Cataracta: I think that Julian will fall off a cliff somewhere between now and...(blinks) soon. Well, not literally a cliff, but he will get hurt, mwahaha!

Nightshade blue: Thanks for being here 'every step at a time' as you put it.

Tormented Innoccence: Sorry for the lack of update. Normally I'm faster than this! I'm so ashamed.

PrEtTyStUpIdGiRl: Again, sorry for the lack of update.

mariks1andonly: Why, thank you! I'm glad I'm doing an excellent job. It's always good to hear that from a fellow writer.

Chi Yagami: Naw, my limes are never that good anyway. Unless I just watched a really R-rated movie and am motivated...(X.X)

Fox-san: It's a miracle! You've logged in for once, lol. Yeah, if I voted for myself, I'd feel egotistical or...too full of myself. That is not a reputation I am about to start. (glances) Unlike Kaiba.

Monkeyluv4646: Lol, I'm updating. Glad you're so eager.

Chapter Twenty-Two, Lust and Love

Warning! This chapter contains a lime.

Anzu thanked Ryou and Duke once she was outside Bakura's office doors.

"I think I can take it from here," she assured them, smiling lightly.

"Are you sure, sister? I wouldn't want you to...Get hurt by Bakura." Duke seemed adamant about this. He apparently still did not trust Bakura.

"Do not worry, Duke." She grinned at him. "Bakura wouldn't hurt me."

"I do hope you are right, Anzu." Duke sighed as Ryou ushered him down the hall. Anzu took a deep breath, turning to the doors and knocking on them lightly. She poked her head in cautiously. Bakura raised an eyebrow at her.

"I should have guessed you'd be stubborn enough to come," he muttered, sighing. Anzu fastened the door behind her, looking shyly at him.

"Of course you should have." She agreed, clasping her hands in front of her skirts.

"So is there any particular reason you wanted to see me?" He inquired. She shook her head, a small smile on her lips.

"No, I just..." she hesitated. "No offense to my brother or Ryou, but I feel much safer with you." Bakura grinned at her, something flickering across her eyes.

"I bet." He chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Come here, Anzu." The female wetted her lips, uncertain whether to do as he asked or not. Anzu took a deep breath and calmly walked over to him. He circled an arm around her waist, drawing her onto his lap. She shivered, remembering what had ensued last time she had been in this...position. "I promise you that I will do nothing to make you uncomfortable." He vowed to her.

"I already am uncomfortable." A look of surprise crossed his gruff features.

"Oh?" He turned her so that her skirts rose to her thighs.

"Bakura!" She protested, beginning to blush. He laughed at her nervous behavior.

"Don't worry." He brushed his lips over hers, ever so gently. "I wouldn't be so cruel as to embarrass you."

"You are, though!" Anzu complained. He arched an eyebrow at her, bringing her curvy body flush against his.

"I don't see anyone else in the room," he whispered in her ear, his tongue flicking her ear seductively. Anzu shuddered, feel her bosom tighten.

"Y-you're a horrid man!" She accused him.

"I am?" He gave a completely innocent look at her. "Well Anzu, I should think you're enjoying that I am a 'horrid man'." Anzu opened her mouth, but no sound came out. He chuckled at her wordless expression. "Well, Anzu?" He took her hips, grinding them against his own. She swallowed the moan that was threatening to escape her lips. "Shall I stop or go further?"

"Um..." Again, Anzu was wordless. She licked her lips, causing Bakura's desire to shoot through the roof. He let out a groan, looking tortured.

"Woman, you are tormenting me," he brought his mouth down on hers, hard. She was surprised by the sudden assault, but did not break away from him. Her eyes slid closed as her fingers getting tangled in his hair. "I ask again, should I stop?" He repeated, his voice hoarse. She blinked at him, trying to get her wits in order.

"No," she croaked and with a sudden boldness that was not her own, she wriggled on his lap, her own personal spot rubbing against his. His throat went dry and he gulped.

"As you wish," he whispered, his fingers running down her hot skin. He let out a sigh; glad that it had been him that had raised such temperature to her skin. "But I warn you, I have no protection."

"So?" He chuckled.

"Let it be you that asks such an innocent question," he murmured against her lips. "Though doing this on the chair seems..." He looked thoughtful at first.

"Improper?" She offered. He grinned rakishly at her.

"Indeed," the tip of his tongue ran down her collar down to the exposed skin just above her breasts.

X

Ryou and Duke had been glancing at the clock ever since they had arrived back home.

"Damn!" Duke swore suddenly. "I knew we shouldn't have left her with your rogue of a brother!"

"Duke, calm down." Ryou soothed. "I'm sure that – " His words were cut off when Anzu entered the dining room. Ryou's eyes widened at her flush, disheveled appearance. Somehow he doubted that she had fallen into something and ended up that way.

"What happened to you?" Duke demanded, eyeing his sister.

"Um..." she blinked at hem, still wordless from her episode with Bakura. She licked her lips, trying to get the image of his body out of her head. Unfortunately, the image popped up in her head, causing Anzu to blush furiously. "I don't know."

"You don't..." Duke gapped at her, not believing what he was hearing – or seeing for that matter. He wanted to stand up and angrily shout, Liar!; but wasn't quite that uncompassionate.

"I'll be down in a minute. I'm going to take a bath." The two males just stared after her.

"SEE?" Duke turned to Ryou accusingly.

"Well…" Ryou licked his lips nervously. "He didn't rape her, now did he?"

"SO?" Duke was furious and Ryou knew it.

"It's up to Anzu when she loses her virginity, not yours, Duke." Ryou informed him firmly.

"Fine!" Duke stormed to the drawing room, swearing in French under his breath. Ryou shook his head, sighing.

X

"Hello, Bakura." Marik slid into the room and his manager jumped with surprise.

"What the hell is it with you and not knocking!" Bakura demanded, scowling. Marik just smirked as Bakura tied his boot and stood up, his eyes scanning the room for his topcoat.

"Over there, chap." Marik nodded to where it had been thrown on the floor.

"Oh," Bakura picked it up, refusing to meet Marik's eyes; let alone, look at his face.

"So," Marik settled himself on a chair, smirking as Bakura shoved his arms in the topcoat. "Who was the lucky lady?"

"What makes you think there was any lady?" Bakura queried, his voice and face neutral.

"Well..." Marik examined the black, tight gloves covering his tan hands. "I did hear moaning and screaming, so that sort of gave me some hints." He grinned. "And I do believe it wasn't just a woman voice, either." Bakura glared at his companion, who simple cocked his head to the side, curiously. "I ask again, who was the lucky lady?"

"None of your damn business." Bakura snapped. Marik simply leered at him.

"I do believe I heard a name. Oh yes, I remember. Anzu." Bakura stared at him, cursing Marik to Hell – not that he wasn't going to go there anyway.

"Well there's your answer." Bakura stated bluntly, walking towards the doorway, rigid.

"One more question, Bakura." The other male paused in the doorway, turning only his eyes to Marik, who had resumed speculating his gloves. "Did you do it out of spite or because you love her?"

Damn! Bakura swore mentally. "I should think you know the answer to that." Bakura responded coolly.

"So you love her?" Marik guessed, turning his face to make eye contact with Bakura (who had turned as well).

"Again, I think you know the answer to that, Marik." A flicker of amusement and envy crossed Marik's mauve eyes.

"Indeed, I do." Marik stood up, plucking his gloves off, sighing. "I knew I shouldn't have gotten these so tight." Bakura acknowledged that their previous conversation was over. Relief washed over him as he glanced at Marik's gloves.

"A size bigger, I should think."

"Mm hm." Marik mumbled in agreement. "Come on, Malik has a cheater waiting for you in the office." He grinned. "You may be surprised to see who it is."

"Oh?" Bakura followed him downstairs and his eyes widened at whom it was. "Sofia."

"Lord Bakura," she nodded in recognition. "I wasn't sure how to get up here without..." she gestured. "Cheating." Her confession made all three men in the room wary.

"Hm," Bakura sat behind his desk, clasping his hands together, laying them on his stomach. "What is it that you want to speak about, Sofia?" She flinched at the fact that she didn't add her title.

"My daughter."

"Improbable." He answered immediately. Sofia looked imploringly at him.

"Please, Lord Bakura, I would not ask you of this otherwise. I only wish to know if she is well and okay." Bakura scrutinized her, frowning. He could see fear and hope lingering on her face and sighed.

"She's quite fine." He informed her with a reluctant tone.

"Oh, thank God!" Sofia breathed, clutching her chest. Her eyes glittered with unshed tears. "I had no idea that Julian might actually consider Hathaway's suggestion." She bowed her head, letting out a relieved sigh. Yami had certainly been right.

"That's what you get when you linger with the wrong people." He told her callously. A single tear leaked out of her eyes.

"Pray forgiveness, Bakura. I had never anticipated that something like this might happen." Sofia broke into sobs, her body shaking with tears.

"I bet." He was unconvinced. He knew her type too well. She'd do anything to get what she wanted. That's why he didn't trust her. She sniffed, wiping her small nose, taking a shaky breath.

"I must go. My husband would not be pleased to find me here." Her eyes were wide as she looked at him, red lining her eyes. Sofia looked much older than she was. He had a feeling that Hathaway had drained every inch of happiness from her.

"Very well," he nodded to the door. "Go then." He paused. "But I do need you to pay for cheating." Sofia flinched, hearing no mercy or pity in his voice.

"As you wish, you merciless bastard." She was bitter now, which made Bakura even more cynical.

"Insults don't hurt me, remember that Sofia." She stiffened, silently nodding.

X

Anzu's cheek rested against her pillow as she heard voices outside in the hall. There was one specific one that she was listening to – intently.

"...Suppose she was worried?" Ryou's voice drifted through the thin wood of her door. "I mean, she is her mother, after all."

"Damnable woman snubbed me, she wasn't concerned about her at all." Bakura snapped back at his brother.

"Oh, I don't know," Malik's soft voice slid up from the silence. "She seemed pretty sincere to me."

"Figures you would think something so obtuse, Malik." Bakura grunted.

"All right, all of you shut up." Marik growled. "Unless you want to wake Anzu, I'm advising you to shut the fuck up. We can discuss this in the morning."

"Fine." The others said reluctantly. She heard footsteps pass her door and she closed her eyes softly, the pain behind them causing her to let out a small, feminine grunt.

"You awake?" Her eyes snapped open and she sat up, seeing Bakura leaning against the door. She hadn't heard him come in.

"I guess so." Anzu gestured with her arms to indicate that indeed, she was awake.

"And I suppose you heard everything?"

"Most of it." She admitted. He nodded, expressionless.

"Sorry for waking you then." Anzu shook her head.

"No need," She assured Bakura, who frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"Your mother came to my casino today, wanting to know your whereabouts. I told her that you were fine. She seemed concerned, but..." He frowned in thought.

"You believe her compassion to be false." Anzu stated bluntly. Bakura's eyebrows, but he nodded nonetheless. She sighed, dropping against the pillow. "Sleep with me tonight." He shoved off from the door and after tearing his boot off and most of his clothes, he slid in the warm blankets with her. She sighed, snuggling against his body, her arms winding around his waist. She would be sure to tell him her feelings – when the time was right.

X

DIS: My lime might've, ah, sucked, but hey! I gave it my best shot. (-.-) Since I have the flu, I wouldn't be surprised if the chapter was horrid. Anyway, please review and tell me how it was. Ciao!