East End

by Nana Malone

  "Then stop trying."

  "I know I shouldn't believe you. I know I shouldn't trust you. But I do. And it terrifies me."

  My heart jumped. Because she trusted me. And I trusted her. The thing I never gave to anybody. Suddenly my sphere of loyalty and protection expanded to include just one more person. Nyla was in the bubble now. And I knew I would give my life to protect her.

  "East?"

  I was so busy trying to beat back the pulse of attraction, it took me a moment to respond. "Yeah, Nyla?"

  "Thank you for coming."

  "Always. Even if we're on opposing sides of something, I will always come for you."

  "I believe you."

  16

  East

  My skin was humming.

  She was so damn close, and the scent of honeysuckle wrapped around me, infusing itself into my skin, into my veins, intoxicating me, making me sway on my feet.

  Then, she tipped her head up. The gentle angling of her head made me groan. Because I knew. I knew I was going to get to taste her again.

  From this angle, my gaze flickered down to her lips, the bottom one just a little bit fuller than the top one. The cupid's bow of her upper lip forming the perfect kiss shape, and I knew how she would taste. Everything low in my belly went tight and clenched. My balls already aching just for a taste. The chills crawling up my neck as anticipation spiked my blood, making it roar. Her tongue peeked out to lick her bottom lip and I fought back a groan, but still one escaped me. There was no fighting it. There was no holding anything back. My cock twitched in my trousers, and I knew. I knew that there was no stopping this train. I was so fucked.

  I closed the gap between us, slid my lips over hers, and kissed her. God she was sweet, so goddamn sweet. When she parted her lips on a gasp, I knew what she was asking me for. She was asking me to take. And what do you know, I was a taker. I was also a giver, but she'd find that out soon enough.

  God so sweet, but the spice chaser on her was unbelievable. Like every stroke of my tongue was met with a surprise. I licked into her mouth, desperate to know every secret she had, wanting to leave no corner unexplored, wanting to make her just as crazy as she was making me. Wanting to make her beg for it. There was so much I wanted to do with her. Wanted to do to her. But the way my balls were aching just from a kiss, I was not going to be able to hold out. I needed to get some control, slow this train down. Or it was going to be embarrassing for me and disappointing for her.

  But there was no slowing down the train because Nyla wrapped her arms around my neck, slid her hands into my hair, and tugged gently. And she moaned.

  Fuck. Me. Fucking hell. I wasn't going to make it. My cock twitched against her, and that groan. It just ripped out of me as I dipped my knees slightly so I could capture her mouth better. She was tall, but still much smaller than I was.

  Our tongues stroked together, and I slid mine over hers as we parried for control. I thought I was driving, but I wasn't sure I was. Because when I tried to make her play, she teased and darted, making me chase after her. Jesus fucking Christ. Nyla Kincade knew how to kiss. I was the one weak in the knees; I was the one whose head was spinning; I was the one who was losing my shit.

  That part of me that screamed danger, the self-preservation part of my brain, didn't even come online because the part of my brain that was now in full control of my body wanted inside her. I wanted to bust open those locks with explosives, lock us both in under all that rubble and never leave. Because I was going to consume her. And she was going to own me.

  When she whimpered, it was like that last thread of control I had on myself snapped. And then we were clashing teeth and tongues and hands, tugging at clothes, trying to claw to get closer to each other.

  We were desperate. I tugged at the silk blouse that she’d worn on the plane. And she pulled at my shirt. I didn't give a shit about mine. I tore my lips from hers, and I ripped it off in that impatient way that blokes do. With hers, I tried to be gentler. I really did. But still, I heard a rip, and I couldn't find a fuck to give about it. We were just a flurry of need, and finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I picked her up. My hands over her ass, gripping her soft flesh.

  And Christ. She was so tight. Firm in all the right places but still soft. I peeled one eye open to find the nearest surface and found the counter easy enough. When I settled her on it, we were in perfect alignment. My cock to her heat. But God, I needed to get her naked. Now.

  I dragged my lips from hers and kissed along her jawline, inhaling her skin. Trying to drag in more of her. Make her part of me. My lips nibbled at her ear, mixed with chaser licks. I finally managed to get the stupid blouse off with some maneuvering and a little help from her. My hand slid up her bare back, up and down her spine over and over. Her skin, Jesus Christ, she was so soft everywhere. Every damn where. God.

  Impatiently her hands worked my belt, tugging jerkily. I felt like there was a part of me that should do this gently.

  Take her to the bed, easy. Slow.

  I wanted to take my time. But the time for slow and easy was long past.

  She tore her lips from mine. "Oh my God, East. I just... My hands are shaking."

  I had no brain cells. If I was being honest, nothing was working. All I could do was nod mutely and try and help her. Clumsily we worked my belt and yanked it free. Nyla took it and threw it somewhere. And all I heard was a clattering somewhere in her living room. Neither one of us cared though. As my trousers fell down, I made stupid stomping motions to try to get them off and still meld my lips with hers. She was working the button on her trousers. Finally I gave up the fight. One simple flick of the wrist, and there went her bra. I should've had finesse. I should've been gentle. But God, I think I ripped it. I also didn't give a fuck. I stepped back and dragged her trousers down. She lifted her hips, helping me to work them off her ass. When I glanced up, I choked. Jesus Christ she was stunning. Her skin was all warm honey tan, and her breasts were perky. More than a handful. She would fit my palms well. Her nipples were high and a dusky tan color and made my mouth water.

  "You see something you like?"

  I licked my lips. "Yeah. I think I do."

  Her smile tipped at one corner first before spreading over her whole face. And Jesus Christ, she was a stunner. My gaze drank her in as I tried to figure out what part of her I wanted to devour first. And I kept going back to her nipples.

  I wanted her more than I'd probably wanted anything in my life. And I wanted to take her raw and dirty and fuck, I wanted to do things to her I had probably never done to anybody in my life. What was it about Nyla Kincade?

  Nyla leaned back on the countertop. "East, I'm waiting."

  Her impudent words shook me out of my stupor. "Are you now?"

  She smiled at me then. And then parted her legs. "Fuck." I should've known she wasn't going to play fair. She was wearing these champagne colored knickers that were mostly lace. And if I looked hard enough, I could see a small thatch of hair. Oh fuck, I wanted to lick her.

  She was not in control here.

  Are you sure about that?

  My dick also chimed in. Look, mate. We just want inside. Now is not the time to wrestle for control. March forward, lick something. Stick me inside. Easy.

  I knew what my dick wanted. I knew what my mouth wanted. Hell, my hands were itching to touch her. But if I let her be in control now, I was going to end up completely whipped.

  Oh, you mean there's a chance you're not already?

  Shut up. I wasn't sure who I was mentally berating. Probably my dick.

  "Oh, so you mean to tease?"

  She flashed a grin, and she looked so innocent and so dirty. "Oh, I'm not teasing now. I'm not teasing yet. You'll know when I am."

  "Oh, really?"

  I hooked my thumbs into my boxer briefs and slowly walked them down, freeing the full length of my cock. I knew what I looked like. Thick and long. I knew I was big. I was rewarded by her eyes going wide and her lips parting and a small, "O
h."

  "Ah, that's the perfect way I want your mouth. You're going to suck this."

  All she did was nod slowly and lick her lips.

  Again, she was in control because now, because all I could think about was her mouth on me, her tongue swirling over my head.

  What happened to you being in control?

  Shut up.

  "Bring it on over here, and I might suck it."

  "Might?" I coughed a laugh. God, she was so sexy.

  I gripped the base, slowly sliding up the shaft and rubbing over the tip. I was so sensitive I hissed. And then smoothing back down, the precum making it so much easier to glide.

  Nyla bit her bottom lip. "Okay, enough teasing. Come here."

  No. I don't think I will just yet. "Panties. Knickers. Gone. Now."

  She lifted a brow. But then she hooked her thumb into the delicate straps of lace and satin, lifted her hips, and did away with her knickers. But then her knees were together, which wasn't what I wanted.

  "Open your legs."

  She lifted a brow. But then complied.

  "Like this?"

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. She was teasing me. She was going to kill me. She was doing it on purpose, and she liked it.

  "Wider."

  She assumed a wider stance. Propping herself up and bracing herself.

  God, her lips were mouthwatering.

  And then Nyla did the one thing I didn't expect. She slipped a hand down her tummy and over the thin strip of hair leading to my promised land. "East. I don't know if I can wait. I need you so much."

  And then the tip of her middle finger slid over her clit, and I fucking lost it.

  Still working my cock, I stalked over to her. "Oh, someone's a little tease, are you?"

  "Well, I mean you do like to watch, don't you? I'm just helping."

  I kissed her harshly. My tongue taking full control. Letting her know that I was in charge and I was not fucking around.

  She gave me a muffled groan and kissed me back. I could tell she was still touching herself.

  I let go of my cock. Her hand brushed over him, and I shook.

  She paused. And then instead of playing with herself, she wrapped her hand around me and stroked.

  I would love to say that I had some witty repartee, that there was something I could say that was going to make any kind of sense. But fuck, when she notched the tip of me against her clit, I'm not embarrassed to say I saw stars. Okay? I got a little dizzy.

  My knees might have buckled. Shoot me. But it would've happened to anyone.

  More precum.

  She moaned my name then.

  "East. Wow. You are so hot and hard and soft at the same time, and I don't think I'm going to make it."

  "Fuck, Nyla."

  "East, God. Feels so good."

  And then she did something else unexpected. She released me. Whether it was to loop her arms back around my neck and bring me closer so we could kiss or whether it was deliberate, I didn’t know. But when she released me the tip of my cock nudged her cleft. And God, she was wet. So wet. Dripping. Soaking. I held perfectly still. There was something I needed to do. I just needed to remember what the fuck it was.

  She held perfectly still too, but I could feel her pussy clenching around the tip of my head. And I couldn't do anything. I couldn't move, I couldn't think, couldn't breathe.

  "East, oh my God."

  "I know. I feel it too. I... We... I can't."

  "No. Of course you can't. We're not teenagers."

  "No, of course not."

  But her pussy did that thing again, trying to draw me inside. And fuck it, my hips notched up just a little.

  "Fuck."

  Her eyes went wide. "Oh my God. You're not going to fit."

  I notched my hips back. No. We weren't going to do this. Not like this. Not like a couple of horny teenagers. We were going to be safe and get a condom. But the condoms were in my pants. God, where were my pants?

  She squeezed around the tip again, and I dragged my lips from hers, planting my nose at the inside of her neck. I panted. "Nyla, we have to stop."

  "I know."

  "Okay. So, stop doing that."

  She did it again. "It's not like I can help it. I want you inside. But Jesus, you are so big."

  My hips notched forward again, and I slid in even further.

  She moaned. "If it helps. I'm clean and I haven't had sex in over nine months."

  "I'm clean too, but this is still a bad idea for so many reasons."

  "I'm on the pill."

  "Even if you are, I need to protect you."

  Her pussy clenched around me again, and I fucking lost my mind.

  Come on, condom.

  I shifted backwards, but she followed me.

  And God help me, I nudged forward, about a third of the way in.

  My eyes rolled back into the back of my head.

  "Oh my God, is this what this feels like?"

  She whimpered at my intrusion. "You've never had sex without a condom before?"

  Somehow, I found the strength to shake my head. Even though all my concentration was in trying to pull out. “No.

  She planted both hands on my cheeks and lifted my head. "It's okay. We're okay.I have an IUD. Practically foolproof. We're fine."

  I forced my gaze open and tried to clear my vision. Because all I was seeing were stars and bliss and heaven. "Nyla."

  "Okay, let's stop. I'll go to the bedroom. I think there are condoms in my nightstand."

  "You think?"

  "I don't know. Like I said, it’s been over nine months."

  I held still and tried to release a slow steady breath. "There are condoms in my wallet."

  "Okay, let's get your wallet."

  But then she clenched around me again. "Nyla."

  She met my gaze and lifted a brow. "East."

  I saw it. She was trying to make me lose control. We were in a battle of wills. We both knew what we should do, but we were both too far gone now. And then I notched my hips back, and slammed all the way home.

  She cried out and planted her hands back behind her on the counter. "Oh my God. Oh my God. Holy fuck. Holy fucking shit."

  I dragged my head up. "Are you okay? I’m sorry. I didn’t… fuck."

  "Just start moving. God. Do not stop."

  Oh. She liked it. So I did it again. And again. And again. Then I dug my hands into the flesh of her hips and held her still. And I fucked her. When I raised my head, she arched her back, giving me free access to her tits, and I tucked one of the turgent tips into my mouth and moaned. Because all I could taste was honeysuckle and her, and she was taking over. I slid a hand over her hip and traced a thumb over her clit. The moisture between was slick and hot and so slippery. Nyla kept lifting her hips, notching herself closer to me. With every thrust she met mine. And fuck, I was going to die like this. And I didn't even care.

  With my other hand, the one that wasn't occupied with her clit, I reached around her ass and cupped her better. Bringing her flush against me with every stroke. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and my name was a litany on her tongue. My grip slipped, and my middle finger slipped over the pucker of her ass, and she gasped.

  "That's it. Relax for me. You like that, don't you, dirty girl?"

  Her lips parted on a gasp, and I knew what she needed. I knew what was going to make her fly apart.

  Keeping my finger right where it was, I gently pressed and circled as I leaned forward and teased her nipple in my teeth, circling, licking, biting. Leaving little love bites all over her. Like I was marking her as mine. She slipped a hand into my hair, tugged, and held me at her breast. Her hips were going wild. Forcing me to speed up. And God, I was lost. I knew that I couldn't hold back, not with her. Not anymore. And so I pressed my thumb hard over her clit and rubbed in furious strokes. I dragged my head from her breast. She whimpered a complaint, but her eyes were rolled back in her head. And then the shaking started in time with the clenching around my dick,
like she was trying to yank my orgasm from me by hook or by crook, and God, I was going to let her. She wrapped her legs around me tight, forced her hips up, and then she was screaming. "Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. East."

  "That's it, you dirty girl. God, I'm going to do all kinds of dirty things to you and you are going to love every minute of it."

  She drew in a shuddering breath. "Yes. Yes. Everything. Oh my God."

  I would love to say that I held on through her orgasm. I would love to say that I made it, and didn't die, and didn't completely lose my shit. I would love to say that I could've given her another one. But I couldn't. Because when she went off. Squeezing, pumping, sheathing her slick wet heat over me bare, I lost my shit. I came so hard, if I hadn't been holding on to her to steady me, I would've passed out. I would've just collapsed onto the floor. I really would've, but somehow bracing her to me stopped my imminent fall and my whole body jerked and seized as I released into her. Jet after jet after jet. My body locking into hers, and hers snapping around mine like we never intended to let each other go. Ever.

  Her head snapped up to meet mine as I managed three more short strokes, and then her fingers joined mine over her clit and she pressed again. And then one more time, she flew.

  17

  East

  I watched in consternation as Bridge sank the five into the corner pocket just like he said he would. It was always annoying when Bridge and I played pool because whoever went first was going to win. So I started keeping score of who went first the last time. Ben was good at billiards but not as good as Bridge or me.

  I loved the way it made sense and had order. And Bridge, he was a shark. Growing up in the East End, Bridge didn't exactly have the upbringing of the rest of us. His was grittier.

  At eleven his father plucked him out of the poverty he and his mother had been living in and dropped him off at Eton. He'd had a rough go when he first arrived. All sharp edges. And now he resembled a diamond, but his edges were still there. He might sound as refined as the rest of us, but he’d had a far different start to life. And once he had something set in his mind, he wasn't going to lose. And, neither was I. Hence, whoever shot first always won.