His Alone

by Alexa Riley

  “Yes, Mallory said he’s coming over for pictures, and he’s bringing a date.”

  Captain stops abruptly and turns to me. “Do the girls have dates?”

  “Yes, Captain. I’m sorry, but they do.” I can almost see the words hit him like a physical blow, and I don’t know why, but I find it funny. “Pandora is taking Skyler and Jamie’s son, Zion, and Penelope is taking Ethan from down the street.”

  “I knew that little fucker had been hanging around too much.” Captain scowls.

  “Well, he does cut your grass, right?” Miles asks, and I elbow him. He’s stirring the pot and he knows it.

  “That’s not the point. And what about Zion? Who the hell said Pandora could date him?”

  I get up and walk over to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. “You’re so cute when you’re angry, but it’s their prom. You’re going to have to give in, okay?”

  “No. I don’t have to do anything,” Captain says, and I rest my head on his chest. After a moment, he wraps his arms around me and lets out a deep breath. “They’re still so little.”

  “They’re eighteen. And they’ll both be off to college in the fall. We have to learn to let go,” I say, looking up at him. “And by ‘we,’ I mean you.”

  He growls, and it vibrates against me. I go up on my tiptoes and kiss him on the chin. But it does nothing to cheer him up.

  “Come on, Captain. I’ll take you out for ice cream after they leave.”

  “You’re only saying that because you want it,” he mumbles and it’s adorable how much he’s pouting.

  “You’re right. But you like to give me what I want. And what I want is for the girls to go to prom with their dates and have a good time. I want them to have the experience without you coming in and taking over, or worse, sulking in the corner all night.”

  “Well, I feel bad for them,” he says.

  “Why?”

  “Because they’re going to be mad when I have to stand between them and their dates in all the pictures. Maybe I should change my shirt.” He looks down at what he has on like he’s seriously considering changing to be in their prom photos. “You know, I could actually take them. That way they won’t have to have dates.”

  “Ryan,” Miles says, and Captain looks over at him. “Remember, buddy, it’s all about what we make them believe. Let them think they’re going to have their fun tonight. I’ve got the car loaded up.”

  I look between the two of them, not understanding. But the smile that spreads across Captain’s face is anything but innocent. Then it hits me. They’re planning on sneaking out and following them. God help those poor girls tonight. And those boys if they lay a hand on them.

  Epilogue

  Ryan

  * * *

  Ten years after that…

  “PAIGE, WHERE ARE YOU?” I walk through the house trying to find her, but she’s not answering. I checked the tracker on her phone on my way home and saw she was here. I walk back to the living room and then out to the back patio, thinking maybe she came outside. The sun has just set and we have reservations for dinner in an hour.

  “Kitten? You out here?” I call.

  I hear a splash and look over, seeing waves in the pool. Walking over to it, I get close to the edge, and then I see her. Right before I’m about to ask her what she’s doing, she splashes me and starts laughing.

  “You did not just do that,” I say, looking down at her.

  “Oh, I think I did. And what are you going to do about it?” She puts her arms on the edge of the pool and gives me a sassy grin.

  “We’ve got dinner in an hour, kitten. Or did you want me to come in there and drag you out?”

  She pushes away from the edge, and it’s then I see she’s completely naked. The light in the bottom of the pool creates an aura around her. I feel myself harden, and I fist my hands at my sides.

  “You gonna stand there like a goody-goody all night, Captain America? Or are you going to come get me?”

  I see the way her breasts bounce in the water, her hard nipples begging for my mouth. She goes to the other side of the pool and grips the edge, arching her back. She’s teasing me and she knows it.

  “Be careful what you wish for, kitten,” I tell her. I don’t know why she thinks she has to bait me. She wants me somewhere, I’m fucking there. No matter where that is.

  Keeping my eyes on her, I undo my belt, pushing my jeans down my thighs. She licks her lips, and I take my time, pulling off my shirt and then my boxer briefs. I go slow, letting her eyes roam all over me, seeing how hard I am for her, and letting her think of all the things this cock can do to her. All the possibilities I can offer. How I’ll use it to pleasure her until she can no longer walk, and I have to carry her from the pool.

  Walking to the steps, I move slowly and let the anticipation build. When I get to them, I take one step down and then sit on the edge. The dry stone is under my ass while my legs are stretched out in the water in front of me. There are three more shallow steps into the pool, but this seat is perfect right now.

  “Get over here,” I say, leaving no room for misinterpretation.

  For a moment I think she’s going to give me back a sassy response. Or maybe even refuse. But she looks at me, and I can see the want in her eyes. The need. Paige has always liked to play that she doesn’t like to be told what to do, but when it comes to sex I always lay the path, and that gets her off. We both know it.

  We’ve been together so long that I know every thought that passes through her mind. The twins are all grown up and out of college. They’ve made good lives for themselves, and we don’t have to worry. Well, worry as much. I think there’s always a little of that in the back of any parent’s mind. But Paige and I have stopped working, and we visit our island as often as we can. We spend most of our time traveling between there and home, and then to see the girls. Giving Paige the family she always wanted, giving me the one I never knew I wanted until her. I can’t think of a better way to live my life than being with Paige. Our lives are slow, and we savor all the little things, but she loves to throw in some spice every now and then to keep me on my toes. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it just as much as she does. She brings all the laughter to this family. The heart of us all.

  She slowly swims over, putting on a little show of her own, baiting me as well, and when she gets to me she looks down at my lap and then back up to my eyes.

  “That’s right, kitten. You’re going to take care of it. Now come over here and climb on top.”

  “Maybe I want something else first.” She licks her lips, and my cock throbs.

  I grit my teeth as she slowly crawls up the steps. She exaggerates her movements and looks like a fucking sultry goddess coming to greet me. I’m only so strong, and I don’t know how long I can keep from reaching out and grabbing her.

  She runs her hands up my legs and to the top of my thighs as she pushes them open and then kneels in the water in front of me. She looks like a seductress with sun lighting up her hair. She doesn’t break eye contact as she leans down and opens her mouth, licking my cock from root to tip.

  “Fuck…!” I hiss through clenched teeth and reach out, fisting her hair in one hand. “You’ve got thirty seconds before I pick you up and slam you down on my dick.”

  “Then I’ve got time,” she teases, winking at me and then taking my cock into her mouth and to the back of her throat. The pure pleasure of it rocks through my body.

  I moan at the feeling of her hot mouth on my cock, and I nearly come. I have to try and think of everything I can besides Paige on her knees in front of me sucking me off and giving me pleasure.

  “Twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four.” I start counting because I don’t know what else to do. I’m dying as the slick heat of her tongue works around my thick cock. Then she sucks the pearl of come at the end, and I die.

  “That’s it! Time’s up!” I half shout as I pull her from her knees and onto my lap. Needing to be inside her. I want to come in
her pussy, not her mouth.

  I’ve got her legs spread, and I thrust my cock into her warm channel before she can even begin to protest. I hold her neck as I kiss her, tasting some of my prerelease on her. The flavor of her makes me moan, and I use my free hand to grip her hip.

  I hold her steady as I move her on top of me, making her pussy milk my cock.

  “Fuck, you know how to push my buttons,” I say, thrusting in and out of her.

  “I like when you push mine,” she moans, pressing her hard nipples into my chest.

  I let go of her neck and move my hand between us and pet her clit. I know exactly how she likes it, and I don’t play with giving her what she wants. I’m already so close to the edge I could go off any second, and I need her with me.

  “You’re out here swimming naked by yourself because you know that pisses me off. Then you splash me and pretend to try and get away.” She lets out a cry of pleasure as I pinch her clit. “You sucked my cock when you know exactly what that does to me. You pushed me, kitten, and now you’re going to come all over me. I want your pussy to get me off.” I lean forward and lick her neck, then suck the tender place just below her ear. I want to leave a mark on her because I know she’ll love it tomorrow.

  “Ryan. Fuck, that’s it.”

  Her pussy contracts around my cock as her orgasm rolls through her. Her legs tense on either side of me, and I hold her in place as she tries to fight it. I don’t stop rubbing her clit as she screams out my name and the wave of pleasure hits her hard and fast.

  My cock throbs inside her, and I release, giving her exactly what she was after tonight. She wanted me to mark her and make her mine, no matter how she tries to deny it.

  When we’re both coming down and catching our breath, I rest my forehead against hers and smile. “I’m guessing we’re skipping the dinner reservations tonight?”

  She looks up at me and gives me a wicked smile. “Guess you’ll just have to give me something else to eat.”

  I pick her up and carry her into the pool, kissing her neck and breasts. She’s my strong, sassy woman, but she melts into a puddle of molten sugar every time I hold her. Later, when we finally get out of the pool and I’ve fed her, we make slow, sweet love. She promises never to go skinny-dipping without me again, but we both know that’s a lie.

  And we are both okay with that.

  * * * * *

  Bonus Material

  Ryan

  WHEN RYAN MEETS PAIGE…

  * * *

  I RUN MY hands through my short hair, grabbing a fistful of it and giving it a little pull. I’m trying to get myself under control. I’ve been waiting for this moment for what feels like an eternity. Fuck, maybe my whole life. It’s been weeks since I first saw her picture, weeks before I could finally track her down. And days since she spoke to Miles, agreeing to take the job of watching over Mallory.

  I don’t know if I should be proud of myself for coming up with the plan for her to cover Mallory, or pissed. She’d be away from her father, no longer jumping from shelter to shelter. She’d be put up somewhere where she could grow safely, but so far from me. Not easily within my grasp.

  Thinking about the shelters makes me clench my jaw. The first night I’d finally found her, she was walking into one. Hoodie pulled over her head, hiding all that auburn hair. Her backpack strapped tight to her, holding everything she owned. She looked so young, but she carried herself with strength. Some little punk tried to grab a hold of her, and she punched him right in the mouth. I smiled at that show of fire. It was nothing compared to what I did to the little prick after she disappeared inside. It was safe to say he wouldn’t be fucking with her again. No, no one would. She was going to be sent to a safe haven away from the dirt Miles and I were about to crawl through.

  My phone goes off, breaking me from my thoughts. I pull it out and read the message.

  She’s coming up

  I let out a breath of relief that she’s here. Fucking hell, I was still scared she might make a run for it. That she might change her mind about taking Miles’s deal to watch over Mallory, and I wouldn’t be there to stop her.

  Normally I tail her. Have been doing it for weeks, but sometimes I have to meet with Miles. Or like now, I have to be in my office. So I had to put someone on her when I couldn’t be there. The same guy I planned to send with her to school. There was no way I could make it without eyes on her constantly. If it was up to me, I’d change my mind and drag her away from all of it instead of doing what needs to do be done for everyone. But if I know one thing, it’s that Paige hates her father and she wants to make him pay. I want to give her that, and it means helping Miles and making sure Paige isn’t around to get any of her father’s wrath when we start to make his world crumble around him.

  The door swings open as she walks in. She doesn’t even bother to knock as the door hits the wall. I’m on my feet instantly as she strolls into the room. Her shoulders are back like she’s ready for a fight, and a smile pulls at the corners of my lips.

  She’s wearing a sweater today, with no hood hiding her. Instead, every part of her softness is revealed to me. No matter how hard she tries to hide it, it’s right there in her face. Her creamy skin highlighting the little freckles on her upturned nose. Her bright blue eyes shining even brighter against her cool skin.

  “I’m here. Let’s do this thing.” She puts her hands on her hips, not coming any closer to my desk, but standing in the middle of the room. This is the nearest I’ve ever been to her. I need more. I want to know what she smells like. Brand it into my brain before she’s once again too far away from me.

  I give her a smile, trying to hide the fact that I want to leap over my desk and drag her to the floor. That I want to do all the things I’ve been thinking about doing to her for the past few weeks. It would take me months to get to every one of my fantasies, and by then I’d have created new ones.

  “Have a seat.” I wave to the chair in front of my desk.

  “No, I’m good,” she shoots back, making no move to come forward. I take a calm breath and move around the desk myself. I can tell she wants to take a step back.

  “Ryan.” I reach my hand out. I should probably tell her to call me Justice. Everyone on Miles’s staff does, but I want to hear my name on her lips.

  “Ryan,” she says, narrowing her eyes at my hand. “I’m Paige.”

  Her palm meets mine, and I wrap my fingers around hers, feeling her soft, delicate skin. She gives a hard squeeze, trying to assert her power, and I have to fight another smile. This little kitten has claws. I like that. I let my finger run along her wrist and soothe the sparks in her eyes.

  She pulls her hand from mine. “So,” she snaps.

  I go back to my desk and grab the folder. “You will check in with me twice a day with full reports on yours and Mallory’s activity,”

  “Mine?” Her face scrunches, like she doesn’t get why I need to know what she’s doing every day.

  I want to tell her because I don’t think I can breathe without knowing.

  “Yes, yours, too.” She opens her mouth to say something else, but I cut her off. “It’s not open to negotiation.”

  Her mouth slams shut, and she shoots me a look that I’m sure would kill lesser men. But I’m not a lesser man. I’m her man, and all it does is make my cock even harder than it was when she walked into the room.

  “Sometimes by telephone, and on occasion we can FaceTime.” I reach into my pocket, pulling out the phone. “This will be on you at all times. There is no exception. I text or call you, you always respond or answer.”

  “What if I’m in class? What if—”

  “I’ll know your schedule. I won’t call then,” I tell her.

  I watch her jaw clench, but she doesn’t say anything. I hand her the file.

  “Everything you need is in here. You leave today.” I have to force the words out of my mouth.

  She grabs the folder, and I don’t want to let it go. Her eyes meet mine. Fuck. I
can’t do this. Something inside me is shaking, trying to break free.

  I keep chanting to myself that this is what is best for her, that I have to let her go. This is the only way to free her from her father. I have to so that I can have her. I have to prove I’m worthy of her. She’s full of so much fire and passion, but also a sadness she tries to hide with anger.

  I release the folder, and she pulls it to her chest, still staring into my eyes. I wonder if she knows she belongs to me. That I belong to her. I can’t help myself, and I reach out, touching her cheek softly. There’s only a heartbeat of a moment between us, but in that time it’s enough. Enough to last me until I can see her again. I expect her to recoil, or to have a sharp comeback. But instead she blinks away our connection as if it never happened. I drop my hand, yet it’s still tingling like I placed it on a hot stove.

  Then she turns and leaves without so much as a goodbye. I follow her out of my office and watch her get on the elevator. When she’s inside, I turn, running toward the stairs, taking them as fast as I can. When I fly out at the bottom, I see her leaving the building. I quietly trail her until she stops, looking in a window at something. She stands there for a long moment, longer than I expect her to, before shaking her head and moving down the street. I carefully trail behind her until I see my guy at the crosswalk up ahead. He nods at me before following her, taking over his job as her secret guard.

  I watch her go until I can no longer see even the blurry shape of her silhouette. The longing in my chest is a hollow ache.

  When I can’t stand there any longer, I turn back and go to where she stopped, curiosity getting the best of me. When I look up at the sign, I see it’s a jewelry store, and I glance at the display window. My eyes scan the items and stop when I see it. There, nestled in velvet, is a ruby ring almost as beautiful as she is. I take one look, and I know that’s it. That’s the ring I’m going to put on her finger, or die trying.