Page 11 of The Fixer

“And if I don’t have any?” I whispered with a shiver rushing straight to my center before heat blossomed in my belly.

“Everyone has filthy desires they keep locked away, Elle. I intend to find yours and free them. I want to cut you open and expose every naughty, wicked fantasy you’ve ever. I’m willing to bet my entire fortune that you’d be a dirty, gloriously wanton whore for the right man. I intend to be that man. At least for a little while,” he purred huskily. His words drifted over me like silk against my flesh, soothing and yet dangerously coaxing my inner goddess to the surface. No man had ever beckoned her forth, and yet Raithe had that slut lifting her head, and whimpering to be subdued. My abdomen flooded with warmth, even as I felt him chipping away at the walls I kept her locked behind. “And I know you crave to be dominated, but you’ve found no one brave or powerful enough to manhandle your soft, gorgeous body. You terrify men with your power and it prevents any of them from throwing you down and fucking you like the filthy, wanton slut you really are. Tell me I’m wrong.”

“You’re wrong,” I lied through my teeth.

“Liar,” he whirred as his hand moved, and a finger touched the bottom of my chin, forcing it up until our eyes locked. “Being a dirty girl isn’t something to be ashamed of. Everyone has fantasies they’re too afraid to whisper out loud. Desire makes us burn within. I can see your flame flickering already, desiring to burn out of control until you’re whimpering and coming undone beneath me. I’m going to light that flame, and enjoy it burning against me.” I was screwed. Raithe either had the ability to gaze into my soul, or he was guessing at my darkest, erotic fantasies churning through my mind. Either way, he had my inner goddess mewling and writhing like a bitch in heat. For the first time in my life, I wanted to let the needy bitch out to play and bow in submission. It was dangerous, but it also wasn’t happening. Raithe Dravyn wasn’t a man you trifled with, or submitted to, ever.

Chapter Seven

Thepressureintheair warned of an incoming storm barreling toward the island. A distant clap of thunder echoed in the distance. There was a rush of wonder at the vivacious hues of red, orange, and mauve painting the skies. To the north, darker clouds were hovering as they waited to unleash a massive storm front.

Standing on the beautifully carved and chiseled staircase, I took in the palace gardens. Lush, vibrant greenery, flowers, and colorful shrubs filled acres of landscape. A large mausoleum sat in the center, with a statue of a woman posed on either side of it. Curiosity over who Raithe would deem important enough to be the center of such a magnificent garden plagued my mind.

“It would seem we’re about to be burdened with a storm, brother,” Ransom said from his spot beside me.

“It’s supposed to be a spectacular one,” Raithe agreed.

A shiver rushed through my body, which hadn’t gone unnoticed by the men. I’d loved storms at one time. It had been something I shared with my mother. We’d dance in the rain and scream to the heavens to release whatever had been bothering us into the raging music of the storm’s orchestra. But that had all changed when my friends had held me down and let the boy I’d been crushing on rape me. Now, the only thing I felt during storms was pain and betrayal.

“Not a fan of storms, I’m assuming?” Ransom asked softly.

“I was, but not anymore,” I muttered, praying he dropped the subject.

“It should pass quickly enough,” Raithe returned and began moving down the stairs without waiting for us. Staring at his back, I descended the staircase carefully. “If you need help during it, you need only ask me, Elle,” he whispered so softly I wasn’t certain I’d heard him correctly.

Fountains of men and women in erotic poses lined both sides of the pathway as we began toward the maze. My attention snapped toward one statue, and I tried to figure out what I was seeing. Water trickled from the woman’s eyes as the male positioned behind her held her hips. My eyebrows shot up as I realized there was more than one man in the pose. Beneath her, a man had buried his lips in the soft column of her throat, holding her still with the stone tresses of her shimmering hair. Pausing as the men passed, I tilted my head from side to side and frowned. Either the artist had gifted the man lipstick or he was tearing her flesh open. It explained the tears.

“It’s calledThe Feast of the First Maiden,” Ransom murmured in my ear, sending his heated breath drifting over my sensitive flesh. “Two brothers condemned to fall in love with the maiden, only to destroy her with their vivacious hunger.”

“I guess if you look at it from her perspective, there’re worse ways to go than sandwiched between two men.” The moment the words had slipped free, I wanted to yank them back and swallow them. Raithe’s hypnotic eyes slid to my pink cheeks, and the corner of his full mouth curved into a disarming smile.

“Indeed. If you’re willing to play the maiden, we could feast on your mouthwatering flesh, Chevelle.”

“That’s enough, Ransom. Do try to remember you’re in polite company in Miss Reed’s presence.”

Raithe offered me a slight nod before his focus shifted, and he came to a stop in front of the mausoleum I’d seen moments before.

I blinked at the large skeletal statues atop it. The chiseled details were immaculate, and on the skeletons wore actual cloaks, blood-red of color. Beneath the outcropped roof was another statue, but this one was of a beautiful woman. The artist had painted her gown a deep emerald, but her breasts were exposed as if she’d ripped the gown away from her flesh. Copper strands of thick ringlets hung down her shoulders and back. Red vines of flora had grown over the statue, creating a creepy backdrop. Rose petals speckled the ground around the doorway, which all flew into the air as a feminine hiss met my ears. My hackles rose as it slithered over my skin, caressing it like a lover’s touch.

“Fata frumoasa,” a feminine voice hissed, causing my eyes to round as I tried to discern which direction it came from.

“It would seem your beauty has awakened the beast,” Ransom stated thickly, his eyes sliding toward the mausoleum with amusement. “Ai ales sa-ipermiti Mineisa o vada pe Elle, de ce? Mina va cautasa o seduca?isa o distrugaacum.That is reckless and not warranted, even for you, Raithe.”

“Leave it alone, brother.” The threat hovering in Raithe’s tone was sharp.

“What the hell was that?” I asked as the hair on my nape rose.

“Nothing to worry your lovely head over,” Raithe stated and then tossed a warning glance toward his brother, who snorted. “We should head toward the helipad. Your team should be here momentarily.”

Fighting against the shudder of uneasiness rushing through me, I moved forward. Raithe had a love for fountains and female statues, apparently. The deeper into the garden we went, the more visible they became. One of Aphrodite in a flowery dress with flowers climbing the skirt and adorning her hair marked one passageway. In front of yet another entrance into the garden was Flora, the Goddess of Springtime, with flowering ribbons and naked breasts. Beyond them, Artemis, Hera, Diana, and several more were in various stages of undress, beckoning those who’d dared enter the garden through their passageway.

As we moved toward the exit, a grand staircase came into view. My lips parted at the sheer brilliance and beauty of the scene. They had carved layers of stairs into the rocky mountainside. Water flowed in a steady stream down the stairs, stalling at the arch, which had the Greek Muses seated on it. Each one’s face lifted to the sky for warmth. The detailed artwork of the crystal wall between the garden and the staircase was intricately woven, depicting a battle scene from an age long since passed.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” Raithe asked, thrusting my focus back toward him. He’d directed the question at me, which had my eyes dropping to the generous curve of his lips as he smiled. He hadn’t glanced at the falls or where I’d been gaping openly at the natural beauty he’d woven into the design. Most men wanted to destroy the natural wonder, but Raithe had incorporated it into the design. “I once saw a similar design at Corby Castle in England. It was a sight to behold, and yet flawed. The falls fed a pool, but the water was contaminated and unsafe to swim in. Mine is clean since the water runs into the ocean, and as the tide comes in, it refills the reservoir we built to fill the waterfalls.”

“It’s breathtakingly beautiful,” I admitted as the sound of helicopter blades shifted our attention as it came into view over the mountain top.

My heart thundered as a knot formed in my throat. He’d brought my team here, and in doing so, he’d placed their futures in peril. If I didn’t comply, he’d murder them along with everyone I loved. Raithe Dravyn wasn’t someone to trifle with. I’d heard tales about him from the dark, sinister circles he ran with. Most of them were horrifying whispers of how those who opposed Raithe and his syndicate either reconsidered or disappeared without a trace.

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