by Bella J
Wanting another taste, I traced the tip of my tongue around her sensitive folds, purposely avoiding that one spot she needed my touch the most.
Filling her with two fingers, I guided my tongue through her wet slit. The way her inner walls tightened, the muscles in her thighs tensing, I knew she was about to come. And even though I wanted to torture her body so much more, I was pushing my own self-control to the limit.
I sat back on my knees. “I want to watch you come.”
She cursed and moaned while my thumb continued to play with her clit, stroking it harder, faster, knowing she would need more and more until her climax tore through her.
“Oh, God,” she moaned, and I kept my gaze glued between her legs, not wanting to miss a single second of me making it mine. Her hips lifted off the mattress, legs pulled taut, and when I felt her pussy throb around my fingers, I pulled them out of her while my thumb continued to play her on the one spot I knew she was aching for me to touch.
Her moans slammed against the walls, and I watched her body shudder as she climaxed, pleasure gushing out of her, coating every inch of her pussy and inner thighs.
It was fucking beautiful. And it was all for me.
While her orgasm still lingered between her legs, I stretched my body over hers, and her body welcomed my cock as I slid inside her.
Buried to the hilt, I stilled. “Look at me.”
She opened her eyes.
“Place your arms around my shoulders, and don’t take your eyes off me.”
Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, placing shaky arms around my neck.
“Don’t look away,” I breathed.
Slowly, rhythmically, I rocked back and forth, in and out of her. Not once did I take my eyes off hers, wanting her to know I saw her, and only her.
“I’m not just owning your body right now, Dahlia.” Another thrust. “I’m claiming it. I’m taking every part of you, and I’m making it mine.”
She bit her bottom lip, barely taking a breath. “Onyx—"
I pulled out and slammed back into her, causing her to crane her neck back as she closed her eyes.
“Look at me.”
With hooded eyes and heavy lust, she managed to meet my gaze.
“I won’t let any other man touch you ever again. You belong to me now.”
She weaved her fingers through my hair at the back of my neck, and all she did was nod—her only sign of surrender.
My body overtook my need to make this moment last forever, and my own desire for release possessed me.
Placing both my palms against her cheeks, I no longer had the strength to control myself. With a rush of undiluted lust, I moved faster, harder, claiming her over and over and over again, until I no longer felt anything but the crashing wave of ecstasy as I came inside her. My release stormed through me, crushing every inch of my body with a strength that could tear me in half. But I didn’t once close my eyes, because I wanted to look her in the eye as I marked her. As I fucked a part of me inside of her.
“You feel that?” My cock jerked inside her. “Get used to it, because you’ll be feeling that every goddamn day for the rest of your fucking life.”
I kissed her, sealing both out fates, making it one. It was no longer her and me. It was us. It was so goddamn surreal—this woman who seemed to have come out of nowhere, how she managed to tame me so easily, like she had been born with the key to my soul, an angel destined to find me. But somewhere along the way, she got hurt—her wings broken.
My broken angel.
Tearing my lips from hers, I watched as a single tear slipped down her cheek, the only drop of proof I needed. I was right. Someone hurt her, ruined her…and by the pain that reflected in her eyes, I was convinced it had destroyed her too. But no matter what kind of fucking monster I was out there in the world, right here, right now, in this room with her, I wouldn’t be that monster. I’d be better than that, and I’d prove to her that even ruthless beasts had hearts.
I moved, licking the tears from her cheeks, pressing my lips against her warm skin.
“Tell me who hurt you, Dahlia, and I swear to God I will hunt them down and kill them myself.”
Tears slipped down the side of her face, her eyes shut and lips trembling. She opened her eyes, and I could see every ounce of pain she carried inside her. “Someone already has.”
Chapter Thirteen
Wraith
The last few hours felt surreal. And while I lay there beside him, hearing his rhythmic breathing while he slept, my heart was pounding with unease. Everything was wrong.
Onyx.
Me.
Us.
The Pythons.
After hearing what the Pythons did to Neon, a woman every member of the Kings seemed so fond of, nothing made sense anymore. And these feelings I had for Onyx were unlike anything I’d ever felt before. It felt good, yet unnerving at the same time. And the guilt? Oh, God, I’d never felt this amount of immense guilt in my entire life. It was one giant whirlpool of conflicting emotions swirling around inside me, and I didn’t how to deal with that. All I knew was everything had changed. Something shifted, and my entire life, my existence no longer made any goddamn sense.
This was wrong. Me being here with him, feeling all these things was wrong.
I eased out of bed, careful not wake him. I had to leave so I could breathe again. Get some fresh air and at least try to sort through the jumbled mess in my head.
I slipped into my jeans and pulled my shirt over my head. When I grabbed my boots, I looked over at the bedside table for my knife. Then I glanced at Onyx still sound asleep. It would be so easy for me to stab my blade through his chest right now without anyone knowing. He wouldn’t be able to fight back—if I was lucky, he would die without knowing it was me. In that moment, I was his biggest threat—the new president of the American Street Kings at his most vulnerable.
My heart felt heavy with the thought, the gravity of my guilt pulling it down to the soles of my feet.
Unshed tears stung the back of my eyes, and I knew I couldn’t stay any longer.
I inhaled deeply, loving his scent and hoping it was something I’d always remember. When I turned to leave, I caught sight of his knife on the table next to his keys. Just one thing. I just wanted one thing of his, so I took it, tucking it in the side of my boot.
I stole one more glance at him on the bed, the navy sheet draped over his big frame. When I walked into that bar and saw him sitting alone that very first night, I never could have anticipated how much my life would change.
“Goodbye, Onyx,” I whispered and sneaked out of his bedroom, gently closing the door behind me.
The lock clicked, and I leaned against the door, letting out a breath, and my heart aching.
“Early riser?”
I yelped, grabbed my chest, and spun around, staring right at Alyx and Neon. “Jesus. You scared the crap out of me.”
Neon smirked. “That happens when you get caught sneaking out like a cat who just stole a tin of tuna.”
“I’m not—” I rerouted my thoughts. “Hey, are you okay?”
Neon frowned in question, and I crossed my arms. “Last night, I couldn’t help but overhear what happened. That had to be some fucking nightmare.”
Her face turned a pale shade of pink, embarrassment spreading across her cheeks. “Yeah. Sorry about that.”
“No. No. Don’t apologize.”
Neon smiled half-heartedly. “No one can create chaos in this clubhouse like I can.”
“They care about you.” The words just slipped out without me even thinking it. It was so obvious, even to a stranger like me, that everyone here cared about her—about each other.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted out, and Neon stared at me with confusion.
“For what?”
“I’m sorry someone hurt you.” The sympathy I felt for her was so strong, it clawed at my heart. It was like staring into a mirror, seeing my own reflection, witnessing my own anguish. Every tea
r she cried last night was a cruel reminder of how fucked-up this world really was. And I felt for her, without even truly knowing her.
She pinched her lips, prominent lines appearing between her eyebrows. “Yeah, well…shit happens.”
I smiled, recognizing the way she hid her pain behind snarky remarks. But her eyes said something completely different, and I saw it.
I rubbed my fingers across my forehead, diverting my eyes for a second before looking back her. “Just remember…the devil only wins the day you give up fighting.”
Her pale blue eyes softened, a sad smile appearing at the corners of her mouth. “Gotcha.”
Alyx cleared her throat, a subtle way to clear the heaviness. “Onyx still sleeping?”
“Um…yeah. I have this thing I need to get to, and I didn’t want to wake him.”
“Oh. You sure you don’t want some breakfast? Word around here is I make some mean pancakes.”
I pursed my lips, lowering my eyebrows.
“I know,” Neon remarked. “Her never-ending smile and ‘life is all rainbows and unicorns’ attitude gets on my nerves as well sometimes.”
Alyx chuckled. “Oh, my God. You are a horrible friend.”
“Wipe that fucking life-is-good smile off your face, then maybe I’ll be a better friend. Why can’t you just be miserable like the rest of us?”
There was a playful gleam in her eyes, but she gave me a knowing look—like she knew I was running.
“Come on, Swan Lake.” Neon turned with difficulty, trying to steady her crutches. “Wraith has someplace to be, and you have goddamn pancakes to make—which are terrible, by the way.”
Alyx smiled, and she reeked of happiness.
I took a step back, about to turn when Alyx asked, “I guess we’ll be seeing you around?
Suspicion tingled the back of my neck, her tone of voice suddenly dropping with the slightest hint of dislike. “Um,” I turned to face her again, “maybe.”
“Okay. I know this is none of my business—”
“Alyx,” Neon interrupted, but Alyx ignored her.
“Onyx really seems to like you. I’ve been here for months, and I’ve never seen him bring another woman to his room before. I’m guessing you’re, I dunno,” she shrugged, “special to him somehow.”
“Okay,” I muttered with caution.
“It’s just, Onyx is like a brother to me. I don’t want to see him get hurt.”
“Jesus,” Neon muttered under her breath.
My eyes narrowed. “And you think I’ll hurt him.”
“No. Not at all. I just care for him a lot. That’s all.”
I scrutinized her, not entirely sure whether this was a polite or a confrontational kind of conversation we were having here. Maybe it was simply another sign for me to get the fuck out of there. “So,” I started walking backward, “I’m gonna go.”
I turned, hauling ass in the other direction and down the stairs. The faster I walked, the more it felt like I needed to rush. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t focus on one single coherent thought, and it felt like there was no longer any gravity keeping me grounded.
Stepping outside the bar, I took a deep breath, but it felt like the air got lodged in my throat, unable to fill my lungs. My pulse was racing, my stomach twisted inside out. Glancing from the door of the bar to my motorcycle, I stood there, unsure of what I needed to do. But for as long as I could remember, I knew where my home was, or rather—who. No matter what happened between me and Onyx, how it made me feel to be with him, there was a driving force that flowed through me like the blood in my veins, urging me to go back to the place where I belonged.
I closed the door to my bedroom, and the click of the lock might as well have been the sound of my heart hitting the floor. I had always felt like I had this immense weight on my shoulders, and over the years, that weight had become a part of my existence. But today it felt different, heavier, like it threatened to crush me at any second.
Letting out a breath, I leaned with my head against the closed door.
“Long day?”
“Jesus Christ!” I jolted, placing my hand on my forehead. I looked over to the window, the familiar frame of a man hidden in the shadow. My window was set on the west side of the building, the morning sun not reaching my room yet. “What are you doing in my room?”
“You didn’t come home last night. I was worried.”
“I’m fine.” I took off my jacket, tossing it on my bed. “If you don’t mind, I’m tired. I just want to get some sleep.”
“Where were you?”
“I was out.” I tied my hair behind my head, placing my hands on my hips. He was still standing in the shadows, unmoving. Even though I couldn’t see him, I could feel his eyes on me. It was burning right through my flesh.
“You could have called.”
“I didn’t think I had to.”
“It’s called common courtesy.”
I rubbed my forehead. “Please, stop. I’m tired. Can we do this after I’ve had some sleep?”
“I have another job for you.”
I scoffed. “I’m already on a job, or did you forget?”
“This is different.”
“How?”
“I have a client—”
“No.” I held up my hand, my heart suddenly lodged in my throat. “We agreed. No more jobs like that.”
“It’s a very important client, Dahlia.”
I pulled my hand through my hair. “I don’t care. You promised me.”
“I know. But I need you to do this one last job for me.”
“No. Okay? No. Our agreement was—”
“I know exactly what our agreement was. But things changed.” He stepped out of the dark corner, and I knew by the look in his eyes I would have no choice in the matter.
I swallowed hard. “You promised, Glenn. You promised me this job with the Kings would be my last.”
With weary eyes, I watched as he walked closer, his shoulders broad and eyes determined. “Like I said, things changed. Now we all need to adapt.”
I bit my lip, my skin cold, yet sweat beaded at the back of my neck.
“Talking about the Kings,” he rubbed his hand across his chin, “I’m assuming you spent the night there, so I take it our plan is working.”
I nodded hesitantly. “Yeah. You were right.”
“About?”
“Onyx’s weak spot. He seems to have a thing for broken women.”
A smug grin spread on Glenn’s face. “He sure does. Out of all of the Kings, he’s the weak—”
“The one with the biggest heart,” I interrupted. “He’s not weak. In fact, I think he might be the strongest one of them all.”
Glenn narrowed his eyes, the grin still curving at the edges of his mouth. “Oh, dear. You’re not falling for the wild one, are you?”
“Of course not.”
“Good. Don’t be fooled by those fuckers. They’re part of the bad people.”
“Are they?”
He balked, and his eyes narrowed. “What?”
“Are they the bad people? Or are we?”
He held his arms wide open. “Where is all this coming from?”
I shrugged. “I’m just wondering.” I didn’t want to tell him what I heard, about what the Pythons did to one of the Kings’ girls. What my brother did to her.
Glenn lit a cigarette, his whiskey eyes etched on me. “What’s going on with you? Kings getting to your head?”
“No.” I didn’t hesitate to answer. “Things aren’t adding up, is all.”
He walked closer, reaching out and tapping a finger on my forehead. “Stop trying to figure out what’s one plus one, and just do as you’re told.”
My heart jackhammered against my ribs, palms sweaty and my head spinning in a thousand directions at once. I had never been afraid of him, right up until I walked into this room right now.
He stepped back, smiling. “Find out anything I should know?”
There was a lot
he probably needed to know, but it felt wrong sharing what I knew with him, like I was betraying Onyx—which was insane because my loyalty wasn’t with Onyx. It was with the man standing in front of me now. My loyalty had always been with him—after all, he earned it after what he did for me. He was my brother.
Then why did it feel so fucking wrong all of a sudden?
He pulled his lips in a thin line, lifting a brow as he scowled at me. “Dahlia?”
I had no choice. I had to tell him what I knew. I owed him that. This was why I made contact with the American Street Kings in the first place, why I pursued Onyx. He was the easy target because he had the biggest heart. He proved it with the deceased anorexic girl, as well as the kidnapped ballerina—the girl warming his brother’s bed. The girl who offered to make me goddamn pancakes.
I licked my lips, my mouth stone dry. “Nothing. Not yet.”
God, it felt like I was slowly being infected, something eating away at my flesh, my soul…my heart. What was happening to me? This wasn’t supposed to be this hard.
Get in, get some info, and get out. Then live your life like you always have. No complications.
I shifted from one foot to the other. I wanted him to leave before he had a chance to see right through me. See the turmoil I was in by doing my fucking job.
“Okay, well, keep your ear to the ground. I don’t want any fucking surprises.”
I swallowed on the lie, praying he wouldn’t see my deception.
“Now, I have a few things I need to do before our meeting tonight.” He looked me up and down. “Make sure you look your best.”
My heart sank to my feet. “Glenn, please don’t make me do this. I can’t—”
He rushed forward, grabbing my cheek, fingers digging into my skin. Wild eyes penetrated mine, his expression hard and merciless—as it always was. I couldn’t remember when I last saw kindness in his eyes. It had been too long, and I was starting to fear the darkness had already consumed him.