Duke Read online

  Karey whipped back past and grasped Takiyah’s arm. “Watch out. There’s a reporter at table seven. He’s trying to dig up some dirt on the Marquettes. Don’t tell him anything.”

  Takiyah narrowed her eyes at the table mentioned. A couple occupied the spot, the woman being at least twenty years the man’s senior. “Maybe she’s a cougar.”

  “Nope, he’s media. I guarantee you. I’m surprised Creed let him in, but you can bet he knows.” She pointed with her chin, and Takiyah followed to find that Creed kept a careful watch on the suspected reporter.

  “Well, I don’t know anything about the Marquettes, so I’m in the clear.” What she said wasn’t exactly the truth given the performance she had witnessed in the kitchen between Talicia and Shada. No doubt the power struggle would interest those obsessed with the special family. She wouldn’t get into it.

  The crowd at the door parted to allow a slender-built black man to make his way inside. Takiyah studied the man wearing a blue shirt with long sleeves styled like the British flag. With this interesting top, he had gone even brighter by wearing bright red pants that clung to his hips and thighs. The attitude rolling off him shocked her as he sashayed across the dining room to where Basil served a couple of twenty-something women. “Hey!”

  The man tapped Basil’s shoulder, and when Basil didn’t turn around fast enough, the man snatched his order pad and threw it on the floor. Basil’s mouth fell open. “Bitch, no you didn’t.”

  “Bitch, yes I did! I told you to stay away from my man.”

  The entire dining room went silent, and Takiyah expected security or someone to come running. No one moved, and the man on the piano quit playing the moment the fireworks started.

  “Don’t nobody want your man, Tyjon. But if you can’t keep him, that’s your problem not mine.” Basil rolled his head and pursed his lips while he put a hand on his hip.

  Takiyah glanced over at the reporter, and sure enough, he had pulled out a notepad and snapped his fingers to the woman. His partner surreptitiously pulled out a tiny camera and readied it to aim. Takiyah started forward, but out of nowhere, Duke appeared. His massive form blocked the camera view, and her mouth fell open. For a person everyone looked down on, he seemed to be right there in the nick of time. Was that his issue? Sticking his nose in everything?

  She shook her head. No, don’t fall for it, Takiyah, or you’ll be thinking just like Keen, that Duke’s some kind of hero. She almost laughed at the idea.

  Then she chided herself for thinking Duke stepped up just to impress her. His focus was on the arguing men just like everyone else’s. She doubted he knew where she was or that he even thought about her, not with Adele in that dress.

  Can you be more jealous?

  As if he read her mind, Duke’s gaze slide to her, and he had the nerve to wink. She turned her head, hating that he’d caught her staring at him. Tyjon—the name sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place him—and Basil were still arguing.

  “Oh, you didn’t tell Ladarrell he should dump me and get with you? That you can make him feel better than I ever could?”

  Basil snapped his fingers in the air. “I may have or I might not, but either way it’s true. You’re last week, Tyjon. Get a clue.”

  “This heifer.” Tyjon gazed around the room as if he looked for an answer to his confusion. When he turned back to Basil, his hand came up and he smacked Basil across the face. Basil screamed and grabbed Tyjon’s hair, which he had grown out and flat ironed.

  Everyone moved at that point. A gigantic man with bulging muscle and a dangerous glint in his eyes flew at the fighting men. Takiyah briefly wondered if this was the boyfriend the two fought over. She wasn’t sure given there were so many big men wandering around Marquette’s at any given time. No wonder the clientele was ninety-five percent women.

  In another direction, Creed was heading their way, and behind him Stefan and his wife. Talicia let out a shriek of fear when she spotted the men, and Takiyah figured she either knew Tyjon or she was worried about her husband’s business.

  “Tyjon,” Talicia shouted behind Stefan, “stop it. You’re embarrassing Stefan.”

  Stefan waved a hand toward his wife. “It’s okay, baby. I’ll handle it.”

  Despite Stefan’s assurance, Creed took charge as he always did. The deep voice crackled with the power of thunder and lighting all over the restaurant. “Stop. Now!”

  Tyjon and Basil sprung apart, the anger in both ebbing away. The two of them looked like frightened rabbits in the face of Creed’s rage. He pointed to the door, and both men’s jaws dropped.

  “Out of my restaurant,” Creed said.

  “But I work here,” Basil complained. “He doesn’t even have a job, and he came in here attacking me.”

  Creed’s eyes were so dark, even though Takiyah stood close enough to see the color, she couldn’t have described it. Her heart raced as if he was pissed off at her, and she fumbled with the towel on her arm. Just like every other person in the restaurant, she couldn’t move. She had to see how it played out.

  “Pete,” Creed boomed. The biggest of the bodyguards appeared at Creed’s side. Creed worked his hands as if he had trouble keeping them from making fists. No one had to guess what would happen if he gave in to the impulse. He breathed in deep and blew it out. “Get them out of here. If I have to do it…”

  Large hands came down on Tyjon and Basil’s shoulders. Talicia darted around her husband to Tyjon. “Pete, you better not hurt my brother. I’m serious.”

  She took a defensive stance, and Takiyah blinked in disbelief. Talicia as tiny as she and her brother were, was going to stand up to the giant monster that was Pete. To Takiyah’s surprise, Pete just nodded and forced the men into a march out the door.

  Creed swung to face Duke, who was actually the closest man to the fight at the time. His cousin glared at Duke. “Why were you just standing there doing nothing to end this?”

  Duke shrugged and stretched long arms over his head. Takiyah waited for him to defend himself and tell Creed he’d been covering the photographer. “Looked interesting. I needed a little more entertainment for the night. Never a dull moment around here.”

  She couldn’t believe him. Now that the drama died down, Duke spun around to face the reporter. He patted the man on the shoulder and winked at the photographer. Both were pissed. Takiyah decided giving energy to the crazy was just throwing her off her own game. She finished with her duties and left the serving area to go back to the locker room.

  While she tugged her street clothes from the locker, the door opened again. She looked around to find Duke. He’d shut them in alone together and leaned against the door. Unless she wanted to go up against his strength, she was caged.

  “Don’t you have a date you need to look after?” She kicked herself after the words slipped out. A person would have to be stupid not to hear the jealousy in her tone.

  Duke smirked. “If it bothers you that I’m out with Adele, you and I can do something tomorrow night. I’m sure we can make all kinds of fun.”

  Takiyah uttered a noise of disgust and turned back to the locker. All she needed to do was go to the ladies room and change clothes, but she wasn’t going to squeeze past Duke. “Is that what you do? Try to bring a woman down by sleeping with her best friend?”

  His eyebrows rose. “Sleeping with her? Aren’t you getting a little ahead?”

  “Whatever. You asked her out, but you’re in here with me. In fact, you’ve spent most of the night running behind me. If you want Adele, stick with her and leave me out of it.”

  “What if I don’t want to leave you alone? What if I find you different than any woman I—”

  “Don’t even go there. I’ve heard the speech before, and I don’t know why all men seem to think they’re the first ones who ever used that tired line.” She marched over to him and poked a finger in his chest. “You’re not my type, okay? Even if you were, you lost a million points asking my friend out and then parading her in my
face. Did you think it would make me cling to you?”

  She wiggled her fingers in a gesture that said move. He didn’t budge.

  “Have dinner with me.”

  She gaped at him. “Did you even hear what I just said?”

  “I heard, but I still want you to have dinner with me.”

  “No.” She gave him a shove, but it didn’t move him. In fact, a buzz of desire started in her core with the contact. Silently cursing herself, she thought of another tactic to get out of there. “If you’re going to harass me, first I’m going to knee you in the nuts, and then I’m going to scream bloody murder. Even with all the drama going on out there, everyone will hear. Now get the hell out of my way.”

  He stepped to the side and swept his hand through the air in invitation for her to pass. She grabbed the door handle, turned, and pulled. Duke moved up behind her and shut the door. The hair on her arms stood up, and the heat from his body warmed her. She couldn’t help the shiver and hoped he would miss it. Why would she be attracted to such a man when all her adult life she had been strong enough to deal with whatever came her way?

  Duke towered over her and laid a hand beside her head against the door. “If you convince me you aren’t attracted to me the way I am to you, then you can go.”

  “Bite me.”

  “Is that what you’re in to?”

  “It’s an old expression.”

  “I know.” The bastard shifted his hand as if he would stroke along her arm, but he didn’t. The proximity, his actions, and his nearness had the same effect as if he had touched her. She swallowed and shut her eyes. If she counted to ten, she might get out of this situation unscathed.

  “I don’t want you,” she lied.

  “Hmm, not convinced.”

  She looked at him. “You can’t hold me prisoner in here, Duke.”

  “If you felt I was keeping you prisoner, you would fight. I can see it in your eyes that you’re that type of woman. It’s not me who’s holding you here.”

  Her heart hammered. “You’re too full of yourself.”

  “Kiss me. I’ll believe it if you don’t feel anything.”

  “You’re insane.” She spun to face him and then realized her mistake too late. He moved in nearer, pinning her against the door. His body skimmed hers, but he separated them just as quickly, as if he hadn’t meant to go that far. The slight connection shattered her mind. Was she so lonely she would get excited over this man, who was clearly all wrong for her? She hadn’t had a lover in two years, so her common sense in that arena must be rusty.

  “I joke around a lot, Kiyah.” He whispered the words, bringing his face down until their mouths were inches apart. “But right now I’m dead serious. I want to fuck you.”

  She panted. “H-hell n-no.”

  “You don’t sound sure.”

  She raised her chin, but that only brought her lips closer to his. “I’m sure.”

  The claim was so weak as to be laughable. His eyes glittered with amusement. She realized what he intended a second before he brought his mouth down on hers. Self-preservation said to keep her lips stiff and closed. Desire overruled. She arched her back, brought her hands up to his chest, and greedily kissed him.

  The clothes she’d held fell to the floor when he pressed her to the door. He dipped his knees and ground tighter against her body. She bit off a cry of pleasure at feeling his hard-on. He must be huge, going from the impression, and her pussy grew wet in anticipation.

  No, Takiyah. Push him back before it’s too late. You’re not this type of woman.

  Instead of pushing him away, she stretched up on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. Taking the initiative, she stuck her tongue into his mouth and moaned. Duke encircled her waist and pulled her tight to his chest. When he lifted her off her feet, he stole her breath.

  “Mm,” he muttered against her mouth, “wrap your legs around my waist. You’re so damn hot, baby. I want to get inside you.”

  She gasped and pulled away. He let her down gently to her feet, and she turned her head while trying to pull herself together. Duke touched her chin and raised it. She brushed his hand away.

  “Let me in your bed tonight, Kiyah.”

  “Are you crazy?”

  “Is it crazy that we want each other and that we go after what we want?”

  “It is when you’re dating my friend.”

  “I’m not dating her, and if it will make you feel better, I’ll take her home now and let her know we won’t have a repeat of tonight.”

  She stared at him, angry that he was so cavalier about both her and Adele. In all the years they had been friends, she and Adele kept their friendship first, before men. They never crossed each other, although there had been plenty of men who Takiyah looked at but who didn’t give her a second thought when they spotted Adele. Duke was that way, but for some reason he’d gotten it into his head that he wanted her. She wanted to show some self-respect by telling him to kiss her ass, but she desired his body as much as he seemed to desire hers. Just this once was okay, wasn’t it? Not like she planned to date him.

  She tried again to do the right thing. “Adele likes you.”

  “She likes the chance to get to one of my cousins through me. You and I both know that. Tell me yes, baby, and I’m going to please you as much as you want.”

  “Confident much?”

  He didn’t deny it.

  “All right, but there’s no way I’m bringing you to my house. My mom lives with me, and I have Keen there.”

  He grinned and pulled her in for another mind-blowing kiss. “We’ll work something out.”

  Chapter Six

  Duke unlocked the door, and Takiyah moved past him into the apartment. She gazed around the living room. Contemporary furniture in pastel colors decorated the space, and watercolor paintings adorned the walls, not to mention a brass knickknack cabinet in the corner. “Whose place is this?”

  He tossed the keys on a side table. “You don’t think it’s mine?”

  “Number one, there’s no way you can afford the luxury of this place on a waiter’s salary, even if your cousins do pay you well. Number two, no, the décor here doesn’t scream Duke Marquette.”

  He tugged her into his arms and ran a hand over her ass. “Do you believe you know me so well?”

  Her hands came up to his chest. “Duke.”

  He brushed a thumb across her bottom lip. “I like when you say my name. Scream it for me while I take you.”

  Goose bumps popped out on her arms, and her breaths grew erratic and deep. “Let go.”

  He shook his head, grinning. “I don’t plan to let you go all night.”

  “I never said—”

  He covered her mouth with his and snaked his tongue between her lips. She cried out in desire and curled her fingers into his shirt when his cock, all stiff and long, pressed into her belly. Oh hell, yes. It had been too long, but Duke of all men, she should have chosen better.

  He raised her off her feet and carried her over to the couch. When he dropped down on it, she sat on his lap facing him. Now his cock pressed against her pussy, and her panties were soaked with her flowing juices.

  “I can almost smell your want,” he whispered against her neck. “You’re going to come in my mouth tonight.”

  She swallowed. “I don’t do oral the first time.”

  “Uh-uh, you’re going to spread your legs for me. First my mouth and then my cock.”

  Damn he was dominant. The attitude turned her on like crazy. Ed had been so soft and nice, he’d ask her permission to do everything, even kiss her. Duke just took, and while it pissed her off, it also lit her on fire. He probably knew it too, the bastard.

  She wiggled on his lap and turned around, ready to stand. “What if I tell you no?”

  He grasped her around the waist and dragged her backward. Now she felt his cock against her ass, and it was just as hot. Biting her bottom lip kept her from letting him know it. Duke nibbled her ear while movi
ng his hand down between her legs. “You’re not going to tell me no.”

  “I might.”

  “You won’t.” He demonstrated his effect on her by squeezing her mound. She moaned and tried to suppress it, but he used his middle finger to stroke her slit through her pants and panties. His rumbling voice drove her wild. “I bet your pussy’s wet right now.”

  “It’s not.” She had no idea why she’d lie like that. Maybe because he was too sure of himself, and she wanted to pretend he wasn’t all that. Of course, she wasn’t changing her mind after coming here with him. Her mother was watching Keen, and she had promised them both she wouldn’t be too late.

  “Take off your pants and your panties and prove it to me.” He guided her to her feet, and when she looked back at him he’d leaned against the couch and folded his arms over his chest. That smug half-grin made her grind her teeth.

  “All right, maybe a little,” she admitted. “I’m a woman after all. Any guy could—”

  He wagged his finger. “It’s my turn to prove myself.”

  That shocked her. “What do you mean?” She dropped her gaze to the front of his pants. The tent in them and the way they molded against his shaft made her mouth water.

  “I’ll prove myself with my dick, but I didn’t mean him.”

  She smirked. “Him?”

  “Stick to the topic.”

  She faced him and crossed her arms, copying his position. “What topic were we on?”

  He leaned forward and pinched open her jeans. “The one where I will prove to you any man can’t make you feel the way I can.”

  “I was only saying it’s natural. You don’t have to prove anything.”

  “Ah, but I do.” He lowered her zipper and dragged her pants down. Pausing for a minute, he stared at her pussy even though it was still hidden behind her panties. She resisted squirming under his scrutiny. When she had asked Ed to make love in the dark after she had gained weight with Keen’s birth, he had agreed. Duke struck her as the kind of man who wouldn’t go for that.