by Jane Henry
“This what you wanted, big guy?”
He leans against the doorway, taking me in, his eyes half-hooded and his gaze rabid. I swallow hard.
“You look…”
He drags his fingers along the scruff of his chin and eyes me. “Like I want to eat you alive?”
I laugh nervously. “Exactly… that. Yes.”
He prowls toward me as more light fills the room. Warmth hits my back, but it’s nothing compared to the warmth he ignites with his eyes.
“Like the wolf,” I whisper. “Just… gobble me up.”
I watch as his muscles bunch and flex, his chest rising with every breath that he takes. He exhales, and he’s so close his breath skates across my naked skin. My pulse races as he walks around me, eying every single detail.
“Fucking gorgeous,” he murmurs, not touching me.
I watch his eyes. “You look like you’re going to… appraise me or something. Like… kick my tires.”
“Kick your tires?” A corner of his lips twitch. “Even I don’t take my kink that far.”
I giggle nervously, but he’s grown sober.
His voice is low and commanding when he says, “Be still, Aisling.”
I like the way my name sounds on his lips. I close my eyes and breathe in deeply. I open my eyes on the exhale.
He stands just a few feet away from me, his toes facing mine. There’s nothing between us but our mingled breaths. Slowly, so slowly the movements are almost imperceptible, he reaches for me. One large, rough hand closes in on the small of my back and draws me near.
He bends and brushes his lips to my neck, his movements sure and confident. My head drops to the side, welcoming this kiss, and his purposeful ministrations. He suckles the skin, and I keen with pleasure.
“Mmm,” I whisper, my body teeming with heat and pleasure.
“Come here,” he whispers in my ear. “I want you to ride me with the sunrise.”
He sits heavily on the sofa and positions me in front of him, staring at me as he rolls a condom on. My mouth is dry, and my pulse races.
“I want to know everything,” he says. “What happened to the girl I knew.”
My heart stutters to a halt. No. No, I don’t want him to ask me that.
“Even I don’t remember her.” My voice is distant and hollow. I close my eyes and look down at the floor, but he doesn’t stop. He reaches for my hand.
“What makes you tick. What you hope, what you dream.”
I have no hopes. I have no dreams, beyond survival from one day to the next.
He takes my hands and glides me onto his lap. “I want to know what you like, and what you don’t. What you want, and what you need.”
“Right now,” I say with a teasing smile. “This girl wants your thick cock to fill her needy little pussy.”
He chuckles, and arranges me so I’m straddling him. “We can arrange that, babe.”
His eyes bore into mine as he glides his cock to my entrance. Just the very tip, then more still.
“Fuck,” he grates. “You’re so fucking tight. So wet for me, aren’t you?”
I can only whimper in response. I help him ease into me, and slowly glide myself down onto his hardened cock.
“Yes,” I moan, already spasming with pleasure. “Yes, please.”
He lifts my hips, then slams them back down on his cock.
“Ride me, Aisling.”
I move without conscious thought, needing his cock and this friction, over and over again, while he reaches for my nipples and strokes them. Every touch shoots pleasure through my body, as he glides my hips up and down, the walls of my pussy clenching his shaft. My body convulses over him, but I keep my position, whimpering and grinding my needy pussy on his cock.
Light from the window streams inside, illuminating my body like a spotlight in pinks and gold hues. He bends and licks my nipple. “Like tasting a moonbeam,” he muses, while I build a rhythm up and down his length.
“That’s it, baby,” he murmurs. “Just like that.”
His hands reach for my breasts, his thumbs graze my nipples, and I whimper. “Jesus.”
“Don’t you dare come,” he says, his gaze locked on mine. “Not unless I give you permission.”
I whimper and nod. “Yes,” I groan. “Okay, yes.”
He lifts my hips and slams me back down over his cock, over and over again, and I move along with him, eager for the pressure, nearly begging for release.
“I mean it,” he says warningly. “If you dare come before I say, I’ll punish you. Is that what you want?”
I whimper and rock my hips. “Oh, God,” I whimper. “I… I don’t know.”
His eyes darken, his brows snapping together. “Trust me, Aisling. You don’t want me to punish you.”
Even the words “punish you” sends pulsing desire straight through me.
My need to come gets damn near frantic, and I’m moving quicker up and down his shaft.
He growls in warning, pinching my nipples so hard it’s painful, but Jesus, it only makes me need to come even more. I can’t stop it. The waves of pleasure are coming hard and fast, and I couldn’t stop them if I tried. I don’t want him to punish me, though.
“Please, Tiernan, please,” I beg, even as the spasms ripple through me.
“Come,” he orders, his fingers grasping my nipples like clamps. “Come.”
I scream with the power of the orgasm, my core contracts, and I whimper and moan as pleasure ripples through me. I can’t breathe or think, my body’s so tight with the spasms of pleasure. Bliss shoots through my limbs, and I can hardly keep my position, as he growls and his own release lashes into the condom.
My screams and his join as we ride this out, until I slump onto him, our bodies still one. I’m panting, my sweat-slicked skin against his as he holds and rocks me.
“Motherfucker,” he murmurs appreciatively. “Look at you.” I’m trembling as he holds me, and this time, I don’t think it’s from withdrawal.
He brushes my damp hair off my cheek, and kisses me. “You’re exquisite.”
I sigh, letting his praise warm me through. I can’t do much more than nod against him, since I’m boneless and apparently speechless as well.
“Such a good girl,” he whispers in my ear.
I shake my head. “I’m not,” I say, suddenly overcome with emotion. “You’ve probably got a warrant for your arrest because of me.” He can’t call me his good girl. I’m not.
He holds me to him. “Don’t worry about that. It will work out.”
“But it’s my fault…”
He runs his fingers through my hair.
“I said it will work out.”
I close my mouth, a strange sense of peace coming over me.
Am I… sober?
“Today should be easier than the last, Aisling. I want you to get some rest now.” He moves me off of him and brings me to the bathroom. We clean up in silence, then he leads me back to bed and tucks me in. “I’ll get some food and bring it up. You rest.”
I lay my head on the pillow. How did I never notice how fragrant it was, how soft and silky? I sigh. It’s so comfortable here.
He finishes cleaning up and gets dressed. My eyes are so heavy. I realize he’s walking out of the room, but I can barely manage to open one eye to watch him. The heavy click of a deadbolt sounds.
He might’ve had sex with me for hours on end last night.
I sigh.
That doesn’t mean he trusts me, though. I close my eyes, and exhaustion takes over.
Chapter 9
Tiernan
I leave her sleeping, shut the door behind me, and breathe a sigh of relief. She’s sated for now. Exhausted.
Cormac gave me good advice.
I’ve got locks on all the doors and windows, so even though she’s my prisoner, she won’t be able to get out even if she wants to.
Does she want to?
It’s early morning, but the staff will have breakfast laid out in the d
ining room. I’m not even sure what she likes.
“Brother.”
The greeting comes from behind me, and I jump. Keenan grins.
“Didn’t mean to startle you,” he says. “Came up to talk to you. You going down for breakfast?”
“Aye.”
He looks at the locked door, and at the guards on either side. “The girl in there?”
I nod. “She’s locked in my bed, dead asleep.”
He nods thoughtfully and walks with me down the length of the hall. Keenan knows something.
“What is it, Keenan?”
He looks up at me in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“You found something out. We can all tell when you’re hiding something, you know.”
My step feels lighter as I walk down the hallway. The smell of baked goods and frying sausage permeates the air, and my stomach aches with hunger.
Keenan nods. “Aye, I do. We need a Clan meeting after breakfast. You said the girl’s secured?”
“Aye.”
“Do you have any belief whatsoever that she’s hiding something, Tiernan?”
I shrug. “No idea, to be honest. The first few days were me riding out her withdrawal symptoms, see.”
He nods as we make it to the landing. The door opens, and Lachlan joins us. He jerks his chin in greeting at me.
“Are they bad?” Lach asks.
“Oh, aye. Really fucking bad, mate.”
“Christ,” Keenan says. “Sorry, Tiernan.”
We walk toward the dining room. “Former addict, soon enough,” I say with a sigh. “Sebastian helped, said hardcore detox would be done in three days.”
“Hardly done, though,” Lachlan says. “You’ll have to watch her like a fucking hawk now, Tiernan.”
I sigh. “I know it, aye. But we’ve broken through. The worst of it’s over.”
We enter the dining room, but only a few of my brothers are there. It’s early yet. They ask me how things have gone, and I fill them in while I pile food on plates to bring upstairs.
“I’m going up to feed her, and I’ll see what I can get out of her.”
Keenan nods. Lachlan looks troubled. “Was she an addict when she was mates with Fiona?”
I shake my head. “Doubt it.”
He scowls at the kettle as he pours steaming hot tea into a cup. “Good. But it’s a shame how quickly things changed for her.”
I shrug. “Been a few years, hasn’t it?”
Lachlan nods. “Suppose. You know Fiona saw her the other day, when you were bringing her upstairs.”
I nod. “Aye.”
“Was damn disturbed that night. Poor girl couldn’t sleep a wink.”
“I bet.”
If the situation were reversed, I’d be as troubled as she is.
Lachlan eyes me and snorts. “Bet you found a few things to keep her busy.”
I smack his arm, but he only howls with laughter when I don’t deny it.
I finish filling the plates up with food. “You know the staff would’ve brought that up to you, don’t you?” Keenan asks. Still, he looks troubled.
I nod. “Aye.” I wanted to see my brothers, though. I’ve been so isolated upstairs, and I wanted to give the girl a break.
“Needed to check in?”
How does he always know? I nod. “Aye.”
Maeve, Keenan’s mum, waltzes into the dining room, her arms laden with flowers. “Good morning, boys!” she says. “’Tis a gorgeous day outside.” She looks at me as she bends and gently eases the flowers on a side table. “How’s your charge, Tiernan?”
Her eyes are concerned, her lips pursed as she waits for an answer. She never pries, but always knows exactly what we’re up to.
I sigh. “Sleeping. The girl’s had a rough go of it.”
“Oh, aye, I bet,” Maeve says, and I can tell just by looking at her that she’d give anything to go up and mother the girl. “You think she’d fancy a visit?”
I shake my head. “No, Maeve, I’m sorry. I’m sure eventually she will, but we’ve had three straight days of really brutal detox.”
Nolan enters the dining room, his hands in his pockets.
“Don’t I bloody well know how that goes,” he mutters. Before I met him, he was an alcoholic, but he’d gotten sober before we moved here. He told me about his time in detox, and how he’d give anything not to go through that again.
“Once she’s settled, maybe she’d like some visitors.”
“But the question is, will she rat you out?” Lachlan sips his tea, his eyes fixed on me.
I frown. “Not sure, to be honest. I don’t think so, but I’m not counting on it.”
“And on that note, sound the word that we’re having a mandatory meeting of the inner circle in an hour,” Keenan says.
“Everything alright?” I ask, knowing before I even ask that it’s useless to pry. He won’t tell us if he isn’t ready.
He mulls it over before he answers, all eyes on him, as the staff comes in and out. They place large platters of food on the table, whisking empty plates away.
“We’ll talk then.”
“Right, then. I’ll bring her food and join you in an hour.” I nod to one of the staff and order some tea brought up as well.
I’m halfway to the door when Lachlan’s voice stops me. “Tiernan?”
I turn in silence to look at him.
“You think Fiona can pay her a visit?”
I frown, thinking about it. “Aisling… might like that, but I’ll leave it up to her.”
Lachlan scowls but nods. “Aye. Understood, brother. Let me know.”
I’m balancing several plates as I make my way toward the stairway, when I hear a plaintive voice behind me.
“Need help, Tiernan?”
I turn to see Fiona sitting by the large window in the entryway, a book in her lap.
“I’m good, thanks.”
Her brows draw together. “How is she?”
I sigh. “Better.”
“She screamed like a bloody banshee when you brought her in.”
“Aye. Was strung out.”
Fiona winces. “Heard something of the sort.”
“Did you?”
“Oh, aye. Bloke I went to school with works for the Ballyhock police now, had to arrest her a few months back. Said she was high as balls.”
I nod. “Aye. I’ll have to chat with you later, Fiona. You need to fill me in, lass.”
She nods. “I’ll tell you what I know.”
I turn and head back to the stairs.
“Tiernan, tell her I was asking for her, will you?”
“Will do.”
My mind spins as I take the stairs. Is she awake yet? Will she be truly detoxed today, or will we have another day of battle? Has she stayed safe and secured all this time?
What does Keenan need to discuss?
I took the life of a politician’s fucking son. If word gets out that the Clan was implicated in any way, we’re fucked. This was no nameless rival.
I open the door with difficulty, balancing the platters of food, but finally manage it. There’s no sound when I open the door.
I place the food at the counter in the kitchen, and head to the bedroom, expecting her to be dead asleep. She isn’t, though. She’s staring up at the ceiling, her covers pulled damn near up to her eyeballs.
“Smells delicious,” she says. It’s the first real interest in food she’s taken since I brought her here.
“Got freshly-baked scones, sausage and eggs, and some of the homemade berry compote the staff makes right here.”
She nods. “Mmm. Do I smell tea?”
I nod. “I ordered it while I was downstairs. Good to see you’ve an appetite, Aisling.”
She nods, but her face is doleful.
“I’ve been awful, Tiernan. I’m so embarrassed.” Her cheeks flush bright pink as if on cue. “I should be ashamed of myself.”
I bring the tray of food in before I respond. “You were quite a mess,
I won’t lie.” She laughs tearfully. “But you’re better now, aren’t you?”
She nods. “I suppose.”
I hand her a plate of food, and she gratefully tucks in. Sebastian said her appetite would return when the effects of the drugs wore off.
“I know you’ve got a ways before you’re totally better. But at least this is better than things have been, isn’t it?”
She nods. “I suppose so.”
She eats in silence. I’m glad it seems she’s enjoying her food.
I sit beside her on the bed, chewing a scone thoughtfully. “I know what it’s like, you know,” I tell her. “At least to an extent.”
“Do you?” she tips her head to the side.
“Aye. When we came here, we were from Stone City. You knew that, right?”
It would surprise me if she didn’t know at least part of our history, having been good mates with Fiona.
“Aye,” she says, eying me warily. “I knew that part, of course.”
I nod again. “Do you know anything about what happened to us beforehand?”
She scowls, and she looks a bit abashed. “I’m ashamed to say I’ve forgotten. You see, when you all first came seems like a very long time ago. And I may not… remember everything there is to remember.” She winces. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
My heart goes out to her. Now that she’s sober, she seems like a different person. She isn’t the girl I once knew, and she isn’t the one who came here a few nights ago, but someone altogether different.
I want to know this woman. I want to know everything about her. I want to keep those lines between her brows relaxed, those lips of hers curved up in a smile.
“Stop apologizing,” I say, taking a large bite out of a scone. “Really. No more of that now.”
She sips from her tea and eyes me thoughtfully. “So the bossiness isn’t just the bedroom, then?”
“Ah, no.”
Her pretty eyes twinkle a bit. A strand of hair falls across her face. I want to see her eyes. I reach over and tuck the hair behind her ear, and her eyes gentle.
“For a stern sort, you’ve got a gentleness about you, Tiernan. I… never knew that about you.”
I shrug. “Comes from being the oldest brother, I suppose.” No one’s ever called me gentle before, but I can’t help but want to take care of her.