Pride & Pleasure (The KNIGHT Brothers Book 1) Read online

  With her free hand, she found her breasts, kneading one mound in her palm, flicking the delicate nipple. Tugging the flesh, the sensations grew at the apex of her thighs. Moans carried to her ears and she realized it was her, louder in the open space of the bathroom. She opened her eyes and saw her reflection in the large mirror. Her cheeks were flushed. Her hair wet around her face. She bucked her hips, swishing the water and it flowed around her legs. She stabbed the button on the side of the tub with her toe, bringing the jets alive. Swirling bubbles circled her bottom and between her legs.

  Moaning, she closed her eyes, slipping her hand into the water, joining with her other fingers, two hands working together. The spasm came hard and fast, rolling through her wave after wave until she released, but only partially satisfied.

  She was prepared to face Victor.

  ****

  Victor stopped outside of Avary’s closed door, hesitating before knocking. He’d wanted to see her all day, even came upstairs once, but had turned away. He imagined she was angry with him after last night. He hadn’t meant to reject her, but hearing that she’d never been touched, never been made love to, had taken him for a twisted turn. After she’d walked away, he’d gone to his bedroom and spent most of the night tossing and turning. Even he couldn’t believe that he’d turned her down.

  Knocking, the door opened and his breath stilled in his lungs. She was breathtaking. What happened to the shy, innocent lady?

  Her hair was pulled into a neat chignon, away from her face to show off her lovely, bright eyes and slightly tinted lips that appeared fuller. The red material of her dress flowed over her soft curves, stopping mid-thigh where a thin, transparent material covered her legs. Giving just enough peek at her luscious, long legs. It was elegant and sophisticated, but seductive and sexy. She wore it well.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I live here.” He chuckled.

  “You know what I meant.”

  He knew this wouldn’t be easy. “I’ve come to take you down to dinner.”

  “That’s not appropriate since I’m not a guest.”

  “You are a guest,” he corrected. “About last night—”

  “Let’s not talk about it.” She looked away. “Sorry,” she muttered.

  “What are you sorry for?” She worked her bottom lip and she was even more gorgeous. He had an urgency to push her back inside of the room, slam the door, and kiss the hell out of her, but he needed to mind his manners.

  She continued to work her lip. Finally, she dropped her hands to her sides and sighed. “That I practically threw myself at you.”

  This completely caught him off guard. “You didn’t throw yourself at me.”

  “It won’t happen again. I promise.”

  Shit! That was disappointing. “Why don’t we erase all of the moments between us since we met and start again?”

  Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink. “If only that were possible.”

  “It is. We just continue from here.”

  She stared at him for the longest time and he wondered if she wanted to slap him or agree with his suggestion. “Will your girlfriend be here this evening?”

  He squinted. “My girlfriend? I thought we already discussed this.”

  “I did too, but frankly Victor, if a woman sleeps over at a man’s house then I would say she’s a girlfriend.”

  His stomach twisted. “Are you talking about Selena?”

  “She was here last night, right?”

  Holy fuck! “It’s not how you think.”

  “It doesn’t matter what I think. It’s none of my business.”

  “It is your business because I choose to make it your business,” he said a little too harshly, not because he was irritated with her, but mostly at himself.

  “I don’t want to hear any of this.”

  “You brought it up. I should have a right to explain.”

  She blinked. “True, but I’m afraid it might only make me a bigger fool.”

  “Avary, I swear to you, I didn’t sleep with her last night.”

  “From the conversation you two had before she left it certainly sounded like you had.”

  How could he explain and leave out the dirty details? He had a feeling no matter what he said, he’d make things worse for himself. “Before you and I were in the kitchen together…she was in my bed…”

  “What? She was in your bed and you came downstairs, and we—oh no.” She brought her hand up to cover her lips. He noticed the trembling.

  “No, she was in the guest room then.” When had he ever been so tongue-tied?

  “And that’s better how?” One corner of her mouth lowered.

  “It’s not. She was drunk and showed up uninvited in my bed. I woke up and she was—”

  “Don’t tell me.” She held up a hand.

  “But you need to see that it was innocent…” No, it was far from innocent. “I mean, what we shared was only physical.” Damn, he was solving this situation with a bazooka.

  “You’re sweating,” she said quietly.

  “That’s because you bother me, immensely.”

  “You bother me too. I can’t believe I wanted to sleep with you. I’m glad that feeling passed.” She sniffed loudly.

  “Don’t lie to me.” He took a step into the room, and she took one backward. “You still want me and I know I want you.”

  “Of course a man like you would think such a thing. You probably think you’re God’s gift to women, and sure, they’ve made you think this, but trust me, I’m not one of them.”

  He took another step and he was within inches of her. He smiled, amused with her. He’d never met another woman who had so many expressions and they were an open door into her every thought. He liked that about her. Liked a lot of things and he was damn tired of scooting around all of these emotions.

  He laid a hand on her hip and pulled her closer. She didn’t reject. He lowered his mouth and kissed her, not soft and not hard.

  She pushed at his chest and he drew back, only slightly. “Why are you doing this?” she gasped.

  “I can’t help myself when I’m around you.”

  “You know I’m not your type, remember? Best to keep that in mind.”

  “I’m never going to live those words down, am I?”

  “That’ll teach you.”

  “Am I interrupting something, kids?”

  Avary jumped and Victor turned at the sound of his sister’s voice. She stood in the hallway, a mischievous smile on her lips.

  “No, you weren’t.” Avary pulled out of his arms, taking several steps away from him.

  “Yes, you were,” Victor corrected.

  “Sorry. I’ve always had bad timing. I’m ready for a party. How about the two of you?” Angelina asked, swirling the hem of her dress around her ankles. “What do you think?”

  “You look amazing.” Victor stepped over to her and kissed her cheek.

  “I wouldn’t fit on the front of a fashion magazine, but it’s the only dress that didn’t hang on me like a sack. But…you’re definitely going to steal the hearts of many tonight, Avary.”

  She looked from Victor to Angelina, her bottom lip trembling. “I-I doubt that.”

  Angelina glanced at him, smiling wider. “Oh, I’d say there’s a big possibility. Now, shall we take our hotness downstairs?”

  “Okay. Let’s do that,” Avary said.

  Victor stayed a step back, watching his sister and Avary walk the hall toward the stairs. No question about it, he was curious over her. She was quite the opposite of the women he was usually attracted to —models, daddy’s girls, and high-maintenance. He liked her spirit, the way she wasn’t afraid to stand up to him—especially the way she teased him. How in the hell had she gone so long without a man sweeping her off her feet?

  There was something going on between them—a raw magnetism that he wanted to give in to.

  Strangely, he’d never really thought of himself in a relationship until Avary wa
lked into his life, now he found himself thinking about what he’d been missing. He also wanted more conversations with her.

  He was never a man to tread slowly in anything—personal or business. When he came across something he liked, he jumped straight in, not thinking of the future or consequences. He’d done the same with Avary. He’d kissed her and that was the end of any control. Now all he could do was think about kissing her again…and yes, making love to her.

  The three of them walked downstairs together. The place was alive with chatter. They’d never had a hard time getting people to the estate for a party. It was the perfect place for party goers to gather. The living room was large enough to hold a vast amount of guests, and the dining room had another table added to seat the twenty or so guests. A hush settled over the crowd as they stepped in, Angelina in the lead and, as if on cue, several people came forth and hugged her. Every eyed turned on them, and he half suspected they were just as curious about the woman standing next to Victor. He’d never entered any party, his own or otherwise, with a woman at his side. Yet, he somehow felt obligated to keep Avary close, protect her from the shallowness that can sometimes shine through at these social occasions. He’d been to enough that he had grown to not care.

  He took her elbow and she attempted to try and pull away, but he held her hand steady . “It’s safer if you allow me to guide you through the shark infested waters,” he whispered.

  Her eyes widened. “Are they that bad?” she whispered.

  He chuckled, loving the fact that she believed him. “No, they only bite when they smell blood.” Maybe he should tell her that he had an ulterior motive. He wanted to keep her close.

  “Why have them here if you don’t like any of them?”

  Guests greeted him and he gave each a casual nod in return. He was more interested in the beautiful woman he had on his arm. “This, my dear, was Angelina’s idea. These are her friends.”

  “Do you have friends of your own?”

  “I’d take that as a simple question if it didn’t stink of mockery.” He chuckled. Again, he wouldn’t fault her spunk. He enjoyed it. “Would you care for a drink? Water?”

  One corner of her mouth twisted. “I think I’ll take a glass of wine.”

  “As you wish. Wait here and don’t get sucked in.” He winked and headed for the bar. Waiting for his scotch and Avary’s wine to be poured, he caught a glimpse of Angelina standing among a crowd of her charity friends. She was smiling and he couldn’t help himself but smile too. He realized how much energy it took for her to be here, socializing. He was struck at how much she looked like their mother, even down to her mannerisms. Rose Knight had been loved by many, not only for her beauty, but also her kind heart. Somehow that gene had been given to Angelina in masses.

  His sister looked radiant tonight, reminding him how she belonged in the center of the spotlight. Victor could even see why their father, when dividing up his real estate in his will, had left her their mother’s house. What would Theobald do if he was here to watch his only daughter succumbing to her illness?

  She bent her head back, laughing. He overheard someone say that it was hard to believe that she had terminal cancer. Cringing, Victor accepted the drinks from the bartender and took a long sip of his scotch. Over the rim he caught sight of Avary. She had company. Sergio Santaz, of course. He had to make his rounds to the lovely ladies. Victor’s chest twisted, but he knew Avary would never be drawn in by the slippery ways of a womanizer.

  Then he paused with his drink mid-air. Did Avary believe Victor was a womanizer? Damn, that was a possibility. How could he prove that he wasn’t? Suddenly that became very important.

  Forcefully shaking off his sudden negativity, he took Avary’s drink to her. Sergio gave Victor a half-smile. “Victor. Nice to see you, my friend.”

  Victor hid his scowl behind his glass, sipping until he counted to three. They weren’t friends, not since Sergio screwed Angelina, then broke up with her the very next day. If it hadn’t been that she’d begged her brothers to let it go, Ol’ Suave would have had five size ten shoes up his ass. “I didn’t expect to see you this evening.” Yeah, he guessed he sort of did. Over the years Angelina had forgiven Sergio and they’d worked closely on a few projects together, yet she’d gotten smart and had never fallen for his smooth ways again. Victor would make sure the worm didn’t overstep any boundaries with Avary.

  Sergio chuckled. “I should go and visit Angelina. It was nice to meet you, Avary,” he took her hand and kissed the back of her knuckles.

  Victor’s gut ached. It’s not too late to still have a foot up your ass, bro. He wanted to say the words aloud, but Angelina’s narrowed gaze targeting him from across the room reminded him that he’d promised to be the perfect gentleman. He could manage that for one night…

  Yet, when it came to the lovely woman standing next to him, he couldn’t promise anything. He wanted to forego the party and take her upstairs so he could drink from her lips like a finely aged wine.

  “Did I sense a tension between you two?” Avary asked.

  “More like a volcano ready to burst,” he admitted.

  “He seemed like a nice enough man.

  “Exactly. Smooth operator. Before you knew it he’d be sweeping you off your feet.”

  She blinked. “Give me credit. I’d have to want to be swept off my feet for that to happen. And I must say, you have a lot of nerve of preaching to me about a smooth operator.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” He already knew what he was going to hear, but she deserved to be heard.

  “You have done nothing but manipulate me from the second I walked through the doors,” she said softly.

  “How have I tried to manipulate you, sweetheart?”

  “You want to keep me guessing who you really are. So, tell me, are you the bitter, aloof Victor Knight? Or the kind man who puts other people first?” She lifted a thin brow.

  “I told you not to believe anything my sister told you. She wants you to believe I’m a good guy. Maybe she’s hoping we’ll fall in love.”

  Her eyes glinted and her tongue came out to roll over her bottom lip. “It wasn’t Angelina. It was Max’s daughter, Danni, who told me about the college fund.”

  He was caught off guard, but recovered quickly. “You met my goddaughter, huh? I had to think of something to keep the girl concentrating on her schooling,” he muttered. “Free money always seems to work for even the humblest.”

  “Go ahead, make an excuse, but I think you care, not only for Danni, but for Max too. No doubt, you have a tremendous amount of love for your sister. Now, I know you want me—”

  “More than you can imagine, sweetheart.” His cock twitched. “It’s obvious you want me too.”

  “That’s not what I was going to say,” she huffed. “Wow, some imagination you have. I’ll admit that I did want you, but upstairs, earlier, I wanted nothing more but for you to leave me alone,” she said through tight lips.

  Lowering his head, he was within an inch of her ear when he whispered, “This’ll be the second time I’ve asked you not to lie to me. You’re not good at it, love.” He could see her bottom lip tremble.

  “And if I lie again, what will you do? Fire me? I’m here for Angelina, remember? Or will you try to bully me with your heavy handed ways? You did say once that you always get what you want, but you should understand that I can’t be bought.” She turned, meeting his gaze head on. Her heated expression made his cock come fully alive.

  “When have I ever tried using money to influence you, my dear? If it’s such a heart break to accept the money offered for your service, then kindly deny it.” He smiled.

  “I won’t sleep with you,” she whispered, but the sparkle in her eye told him she didn’t quite believe her own words. “I’m sure Selena will gladly work her magic.”

  “I have half a mind to strip you naked and bend you over my knee.” He took a tendril of her hair and wrapped it around his finger. “A good swat on that ni
ce ass would do you a bit of good.”

  She exhaled. “How dare you!”

  He let the wisp of hair drop. “How dare I? Come now, sweetheart. You can’t hide the glint of curiosity filling your pale blues. I think it’s you who can’t decide if you’re the innocent cellist or the naughty musician. Admit the truth. You’d like my touch on your bottom, and other delicate places.” He subtly ran his fingers down her bare arm and clasped her slender wrist. “I’d like to run my fingers over every soft curve and explore you with my lips and tongue.” He lifted his hand, brushing his fingers along her cheek, not caring if people saw. “I’d spank you into submission and you’d beg me for more.”

  “Never,” her voice trembled, but she leaned into him.

  “Don’t worry, sweet Avary. I’d never physically hurt you, in bed or out. I only offer you pleasure. I offer you heaven.” She jerked back and some of the wine sloshed out over the rim of her glass, landing on her fingers. “I’d like to lick the wine from your hand but imagine the rumors. I don’t want to cause too much of a stir, considering the evidence of my attraction for you is already obvious by the tenting of my slacks.”

  “You’re—you’re…” Her lashes came down to sweep across the top of her cheeks.

  “What, baby? Spit it out. Unless you want me to forego propriety and suckle your fingers amongst all of these fine people.”

  Her cheeks were almost as colorful as the wine in her glass. She opened her mouth but a loud ding made her snap it close.

  “Saved by the bell.” He smiled and saluted her with his glass. Seeing her flush only made him want her more.

  “Please, may we hear Avary play before we retreat into the dining room?” Angelina asked.

  Avary looked so forlorn and fragile standing there, looking at him, her eyes too big and her mouth quivering. Maybe he’d gone too far with her. Maybe he’d allowed lust to send him over an invisible boundary. She was a virgin for heaven’s sake. He didn’t want to scare her—only love her. Yes, love her.