by Hart, Eve R.
“Like those sexy granny panties. Hot as hell,” he told me and then his face was buried between my thighs.
First of all, they weren’t granny panties. Yes, they were high-waisted briefs that covered pretty much everything on my bottom half. But they fit me perfectly and were lacy. Not. Granny. Panties.
I guess all that mattered was that he found it hot.
And that made me feel really damn sexy.
“Blade,” I moaned out, my hand going to the soft hair on the top of his head. I was a little disappointed that it wasn’t long enough for me to grab onto.
I was worried he was going to hurt himself.
I also didn’t care enough to stop him right now.
Because the way his tongue was delving into my pussy and lapping me up like he was savoring my taste was driving me insane.
I didn’t even have time to register how I wasn’t ready for this.
Which made me think that maybe I was ready and also wanted it.
His hands were on my inner thighs, pressing and holding them open. I was exposed for him to take.
And let me tell you, he was fucking taking.
He growled. Then his tongue was diving in and out of me. He was fucking me with it. I’d never felt anything like it and it was amazing.
“Don’t stop,” I found myself saying and tried not to get shocked out of the moment by it.
He didn’t listen, of course.
His mouth pulled away for a second before it moved higher, latching onto my swollen clit.
He sucked and nibbled and flicked that little bud, alternating between the three too quickly for my liking. I would get right there to the point where I felt I could come, and then he’d switch it up again. I had no doubt that he was doing it on purpose, drawing this out because he wanted to.
And before I knew it, my body was going wild. My hips were rocking against his face. My legs were shaking and pushing against his hold. My nails were raking down anything I could get ahold of.
“Fuck, Blade,” I screamed out. “Let me come!”
I felt him chuckle against my sex.
And that set me on fire.
My fingers dug into the back of his head and my hips jerked up, trapping him right where I wanted him.
“Make me come now,” I said through gritted teeth.
Wow. Um, I just have to tell you, that I’d never been like this during sex before.
I could only blame it on all the tension built up inside of me from the last few years. It had worked its way to the surface and chose this moment to release itself.
He sucked on my clit again at the same time he let out a low growl.
And that was it. I was done for.
A raw moan fell out of my mouth as I came. He didn’t stop, drawing out my orgasm to the point that it hurt and I was nearly too breathless to tell him.
But he pulled away before I became too sensitive to take any more. Somehow he just knew.
I felt his lips against my pussy like he was giving it one final kiss.
Damn if I didn’t hate it.
Well, he’d accomplished what he’d set out to do. I was now thoroughly relaxed and exhausted.
He made his way back up my body, slower than I would have thought. But eventually, he settled back beside me. Of course, his head went to my chest and his arm slung around my waist. He said nothing as he pulled me in closer to his body.
“Good?” he asked and I nearly busted out laughing.
And, yes, I knew he wasn’t asking if it was good. It was clear that he didn’t need any ego-boosting in that department. The man had to know he was amazing at that. It kind of made me wonder what else he’d be good at. But that would have to wait. I didn’t want the first time I gave myself to him to be like this. Even though I wasn’t all that torn up at what had happened earlier tonight, I still needed a little distance from it. Maybe I needed more time to feel ready, too.
“I’m good,” I answered him with a lazy, sated smile on my face.
My lids closed and surprisingly, nothing floated through my brain.
I drifted off quickly, feeling oddly safe and really fucking happy.
Something I hadn’t felt in a really long time.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Harley
The morning after was a little bit awkward.
There were many reasons for that.
I was sure the entire club knew what had gone down the night before. And it might have been in my head, but I felt like they blamed me. No one had said anything, of course, and they had been nice to me, but I still felt some sharp eyes aimed in my direction when we went down to eat breakfast.
That was fun— getting down the stairs, I mean. Blade should have been in bed resting but the stubborn asshole that he was, refused to take it easy. I suspected he wanted to show me off and that was the main reason he pushed himself so hard to get down the stairs. It was slow going, nearly taking ten minutes to get on the ground level. That was with Charming’s help, mind you— who I’d officially been introduced to right after he yelled at Blade for getting out of the bed.
I could see the brotherly connection between the two of them right away.
Then we ate breakfast in a room stuffed with his brothers, as he called them. I was nice to Abigail and once I knew the situation, I was able to see it for what it was. She loved Blade but she was clearly in love with Charming. They were really fucking adorable together.
Iron came and had a chat with us once we got back up to the room. Well, I think more so me than Blade this time.
My apartment was put back together somehow. I didn’t ask for details when Iron told me that simply because I was too shocked to do so. How the hell they did it that fast was beyond me.
I was just grateful that I didn’t have to explain shit to the girls when they got back later.
Iron and I came to an understanding. Mostly, he just wanted to make sure I was on the same page that he was. I wouldn’t go running to my uncle. I agreed but it didn’t sit easy with me only because I knew my uncle was wound tight with Jeffery running around loose. If he knew what happened then he wouldn’t have to worry anymore.
But for now, I’d follow Iron’s wishes because I was just so damn grateful for everything the club had done for me.
He left and I wasn’t really sure how to tell Blade I needed to get gone. I wanted to see my apartment just to make sure it really was put back together. And I needed to make sure everything was in place before the girls returned.
“Charming said he’d drive you back to your place,” he said and the look on his face was almost angry. “I’m not happy you gotta go, but I understand. Don’t want them worrying about you and all that shit.”
“Thank you,” I told him, and for some reason, I moved in to place a light kiss on his cheek.
“Want you back here soon,” he told me all flat and caveman-y.
I stared into his eyes and saw a flicker of something there. He might not have been able to show how much he cared, but there was a hint of it in his eyes.
I didn’t want to lie to him or lead him on, so I had no choice but to let him know how I was feeling.
“I need some time,” I told him with a look that said I wasn’t backing down. “I have to work tomorrow and make sure everything stays quiet. And besides, you need to rest. I have a feeling that if I’m here, you won’t get much of that.”
“That’s fair. Not gonna lie, I wanna fuck you real damn bad.”
I took that as a compliment because I was pretty sure that was how he meant it.
“Take my number,” he said and waited for me to pull out my phone before rattling off his digits. “I want you to call me. Tell me what’s going on in that head. And I’m only going to give you so long before I come hunting you down.”
I blinked at him. No, he wasn’t joking.
One thing at a time, I reminded myself.
First, I had to get home and make sure there was no damage control needed.
I flopped
down on the bed beside him. I wasn’t sure how to do this, how to say goodbye. I guess it really wasn’t goodbye but it was starting to feel awkward.
He snagged my wrist, pulled me closer, then kissed the hell out of me.
Have I mentioned how amazing his lips were?
I hadn’t really had a chance to just enjoy it like I was now. Every other time had been chaos. He was hard and soft at the same time, giving just enough to keep me pulled in and wanting more. It was clear he knew what the hell he was doing.
I didn’t let myself think about how he’d become so good at it.
I had a feeling if I did, I’d be going off again.
Because, whether I was ready to admit it or not, Blade was my man.
I pulled away and stared into his eyes. He didn’t speak, but he didn’t need to. I was really seeing all the things he felt right now.
Then I was walking out the door, Charming waiting just outside. I gave one final look at Blade to see he wasn’t happy about letting me go but he was doing his best to hold it back. He was giving me the freedom that I needed.
It was a short, quiet ride to my apartment.
I think Charming didn’t know what to say to me.
I was half-waiting for him to give me some kind of lecture about not fucking with his friend. It was like I could feel that kind of vibe coming off of him. But he remained quiet until the SUV was parked behind the shop.
“He’d probably deck me if he knew I said something to you,” Charming finally spoke right as I was reaching for the release handle on the door.
Keeping my hand there, I turned my head to look at him and waited for him to go on.
“He’s not the easiest to get to know,” he said, causing a snort to come out of me. “But he’s the best. A good person to have in your life. I’ve never seen him get tripped up by someone. Yes, women come and go in his life, I’m sure that’s not a shock to you. But he doesn’t see them. He doesn’t think about them beyond that moment. You, however, he’s stuck on you. He might not know how to say what’s really going on in his head, but if you listen, you’ll hear it.”
“So you’re telling me there’s some kind of code in all that grunting?” I asked jokingly because too much had happened and I couldn’t handle any more shit in my head.
I understood what he was saying, I’d pretty much figured most of it out by now. Still, the fact that his friend was trying here made me see even more. That Blade hadn’t been lying with the things he said to me and more than that, there was real meaning there.
Charming gave me a half-smile as if understanding that I needed to take it in and process one thing at a time.
“Just don’t give up on him, please,” he said right before I hopped out of the SUV.
I didn’t want to give up on Blade. I wanted more. I just wasn’t sure how I was going to deal with that. Or how long it would take me to come to grips with the fact that he might be the man for me.
Might be?
No, there was no doubt in my mind about it, and I was starting to see that.
“Oh, here’s the new keys. We replaced the door and had to get a new lock.” He handed over a ring that held two new keys and I plucked them out of his hand.
“Thanks for the ride,” I said with a smile before shutting the door.
I noticed how he waited until I unlocked my brand new door and stepped inside before driving away.
That one little thing told me a lot.
The men of that club weren’t bad. My uncle might have had his reasons not to trust or like them, but so far, they’d only shown me that they were there for one another. Not just the men of the club. All of them. The women were there just as much but they offered a softer kind of comfort.
Yeah, their methods of helping me out might not have been exactly legal, but it was effective. I’d never have to worry about Jeffery coming after me again.
I gasped loudly, my hands going to cover my mouth.
I’d never have to worry about Jeffery coming after me again.
That thought rang out in my mind over and over again.
And it was like it finally sank in that he was gone. That the fear had no reason to be there any longer and I could breathe.
With that still on my mind, I made my way to my bedroom.
It was strange to see it like it was and I wondered how they’d managed to put it back together in such a short time.
My eyes landed on the spot where my ex had taken his last breath. A small nick in the hardwood floor from the tip of Blade’s knife was the only indication that anything had happened there. The blood. The glass. The body. All of it gone.
I blinked and my mind began to play tricks on me. Suddenly, I could see it all like it was still there. With a shake of my head, I tried to rid the images as fast as possible.
I turned in a slow circle, my gaze drifting over everything around me. The room was whole again. Even the chunk of wall that had been bashed in was covered up. I mean, they had moved a picture to cover it up. I imagined they’d patched it but couldn’t match the rose-colored paint I had on such short notice.
So why didn’t I feel the same?
“Time,” I whispered out. “Give it time.”
And, well, that was all I really could do.
I don’t know how long I stood there in the middle of my bedroom, but it seemed like no time when the uproar of voices snapped me out of it.
My gals were back.
And by the looks of the light spilling in through the unbroken window, I knew they were here earlier than expected.
I ran to my door, pulling it open right as Darlene’s hand raised to knock.
“Hi!” I said with a big smile plastered across my face. Nothing to see here. “You’re back early.”
“Yeah,” Wade said as she pushed past me and sauntered into my living room. “It was fun but we were ready to get back. There’s a bar Didi keeps talking about and I figured tonight would be a good night to check it out.”
Sure, that was it.
I knew deep down they’d come rushing home to check on me. I hadn’t let Estelle know I wouldn’t be there and once she figured out I wasn’t, she probably panicked a little.
And speak of the Devil, Estelle had come back with them. Or right behind them rather because she was currently walking up the stairs, eyes set on me and the silent question of if I was okay swirling in them.
I nodded with a smile to set her at ease.
She hugged me once she got to the top.
“When they said you stayed behind because you had shit issues, I thought they meant they left you at the motel,” she whispered in my ear. “Didn’t realize until today they meant you stayed here.”
“Sorry,” I whispered back. “I’m fine though. Everything is good.”
She pulled back and studied me for a long moment.
“Is it?” she asked unblinkingly.
“It is,” I told her and swore I wouldn’t say anything else.
She must have got it because she patted me on the back as she gave me a firm nod.
“So,” I said turning to the girls standing in my living room. “This bar?”
“Wait,” Wade said, finger going up in the air as if telling the world to hold on a minute. “Are you thinking of going out with us?”
My head tilted to the side and my eyes cut up to the ceiling as if I was thinking about it.
Why shouldn’t I?
It was time to stop hiding.
I could stop hiding.
There wasn’t one single reason I could come up with for why I shouldn’t go out with them.
“Yes, but only if they serve food. My ass is hungry,” I told them and then laughed at Wade’s shocked, but happy, face.
Then Wade and Didi were smothering me in a tight, excited hug and I welcomed it.
Tomorrow, I could deal with all the shit I had up in my head.
Tonight, I was going to start enjoying this life because I was finally free.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Blade
I was pissed.
Pissed.
Charming was blocking the doorway and though I could have punched him out and walked over his unconscious body, I was pacing the empty space in my room like a caged beast.
Which, was sort of what was going on here.
I was trying to keep the beast caged. Contained. Inside.
And I was finding it really fucking hard to do that right now.
“Calm down, man,” Charming said and I could hear the uneasiness in his tone. “If you go to her, you can’t go like this.”
He was right, but fuck him right now.
“I told her shit, Charm. Made her understand that I wanted her here. I thought I made it real fuckin’ clear that she’s mine and now she’s pulling this shit.”
Every single word roared out of my mouth.
“Two fucking days and she hasn’t called me. Hasn’t come to see me. Hasn’t done shit about me.”
“I know, Blade,” Charming said. He was trying to calm me, I could hear it clear as day in his easygoing tone. I appreciated it, but it just wasn’t working.
“The fuck did I do wrong?” I asked in a frustrated growl.
“I don’t know. Maybe she’s not ready.”
“Fuck that!” I barked.
“Blade,” he said all patronizing-like.
“I’m going. You better move out of my way or I’ll go through you,” I warned, my feet planted and my body ready to snap.
“You’re going to scare her.”
“Yeah,” I said with a sarcastic huffed laugh. “I’m real fucking good at that.”
I gave her time. Gave her two damn days. I got that she had to go back to her place, decompress, let everything that happened that night really sink in, and then try her hardest not to let her girls see that something was wrong.
Two days should have been enough damn time.
She could have at least called me.
Sent me a text.
Some-fucking-thing to let me know she was okay. That she was still in this. That she wanted me.
But it had been fucking silence and I was done.
I’d never opened myself up to a woman like that before. Never had the urge to. I had come to accept that she was it for me. I’d stopped denying, stopped pushing it away, and laid it all out there. And what the fuck did I get back in return? Nothing. Not a single damn thing that told me what the hell was going on in her head.