If only I’d met her sooner, I could have kept her safe from all this shit. The only thing I can do now is fix it. I thought I’d done what was needed, bringing her back to my place and scoping out where she and Sophia spend their days. Clearly, it wasn’t enough. From now on, they’re on lockdown. Until the perp is caught, she’s staying with me. No questions, no arguments. She can get mad at me later. Right now, I need to keep her alive.
My heart sinks when I walk into the cafe. The place is already closed to customers, at least. Emma doesn’t need to be worrying about anyone than herself. She’s sitting at a table, Wyatt standing guard a ways off. But it isn’t her tears that break my heart this time. No, this time, it’s nothing. Emma looks done in, as if she’s done fighting. Her cheeks are pinched, her mouth set in a straight line, her eyes full of what I can only describe as giving up.
“I can’t do this anymore, Colt,” she says the moment my butt hits the seat next to hers. Only the fact her boss is hovering nearby stops me from pulling her into my lap. Emma reaches up and scrubs her eyes with her hand before finally making eye contact with me. “I have to leave—me and Sophia.” She pauses before the rest comes out in a rush. “Though God knows how we can afford it, and Sophia’s just getting settled at school again, and my jobs…” she hiccups as the dam finally breaks and I give in myself, pulling her onto my lap and cradling her in my arms.
I rock her gently, almost as you would a small child, as she sucks in a few deep breaths. Her face stays dry but her hands are shaking in her lap. I can already tell that Emma tries so hard to hide any hint of weakness from the outside world, but she doesn’t have to do that with me. With me, she can let go and be herself—happy or sad—and I’ll be there to protect her through it all.
As she finally calms, she settles in, resting her head on my shoulder. Her fingers twirl a button on my shirt—a way of trying to control the trembling, I suppose, but at her touch, a wave of peace washes over me. This, this right here, is exactly where she’s supposed to be. Emma is it for me. I knew that the moment I laid eyes on her and the bond is now unbreakable. It’s time she knew it, too.
“What did I say to you last night?” I ask her.
She looks up at me, her eyes wide. “Not to worry,” she says, followed quickly by, “but Colt…”
I touch a finger under her chin, tilting her head up so I can fully catch her gaze. “You’re mine, Emma. You were meant for me and I know it as sure as I know the sun will rise tomorrow. And I take care of what’s mine.” I lean down and capture her mouth in a searing kiss. “You catch my drift?”
She nods, swallowing hard, and she shifts in my lap, causing my dick to quickly rise to attention. I know she feels it as a small smile appears on her face and she shuffles against me again. I close my eyes and swallow, holding back the groan her movements elicit. Emma smiles again, bigger this time. She knows exactly what she’s doing.
Someone clears their throat and I look over at Wyatt. His face is the picture of innocence but then he winks at me and I know I’m busted. I haven’t had a relationship in all the time he’s known me. Sure, there have been women around sometimes when the itch got too big to ignore, but nothing serious. Nothing like this. “Take your girl home, boss. I’ve got this.”
I don’t need to be told twice. I pick Emma up in my arms, ignoring her small squeal of surprise, and carry her out to my truck. We’ll pick Sophia up and have dinner together, as a family, and then after her sister’s in bed, Emma and I have some talking to do. If I can keep my hands off her long enough, that is.
I drive home as fast as I dare with precious cargo on board, stopping to pick up Sophia on the way. Watching them as we eat, I’m thankful for small mercies—Sophia doesn’t seem to notice that her sister is upset. The thought makes me frown. That can only mean that Emma has had to hide her true feelings often, for her to be so good at it. She won’t be doing that any more with me. Good, bad, I want it all.
Tired out from a big week at school, Sophia is easy to get to bed. Emma goes with her to read a bedtime story and so I take a few moments to freshen up and make the place look a little more inviting. I light a few candles I had in a drawer in case of a power outage, put some music on, and pour Emma a glass of wine. She’s tired, too, but perhaps if I can get her to relax a little, she’ll agree to listen to what I have to say.
Three sips into her wine, she speaks first. “Thank you,” she says, her voice soft.
“For what?” I say. “I’ve only done what I promised.”
Her gaze meets mine, far more intense that it was even when we first kissed. “Yes, you promised, and then you actually did it.” Her gaze drops as her cheeks color again. “It’s been a long time since anyone bothered to do something nice for me.”
I can’t stand it any longer. I put down my glass and move swiftly to where she’s sitting. Emma lets out a little squeal as I lift her and straddle her over my lap, facing me. Her core comes into direct contact with my cock and I can feel my dick hardening, but first I need to make sure she understands. My voice comes out in a growl as she ignites every protective instinct I have. “You deserve far more than nice, Emma. You deserve every happiness and pleasure in the world and I intend to give them to you.” I lean forward and take her mouth in a bruising kiss, my hands sneaking under her shirt as I unsnap her bra. “Stop me now if you don’t want this. Otherwise, I’m claiming you. You’ll be my family, my lover, my everything. You and Sophia will never want for another damn thing in your lives. Just say the word.”
Her mouth falls open in a breathless sigh before a single word escapes. “Yes.”
The spark inside me ignites into an inferno and I finally give in to every desire I’ve felt since I laid eyes on her. Within seconds, her shirt is removed, exposing her gorgeous round breasts to me. A few minutes later, her skirt and shoes follow suit. I take precious seconds with her panties, wanting our first time to last forever but also needing to take her right now. But first, she needs to know I will attend to her first, always. She’ll come before me, every damn time, and I’m going to make sure she knows it right now.
6
Emma
I close my eyes, overwhelmed by the onslaught of sensations mixing with emotion inside of me. I meant what I said. No one has ever treated me this way, as if I was something to be treasured. I’ve worked so hard to ensure that Sophia has everything she needs growing up, but somewhere along the way, I forgot about myself. It took meeting Colt to be reminded that I deserve happiness, too. Until him, I’d forced myself to forget about everything other than surviving. Now, as he takes my breast in his hand and tweaks my nipple hard, all I can think of is surviving the new few minutes. His touch is commanding, dominating, and I want every bit of it.
He stands up from the chair with me still on his lap, like I weigh nothing, and walks us over to lay in front of the open fireplace. A large, soft rug graces the floor and the long fibers rubbing against my naked skin along with the heat of the flames take my arousal to a whole other level.
He removes his shirt, swiftly followed by his boots and pants, and my eyes widen at the sight of him standing naked before me. I’ve felt him through his clothing but it definitely didn’t do him justice. A perfectly toned and muscular torso with strong arms sweeps downward to long legs. I bite my lip as my gaze moves to the happy trail leading me right to his cock, and oh my God, I might pass out at the sight. Long and thick and perfectly aroused, he stands at attention, just for me. I sit up and reach for it but he grabs my wrist gently. “No, pretty girl. Tonight is all about you.”
He drops to his knees in front of me and lowers me down, then grabs my knees, spreading me wide before his hungry gaze. “Exactly what I’ve been waiting for,” he murmurs. “I can’t wait to find out what you taste like.” And then he lowers his head and I cry out as his tongue licks through my folds before circling my clit. My fingers tangle in his hair as he alternates between licks and thrusting his tongue into my core. If this is what his mouth feels like,
I don’t know how I’m going to survive his cock sliding into me.
The thought makes me shiver and seconds later, it takes over my entire body, the pressure in my core building. Colt lifts his mouth from my body. “There’s my girl,” he murmurs and then thrusts two fingers deep inside me while tounging my clit over and over again. My back arches and my legs clamp against his head as bliss overtakes me and I come on his hand and mouth. Colt keeps licking and stroking until the quivers cease and I catch my breath. “Usually that would just be the start of foreplay, but I can’t wait another second to be inside you.”
I nod, eagerly, and spread myself for him, eliciting a groan. He sits back on his knees and takes his cock in hand, pumping it a few times before holding it and guiding it to my waiting center. I’m dripping for him but still feel the stretch as his head breaches my entrance. Damn, he’s thick, but it’s glorious. Apparently, the time for taking it slow has passed and he pushes into me with one fast thrust, taking my breath away. His mouth is on me, capturing my moans. “Holy hell, girl, you feel amazing squeezing my cock, like you were made for me.”
He slides all the way out before slamming back into me again, even deeper than before. I shudder as his dick rubs against my G-spot as he pounds inside me. One hand finds my breast again as he braces himself on the other hand, moving faster again, and my head falls back as he kneads my flesh, ending in a sharp tweak to my nipple. I’ve never experimented with rough sex, but Colt seems to know the perfect point between pleasure and pain. With his cock stimulating every part of my core, I won’t last much longer. I reach up and touch his pecs, rubbing my hand over the smooth muscles of his chest before gripping onto his biceps and hanging on for the ride. “Need to come,” I gasp out.
“Right there with you, gorgeous,” Colt says. He raises up onto his knees and pulls my hips up to follow, changing the angle to hit a spot inside of me that makes me see stars. The impossibly tight sensation inside me unravels and my sex pulses around him as he continues to pound into my core, wrenching every last drop of pleasure from my body before he thrusts deep and holds himself against me. I feel him pulse inside of me, his cum taking over my body. It produces the most delicious sensations and I come again as he grinds himself against my clit, his cock still deep inside my body.
Finally, when I have nothing else left to give, he withdraws and lays beside me. My eyes drift closed as he nuzzles and kisses at my neck, but before sleep claims me entirely, I hear one word loud and clear. “Mine.”
Shadows still coat the room when I wake up, still tangled up in Colt’s arms. He’d carried me to his bed after we’d finally recovered from the most intense orgasms of my life. I look over. He’s still sound asleep, gentle snores escaping from his mouth. He looks peaceful, far different from the intensity and power in his gaze last night. Goose bumps rise on my arms as I remember. I’ve never felt like this before. How has it all happened so fast?
I gently extract myself and wander over to the bay window, shivering further as the cool morning air hits my skin. Being held in his strong arms feels so right, but can I trust my judgment? Lord knows I’ve made some pretty terrible decisions lately. I sit looking out at the quiet landscape, nibbling at my fingernails. He feels so damn good, but I can’t afford to just follow my emotions and fall into a relationship with the first hot guy that shows interest. I need to keep Sophia at the top of my responsibilities. She’s already been through enough and needs stability more than anything else.
I look back over at the bed, wistful. God, I can’t think! I need some time to work everything out. I tiptoe over and grab my clothes, dressing quickly and then sneaking over to Sophia’s room and waking her. She’s grumpy about getting up over an hour early at first, but when I promise her IHOP on the way to school, I’m quickly forgiven. I warn her to be quiet and she’s more stealthy than me, meeting me at the front door under ten minutes later. I’ve found keys to an older model car I saw sitting in Colt’s drive and so I quickly write him a note and head out the door. My heart aches as I pull away and I’m already regretting my decision, but I’m not giving in. For once, I’m going to let my head rule my heart.
Before I know it, I’m pulling up outside Sophia’s school and waving her off for the day. She’ll head to the library to hang out for a while before classes start, where I know she’ll be safe. I might have wanted some space but I’m not a total idiot. I’m walking back to the car when I see the school gardener waving at me. He’s an older guy who’s worked at the school for as long as I can remember, maybe even when I went there many years ago. He’s been sweet to Sophia since our parents passed away, always spoiling her with little treats, candy or hair ribbons.
I look around. The parking lot has only a few cars in it given the early time of day, but we’re in broad daylight. Besides, I know the guy.
I walk over, pasting a smile on my face. He doesn’t need to see the bad mood that’s been brewing steadily the longer I’ve been away from Colt. Walking away from him felt like a gut punch and it’s only getting worse. Damn it, I’m such an idiot. I was too hasty this morning and made yet another wrong decision, but this time I was running away from something good. I’ll be polite and say hello and then go back home and hope that Colt is sleeping in after our rather energetic night and hasn’t noticed that I’m gone.
Home. I like the way that word sounds. It sends a warm feeling flowing through me. It’s as if my body already knows that home is where Colt is. Not just a place to survive, but a real home where Sophia and I are both loved, as it’s obvious Colt understands we’re a package deal.
“Hi Emma, how are you doing?” The gardener leans against his rake, tipping his hat to me. “You and Sophia have everything you need?”
I nod, a genuine smile coming over my face for the first time this morning. Now that I’ve made the decision to stay with Colt, everything seems easy. “We’re doing great,” I say. “In fact, something fabulous has happened recently to change everything. I met a wonderful man and he’s going to take care of both of us.”
The gardener’s face changes so quickly that I don’t have time to react. He reaches out and grabs my arm, his grip so tight I know it’s bruising me. I cry out and try to pull free but it’s impossible. A moment of dreadful clarity shoots through me. He’s the one! I’ve seen him at the back of the bar, leering at me. I just hadn’t recognized him in such a different place. I panic. “Please,” I cry. “Let me go. I won’t tell anyone. I promise!”
He leers at me. “I’m not that stupid,” he says. “The first chance you get, you’ll run off to that big, dumb dolt you’ve been leading around.” He pulls me harder and I lose my footing. He grabs me, throwing me over his shoulder. The sudden upending makes me dizzy and I scramble to try and find anything to grab onto, but there’s nothing on his one-piece coveralls. A hand comes down on my rear, holding me in place, but not before he delivers a sharp smack. “More of that to come, missy, if you don’t stop squirming. You’ll soon learn your place and if you don’t, I’ll welt your fine ass with my belt. You’re mine, and you’ll behave like it or get what’s coming to you.”
Tears form in my eyes, both from the pain of the sudden slap and from fear. How could I have been so stupid? I kick my legs but it doesn’t help. The world tips around dizzily as he slaps me again, this time against my uncovered thighs, and the tears come thick and fast, obscuring my sight as I struggle harder. Where the hell is he taking me? He suddenly drops me and I’m relieved for a second before his hands wrap around my throat. I wriggle, clawing weakly at his hands, but I’m not strong enough and the world starts to fade away.
7
Colt
It takes me a few seconds to realise that I’m alone in the bed when I first start stirring awake. But even before my eyes are open, my body is aware that something isn’t right. My eyes shoot open as my hand reaches out for Emma and touches nothing but cold sheets. Within seconds, I’m out of bed and throwing on boxers once I determine that she’s nowhere in the room.
/> I refuse to panic even as I take the stairs double-time. Before my bare feet hit the landing, I can already tell the house is too damn quiet. Before, I liked it that way. Arriving home from a long-ass day at work, often dealing with more paperwork and shitty clients than anything that actually felt rewarding, I could at least always pour myself a nice single malt and put my feet up, gazing at the mountains out the back window. Complete solitude. That was how I liked it. But now? After only a few days of having Emma and Sophia in my home, I’m hooked. I need to hear their laughs, even when they’re conspiring against me, and see Emma’s smile as I hold her after a long day. She’s a better balm to my soul than anything and I need her here.
Except she’s not.
There’s no noise downstairs either, and I can’t stand it. I run back up the stairs and throw on a pair of jeans, grabbing a jacket as I throw open the back door. There’s no disturbance in the underbrush or soil, so she didn’t go for a walk. Not that she would. I shake my head. If there’s one thing that’s already crystal clear about Emma, it’s that she takes her responsibilities seriously. Lord knows she was willing to stay in a crappy job at Mickey’s filthy bar, and ignore a damn stalker in the hope that he’d magically go away… all because she needed the money to give her sister everything she needed. It’s a school day. No way would she just wander off when Sophia had to get to school.
Colt (Red Wolfe Security Book 1) Page 3