The Golden Chalice

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  The Golden Chalice

  Copyright © 2012 by Sienna Mynx

  ISBN: 978-1-61333-378-5

  Cover art by LFD Designs

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

  Look for us online at:

  www.decadentpublishing.com

  Don’t miss the first two volumes of the

  Lee’s Girls Series

  The Heist

  For the Love of Chocolat

  The Golden Chalice

  Volume III

  Lee’s Girls Series

  By

  Sienna Mynx

  ~DEDICATION~

  To Lee’s Girls—you know who you are!

  Chapter One

  “Wake up, baby.”

  A gentle, serene voice whispered against his ear. Lee welcomed the renewed feel of love that enveloped and heated the cold loneliness in his heart. Years of being a lone wolf meant he’d always survived off little. Now, he lived and thrived off the love of one woman. Along his backside, warm lush curves sidled up behind him and her slender arm eased around his waist to lock him in an embrace. He loved the mornings, the nights, the days when time waited only for them.

  “Aww, c’mon. Wake up, Daddy, I need you.” She pressed a sweet kiss to the outer edge of his ear.

  Lee turned his head, and Michelle shifted away to allow him to see her fully. The beauty in her eyes and face held such strength and confidence in her love for him; it enriched her beauty. She looked ethereal, unreal in the dim light of their bedroom. The sheet was tucked around her waist. Her perky nipples were swollen to dark points. One look at them and he moistened his lips.

  Michelle blinked brown, round eyes, vibrant with intelligence. She knew exactly what stirring the beast in him would bring. Her slender hand eased over his hip and clasped his cock. She stared directly into him.

  Lee’s gaze lifted a bit, just past the bend of her shoulder. A mahogany-red crib with powder blue linens was pushed over to the side, against the window. Michelle insisted their sweet brown son sleep every night on his fluffy comforter, in his own crib. Lee wanted his son in their bed, preferably on his chest. The compromise had been to move the crib inside their room.

  “Is it morning? My turn to feed him?” Lee asked groggily. Excitement rippled through him over such a simple prospect. Nighttime feedings were his responsibility, and no matter how hard the day had been, he looked forward to the evenings. Michelle stroked his cock and the corner of her mouth tilted upward in a sly smile. An escaping curl fell over her forehead as she lowered her gaze to the motion of her hand beneath the covers. He rolled over and dragged her under him. She squeezed his length but came to him willingly. “Why did you wake me, woman?”

  “I hurt.”

  She pouted and puckered a bit, and her lashes lowered with desire. She massaged the head of his cock and rubbed her thumb over the tip to soften her touch. The moistness of her lips made him hunger to lick and suck them raw. The urge felt almost as powerful as the one stirring in his groin, the one driving him to sink every inch of his manhood into her.

  “Where, baby? Tell me where.” His voice, gruff and coarse, and his loins, tight with desire revealed how close to the edge her little tease had pushed him.

  She lifted her arm and touched the side of her neck. Her head tilted just a bit. “Here,” she breathed.

  Her words came across as a strained sigh of wanton lust. Her mouth barely parted but her thighs opened wider for him.

  The slender, brown length of her neck had such grace and femininity. And her skin, under the moon’s glow, looked as if it had been brushed with a mix of copper and gold. Lee wanted to roar like a lion over his woman. Maybe he preferred her vulnerability because she remained so hard-as-nails in their everyday life. A badass, manipulative, seductive vixen, who would challenge him to the point of insanity. In their bed, when he held her, she submitted and became his. The contrast of her strength and stamina against her soft, caring nature enchanted him.

  “I’ll make it better,” he promised, a vow he intended to keep for as long as she would have him. Make things better was all Lee wanted to do. Michelle’s finger slipped away from the pulse point of her neck. Lee licked his dry lips before he dared to brush them across her skin. A soft, sweet exhale of breath escaped those lips he loved to suck, and his dick stretched. He lifted his gaze and continued to brush kisses along the column of her neck. Her chin raised and her head dipped into the stack of pillows.

  “And here.” Michelle eased her hand between their bodies to ply open the folds of her pussy.

  She shifted a bit, causing her ass to rise, and Lee’s length pressed in on the moist warmth of her center. He shuddered hard. A low groan rumbled at the base of his throat, and visions of fucking her until she screamed his name and woke their daughter overwhelmed him.

  “Damn it, beautiful, I love you so much.”

  She removed her hand and gripped his left buttock before she gave it a tight squeeze. “Prove it. Love me, Lee, now. I want you inside me. Fuck me, honey, please.”

  “I intend to.” Lee thrust hard and fast, sinking several inches deeper. Her inner walls sheathed his plunging cock in tightness, the action drawing the breath from his lungs. She drove him even deeper. Lee nearly shot his load. He dropped his face on her shoulder as another deep shudder of restraint went through him. Summoning control, he moved, she moved, their bodies gliding and hips bumping with each powerful thrust.

  “Harder!” Michelle commanded.

  “Damn.” Lee winced, struggled to breathe, pumped his hips, and relished the feel of her stretching and clenching channel while it swallowed his cock with each stroke. “So good, babe. Your body is so good.” He groaned and worked his cock faster, stopping to sway his hips a bit and open her wider. His hands eased beneath her buttocks to part the cheeks, ensuring she felt every jerk and plunge.

  “Yes, Lee. I’m yours, honey, all yours, yes…yes….”

  He lifted his head as he drove his cock in and out of her. She opened her eyes and latched an intense, trusting gaze onto him. “I love you, too, babe. Never leave me. Never….”

  Lee shot upright in the dark. Feverish need boiled his brain, making the dream even more real for him. He blinked and tears of sweat dropped from his lashes into his eyes. The sheets were damp, soaked with evidence of his night sweats. His cock hardened, tightening to the point his scrotum felt as if it had shriveled up, non-existent. He glanced around the empty room and sucked down deep, uneven breaths. Soon his body stabilized.

  “A dream. Another fucking dream!” He grunted and pounded his fist into the mattress. “Motherfucker!” he cried out to nothing but answering silence.

  The left side of the bed lay undisturbed, empty. There was no crib, no baby, no Michelle, and no second chances. A single bullet, fired into her chest, had sto
len everything from them. Lee snatched aside the covers and placed his feet on the cold floor. He grabbed the phone by his bed. His hand trembled so badly it dropped to his lap. Quickly he dialed and tried to calm the erratic beat of his heart.

  “Doctor Stevenson,” he growled.

  He waited. Barry Manilow sang about the Copacabana through the receiver.

  “Stevenson here.”

  “It’s Lee. How is she?”

  “Mr. Sullivan, do you realize the hour?”

  “How the fuck is she?”

  “She’s resting.”

  “She doesn’t sleep. I know…I know she’s up. Have you checked on her? When was the last time you did?” Lee turned his wrist and confirmed the time on the diamond bezel of his watch. The hour approached midnight. “She’s smart, I told you this. She’s stronger now, and she…well she’ll try to leave.”

  “We’ve added security to her floor. Her room doors remain locked, per your orders. There is no leaving our facility, Mr. Sullivan. We’ve gone over this…. You must trust us to do our job.”

  Lee slammed the phone down on its base. He had no patience for the sniveling asshole. He knew his lady. The moment opportunity presented itself, she’d flee him. “It’s time for you to come home, Michelle. Where you belong.”

  In the darkness, he rose. He grabbed his silk robe and slipped it on. Evita, his Doberman, snapped to attention and stared up at him, curious. Lupe, the dog’s sister, slept in the corner of the room, unaware of her master’s restless state. Weary, he walked through his new, palatial home, Evita trailing him. Her dark coat, black like velvet, helped her blend with the shadows, except for the dazzling sparkle of the diamonds circling her dog collar. Other than the armed men who patrolled his estate, and his closest friend, Abahti, Leith Sullivan lived in isolation. But not for long. Any recovery Michelle needed, from this point on, would be done with him. He wouldn’t spend another fucking night without her.

  Through the doors of his study he strolled to his safe and opened it. Many trays of priceless jewels lay in their slots, undisturbed. Lee reached beyond them and drew out the Golden Chalice. Even in the moonlit office, the goblet glistened as if coated with liquid gold. The jewels gleamed. He set the fucker to the center of his desk. It appeared unworldly. Its presence filled the room, and he circled his desk and sat. Evita rested her snout on his thigh. He stared at the goblet. The fucking thing cost him his kid, his woman, everything. Now men feared and envied him. He had enemies he couldn’t name, lurking, waiting to pounce. And all he wanted was her.

  “You miss her, too, Evita?” he asked his companion.

  The bitch at his side gave a soft whine. He dropped his hand to the top of the dog’s head and soothed her, his diamond pinky ring sparkling. “She’s coming home to us. Tomorrow.”

  ***

  Michelle walked away from the window. Her room had been located to the west, giving her a full view of the Pacific Ocean. Just three levels above the ground floor, she could scale down easily without breaking her neck. But running would lead her nowhere. He’d find her. Even worse, she might be weak enough to return to him. Dropping her head, she sucked in her sadness and tucked it safely in her heart, beyond the reach of the therapists, doctors, and most of all, Lee. No one had access to the wounds of her heart.

  She never believed herself the mother type. She had no example of mothering in her life. And though she tried to be one for Sasha, she’d evidently failed. Her sister had betrayed her. Sasha, trying to prove herself, had seduced the man Michelle loved, and he tricked them both into a life of thievery. What damage would Michelle’s mothering do to an innocent kid? Still, she couldn’t help but dream about her baby. Wish for the chance to know him or her. Wonder if the kid would have Lee’s eyes, and her smile.

  “Stop! Stop! Stop!” She put her hands to her head to freeze out those useless thoughts, to shut down the regret and focus on the present. She’d overheard the nurses say that Lee had demanded she be released to him soon. She would get only one chance at freedom, and this time she would not fail herself. This time she would not give in to her weak heart.

  Chapter Two

  “Sir, not another step.”

  Long, bony fingers gripped the fine threads of his wool trench. The woman swung her thin body into his path and forced him to stop, or he’d bowl her over. Lee, however, remained determined. He gently pushed her aside and kept going.

  “Sir!” she called after him. The heels of the woman’s clogs clicked over the polished hospital flooring. She hurried behind. His stride and determination made the others in the hall step aside.

  “Please, I-I have my orders to bring you to Dr. Stevenson when you arrived.”

  Lee left the woman, with her pale blonde hair, deep-set chocolate eyes, and a penchant to annoy, flustered in his tailwind. No one gave him orders.

  “Should I call security, Mrs. Jones?” he heard the receptionist ask behind him. He cast a parting glance over his shoulder. Another woman quickly hurried to the hospital administrator.

  “No,” replied Mrs. Jones, who met Lee’s gaze with a disapproving scowl. “Let him go. He’ll just force his way past us, and Dr. Stevenson will allow it.”

  Lee entered the elevator and waited for the doors to close. He set his mouth in a thin concentrated line, and his mind broadcasted a list of what-ifs.

  What if I came too late?

  What if she made good on her promise and fled me?

  What if she blames me for the baby?

  What if I can never gain her trust, or even worse, love her again?

  And the what-ifs didn’t cease. Each question, each doubt, pulsated through his brain, sparking currents of dread and guilt, which repeatedly stabbed his heart. He rarely felt nervous. Now his palms sweated with evidence of it. He swallowed the uncertainty. He’d have his way. Make it happen. Of this he remained certain.

  The elevator doors parted. Striding through the hall, Lee rounded the last corner and barely missed an old man slumped in a wheelchair, drooling and staring blankly. A hospital worker wheeled the man toward him. Lee avoided the man’s eyes. Flashes of his father’s last days surfaced in his mind. Quickly, he shut that mental door. He kept going. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets, his shoulders squared to mask his fears. He would show Michelle no weakness. She needed her man strong, not weak over losing her.

  Two of his men greeted him. Actually, Lee had assigned six to her floor, on a constant rotation. He’d made a substantial donation the rehabilitation center to ensure his wishes were granted. His men were armed at all times.

  Today he would bring her home. He knew she’d stalled his efforts for the past week. The excuses he’d heard from Stevenson and the staff were laughable. Michelle could be quite convincing and manipulative of others when it suited her. Dr. Stevenson even arranged for her to have a meeting with Cosmo behind his back. Of course he knew of it. Nothing happened with Michelle that he didn’t know. He granted the little act of rebellion. He knew she needed it. Lee remained cautious, though. Michelle plotted her escape, and he feared her strength and anger would make her desperate enough to take the risk. After all, she’d broken into the most impenetrable of vaults, how hard could it be to escape a hospital? Lee shook his head, saddened over his doubt of her love for him. He slowed his pace and signaled with his eyes for his men not to approach him. They looked on and held their position.

  Suddenly, he didn’t have the burning urge to rush into her room. He wanted her to come home, but if he forced his will he could just alienate her more.

  Paging Dr. Stevenson. Paging Dr. Stevenson.

  The invisible speaker system mounted along the hall echoed, hollow in his ears. Two months ago she’d been shot. The bullet almost stole her life, as it had their unborn child. Her placement for recovery had been a delicate matter, requiring top-notch secrecy. The police hunted for the thieves who’d broken into the Briscol Bank, even though they’d made away with nothing. No media outlet could report what Michelle had swiped. But i
n the underworld, everyone knew. She’d risked it all for him, and he’d failed her.

  Lee wiped that same hand down his face before he looked up. The numbers, silver, stuck to the surface, read 1249. Twice in his life he’d felt fear. Once in his life, he’d felt pain. But nothing compared to what he felt over losing their child, and possibly losing her. This was the emotion he would share with her, the truth of his torment. Once she understood his devotion, she’d find the ability to forgive him one more time.

  In the weeks after her injury, he remained glued to her side. He neglected his business, the messy matter of revenge. Everything stopped, including his heart, until she recovered. The doctors assured him she would be okay to move after two weeks. He didn’t believe them. She had been pale, weak, and despondent. Protecting her became paramount, so he took the risk. Between the Feds, and The Order, the enemy closed in on her, leaving him little choice.

  When she woke, instead of gratitude, he’d found fury.

  She accused him of locking her up. Cursed him and his visits. Refused to even look at him for many weeks, and stopped speaking to him altogether. It made him crazy. So much so, he refused her sister and her friend Cosmo access to her. No one had been granted permission to visit. It would be his final mistake. His actions, though well intentioned, only made her resent him more. The rehabilitation center became her prison. She said he wanted her caged so he could have access to her when he chose. The truth had been much simpler. The only way he knew how to love her was to hold her tight.

  Lee stared through the opaque glass of the rectangular cut-out in the door. There she stood, beautiful as always. The green sweater she wore appeared soft like cashmere and fit nicely around the voluptuous outline of her breasts and trim waist. She had on a pair of dark-blue jeans, hugged to the curves of her hips and rounded rump, following the length of her athletic legs. Her hair, usually straight with an onyx shine, appeared ashen and dull, thick and wavy from being un-kept over the past weeks. She had tamed it to a poufy ponytail. As she zipped her duffle, she turned her head to survey the room, revealing her profile. The color had returned to her cheeks. Diamond studs sparkled in her pierced lobes. She should always be in diamonds.