet. “You’ll be right here.”

  Her head turned toward him quizzically. “But, sir, there’s no room. Your feet are there.”

  Ethan threw her one of his most devastating smiles. “Don’t you worry about that,” he said mockingly. “My feet are going to be up resting just as soon as you get into position.”

  It took a moment for the penny to drop, but Ethan saw the moment it all fell into place in her head, and his cock swelled at the realization.

  “Yes, beautiful,” he told her warmly. “You’re going to be my footrest.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Footrest? Is that what Ethan had just said? For God’s sake, this was getting out of hand!