by Emma Renshaw
“No,” she hisses at me. “Absolutely not.”
Too late, gorgeous. I already decided. “He will never hurt you again,” I tell her.
“I know,” she says fiercely. She turns toward me, looking every inch of the goddamn warrior she has become. Hands on her naked hips, hair wild from her fingers, and eyes hungry for a win. My cock twitches in my briefs. “I will protect myself, Liam. You are not getting involved.”
“Like hell, I’m not. Get your ass back over to me,” I tell her. “I wasn’t done holding you.”
She huffs, but I see the twitching of her lips. She will continue to deny it, but I know she likes it when I act the dirty barbarian. She crawls up the bed toward me, never breaking eye contact. She puts herself right next to me, flesh to flesh.
“You really want to stay?” she asks in wonder.
“I’ve wanted to stay with you since the first time I saw you,” I tell her earnestly. “You’ve wrecked me.”
“Even after I tell you I plan to murder someone?”
“You’re exacting revenge, getting the justice you deserve, and it will be self-defense. Let me ask you something.”
She cocks her head and raises an eyebrow.
“If you heard he was released, but he never came after you, would you find him and kill him?”
“No,” she tells me.
“You’re not a murderer, baby. You’re a survivor and a warrior. You will protect yourself and those you love. That’s different. You just plan to send the bastard to hell if he does try to come after you.”
“He will,” she promises. I don’t doubt her, but I hope she’s wrong. If she’s right, I will protect her with my life. I know if she allowed it, she would have an army of protection.
“I’m not going anywhere, gorgeous. You’re stuck with me.”
She laughs and kisses my chest. “Being stuck with you isn’t so bad.”
“Is that a compliment?” I ask her, smirking.
“Don’t get used to it,” she tells me, full-out grinning, even after the night we’ve had with tears, heartache, and more. Seeing her grin is like a blind man seeing a sunrise for the first time. My heart stops beating, my breaths stop coming. I’m stunned by her beauty and the happiness shining in her eyes.
I attack her mouth, sealing my lips over hers, unable to hold back any longer. She’s mine. I’m hers. Now it’s time to seal us together in the greatest possible way. I roll her on her back, settling myself on top of her.
Framing her face with my hands, my weight balanced on my elbows, I ask her, “Are you ready for this, Savannah?”
Her back arches up, pressing her chest into mine. “Yes, Liam. I’m ready. I’m ready for it all.”
My lips descend on hers, sucking them into my mouth. I run my tongue along the seam of her lips, begging for entrance for a taste of her luscious mouth. I groan when my tongue slips inside. Her hips grind on my erection. Savannah wraps her legs around my hips, weaving her hands in my hair. I relish the sweet tug when I bite down on her neck before leaving it with my tongue, soothing the mark.
My hands move to her breasts. She moans, pressing herself farther into my palm. I knead them, kissing a trail down her neck and chest. I roll one nipple between my thumb and forefinger, sucking the other through the lace of her bra. She cries out my name, making me groan around the stiff peak in my mouth.
I lift her off the bed, popping the clasp of her bra. I go to my knees and stare down at the gorgeous girl in my bed. Her soft curves are on display.,the vibrancy of her tattoo making her body into a work of art. Savannah’s dusky rose nipples are erect points. Her hair is spilling around her head on my pillow. She is a dream.
Her hands slide up my thighs to their junction. My cock is so hard, the bulbous head is peaking from the top of my briefs. She pulls them down, freeing me. Her small hand doesn’t even wrap around my girth. She pumps my dick from root to tip a few times before I pull her hand away groaning, already missing the sensation. I’m too worked up. I can’t have her touching me right now.
I get up from the bed, intent on grabbing a condom.
“Where are you going?” Savannah’s voice is laced with lust.
“Condom,” I tell her, my voice just as gravelly and filled with need.
“I have an IUD. I—I trust you.”
34
SAVANNAH
I do. I trust him completely. After tonight, I can’t think of him taking me any other way than bare. I’ve never willingly been with another man without protection. I trust him and want to feel him inside of me without a barrier.
“Fuck,” Liam groans out. He comes back over to me.
“Are you sure?” I ask. “Even after you know everything?”
“I want nothing more than to feel your wet, tight pussy bare on my cock. Nothing has changed, except I want you more. I admire you more. I need you more.”
I sigh in relief. Lifting my hips, I pull down my panties, ready to feel nothing but him. He settles in between my legs. We groan at the skin-on-skin contact. I move my hips, loving the feeling of his large head rubbing against my clit. He pulls away from me, just when I find the right friction. I was so close to release. I whimper at the absence.
“Don’t worry, gorgeous.” Liam shoots me a smirk before he kisses a trail down my body. Licking and sucking. Biting and licking. The closer his mouth gets to the promised land, the closer I get to sliding over the edge. I’m incoherently begging him and circling my hips, trying to find fiction on his body as he passes down.
Finally, his mouth hovers over my most intimate area. He kisses and nips each inside thigh, licking a trail all around.
“Please, Liam,” I cry out. I lift my hips, offering myself to him. I look down at him over my body.
His hand is wrapped tightly around his cock. He gives himself two firm tugs. “Jesus, look at you,” he says. His voice is hoarse. “Giving yourself to me, like a present. Best present I’ve ever received. I can’t wait to taste your sweetness.”
I whimper, lifting my hips higher. “Please,” I beg.
“Play with your nipples, gorgeous.”
My hands go immediately to my nipples, tugging them between my fingers.
“That’s it, baby.” His knuckle skims my slit. “Is this where you want my mouth?”
“Yes,” I plead.
“Tell me.”
“Wh–what?”
“Tell me where you want my mouth.”
I don’t think he expects me to tell him right away, but I’m too far gone to censor myself or be embarrassed. I shamelessly need him. “Lick my pussy, baby. Suck my clit, I need your mouth on my pussy. Please.”
His eyes flash, heat pooling in them as his pupils dilate even further. He’s been skimming my slit this entire time. He sticks one finger in my pussy. “That’s my girl. Love hearing you say what you need.”
I moan, lifting my hips higher. He pulls his finger out and wraps an arm around each leg and brings me to his mouth. He licks me from top to bottom with his broad tongue, sucking my clit, skimming his teeth. “So fucking sweet,” he moans against my pussy. The vibrations of his voice send me closer to the edge. His tongue starts to fuck me hard, his nose pressing against my clit. He is inhaling me, devouring me, consuming me. I can’t slow the race to the edge. He sucks my clit hard, slamming two fingers inside me, hitting my g-spot. I scream, “Liaaaaaam.”
He doesn’t stop with his sucking or finger fucking until every last wave has passed. He moves up my body, pausing at my stomach to kiss the scars hidden beneath the tattoo.
I pull him up, kissing him fiercely. I moan while sucking his tongue that tastes of me. It’s so dirty and wrong. I fucking love it.
He breaks the kiss as he positions himself at my entrance. He slides into me slowly, groaning with each passing inch. We’re looking into each other’s eyes as I take him all the way to the hilt. I’m shaking with need. My hands scrape down his back, squeezing his firm ass. I wrap my legs around his hips, grinding up. My clit presses
against his pelvis. I cry out.
“Yes, baby,” he whispers, closing his eyes. He opens them again, looking down at me, setting my body on fire. He pumps in and out of me in slow, leisurely strokes.
“More,” I whisper.
He pumps harder, slamming his pelvis on my clit each time. One hand plays with my nipples while the other comes behind my head, lifting my face up. We kiss, tongues tangling and teeth gnashing. He pumps harder and faster. He breaks his lips from mine, looking into my eyes. He’s giving me himself after I laid everything at his feet tonight. I’ve never felt a connection like this. The world could be burning to the ground outside, and I would know nothing except the feel of Liam inside me and the look in his eyes. There’s something there that I’m too nervous to name, but I know it’s reflecting right back at him.
“I’m keeping you,” he whispers to me. I come undone with his words.
“Fuck, I love feeling your pussy flutter around my cock. You’re strangling me so tight.” He pumps hard, again and again. “So good. Never this good,” he mumbles, saying other words that don’t make sense.
He bends his head, sucking one nipple into his mouth. He snakes his hand between our bodies and flicks my clit, strumming it with his pumps.
“Come with me,” he says.
I couldn’t stop my impending orgasm even if tried. “Liam,” I cry out.
He grounds out my name, spilling hot semen in me, pumping until he’s completely empty.
I’ve never had an orgasm—well, orgasms—like tonight. Liam stays on top of me. My hands are still on his back. I can hardly breathe with his weight on me, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. I love feeling his heavy body on top of me, still half hard inside of me, completely spent. He kisses me again before pulling out. I whimper at the loss, feeling empty without him inside me.
Liam gets up from the bed, coming back with a wet washcloth. I try to take it from him, but he says, “Let me take care of you.” I couldn’t deny him of anything with the look he is giving me. My heart pounds harder. The look I’m too nervous to name is radiating off of his face.
After he cleans us both, he lies on his side, pulling me close and tracing my tattoo. His fingers are skimming over the wing of my beautiful phoenix. Aiden’s name is hidden beneath the powerful wing span. “Tell me about this,” Liam whispers.
“James suggested a phoenix to Dex after the first night in the ring. He wanted to see me come back to life. And, I did. I rose. The script at the bottom is from a Maya Angelou poem. It says, ‘Still I’ll rise.’ It reminds me to keep getting up even when the worst happens.”
As he traces each scar over my stomach, finding them beneath the ink, a new crack in my heart and soul is healed. “You’re the strongest person I know.”
“No,” I protest quietly. I let myself break for far too long. “Don’t look at the scars. I don’t want you or anyone to see them or feel them.”
“I want to, Savannah. I love your tattoo. It’s beautiful. It suits you, but you would be just as beautiful if none of these scars were covered. I’m going to touch your scars.”
“No,” I try to plead with him.
“Yes,” he states firmly. His fingers trail over each one before he lays a kiss on each scar. “You survived. You battled. You’re a fuckin’ warrior princess.”
“A warrior princess?” I giggle.
“Hell, yeah. I was a bit nerdy growing up. You’re every fantasy come to life. I am in awe of you.”
My eyes begin to burn with unshed tears. Liam peppers kisses across my stomach, whispering how strong and beautiful he thinks I am. “A fire burns inside of you, just like a phoenix. This tattoo is so perfect for you, gorgeous girl. You’re strong and stunning.” He picks his head up to look directly into my eyes. “He may have taken a knife to your body, but he didn’t claim you. He didn’t break you.”
My tears start pouring down my cheeks in an unstoppable flow. “Liam,” I whisper, cupping his face.
“You are not broken. He did not win. You fucking did.”
Liam leans over and kisses my stomach. “I’ll worship you and this every day.”
Tears gather in my eyes as I kiss him softly, reverently. “Thank you, Liam.”
“The sun is starting to rise.” He kisses my neck. “Let’s get some sleep.”
I fall into a deep slumber with a smile on my face and a gorgeous man glued to my back.
35
LIAM
Savannah’s soft breaths tickle my chest as I wake up. We changed positions a few times during our sleep, but we always stayed together. She’s now lying on my chest with her leg slung over my hips. My arm is under her shoulder, wrapped around her back, and my other is holding her hand, resting on my stomach. I look down at her peaceful face. Every bit of worry and etch of anxiety is wiped from existence. There’s a small tilt of her lips as if she likes what she’s dreaming about.
I let go of her hand to reach for my phone on the nightstand. It’s late morning—neither one of us got much sleep after our ordeal, and I still need to fill her in on some things about myself, but we’re moving in the right direction. I want to keep pushing us that way.
I send a message to my family’s group text, killing two birds with one stone. I need to apologize to them for being an asshole, and I need them to meet this beautiful, amazing girl wrapped up in my arms. After a few short exchanges, our plans for the day are made. I look at Savannah’s peaceful face one more time before kissing her forehead and whispering that it’s time to wake up. She doesn’t budge. I roll her over gently, framing her face before kissing her lips.
“Savannah,” I say softly. “Wake up, gorgeous.”
She bats my hand away and rolls, turning to face the opposite direction. I laugh. This is our second time waking up together, but the first real time of seeing her true self in the early morning light. I come up behind her, kissing her bare shoulder. She yanks it away, mumbling, “Go away.”
“Not gonna happen, gorgeous. I’m here to stay.”
I try one more time unsuccessfully to wake her before I say the one thing that I think will make her eyes pop open. I wanted to tell her when she was fully awake and hopefully ease her into the idea. I’m not sure how she will take it, but it’s done. Our plans are made.
“You’re meeting my family today, gorgeous. You gotta wake up.”
She starts to jerk out of my reach on instinct but then stops suddenly. Her eyes pop open, slowly turning her face toward mine. I smile at her, kissing her nose. Her eyes are wide open, showing bewilderment.
“What did you just say?” she says hysterically. She’s wide awake now.
My smile grows even larger. “We have to get ready. We have plans today.” I kiss her fully on the mouth, slipping my tongue inside and groaning. She gets sweeter every time I kiss her.
She loses herself in our kiss until she remembers our conversation. She pushes my shoulder, breaking our kiss. “Plans?”
“Yes.”
“With your family?”
“Yep.”
“Like your parents?”
“And sister.”
“And I’ll be there, too?”
“That’s the plan.”
Savannah pushes my shoulder even harder. “Wh–why didn’t you wake me earlier? I have to get ready.” She jumps out of bed, running around my room naked. I sit back against the headboard with my arms behind my head. My morning wood is turning into a full-on straining erection beneath the sheets.
“Oh, my God, I don’t have clothes here. Why didn’t you wake me sooner?” She turns toward me, showing me her glorious body.
“I tried, gorgeous. You’re even stubborn in your sleep.”
“I am not. I find myself pretty delightful in the morning.”
“I find you pretty delightful like this,” I tell her, gesturing to her naked body standing in front of me. “Come here.”
“No,” she says, putting up a finger. “We have to get ready! We have to go to my house, so I can get read
y.”
“We have time. Come here or I’ll come get you.”
Her eyes flash, and her nipples harden into peaks. She can’t deny she likes the idea of me coming to get her. I get up from the bed, prowling toward my prey. She takes two steps back for each of mine surging forward. I surprise her by rushing toward her with my shoulder down. I launch her over my shoulder and carry her into my bathroom, smacking her ass on the way in.
She shrieks, but wiggles her ass, letting me know that she likes it. I don’t put her down until we’re standing under the warm spray of the shower. I corner her in with my body, running my hands up and down her sides. I put my hands on Savannah’s ass, urging her to lift her legs around my waist.
I don’t tell her we’re definitely going to be late.
When we get to Savannah’s house, she launches herself out of my Jeep, running inside without waiting for me. She left the front door open in her wake. I follow her in, closing the door behind me. She’s calling out Harper’s name, looking in each room along the way.
Savannah was furiously texting on the ride over here. I catch up to her in the hallway leading to their bedrooms. I place my hand her shoulder, turning her toward me. “Is everything okay?”
“No,” she says, moving me out of her way.
“What’s going on, baby? Talk to me.” My muscles are tensing, preparing for what is about to happen.
“Harper is supposed to be here.”
“Didn’t see her car outside, baby. Is she okay?”
She waves her hand behind her like that’s a silly question. I’m getting frustrated not getting any answers. I’m right on her heels, about to toss her over my shoulder again until she tells me what’s wrong.
Harper comes running into the house yelling, “I’m here. I’m here.”
Savannah runs over to her. “Thanks for coming home.”
“It’s cool, Camille can handle the store for a bit without me.”