by Wade, Maddie
“What did happen?”
“I found Roz slumped by my door barely conscious. She was bleeding from a knife wound to her leg and had taken a pretty nasty beating.”
“What did you do?”
“I dragged her inside and cleaned her up. I was so proud of myself for helping her but when she came around, she went nuts. Reamed me out for being a stupid little girl and opening the door to a stranger. Told me I was lucky I hadn’t gotten raped or murdered.”
“Yeah, that sounds like her,” he said with a chuckle. “It obviously worked out though because you work for her now.”
Pax thought back to that time with a smile. “It did. I stood up to her despite her terrifying me at the time. I may have lived in a gilded cage most of my life, but I have my grandmother’s red hair and her spirit. I think Roz respected that. She stayed with me until she was healed and then kind of adopted me. I’d always been an organiser and she needed that.”
“Do you enjoy it?”
Pax was a little shocked by his question. Nobody ever asked her if she was happy in her work. She had to think for a second before she nodded. “I do, yes. I get to do what I’m good at and play a part in making the world safer for innocents. I know I’m not as important as Bebe or Mustique—”
“Hey, no, don’t do that.” His hand went to the side of her neck. “You’re just as important, if not more so. The lives of those girls that do the actual missions are in your hands and you’re integral to their safety and success. A mission without planning and direction is a recipe for failure. Why do you do that?”
Pax thought about what he was saying. Maybe he was right, perhaps she was more important than she was willing to believe but she never felt that way. All the girls had done things as part of Zenobi, but they had always protected her from the genuinely gritty stuff or killing. She was definitely a behind-the-scenes woman and she was okay with that. Or was she? “I don’t know,” she said dropping her head.
Blake caught her chin in his hand and lifted her head to his. “Such beautiful eyes and so expressive.”
She could feel his eyes wander over the rest of her face. Pax felt her heartbeat kick up a pace at the bright look of arousal in them. It was powerful and she imagined this was how deer felt when confronted by a lion. Half of her wanted to run but the other half, the side that craved the feel of his hands on her body, stilled her.
Blake’s face moved infinitesimally closer until he was almost touching her mouth with his lips. The warm sweet breath on her skin making her ache for him.
“I want to watch you come.” His dirty words whispered so close made wetness flood her panties. His lips touched her skin just to the side of her mouth and she swallowed as her hands dug into the sofa. “Do you want that, Gracie?” Pax knew he had used her name deliberately, that he had seen the effect it had on her. “If you don’t, then say so now.”
Pax stayed silent giving her answer and almost sighing in relief when his mouth touched hers. He kissed her slow and easy, teasing the response out of her until she sighed against him and opened her mouth. His tongue swept in and it was like a drug. She felt heavy and weak, and a desperate need began to build in her as they kissed. Blake didn’t rush or grab at her, instead he mastered her, showing how much pleasure could be had from just kissing.
She felt like she was already on the edge of climax just from his mouth on hers and he hadn’t laid a hand on her yet. Suddenly needing to feel his hands on her, she moved her body closer pressing her tits against his chest and letting out a moan at the friction that caused her nipples to harden and ache. She felt a chuckle move through Blake as he pulled back and moved his head to her neck.
“Easy, Pax, we have all night,” he said but he took the hint and brushed his fingers over her aching nipple teasing and pinching until she was moaning. His mouth caught hers as he twisted and sat bringing her over him, so she was sitting astride him. “This will be easier on your ribs.” His concern for her comfort above anything else showed her what a terrific guy he was.
Pax could feel the hard ridge of his cock as it pressed against her pussy, she moved slightly trying to ease the pressure in her body.
“So fucking beautiful.”
His hands reached up to cup her face as she leaned into his touch before they travelled down her sides—his thumbs rubbing the stiff peaks of her nipples and moving gently over her sore ribs until they rested on her hip bones. He watched her for a second and Pax bent forward and touched her lips to his, kissing him until he took over, angling her head so he could kiss her harder. It was all consuming and she wanted more. She wanted to drown in sensation, to let go and just feel.
His hand cupped her pussy over her shorts and Pax gasped as he rubbed his palm against her mound until she began to move against him. He stopped and she let out a frustrated whimper before he slid his hand inside her panties. His finger glided through her wet slit finding the hard nub of her clit and began to move in slow, delicious circles that had her grinding into his cock.
Blake slid his fingers towards her pussy replacing his finger on her clit with his thumb. He plunged one finger, then two inside her and Pax threw her head back on a moan of pleasure breaking their kiss.
“So fucking wet for me.”
She felt her pussy get wetter at his growled words. He kept working her clit as he fucked her slowly with his fingers building her higher but not giving her what she needed to push her over the edge.
“I need more,” she pleaded as she ground against his cock and he hissed.
“I know what you need.” Blake sat forward using his other hand to pull her top from her shoulders. The vest top fell to her waist and exposed her tits to his eyes.
Blake looked at her body with hooded, desire-heavy eyes. “You’re exquisite.” He palmed her breast bringing it to his lips slowing before taking it into her mouth. He sucked her nipple hard until it was almost painful then crooked his fingers inside her finding her G-spot.
Pax let out a keening cry, she was so close. The ache began to build as electric currents of pleasure moved through her. Her thighs began to shake. She felt Blake pull back when her head went back as he worked her clit harder.
“Look at me, Gracie.”
It was his tone, the blatant masculine alpha demand that Pax cede her control to him that made her comply. Her eyes found his and at that moment, as he gazed at her as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world, she shattered. Her vision went hazy, her body shook, her mind a blank canvas of nothing but pleasure and sensation. A cry tore from her lips but it was mumbled and incoherent as she rode the wave of ecstasy.
She felt Blake’s fingers go still inside her, sensing she was too sensitive to take any more and relaxed her body weight into him, every muscle drained from the intensity of the climax she’d just had. Blake removed his hand from her panties and wrapped his arms around her. He held her for a second before she sat up and looked at him,
“That was intense.” Her words were mumbled, exhaustion hitting her.
“Yeah it was, and it was everything I thought it would be. Watching you come is my new favourite thing to do.”
Pax laughed and felt his hardness against her core. “What about you?”
“This isn’t about me. This is about you trusting me when I say I’m not going to fuck you and run. I want more, Gracie. I want us to build something together.”
His look was filled with intensity and desire and she realised she wanted that too. It frightened her to death because a man like Blake—one who was sweet and kind, caring, dangerous, and sexy as hell, and could cook and give orgasms like that—was fucking lethal.
She had played down how losing Benny had affected her, and it wasn’t until that second that she saw she had been picking safe men. Men who couldn’t hurt her because she never let them get close. Choosing men she knew would fuck up sooner or later. Blake wasn’t like those men. He had the potential to break her heart and she was terrified of that happening—terrified of him.
> “I don’t know if I can give you that.” Her answer was as honest as she could be, and she tried to climb off him.
He stopped her pulling her closer and pinning her to his chest, played with her hair. “What are you afraid of?”
“You. What you could do to me. I like you, Blake. You’re not what I thought and what I see I really like.”
“I like you, too.”
“Shut up. You know what I mean.” She dug him in the belly with her elbow in punishment for his laughter.
“I do know. I can’t promise we’ll live happily ever after and have a house full of kids. I can’t promise we won’t have moments where we want to kill each other but I can promise to be honest with you and to put you first. Is that enough for now? Can we give this a go and see where it goes?”
Pax liked everything he said. It was honest and sincere, not flowery bullshit promises or declarations meant to manipulate. The fact was, she did want it. She had wanted it before, but Blake had been putting up barriers too. But now his were down and he was offering them a chance. Could she take it?
“What about Eidolon and Zenobi? They don’t exactly play nice together. That’s a pretty big stumbling block if Roz or Jack don’t like it.”
“It is but I don’t believe Roz would stop us. She’s a hard ass but she also knows what it’s like to be in love and she and K make it work with Fortis and Zenobi. As for Jack, let’s cross that bridge when we get to it. Maybe we make a rule that we don’t discuss work at home. Lots of couples make that work. I’m sure we can find other things to do instead.” His devilish smile made desire shoot through her.
“You have a one-track mind.”
“Me? I was talking about watching boxsets.”
Her smile was wicked. “Sure you were.”
“There it is, the secret smile that first got my attention.”
Pax felt herself blush. “I don’t have a secret smile.”
“Yes, you do. You smile like you have a delicious secret that no one but you knows about. It made me want to be in on that secret.”
“Want to know what it is?” she teased and then lifted up and whispered in his ear, making him throw back his head and belly laugh. It was a sound she was growing to adore.
Chapter Nine
Blake lay on the couch thinking about Pax. Watching her lose control and give herself over to the pleasure he’d given her earlier had been one of the most erotic things he had ever witnessed. His cock was still hard from the visual effect, his balls heavy and almost painful with the need to come but he wanted to give her time.
Pax was scared and it was obvious she didn’t like the feeling. Nobody did, but with her, he sensed it was more than normal fear. She liked to come across as confident, but she didn’t value herself as much as she should. He wanted to show her that she was important and had worth. He also wanted to wring the neck of the person that had taught her she wasn’t either of those things.
He turned over on the couch which was comfy for a short time, but this was night three and he was over it. He knew he could have crawled into bed with Pax tonight, but he didn’t want to rush her. So he lay on the couch and tried to sleep. When that didn’t work, he got up and went to collect his laptop from the kitchen so he could see if he had any more emails from Will who had done as Blake suggested, and so far, had found nothing but he was going to go back further and see if anything broke.
As Blake passed the front door, he saw a shadow move. His senses went on alert as he listened for the slightest noise and heard nothing. Moving towards the living room he snagged his gun from the side table and moved towards the window. Staying hidden behind the curtain he peered out trying to see if he could catch any suspicious movement when a loud crash came from above his head followed by a scream.
Pax!
Taking the stairs two at a time he raced towards her bedroom and flung open the door. In a split second his eyes took in the broken glass all over her carpet and the brick that had landed there. His eyes went to Pax who was unharmed but shaking and disorientated in the middle of the bed. Blake was beside her in a heartbeat, holding her to him as he moved until she was between him and the wall.
Nothing would get to her without going through him first. He had no time to see if she was okay, he needed to find the threat and neutralise it.
“Get dressed and call Jack.” He kept his voice low as he ushered her to the bathroom and threw some clothes inside. “Lock the door and don’t come out until I say so.” He handed her the gun he knew she kept in the drawer by her bed despite it being illegal here in the UK.
He watched her go without an argument. Her fear had gone, but she was following orders knowing she couldn’t help him injured as she was and would only distract him.
Moving to the window he saw a man move across the lawn. Hitting the stairs, he raced to the back sliding doors and wasted precious seconds on the lock before he threw them open. He had his gun cocked as he stepped out and was hit by a wall of muscle that took him to the ground and knocked the gun from his hand.
Blake’s body hit the decking with a thud as he and his attacker rolled jockeying for position. Blake managed to land a blow to the man’s jaw and heard the grunt of pain. He couldn’t see anything past the ski-mask, especially in the darkness. The man, larger than him with twenty pounds more muscle, caught Blake with an uppercut that sent him careening into the rattan garden furniture with a crash. Blake grabbed a pair of garden clippers to use as a weapon as he and the man eyed each other, waiting for the other to move.
Blake feinted right, his opponent read him, and Blake missed his mark and only caught the man across the bicep with the clippers instead of the chest like he had intended. The blow knocked the clippers from his hand. He had done a little damage though and he now had the advantage.
Blake blocked a kick to the head and threw a punch, but his attacker blocked and caught him with a ridged hand strike to the throat which caused him to lose balance, then the fucker took out his injured knee with a knee wheel strike that caused him to almost black out from the pain. Going to the ground, he turned to face his assailant, but the man had already taken off towards the hedge at the back of Pax’s garden.
Blake knew he couldn’t go after him as he struggled to stand, limping as he put weight on his injured leg. Motherfucker had known just where to strike which made Blake wonder who the attacker was after.
Blake heard the sound of cars pulling up outside with a screech and when he turned back, the only sign of the man who had attacked him ever being there was Pax’s destroyed furniture.
Blake walked back through the sliding doors closing and locking them before casting his eye one last time around the surrounding area and finding nothing. He limped to the front door as he heard hammering on the door. He didn’t need to ask who it was. Roz was more than making herself known.
“Open this fucking door or I swear I am going rip your balls off and feed them to you.”
Her threat made Blake wince; he knew she was capable of doing just that. As soon as he opened the door Roz shoulder-barged past him, followed by Alex, Evelyn, and Jack.
“Will you calm the fuck down, woman.” Jack’s voice was a hiss as he followed behind Roz.
Roz had stopped in the middle of the room and seemed to be looking around for Pax. “Where is she?”
“I’m here.” Pax’s voice came from the top of the stairs.
Blake looked up at her with a glare. “I told you not to come down until I called you.”
“Don’t you fucking speak to her like that,” Roz hissed rounding on him with fury and a barely controlled rage in her eyes.
“Is the area secure?” Jack turned to Blake with his question and ignored Roz and her outburst.
“Yeah. Just one attacker and they ran off over the back when they heard the cars.”
Pax made it to the ground floor and moved towards him, her eyes on his leg that he couldn’t hold weight on.
“Your leg.” She’d come to stand beside him
as Roz watched her every move.
“It’s fine.” There was no way he was going to complain in front of Roz.
“What the hell is going on around here and why does one of my girls look like she was fucking strangled?” Roz’s quiet calm was more terrifying than the yelling and threats ever were. Roz was about to blow her top and someone was going to end up injured unless she was satisfied with the answers.
Evelyn took over then. “Let’s take this into the living room. Why don’t you go and make sure the house is secure and find out what happened?” Her last comment was directed at Alex indicating he, Blake, and Jack do the securing while her and Pax explained to Roz why she had been kept out of the loop.
It wasn’t going to be an easy or a pleasant conversation and he had absolutely no doubt that the leader of Zenobi would take it badly. His instinct was to stay with Pax.
“You want me to stay, Gracie?”
Pax blushed deep crimson and the intimate name he used that nobody else called her. He felt Roz’s eyes shoot to him before going to Pax in question. “No. Go find the rock they threw, and I’ll explain everything to Roz.”
Blake winked back and moved away letting her have privacy for this. “I’m upstairs if you want me.” His words were a reminder that he wouldn’t be far.
Limping from the room he began the ascent up the stairs and moved to Pax’s bedroom where Jack and Alex stood assessing the scene. “How come, Roz is here?”
Alex looked at him, “She was with Evelyn when Jack and I got the call from Pax. There was no way we could stop her from coming with us.”
“I don’t think it’s going to go over too well with Roz.”
“Can’t say as I blame her,” Jack replied.
It was no secret that the two leaders rubbed each other up the wrong way so Blake was surprised to hear him defend her.
“Why?” Blake was curious to hear Jack’s reasons for defending a woman they all knew he didn’t like.
“Well, I wouldn’t fucking like it if one of my team got attacked and instead of telling me they sought help from an outside team after going to great lengths to hide what happened to them. That shit stings. Roz is a lot of things, but she’s a good leader and deserves to know when her girls are under threat.”