by Alyson Hale
Most importantly, Jace Hawthorne just claimed me as his own for anyone to hear.
“This woman is mine.”
The possession in his voice would have scared me off if it hadn’t been uttered with such depth of feeling. I realize now that he claimed me as his own the moment we kissed. Even if he hadn’t, I’d still be lost to him.
Jace’s tongue sweeps across my lower lip, and I moan as I let him in. When he takes hold of my waist, I feel no fear, just a clench of anticipation. I let his hands roam over my ass, and he takes two handfuls of it. His nails bite into my skin through my dress, sending need spiraling downward.
The idea of having sex in a club bathroom suddenly holds some appeal.
Clenching his shirt in my fists, I pull away from his lips and meet his gaze, which is heavy with lust.
“Take me to the bathroom,” I order him, taking control for once. He breaks out in a sly grin, takes me by the hand, and sweeps me away to the other side of the bar.
Chapter 20
Jace
Kyri giggles in the sexiest way as I pull her inside the men’s bathroom at the club. The door closes behind us, and no one makes a sound, so I take advantage of the solitude and lock us up in a stall. It’s one with two brick walls, so I press her up against the one that’s empty and careen my lips into hers with full force. She moans loudly, opening her mouth, and I take full advantage of the opportunity to slide my tongue all the way in and curl it around hers. She sucks me in, grinding against me as I pull one of her legs up to wrap around it my hips.
“I have you tell you something,” I whisper after pulling away from our deepest kiss yet.
“What’s that?” Her eyes sparkle underneath the recessed lighting as she smiles up at me. I’ve never seen such pure contentment and excitement on her face before. It makes me feel more like a man than ever.
“I’ve never come inside a woman without a condom before.”
Her jaw drops. “What? Are you serious?”
“Yes. I always pull out, but I want you to be my first.”
Her smile brightens up the dark stall. “I didn’t think a man like you would have any firsts left. I do have to warn you, though, I’m not on birth control.”
Letting out a shuddering exhale, I whisper, “I have no problem with that.”
Leaning down, I suck the sweetness of her neck into my mouth as she reaches down to unbutton me. I pull her dress up, grinning against her skin when I make contact with her bare ass. Even when I move down to touch her lovely soft pussy, there’s nothing there except wet heat.
“You were ready for this,” I hiss into her ear.
As soon as she pulls my cock out of its holster, I waste no time shoving it into her waiting warmth. Kyri moans and bites her finger, trying to stifle the cries that want to rip out of her. I take both hands and hold them above her head, then pry her breasts free from their fabric cage.
“Don’t hold back from me, baby. I want your screams.”
“I want your cum,” she moans, bringing me closer to the brink.
Even now, I have to abide by my personal code and make sure she comes before I do. You’ve never earned your orgasm unless your lady has come at least once. I move my free hand down to stroke her clit. Pressing her lips together as hard as she can, she tries to muffle her cries of pleasure, but they break free.
“Scream for me, love.”
“Jace!” Her eyes roll back, and her nipples pebble as they bounce above the top of her dress. When her eyelids flutter, I know it’s coming soon, so I stop holding back and let pleasure take over me. Both of us release at the same nanosecond. Delicious tidal waves of ecstasy crash over me, and I bury myself in her neck, breathing in her scent. This is my heaven. Coming inside Kyri is my new definition of paradise.
Kyri clings to me and shudders as she comes down from her peak. Neither of us has to say that was the most powerful orgasm of our lives. We feel it humming between us.
“I’m falling for you,” I whisper as I take her lips with mine. Kyri cups my jaw and falls into the kiss.
“Then who’s going to catch me?” she breathes against my lips. We smile at the dumbest cliché in the world that we just repeated with utter sincerity.
After one last impassioned kiss, we pull away from each other and fix our clothes. Once she’s fully dressed, I take a handful of her hair and run my fingers through it, unceasingly amazed at how soft and delicate, yet fierce she is. She’s powerful, yet dainty and beautiful.
“You’ll never have to watch me from a distance again.” My feelings for her burn through my eyes. I know I must look crazy every time I stare at her like this, but the intensity of my desire for her overwhelms me. I need her to breathe. “You can see the states and travel to London, to Europe…please come with me. I want to show you the world.”
She blinks, staring back at me with disbelief. “What?”
“I want you with me, on tour and afterwards. We can go wherever you want.”
Tears well up in her eyes. “I…I want to, but I can’t just leave my mom. She depends on me.”
“I’ll give you time to work things out, and I can help if it’s a matter of money. Please at least think about it.”
Kyri sighs through her nose, looking off to the side. Then she looks back up at me. “You really want me to come with you?”
“I don’t think I can perform if you’re not by my side,” I confess.
She tries to stop her smile, but it peeks through. “Wow. Well…I’ll think about it.”
“Brill.” I kiss her and open the door.
After saying goodbye to her friend and my mates, we leave the club and go back to the hotel. As soon as we step inside, a mutual, wordless decision is made to forget any wild plans we may have had for the rest of the night and get ready to sleep. Kyri takes a shower, but I’m too exhausted to take one myself, so I strip down to my boxers and wait for her to get done. It’s forty-five minutes before she’s ready to settle down, but she finally comes my way, naked with hooded eyes. It’s hard to resist my cock when he twitches, but I have to remind myself that too much of a good thing could scare away what I finally have in my grasp.
Opening up the comforter and blanket, I invite her over to the bed. She smiles and takes a running start, then jumps up next to me on the mattress. I take the opportunity to tickle her, digging my fingers into her sides until she’s screaming with laughter. She fights against me until I lightly brush the underside of her chin, then run my finger over her pouted lips.
Our gazes catch each other, and a moment of heat passes between us.
“Mine,” I mumble.
Kyri leans against me and presses her lips to mine. Nibbling on my lower lip, she pulls back. “I’m yours, Jace. Are you mine?”
“You’re the only person I’ll allow to lay claim to me in any way. I want to make you my queen, give you the world, and never be apart from you again.”
Being a little tipsy, I realize after the fact that I probably shouldn’t have said all that out loud. To my relief, she seems impressed by my total honesty. Finally relaxing, Kyri snuggles into my side and lets me wrap my arms around her. Falling asleep has never felt so good. Now that I have her, I can’t even believe I ever survived without her. Kyri is my sun, moon, and stars…and my kryptonite.
***
The sun wakes me up by streaming full force through the window. I stir and feel something warm in my arms. The top of Kyri’s auburn head shines brilliantly in the sunlight. Smiling, I squeeze her in a little closer, happy to find her contentedly purring in my arms instead of trying to make a great escape like she did the last time.
For the first time in thirty-one long years of knowing something was missing, but having no idea what it was, I finally feel whole. I feel wanted, needed, even loved, though I doubt she knows she loves me yet. The way she’s tucked into my bare chest, smiling in her sleep, I know it, even though she’s still in the dark. Someday she’ll realize it and it will shock her. I’ll be there to s
how her just how okay it is to want this as much as I do.
I flick my thumb across the exposed skin of her upper arm, and she stirs, but doesn’t wake fully. It takes her about five minutes to open her eyes and squint at her surroundings.
After a moment, she remembers where she is and that I’m holding her. She tips her head up to look me in the eyes. The smile that transforms her sleepy face enraptures me.
“Hey, you.”
“Hello, gorgeous.” I brush my lips against her forehead, not prepared for how soft and warm and utterly inviting she feels.
Kyri leans up and presses her lips against mine. I suck her lower lip into my mouth, getting a good taste of her. All the blood in my body rushes to my cock as soon as her breasts press against my naked chest. Her hand comes up to hold my neck, and she brings her tongue out to play. I tangle mine around hers, losing my resolve.
“Mm, you’re so hot first thing in the morning,” Kyri mumbles against my lips.
“We’ve got hours before it’s time to check out,” I whisper suggestively. Kyri giggles and nods.
I kiss down her neck, rolling her nipples to attention with my forefingers and thumbs as I make my way to her supple chest. When I spread her legs underneath me, I hear a moan of anticipation. She doesn’t resist me at all as I plunge my cock inside her as deep as it will go. This time I press her arse deep into the mattress, not holding anything back. Pumping out my release, I rub over her soft, tantalizing body, cherishing her with every second my skin makes contact with hers. When she wraps her legs around my hips, pulling me even deeper inside her, I lean down to kiss her again.
“You’re so amazing,” Kyri whispers between kisses. “I’m falling so hard.”
Joy burgeons in my chest. “I’m already long gone.” I capture her lips in mine again. “Be my girl?”
“Yes.” Her breath escapes in a rush as she pulls me into a hard kiss. Not long after that, I feel a warm gush coat my cock, and we simultaneously find our release, soaring high above the clouds together.
Chapter 21
Kyri
A few days passed before I could meet Jace in our rendezvous spot again. The pub was full to overflowing after word got out that Filthy Bangers was here. The band frequented the pub, not that I blame them. All of them seemed to be getting their fair share of pussy from desperate fangirls, except Jace. He always walked me out to my car, kissed me, and left for where he was staying. I watched him leave just to make sure he wasn’t leading me on, but he was always alone. I wanted so badly just to go with him, but he didn’t invite me, so I kept my mouth shut.
Finally, we’re able to meet at the hotel in downtown Atlanta and share the honeymoon suite again. Jace has bought it out so no one else can taint our sheets. We spend three full hours exploring each other’s bodies and edging closer and closer to the brink of the big “R” word—relationship—before I cut things off because I’m certain my pussy is going to start bleeding any day now, and his ferocious fucking is only hastening the process. I hate periods now that I’ve started having sex with a rock star. They’re such a killjoy.
Jace holds my hand as I drive him down the highway toward my place. Kissing up my arm, he groans with pleasure, flicking his tongue out to taste my skin. My chest gets all fluttery whenever he does that. It reminds me how addicted he is to me. It’s like he’s never satisfied, and I fucking love it.
I flash him a smile and free my hand so I can pay attention to the road. One of these days I’m going to have a wreck because he distracts me so well.
“Do you want me to drop you off at your trailer?”
My not-so-obvious attempt at getting him to open up about where he lives backfires.
“Uh…” Jace stammers, fidgeting with his jeans pocket. “Let me see what’s going on right now over there.”
He whips out his phone to text someone. I’ve noticed he acts kind of shifty every time that phone comes out. It makes a pit of nerves open up in my stomach. Is another girl waiting there for him to fill the needs I didn’t satisfy while we were out? Maybe he’s a sex addict, and I’m just his favorite toy. I should have known this was too good to be true.
His thumbs move furiously as he texts back and forth with a mystery person on my way down the highway. Finally, he sighs with relief and tucks the phone away.
“We’re good to go. I’ll direct you in to the park where we’re staying.”
“Okay.” I force a smile onto my face even though I feel like puking. “Who was that, Damien?”
“It was Eddie. He’s like my little brother, which is odd because he’s actually Damien’s little brother, and Damien and I don’t really get along at all.”
“Oh? Why not?”
A crooked grin warps Jace’s kissable lips. “He thinks he’s the leader of the band, but I keep him in line.”
My panties dampen from more than just the warm leather seat beneath me. A man who can protect, lead, and keep other men in line? Jace is the ultimate alpha. He’s almost exactly the way I wrote him in the novel I based on him.
“So you and Eddie are like brothers, but you don’t like Damien. That is an odd pickle.”
“Eddie knows when his brother is being a jackass, and he helps me reason with him when he threatens to leave the band. The truth is Damien could be a band leader if he wanted to break off and do his own thing, but we can’t let him do that. He’s too perfect for us and our sound.”
“I’ll have to agree with you there.” Damien’s guitar skills blow my mind. I still haven’t heard them in person, but I’ve watched countless videos of their concerts and I’m amazed his fingers don’t fly off every time he performs. His dedication to his craft shines through even if his dedication to the band is questionable. “I’m glad you and Eddie are able to work together at least. He seems like a nice guy.”
“Very nice…too nice sometimes. I push him to stick up for himself when he lets his brother walk all over him. He just wants Damien to be proud of him, but Damien is into a lot of shit that Eddie doesn’t need in his life.”
“Such as?”
“Drugs…copious amounts of sex…I mean, all of us have had our fair share on the road, but Damien has slept with twice as many women than all of us combined. It’s unhealthy, really. Sometimes Eddie goes along with Damien’s wildness even though he doesn’t want to just so he can be included with him. I truly hope Damien wakes up and realizes the path he’s putting both of them on soon. His reckless behavior extends beyond the bedroom, and I’m worried someday he or—God forbid—Eddie is going to get hurt.”
Shifting uncomfortably in my seat, I keep my eyes trained on the road as I process this news. If Alex really is involved with Damien, as I suspect she might be, that really worries me now that I’ve heard all of this. She’s already on thin ice with her own lifestyle. Adding a reckless rock star to that equation could be her undoing. I need to find out the truth and warn her before something really bad happens to her.
Jace directs me into a private lot they rented for their trailers. It’s a clearing in the woods that’s private and closed off from the neighborhoods nearby. We pull up to the trailer on the far right and I park right in front of it. As we step out of the car, Jace glances around nervously, then sighs in relief and smiles as he comes around to meet me.
If we were further into this relationship—or non-relationship, I’m not really sure—I’d ask him what the hell is going on. This behavior is not normal. Is his mother on the trip with him or something? All I know is he’s hiding something, and I’m curious to know what it is.
His arms come around me, and I forget everything, melting into his strong embrace. He tips his gorgeous head down to kiss me, and I let my lips meet his warm, soft ones. The rush of emotions I get when he kisses me still hasn’t died down. Jace fills something in me that no human being ever has before. When I’m with him, I feel like I’m finally living.
“Lovebirds!” Eddie’s cheerful voice interrupts our reverie. He grins as we detach from each other’s
lips. “What brings you here on this scorching hot day?”
“Kyri wanted to see the place, so I’m showing her around.” Jace turns and gestures around the area where the trailers are parked in a semi-circle. “This is it. Not too impressive. Nothing to see at all, really.”
“Are you kidding? This is the rock star life in full form. I wouldn’t miss a moment of it,” I tease. He keeps his arm around me as he walks me around the lot and then to his trailer.
When I step inside, I gape at the richness that can somehow be shoved into such a small space. A red satin comforter adorns a full bed with red and black throw pillows scattered on it. He has an oven, a refrigerator, and a microwave. There’s a full booth to sit in as well as a couch and two lounge chairs. If he wanted, he could host an orgy in here.
My stomach does an uncomfortable flip. For all I know, that’s what he was planning when we got here.
My knees wobble underneath me, and Jace steadies me, his eyebrows pulling lower with concern.
“You all right, darling?”
I nod, swallowing against my dry throat. “Yeah. I think I need to sit down. It’s…the heat.”
Jace leads me to his bed and kisses my neck as he sits me on his lap. His hands inch up my back. I try resisting his magic, but it’s futile, and I end up melting against him and letting him take me. Even though we just spent three hours with each other, it’s never going to be enough.
As he lowers me down and pulls my shirt over my head, a distinctive knock comes at the door. I recognize it as a bass beat from one of their songs. We yank our clothes back on.
“Come in, wanker.” Jace glares at the door. I stifle a giggle.
Eddie pops his head in. His eyes are wild. “Code red. You two need to get out of here. Now.”
Jace scrambles to his feet and pulls me up with him. My head snaps to the side, and I notice for the first time a picture frame glued to his wall, between the window and the door.