by A. J. Macey
“Oh, I did. I even got myself a little souvenir to remember you by,” he said as he pulled out a pair of my black lace underwear, bringing it up to his nose to sniff them. I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. “What’s so funny, Kiera?” His voice had gone cold at my mocking.
“Oh, just that that pair of panties you’re wiping all over your face is covered in Garrett’s cum.” His eyes widened slightly, showing that even someone as twisted as him apparently had some lines that weren’t to be crossed. “That’s right, you’ve been sniffing your ex-best friend’s jizz.” I laughed harder at the images that raced through my mind. He fumed, shoving the lacy underwear into his pocket roughly before glaring at me.
“Enough, Kiera. I’m done playing these games with you! You’re coming with me!”
“You’re out of your fucking mind if you think I’m going back to Frankie and his mob of minions,” I scoffed. Jace glared and took a step to the left around the island, and I matched him. When he moved, I moved, and after the fourth step, he finally stopped.
“I’m not taking you to Frank,” he bit out, seething in anger. It had been years since I had been near Jace for longer than a few minutes aside from our delightful recent interaction where I jumped out of the back of a Humvee like a badass, but this?
I have no idea what is going on right now. There was something in Jace’s cold stare that made adrenaline pump through me, but if it wasn’t about killing me or retrieving me for my father, what could it possibly be?
“Oh, well if that’s the case…” I perked up, pushing the disturbing train of thought from my head. “Get the fuck out of my house. My men will be home soon.”
“Your men,” Jace sneered, cutting off my attempted lie, “are busy at the compound, chasing around my distraction so I could come get you. Now, my Kiera, let’s be going. I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if you don’t do as I ask.”
I felt the blood drain from my face as he confirmed exactly what I had feared. Bambi was working against us intentionally, and with fucking Jace, no less. Fucking blonde bimbo bitch, I cannot wait to get my hands on her again.
“I’m not fucking going anywhere, especially not with you,” I hissed, ever so slightly raising onto my toes in preparation to run. I just needed to hit one of the SOS buttons that were throughout the house for emergencies, for shit just like this actually. Thank fuck for Chase and his overprotective streak. Taking a small breath, I ran, and ran hard.
I am not a damsel in distress.
Not today.
Not ever again.
Stone
“Fucking shit,” I groaned as I got out of the crash vehicle, my muscles stiff from being camped out in the desert. I need a fucking drink. The ride Kiera had taken was still hot to the touch, the heat from the engine radiating against my skin as I walked by meaning she had only been home for a little while. I had just started up the garage step to head inside when I heard a loud crash.
Barreling inside and scanning the space, my skin and senses prickled painfully as adrenaline flooded my system. Chaos. Complete and utter chaos. Furniture was overturned, objects scattered around, but before I could piece together what had happened, Kiera shouted from the entry hall. I jumped over anything in my path as I sprinted to find her and immediately saw red as Jace Corden had my brat by the throat. I didn’t stop before I tackled him, his left shoulder colliding into the corner of the wall on the way down. He hadn’t let go of Kiera like I’d expected him to, so she was thrown to the wall before sliding to the ground.
“You fucking bastard,” I snarled, finally letting fists fly as I sank my weight onto his legs, holding him beneath me. Despite having the strength advantage, Jace gave me a harder fight than I’d expected. He was faster and able to maneuver against my strikes effectively enough that I barely injured him before finally he landed a solid hit against my jaw. Stars flared brightly in front of me as I fell to the side, Jace taking the opportunity to get out from under my body. My eyes focused just in time for Jace to scurry out the front door but not fast enough to escape the bullet that struck his shoulder. Turning my head, I pushed back another wave of stars to see Kiera half propped against the wall, her left arm stretched out to aim her gun.
We lay in silence, both too dazed to move immediately as we listened to Jace drive away. Now that it was over, I moved to a sitting position and inspected Kiera, and another wave of bloodthirsty rage swept through me. Her already bruised body was hurt, badly, and she was cradling her right arm to her chest. Her hair was messy and sticking to a still-bleeding cut on her cheek. Red splotches hugged her neck, leaving behind the echo of a handprint where Jace had grabbed her, and a trail of blood ran sluggishly from a gash in her jawline. After I determined that none of those injuries were life-threatening, I continued to scan her body; her bruised leg was red, and as Kiera shifted to sit up against the wall, she didn’t put any weight on it.
“Hey, Bastard,” she breathed, a pained laugh falling from her lips as she tried to smile at me. “You’re all right, yeah?”
“Yeah, he got me good, but it was only once. You good?” I asked, shuffling across the floor to her, my fingers barely brushing her forehead to move her matted honey blonde hair from her wounds. “You look like shit.” Ugh, I cringed, any of the other guys would definitely be better at this than I am.
“You sure know how to make me feel special, Stone.” She laughed before groaning, her face tensing in pain as her eyes squeezed shut. “No making me laugh, he got me a few times in the ribs right over the old bruising. Fuck me, this hurts.” Her eyes opened, the mossy irises covered in a wave of unshed tears. “Want to just put a bullet in my skull and bury me? It might be less painful.”
“Why would I do that?” I murmured, trying to bite back the urge to throw something from seeing her broken and bruised. Again. What’s the point of us all being around if we can’t even keep her safe?
“You are Grave, aren’t you? Why don’t you put that ridiculous nickname to use?” she asked, and despite the pain she was clearly going through, her lips curled up and her eyes held a hint of laughter. Right then, seeing her survive with her snarky self intact... that was when I knew.
I love this crazy brat.
Chapter 16
May 28th
Tuesday Morning
Kiera
I stared at the ceiling, everything throbbing and everything hurting as I lay unmoving in my bed. Holy hell in a handbasket. I didn’t want to move, but I knew I had to take the medicine Doc had given me for my injuries. Especially if I want to be up and ready to go within a day or two. “On one,” I whispered aloud. “Three, two…” On the count of one I rolled quickly onto my side and pushed to sitting in one pain-filled, smooth motion.
“Ow, shit, fuck,” I cursed to myself as I stood, snatching the bottle of pain meds off the nightstand and shuffling into the bathroom to fill my glass. Popping the recommended dose, I downed the water and went about my morning routine. If I do all my normal things, it’ll be like I’m not a giant walking, talking bruise right now. That’s how that works, right?
“Kiera?” Stone’s quiet voice called out from the bedroom as I finished brushing my teeth. Thankfully, enough time had passed while I was showering and doing all that fun morning bathroom stuff―you know, like piss and stand like a zombie in front of the mirror for ten minutes willing the energy to get in the shower―for the medicine to kick in, making the pain dim from a sharp throb to a dull ache.
“Yeah?”
“How’re you feeling?” he asked, his ebony eyes scanning over me as I made my way out of the bathroom. I gave him a tiny smile when his eyes lingered on the generous portion of thigh revealed by my short satin robe. At least I know I’ve still got it even if I’m battered, bruised, and thankfully no longer bloody.
“The meds kicked in, so, better. I’m hoping to try and take it easy one more day before going out. Might lay by the pool or something,” I yelled out as I pulled down a swimsuit from the hanger. I stuck my head out a
nd looked at him. “You want to join? You know, if you’re not too busy with leather wearing boy band stuff at the compound.”
“Ha ha,” he said sarcastically, “yeah, I’ll join you, at least for a bit. I want to look at your injuries before I get to work.”
“How long are the others supposed to be gone for?” I slipped back into the walk-in, changing as I listened.
“Chase is out scouring, doing some surveillance while Boss and Warden are working with Nate. So, they’ll probably be gone for at least a few hours.”
“So you’re stuck with babysitting duty today?” I teased, but he didn’t say anything. Wow, he must actually be concerned about me if he’s going easy on me. Groaning slightly as I pulled on my swim bottoms and cut off shorts, I moved as slowly as I could so I wouldn’t aggravate my sore body. As soon as I tried to reach behind me to tie my top, my injured ribs flared and a blinding pain shot through my chest despite my best efforts. “Ugh, Stone, can you come tie this?” I called out over my shoulder, holding the two fabric triangles to my tits.
“Tie what?” he asked, his head popping into the closet in confusion. When his gaze landed on my bare back and short shorts, his pupils expanded, and his eyes melted into a pool of molten ebony. “Uh…” he mumbled, coughing to clear his throat slightly before stepping into the closet. “Yeah. I can.”
His rough fingertips brushed ever so lightly against my skin, goosebumps rising at each touch. Grinding my teeth, I kept the shiver contained, but not before a gush of desire literally flooded my bikini bottoms.
“Thanks,” I added as soon as he was done, my voice low and husky. Turning, I exited the closet with Stone right behind me, but he didn’t say anything other than a quick ‘mhm.’ I purposely ignored the feeling of his eyes roving over my skin as we descended the stairs. “I’m going to grab something to drink, want anything?”
“Beer, please. And don’t look at me like I’m crazy for saying please, Brat, because I know that’s what you were about to do,” he challenged with a raised eyebrow.
I narrowed my eyes, unable to fight back because he was right, I was about to do that. What can I say? Old habits die hard.
We headed out into the sun, the patio stone warm under my feet, even though it was still early enough that it wasn’t hot quite yet. I took the lounge chair to the right while Stone lay back against the left. The silence was comfortable, neither of us feeling the urge to ruin a perfectly good relaxation session with talking. It was only after Stone finished his beer that he turned to me.
“All right, let me see the damage before I head inside, it’s getting hot out here.” He stood, looking down at me. I sighed and stood to take off my shorts, but before he could inspect any of my wounds I flashed him a smile. “Brat…” he warned, but I took off, jumping into the pool.
I reveled in the cool water against my flushed and heated skin as I let myself sink. When my feet brushed the bottom, I pushed off and broke through the surface to come face to face with a stern looking Stone. Or should I say, ‘stone-faced’ Stone?
“It’s not so hot if you’re in the water,” I teased, floating around lazily. He stood there, glaring slightly before nodding to himself.
“Okay then, if that’s how you want to do this,” he murmured, yanking off his shirt and unbuttoning his jeans.
I stopped floating, my eyes glued to his deep skin and muscles as they shifted and bulged with each of his movements. Holy fuck, Stone is very much all man under those black jeans and grey t-shirts.
He dove in, cutting through the water in a fluid motion, and before I could scramble out of the way, his arms curled around my hips. Coming up from under the water, he hoisted me up against his chest, and I was forced to wrap my hands around his broad shoulders to keep myself from falling off balance. A surge of heat bloomed when his half-lidded gaze looked up at me, my greedy pussy flooding at the feeling of his muscled body holding mine.
My brain fizzled out of commission when Stone kissed me, his lips soft but sure as they pressed against mine. Cupping the back of his head, I deepened the kiss, my tongue darting out to brush against his lips until he opened his mouth. His hands maneuvered my legs until they were wrapped around his muscled stomach, his hard cock pressing into my throbbing clit in the most delicious way. Rough, callused hands gently massaged the back of my thighs and ass, his fingers slipping under the fabric of my swimsuit to tease my wet pussy.
Nipping, I shifted my focus across Stone’s jaw to his neck and ear as his massage got closer and closer before finally brushing against my soaked entrance. A shuddering moan rattled through me at the light circles he teased me with, and I bit back a growl of impatience. Wanting more, I ground against his hand and cock. A deep throated groan rumbled in Stone’s chest as I continued to rock my hips against him, his mouth slamming down on mine in a fevered wave of nipping and kissing. His tongue battling against mine as he finally sank a finger into me.
My eyes rolled back, my moans muffled as he continued to kiss me like his life depended on it. Weeks of pent-up desire and need flooded us as the emotional barrier between us broke down. I hadn’t even realized he had started moving, too lost in the heat and building tingles that had flared in my core, until he picked me up and situated me on the edge of the pool. He sealed his lips over the fabric of my bikini, the graze of his teeth against my clit causing a wave of stars to burst in front of my eyes. Hooking two fingers into the edge of my swimsuit, he pushed it off to the side, leaving me bare to his fiery gaze.
I propped one heel up onto the edge of the pool, my hand cupping the back of his head as he moved in, lapping in broad, purposeful strokes around my pussy and clit until I collapsed against the hot cement of the patio. The stone burned my back, but it didn’t hurt, only serving to intensify my building orgasm.
“Fuck, Stone,” I moaned, my free hand clawing at the ground as he circled both my entrance and the ring of my ass before inching in. I forced myself to relax as his finger breached the tight circle of muscles. My moans grew frantic, turning to cries as he moved in earnest in both my flooded pussy and ass. My release grew, my body tightening as I barreled toward that edge until I fell headfirst into the blissful sensation. When I stopped shuddering, Stone hopped out of the pool. The cascade of water down his chest glimmered in the overhead sun, making my mouth water and my still aching pussy throb.
Without any warning, Stone scooped me up in his arms, placing me gently in the lounge chair. I watched with greedy eyes and a half-lidded gaze as he kicked off his underwear and settled over me. He nestled between my thighs, peppering my jaw with gentle kisses, lingering on my healing gash before he lined up and slid in. Holy fucking hell, he’s huge. I moaned, my thoughts a jumbled mess as he started to fuck me.
I didn’t know what fell from my lips as he thrust into me at a commanding pace, my nails digging into his back as his hand rolled my nipple between his fingers. Feeling his cock moving inside me had me coming apart against the fabric of the chair, melting into a whimpering puddle of need. The release that had been building since he had first jumped into the water reached levels that were nearly painful before my pussy clamped around him, shuddering as he continued his pace.
His lips silenced my cries in a possessive kiss, his tongue battling against mine as he fully let himself enjoy the sexual desire between us. When he shifted his hand from my chest to my clit, rubbing precise circles over the throbbing nub, I fell into that blissful pool of another orgasm, my vision darkening briefly from the intensity of my release.
“Oh, shit,” he groaned as I continued to shudder under him, pulling out for his own cum to spurt out against my tanned stomach. Neither one of us spoke, whether it was because we were too wiped out from the fuck-tastic sex or because we’d just finally fucked each other, I didn’t know, but only when my heart rate evened out did Stone move from his position hovering over me.
“When you said check my injuries, I didn’t think that meant from a thorough examination of fucking me, Stone,” I taunted,
afraid of seeing hatred or regret in his ebony eyes, but when he looked down at me, they were bright, and a smile spread across his handsome face. Fuck, I might have to keep him.
“I’m not sorry, but at least now I know if you can fuck, you’re healing all right,” he teased back, moving off the lounge chair to grab his underwear. I decided to continue to mess with him and, propping myself up on my elbows, I raised an eyebrow at him.
“What? Not going to clean me up?” He gave me a mischievous grin before tossing a towel at me, his long legs carrying him past me and toward the house.
“Last time I checked, you’re a grown woman, Brat, who doesn’t like to be coddled,” he hollered over his shoulder. Unable to hold it back, I laughed, fully loving this new, more playful side of Stone as I cleaned myself off and repositioned my suit to continue lying in the sun.
He’s certainly not wrong.
May 29th
Wednesday Afternoon
Chase
I sank onto the stool at the poker table, chips in hand as I was dealt into the game. My eyes scanned the crowd lazily, knowing it would be a while still until Kittycat had gotten what she wanted from this scouting. Keeping my eyes open for any movement of guards or security, as well as noting precautions I saw throughout the space, I played several hands of poker before finally winning. Nothing draws attention to yourself in a casino like winning a shit ton.
My phone buzzing in my pocket pulled me from my recent round a few minutes later, a location from my kittycat flashing on the screen. There was no attached time meaning right now. I got up, throwing a couple of chips on the table as a tip for the dealer before wandering off. After a few zigzagging laps, I headed out to the garage. Kiera was leaning against one of the walls next to the cement staircase that led to the upper levels, the cut on her face still a little red and swollen
“Hey, Kittycat,” I greeted with a soft kiss to her cheek, careful to find a small space that wasn’t marred by a bruise or healing cut. I hate that she’s been hurt so much in all of this. Maybe later I can kiss some of these to make them better. “Calling it early?” I asked in confusion. She gave me a look conveying ‘would I seriously do that?’ Chuckling, I waited until she explained what she was up to.