Finding Eternal Peace Page 3

  It wasn’t her imagination. He’s attracted to me too.

  “Whoa.” She pulled her hands free and turned around. “This isn’t going to work.”

  “Why?” He turned her around. His hand stroked her face, smoothing out the worry wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. “We’re both adults.”

  She snorted. “Look at us. You find any excuse to touch me, and…” She laid her hand on his chest. “Just being in the same room with you makes me cream my jeans.” Her laugh verged on hysteria. “God, what I wouldn’t give for a pair of jeans right now and not this…” She tugged at the robe. “Shit! I hate this. I want my sister, and I want to go home.”

  “Shh…” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her head onto his chest.

  Meg closed her eyes. A sob escaped, and she sniffed. How had things gotten to this point? If she could erase the last year, she’d get her parents back, and her sister would be happy and in college.

  “It’ll work out.” He rubbed his hand in a lazy circle on her back. “You’ve got to hang in there a little longer, but you’ll get out of here with your sister at your side.”

  She tilted her head back. “I’m sorry. I’m usually so much strong—”

  His lips captured her mouth. He urged her to open for him. All the attraction she held for him tumbled out, and she gave him everything. Warmth from his tongue lavished the inside of her lips, her tongue, and teased her into forgetting her problems. She mewed and clutched at the front of his robe. Her body molded against his in total abandonment.

  Joe’s hand followed the slope of her neck. Her nipples hardened. Oh, God, please touch me.

  The pleasure he brought her coursed wildly through her body. Her hips surged forward. The hard length of his cock pressed into her stomach. The thin robe left nothing to her imagination. She might as well not be wearing a robe, because every contour of his body pressed against her.

  She squirmed in his arms, wanting more. He slipped his hand down the front of her robe, pushing back the material and giving him access to her nude body. She tore at his sheets and wormed her hands around his waist to cup that beautiful, taut ass. The muscles clenched tight and plunged forward underneath her hands.

  Skin to rugged, masculine skin, Joe never let go of her mouth. Flicking her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, he sucked on the tip of her tongue. Her pussy juice flowed, and the insides of her thighs would soon grow damp. He was driving her crazy.

  A chime counted off over the intercom. He pulled his mouth off her lips. Her heartbeat thumped extra hard in her chest. They’d lost control and forgotten about dinner.

  Joe groaned. “Damn, Red.”

  Meg fanned her face with her hands. Zero to sixty in no time flat, and she was willing to open her legs for Detective Joe. She couldn’t wait to find out what would happen between them after dinner.

  “There’s something major going on between us, isn’t there?” He rubbed his chest. “You feel it too, right?”

  “Oh, yeah.” She laughed. “I’m feeling it big time, and I like it.”

  Chapter Four

  Inside the dining hall, Joe wrapped his arm around Meg and led her to the last two vacant seats in the back of the room. She glanced up at him before taking her seat. She’d forgotten to ask him how they were going to get out of eating the dessert without anyone noticing.

  Now that Joe had told her drugs were involved, she worried that other foods might contain something to alter her awareness. She swept her gaze around the room. Drugs were one more thing she’d have to help her sister learn to go without after she got her out of this place.

  Joe handed her plate to her, and she lifted her fork without using it. The man on the other side of the table blocked her view of the room, and she leaned over to peek around him. No long, red hair stood out from the sea of blondes and brunettes to draw her attention.

  She turned to Joe and frowned. How were they going to help her sister if they couldn’t even find her in the room?

  He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “First row, third in, don’t look,” he whispered.

  A smile grew on her face, and she wanted to reach out and hug him. Instead, she reached under the table and squeezed his thigh. Having someone on her side and understanding her worries gave her hope.

  Leaning toward him, she laid her head on his shoulder and peered between the people blocking her view. She gasped and covered her mouth. Her sister sat facing them and, for the first time in a very long time, Allison was smiling with pure happiness.

  Tears rushed to Meg’s eyes and slipped over her lashes. She lowered her chin and pretended to concentrate on her plate of food while swiping the back of her hand over her cheeks. She tried to stop them, but even the threat of Lord Stephen seeing her crying didn’t quell her delight at finding her sister.

  Joe walked his fingers over her thigh, squeezed, and moved his hand toward her pussy. She sat up straight and stared up at the podium. Clutching his hand, she strained to stop his exploring, but her strength didn’t compare to his.

  His fingers wiggled their way through the opening of her robe. She sucked in her bottom lip and held her breath. The tip of his finger brushed the lips of her pussy. Without a conscious thought, her tears dried up, the stiffness left her spine, and her legs relaxed.

  Joe shoveled another spoonful of veggie medley into his mouth at the same time his finger on the other hand slipped between Meg’s damp folds and landed on her clit. Her fingers circled his wrist and held on. A wonderful rush of warmth filled her lower belly, and an urge to open herself underneath his touch hit her hard.

  “Eat up, baby.” He forked his roast beef and popped it into his mouth.

  Not releasing his hand, she lifted her other hand, grabbed her fork, and began to eat. The caress he provided wasn’t meant to bring her to orgasm, but to help her calm down. Her emotions smoothed out, and she concentrated on dinner.

  By the time dessert came, Joe smiled over at her, removed his hand, and picked up his napkin to wipe the dampness off his fingers. She swallowed. A room full of people, and he’d succeeded in getting her mind off her sister.

  Shit. I’m in trouble.

  Joe turned his head and, using the same napkin he’d wiped her pussy juice on, dabbed at the corners of her mouth. The scent of her arousal reached her nose.

  Under the cover of the napkin, he whispered, “Hand me your pudding when it comes. I’ll deal with it.” He leaned down, kissed her open lips, and groaned. “God, you taste wonderful.”

  The rich, stimulated tremble of his voice reached out and tickled that mysterious spot deep within her core. Her eyes fluttered and threatened to close. A caress of pleasure exploded low in her belly. A micro-orgasm. Something she’d never experienced, but had read about in Cosmo magazine.

  A server brought the tray of custard to the end of the table. Joe set down two dishes and passed the tray down the long line of people. Once the server left to walk down the row to retrieve the empty tray, Joe dumped the contents in the trashcan behind him and gave the empty dish to her.

  She gazed toward the front, watching for Lord Stephen while Joe emptied the second dessert. In a daze, she wasn’t sure if she could even mutter a sound to warn Joe. He frazzled her in the most delicious way.

  “Can I have everyone’s attention?”

  Everyone’s heads turned in the same direction. Standing off in the back corner, Lord Stephen stood with a microphone in his hand and a frown on his face. Meg glanced over her shoulder at Joe, raised her brows, and asked a silent question. Did he see you dump the food?

  Joe motioned with his head for her to turn back around. She singled out her sister first. Allison sat with her chin propped up in her hands, a dopey smile once again fixed on her face. Meg narrowed her eyes. Give her one minute alone with Lord Stephen, and she’d rip him a new asshole for the way he’d changed her sister.

  “Yesterday, a fire broke out in a garbage can.” He paused and strolled farther into the room. “I can
’t help but believe someone deliberately set this fire.” His mouth hardened, and he scanned the room. “We’ve also lost three members of Eternal Peace.”

  The room gasped as a whole. Meg covered her mouth. Had he figured out what Joe and Kathy had done? Who were the other two women who had disappeared?

  Joe laid his hand on her waist, and she scooted her bottom over on the chair to lean against him. He wrapped both his arms around her. Snuggled tight against him, a sense of security helped her sit still through whatever else Lord Stephen had to tell them.

  “While I look into matters, I am going to make myself more available to everyone.” He strode up to the podium. “From now on, I will make the rounds during free time. I will partake in group sessions.” He cleared his throat. “I will bring more of you to the higher maker, and make you guaranteed to enter into eternal peace.”

  He slipped the microphone into its holder and placed his hands, palms down, on top of the podium. “We cannot let these setbacks interfere with our work here, my loves. Starting tonight, we will clear this room of tables, we will come together as a group, and we will share the love we have for Eternal Peace, each other, and for your Lord.” He patted his chest. “Let no one be alone. Each one of us is an important part of our journey. We must remain a united front.”

  He swung his arm in the air. “Let each couple invite a single person into their loving relationship. Embrace them, hold them, and learn from them.” He motioned to his left at the workers ready to jump at his bidding. “Let us clear the area and share ourselves with each other in the way we are meant to live.” He turned back to the congregation settled at the tables. “Take this time and partner up.”

  Meg stood up, turned to Joe, and dragged him around the table. “I’ve got to get Allison.”

  “No.” He pulled her back. “Stay here. I’ll get her. We don’t want her causing a scene and giving away your relationship to her.” He pushed her back. “Stay there. Promise me?”

  She nodded. “Hurry. Please.”

  The people in the room hustled around in excitement, whether from Lord Stephen’s pledge to bring them all to a supreme plateau within the cult or from the secret sexual thrill of having permission to dally with others, Meg didn’t know. She bounced on the tips of her toes, trying to see over the shoulders of the others, but she’d lost Joe in the chaos.

  A hand on her arm jolted her out of her excitement at the anticipation of talking with her sister. She froze. Not daring to move, she feared having to lose her facade and slap someone.

  “You are alone?” The person spoke in her ear from behind her shoulder.

  A shiver coursed through her spine. Lord Stephen. Oh, God. Joe, come back.

  She cleared her throat and forced herself not to jerk away from his hand that wandered over the side of her arm. “No, Lord Stephen. I’m waiting for my partner to bring back one of the singles. I’m so excited to share my love with someone new.”

  He grasped her hand and turned her around to face him. “I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure to please you myself. That’s the misfortune of leaving the couples on their own.” He cocked his head. “You are lovely. I think…” His lip curled. “I will start making more time to enjoy the females on the other side of the commune from now on.”

  “Thank you.” She kept her chin down.

  “Show me how much you love Eternal Peace, my love. Let us celebrate.” He pulled her head up and captured her lips.

  He moaned at the contact. His hands slid down to pull her against him. His tongue pushed between her lips. She cried out, but Lord Stephen took it for encouragement. Joe!

  Those slimy hands wandered to the front of her robe, slipped through the opening, and cupped her breasts. His cock grew and pressed against her body. Wiggling backward, she pulled her mouth from his.

  “That excites you.” He squeezed harder, molding and kneading her breasts. “Look at you squirm.” He opened the flap of his robe with one hand. “Yes, I believe you are close to finding peace here. My cock agrees with the love you are sharing. In fact, I like this little act you play.”

  Shit.

  “You are obviously an experienced woman. Yet there’s something about you that makes me think you enjoy having someone older, more powerful than you making you submit.”

  She whimpered. If she didn’t get out of here, she’d show him how much she thought of the shit he spouted.

  Pulling her back into his arms, he dug his fingers into her ass, ground his cock against her, and humped his hips back and forth. “Oh, yes, my body enjoys how innocent and willing you are toward your master.”

  “Kathy!”

  She pushed away from Lord Stephen and flew into Joe’s arms. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she plastered her face in the crook of his neck. “Help me,” she whispered.

  “We are so blessed that you choose to give your love to Kathy, Lord Stephen.” Joe kissed the top of her head and kept his hand over her face. “She’s overcome with gratitude.”

  Lord Stephen stepped up to them, placed his fingers around his cock, and smiled. “It is you both who bless me with your devotion.” He gazed between them. “If you’ll excuse me, there are others who will want to have my blessings now that your partner has brought forward my pleasure.”

  Meg held on to Joe, watching Lord Stephen saunter away, masturbating for his members. “Where’s my sister?”

  “She’s coming. Someone else convinced her to join them, but she promised to come after…” He lowered his voice. “…sharing her love.” He gathered her head in his hands. “Are you OK? Shit, I saw what he was doing to you, and tried to hurry back.”

  She nodded and inhaled a big breath. “God, I’d like to shoot him. All he’s doing is getting his rocks off. Why can’t these people see the truth?”

  “Drugs, brainwashing, and, more than likely, a need to be loved by someone.” He rubbed her back. “We’ll find proof and shut this place down. Trust me…I’ll die before I see another innocent—”

  “Joe?” Allison’s soft voice came from behind her.

  Meg’s fingers curled into the material of Joe’s robe. Afraid to turn around, she stared up into Joe’s face. He nodded at the woman and smiled over her shoulder. Bracing herself for a big scene, Meg turned.

  “Hello, Allison.”

  Chapter Five

  Her sister stepped forward with her arms outstretched, a smile on her face. “I am blessed to share this time—”

  She didn’t get any further. Her mouth opened. Meg waited for recognition to come. The black hair dye bought her a few seconds, the drug-induced fog, a few seconds more.

  “Allison, let me explain.” She reached out and grabbed her sister’s hands. “You don’t belong here. I love you. You know that. I’ll help you with anything you need.” She swallowed. “I can’t lose you. You’re all I have. Please listen to me.”

  “Meggie?” Allison reached out and touched her face. “Wh…what are you doing here?”

  Tears blurred Meg’s vision. What had happened to that young, bright, energetic young woman that used to live inside her sister? She shook Allison’s hands. Why couldn’t she see what Lord Stephen and his bunch were doing to her?

  “I’m going to help you get out of here, Allison.” She lifted her chin toward Joe. “This is Joe. He’s going to help us.”

  Allison shook her head. “No.” She tore her hands away from Meg’s grasp. “I don’t want to go. I find peace here.” She stepped back. “Go away…or I’ll tell my lord why you are here.” She turned to Joe. “I’ll tell him about you too. Take Meg out of here.”

  Her sister hurried away. Meg rushed to follow, but Joe circled her waist from behind and dragged her back.

  “Shh…” He turned and faced her toward the wall so no one would be able to see how upset she was. “Calm down. I promised we’d get her out. We will. Just might not be tonight, Red.”

  “She’ll go back to him.” She sniffled. “I know her. She’s looking for love, for that person who
will never leave her. She’s lost so damn much already.”

  “I know.” Joe laid his forehead on the top of her head. “I lost my sister to Lord Stephen.”

  Meg pulled back and frowned. “Your sister is here too?”

  “Was.” He shook his head, inhaled deeply, and gazed down at Meg. “She’s dead.”

  “Oh, my God, Joe.” Meg wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her cheek on his chest. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked—”

  “No!” His stomach muscles tightened. “You have every right to ask me for my help. I asked you to give me a part of yourself, I had no right to…this should never have happened.”

  “It’s not really a burden…with you. I…you.” She groaned. “I’m just going to spit it out. You do something crazy inside me. If we weren’t in this fucked up place, I’d be all over you.” She chuckled. “Maybe this place is making me lose my mind.”

  “No, it’s not, or I’m going crazy too. Not the best time to find someone you care about and you’re attracted to, but we’ll deal with everything when we get this place shut down and get out of here.” He jerked. “Lord Stephen is looking. Kiss me…”

  Joe lowered his head. Meg relaxed under his lips. He was a skilled kisser. Soft, yet demanding, he owned the skill to draw her out of the moment.

  The little moan he gave at the touch of her tongue teasing the soft pad of his lips encouraged her to explore more. Her eyelids drifted shut. She blocked out the sounds of the other moans and groans throughout the room as the others enjoyed their sexual freedom.

  Joe broke away. His breath came in harsh pants. “Jesus, woman. You make me forget where I am.”

  “Let’s go back to the room. I don’t want to stay here. Just tonight, Joe. Make me forget.” Her tongue came out to lick along the surface of her bottom lip. “I want you.”

  He nodded. “Stay close.”