Darkest Caress by Cross Kaylea

and off all night. When her body wasn’t caught in the grip of sexual frustration, that is. Despite her exhaustion today she’d done her usual Saturday morning schedule of piano lessons, then found a message on her phone from the estate’s lawyer saying the paperwork had been completed and the buyer had taken possession of the property. All within a matter of hours, and all without her having any clue. Liv had no idea how Daegan had managed to pull it all off, but she intended to find out.
    The deep chime of the doorbell echoed in her ears. A minute later Cade pulled the door open, holding a drill and wearing a tool belt around his waist.
    “Hey,” he said, looking surprised to see her. “How’s it going?”
    She pasted on a smile. After last night how did he think she was doing? “I’m dealing. I see you guys are settling in fine?” And that you’ve managed to coordinate a small army to help you do it.
    “Um, yeah.” He took a step back, his expression a bit wary. “I’m guessing from the look on your face that Daegan didn’t tell you we got the place, huh.”
    “No, actually. He hasn’t told me about a lot of things.” That was all about to change, however.
    He seemed to smother a grin. “Wanna come in?”
    “Yeah, thanks.” She glanced around the spacious living room where a crew from an electronics store was already installing a huge flat screen TV over the marble mantle. No way should all this be happening so smoothly. Anyone else would have suffered through the ordeal of trying to arrange all the various steps necessary for a move this size. Not Daegan. If she didn’t know better she’d swear he’d organized everything days ago, like he’d already known what day he’d get possession. Or maybe…maybe he’d used some sort of magic.
    She almost laughed at herself for thinking that way but let out a sigh instead, not knowing what to think anymore. When she’d woken up this morning she’d wondered for a moment if it had all been nothing but a vivid, crazy, erotically charged dream. Unfortunately, last night’s bombshell of a conversation and the insistent pulsing ache between her legs the moment she thought of Daegan said it wasn’t.
    The handful of orgasms she’d been forced to allow herself throughout the hellishly long night hadn’t done anything to take the edge off. She’d awakened incredibly horny and lonely. And sad. She’d actually missed him, and on a level that didn’t make any sense. Like she was irrevocably linked to him already in some way. It was slowly driving her mad.
    “I was just down setting up the equipment area,” Cade said to her. “Do you want something to drink? Fridge is stocked.”
    Shocking, she thought wryly. “I’m fine, thanks. Is Daegan in?”
    “He was helping me a few minutes ago. Come on down with me.”
    She followed him down the curving mahogany staircase, still trying to figure out how Daegan had managed everything. Cade led her through the fully equipped gym with weights and fitness machines already set up, then past a room they’d arranged with what looked like boxing stuff. They passed through a steel reinforced door into a brightly lit room.
    She stopped cold. Stainless steel tables lined one wall, cabinets filled with medical supplies filled another. On the opposite side of the room, tall lockers covered the length of the wall. There were no windows. The overall effect was cold and a bit creepy.
    Her eyes widened. Was that an operating table in the corner? She wrapped her arms around her waist. “What is this place, anyway?” It looked like a damned morgue.
    “Medical area. Used to be an open storage room.”
    She looked at him in surprise. “You’re going to see patients here ? Out of your house?”
    “Uh, not exactly.” Cade cleared his throat and looked around, as if trying to figure out how to explain it.
    Liv frowned for a second, then put her hands on her hips. “Just—where’s Daegan?”
    “I’m right here.”
    She