by Angela Blake
A rap on the door had them looking up and Cory’s voice sounded through the door, “Boss?”
Zack untangled himself from Ivy and went to answer the door. A minute later, he was followed into the living room by Cory and a young fresh faced girl who looked quite nervous, “Ivy, this is Cory’s fiancée, Beth.”
“Hello, Beth.” Ivy stood up with some effort.
Zack turned to the young blonde woman, and asked, “If I wanted to change her appearance in a way so that nobody could recognize her, what could be done?”
Beth blinked, and looked around him at Ivy. Then she glanced at her fiancée who just smiled, encouragingly.
She took a few steps further and cocked her head, “Cut your hair, dye it, contact lenses, change your dressing style. And if you want a complete revamp, maybe use some makeup to add dimension to your face. Otherwise, we can use some fake skin clay and add some lumps on certain places so that you look like a completely different person.
When Cory made a choking sound, she blushed, “I worked as a makeup artist at a theatre in New York.”
Ivy touched her hair. She had no great attachment to it.
A glance at Zack told her not to question whatever he was doing. Because the man standing next to her was not the one who was stirring these wild feelings inside of her, but a warrior. His eyes were fierce, his stance rigid, as of one going into battle.
“Can you do these alterations now?”
Beth frowned, “Not right now. I need all my equipment. It’s at my apartment. But I can bring everything over tomorrow morning.”
Zack nodded, “That’s good enough. And, nobody will be able to tell her from her picture?”
Beth shook her head, “She’ll be a completely different person. I can even pass her off as a relative of yours if you want.”
Ivy and Zack exchanged a look before Zack nodded, “I’ll bring her to your apartment, tomorrow morning.”
Beth looked startled but nodded, “That works for me.”
“Thank you. Cory, a word?”
Cory followed Zack into the kitchen, “What’s going on, boss? Why are the police saying Miss Ivy killed somebody? And why are you trying to hide her?”
Zack rubbed his face.
Cory was Tom’s sister’s husband’s nephew. He had known the kid since he was a child. So, he trusted him, implicitly.
“Ivy ran across some dangerous people, who killed her friend. Now they want her dead. That’s all I can tell you without putting you or Beth in danger.” Zack watched him.
“Is that why there is all this security around the main house?” Cory asked. “They’re to protect Miss Ivy?”
“She was Lily’s friend, Cory. I’m not going to abandon her. Aside from that, these men have already tortured her once. Doesn’t matter who she is, hurting a woman is a crime in my book.”
Cory was silent for a few moments, “The boys like her. She’s friendly. Doesn’t mind us dropping by to chat. And she’s good to Sam.” His eyes lifted, laughter in them, “And good for you as well, it seems. I’ve got fifty down on you and her for the end of the week.”
When Zack growled and swatted at him, Cory danced out of the way, smirking, “Don’t make me lose my fifty, boss. Be a good sport.”
When he turned around to see Ivy watching with a raised brow, he immediately froze, “Ah.”
Beth was shaking her head at him from behind her, and nervous, Cory ran his fingers through his hair, and grabbed his hat, “Well, uh, we better be going. Got big plans. Date night. Come on, Beth.”
His hat held to his chest in an apology, he tilted his head, “Ma’am.”
And promptly rushed out the door into the fading sunset.
Zack grinned, “How much of that did you hear?”
“Enough to know that there is a pool going around. Andy was also asking nosy questions this morning. Should have figured it out.” She shook her head and moved to the fridge to pour herself a glass of apple juice.
Zack looked a little taken aback, “I thought you would be more angry.”
Ivy handed him a glass as well, “You do realize that I’ve just been in a bad mood recently because I keep getting banged up everywhere I turn. I’m not surly around the clock.”
Zack grinned, “What was Andy asking you?”
“My past lovers, because obviously I must have had a string of them.” Ivy wasn’t looking at him so she missed the flash of jealousy in his eyes.
“And, did you? Have a string of lovers?” Zack asked, softly, putting his glass on the table.
“I had a few, but they were more like one night- Why would you even ask me that?” She glared at him, realizing what she was telling him.
Zack walked towards her, forcing her to retreat, “Were they any good?”
The question had a darker sexual meaning behind it, and Ivy swallowed, “What kind of a question is that?”
Zack took another step forward, making her back come in contact with the fridge.
She was cornered now.
Zack wasn’t smiling, but there was a look in his eyes that made her core weep. Something about this huge hulking man turned off her brain receptors.
“It’s a simple one.” Zack murmured, pinning her to the fridge, hands on either side of her head, “Did they satisfy you in bed?”
“Zack, I hardly think-“ Ivy’ words were cut off when his head lowered and the tip of his nose skimmed over her throat.
“Did they make you scream, Ivy?”
Her chest heaved with the effort to draw in some air, and when Zack’s teeth, very gently closed over the delicate area where her shoulder met her neck, a moan escaped her.
Horrified, she attempted to cover her mouth with her hand, but Zack wouldn’t have any of it. Both her hands were suddenly pinned besides her head and Zack’s thick thigh wedged itself between her legs, coming in direct contact with her very wet pussy.
The dress she wore was flimsy and the underwear was a joke, so she could feel his muscles directly under her most intimate area. If she applied a little pressure, she had no doubt that even the flimsy barrier would be useless.
She was completely at his mercy, and when he sucked at her collarbone, Ivy tried not to moan at the feeling of his hot mouth on her skin, at the feeling of his teeth scrape her skin gently, a fleeting touch that made her want to beg for more.
“Did they make you beg to cum, Ivy?”
His thigh rubbed against her covered pussy in a way that had her muscles spasm and clench, wanting something to fill it.
“You’re not answering my question,” His voice was unruffled, as if he was discussing the weather.
When his mouth lowered to bite at her exposed cleavage, his tongue soothing the sting, Ivy’s voice was a mixture between a cry and a rasp, “No, they didn’t! Now, will you?!”
His Ivy was no delicate flower, that was for sure.
Zack wanted to strip her here, right now, and put his mouth to work on her body. But her injuries demanded he be careful, so he swooped her up, startling her, and using his long legs, he carried her upstairs, to his room – which was occupied by her these days - and, gently tossing her on the bed, he strode over to the door to lock it.
The sound of the the lock turning had Ivy trying to rethink her decision. But her life was falling to pieces around her, and Zack was the only stability there was. And besides, why was she even trying to suppress her feelings for him?
She had literally nothing left to lose.
Except maybe her heart, a voice inside her warned.
The voice vanished when Zack approached the bed, unbuttoning his shirt and taking it off. He tossed it to the side and Ivy’s mouth watered.
Smirking, he stepped in between her legs, as she now sat at the edge of the bed, and bunching her hair in his right hand, he forcibly tilted her head backwards, his mouth descending on hers.
His touch was hot as if he was trying to burn his brand into her skin. She part
ed her lips, granting him access to her mouth, and he took complete advantage of that.
Zack wore his dominance like a second skin.
And, as Ivy soon realized, in the bedroom, he was always going to be the one in control. Because when she tried to kiss him back, tried to match him pace for pace, her body moving restlessly, as his knee rubbed deliberately against her growing wetness, he took charge.
His left hand grasped her jaw in a dominating hold, and he used her mouth, his tongue exploring every crevice, his mouth sucking till she was a quivering mess. She could not keep up with him and she finally ceded control, letting him have his way with her.
Pulling away from her, he took a step back and then his hand on her chest, he pushed her backwards, till she lay on her back, her legs still dangling over the edge of the bed.
“Zack?” Uncertainty lined her voice, along with the heavy desire.
“Don’t move,” He warned her, his voice rough.
Ivy obeyed.
Zack went on his knees, pushing up the dress to bunch it around her waist. He could have taken it off, but she looked so much more sexy, lying on his bed, her dress around her waist, presenting her pussy to him to be sucked dry.
Hooking his fingers in the panties, he barely glanced at them, before tossing them aside.
Using his hands, he carefully parted her legs, enough so as not to aggravate her stitches. There was something so raw about that pink pussy. It was dripping wet, and using one finger, Zack slid it over her slit, gathering the juices on his finger, before leaning over, “Open your mouth.”
Ivy groaned when she felt him feed her own juices to her and her lower muscles clenched at the emptiness inside of her pussy.
Zack watched as she sucked his finger and his green eyes darkened, before he swooped down and kissed her wildly, leaving Ivy gasping for air. Her chest heaved up and down, and Zack was tempted to play with her pretty breasts, but now was not the time.
Returning to the task at hand, he studied the dripping pussy in front of him, and smirked, “All I’ve done is kiss you, and you’re already dripping all over my floor.”
Ivy shivered at his words and her nipples hardened painfully.
Zack lowered his mouth and ran his tongue over her slit, from top to bottom.
Ivy’s fingers grasped at the bed sheet.
Zack licked all the dripping juices from her clean shaven pussy and then suddenly, without warning, his tongue thrust into it.
Ivy’s moan was long and shaky, her body bucking at the sudden intrusion. But Zack was far from done.
She tasted exquisite; raw and earthy.
He ate her pussy like his favourite meal, his tongue darting in out, his thrusts hard and shallow, and then slow and deep, making her toss her head on the bed, whimpering.
He was relentless. The thought swam through Ivy’s hazy mind as Zack tormented her, making her let out small cries that she had never thought herself capable of.
She bucked, but he grasped her legs in his hands, and his arms were like steel bands, keeping her in place.
She had lost the number of times he had made her cum already, and her body shook with the force of this next orgasm.
“Zack, please!”
Zack pulled away, “Please what? You need to be very specific, darlin’.”
Oh, God, that Texan drawl.
However, she was beyond embarrassment right now.
“Fuck me already!”
“I’m already doing that,” Zack smiled against her pussy. “It’s a lot of fun.”
“With your cock!” Ivy nearly sobbed. “Put your dick in me!”
That was all the prompting Zack needed. Unbuttoning his jeans, he stepped out of them, and stripped off his underwear. His cock stood in proud attention, it’s bulby head thick and fat, an angry plummish color that Ivy really wanted to put in her mouth to see how it tasted, but not right now.
Right now, she needed that fat cock inside of her, destroying her.
And when Zack slowly entered her, tears leaked from her eyes as her pussy tightened around it. And then he pulled out, leaving only the tip in, before thrusting in with such force that she screamed out his name, forcing him to clasp a hand over her mouth.
Removing his hand, Ivy begged him, “Move. Just fucking move already!”
Raising a brow at her use of language, Zack jackhammered into her, making her moan and cry as Ivy found herself trying to meet him thrust for thrust, and failing entirely.
She could feel each inch of his cock stroke her insides.
In and out.
She felt each stroke, and she was slowly starting to lose her ability to think, only calling out his name over and over again, amidst begging him to go faster and harder.
When she came again, Zack held back, making his thrusts more deeper, and harder. He let her ride out that orgasm, before focusing on his own this time, and when he finally came, she was right there with him.
Collapsing next to her on the bed, Zack lifted himself on his elbow and glanced over to see that Ivy was out like a light.
CHAPTER 9
When Ivy came to, she was naked and Zack held her in his arms.
“Are you awake?” He asked, uncensored amusement in his voice.
Ivy slowly became aware of her surroundings, and felt a delicious ache spread through her body.
She closed her eyes and let her mind process this step that she had just taken.
A tap on the side of her cheek and a gentle reprimand, “You’re thinking too hard, again.”
“No, I’m not,” Ivy mumbled, her body aching in all the right places. He had been very careful to avoid all her bumps and bruises and Ivy didn’t think she had had any lover who had made her needs his first priority.
A soft kiss on her lips, made her open her eyes.
Zack wore a contented look on his face, one that she had never seen on his face.
“You know, you’re less growly than when I had first met you.” Ivy found herself saying, staring up at him.
Zack’s mouth twitched, “Maybe you’re a good influence on me.”
Ivy was still floating in her bubble of bliss, and she gave him a lopsided grin, “Billy says you had a stick up your ass. And now you don’t.”
Her words shifted into a groan as Zack started kneading her shoulder, “Well, Lily and Tom were my only family and when they,” He paused for a moment, as if the words were too difficult, “-when they died, and Sam was left in my care, it wasn’t the easiest of times for me.”
“Sam not talking must have weighed heavily on you as well,” Ivy’s voice sounded husky to her own ears.
She felt him move her shoulders, “He’s better with you around. Acts more like himself. Maybe he’ll start talking soon.”
Ivy didn’t say anything, but she wondered whether she would be around long enough for that. She liked this place, the people, but while Zack was interested in her, he hadn’t said anything about her staying once this whole thing was over.
She didn’t know how to broach the subject.
Her feelings for this man were too complex for her to just casually say that she wanted to stay here with him.
“Maybe,” She began slowly, hesitation present in her voice, “Once this whole mess is fixed, I can look for a job in Dallas, and then I can visit Sam sometimes.”
Zack’s body stiffened behind her, but his voice remained casual, “Oh, yeah? And what, you think I’ll just be your little side chick here?”
His fingers ghosted down her neck and Ivy trembled by how deceptively delicate the touch was.
“I didn’t say that,” Ivy breathed.
Zack’s lips curved against her hair, “When the time comes, let’s see how willing you are to leave. Because I have no intention of letting you slip through my fingers again.”
Ivy had never had someone claim her like that, so she tried to calm her heart down. This was the first time Zack had declared his intent, and she
found herself trying to grasp at the lifeline he was offering her.
She took a shuddering breath, “Don’t make me hold you to that, Zack.”
He grinned at her words, “I would like nothing better.”
She turned over, careful of her stitches, and muttered, “Side chicks don’t have opinions, just so you know.”
Zack just laughed.
***
Billy dropped by that night to take Sam with him to the mess, leaving Ivy and Zack alone.
Ivy whipped up a few steaks, knowing it was quite possible for someone to drop by, unannounced. The thing about living on a ranch, or perhaps it was this specific one, was that it was completely male dominated. The men who were married or had girlfriends, mostly had day jobs elsewhere. From what she had understood about this ranch was that Zack belonged to a military family and most of the people who worked here had belonged to similar backgrounds. It was a way of letting individuals who found themselves unable to function in the real world, work around animals, among like minded people.
Ivy quite respected the logic behind it and as she handed a bunch of potatoes to Zack to peel, he didn’t point out that this was more than they could finish between them. He dutifully peeled the potatoes and then put them in the boiling water.
“You’ve not really explored the ranch yet, have you?” Zack asked, conversationally, as he lit a cigarette.
Ivy checked the steaks to see how well they were cooking, before replying, “I haven’t had the chance. But I would like a tour.”
Her eyes met his over the table and she frowned, “Is it really necessary to smoke in the house?”
Zack’s brow knitted, “Does it bother you that much?”
Ivy drummed her fingers on the kitchen counter, “I find it a dangerous habit. Especially when you have a child living under the same roof.”
Zack blew out a stream of smoke before, regretfully, putting out the cigarette, “There. It’s out.”
“Thank you. Here, have an apple instead.”