Ruthless Protector

by Sherilee Gray

  I nuzzled, kissing the dark trail of hair below his belly button, and lifted my head, ignoring the weird melancholy feeling that was steeling over me, and smiled. “Morning.”

  He gave me that wide, sexy smile, one that I’d only just become acquainted with. “Morning.”

  “I have to go,” I said, and reluctantly climbed off the bed, before he could stop me.

  “It’s still pretty early,” he said, watching me closely.

  “Tils will be coming over to get ready soon, and I’d like to take a shower and get ready before she gets there. I’m going to have a word with her teacher this morning.”

  He dipped his chin, but his eyes were pretty sharp for someone who’d just come the way he had. “About this bully?”

  “Ah…just checking in, making sure there hasn’t been any more incidents.” I had a feeling Tilly wouldn’t be having any more trouble from Blake after Jude’s performance, but my main reason for going was to double check at the office that they knew Trent wasn’t to go anywhere near her.

  He watched me dress and put on my shoes.

  “Right, I better…” I motioned to the door.

  “Come here,” he said, the kind of command in his voice that would usually raise my hackles.

  But again, coming from Jude, that wasn’t the effect his tone had on me at all. It was the complete opposite. I shouldn’t, but I went to him, wanting to get close to him one more time.

  As soon as I was in reach, he slid his finger through the loop on my jeans and tugged me closer, lifting a hand to the back of my neck and pulling me down for a deep kiss.

  When he finally let me up for air, he said, “See you later.”

  It took me a minute to find my voice. “Sure.”

  A kiss goodbye.

  He hadn’t tried to make plans, or make this into something it wasn’t, and I was grateful, I was. This was what I wanted. It saved me from some awkward conversation. I stood, pulling away. His hand dropped, and I turned and walked out.

  Steph rushed past me, face flushed.

  “Steph?”

  She ignored me, which was so not like her, and rushed into the staff bathroom, slamming the door.

  I tapped on it. “Steph, are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, I just…I need a minute.”

  I stood there for a few seconds, wanting to push, but knowing Steph, like me, didn’t talk about her situation, preferring to keep it to herself. I understood that. I wouldn’t push, but I wanted her to know I was here for her. “If you…need to talk, you know where I am.”

  Silence.

  I grabbed my bag and headed back to the floor to find Raul, since I was finished for the day. Dread slithered through me. Well, after my meeting with Trent.

  Raul was at the bar, talking to Tomas. Or more, Raul was talking and Tomas was staring toward the back of the club, where Steph was currently hiding in one of the bathrooms. I needed more evening shifts. Fay said she could look after Tils if I needed to, and as much as I hated abusing her kindness, I needed the money too badly to turn down her offer. Starting over somewhere else wasn’t going to be cheap.

  But I decided now wasn’t a great time to interrupt. I’d call Raul when I got home. I didn’t want to go over there and give Tomas a reason to mention the card game he’d seen me at. I didn’t want him bringing up that whole humiliating nightmare to Raul.

  Ducking my head, I headed for the exit…

  Someone grabbed my arm before I could reach it, and I swung around. Trent stood there, a smirk on his face that made my skin crawl. I yanked my arm out of his hold so hard and fast, I almost fell on my ass.

  “You’re getting better,” he said, giving me a onceover. “Shame about your face, you never were as pretty as Rebecca. You must’ve hated that, being the ugly sister.”

  One of the bouncers started toward us, and I lifted a hand, smiling, and waved him away. “What are you doing here?”

  He got in my face. “You know why I’m here, I want my damn money. Time’s up.”

  Fuck. I never thought he’d come to the club.

  “I don’t have it all.”

  His eyes started to twitch. “How much do you have?”

  “Fourteen hundred.”

  He paced away and back, getting in my face again. “It’s not enough.”

  I stepped back, putting space between us, before the bouncer came back. “Well, it’s all I have.”

  His eyes twitched again. “Give it to me.”

  I took it from my purse and quickly handed it over. He shoved it in his pocket.

  “Everything okay?” Raul asked, walking toward us.

  “Yep,” I said.

  Trent dipped his chin at Raul and quickly left without a backward glance.

  I noticed Tomas was still there, by the bar, his dark gaze now on me.

  I forced a smile. “Everything’s fine.”

  Raul glanced toward the door where Trent had just rushed through, and back to me. “You sure about that?”

  “Positive.” He didn’t look convinced, but didn’t push, for now. I nervously glanced back at Tomas, but his eyes were back on Steph, who was on the floor again.

  “You want a ride home?” Raul asked.

  My brows lifted; he’d never offered to drive me home before.

  “I need to talk to Fay,” he said, answering my unspoken question. He was also frowning. “Woman’s been ignoring my damn calls,” he muttered. “I sure that Jen’s been in her damned ear.”

  “Oh?”

  Raul grumbled. “The woman’s found God again. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against religion, to each their own and all that crap, and Jennifer’s family, always will be. But for an ex-dancer, you’d think she’d be a little more open-minded.” He grumbled again. “These days, she looks at me like I’m the Antichrist.”

  I accepted the offer of a ride, and followed Raul out to his sapphire blue Lincoln Continental parked behind the club, and climbed in.

  Raul was still frowning when he got in beside me. “I don’t think you have to worry about Fay.”

  He glanced at me. “No?”

  “If Fay’s not talking to you, it’s because you pissed her off, not because of something someone said. No one tells her what to think.”

  Raul chuckled. “Isn’t that the damned truth. Now I just have to work out what the hell I did.”

  I had to bite back my laugh.

  We’d been driving a few minutes when Raul said, “You wanna tell me what that guy wanted back there? You know him?”

  Jesus, the man didn’t seem to miss a thing. “I have everything under control,” I said, hoping he’d drop it there.

  Raul glanced at me and shrugged. “Maybe I could help you out? If he’s bothering you, I’d be more than happy to have a word.”

  “Honestly, there’s no problem. He’s just an old family friend. I doubt I’ll ever see him again.” Maybe if I said it enough times, put it out into the universe enough, it would eventually come true.

  15

  Willa

  I peeked out the window, looking toward Fay’s house. It was seven; Raul had been there for close to four hours. The lights were on in the living room and when I’d taken out the trash earlier, I’d heard music coming through the open window.

  I was still grinning to myself when someone knocked on the door.

  Tilly came rushing down the hallway. “I’ll get it!”

  “No. Hang on, Tils.” I was pretty sure it wouldn’t be Trent. I’d just given him money that afternoon. There was no reason for him to show up here.

  Still, I wasn’t taking any chances and hustled past her, opening the door.

  Jude stood there, looking down at me.

  My heart gave an aggressive thump against the back of my ribs. “What are you doing here?”

  “I told you I’d see you later.”

  He had, but I didn’t think he meant it literally; that he’d show up here later, holding a pizza and a six-pack. I just assumed they were throwaway word
s, something you say when you part ways after a…well, an insanely hot night.

  “Pizza!” Tilly cried.

  “Does that mean you like pizza?” Jude asked, his lips twitching.

  She grabbed his arm and tugged him inside. “It depends, are there olives on it?”

  Jude screwed up his face comically. “What kind of monster do you think I am? Who would ruin perfectly good pizza like that?”

  Tilly shook her head and looked pointedly at me. “Willa likes them. But she doesn’t get them anymore, not since I moved in with her.”

  Jude glanced over at me. “Next time, I’ll get one with olives just for you, even if it goes against everything I believe in.”

  Next time? A small smile curved my lips despite myself. I should tell him to leave. Spending time with him, letting Tilly spend time with him, was a terrible idea, but how could I ask him to leave now? He’d already bought the pizza. And Tilly was so excited to see him.

  I didn’t have the heart to do it.

  And maybe, though I hated to admit it, Tilly wasn’t the only Hartley girl happy to have him knock on her door.

  My niece led him to the living room, and I grabbed drinks and napkins from the kitchen. When I walked in, they were trying to decide which movie to watch.

  Jude sat, reached out and took my hand, tugging me down beside him, and I let him. I don’t know why, except, right then, I wanted to be there. It felt nice, normal, especially when Tilly climbed up beside me and snuggled in. After we ate, Jude dropped his arm along the back of the couch, his hand resting on my shoulder, his thumb gently sliding back and forth every now and again.

  I loved it, every moment of it. I didn’t fight it, or give him attitude, or try to distance myself. It was a movie and pizza, that’s all. One night. Nothing to get all worked up about. Yeah, I’d told myself the same thing when I’d climbed into bed with him the night before.

  But maybe, I could have more than one night?

  Trent had his money, he wasn’t a threat—not right at this moment, anyway—and once I had enough cash saved to move away, somewhere he’d never find us, he’d never be a threat ever again. So why couldn’t I take this for myself? Have this little bit of fun. Enjoy the time I had left.

  Two hours later, after the movie had finished, followed by Tilly grilling Jude about his job, and how he found the bad guys—she was in bed, and was I standing at the living room door.

  What happened now?

  Jude’s eyes slid from the TV to me, and he was looking at me in a way that had me feeling suddenly…shy. The look in his eyes, it was hungry, like he wanted to devour me. It was, God, so intense.

  I was finding it hard to summon my courage, and the attitude I’d used to keep him at a distance, it was nowhere to be found.

  I scooped the empty pizza box from the coffee table. “I’ll just go put this in the trash.” I rushed to the kitchen, needing a moment to gather myself. Being pressed up to him for the last two hours; the heat of his body, the hardness of it, I was more than a little turned on.

  And if that was all it was, that intense heat between us, I’d be fine—I dumped the box on the counter and stared out the window—but it wasn’t. While I’d been tucked up beside him, I’d felt…content.

  Like that was where I was meant to be. It had shaken me. Rocked me to my core.

  “Willa?” Jude was suddenly behind me, his hands going to my waist, his hold firm, possessive.

  A shiver moved through me, so strong my breath shuddered out between my lips. His mouth went to the side of my neck, his beard tickling, his warm lips working their way up to my ear. “I want you,” he said, voice full of grit.

  I wanted him too, there was no point denying it, but I couldn’t be the one to take us there. It had to be him. He had to take the lead. The fear I felt right then, I’d run; I’d run scared if he left it up to me.

  “Then take me,” I said, unable to hide the need in my voice, not caring.

  He made a low sound as one of his hands slid around to my belly, fingers working, bunching up my skirt until it was up around my hips, then he slid his hand down the front of my panties.

  We both groaned when he pressed a thick finger between the folds of my pussy and found how wet I was.

  I covered his hand with mine and rolled my hips, holding him where I wanted him. He started working me then, while his other hand came up, covering one of my breasts, massaging, teasing, pinching my aching nipple.

  Liquid heat curled in my lower belly, zaps of electricity shooting through me. Just this, his hands on me, and I was already close to coming.

  “Christ, Willa. I love feeling how wet you get when I touch you. Shit, so slick and hot, all over my fingers, you’re so damn ready for my cock I can barely think straight.”

  I bent at the waist and rubbed my ass against the impossibly hard ridge behind the zipper of his jeans. “I don’t want you to think,” I said. “I just want you to fuck me.”

  Suddenly, I was lifted off my feet, my back still to his front, and turned toward the kitchen table.

  “You want me to fuck you like this, from behind?” he said against my ear.

  My inner muscles pulsed, gripping at his fingers still inside me. “Yes.”

  His hand slid up my spine, and he held the back of my neck, bending me forward over the table. “Hard and fast, beautiful, is that what you want?”

  “Yes, yes, please.” In that moment, I was nothing but need and hunger, desperate for what only Jude could give me.

  My skirt was shoved higher and my panties torn down my legs. I watched him over my shoulder as he pressed his jeans-covered cock against my ass, holding me where I was, pinning me, as he pulled his wallet from his pocket. He took out a condom, threw the wallet on the table beside me, and with jerky movements, freed his cock and rolled on the latex.

  His hand dropped to my lower back, the other fisting his big cock, and he slid through my wetness, positioning that fat head right where I wanted him.

  “Hold on,” he gritted out.

  My hands went to either side of the small table and I did as he asked. As soon as my fingers curled around the edge, he stared pushing inside me. He was being cautious again, starting off slow, worried he might hurt me.

  I shuddered at the intrusion, the way he stretched me. There was no pain, though, only intense pleasure when he started moving.

  I wanted more. “Please, Jude, harder. Fuck me harder.”

  “You sure about that?” he gritted out.

  “Yes,” I gasped.

  Both of his hands dropped to my waist and he pulled out, then slammed in deep. I cried out again, repeating the word over and over again like a mantra.

  He gave me what I wanted, deep and hard and fast, ramming that impressive cock inside me over and over again, until I couldn’t think straight. The base of his thick cock worked my swollen clit, my nipples dragging against the table with each brutal thrust. Every part of me felt alive. I was a live wire, sparking off him, lighting from the inside out.

  I felt lost.

  Found.

  Owned.

  Owned by Jude.

  As soon as the thought went through my head, my orgasm rocketed though me. His body pressed into mine and he covered my mouth with his hand, like he had the first time he made me come, so my screams didn’t wake the neighborhood, and continued to slam into me from behind. It was so intensely sexy, I came even harder.

  His hips pistoned, working me through it, body slapping against mine, filling me over and over again, until the last shudder, the last squeeze of my inner muscles.

  Then he dropped his face to my shoulder and groaned, jerking and shaking against me with every pulse of his cock.

  I was still catching my breath, when he straightened and spun me to my back, his cock still buried deep inside me. I wrapped my legs around his waist, arms around his shoulders as he lifted me off the table and carried me to my room.

  His mouth found mine in the darkness, as he walked toward my bed. “O
nce more,” he muttered against my lips. “Need you once more before I go.”

  I need you, too.

  The words flew through my mind as he lay me down, pressing me into the mattress.

  But not just for this, and not just for tonight.

  I squeezed my eyes shut against those thoughts, shoved them from my mind. I couldn’t think like that. I needed to stop thinking like that.

  Then Jude was moving inside me again, and not thinking became easy.

  I planned on not thinking the rest of the night.

  “Let’s go, Tilly, you’ll miss the bus.”

  “Just a second!”

  I stood in the open door, waiting for my niece to finish doing her hair, because she was old enough to do it herself, apparently. I was out of a job already. I’d encouraged her, of course, but secretly, my heart hurt a little. I loved brushing her hair every morning, tying it up, or braiding it.

  I glanced up as she walked out, and grinned. Her ponytail was a little lopsided, but her cheeks were rosy with pride.

  “What do you think?” she said.

  “I think it looks beautiful…hang on, no, it looks amaaaazing,” I said, teasing her, imitating her and her new friend Amber. Everything was amaaaaazing.

  Tilly rolled her eyes and I followed her out the door, listening while she chatted. I loved how happy she was. That she’d finally found a good friend and the bullying problem was over with.

  That was partly thanks to Jude.

  Just thinking about him sent a thrill through me. After he’d carried me to bed last night, and he had me once more like he promised, we’d both fallen asleep in a heap, sweaty and sated.

  I’d woken to him talking on his phone at four in the morning. Something had come up with his job and he had to leave. He’d kissed me and told me he’d see me later. And I knew this time, he meant it. I’d see him later tonight.

  I wasn’t unhappy about that. I wanted to spend more time with him.

  In bed.

  Just in bed.

  Anything else was asking for trouble. I needed to set some ground rules. If we were going to be sleeping together, it needed to stay only that. No more dinners, or movie hangouts. No more spending time with Tilly and me, like we were something we weren’t. I didn’t want her to get her hopes up, only for them to be dashed when we moved.