North

by Vanessa Vale

  He growled. “Insane is still arguing with you.” The next thing I knew, I was tossed over his shoulder. He went inside, the screen door slapping shut behind him. He grabbed something from a kitchen drawer, then cut across the room to the bed. Dropped me on it.

  I bounced and popped back up.

  “Jed. What do you mean the rest of your life?”

  “You’ve got an MBA, I think you understand.”

  “We barely know each other and I don’t even know who you really are.”

  He stood at the foot of the bed, crossed his arms over his chest. “You know exactly who I am.”

  “You lied to me!”

  “You lied to your brothers.”

  My mouth fell open, then shut. “These are nothing alike. You can’t say you haven’t been trying to find evidence of my guilt.”

  “I told you. You didn’t do it. You’re not involved in Macon’s shit. I know it.”

  “You have proof?” I couldn’t miss the hope in my words.

  “No, but I have you. I believe in you. Ever since the wake, I’ve been trying to find evidence of your innocence.”

  “So besides someone shooting at me, I have to worry the FBI is going to put me in jail for taking over for Macon?”

  His jaw clenched. “We don’t know it’s not your brothers trying to kill you.”

  I heard what he said. Processed it, yet my brain stalled. “My brothers?” I whispered.

  “How often does South drive you to work?” he asked.

  “Never.”

  “The one time he takes you, you’re shot at.”

  “He got shot!”

  “That’s what happens when bullets start flying,” he countered.

  “Why… I don’t understand. They… why—”

  “Why would your brothers want you dead? I can think of a billion reasons.”

  I shook my head, my heart numb. I hadn’t been all that close with them, but there was a big difference between not sending birthday presents and murder.

  “They don’t need my money. They have trusts of their own from our mother. Her family built the house. Built the empire. Macon was just the ranch hand.”

  “You have more shares in the company.”

  I laughed, imagining my brothers in suits working at the office. “They don’t want anything to do with the company. It’s not them. Not for money. They have plenty.”

  “You have more.” He eyed me because he hadn’t asked. He assumed it was fact.

  I nodded. “I have more shares. I make a big salary. Get bonuses. But their trusts aren’t skimpy.” Jed knew I was rich. Knew the nickname Billionaire Ranch was accurate, yet we’d never used actual numbers. “They each have hundreds of millions of dollars, and that’s without any kind of investing or growth.”

  Jed whistled.

  “It’s not them,” I said. “You want me to trust people. I am. I trust my brothers.”

  He eyed me, then nodded.

  “Fine. We’ll connect with them later, see what they found out about the shooter. If you can access your files remotely, we can dig around. See what we can find on Macon’s deal with the loggers. But now…”

  He raised his hand, let a pair of handcuffs dangle.

  My mouth fell open as I stared at the shiny metal.

  “You’re arresting me?”

  Shaking his head, his gaze raked down my body. “All we can do now, princess, is wait. And I know just how to fill that time.”

  I stared at the cuffs, swallowed. “What?”

  “No one’s ever been able to get you off. There’s nothing you have to do. No work. No phone calls. No yoga or swimming or shopping or manicure. No ranch hands to ask a question. No assistant.”

  “We just… what, have sex while we wait?”

  “I’m not playing Scrabble with you.”

  “Jed,” I said on a sigh, although my nipples were hard with anticipation.

  “Do you have a better idea? Because I sure as fuck can’t think of anything better than getting my mouth on that pussy.”

  Heat spread through my body. “Okay, so why the handcuffs?”

  He dropped them on the bed, put one knee on the mattress and lifted the t-shirt up and off me. His eyes slid over my pale-yellow bra and panty set, but he said nothing. Only reached behind me and deftly removed the bra.

  “Because when you’re cuffed to my headboard, you’ll have no doubt who’s in control.”

  He grabbed the cuffs, watched my eyes as he carefully snicked one closed about my wrist. I didn’t say anything, but I also didn’t tell him no. I’d never been into bondage. No one had ever tied me up during sex. Not even using a tie or a pair of nylons. The handcuffs and Jed… together? He was taking me places I’d never even considered, but definitely got me hot.

  “Someone shot at me, Jed,” I said, all of a sudden feeling very vulnerable.

  Instead of hugging me or throwing something against the wall, he only nodded, ground his teeth together, and closed the handcuff around my other wrist.

  He helped me lay back, raised my arms overhead. I wasn’t sure how it worked, but the cuffs should have gone around the headboard.

  Jed slid the belt from his jeans, then used that to wrap around the wood and then the chain of the handcuffs so my hands weren’t near the thick logs. I tugged, testing. I wasn’t going anywhere. I wasn’t sure if I should be panicked or excited. I was… both.

  “Fuck, look at you.”

  His gaze was heated, but filled with something like reverence, as if what he was looking at—me—was too beautiful to be real. All my concerns slipped away.

  His eyes snapped to mine as he ran his hands up my calves. “Time for you to give me everything, princess. Your pleasure, too.”

  14

  JED

  * * *

  I was used to compartmentalizing shit. Cases and real life could be kept separate. Now they bled together. North was my case and my life. She’d been shot at. Someone wanted her dead. While she’d convinced herself it wasn’t one of her brothers, I hadn’t ruled that out. Yet. I’d have to update my boss, get North in her network. Check in with her brothers and see what they said. All of that.

  But not now. Now I had North away from everything. I had a feeling this moment was like a unicorn. I couldn’t miss out on the opportunity to have my woman completely and totally to myself. She was tied to my fucking bed with only one thing she had to focus on. An orgasm.

  I had to wonder if she’d ever had an opportunity to stop thinking completely. It was obvious she’d never given herself to anyone fully. Not even me. Yet.

  I’d push her, get her past places where she’d given up and used her fingers before. Where she didn’t keep trusting or giving herself to someone to take care of her.

  I’d try now. I’d watch her, but if she truly couldn’t come, I wasn’t going to make it worse. Watching North touch herself during sex was fucking hot. I was man enough to be okay with that the rest of my life as long as she screamed my name.

  As she tested the handcuffs, I gripped her ankle, stroked her calf. “You good?”

  Her eyes met mine. Wary, sure. Aroused, definitely. She licked her lips, then nodded.

  I didn’t think so much of myself that I was better than any guy she’d been with, that the reason any of them hadn’t been able to get her off was because they sucked in the sack.

  She hadn’t been able to do it with me, either. I wasn’t a sex therapist, but if she could come from just letting go… completely, then this was the time to test that theory.

  We were off the grid. While we didn’t have all the time in the world, we had enough.

  My hands slid up the insides of her thighs, pushed her legs wide. With slow movements, I slid her pretty yellow panties down her thighs, tossed them over my shoulder. Before she could bring her knees back together, I settled my shoulders in the way, parted her with my thumbs.

  “Prettiest fucking pussy.”

  “Jed,” she whispered, squirming a little.
/>   I gave her a light spank right over her clit. “No rushing me.”

  She lifted her head off the pillow, stared… no, glared down her naked body at me all the while her nipples pebbled and her pussy dripped her sweetness.

  “Here’s how this is going to work. You’re going to feel. Scream, cry out, gasp. Moan. Wiggle. Whatever you want. But other than telling me to stop… no, not even that. You say red, princess, because you’ve got a problem. A legit one like the cuffs are hurting you.”

  “You want me to have a safe word?” she asked, her eyes wide.

  “I want you to know you’re safe,” I countered, continuing to slide my hands over her silky skin. “You’re not in charge here. You don’t have control. You don’t have to do anything. I don’t have to be anywhere but between your thighs. I’m in no rush. Got it?”

  “You’ll get bored if it takes too long.”

  I laughed at that. “Bored?” I pointed at her pussy. “Here? I could spend the rest of my life right fucking here.”

  She gave me a glare that I assumed she’d used in the past to make lesser men cower. “Yes. But I can’t come without using my fingers on my clit.”

  Those words were a challenge. I wanted to tell her to hold my beer but, I didn’t respond. Instead, I got to work. I hadn’t been lying when I told her it was no hardship to eat her out. Her pussy was the sweetest thing in the world. Hot, wet. Plush. So pink. I had no idea how long I licked and fingered her, but she writhed and moaned, tugged on the cuffs and called out my name.

  Sweat dotted her skin.

  I took the time to learn how her clit liked to be flicked, the right press on her g-spot. Deep fingering versus shallow. Circling her entrance. Teasing. It was when I added a swirl of my thumb to her ass did things ramp up.

  She was close, to the point where she could probably get herself over the finish line. The cuffs rattled and I knew she wanted to reach down and do just that.

  I looked up her gorgeous body and she lifted her head. Looked at me. Then burst into tears.

  I kissed my way up her body as she cried. I’d wanted a release from her, and I’d gotten one.

  “Shh,” I murmured, kissing one nipple and then the other, working my way to her cheeks.

  “Jed!” she wailed.

  “Pretty intense, huh?” I whispered, nibbling along her neck. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

  The crying jag bled away pretty fast, and I set my hand beside her head, stared down at her.

  She blinked her watery eyes open.

  “Okay?” I asked.

  She sniffed. “Yes.”

  “Good girl. I got to a good spot, but your release turned the wrong way. Ready for more?”

  She stared at me with teary, confused eyes. “That’s… you’re not—”

  “Far from done. Remember, nothing to do but get you off.”

  She nodded, took a deep breath.

  I gave her a smile, kissed her, then pushed off the bed.

  I stood, grabbed a condom from my pocket, stripped, then protected us both.

  I moved back between her thighs and put my mouth on her again. She tasted so fucking good. “Jed, I thought—”

  “Not in charge,” I reminded, and made her lose her mind.

  Only when she was worked back up again did I shift, thrust into her. Fucked her.

  Then pulled out, ate her out, used my fingers. Then shifted back to giving her more of my dick.

  I alternated, making her out of her mind. My balls were drawn up, watching her like this, lost to only what I made her feel, was intense. She was panting, moaning, wailing. Crying my name.

  I flipped her onto her stomach, the belt connecting the cuffs to the headboard twisting and allowing the motion and pulled her up onto her hands and knees.

  I settled behind, nudged her knees wide and slid back inside. “Now, princess. Come now.”

  I circled my thumb around where I filled her to coat it, then pressed it into her ass. At the same time, I reached around with the other hand, found her slippery clit and pinched it.

  Her inner walls clamped down on me as she came. And came. Her fingers clawed at the bedding. Her toes curled. Her long hair clung to her sweaty back. Her inner walls milked my thumb and dick. She screamed, then went silent as her muscles went taut.

  “Fuck yes,” I breathed, pounding into her now, taking. Giving. Finding completion together.

  15

  NORTH

  * * *

  I fell asleep. Jed had removed the handcuffs and curled his big body around mine. Whispering how beautiful I was, how perfect, in my ear. Then I was out. I had no idea how long I slept, but not for too long. The sun was shining and I could hear Jed talking out on the porch.

  I grabbed the FBI t-shirt from the floor and put it on, this time skipping the panties and bra and joined Jed outside.

  His gaze raked over me as I stepped onto the deck. I didn’t miss that he was only in his jeans. I hadn’t been able to touch that rugged, muscled body earlier. My fingers itched to do so now.

  The dogs were out in the field, sniffing around. They saw me, wagged their tails, then got back to whatever scent they were following.

  “I agree,” he said into the phone, curling his finger and beckoning me over. “Yes.” He paused. “No idea.”

  I stopped in front of him and he banded an arm about my waist and set me on his lap. The angle of the Adirondack chair had me leaning back against him, my head resting on his chest. The arm wrapped around me cupped my bare thigh.

  “It’s South,” he said, handing me the phone.

  “Hi,” I said once I put the cell to my ear.

  “You doing okay?”

  I left out the fact that Jed had handcuffed me to his bed and fucked an orgasm out of me. A man-induced one. South was pro-Jed, but that might change if he knew how he defiled me. Got me on my knees. It seemed I had a thing for ass play and it probably wouldn’t be long before he worked more than his thumb in me there.

  Then there was the fact that Jed thought South may be the one who wanted me dead.

  “Yes,” I replied. “Did you learn anything new?”

  “I talked to the sheriff. We found spent casings on the roof of the gift shop. Even though it’s only one floor, it’s got a ladder on the back.”

  I sighed, knowing that wasn’t much, other than proving it had been intentional.

  “Let us know if you learn anything else.”

  “I don’t want you dead, North.”

  I turned and looked up at Jed. He could probably hear what South had said and didn’t look the least bit sorry.

  “I know,” I replied, imagining the conversation they’d had while I’d been asleep.

  “I want to beat the shit out of Jed for even thinking the three of us would hurt you, but he’s protecting you. I respect that.”

  I sighed, realized South was right. In a backwards way, Jed was showing how much he cared. It didn’t matter to him that the guys would hate him. That wasn’t important to him.

  I was.

  “West and East say hi. Glad you’re safe.”

  “Hi back.”

  South hung up and I handed the phone back to Jed. He set it on the little table, then tipped my chin up so I met his dark eyes. “You good, princess?”

  I nodded, realizing I was, then cupped his jaw. Felt the soft rasp of his beard.

  “I pushed you pretty hard.”

  I looked away and I felt my cheeks heat. “Yeah. But… God, it had been amazing.”

  He leaned down, kissed my nose. “We just need to get you out of that head of yours. We’ll work on it, but know that it’s sexy as hell watching you touch yourself.”

  “You like it as long as I come.”

  He kissed my forehead. “Every time. And often.”

  “Yeah, well. A lot is going on right now so we’ll see what happens. We can’t stay in this cabin forever.”

  His cell rang and he tipped it so he could read the display. Grunted. “My boss.”
<
br />   I assumed he meant the FBI boss and not John Marshall. And that meant our little bubble of isolation had burst.

  “Director,” he said. Not Marshall. “Yes. She’s here with me. Yes. No. Yes, she knows. I’ll put her on speaker.”

  Those few words lasted about a minute. Jed’s face gave nothing away as his boss spoke. I sucked in a breath when he hit the button and held it between us.

  “Go ahead,” Jed said.

  “Hello, North. This is Director Amy Sprouse. It seems you are aware of our investigation into your father.”

  “Into me, from what I understand,” I replied, glancing at Jed, worried he’d be mad for pushing back on his boss. He offered me a small nod.

  “Agent Barnett has shared quite a bit with you.”

  “I have,” he said. “There are no secrets between us.”

  My heart skipped a beat at those words. He wasn’t just telling them to me, but to a higher up at the flipping FBI.

  “Are you sure?” she countered. “Did she tell you she signed the contract with John Marshall? That Wainright Holdings now owns the parcel of land that has been the recent focus of our investigation?”

  Jed’s fingers clenched my thigh and his eyes pierced into me.

  “Last night,” I said. “After.”

  I didn’t explain more, but he knew based on the way I could feel my cheeks heat.

  After the telephone room.

  “I… needed to know if you were around for me or the land,” I whispered.

  His jaw clenched and he leaned in, murmured in my ear. “I should spank your ass for that. Do you doubt me now?”

  My nipples went hard at the idea of him spanking me again. I shook my head.

  “It will go to the nature group as part of our conservancy program,” I told her.

  “I believe her,” Jed said.

  I smiled. I couldn’t help it. Someone wanted me dead and yet I couldn’t be happier. Jed was on my side, and he’d given me the best orgasm of my life and—

  “Then you’re thinking with the wrong brain, Agent.”

  Jed blinked, looked to his phone. “What are you talking about?”

  “North Wainright signed a contract leasing that land to Caston Logging,” the director said.