All the woman, his victims, bodies scattered across the country in random ditches on the side of roads, in the woods, were pale comparisons to the real Monica. He’d done that to those women because they hadn’t been her. He had become this monster because of her. He’d loved her, but when she had cried out and yelled at him to stop, the bitch who had tempted him, and been in his thoughts for months before, well, it had been a cruel rejection. And he didn’t take rejection well. Never had.
He’d overheard them talking about meeting at Ace’s Bar & Grill tomorrow night. He knew the place. Should he go? Would she be there too? He could watch from afar. Grab her if he could. Maybe if he had her, maybe then he could stop what he’d been doing all these years. Maybe she was the key.
Just. Maybe.
CHAPTER THREE
When Victor got out of the shower, he saw his lovely wife curled up in bed. He was so glad she agreed to come with him. They needed some private time together. But today proved to be a tiring one and he didn’t blame her for being sound asleep though he longed to be inside her. She didn’t even stir when he pulled her close and slipped his arm beneath her head so he could cradle her to him.
She felt so good. This was the woman he was meant to be with. He had thought that about his first wife too, though he now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Monica was the one. He’d married his first wife young. It had been rash and sudden, just as he joined the military. They had been like oil and water. But it had been his faith and his upbringing that led him to stubbornly cling to his first wife. That, and they shared a child together. Hell, his wife had wanted the divorce for some time, but he’d fought it tooth and nail. But he was glad they were amicable now. They shared custody of Stacey. His teenage daughter loved her new twin brothers. She was very much a part of his new life and she loved Monica, too.
Victor kissed Monica on the top of her head and began to settle in next to her. They had all week to be intimate and he would give her tonight to rest up though he wanted very much to play. He had some goodies sent to him here at the hotel to use with her. Traveling by military transport, he didn’t want to risk bringing his and Monica’s special toys.
He wasn’t sure how long he had been asleep before he felt Monica’s sweet lips pressed against his chest. He was pleasantly surprised and already aroused as she began to make her downward descent. His cock was hard as granite before she reached his navel. She ran her tongue around it before going lower, trailing kisses along his skin until she reached his shaft. The muscles in his stomach contracted involuntarily and desire hit him like a Mack truck. His hand slid into her thick mane of dark hair as her mouth took in his erection.
He cupped the back of her head and let her have control as the blood raced through his veins and heat engulfed him. He tilted back his head into the plush hotel pillows and groaned knowing he was close to his release. He reached down and caught Monica by the shoulders dragging her up against his body. He needed to be in control now. “I want to be inside you when I come,” he growled before taking her lips hungrily. Victor kissed her deeply as he moved her into position atop him and then buried himself into her velvety heat. It never got old. This feeling. Claiming what was his. Being inside her.
Her initial moan of protest soon turned into little murmurs of pleasure. Victor loved the sounds his wife made. They turned him on even more.
“Sweet Mary! Mi Cara, you feel so good, baby.” His Italian endearment for her slipped out.
Monica arched her back as Victor gripped her hips. He started to move beneath her, driving deeply into her as she moved at his command. He knew she was close when he felt the muscles within her begin to contract and tighten around him.
She was close to the peak and he wanted to be there with her. He quickened the rhythm and it took just a few strokes for them to explode, and both climbed over the edge together.
Monica collapsed on top of his sweat soaked chest, her ear pressed against him like she always did when she was on top. She told him it was to listen to his heart. Victor simply kissed the top of her head knowing this woman made his life complete.
CHAPTER FOUR
A soft smile curved Monica’s lips when she woke early the next morning to the sounds of her husband pulling a breakfast cart into the room. He had early days in the military and she had gotten used to it. She loved having these quiet mornings with her husband before the kids were up. Aside from lovemaking, it was her favorite time of the day. As of late, they spent most of that time talking about their children. She loved that about him. He was such a family man and so close to his mom and his cousins. The four burly Marino brothers and their wives and children had made her small family humongous when they moved to Tampa a few years ago. Family holidays were now a thing she looked forward to.
When Victor came in to view, he took her breath away as he always did. His body was trim and sculpted, all sharp angles and chiseled abs. His head was completely shaven. And despite her teachers’ dislike for vulgar words, the only ones that came to mind when she saw him this way was, sexy as fuck. He was wearing his military khakis and boots as he picked up the tray from the cart behind him and carried it over to the table in the corner of the room. On it, she saw two steaming mugs of coffee as well as a covered dish. She bolted out of bed dragging the sheet with her. She was hungry and pleased to see her husband had ordered her one of her favorites, a mushroom omelet.
Victor placed a tender kiss on his wife’s cheek as she slipped into the chair he had pulled out for her before sitting down in the remaining chair.
He was ever the gentleman and always treated her like a princess. He had definitely come a long way from the man who had tried to push her away time and time again, Monica thought. But that was in the past. The secrets he had kept from her and those she had kept from him were out in the open and couldn’t hurt them anymore. They’d learned their lesson about protecting secrets. It didn’t work. You had to be honest with yourself, and your partner.
Monica picked up a piece of buttered toast and took a quick bite while she poured cream into Victor’s cup of the steaming rich brew.
“You sure you want to go tonight?” Victor asked skeptically. He was mesmerized by his wife lips and stifled the groan that threatened to escape when she licked crumbs from them. It made him remember last night when those lips were on his cock.
“Yes, you’ll be working with this team. It’ll be good to get to know them,” Monica replied. “It’s just for a few hours.” She knew her husband wanted her all to himself as much as possible this week, but they needed some respite from their active sex life.
“I know, but that’s another evening where we won’t get to be alone.” Victor’s eyebrows rose and fell suggestively.
“We need to eat. We will have a few drinks and then we can leave early. Plus, if you hurry back, we can have a little fun before we go, too.”
“So practical. But a great suggestion nonetheless.” He was teasing her and she loved it. “But I think tonight you need to wear a dress and no panties. I have a surprise for you.”
Monica nodded her agreement and felt her cheeks turn pink in slight embarrassment and anticipation. Her husband liked to play. And so did she, now that she knew the rules. She liked his surprises too, and wondered what it could be.
“Okay, we’ll go. For a couple of hours, but then tonight you’re all mine, Mi Cara.” His voice turned husky thinking about what he had planned for later.
“Always,” she responded, watching his ice blue eyes burn for her.
“And forever,” came Victor’s automatic response. He could wait to show her the toys he had for her. It would make her squirm. It would be their special secret tonight. Their secret was her pleasure. He always made it about her. It’s what made his pleasure even greater.
CHAPTER FIVE
Hunter Knox, known as “Cookie” by his friends, was driving his wife over to Caroline’s before heading into work. She’d been busy lately and he worried that it was taking its toll on her.
He peered at his wife from beneath thick dark lashes—incredibly proud of her and all she had been doing to help her friends with their projects. She also worked part-time at a doctor’s office in town, but she had the day off. Today, she was helping Caroline sort through donations given to her at the military base, clothing items donated by several of the wives of the men who served. Caroline rounded up donations once a month and sorted through them. She brought the quality items to Commander Hurt’s wife at her shop downtown, Sister’s Keeper. Julie’s shop was a nonprofit organization and the proceeds benefitted underprivileged teen girls in their community. What they didn’t keep Caroline usually brought to the local Salvation Army.
Fiona enjoyed helping her friends with their projects and that’s why she had also agreed to serve on the board of directors of the new Riverton Rape Crisis Clinic. Cookie had been worried it might be too much for her, reliving the past and what had happened to her.
They met when he had gone on a rescue mission to Mexico to retrieve Senator Lytle’s daughter from a human trafficking organization that had kidnapped the both of them. Fiona had no family and very few close friends; no one even realized what had happened to her. She’d been their victim for months.
The jungle rescue had been fraught with difficulties, but through it all she had been a trooper. She had not complained in the least and even risked her life to save his when it looked like they all wouldn’t get out. That was the kind of woman she was. Selfless. To a fault. But she hadn’t come out of it unscathed. The torture, the drugs, and repeated rapes had scarred her and left her with PTSD. Getting involved in this latest project of Julie’s could bring it all back. She hadn’t had an episode in nearly a year, but she had been real quiet last night and again this morning.
“Everything okay?” he asked, trying to keep the worry out of his voice.
Fiona turned to him in the car and saw fine lines furrowing her husband’s brow. “I’m fine. Really!” she emphasized and gave him a bright smile. She knew what he was thinking, but she was just tired. He was worried that working on this project with Julie would trigger her PTSD. She hadn’t had an episode in a very long time. Still, she loved that he was so protective of her, but she didn’t want him to worry.
“Well, if you’re sure?” His tone did not belie his words. He had tried to talk her out of serving on the board, but she wanted to do it. She’d told him it was important to her to help others who’d been through what she had. And although she still found it difficult to talk about it at times, she knew talking about her experiences helped her to heal. Helped her to see she wasn’t the guilty party.
“And you’re okay with hanging out tonight?” He steered the car onto the miles long gravel road leading to Wolf and Caroline’s place. The man liked his privacy, and the ranch style home had great panoramic views. They all often gathered there for parties and celebrations.
“Yes. I really liked Monica and it’ll be nice to just hang out tonight with good friends without all the formalities.”
Cookie agreed. Being with Caroline and Jessyka and the other women had helped Fiona come out of her shell. Julie was different though. There was strain there. His wife and Julie had gone through a horrific ordeal—one no woman should ever have to go through. But Julie had nearly abandoned his wife in that jungle. She, too, had been a victim, and acting irrationally, it was something the two of them had yet to work through. He knew Julie was a different person now, but it was something he could never forget. Forgive? Yes. But forget, well, that was another story.
Fiona must have been reading his mind by her next words. “Julie has really been a help to me though she doesn’t know it. She’s come so far in two years and I’m proud of the work she’s doing. I want to be a part of it even though I’m still a bit . . . um, uncomfortable around her.”
Cookie nodded silently understanding what his wife meant. His entire team had been angry with Julie, but they had all come to accept her and love her. She was their commander’s wife and had dedicated her life to helping others.
“Julie is a different person now.”
Cookie laughed at his wife’s remark. Julie had come off as a spoiled rich brat in those jungles. But she wasn’t anymore, if she had ever been. He also couldn’t help thinking about how the commander was different too. “She’s made the commander softer.”
His wife gasped. “Don’t let him hear you say that!” Fiona giggled at the double entendre. He loved that sound. When his wife laughed, it chased all the demons away.
He sighed and looked at her. “You’re an amazing woman, Fiona Knox. I’m so lucky I found you. God, I love you woman,” he growled possessively.
The tenor of his voice made her stomach quiver. It was a promise that there would be a repeat of what they had done last night. Not in a million years would Fiona have thought she would enjoy sex so much. But her husband was irresistible. And insatiable. And on the plus side, he always made it about her. “We will be at Caroline’s in five minutes. You better stop doing that thing with your voice or I’m going to make you pull over.”
Cookie glanced at the clock. They had time. “I’m game if you are?”
She dropped her voice to a husky whisper. “Pull over, then.” She pointed towards a copse of trees. They could drive right into it and not be seen from the road if a passerby came along.
Cookie was glad for the tinted glass in his large SUV. He went in the direction his wife was pointing, and spotted the small break in the trees.
Fiona giggled again like a schoolgirl as her husband turned the vehicle sharply to tuck out of sight and avoid the bigger of the branches in their off-roading experience. He laughed to see she was already unfastening her skinny jeans and wiggling out of them. “You’re insatiable.”
“And you love it.”
They both laughed as Cookie cut the engine. He already had his fly undone as she began the climb over the center console. He lifted his rear and pulled his pants down to his knees. “Climb on, baby. This is going to be fast. And hard.”
“Always hard,” she murmured as she positioned herself above him and tucking in her knees on either side of his lean hips.
He was inside her in an instant.
She was already wet and ready as she sank onto him. She felt his length and girth fill her in a way that made her feel complete. Two becoming one. The horrors of her past were long forgotten as pleasure spread throughout her body. His hands slid up and inside of her shirt and he tweaked her nipples hard through the thin material of her barely there bra.
Pleasure tore through her. Her body was on fire like it always was when Hunter put his hands on her. Sometimes she could feel this way with just one of his searing looks. She reached for them hem of his t-shirt and pulled it off of him. She needed to feel skin on skin. She didn’t care that they were outside. The copse of trees Cookie had pulled into kept them hidden from view. With him, she felt safe, and brazen and brave.
Her hands slid along the bands of muscle across his torso. He was like stone. His entire body a sculpture, the perfect specimen. She bent down and skimmed feathery light kisses along his shoulders as his fingers dug into the flesh of her hips. She heard him groan as he helped her lift and slide along his rock hard member in the tight confines of the vehicle. She felt every long thick inch of him. Filling her to the brink and then pulling out. Her body began to tingle. She felt the excitement building and spreading out in waves throughout her body. Cookie pushed his hips up thrusting into her deeply as she flew over the edge into the abyss. Her orgasm came fast and hard, and his followed hers as he came quick and hard inside his woman’s body.
“God, I love being inside you, woman.” He moaned as he slipped out of her and helped her regain her seat. She popped open the dash to retrieve the wipes he kept inside and opened it taking several of them before handing him the plastic bag of baby wipes.
He laughed. “I’m glad Alabama forget those.” He took several to clean himself up and then he quickly fixed his clothes. Alabama was his b
uddy Abe’s wife. They had three kids and counting.
“Yes,” Fiona agreed. “They have come in handy.”
“Twice.”
She laughed.
He waited until she was ready. And when she was, he noticed she no longer had that lost look in her eyes. The afterglow of their impromptu love session had taken care of that. With a nod and sexy secretive wink, she indicated she was ready to go. He put the SUV into reverse, slowly backed out of the wooded copse of trees and got back onto the main road.
A quick glance at the dash told him fifteen minutes had passed. He wouldn’t even be late for work if he stepped on the gas a bit on his way to the base.
He looked at Fiona. She was straightening her messed up hair and fixing what little makeup she wore in the vanity mirror. She was still smiling. He loved her smile.
God damn, he loved his wife. To the end of the earth and back.
CHAPTER SIX
“God, you make me so hard, Julie.” Commander Hurt moaned as his wife lie back on the kitchen table. His little minx was not shy at all. She lay before him like a delectable buffet to his feasting eyes.
She had just finished clearing away the food from the quick lunch she had served and then surprised him with a quick strip tease number. Living on the base made it convenient for him to go home and pop in on his wife from time to time. It also made for these pleasant little interludes, too. He didn’t mind in the least that his wife was a decade younger. Not. At. All. She was hot and drove him crazy.
When he turned around from helping her to stack the dishwasher, she tore off her robe and he was happily surprised to find her completely naked beneath. Not even a thong. Bare. Completely. And here she was offering herself up to him like she was dessert.
Patrick’s eyes turned molten as he viewed the pretty prize before him. And that was what she was. His prized possession. Making quick work of his uniform, he draped the articles on a chair by the kitchen exit. He couldn’t have wrinkles. But for now, he aimed to give his wife what she wanted. Her arms reached out to him and he bent over her prone form. As soon as he was close enough, her legs quickly wrapped around him, drawing him forward. He wasn’t fighting it in the least. She was hot and ready. His mouth crushed hers in a kiss that curled her toes before he pulled back with his hips enough to find her entrance and buried himself to the hilt.
Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Protecting Secrets (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Secrets & Seduction Book 4) Page 2