No Apologies (Bomar Boys Book 2)

by Jess Bryant

  He gaped at that. No, nobody had told him she slapped Lincoln. And Jesus, what had she been thinking doing something like that? It was crazy. Nobody dared lash out at Lincoln but apparently his girl had and she’d not only lived to tell the tale but had gotten what she wanted out of him too.

  “She’s incredible. Strong and smart. Hell, after seeing her handle Lincoln I think I’m half in love with her.”

  He growled at that and Remy smirked.

  “Yeah, still possessive as hell.”

  “Was there a point other than telling me my girl is amazing?” He scowled at his brother.

  “Yeah, there was. She loves you and she wants to take care of you. We all know how truly rare that is in this world. So if it’s your pride that’s hurt because she had the money and you didn’t or if it’s just your subconscious telling you that you’re not good enough for her, get the fuck over it little brother.” Remy gave a sad smile, “You should’ve been protected from the start. Our parents let you down. I let you down. But she never has so don’t take it out on her.”

  Colt nodded because he knew he couldn’t argue. Skylar hadn’t deserved his anger. He’d always thought of her as his angel and she’d saved him when he couldn’t save himself. It hurt to hear some of what she’d said but that didn’t make it any less true.

  Even when he’d walked out of her apartment earlier he’d known that there was no way he would choose anything that made him lose her. He would need some time to wrap his head around her putting herself in danger but he would always choose her. He loved her.

  “Remy.” He cleared his throat, “I’m glad you came home.”

  “You’re just glad you’re not the most fucked up brother anymore.”

  “That too.” He chuckled because he was mostly thankful Remy could still joke after what he’d told them tonight, “Do you… Do you think you’re gonna stay in town?”

  Remy hesitated, “Do you want me to stay?”

  “Yes.” Cash answered immediately.

  “Yeah.” He agreed.

  “Then I’ll stay as long as you want me here.”

  Colt managed a small smile, “Then you better buy some furniture bro because I think that’s gonna be a good long while.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  It was late and Skylar couldn’t sleep. She’d been right. It felt all wrong being alone in her bed. And she hated that she’d fallen so hopelessly, so helplessly in love with a man that couldn’t admit he loved her in return because she was addicted to him now and he might never come back and hold her so that she could sleep ever again.

  Jemma had long since gone to bed, or rather back to Cash’s apartment to wait for him. Funny she’d started to think of it as Cash’s and not Cash and Colt’s. She tried to figure out exactly when that had happened. Probably around the same time she convinced herself that Colt would fall madly in love with her, move his things over here and make her apartment, their apartment instead.

  She’d never really considered herself a dreamer but there it was. Exhibit A. She might not be a princess. She might not need saving. But she damn sure wanted her happily ever after with her not quite charming bastard prince.

  Skylar paced her bedroom and when her mind insisted on playing her last conversation with Colt back on a loop, she knew that she couldn’t be still a moment longer. Cash had said that he would bring Colt home to her but since when was she the type to wait around for somebody else to do what she could do herself? They’d been gone for hours and she’d been sitting here like a useless princess in a tower instead of going out there and getting her man.

  She picked up her cell phone and hit the first button to call Jemma. It rang twice and a very sleepy voice finally came on the phone. She almost felt bad that she’d woken Jemma considering her best friend was pregnant but this was more important than a little beauty sleep.

  “Sky? What’s wrong?” Jemma asked groggily.

  “Is Cash back?”

  “Uh… no. Hold on.” There was the sound of rustling on the other end and she imagined Jemma sitting up and looking at a clock on a nightstand, “I was tired so I laid down for a bit. Is it really that late?”

  “Yeah.”

  “They’ve been gone a long time, huh?”

  “Yeah.” She grit her teeth, “You haven’t heard from Cash at all?”

  “I don’t think so. Hold on. Let me check.”

  Skylar rolled her eyes up at the ceiling and held her breath as she waited. That bad feeling was starting to coil in her guts again. It was the same bad feeling she’d gotten the night Colt was attacked. But before the bad feeling could take root and a dozen images of the twins lying hurt or worse could flash through her head, Jemma came back on the line.

  “There’s a text from him saying they’re at Remy’s and not to worry that he’d be home as soon as he could.”

  “Remy’s?” Skylar frowned, “I thought Remy was staying with Lincoln?”

  “He was but he moved out the other night.”

  “After he found out about Lincoln using Colt to fight for the family?”

  “Yeah.”

  Skylar softened even more towards the elder Bomar brother. She wasn’t entirely sure what Remy’s relationship with the twins was like these days but whenever they all got together next she was going to point out all of the good their older brother had done for them. Of course that only reminded her that she might never be part of a gathering between all of them again and she shook off the momentary distraction.

  She needed to find Colt.

  “Do you know where Remy moved to?”

  “Some old trailer out on the Bomar land I think.” The sleep was fading from Jemma’s voice fast, “Don’t even think about it Sky.”

  “What?”

  “It’s dark. We have no idea where that trailer is and it’s not safe to go wandering around Bomar property. You’re not going out there.”

  Jemma was right of course, on all counts. If Skylar went out there alone she might never find the trailer she hadn’t even known existed until a minute ago. And if she ran into Decker or any of the other Bomars doing God only knew what kind of illegal activity she just might end up shot like a trespasser.

  Even still she shook her head, “When did Cash send you that message?”

  “What?”

  “How long ago did he send it? Is it possible they’re still out there? It’s been hours, Jem. Hours. What if something happened to them?”

  “Sky, nothing is going to happen to them on their own land and before you mention it, even if Decker stumbled onto them, it’s three against one these days. They’re fine”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “And you don’t know either. Look, they probably got to talkin’ and lost track of time. They need to talk and fix their relationship with their brother. If they’re out there having a beer and relaxing then maybe the two of them together can talk Colt down from whatever he...” Jemma trailed off and Sky groaned.

  “Jem? Hello? Earth to Jemma?”

  “Hold on. Cash? Baby is that you?” Jemma called out and then there was a sharp gasp, “Sky, he’s home. He’s here but he looks like he’s been through hell. I’m gonna have to call you back.”

  The line went dead and Skylar cursed. Damnit what did that mean? Cash looked like hell as in he’d been in a fight? And was Colt with him?

  She was already heading to her closet to find a pair of shoes to go over there when the sound of a door slamming jerked her to attention. That was too close to have been next door. She whirled to face the open doorway of her bedroom and gasped as Colt came barreling through it at full speed.

  Her eyes skated over him and sure enough, just as Jemma had said Cash looked bad, so did Colt. Not beat up. Not bruised or bloody. But there was pain in his eyes and she didn’t hesitate, didn’t even think about stopping herself from opening her arms and letting him engulf her in his when he reached for her.

  Colt hugged her to his chest so tight it was hard to breathe but she
didn’t fight him. She wrapped her arms around him though she didn’t squeeze. She was trying to be mindful of his injuries but when he scooped her up, giving her no choice but to wrap her legs around his waist, she clung to him.

  His mouth was on hers a second later and she whimpered at the desperation in his kiss. Colt sealed his lips to hers. No teasing. No tongues or teeth. It was just a hard, solid kiss as if he needed to ground himself against her.

  “I’m sorry.” He whispered in a rough voice when he broke the kiss and trailed his mouth across her cheek and jaw, “I’m so, so sorry.”

  Her heart soared at the apology as much as the gentle way he brushed his lips over hers again and again. He held her so gently, so tenderly, that it was almost hard to believe this was the same man that had ordered her to her knees and slammed her into a table just days ago. He kept kissing her for a long moment and then he dropped down to sit on the edge of the bed, taking her with him so she was in his lap.

  “I’m sorry.”

  She framed his face between her hands and studied him intently, “For what?”

  “Everything.” Colt’s voice was ragged.

  “Colt…”

  “I’m sorry that I couldn’t be a better man for you before. I’m sorry that it took me so long to figure my shit out. I’m sorry that I made you doubt for even a second that I would ever choose anything or anyone over you.” He dropped his forehead to hers and whispered, “I’m sorry that I couldn’t find the words to tell you that I love you. Because I do, Sky. I love you so damn much it scares me. It always has. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I pushed you away. Because the people I love, they have a tendency not to love me back and I don’t think I could survive if you stop loving me.”

  Her heart, that shoddy, patched-up, wounded thing in her chest that pumped her blood for her, broke into a million pieces. Not just because he was apologizing for everything that he’d put them through. Not just because he had finally told her that he loved her. But because he was finally trusting her with his secrets, with the things he had never told anyone.

  “I do love you.”

  “Still? Even though I was an asshole?”

  The skeptical look on his handsome face made her smile, “You’re an asshole about fifty percent of the time. I’m used to it.”

  “What am I the other fifty percent?”

  “Perfect.”

  He snorted, “Moody is more like it.”

  “You are moody but I love that about you. Love that I never know which Colt I’m going to get. You keep me guessing and I like the excitement.”

  “Say it again. Please?”

  “I love you Colt.” She pressed her lips to his softly and punctuated her words with kiss after kiss, “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

  “I love you too.” He nipped her bottom lip with his teeth, “I’m sorry I ever made you doubt it.”

  “Another apology? Are you sure you’re my Bomar boy?”

  His lips twisted up into that megawatt smile that had first stolen her heart. It was perfection. All white teeth and boyish dimples on that hard, chiseled face. Mischievous and full of promises for dirty things, it was so Colt, so Bomar, that it was impossible not to smile in return.

  “Yes. I’m yours.”

  Her grin widened, “I like the sound of that.”

  “Good, because it means you’re mine too.” Colt slid a hand into her hair and then fisted the strands to hold her steady with just the smallest hint of pain, “Say it Skylar. Tell me you’re mine.”

  Heat flashed through her veins at the order and she squirmed on his lap. The devious man raised a knowing eyebrow. He knew exactly what he was doing. Knew exactly how to set her on fire. Knew he was the only one that could have ever gotten away with bossing her like this.

  “Say it.” He looped his free arm around her waist and hauled her up against his erection.

  “I’m yours.” She gasped.

  “Always.”

  “Always.” She parroted as he guided her hips into a rocking motion that had his jeans rubbing against the thin material of her pajama shorts in all the right places.

  “Forever.”

  “Forever.”

  “Let me make love to you.” He whispered against her ear. “I need to touch you, Sky. Every inch of you. I need to mark you and make you mine.”

  “I am yours.”

  “It’s been too damn long since I was inside you.” His hips bucked up and she whimpered as the move pressed his erection against her, “You’ve missed it too haven’t you, angel?”

  She was becoming mindless with the pleasure. Colt’s rough voice skated over her nerve endings. Her skin tingled everywhere he touched her. And she was so close just from this, from his words of love and his demands, that she could only nod as her hips found the rhythm and rocked against him.

  “Say it. I need to hear you say it.”

  “I… I need you inside me. I need to feel… us. I… Ahhh.” She moaned as he jerked her tank top over her head in one swift motion and exposed her breasts, “Oh God, Colt. I’m close already. Touch me. Please.”

  “Not until you say it.” He traced a rough finger against the curve of her breast and caused her to shudder, “Finish what you were saying, Sky.”

  “I feel empty without you. I… You make me whole.”

  He groaned and pressed his mouth to her neck, “I know, angel. I know. Me too.”

  Skylar arched into his touch as he trailed his hot mouth over her skin. She pressed her breasts against him and he nipped at the sensitive skin with his teeth. When she cried out he latched onto her nipple and sucked hard. She went soaring as the first waves of an orgasm crested through her body and her hips bucked against his erection.

  He released her breasts with a groan, “Fuck that was hot but it only makes me want inside you more.”

  Half woozy from her sudden release, she was little help to him as he stood her up and stripped her out of her pajama shorts and panties. He kept one had on her at all times, holding her up, and somehow managed to strip off his own clothes as well in record time. She half expected him to throw her to the mattress and take her hard but when he dragged his shirt over his head and dropped it to the ground she became conscious enough to remember why this was a bad idea.

  “Oh, baby…” She gently reached forward and traced the multiple cuts and bruises that marred his broad chest.

  There for just a minute or two, as she was writhing against him mindlessly, she’d forgotten that this was what had nearly torn them apart. He was still hurt. There were bandages covering the worst of the damage but it was still enough of a mess that she could see the blue and green bruises even through his tattoos.

  Colt caught her hand and pulled it to his shoulder, “Don’t tell me that we can’t do this. We can and we will. I need you.”

  “But…”

  “I need you, Skylar.” His blue eyes met her with determination and purpose, “I trust that you won’t hurt me. Just ride me and go slow. I need to feel you and being inside you is so damn good, I won’t feel any pain. Promise. Make love to me, angel.”

  She bit her lip to stop it from trembling. How was she supposed to refuse him when he said things like that? From dirty and demanding to soft and sweet in the blink of an eye. That was Colt. That was her Bomar boy. And as if his words of love weren’t enough, he’d also said he trusted her.

  “You’re sure?” She hesitated.

  He nodded, “More sure than I’ve ever been about anything.”

  “You tell me if I do something that hurts you and we’ll stop.”

  “We’re not going to stop.” His lips twitched upwards as he pulled her onto his lap, “Ever.”

  Concentrating on being careful was hard to do when he pinched her nipples and bit her ear but she tried. She straddled him and positioned him against her. He held her hips, guiding her down, and she was careful to keep her arms around his neck so as not to squeeze his ribs.

  “Ah, God…” Colt groaned as she slo
wly slid down, taking him inside her inch by torturous inch, “You’re heaven.”

  She pressed kisses to his jaw as she worked her body up and down in small rolling motions. She couldn’t contain her sigh of pleasure every time she impaled herself on his erection and took him as far as she could into her body. It felt so right being with him like this. It didn’t matter how they came together. Fast or slow, soft or rough, it was always like this between them. They just fit.

  His hands tightened on her hips, “Harder.”

  “Can’t.” She gasped when he dropped a hand between them and found her clit, “Don’t want to hurt you.”

  “This is hurting me. Holding back.” He mimicked her words on a groan, “I need more. Everything. I can’t hold back with you. Not anymore.”

  Her own body was aching to increase the pace so she trusted him to know what he could handle and gripped him a little tighter as she raised her hips and then dropped down hard and fast. They both groaned. He ordered her to do it again so she did. Then again, and again, until they were both mindless and grinding their bodies together, desperately searching for release and clinging to each other.

  “Love you.” Colt bit into her shoulder, “Love you so much.”

  Skylar moaned when he sucked her skin hard enough to bruise. He was marking her again and her body and her heart both reacted to the thought of her skin bearing a more permanent mark. Maybe someday he’d brand his name on her body the same way he’d branded her heart. She could already envision the dark twisting lines he would choose for the letters that would lovingly wrap her skin and the idea sparked a similar image of Colt’s beautiful body displaying her name as well. Just the idea of it along with the feel of him wrapped around her, pounding into her, joining them together, had her second orgasm crashing through her body.

  “Colt!” She cried out his name as her body shuddered under the force of the release and she heard him groan.