Nadya knew better than anyone how bad things were in the city. How Diamond wasn’t aware or assumed the information he received was all true, amazed her. Power did something to people. Made them feel invincible inside of a make-believe world they’d created. Her first impression of him had her thinking he was in control of all things. Maybe he wasn’t. If he weren’t, could Anna and her daughter truly be safe within the walls of the Quarry?
As she pondered that, they made their way out the back exit of the theater. Darkness began to settle fast. She followed closely behind Diamond and Lip as they talked about their next move. Every time Diamond’s hazel eyes fell on her, she felt he was blaming her for the entire ordeal back at the theater. It was Lindy who had alerted the Gearheads to their position and had gotten them attacked. Although, now that Nadya thought about it, maybe they’d known all along and were just waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Her gut told her Lindy was somehow the cause of everything. The way the male Clancy’s eyes had moved to her, seeking clarity, meant something. Ragers were organized, their group more alert. She may not remember where she came from or who her real parents were, but she remembered being trained.
“We’re going to stop off at the house, spend the night there. We’ll slip through the back. You can alert the security detail we’ve arrived,” Nadya heard Diamond say to Lip, who wasn’t at all happy they were stopping at the house.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Lip shot back.
“Why not?”
“Because too many variables are in play. Nadya may look stupid, but the girl is far from it. Have you seen the way she catalogues everything? Right down to the very last detail. If I didn’t know any better, I would think she was a Bionic or worse, a Splice.”
She wasn’t either of those things. She did check her surroundings. It was the only way she was assured she had all her bases covered. If she didn’t, she’d end up dead or far worse. She wasn’t about to let her life end due to a clumsy mishap. Not if she could help it.
“I also have excellent hearing. It’s a trait developed for those of us with really small ears.”
Lip turned back and glared at her.
“You shouldn’t be nosy.”
“Wouldn’t have to be, but Diamond wants me on his ass at all times.”
“Now is not one of those times.”
“If it makes you feel any better, Lip, I’d rather keep moving. I want to get to Inwood as much as you do, and get back so I can get on with my life.”
“Don’t we all, sweetheart,” Lindy chimed in a few seconds later, reminding everyone she’d gone absolutely nowhere.
“We’re staying at the house and that’s final. If you have a problem with it, I invite you all to keep shoving forward. Me, I’d like to wash the stink of the theater off my skin, get a good night’s rest, and be ready for anything come morning. If I die, I’d like to do so knowing I didn’t fail when I fought because my ass was too tired to lift a fucking weapon.”
Diamond was angry, and Nadya knew it had nothing to do with the stink of death and everything to do with his current failure. The sooner they got to Inwood, the better. Anna and Dominika may already be gone. Attia was probably searching for them even now as a way to get Nadya to cooperate.
They passed buildings that had once been in their prime. Covered now by mutated wisteria, the blooms purple, blue, and black, the plant itself having a voracious appetite for all things bleeding. She’d once seen a young woman and her child walking down a block covered with them, the warning signs clear. Everyone knew about the vines. One moment, her child was holding her hand. The next, the little girl wasn’t. Her screams had echoed into the distance as the flowering plant devoured her. Nadya shook the memory loose and flashed back to the present. As they walked, the vines constricted, loosening their grip on the building’s walls, their limbs seeking fresh meat.
“Stay close, and don’t get near the vines,” Diamond warned.
Like she needed the reminder.
There was an opening near the south entrance of what used to be a park. The Den of Thieves was home to one of Diamond’s team members, Amethyst. Everyone knew her as Thys. She was tough and sharp. She could get in and out of the trickiest of places. They walked and walked until they came to stand in front of concrete steps covered in moss. It took them to a large building with vegetation growing on its sides and covering the windows. Anna had taken her and Dominika to this place once. A two-day adventure. Anna thought what was inside the building would trigger some sort of memory for her. It hadn’t. Carts were turned on their sides and rusted out. The doors to the building were covered in thick roots. A tall tree, larger than the statue it grew around, tipped dangerously to falling and speared through the building’s once beautiful roof.
Nadya assumed this was the house, it wasn’t. Diamond walked across the street, his entire body hidden in the shadows as he made his way to the side of a building. Lip tugged her forward with Lindy following closely behind. They went in through an entrance covered by an oversized bin rusted out and filled with trash. The dumpster was occupied by mutated roaches that not only flew but packed one nasty bite, complete with neuro-toxin. She made sure to steer clear of them when Diamond and Lip stood on either side of the bin and moved it from the door it was blocking. The roaches scattered, flying towards them. Everyone pulled their hoods closed until the swarm of bugs flew off or crawled away.
The air was stale as they walked down a dark hall just inside the door. A light was switched on, and Nadya couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The inside of the house looked untouched by anything. The comet, dust, wear and tear. Nothing. It looked like a home she’d seen in an old magazine she’d found once. Wood floors, white walls, gold accents, and hanging glass chandeliers were in flawless form.
“How is any of this even possible?” The cleanliness made her eyes hurt.
“Five years of hard work and Amethyst bringing in things still in good condition from bunkers. Lip and I did the rest.”
Even Lindy was shocked.
“I thought you said this place was a dump?”
Diamond looked to Lindy and grinned. “It is a dump, sweetheart. But it’s an immaculate one. I don’t get to come out here as was intended. The plan was to get the city under control and then go back to the Mainland. When that wasn’t an option, I decided to make a home for myself and the person I wanted to share it with here.”
Nadya would have never pegged Lavarious Diamond as someone who wanted to share anything with anyone.
“You never said anything to me.” Lindy looked hurt. Nadya knew there was something between them. She didn’t know how strong that something was. Not that she cared. But she could see it, there on the edge. Somewhere along the way, maybe the two of them had lost their way. Are we playing matchmaker now? Nope. Diamond was her meal ticket to a better life for Anna and Dominika, and her in to gaining access to the Towers. Who better to get information from than the Sovereign himself. She could see the beauty in what he wanted to create, could see how he’d believe this place was a dump. It stood for everything he didn’t stand for anymore. He wasn’t clean like this house. Somehow, she knew the house represented everything he’d once thought himself to be. Now it was something tarnished by what he’d become, what he now stood for.
Nadya turned her attention to Diamond. “Things look ugly now, but inside the ugly, I promise there is always something beautiful that comes of it. Even if it’s not the beauty you’re looking for.”
“You spouting poetry now, Nadya?”
It was the first time he’d said her name without a terse tone. Her name rolled off his tongue like silk sliding down the curve of a woman’s hip.
“No, it’s truth. Death, life, destruction, and chaos all bleed beauty. You just have to wait for it. Look for it. It happens. We may not like the journey that has been given us, or even the way we go about getting to our destination, but there is something prepossessing in dark places.”
“Really, what did you find beautiful about the slaughterhouse? Or about the man who was about to kill you until the Ragers came? Tell me where the beauty was in all of that?”
Nadya tilted her head to the side and studied him. She knew his kind. Harsh, cruel, and unforgiving. He couldn’t separate the good from the bad. Wouldn’t. Not if it smacked him against the head and yelled in his face. He only saw the black and white. Diamond couldn’t see the silver lining as it broke free of its counterparts and took a little piece of each hue, making it its own. That piece, being the beauty.
“I’m alive, aren’t I? That to me is beautiful.”
“You’re naïve,” Lindy retorted.
“You’re clumsy,” Lip shot back. “If it wasn’t for you, we’d still be moving forward. Not spending the night in a house too clean for the likes of you.” Lip didn’t like Lindy. It was evident. Nadya could see it on his face and hear it in his words. His eyes said he wanted to strangle Lindy. Or worse.
“What the hell is your problem, Lip? I tripped. It wasn’t my fault.”
“If you hadn’t worn those ridiculous fuck-me shoes, seeking Diamond’s attention like some love-sick girl, we’d be fine. You think he is going to have another go at you while we’re out here? You’re a fucking joke, and if I had a say–"
“Good thing you don’t,” Diamond cut in. “The two of you need to get your shit together. Neither of you is better than the other. You’re like two siblings fighting for their father’s attention. Only, I’m not your dad.” He pointed in the direction of a winding staircase carved into the wall. The stairs went up, and there, directly behind a gold and black railing, were stairs going down. “You and Lindy take the basement. Nadya and I will be on the second floor. Make sure you put the call in to let the crew know we’re here. I don’t want to alarm anyone.”
“All right, Lavarious, I’ll bunk with the hag, but I won’t like it.”
Diamond didn’t say another word as he gestured for Nadya to follow him up the stairs.
As they made their way up, he asked her where she’d learned to fight.
“Inwood is not a place you can grow up and not learn. It was either that or become worse off than I am now.” She didn’t remember where she’d learned to fight. She just knew how.
“You mean working for me is not your calling in life?” His voice held a bit of sarcasm.
“I wouldn’t say that. If I had my way, I’d be in a position where I could help others.” Another lie.
“You saying I don’t help people?” Now he sounded offended.
“I’m sure you think you’re helping them.”
“I don’t think. I know I’m helping them. I don’t force people to enter into contract with me. It’s their choice. I’m sure if there was something else they could do, they’d do it.”
“Selling your body in order to take care of yourself is hardly helpful. You become a slave to it. Like a loan. You always pay it back, but then you’re in the same place you were when you started. So you borrow again. There isn’t much to offer outside of what we were born into. I’m sure if we could all pack our things and move to the Mainland we would.”
She’d been to the Mainland. They had the better technology, but they suffered, too. They were dying out. It was the reason she was here in the first place. Nadya’s body froze at the memory. I was sent here? But by whom? She tried to hold the memory, could even hear a woman’s voice, but again, it eluded her.
Shit.
“If you could move to the Mainland, what do you think you’d find?”
“I don’t know.” But she did know. Did he?
“You’re right, you don’t. But I do. You’d find more of the same, and none of it would be a better life. You’re better off here than you would be there. Trust me when I say the Mainland will eventually get what’s coming to them. Right now, they believe they are in control. But they aren’t. Their way of life is slowly coming to an end. They don’t have C-Tech. I corner the market on that. People on the Mainland won’t even go near the stuff.”
Diamond stopped talking. She knew it was because he was giving away too much information. He realized he was actually talking to her. Could it be possible that he wasn’t as bad as she’d originally thought? Don’t get distracted by conversation. They came up to a closed door. When he opened it, Nadya knew right away it was his room. The floor was covered by lush carpet, and the bed dominated the area. It sat against a wall, with a cushioned headboard taking up most of the wall space, save for the two tiny nightstands on either side. Deep browns, dark reds, and blotches of gold were his color palette. You had to step up on a cushioned platform that stuck out partially on the sides and extended past the bed itself to form another bed; pillows acted as the headboard for that piece.
A large window seat with pillows and a built-in bookcase were adjacent to the bed. The perfect place for reading. The window itself was covered by thorny vines that were brown and black. Only slivers of the night filtered through the cracks.
“We will sleep here.”
“We?” Nadya asked.
“Yes. I’m protecting my investment.”
“Where would I go? The house is huge, and it would be in my best interest to stay.”
Diamond looked around the room, his hands on his hips as he turned towards her. He removed his weapons, setting them on a table against another wall.
“It doesn’t matter where you could go. You’re going to sleep here and that’s final. The bed is big enough. I didn’t bring anything to tie you to, and I’m exhausted from this afternoon’s rude wake-up call. Take your shit off, hop in the shower. I’m going to make some calls.”
Nadya was not going to turn down another shower. Two in two days. That was a record. She looked around and noticed an old vanity table complete with perfumes and oils. He really had wanted to start a life here with a person of his choosing. His room would easily appeal to any woman. Nadya walked over to the table and started to lay her pack down when Diamond interrupted her.
“Don’t put your shit on the table. Put it over by the door. I don’t want any dust getting on my things.”
She should have known he’d pitch a fit. Nadya moved her stuff over by the door before looking for the bathroom. It was hidden behind a door that looked to be part of the wall. The bathroom was huge, complete with a shower and a tub. She’d never taken a bath before—aside from the mud bath she’d been given—and was two seconds from asking him if she could when a naked Diamond walked in.
“What the hell are you doing?” she asked on a gasp.
His gaze caught hers.
“Taking a shower. It’s big enough for the both of us. Don’t tell me you’ve never seen a naked man before?”
What about his calls? This was taking things to the extreme.
She’d seen plenty of naked men. What she hadn’t wanted to see was a naked Diamond.
“What about your calls?”
“They can wait,” was the only answer she was given.
Heavily muscled arms were attached to broad shoulders in a way that had Nadya catching her breath. There were markings on his skin; nothing like Emerald’s face, but they were distinct and bold. Something she found oddly familiar but not familiar. His chest muscles were large and well developed. Solid. Her eyes found their way down his scarred form to well-defined abs and a narrow waist. He had the perfect inverted triangle shape. Nadya’s eyes paused as she saw what hung heavy between his legs. Her scalp tingled and her breathing changed. It was not possible for a man to be that well-endowed without some sort of discomfort. His sac was heavy and his penis alone reached mid-thigh. Maybe he was like Freeze, the Bionic who’d come in with her group at the Quarry? Either way, Nadya did not want to get in the same shower or be anywhere near Diamond with his man parts out for her to see.
“Eyes on my face Adya, you’re not my type.”
Adya?
“I wouldn’t want to be your type.”
“Every woman wants to be my type.”
She made an annoyed sound in the back of her throat before responding. “Well, I’m not every woman.” His eyes called her a liar, and the tilt of his lips was a dare.
A bit frustrated at her body’s reaction, she mentally scolded herself.
She didn’t say anything else, and she didn’t want Diamond to think he’d scared her, so she took off her clothes, set them on top of the sink, and started the shower. The water sputtered before the spray evened out. The heat from the water started to steam up the shower enclosure. He was right, the shower was big enough to fit twenty or more people inside. With the multiple showerheads, there was no reason for them to get in each other’s way.
Nadya stepped in and didn’t wait for him to follow. She was going to enjoy her shower. Arrogant, overly-built males be damned.
V
If anyone had told Diamond a week ago that he’d be in the shower with a virgin, he’d have laughed in their face and called them crazy. But he was showering with a virgin. Or was about to. He’d have put any other woman in their place a long time ago. Lindy included. He’d been rude to Nadya, and maybe even a bit harsh, but he hadn’t punished her. Unless she considered showering with him and sleeping in the same room punishment. She does. Yeah, that was probably right, but fuck it. She had to get used to having a man around her. She should know exactly what to expect. But he highly doubted Nadya understood the ramifications of what she was about to endure. Her training would be different from the others. Yolanda would have a field day with her. Yolanda was the Quarry mother to all the new recruits and made sure they were up to par before sending them out on the floor. He’d let Yolanda acclimate Nadya to the rules, but he would be the one to train her in what pleased a man.
There was a part of him that didn’t want anyone near her. Weird. She was making him overly protective when he shouldn’t feel a damn thing for her. She was making him feel weak. He didn’t do weak. He hadn’t lied when he said she wasn’t his type. She was too skinny, and even a bit manly if he were honest. Her tits were next to non-existent, and he liked his women thick. And soft. She was hard and toned. There was nothing soft about Nadya. Even her hands were rough and battle-scarred. Her entire form was a testament to her hard life. Still, she had the one thing every male would kill for. Virgin pussy. The possibility of offspring would entice anyone, and he was counting on it. Knew Mainlanders would want in on the auction.
Diamond was a connoisseur when it came to pussy. He was downright in lust with pussy of all shapes and sizes, and he’d never had a virgin before. He wasn’t sure if it was something he’d ever have or want. Regardless of what she looked like, pussy was pussy, and virgin pussy was rumored to be that little slice of heaven all craved. People had their fair share of addictions. Lavarious Diamond’s drug of choice was snatch, and lots of it.
It was the reason his business was so lucrative. It was a currency that kept him living well. He was able to broker all sorts of deals using pussy as currency. And he only offered the best, and the cleanest.
The bathroom was covered in clouds of steam. Diamond could make out her body behind the glass door. An idea formed in his head as he stepped closer, opened the door, and walked in. He ignored the slight hitch in her breathing as he kept to his side of the shower. Emerald had been right to have her marked. The ink itself was appealing. A great addition to her exotic features. Her marks would lure and seduce.
Nadya refused to turn in his direction. Fine with him, he didn’t care either way. But when he saw that she was having trouble scrubbing her back, he offered his help.
“I’ll get that.”
Her body stiffened at his words. She didn’t move as he reached for the soap and began to lather up his hands. At the first touch of skin against skin, she hissed. He figured she was scared, but as he began to massage the soap into her back she loosened. The skin there was smooth, but he noticed a scar on the lower left side of her waist. A knife, perhaps? On her right shoulder, there was some sort of burn wound. It looked as if she’d been dragged down a dirt road. She was a fighter, a survivor.
It was too late in the game to ask her to change her mind about what she’d originally signed up for. She’d have made a good addition to his team of soldiers. She’d serve better there, but wouldn’t bring in a profit. He needed to spread the word about her status, and soon. She wanted a patron. Her intentions clear. Being a soldier did not guarantee the safety of one’s family.
A slight moan kick-started the blood flowing to the southern region of his body. His hands, moving of their own accord, were massaging her. He didn’t want to send the wrong message. With the last female he’d trained, things hadn’t turned out as planned.
Diamond cleared his throat. “I’m done.”
With quick, jerky movements, he finished his business and left her in the shower. He was still thinking about his idea to train her in what men would like, when she stepped into his view, a thick black towel wrapped around her as she looked anywhere but at him. Yeah, he needed to help her along, if not for a patron, at least to make her a viable product to sell.
“Come here.”
Nadya’s eyes snapped to his but she didn’t move.
“Why?”
“Because I asked you to. Now get over here.”
Towel tucked tightly beneath her arms, she moved forward.
“I’m going to do something I’ve never done before.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m going to help you.”
“How?”
“Simple. I’m going to help you not only get me what I want, but I’m going to help you get what you want. It will take some doing, but if you listen to me, do what I say, not only will I get my investment’s worth, you’ll get a patron who’ll care for you and your family.”
“Isn’t that what we agreed to already?”
He was starting to get tired of her act. She knew exactly what was going on. Instead of calling her out on it, he answered her question.
“No, you agreed to come and work for me, in hopes of getting a patron. Because of your virgin status and the amount of Wave I know I’ll get for you, I agreed to let your mother and sister live at the Quarry, doing tasks we both agree are suitable until you can secure a patron.”
Her lips thinned in anger. It wasn’t his fault, if she wanted to pretend, he’d let her. It would all blow up in her face when she was in the spotlight. How many untruths had she told already? She couldn’t keep the lie alive. Eventually, she’d slip up.
“To ensure we both come out happy in the end, I’m going to help you.”
“Sounds fair.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
He grinned. Of course, she would think it was fair. But he hadn’t divulged everything.
“Wait until you hear the rest, you may feel differently. As I said, you will need to follow my instructions. To the letter.”
“What instructions?”
“Whatever I deem necessary. It will all be to your advantage in the end.”
“What about yours?”
Diamond laughed.
“Oh, I’ll get exactly what I want, and a little bit more, Adya. Don’t worry about that.”
There it was again. The Adya. He never used pet names with recruits this new. There was a knock at the door before Lindy walked in.
“Lavarious, do you mind if I stay with you tonight? I really don’t want to share a room with Lip.”
“I do mind, Lindy. Nadya will be spending the night with me.”
Lindy’s eyes were wide as saucers as she looked between him and Nadya. He knew what she was seeing, and what she was thinking. He still had a towel wrapped around his waist, and Nadya was still wrapped up in her towel, as well. To an outsider, it looked like they were either just finishing up with doing their business, or were about to get started.
“Really? I was just in your bed last night, and now you’re going to be with her?”
“Lins, why are you acting like a jealous lover? Nadya is with me now. You and I are not exclusive and never will be. It’s as simple as that.”
“This is total bullshit, Lavarious, and you know it. When I’m in your bed, you don’t ever touch anyone else.”
“You’re not in my bed, Lins. I was hungry. I ate. You provided the meal. Not coming back for seconds, sweetheart. Not anytime soon.”
Diamond reached out a hand to Nadya, who stood watching their exchange, not saying a word. She didn’t shy away, she allowed him to entwine his fingers with hers and pull her to his side.
“Lins, have someone bring us up something from the pantry.”
It was obvious Lindy wanted to protest but she didn’t. She turned on her heel and slammed the door as she stormed out.
“Was that really necessary?” Nadya asked.
“Was what necessary?”
“Embarrassing her like that. You could have handled that better.”
“Lesson number one. Always be straight with people. You’ll find trying to spare their feelings is a waste of time. The truth hurts, and Lindy knew the score last night, and every other time she’s come to my bed. This is nothing new for her. That display wasn’t for me, that was for you.”
“How so?”
“Lins was trying to make you uncomfortable. She thinks we’re fucking. We’re not, but she doesn’t know that. Another lesson, people are going to assume shit about you whether it’s true or not. Don’t let it bother you. If it does bother you, don’t let them see it.”
Another knock at the door, and Lip entered with a tray of food from the pantry. There was bread and other items far better than what they had in their packs.
“Food’s decent. I also brought up some canned shit, don’t know what it is, but it’s edible.”
Perfect.
“Nadya, I want you on your knees,” Diamond ordered.
V
Get on her knees?
What on earth for?
“I’m waiting.”
“Can I at least put on some clothes?”
Nadya watched Diamond as his gaze followed the line of her body. Up and down he went until he came back to her face. His eyes gave nothing away.
“Knees.”
Getting dressed was out of the question, apparently. Diamond said he would help her get a patron. It was the only reason she dropped to her knees in front of him and closed her eyes. This was as bad as being tied to the wall the night before. Inside, her mind was screaming that she knelt for no one. The voice inside her head was adamant that it was a show of weakness. Seconds seemed like hours as she struggled with her current predicament. She should drop the act and move forward, Anna and Dominika be damned. But she didn’t. Her last shred of honor and loyalty belonged to those women.
“Open your eyes and look at me.”
Her eyes popped open to see Diamond seated in a chair only a few inches away from her.
“Lip, you can sit the tray on the table here. Make sure we’re not disturbed for the rest of the night. We leave at first light.”
“Got it.”
Diamond turned his attention back to her before Lip was even out the door. He looked at the tray of bread and other items from the pantry. The can of mystery food looked old. Too old, but what did she know about food and their expiration dates. She’d been eating tree bark and bugs for the last six months.
“Nadya, I want you to feed me. Do it slowly, and wait for me to nod before you offer me another bite.”
Feed him?
Delusional, she thought seconds later. This was in no way going to secure her a patron. Sick bastard was getting himself off.
That was the only answer she could come up with. She looked over at the table and decided she’d give him a piece of bread first. It wasn’t as dry as it looked, but crusty on the outside with white powder on top. The inside was actually soft and had a unique smell to it. There was also something creamy and smooth on the tray. She thought if she dipped the bread in, it would add flavor. It didn’t help that her stomach rumbled with hunger, or that her mouth watered to taste what her fingers were holding.
Nadya was going to feed him and hope he’d give her what was left. She slowly dipped the bread in the creamy concoction, making sure it wasn’t completely covered, and then brought it to his lips. His mouth opened but he didn’t move forward to take the piece from her hand, which could only mean he wanted her to do it for him. She brought the bread closer until it touched his lips.
His mouth covered not only the bread, but also her thumb and index finger. The inside of his mouth was hot to the touch. And soft. He pulled back slowly, never breaking eye contact. Something in the pit of her stomach buzzed at the act of feeding him. It wasn’t a bad feeling, but it was alien. She waited for his nod before going back to the tray, never breaking eye contact with Diamond. Every so often he’d make a sound at the back of his throat. The sound of a feral animal tamed by the hand feeding him.
She was about to feed him his fifth piece of bread when he grabbed her by the chin.
“Very good. Now it’s your turn. When I feed you, I want you to do the exact same thing. Don’t break eye contact. Chew slowly, make sure you lightly touch your lips to my fingers as you pull back. Relax, even if it doesn’t feel right. You need to learn to let go. When you find a patron, it may be someone you are not visually pleased by, you must remember to enjoy the simplest of things so that they become…more.”
“Are you going to kneel for me?”
“Hell, no. I don’t kneel for anyone, and neither will your patron.”
She watched as he went for the can. The label was already peeled away, leaving behind a silver container rimmed with rust in the dents. When he lifted the top, the smell was the first thing to hit her senses. She’d never tasted what was inside before, but her mouth certainly wanted to try it.
Diamond sniffed as well and mumbled, “Peaches.”
He dipped his fingers into the can. He pulled out a golden slice, slick with juice. She didn’t know what to expect when her lips met the slippery piece, but what she got was pure heaven. There was a slight tang, and then a flavor so full, so sweet, Nadya couldn’t help but moan. She shamelessly sucked on Diamonds fingers, trying to get more of the flavor. The saltiness of Diamond’s hand added to the glorious taste saturating her tongue.
Her eyes closed and a sound she’d never heard before vibrated beneath her chest and crawled up her throat, giving life to her already ravenous appetite. Her body swayed forward as Diamond yanked his fingers from her mouth, uttering a curse.
“That’s enough for today. You can eat the rest.” His voice was different. Broken. But Nadya tried not to focus on the sound of his voice. He’d said she could eat the rest of the sinfully delicious slices of sugary sweetness. She dove in with gusto, not caring that she was acting like a wild animal. She sucked down slice after slice until there was nothing left. She picked up the rust-infested can and tipped it up over her mouth to let the thick juice slide down her throat. Any she missed, she made sure to get with her fingers. The foreign sound from her chest continued until the last drop of juice was gone.
“Fuck.” Diamond’s voice brought her back to the present. His hands were tight fists atop the arms of the chair. The towel wrapped around his waist covered a very aroused male. This was not what she’d expected from a man like Lavarious Diamond. He’d said so himself. She wasn’t his type.
Nadya made a vow to herself: she’d use everything she had in order to get exactly what she wanted. If it meant cozying up to Diamond, she would.