Falling Away

by Penelope Douglas

  “It’s deeper.”

  I bobbed faster, my breasts bouncing against his chest as I let my head fall back.

  “Damn, look at you,” he mused, and I grabbed his face, covering his sweet lips with mine.

  But I needed more. More contact.

  I started rolling my hips into him, feeling his length massage my insides, making me groan as I withdrew, reveling in the skin on skin.

  I whimpered thoughfully. “I like this,” I taunted. “I’ll have to ride you more.”

  His eyes closed, his head fell back, and his white teeth peeked out with his little smile. “Now, that was a mistake.”

  And I yelped when he wrapped his arms around me and shot off the chair—surprisingly easy since he was carrying an extra hundred twenty pounds—and he stomped to the bed, dumping me on my ass.

  “Jax! What …?” I trailed off, confused.

  His devilish grin pinned me for two seconds before he hooked my knees, yanked me down to the end of the bed, and flipped me over.

  “Jax!” And I gasped as his cock crowned my entrance and his shadow loomed over me.

  Oh, shit. My muscles clenched, and I could feel the warmth pouring out of me. “I’ll never hurt you,” he whispered in my ear. “But you’ll ride me when I say you can ride me.”

  And he pushed into me, sinking deep and fucking fast.

  “Oh, Jax,” I moaned, the thick heat of him filling me, giving me what I needed.

  He pumped his hips, going rough and fast, spearing me, and all I could do was sit there and take it.

  Or not. I turned out one knee and planted my hands on the bed, arching up.

  “Damn, Juliet,” Jax grunted, driving into me. “You feel so good.”

  The orgasm was starting to rock my insides, and I just held on, loving the feel of his fist gripping my hair.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, my sex tightening and then slowly exploding in waves. “Oh,” I cried out. “Oh, God!”

  And I let it go, feeling Jax’s arms wrap around me, holding me as I shook.

  “Juliet …” He fell apart, jerking into me and breathing hard on my neck. “Only ever you.”

  CHAPTER 22

  JAXON

  I grip my arms tight, huddling in a ball and squeezing my eyes shut so hard tears seep through the lids. The blasts of cold air cut into my ears as the fans blow around my face.

  I’m in a freezer.

  A deep freezer in my dad’s house, and this isn’t the first time.

  “Please.” I can only whisper, my teeth chatter so hard. “Let me out.”

  How long have I been in here? It feels like an hour, but I don’t think it’s been that long. I can still hear my father yelling at Jared outside in the kitchen. Oh, God, it hurts! I rock back and forth.

  He’d hit our father. That’s why I’m in here.

  Jared knows how I’m being hurt, and he’s mad. He lunged for our father as he sat on the couch, and it took them no time to get him under control. I don’t even want to think about what they’re doing to him out there. Jared’s angry about what our father makes us do, he’s mad about what happens to me, and I saw my father bring out the belt to punish him. I’m scared.

  My brother. He tried to protect me.

  The cold air burns my nose, so I inhale through my mouth and feel my lungs fill with ice. I cough, gasping in shallow breaths.

  Reaching up, I press my hand against the lid and push harder and harder, the muscles in my arm stretching and aching as I hunch over and cough. It hurts to breathe, my ears sting like a million needles, and I’m shaking with the frozen air on my skin.

  “Please,” I cry. “Please!”

  Two thuds pound on the lid, and I try to open my eyes to see if they’ve opened it. “Dad?” I quaver.

  But my eyes open, and the freezer is still black. No light.

  I shake my head, my long hair coated with frost. “Please, please, please!” I scream, my throat hoarse from the roar.

  “Please!” I scream, clasping my hands over my frigid ears. Burning, aching, air …

  “Please!” I shout again. “Jared! Jared, please!”

  My body shakes with the cry, the wail coming from much deeper than my stomach. It’s sick, like an animal’s. “Please!”

  I thrash, throwing my arms against the walls of the freezer, slamming and jabbing my fists again and again and again. “Let me out!” I roar, pounding the walls left, right, left, right, again, and again. “Let me out!”

  Light brightens the inside of my cage, and I clench my fists and grit my teeth. Down, down, down, the rage sinks back down my throat, swirling in my stomach.

  I look up, eyes burning with fury.

  My father’s girlfriend and his friend peer down at me, smiling at what they, no doubt, have planned.

  Sherilynn reaches down and caresses my hair, and I let her. Strangely, it doesn’t scare me. She doesn’t scare me.

  Why don’t they scare me?

  Gordon licks his lips. “Basement, Jax,” he orders.

  I nod.

  I know what’s going to happen. As if there’s no other choice.

  It felt like that at the time. There was no choice. No other way for me to survive. It was as if a curtain had fallen in my brain, signaling that the show was now over. I didn’t descend those stairs to the basement knowing what would happen. I simply knew what I wasn’t going to let happen.

  With every muscle in my body, I knew it would never happen again.

  I looked over at Juliet, making no sound as she slept beside me. The room was black, but with the glow of the alarm clock, I could make out her form. Legs curled and lying to one side. Back flat on the mattress with her head facing me. Her arms bent at the elbows and hands resting on her stomach.

  And my heart firmly lodged in my throat.

  I let out a sigh and ran my hands through my hair. Why had I chased her?

  I knew it was going to be like this, after all. I knew once I got under her attitude, I would find someone who was my match and drove me crazy. I’d cut my hair, stepped foot in an Abercrombie & Fitch, and made love for the first time. All in one day.

  She was breaking my routine. The routine that kept me safe.

  I swallowed, looking over at her sweet, peaceful form again. There was simply no choice. I had to have her.

  Leaning over, I ran my fingers down her hair, kissed her forehead, her nose, and then her lips.

  My dick jerked, but I ignored it. We’d gone through four condoms already. She was the first thing I was going to want in the morning, so I let her rest.

  I got out of bed, dug some black lounge pants out of the dresser, and slipped them on, before grabbing my spare keys off the dresser.

  Leaving the room as quietly as possible, I unlocked my office door and tossed the keys on the worktable, rounding the room as I switched on all the monitors. I tipped my head left and then right, cracking the tension out of my neck.

  I was behind.

  E-mails were backed up, people wanting to sponsor operations at the Loop, not to mention communications about lacrosse, and favors I’d guaranteed to this person and that for shit I didn’t feel I had time to do now.

  Things I did have time to do until recently.

  I plopped my ass down in the chair, watching light slowly hit all the surfaces of the room as the monitors sparked to life.

  And all of a sudden, I wasn’t interested in any of it. I sat back, running my finger over my lips, trying to work up the gumption to get back to business. To get caught up. But all I kept thinking about was Juliet, curled up in my sheets, always warm for me, and I let my head fall back as I nudged my cock back down.

  “Shit,” I breathed out, my heart jacking up again as I stared at the ceiling.

  I wanted to go to her, but I had things to do.

  “Jax?”

  I jerked up, seeing Juliet standing in the doorway.

  A smile played at the corner of my lips. She looked like a damn meal.

  Her hair was knot
ted up, falling in her face and down her shoulders. Her naked body looked smooth and tan. And her face was sleepy, eyes barely open. Completely fuckable.

  “I’m here.” I held out my hand, and she started walking in as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

  “Sorry.” She yawned. “I just didn’t know where you were. You have work to do?” she mumbled.

  “Yeah.” But I took her by the waist and guided her legs around me, bringing her down to straddle me.

  Her head immediately fell to my shoulder—she had to be exhausted and still half-asleep.

  Her arms circled my neck, and I smiled at her peaceful little moan.

  “Didn’t mean to disturb you,” she mumbled sweetly into my neck. “Your cell phone was ringing in the bedroom.”

  I ran my hands down her side, the taste of her skin already in my mouth as I breathed her in. “Oh, yeah,” I responded, not giving a shit about my phone.

  Her head nudged mine as she nodded sleepily. My hands drifted down to her smooth bottom, and I closed my eyes, feeling her slowly start to grind on my cock.

  Her head stayed buried in my neck, almost as if she’d fallen asleep. But those little whimpers were vibrating out of her lips onto my skin, and I gripped her hips, pulling her closer …

  “What are doing to me, girl?” I dragged my lips, keeping it soft and gentle, against her shoulder, feeling her grinding grow more urgent.

  She reached her hand down, into my pants, and pulled my cock free, running her fingers up and down it.

  I reached over and grabbed a condom out of the desk drawer, and watched—amazed—as she leaned back, slipped it on me with her eyes still looking sleepy, and slid me right into her hot and tight little body.

  Her head fell back, and she moaned, placing her hands on my shoulders for support.

  She was soft but fast, bobbing up and down on my cock, driving me nuts how she never broke pace or had to slow down. She never opened her eyes, and her sweet little moans filled the room, almost as if she were having a nice wet dream. I palmed her breasts, scooting down in the seat so I could see her better, and damn, I loved everything I was seeing. I could watch her all day.

  She was using my body, and I didn’t care.

  I didn’t care that she was in charge.

  I didn’t care that she was riding me as if I was there to service her.

  I didn’t care.

  She came in here as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and thank God for that. She liked sex.

  The smooth, flawless curves of her breasts stood proud right before me, nipples hard as my cock, and as she started to come, I took one in my mouth.

  She cried out, bringing up her knees as she spasmed.

  I held on tight, feeling her come apart and closing my eyes, because I loved it so much. Every shake, every shiver, every whimper was mine.

  My bed was hers. My T-shirts were hers. My house was hers. My dick was hers.

  I squeezed my arms around her, breathing into her neck. And this was mine.

  Her pussy pulsed, tightening around me as she shook through the rest of it.

  I finally leaned back, taking control as she went limp, and I pulled her hips into me, grinding harder and harder until I felt every muscle in my body burning. I reached down, pulling myself out, ripping the condom off, and spilling onto her stomach, baring my teeth as I breathed hard.

  Her stomach moved with her breaths and I looked up into her eyes that were now open, hoping she wasn’t put off. I kept having to remind myself that she wasn’t that experienced. Everything we did might be the first time she’d done it.

  But she smiled and leaned her head in to kiss me. “I’d say you dirtied me up, Mr. Trent.” She laughed against my mouth, and I nibbled her lip.

  “Happy now?” she asked.

  “Not nearly.”

  Her face lit up, and she shook her head, climbing off me. “You had a phone call,” she reminded me. “When you’re done, come back to bed.”

  She walked off to the bathroom, and I got up, grabbing some tissues from the box and cleaning myself up before heading back to the bedroom.

  My body felt loose again. The release helped. I might actually be able to get some work down now as long as she didn’t mind me waking her up in another two hours for round six.

  Snatching my pants from earlier off the bedroom floor, I dug my phone out of my pocket and looked through the missed calls.

  Three. All from a number I recognized.

  Dialing back, I waited for him to answer.

  “Jax?” Corvin, my police officer contact at the prison, answered.

  “What do you got?” I asked.

  “Sorry, man. I called as soon as I heard. Judge approved your father’s release. Tomorrow. Noon.”

  I crossed the room, slamming the door shut. “Tomorrow!” I seethed, gritting my teeth. “That’s not the notice I paid for.”

  “I called as soon as I heard,” he maintained. “This is your last chance. Ciaran already said it’s taken care of if you want to—”

  “Fuck you.” And I hung up, slamming my hands down on the dresser and bowing my head into my arm.

  I closed my eyes. Shit.

  I was supposed to have more notice. That was what I paid him for, for Christ’s sake!

  Corvin was Ciaran’s man on the inside, and when I’d started working for Fallon’s father a year ago, I made him my contact as well. Through him, I knew my father had been speaking to lawyers, turning on old contacts, and working out a deal. This had been happening for a while, and even though I expected the inevitable, I also expected more than twelve hours to prepare myself.

  “Noon,” I whispered, sweat already coating my forehead.

  He was going to be free. Three years early when he should’ve been put down, not let go.

  For six years I’d known exactly where he slept and ate. Somewhere where he wasn’t a threat to me. And now, in a matter of hours, I would have no idea if he was a hundred miles away or right outside the window.

  I heard the soft spray of the shower running, and my head filled with dread.

  Juliet.

  My Juliet.

  I dialed Jared.

  “It’s late. What’s up?” he answered.

  I stood up straight, clearing my throat. “Meet me in the backyard. We have to talk.”

  “Wh—”

  And I hung up.

  “Stop fucking hanging up on me!” Jared whisper-yelled, walking out the back door of Tate’s house and zipping up his jeans. “You’re always doing that, and it pisses me off.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, I’ll pencil in time to cry about that later, Princess.”

  I walked through the garden door, meeting him before he’d even stepped off her back porch.

  “Yeah.” He barked out a laugh. “I’m not the pretty one who now shops at the mall. Nice haircut,” he jabbed.

  “Nice buzz cut,” I shot back, teasing. “You trading in the Boss for a minivan next?”

  He dropped his head back, sighing. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to keep the smile off my face.

  My brother and I had always gotten along before we lived in the same house. Since then, you could mistake us for five-year-old girls.

  We argued, constantly challenged each other, and neither backed down in a difference of opinion. The shit was getting thicker, too, and it was going to get worse before it got better.

  There can’t be two alphas in the pack, after all.

  He looked at me, annoyance written all over his face as he put his hands on his hips. “So, what do you want?”

  I tipped my chin up, getting serious again. “I have a contact at the prison. Just got a call from them,” I said. “He’s being released tomorrow at noon.”

  His eyebrows nose-dived. “No, we would’ve been notified.”

  I nodded. Yeah, you would think.

  “Sounds like it happened pretty quickly,” I offered as he stepped down the stairs, coming closer.

  His b
rown eyes searched the ground and then eyed me with obvious concern. “Are you sure?”

  “Sure enough.”

  Corvin might’ve given me shit notice, but he was giving me accurate info. I trusted him, and I knew that if I called right now and gave him the go-ahead, my father would never wake up in the morning.

  When I began working for Ciaran, he’d found out about my father. Even offered to “take care” of him for me, but I’d shot him down.

  I didn’t know if Jared and I were still scared of our father or just worried, but neither of us wanted to wonder where he was or what he was doing.

  Jared shook his head, in denial. “He won’t come here.”

  “He’ll definitely come here,” I countered in a calm voice.

  “How do you know?”

  “He calls,” I admitted without hesitation.

  He cocked his head, peering at me. “You’re talking to him?”

  I breathed out a laugh. “Yeah, for hours,” I taunted. “We share gluten-free recipes and gossip about Pretty Little Liars.”

  Jared cocked an eyebrow.

  “He calls,” I said flatly, “I issue a few nicely placed threats, and we do it all over again the next week, Jared. Don’t get your panties in a twist.”

  He ran a hand through his short hair, shaking his head at me. “You should’ve told me.”

  “Why?” I shrugged. “So you can lose your mind over shit you can’t control?”

  I knew my brother loved me. I knew he’d do anything to protect me. And that was the problem. Jared could be sloppy, and he always advanced without thinking first. He worried too much, and while I knew he did everything in my best interest, I didn’t want to have to clean up whatever mess he made as well as deal with the problem he’d still failed to solve.

  “We need that restraining order,” I pointed out.

  He narrowed his eyes. “I thought you didn’t want it.”

  “Yeah, well”—I ran my hand over the top of my head, glancing up to my bedroom window—“I’ll take every measure possible to protect her.”

  He nodded, looking at me knowingly. “Now you see.”

  I didn’t nod or say anything. He knew he was right. A restraining order might not do any good, but every precaution that could be taken needed to be taken.