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

  “What?” he demanded, once again aware of how his tone seemed to resonate through the space between them. “What do you need?”

  Reaching toward her, he scooped up her small right palm, and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You want to be here with me tonight, right?”

  She was nodding again, her body leaning in his direction as though he had commanded it to do so. “Yes.”

  Ethan could feel the way her body trembled under his touch, and something about Lily’s sudden vulnerability made him want to wrap her up and protect her. Recently, making a woman vulnerable had been his primary objective. He had wanted her to be alone, and afraid. He wanted her to show those emotions in her eyes as he took her down. He wanted her to make him feel it.

  Lily was different in so many ways. He still felt it with her. Fuck, Ethan thought he felt things he’d never even known were there to be registered when he gazed into the forests of her eyes, but his emotional responses weren’t the same. He didn’t just want to destroy her—she was more than only disposable. Ethan wasn’t sure if it was the fact she was a virgin that clarified the point. It made a difference somehow, he supposed, because he knew that after tonight she’d be his, and that she would never belong to someone else. He’d never given any credence to that old-fashioned notion before Lily, but now, as he held her hand, it seemed to matter. She’d belong to him, and only him, and the thought made his heart swell almost as much as his cock.

  He was moving before he’d even considered what to do next. His right hand rose into the soft strands of Lily’s hair, and gently, but insistently, he guided her body closer in his direction. She came willingly. There was no resistance, and as though she already knew what he had in mind, Ethan saw those green eyes flutter shut as her mouth approached. There had been no conscious thought to kiss her, but he wanted to anyway, and as those tempting lips drew nearer, he pounced. Controlling her head with the hand that slid to her nape, Ethan claimed what was his, waiting only a moment for her lips to part, before he probed his tongue gently inside. He wanted to possess her, and somewhere in his mind, he wanted to let her know what he had in store for her this evening, and he knew his tongue could demonstrate it for them. It moved in an unhurried way, exploring the inside of her mouth as it snaked deeper, before slowly withdrawing. The action repeated, his tongue sliding into her wetness, before retreating, fucking her mouth over and over until she groaned against him.

  Ethan’s erection throbbed at the sound, and for just a second, he broke the kiss, holding her against him as he pressed his forehead against Lily’s.

  Fuck. Taking a breath, he willed himself for some control. He couldn’t be this excited over just one kiss. They’d never make it through the evening at this rate.

  “Ethan.”

  Lily’s voice was barely audible now, but her eyes blinked open as she spoke, and she found the intensity of his gaze already upon her.

  “Shhh,” he soothed. “You’re perfect. Let’s not talk now. Let’s just kiss.”

  She inhaled, her head shifting against his flesh as she nodded her concurrence. And then her eyes were closed again, her mouth looking for his as she leaned toward him, searching for the kiss he promised. Ethan gave her what she wanted gladly, his tongue more insistent this time as it pressed into her hot, wet mouth. Jeez, Lily felt so good, he could only imagine how astonishing her sex was going to be. A memory of the times he’d slid his fingers inside her in their dreams filled his head, thickening his cock in an instant.

  And just like that it happened. Ethan hadn’t intended to get inside her head, he’d only meant to kiss her, but something switched in his mind, and without any conscious effort on his part, he found himself embedded in Lily’s thoughts. Warm pleasure enveloped him, and it was the strangest thing, but he swore it was almost as though he was experiencing the kiss from both his, and her, point of view. Complete, unbidden pleasure loomed. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before, and a split second later, he wanted to pull away—to break the connection—but that was only an instinctive response to the rush of sensation, and the thought soon evaporated.

  This was bliss.

  He was inside her, literally possessing her mind as his lips claimed her mouth, and in all the years he’d been able to delve into other people’s thoughts, Ethan had never known anything like it. The sense of unity was unrivalled, the intimacy burgeoning into a frenzy, and he hadn’t even moved past first base yet.

  Oh, my…

  Ethan’s analysis was interrupted by Lily’s thoughts.

  Oh, fuck, yes.

  That made him start. Ethan couldn’t recall hearing Lily swear before, and he opened his eyes to check her reactions for himself. Her beautiful orbs were still hidden beneath her lids and dark eyelashes. There was no obvious sign of anything beyond her supplication to his demanding lips. She was still fully engaged in the kiss, but now her thoughts were coming hard and fast.

  Yes, she thought silently as his tongue snaked back inside her mouth again. Do it, Ethan. Fuck me! Fuck me with your tongue—

  He pulled away, breaking the connection of their lips prematurely. His abrupt departure left her reeling, and she looked bereft as she panted beside him.

  “What?” she gasped, staring at him for desperation. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  Ethan blinked down at her. It seemed she had been so lost in the kiss that Lily hadn’t even noticed him in her headspace at all.

  “Nothing,” he reassured her at once, the hand at her nape stroking the goosing bare flesh of her upper back as he answered. “Your thoughts just shocked me, that’s all. I’d never heard you think that way before.”

  Even from his close proximity, Ethan could see the color of Lily’s blush rush to her cheeks.

  “You were in my head?” she said in an accusing tone. “You can do that?”

  He swallowed at the question. “Sometimes, but I wasn’t there on purpose,” he explained. “We’re so close, beautiful. It just kind of happened.”

  Lily panted at that, her gaze lowering as she considered his words.

  “I’m sorry,” Ethan offered. “It’s never happened before.”

  She laughed gently at his apology. “It sounds like it’s going to be a night of firsts,” she murmured with a chuckle. “I’m sorry, too. I didn’t even process what I was thinking.”

  Ethan shook his head as he drew a few inches away from the heating flesh of her face. “You don’t have to apologize for how you feel,” he assured her. “You never have to apologize for that, Lily.”

  Her free hand rose to her face, rubbing her eyes as though she couldn’t quite believe she wasn’t dreaming. “Okay,” she told him softly. “No more apologies. How about you get me inside now?”

  He had to grin at the audacity of that statement, yet, as he considered it, Ethan found he was forced to agree. It was time they went inside the house, and it was time he got further into the phenomenal woman beside him.

  “Your wish is my command, beautiful,” he replied with a wicked grin. “Time to get inside.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ethan’s house was nothing like the way Lily had envisioned it to be in her head. She’d always imagined hard lines, monochrome color schemes, and large dramatic pieces of furniture, but the reality was quite different. He swept her from the small hallway, hanging the coat Lily hadn’t even worn on the wooden bannister of the staircase, and leaving her small case at the foot of the steps before he ushered her into the second door on the right. A warm, opulent room met her senses. Lily’s gaze scanned over the red hue of the carpet and the large chocolate leather sofa and chairs that dominated the space as a tall lamp was switched on from the other side of the room. There was a scent in the air that reminded Lily of Christmas spices, and something about the aroma made her heady.

  “Would you like a drink?” he asked in an amused tone, and Lily turned to see his tall, lithe body leaning against the doorframe watching her.

  In the midst of her private appraisal, it seeme
d Lily had wandered into the center of the room without so much as a word to her host. Flushing at her unusual behavior, Lily swallowed as she clutched her hands behind her back.

  “Er, yes, thank you,” she answered, biting down on her lower lip as the embarrassment washed over her. “What are you having?”

  Ethan lifted his chin, displaying his near perfect profile to her wide eyes. Lily’s gaze fell over him. She’d never seen Ethan this way—in his natural environment. Usually, when they weren’t dreaming, they met in his car, and she had grown used to only seeing him that way—sitting behind a steering wheel. Was it possible she’d forgotten how tall he really was, or how strong his body looked beneath that shirt? She gulped instinctively at the idea that tonight might be the very time for finding out, the thought making her forget all about his offer of refreshment.

  “I was going to open a bottle of wine,” he informed her in a soft tone. “Do you like wine, Lily?”

  She watched, almost hypnotized as he approached her. Ethan unbuttoned the cuffs of his long blue shirt as he neared, folding the sleeves to just above his elbows. The deed revealed two lean forearms, and as her gaze fell over them, she could clearly make out the veins and sinews of his body. Lily had no idea if the act was deliberate or not, but something about the gesture made hot, needy arousal pool at her sex. He looked so damn domineering with his sleeves rolled up, as though he was ready to get down to business. Her heart raced faster at the thought.

  “Lily?”

  Ethan’s inquiring tone made her meet his gaze again.

  “Do you like wine?”

  Lily drew in a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Unfortunately, all she managed to achieve was to take in a huge breath of that spicy festive aroma. “I’ve never…” she began, but the words seemed to die in her throat.

  “You’ve never had any before?” he replied, concluding her sentence for her as he came to stand in front of Lily.

  There were now only a few inches between their bodies, and he reached for her, that large hand stroking the exposed skin of her left shoulder. His touch created a tremor at her core, and reflexively Lily’s lips parted.

  “I’m not old enough,” she heard herself murmur. “My parents have never let me try.”

  “Would you like to?” he probed, inching his body even closer. “I mean, we’re breaking all the rules tonight, what with you being here, and us being alone, and all. If you’d like a small glass of wine, then that’s fine with me.”

  She raised her gaze to meet those deep blue oceans of Ethan’s eyes. “Maybe a little,” she replied. “I’m not sure if I’ll like it, or not.”

  The smile which met her answer made Lily have to catch her breath. “Oh, you’ll like it,” he assured her. “Just because you haven’t tried something before doesn’t mean you won’t love it, beautiful.”

  Her wide-eyed expression was absolutely adorable, and he wanted to capture it in his mind for all time. Pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead, Ethan left her for a moment. He wanted to get the fire going again, and keep the room warm, and then he’d get drinks. Not that he wanted to get her drunk—far from it—he wanted Lily to be completely coherent when he took her for the first time. He wanted her to feel everything, to remember everything, and that meant there was little room for intoxication. But he could also sense her nerves, and he knew a little alcohol would help to relax Lily.

  With the flames now licking the wood in the fireplace, Ethan threw a few more logs into place before he turned to find Lily exactly where he had left her. She stood there, her hands clasped behind her back in the most endearing way, as her eyes took in every inch of the room around her. Rising from his crouch, Ethan strode the small distance to where she was waiting.

  “You can sit down,” he told her with a laugh. “I don’t charge for the privilege.”

  His playful admonishment was met with Lily’s startled expression, and she swallowed as she nodded in response.

  “Yes, s-sorry,” she mumbled. “I was just looking around.”

  Ethan lifted his hand and stroked the side of her face. Her flesh was hot under his touch. “It’s okay, Lily,” he assured her. “You can stand if you prefer. I just want you to relax, that’s all.”

  She flustered at that, the elephant of their burgeoning sexual chemistry emerging yet again. He knew why he wanted her to relax, and he knew that she understood why, too. Furthermore, the way she had kissed him back in the car suggested that however innocent little Lily was, she was also more than ready to accept his advances. In fact, he sensed that she was just as desperate for the fuck as he was.

  “I’m fine,” she replied with a smile, and he watched as at least some of the tension in her body slipped away. “Honestly, I just love seeing the inside of your place, Ethan. I feel like I know nothing about you at all, and yet you’re inside my head.”

  “I understand,” he answered after a moment. “Make yourself at home while I get the drinks.”

  Lily was still smiling as he slipped from the room. As he busied himself in the nearby kitchen, Ethan considered penetrating her thoughts once more, and seeing for himself what was on her mind. He bet he could guess, but still, he was used to being able to verify those things, and the not knowing still seemed like a foreign concept. Reaching into a drawer for his corkscrew, he began to remove the cork from the red wine bottle as he mused on the idea. Lily was vaguely aware of his telepathic abilities, but it still seemed a little unfair to project them on her at will.

  He laughed at the notion of fairness. It was never a concept that had bothered his conscience before, but then Lily wasn’t like any of the other girls. She wasn’t a commodity. Lily was about more than just a one-off experience.

  “Not disposable,” he mumbled to himself as though the thought needed reinforcing, and he pulled the cork from the bottle. “Special.”

  Ethan was nodding as he reached for two wine glasses, and collecting the open bottle, he made his way purposefully back into the sitting room. Lily had moved about a foot from the place he’d left her. She was still standing, but her shins had at least found the leather of the couch. Her gaze was now fixed on some of the more psychedelic artwork that was hanging on his wall.

  “You like?” he prompted as he pushed the door closed with his foot.

  She turned to meet his eye with a coy smile. “They’re amazing,” she replied. “Would I know the artist?”

  “You should,” he told her with a wry chuckle. You’re about to let him fuck you. But he didn’t vocalize that part, instead focusing on what he knew she was ready to hear. “You’re staying the night at his house.”

  Lily’s gaze widened at his words. “No way!” she exclaimed as he placed the wine glasses down on a nearby coffee table. “I know you told me you were an artist, but seriously? You painted these?”

  Ethan lifted the wine bottle and poured two perfect glasses of the burgundy liquid before he answered. “Yes,” he confirmed. “That was me.”

  “These are amazing, Ethan,” she told him, her tone laced with disbelief.

  “I’m glad you like them,” he mumbled, handing her one of the wine glasses as he turned to look at the pictures that had captured Lily’s attention.

  He’d painted those two pieces a few months ago—before Lily. His thoughts had been darker then, and somehow the art had been therapeutic.

  “I do love to paint,” he told her thoughtfully. “But I’ve had other things on my mind recently.”

  Ethan fixed her with a knowing look as he concluded, and watched with satisfaction as a fresh blush engulfed her pretty face.

  “Like me?” she murmured, her tone guilty.

  The idea that Lily could be guilty of anything, except falling for a predator like him was downright laughable, and he shook his head.

  “Not just you,” he assured her.

  There was also the matter of murder, he mused, but he ensured that thought remained private.

  She inhaled. “Well, I think they’re incredible,” she m
urmured. “Maybe one day you’ll paint something for me?”

  Ethan gazed down at Lily’s face. “What would be the point?” he wondered aloud. “You’re the closest thing to a piece of art I’ve ever seen, and no painting is ever going to outshine you, beautiful.”

  Lily met his eyes again, her lower lip disappearing between her teeth once more. “I bet you say that to all the ladies,” she replied in a raspy, nervous tone.

  He smiled at her attempt at humor. “Not really,” he replied as he wandered back to his own glass of wine.

  Ethan had said a lot of things to a lot of women of late, but he couldn’t remember a whole lot of flattery being in the mix.

  Chapter Sixteen

  They were settled on the couch before Lily took her first sip of wine. The liquid was warmer than she’d imagined, and as it passed down her throat, she was instantly affected by its potency. She blinked down at the contents of her glass, already lifting it to her lips to consume more.

  “How is it?” asked Ethan from her right, and she turned to see him eyeing her with evident interest. “Apparently, it’s not too bad.”

  Lily laughed at the way he answered his own question. “I like it, I think,” she told him. “But, I don’t really have much to compare it to.”

  He smiled at the concession. “It’s a good wine,” he promised her. “You’ll just have to take my word for it.”

  Lily’s eyes darted from his face to the red wine again. “I guess I can trust you,” she mumbled sardonically.

  “I hope so,” he replied as he took another slug from his own glass. “I want you to.”

  She watched as he swallowed the liquid, noticing how laid back his demeanor was as he relaxed against the arm of the sofa. By contrast, she was practically hovering on the edge of the middle seat. Get a grip, she reminded herself as she took another, much larger mouthful of the drink, but however much she tried to convince herself otherwise, Lily was gripped with trepidation—and excitement.