Holding himself over me he pulled his lips from mine and stared down at me, his thumb caressing my cheek and tracing my lower lip. “I was so worried about you. All I could think about was getting back here to protect you.”
I felt the trembling of tears… again. I’d never cried so much in my life as I had while I was here. How much could a person possibly cry in the span of a few weeks anyhow? If there was a limit I swore I was getting close to hitting it. The extremes of intense emotions I’d been experiencing over the past few weeks – fear, humiliation, anger, guilt, but also gratitude and affection – kept me on edge nearly every moment of every day. My emotions were a volatile rollercoaster that threatened to derail at any moment, but thanks to Lance I remained tethered to the tracks.
I laughed softly. “You’re going to make me cry again.”
Lance smiled as he brushed a strand of hair from my face. “I’m not sure how I feel about you beginning to cry minutes before I remove your clothing and use my lips to explore every inch of your stunning body.”
Laughing outright, I slipped my arms around his neck and pulled him down to me, brushing my lips along the side of his neck. He groaned and his body tensed, his shaft beginning to form an erection against my pelvis. I wiggled under him as an ache began to develop between my legs, demanding I feel more of him.
“Being here with you gone was some of the worst days of my life,” I whispered, my lips grazing his earlobe.
He groaned again and pulled up, ghosting his lips across mine. “You’ll never have to worry about me leaving you again.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” I teased, nipping his lower lip and sucking it between my lips before releasing him.
“I never make promises I can’t keep.” His voice was so sure and so convincing I froze under him. When I looked up into his eyes, I knew it was true. How he planned on keeping that promise I didn’t know, but as his lips crashed down onto mine and a hand slipped under the t-shirt he’d given me to cover my breast all thought escaped me and I became a slave to the sensations rushing through me.
Lance palmed my left breast, pinching the nipple until it was a tight pebble, sending little jolts of pleasure through me, increasing my need. My hands grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and began to push it up his body.
Removing his lips from mine, he sat back on his heels, grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up and over his head, tossing it to the floor. He was about to stretch out over me again, but I placed the palm of my hand on his chest, stopping him.
“What’s wrong?” Lance asked, giving me a quizzical look.
Propping myself up with one arm so I could get a better look at him, I began to trace the lines of muscle, my eyes feasting on his body. “I’ve never seen someone built so well before,” I whispered more to myself than to him. “It’s like those marble statues at the museum.”
A hoot of laughter escaped him. “Statues, huh?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Like those Greek gods. Amazing.” He didn’t respond, but continued to look down at me. The heat in his gaze challenged my curiosity and need to explore his body.
My index finger circled a small round scar on his lower right side. “What’s that from?”
“I was shot.”
My eyes lifted to meet his. “Ohmygod. When? What happened?”
“About a year ago. I had a little tussle with someone who didn’t like a deal I was setting up.”
“So they shot you?”
“Pretty much.” He said it so carelessly, as if people got shot every day and it was no big deal.
“Rather extreme if you ask me.”
“I deal with a lot of extreme people, baby.” Our gazes locked and I hoped he’d elaborate – he didn’t and I didn’t want to push him. I was confident he’d tell me when he was ready.
I noticed his erection was rock solid and straining against his jeans; no doubt it was testing every bit of resolve he had to keep from devouring me like I knew he wanted to. I was tempted to finish my exploration later, but then I noticed two more round scars similar to the one at his side, those two near his right shoulder.
“Also bullet wounds?”
“Yes.”
“Can I ask you a question?” It was something that had been nagging at me since I’d pointed the gun at him.
A soft, sexy smirk curled the corners of his lips. “I suspect even if I said no you’d ask anyhow.”
“Have you really killed people?”
His smile faded as he slowly nodded his head. It should have scared me and maybe it was wishful thinking, but I felt in my heart of hearts that each life he took had a reason behind it.
“How many people?”
Lance’s expression turned to the blank slate it normally did when my questions entered a taboo conversational area. “More than I would have liked.”
My eyes lowered from his and went back to watching my finger travel the hard lines of his abdominal muscles. “Did they deserve it?”
“I wouldn’t have killed them if they hadn’t.”
“Do you feel bad about it?”
“No.” His voice was so cold and disconnected that my gaze jerked back up to meet his and I knew it was true. He had no remorse for the people he’d killed. I wished I could understand him. He wasn’t devoid of emotions as much as I knew he attempted to keep them locked away. I felt his caring and affection. But it seemed like he had a way of switching the emotions off when needed.
“How can you do it?”
He cocked his head to the side, eyeing me. “Do what?”
“Shut down and not feel.” I sat up completely and placed a line of kisses along his collarbone. “I know you have feelings for me, I see it when you look at me, but there’s times when you just…”
He hooked his index finger under my chin, lifting my gaze. “There’s a time and place for emotion Gwen. Three years is a long time not to allow myself to feel anything, but it’s necessary in this environment. It’s dangerous caring for you, but the feelings you’ve roused in me are intense and addicting; I doubt I could shut them off if I wanted to. You’re more addicting than crack to me.”
My breath hitched in my throat as I saw the rawness of the emotion in his eyes. I’d never had anyone look at me in such a way, like I was the most precious and prized thing in his life – maybe I was. He’d kill for me. He’d risk everything for me, even his life. I knew this without a doubt. The realization both scared and excited me, and made my heart feel like it was going to explode through my chest. It was at that moment that I knew, regardless of whether we were here or in the world outside of these walls, I couldn’t live without him.
This relationship was fucked up and maybe it was toxic, the feelings flowing between us amplified by intense circumstances. I was drowning in him and didn’t want to be saved.
“I love you.” The words flew effortlessly from my lips, before I could stop them.
His lips parted and then snapped shut again. His eyes searched mine, scrutinizing every inch of my face. “Don’t say it if you don’t mean it Gwen.”
“I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.” The silence that overtook the room was deafening.
I closed my eyes and cursed myself for opening my big mouth. Why did I keep doing such dumb shit?
“Stand up.” Getting up from the sofa, he extended his hand. Opening my eyes, I took his hand and allowed him to pull me to my feet. Once up he undid his jeans and let them drop to the floor, then kicked them off and to the side; his boxer briefs came next. “Hands above your head.”
I slowly raised my hands above my head, my eyes glued to his, hoping to get an indication of what he was thinking. Once again he was unreadable.
Grabbing the bottom of my borrowed t-shirt he pulled it up and over my head, tossing it onto the growing heap of clothing on the floor next to us. Hooking his thumbs into the waistband of the boxers he tugged them down so they puddled at my feet, leaving me naked before him.
Reaching out, Lan
ce’s hand grasped my neck, squeezing gently. Any normal woman, under normal circumstances, may have been frightened at the look of possession that became etched in his expression and flared in his eyes, but I wasn’t. In fact, I was feeling just the opposite; my pussy began to throb and wetness pooled uncomfortably between my legs.
I let out a ragged breath, flattening my palms on his broad chest, but not pushing him away. “I’m yours, Master,” I whispered.
“I’m not your master, love. How can I be your master when your control over me is so strong I’d give anything and everything for you?”
I didn’t have a chance to answer as his lips came crashing down on mine, as his hands slipped to the back of my thighs and he lifted me up onto his hips. As I wrapped my legs around his waist, I remembered his injured rib, but it didn’t seem to affect him as he strode across the living room, taking me into the bedroom.
Once we reached the bed, we went tumbling onto it, his body over mine. As my back hit the mattress I wiggled under him. His cock was rock solid and taunting me, sliding back and forth between my wet pussy lips. I needed him in me.
“Soon,” he said. His voice was so laced with desire I trembled. Soon wasn’t quick enough – I needed him now.
Standing up, he towered over me as I laid on the bed, staring up at him with bright, lust-filled blue eyes. Grabbing my ankles he flipped me over, grabbed my hips and pulled me to the foot of the bed, positioning me on all fours before him.
Slipping two fingers into my slit he stroked me from my tight back entrance to my clit and back again. I groaned and lowered my chest to the mattress, presenting myself to him, hoping to entice him and end my wait.
“So beautifully wet,” he said, as two fingers slipped into my needy core.
Moaning softly, I started to rock back and forth, fucking his fingers. “Yes. Always for you.” I could barely believe how wanton this man made me.
“Mmmm. Nice.” As his fingers fucked me, stroking my inner wall, his free hand began to work my clit, pinching it between his fingertips and sending waves of pleasure and need through me. My moans grew louder and more frequent as I rode his fingers faster and harder.
“I need your cock. Oh Lance, please.” Despite my plea the desire within me continued to burn, burning hotter and more intense by the second. My fingers fisted the sheet under me as I came closer and closer. Just when my body was about to explode Lance removed his fingers from me.
I groaned my frustration as I looked over my shoulder at him and caught his gaze as he licked my juices from his fingertips. “Dammit Lance. Please. I need to come so bad.”
“Patience, pet.” His voice was satiny smooth, sending a shiver down my spine.
“I can’t wait.”
“You can.”
Leaning over me, he kissed my back, between my shoulder blades. His lips proceeded to leave a string of kisses down my spine until he reached my lower back. When he fell to his knees behind me, spread my ass cheeks and ran his tongue along the length of my slit I groaned out my frustration. He licked the length of me a second time, and when he sucked each of my labia between his lips I nearly came undone.
When his tongue thrust into me I buried my face into the blanket and endured the sweet torture, rocking back against his mouth and probing tongue. Time seemed to stand still as I rapidly climbed the summit of my desire until I was teetering on the edge. The second his fingers began to stroke my clit in time with his tongue’s thrusts I came undone. I screamed out as I hit my climax, my pussy convulsing around his tongue as I buried my face into the blankets to muffle the sound.
I let out a ragged sigh with a wide grin on my lips as he lapped up my nectar, giving my clit a little tease with the tip of his tongue before straightening up behind me. I sighed again, needing a minute to relax and bask in my orgasm, but he wasn’t giving me even a moment as his cock immediately replaced his tongue and he slammed into me violently, stretching my barely used pussy to maximum capacity. I groaned as my chest was pushed back into the mattress. His thrusts came hard and fast; each time I tried to raise my chest from the mattress to look back at him the power of his thrust forced me back down.
“Damn, your pussy is so addicting. Only mine.”
Eventually I gave up trying to get onto all fours, closed my eyes and concentrated on the feel of him. His cock fit so well – nice and snug, as if I were made for only him. His groans were like erotic music to my ears, arousing me almost as much as the feel of the head of his cock stroking my inner wall.
“You’re so tight, beautifully tight. Fucking amazing.” His growl was so deep and feral, as if he were holding himself back.
“Don’t hold back,” I groaned, “I need it.”
I began to move with him, rocking back and forth, meeting each of his thrusts. Our bodies quickly became one, moving and rocking in perfect sync, gaining in speed and force until the waves of pleasure seemed to become one and I was thrown into a state of mind-numbing anticipation and bliss.
Just when I was about to explode over his cock, he suddenly pulled out.
“What?” I pushed myself up onto my elbows and was about to look back at him, when he grabbed my waist and flipped me over to my back. Pulling my bottom to the edge of the bed, he slipped my legs over his shoulders so my bottom was suspended in the air and my opening was aligned with the head of his erection.
“I want to watch you come,” he explained, slamming into me.
He didn’t have to wait long; his single forceful thrust sent me spiralling over the edge. Closing my eyes I cried out, fisting the blanket under me, and bucked against him as my core exploded over his shaft.
“Open your eyes.” His command made my eyes spring open and I looked up into his blue depths as my body trembled. The hunger was so intense in his eyes that I was sent into a second orgasm.
He groaned with me as he began to thrust into me with such speed and force I couldn’t do anything but lie there and enjoy the ride, watching his cock disappear and reappear within me. I became mesmerized watching him as our bodies united. By the time his cock throbbed in me, his balls tightening against my bottom and he let out a final loud groan as he shot his seed deep within me, I was completely spent.
“My God, I never imagined it could be this good,” I purred, a wide smile spread across my lips at the feel of pressure within me as he filled me with his cum.
Lance lowered my legs from his shoulders, grabbed my hand and pulled me into a sitting position as he dislodged himself from me. “Neither could I. You have no idea how much I fucking love that I’m the only man who will ever be in you.”
Under different circumstances I may have given consideration to his word choice, but when he lowered his lips to mine all thought was lost and primal need, once again, took over.
Chapter 18
I was awakened by the sound of voices arguing in the other room. Reacting on instinct I hunkered down under the blanket, but perked my ears up, listening to the argument. I immediately recognized the two voices, Lance and The Boss.
The Boss: What were you thinking stringing Connor up in the dungeon? Didn’t you consider how that undermines the authority of my men in the eyes of the slaves?
Lance: I don’t give a shit how they view him. There were strict orders – orders put out by you, by the way – that she wasn’t to be touched while I was gone. She’s mine and she’s off limits. He chose to ignore your orders and needed to be taught a lesson.
The Boss: It isn’t up to you to discipline my men; that’s my job and on my orders only, how dare you take it upon yourself!
Lance: I dare because apparently Connor doesn’t listen to your orders. Besides, the fucker deserved it. She’s my property and nobody touches what’s mine. It was only out of respect to you that I didn’t put a bullet into his skull.
The Boss: Speaking of the girl, what is she doing up here?
Lance: She’s not going back down, Father. I tried it your way and Connor proved even with all the other girls to choose from that
he can’t be trusted. She stays here. Besides, considering the amount of money I just made for this organization, and the position I carry within it, I would think a little courtesy on the matter is in order.
The Boss: I’ll admit, I’m impressed by the deal you brokered. Three million is certainly a good number, more than I expected, but that’s beside the point.
Lance: Damn right it is. There’s no way any of those idiots could have arranged such a transaction and we both know it. The slaves aren’t the main source of income, they’re your fucking hobby and amusement for the buyers more than anything. They’re insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
The Boss: It’s all income and all piece of the same pie, and you know it’s what separates us from the rest of the pack.
Lance laughed, a cold and distant sound that sent a chill through me: one-stop shopping for death and debauchery.
The Boss: Don’t be smart. To get back the matter of the girl. I don’t want the slaves wandering the house and compound. You know that’s not acceptable and a rule that I will not sway on regardless of how many deals you broker.
Lance: I assure you she won’t be leaving the room.
The Boss huffed: And what’s stopping her from slitting your throat in your sleep?
Lance: She won’t.
The Boss laughed: And how do you know that, you’ve only had her under your care for a few weeks, hardly enough time to properly train her.
Lance: You’re wrong. She’s trained. Beautifully trained. Perhaps not for any handler, but as far as I’m concerned she knows her place. She wouldn’t even attempt it.
The Boss: That’s a cocky statement, son.
Lance: As I’ve told you in the past, excessive violence isn’t necessary to create the perfect submissive. If you’d followed my advice on the hard ones from the beginning then there would have been far less waste of beautiful, sellable women. The training needs to be adjusted based on the temperament and disposition of the slaves. All I had to do was show her a little affection and let her think I gave a damn about her well-being and she was putty in my hands.
Bad & Bold - A 7 Book Bad Boy Romance Collection! Page 89