Let Him Reign: An Underworld Romance Read online

  "Upstairs," the man directs.

  My eyes lift, searching along the cherry wood banister of the second floor and...oh my! Yes, Batman, I've been a very naughty girl this year. Not exactly, but I'd like to be.

  Being a goody-two-shoes is overrated. I'm only nineteen, and dammit, I deserve to have some fun before I settle down with a husband, two kids, and a white picket fence. It's sad that this party's the most excitement I've ever had in my boring, all work and no play life. If I'm not studying then I'm working double waitressing shifts, but the prospect of getting out of this dead end town makes all the effort worth it. Now that I'm single again, a part of me wants to let loose and have fun. Maybe that's the punch talking. Either way, Batman is looking mighty good, so I give him a flirty wave.

  The corners of the Dark Knight's full, sculpted lips lift into a smile underneath his mask while his intense eyes peer down at me, shimmering with mischief. The way his tall, wide shouldered frame is filling out that superhero costume is so damn hot.

  Knowing he's watching, I put a little extra sway in my hips, and push my ass back into the pirate's lap a little harder, making him groan and tighten his hold on my waist. Batman's eyes are glued to me, and I'm loving the high I'm getting from dancing as provocatively as possible for him.

  Tonight I'm determined to have some fun, if only to prove to myself that I can be sexy and desired by other men, contrary to what my lazy, worthless bastard ex-boyfriend said. After catching Justin cheating on me with his skanky, bleached-blonde coworker from the Snack Shack, he had the balls to blame me for his roaming cock. He told me I was a prude and too "vanilla" in the bedroom for him. Maybe that's his fault for never even suggesting that we try anything besides plain old, boring missionary.

  Shaking my head to clear that asshole out of my mind, I look back up at the mysterious stranger. I can't figure out if he's watching me because I'm dressed as his counterpart Catwoman or if he's interested in me. It's probably because I'm Catwoman.

  Determined to find out, I spin around, holding his gaze and wrap my arms around the pirate's neck before sliding the front of my leather outfit down and then back up his white, baggy dress shirt and black pants.

  "Damn, woman," the pirate groans. One of his palms lowers until he's gripping my ass, pressing my pelvis against his mighty sword. At least someone obviously wants me.

  Our captive, one man audience leans forward, as if trying to get a closer look, resting his forearms on the rail while sensually licking his bottom lip. I'm pretty sure I whimper. Just looking at him has me more turned on than this guy touching me, or maybe it's the combination of the two men wanting me.

  When Jack Sparrow's treasure hunting hand dips down to the seam between my legs, I reach around and raise it back up to the small of my back.

  "Oh, come on, honey. Let's go find somewhere quiet where we can...get to know each other."

  "Not gonna happen," I warn him, pushing my palms against his chest to put a little distance between us. I don't intend to have that much fun tonight. But it's my own damn fault for dirty dancing with the pirate and leading him on.

  When I look back up to the balcony, it's empty, and my shoulders slump in disappointment. Well, flirting from across the room with the mystery man had been fun while it lasted. I also think I've had enough of the guy in front of me, but glancing next to us…oh crap. The way Kayla is bumping uglies with her tongue down the seriously hot Dracula’s throat, it looks like she's about to let him have more than her blood tonight. I'm gonna be so pissed if she takes off and leaves me here.

  "Walk the plank, fucker, before I give you a reason to need that eye patch and a wooden leg," a sexy, baritone says from behind us.

  I look over my shoulder, and when I see Batman towering behind me, my jaw hits the ground. His lips lift into a smirk before his strong, massive hands grip my hips to pull me out of the pirate’s arms and into his. He yanks me forward until I’m flush against his hard body and reaches for my arms, draping them around his neck before he starts swaying us to the up-tempo beat.

  Looking into the most incredible pair of sapphire eyes I've ever seen, I go completely speechless. Although I've never actually seen the ocean before, I can't imagine its beauty could even begin to compare to the endless depths of crystal-clear sea I'm currently drowning in.

  "Um, hi," I finally say softly, unsure if he can even hear me over Lady Gaga's "Poker Face.”

  "Hi," he says, his lips brushing my ear. An involuntarily shiver washes over me from the warmth of his breath. At the same time goosebumps race up and down my arms. I hear his sharp inhale. “Mmm, you smell so damn good, sweet like berries.”

  “Oh really?” I laugh and squirm when the pointy nose of his mask tickles my neck.

  "Uh-huh. And this costume fits you purr-fectly, but I bet you'd look even better out of it."

  It takes me a second to pick up on his corny joke when he simultaneously made a comment about seeing me naked. "Did you seriously just say purr-fectly?" I ask with a smile, standing on my tippy toes so my lips are right next to his ear.

  "Come on meow, do I look like the type of man that would go around saying purr-fectly?" he deadpans.

  After that I can't help but throw my head back with a full-out belly laugh. "Super Troopers is one of my favorite movies," I tell him after I recover and can speak again.

  He gives a deep chuckle and pulls me against him even closer, one of his thick thighs wedging its way between my legs. "Mine, too."

  While we dance wordlessly, it becomes increasingly obvious that the Dark Knight is turned on.

  "Holy smokes, Batman. Is that a pistol on your utility belt, or are you just happy to see me?" I stretch up to ask against his ear, rubbing along his hardness on the way up and then on my slow, tantalizing way down.

  "I am very, very happy to see you, Miss Kitty," his deep, rumbling voice replies while he makes a trail of soft, butterfly kisses down the side of my neck. Oh God, I think he must’ve just discovered my most erogenous zone because my body's turning to putty in his arms. Overwhelming lust floods my senses, all the way from where his lips press against my neck down to my toes.

  "Why don't we go upstairs, so I can show you exactly how fucking elated I am?"

  I scoff because that's not going to happen despite how incredible he and his lips might seem. But I have to admit, there's an irrational part of me that wants take him up on his offer.

  "I don't even know your name! Do you really think that I'm just going to go off with you and let you have your way with me after a few corny lines?" I pull back and reply as defensively as possible.

  "You're right," he says with a heavy sigh. "I got way ahead of myself. How can I expect you to scream my name while I'm pounding my cock into you if you don't even know it yet?"

  "Oh my God," I mutter, shaking my head in disbelief. "I've got a few names for you all right. Here's a hint, they all begin or end with ass."

  That makes him chuckle but doesn't seem to deter him at all.

  "Speaking of asses," he starts and then groans when he bends his knees to dip down and cup my behind with both of his large hands. "Yours is spectacular."

  "Wow, you don't give up, do you?" I ask, reaching behind me to slide his hands up higher. Despite my indignation, I'm still turned on beyond belief by this ridiculous man. I'm gonna have to be careful because I'm pretty sure the sexy manipulator could eventually talk me right out of my panties. Not that I’m wearing any at the moment.

  "I always get what I want,” he responds. “And right now I desperately want to peel this suit down to your hips, so I can lick you between your legs. I'd lap up every single drop of cream from your pussy like a starving stray getting his first taste of milk."

  I hear myself make some sort of embarrassing whimpering sound and hope the music drowned it out.

  "What's wrong Miss Kitty? Cat got your tongue?" He laughs into my hair, knowing he's stunned me into silence with his naughty rhetoric.

  I'm reminding myself of my rapidly
fading motto “Don't sleep with strangers” while squeezing my thighs together to ease the growing ache when all hell breaks loose.

  Women scream bloody murder, people start pushing each other. I'm too buzzed from alcohol and lust to figure out what's going on or panic at first. Then I see the group of men standing just inside the front door. The men dressed in all black holding guns. They don't look anything like cops, either. With buzz cuts and large, muscular builds, they seem more like military men or deadly assassins compared to the wimpy Barney Fife officers on our small town police force. The Coughlins could be part of some type of dangerous meathead mafia, my ridiculous paranoia suggests.

  Oh shit. The men's unexpected and antagonistic looking demeanor sobers up my lustful haze. I start looking for Kayla, who was just seconds ago dancing with Dracula right beside me and Batman, but it's futile in the massive crowd. Like fish in a stream, we're all heading farther inside the house, away from the men at the double doors.

  "Go!" a deep voice orders from behind me. I think it's my dark knight.

  People are shoving me in their urgency to put as much space as possible between themselves and the guys with guns. I stay with the herd as best I can, hoping they know where the hell they're going in this fancy maze. And of course, one of my four inch heel bought from the clearance rack picks that moment to snap. My ankle twists and wobbles and I go down on my hands and knees before I quickly try to push myself back up. Someone steps on my fingers before I can accomplish my goal. I’m still cursing with tears in my eyes when another person nails me in my ribs with their boot.

  There's not even time for me to yell when strong, solid arms wrap around my waist and lift me completely off the ground. The world spins and my stomach flips the next second when I'm hanging upside down. I squirm to try and escape the stronghold until my feet touch the floor again. The noise from the running of the bulls is instantly drowned out, and my breath coming in pants sounds loud. In pitch black darkness, I can't see a damn thing, only the outline of my own hand in front of my face. I reach out trying to find my way around and hit a hard surface. Running my fingertips over the structure, I feel dips of various sizes like rows of books pressed together. There’s more of the same when I reach higher, but no leather spines. Is this some sort of bizarre, ass-backward bookcase?

  "What the fu-?" I start, but then a large palm slaps over my mouth, making me squeal against skin.

  "Shh, it's me," he hisses only inches away from my face then uncovers my mouth. I gasp in a startled breath, trying to calm my galloping heart. "Stay quiet and we'll be fine," the low, rumbly voice I recognize as Batman's directs me.

  I now realize that he rescued me from the stampede and he's helping me hide from the mafia men with guns. Thank goodness because I really don't want to be shot tonight. I don't have any medical insurance and I know that hospital bill would be outrageous!

  Finally relaxing, some of the tension in my body melts away, reminding me that my ankle hurts and my side is tender.

  "What's going on?" I ask, my body still shaking with adrenalin.

  "Shh."

  "Where are we?" I ask him in a low whisper, spinning around in a circle and coming up with nothing but pitch black darkness.

  "Stop talking, or I swear to God, I'm gonna shove my tongue down your throat to make you," he commands so close to my ear that I shiver again at the brief touch of his damp lips.

  "Is that a promise?" I ask, antagonizing him to do it. What else is there for us to do while we play a real life version of hide and seek? There is some scary shit going on just a few feet away from us, and I want someone to hold me.

  Grabbing my face between both of his hands, Batman's mouth crashes down, kissing my cheek before he finds the intended target. His tongue, tasting sweet with the bitter hint of alcohol, swipes over my lips, requesting admission. I gladly open the gates for him.

  The first stroke of his tongue on mine causes more of that warmth to shoot straight down between my legs, making me moan. It's a frantic, intensely passionate kiss like I've never experienced before easing my fear and worry. Maybe it has to do with the fact that not only is he a stranger, but I don't even know what he looks like behind the mask. I just feel safe with him, like he could protect me from anything.

  After a few wonderful moments, Batman's hands move down to my hips, pivoting us until my back hits a hard, flat wall. Oh God, yes! With the solid structure to brace against, he rocks his hard costume-covered body deliciously against the front of mine, making me whimper into his mouth. He shushes me again, but I’m too far gone to care. Wanting to feel an actual part of him, I reach up and push his mask off. It hits the floor with an echoing thud while I thread my fingers through his thick hair, surprisingly long for a man.

  His warm, moist lips begin their slow, exquisite path down my jaw and along the column of my neck. My breath comes in shallow pants as I throw my head back, giving him full access. I almost combust when he starts tugging the front zipper of my body suit down.

  "Whoa," I whisper. I still his large hand with my much smaller one when what little reasoning ability I have decides to resurface. What’s wrong with me? I’m not the type of girl who makes out with strange men in secret rooms. "I-I don't know who you are. You haven't even told me your name!"

  "Eric," he exhales softly against the skin on my collarbone.

  I shudder when his free hand glides over the curve of my ass and his tongue licks the cleavage of my bare breasts since I couldn't wear a bra in this getup.

  "D-don't you want to know my name?" I ask even though he doesn’t seem the least bit concerned about the fact that we don’t know anything about each other. That right there should be enough to make me want to put on the brakes. But I stupidly don’t.

  "Sure, then shut up."

  I scoff indignantly, but it turns into an embarrassing mewling sound when his tongue flicks over my already beaded nipple. I happily kiss more of my inhibitions goodbye, not missing those annoying, fun-sucking bastards in the least.

  "So?" he prompts.

  "Ha-Hope." I think that's my name. It's too hard to think. I'm not drunk but between my happy alcohol buzz from earlier and this incredible make out session, my entire body is vibrating with heightened pleasure. It feels better than anything I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. Or maybe it's just the sexy and mysterious Dark Knight—Eric—making me feel this way.

  Easing my zipper lower, he exposes my stomach to the cool air, and then peels the suit down my arms. He runs his palms along my now bare limbs until they fall over my breasts. I yelp and squirm, pulling two handfuls of his thick locks when he moves lower and his tongue flicks inside of my tender belly button.

  After the confining outfit is pushed down my hips his palm reaches up and slaps over my mouth again, forcing my head against the wall. I don't mind because I can't contain my sounds when his lips move lower, his heated breath hovering just above my mound while his fingertips brush softly along my folds. My legs are so weak I almost fall when he finally gives a slow lick over my throbbing clit. Everything else is instantly forgotten, the scary men with guns, where Kayla might be, my throbbing ankle and sore ribs. All of those thoughts disappear when an explosion of ecstasy overwhelms my body and mind, completely relaxing me from head to toe.

  Simultaneous to Eric’s spine-bowing tongue-lashing, he starts fucking me with one of his long, thick fingers. The combination is too good, and I come with a moan against his palm quicker than ever before. I swear this man is a freaking magician between my legs. I wouldn't be all that surprised if for his next trick he pulls a rabbit out of my box.

  I release my grip on his hair and begin to untangle my fingers. With my weak knees knocking against each other, it's a miracle that I'm able to stay braced against the wall rather than just slide down until my ass hits the ground.

  When Eric stands up, his palms cup the sides of my face seeking out my lips again. I reach for his shoulders to pull him closer and hum in approval when my fingertips are greeted w
ith his smooth, muscular body telling me he thankfully lost his costume.

  No, no, no. What the hell am I thinking? We can't...I can't...I should stop him before this goes any further.

  Oh, but with the way his tongue is seductively prodding my mouth, my body is saying, “God yes!” My inner prude reminds me that I don't know anything about this guy, not even what he looks like without a mask on because it's so dark in here. Suddenly I'm reminded of the words on my fortune. The ones that read, true love will always find you in the darkness.

  Maybe I'm crazy, but there's something about this man...the wonderful way he touches me and the dirty way he talks to me. Even better, the way he makes my heart race and has me feeling alive for the very first time in my life. It just seems so...right to be with him. It's like I'm free falling into something incredible, and I'm desperate for him to catch me.

  I skim my fingernails down his broad shoulders to his chest and rippling stomach. Reaching around, I grab his tight, firm ass, pulling him forward until his hard cock grazes my throbbing pussy. Unable to resist any longer I fist his thick length and stroke him while guiding him toward my entrance at the same time, showing him what I need from him

  "You don't have to rush, baby. We've got all night," he says.

  I shush him because now I am in a hurry. "I want you," I say against his lips. My body shakes with need like never before after he set off the first explosive orgasm. I'm lost to the amazing sensations pulsing through me. It’s like everywhere he kisses me or caresses me catches my skin on fire. But I want more. I want his heavy shaft that I'm holding moving inside of me, completely filling the aching emptiness.

  "Hell yes. I can't wait to get inside you, but are you sure?" he asks softly.

  "Yes."

  His body lowers, then one of his hands lifts my foot to remove my heel on one and then the other.