by A. E. Murphy
When I turn off the light so I can take a selfie in the mirror, with only the moonlight highlighting my figure, I see an odd shape at the edge of my humongous window.
When I narrow my eyes to get a better look, a flash of teeth smile at me and dark eyes drag over my image. He lifts something that glints in the moonlight and taps it against the glass.
Still staring at the knife-wielding shadow, I scream and move to the door but it flies open and I collide with a strong chest.
Sargent holds me against him as somebody else enters my bedroom with a gun drawn.
“There’s a man!” I panic, pointing at the window where the shadow was. “He had a knife, he was standing right there, just looking at me.”
“Dev,” Sargent yells, “get my gun, search the area.”
“On it,” I hear him call from the distance.
As my panic subsides I remember my state of undress and feel eyes on me belonging to the man who entered my bedroom with his gun drawn. He’s tall and I wonder what’s in the water around here to make men this big. He’s muscly, humongous, even. He has tattoos from his jaw down and I can see the shape of one under his eye but I can’t make it out in the dark.
Sargent wraps me in the blanket from my bed, covering my body.
“Avert your eyes, Stone,” Sargent snarls at him. “Everybody get the fuck out.”
The man in question nods his handsome head but touches my shoulder with a finger as he passes, dragging it over the bare skin.
“Stone,” Sargent warns and I watch the man tuck his gun into the back of his jeans and tug down on the bottom of his leather cut. It has an emblem on it, a twisted skull of some kind of animal and the words, “Soulless Jackal” printed around it.
He’s a biker. I’ve never met a biker before but I’ve seen enough on TV to know to be wary.
“Are you alright?” Sargent asks, gripping my shoulders and looking me up and down.
I nod. “I am so sorry for bothering you. I just freaked. I was trying on the clothes and the light was on so I don’t even know how long he was there for. What if he got pictures?”
“It’s okay,” he assures me, setting me on the bed and kicking an empty bag out of the way. “Did you see what he looked like?”
I shake my head. “Not exactly. I mean…” I rack my brain, seeing him standing there… “I was too busy focusing on the knife. It was huge. He kept tapping it against the window like he wanted me to see him.”
I wrap my arms around his waist, standing again, and press my face into his shoulder.
“It’s okay,” he whispers, kissing my hairline. “You’re safe.”
My adrenaline slowly subsides but only to a less erratic level.
I reach up, hook him around the back of his neck and push my lips onto his.
He seems taken aback for a moment, but then, as the blanket drops, he grips my rear with both hands and pulls me toward him. I feel him grow against my hip as his tongue dips into my mouth, tasting me.
Turning, he pushes me against the closed door and hooks my leg over his arm, moaning when his length pushes against my tingling mound.
“We don’t have time,” he breathes, pulling back and cupping my jaw with his large hand. “I’ve got a poker game to win.” His lips trail down my neck. “You have no idea how sexy you look right now.” His fingertip trails over the seam of my bra. “Keep this on and I’ll sneak in later.”
“What about that man?” I ask, looking at the window again but seeing nobody there.
“Don’t worry, whoever he is has likely been frightened off. If you’re scared, get dressed and go up to my room.” He runs his thumb over my lower lip. “I’ll try to get this over and done with as quickly as I can.”
I nod and pull away from him, grab the gray dress and slip it over my head, then I follow him barefoot to the dining area where three men are standing with the doors wide open. Devon returns and shakes his head at Sargent who sighs.
“Footprints but no sign of him.”
“He won’t be back,” Stone assures us, glancing at me. When he catches me looking, he winks and Sargent pulls me behind him as he steps forwards. “Not while we’re here.”
I move to the stairs, keeping my head down, when Stone’s hand reaches out and he grabs my bicep.
“Are you not going to introduce us?” he asks Sargent as he looks at me with curious eyes. His long, dark beard surrounds curving lips and surprisingly nice teeth. There’s a curiosity in his eyes that makes me feel as naked as I was when he burst into my room.
“No,” Sargent replies and Stone’s hand tightens on my arm, only slightly, it doesn’t hurt but it does tell me I’m not going to be able to escape.
“Perhaps she’ll introduce herself?” He grins, raising a dark brow.
I wet my lips and his eyes move there. “I’m Tempest.”
“Tempest?” He tests my name and his grin broadens. “I like that, a name fit for a biker, or an old lady.”
“Stone,” Sargent warns and Stone chuckles but still doesn’t release me. The other men watch on, interested by the exchange. They’re all wearing the same cut as Stone, all but one. Devon shifts on the spot by the open doors, he looks as uncomfortable as I feel.
“And why are you here, Tempest?”
“I’m visiting, from England.”
“That explains the accent, though I had thought you were Australian for a minute there.” He chuckles and nods to Sargent. “You his?”
“Sorry?”
He gives my bicep a little shake. “I said, are you his?”
“No,” I reply quickly.
His smile broadens. “You his son’s?”
“I’m just a friend of the family.”
“She’s mine,” Sargent snaps, yanking me backwards and into his chest. I slam against him with an oomph.
“She doesn’t seem to think so.” He raises a challenging brow. “You fucked him? Bet you’re a good fuck. You got that look about you. Raise hell with a body like yours.”
“Stone,” the man in the suit warns. “Perhaps pissing off Mr. Wolf is not in the best interests of the club at this point.”
“I’m just playin’!” Stone declares to the room and moves away. “Speaking of playing, have you ever watched a live match of poker?”
“I’ve had enough excitement…”
“Sit your sweet ass down and watch me take your man’s money.”
Sargent curses under his breath and everybody returns to the table where a fresh deck of cards is shuffled, cut, shuffled, cut, and then dealt.
I sit quietly as one of the men brings us drinks, myself included. I’m forced to take a shot of whiskey for my nerves and Sargent keeps one hand on my thigh at all times. He wins a few hands, loses a few, but it isn’t until Devon, the suit guy who I know now to be called Banks, and the last guy in a leather cut who isn’t serving drinks, are out, that things get tense and Sargent releases me.
At this point it’s no longer a game of skill but a game of luck and stupidity.
Their piles of chips shift in height as they both win and lose. That is until finally, after another hour and a few more drinks giving them both a buzz, Sargent leans back and speaks.
“This is getting boring.”
“I agree,” Stone replies, winking at me. “You wanna make it more interestin’?”
“Depends what you want,” Sargent places his hand back on my thigh.
“Depends on what you want.”
His warm hand stiffens, gripping my thigh with near pain as he looks at his cards again. “I want out of our contract.”
Stone’s eyes turn… well… stony. “Scuse me?”
What sort of contract does he have with this kind of person? Stone oozes danger. He terrifies me.
“I lose, you get a bigger percentage,” Sargent continues, shrugging and downing the rest of his drink.
Devon eyes them both warily. I just want to be anywhere but here.
Stone grins, showing a slither of teeth beyond his p
arted lips. He too leans back and looks at me. “I’ll accept your deal, but you’ll have to sweeten it.” His eyes drag over me again, his tongue runs over his lip, making it shine in the soft light coming from the kitchen area. “If I win, I get thirty percent of your company, and a night with your girl.” The room stills and Sargent’s hand grips my thigh so hard it hurts.
My stomach is in knots. I feel sick. He can’t be serious?
“That’s only a ten percent increase, I’m being generous,” Stone adds, looking at me again.
“You can’t be fucking serious?” Devon laughs humorlessly, standing quickly. “We don’t trade women, especially unwilling women.”
“Only need a few seconds to work my magic and she’ll be as willing as a bitch in heat.”
I look at Sargent who has yet to talk. He’s staring at Stone, a vacant look in his eye.
“Are you considering it?” I hiss, pulling away so sharply I nearly fall from my chair.
“Just one night, can’t promise she won’t leave you for me though.” Stone winks at me as I look back and forth between them.
“I don’t want to sleep with you.”
He looks unphased by my words and simply stares down Sargent. “You called this for your freedom, didn’t you?”
“This game is over,” Sargent declares, standing and pulling me up beside him.
My body deflates, the fear leaving me as he pulls me into his side and kisses my hairline.
“Aww, man, I was just twisting your dick.” Stone grins, leaning back but his eyes linger on me. “Don’t end the game.”
“I think it’s prudent at this point.” Sargent’s arm remains firmly around my shoulders. “I need to look into who the fuck was in my yard looking at my woman in her room.”
Stone’s eyes become stony again. “I hear that. You need any help dealing with the creep you just let me know.”
Sargent nods his thanks and looks at Devon. “See them out, I need to check over the surveillance.” I look up at his profile and smile at him shakily. My body is still humming from the adrenaline of the night but even more from the fact he just ended the game for me. I know, from his earlier tone, how important this was to him, I hope he gets another chance to make the changes he needs.
“You figure out who it is, just call,” Stone insists, shaking Sargent’s hand and winking at me. “We’ll make sure he doesn’t bother you again. You know you got our protection, Wolf. Use it.”
Sargent leads me to the stairs.
I let him guide me to his room which when I enter, I take in like it’s the first time seeing it. I’ve been in here a few times but I can’t help appreciate it with each visit. The dark wall on the left, the windows overlooking Malibu and the yard, the four-poster king bed with dark blue bedding and rather fluffy white pillows. It’s a nice room. A really nice room.
The rug is still in the corner of the two walls of glass that the bed rests opposite. I bite my lip at the sight of it. We haven’t touched it since the day of the photos. I imagine it still smells like the sweet, strawberry body oil.
“Are you alright?” he asks me softly when I stop in the space between his bed and the door. His fingers dig into my shoulders and arms, sliding up and down. It feels nice and helps alleviate some of the stress I feel. I’m not sure anything has kicked in yet. My mind keeps replaying the man at the window with the knife, then fast-forwarding to the moment Stone decided to enter me into the wager.
“I thought you were considering his offer,” I whisper, recalling Sargent’s face
He kisses my neck, which feels so good, and wraps his arms around my waist as we stare across the dark room together. I shiver in his embrace, always ready and willing to be touched by him. “Never.”
“You told him I’m yours.”
“You are,” he murmurs, trailing the tip of his nose along the edge of my hair. “I’d never hurt you.”
His words stop my breathing. “Don’t say things that will make me feel more for you than I should.”
He walks me to the rug and doesn’t stop until my bare toes are wriggling in the super soft faux fur. When his fingers find the hem of my dress and lift, I raise my arms and wet my lips.
“We’re just sex,” I say quietly. “We’re just doing this. No complications.”
His hand holds mine above my head as he circles me and then dips his lips to kiss my throat. After hooking my arms around his neck, large, warm hands finally drift over my curves before palming my breasts through the black lace.
“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.”
His words and following kiss make everything else melt away for a while. He normally has me on my back by now but he seems content to just taste me and I’m okay with that. I like kissing him. More than I should.
“Get in bed,” he whispers after another moment. “I have to deal with Devon, check the surveillance and lock up. In no particular order.”
I’m about to protest when he lifts me into his arms and strides to his bed. He lays me on it and looks at me with so much longing.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“Maddox will be home soon,” I remind him, talking about the fact I’m in his bed and not my own.
“I know,” he replies, kisses me again as I pull the blanket over my body, still donning my underwear. I’ll get changed into one of his tops after he’s gone. “I won’t be long.”
Does that mean he’s actually going to sleep with me?
I don’t know how I feel about that. Normally he fucks me and goes away or escorts me back to my own room, or essentially kicks me out. Hence the fact when we do screw, it’s usually in my room because it complicates things less. This is whole new territory.
Sargent
I watch the man stand at her window, the cameras around the house caught him trying the back door, but getting spooked and running around the side of the house as a way to escape, only to find her in her room, likely trying on her new belongings as she said she was doing before she saw him.
He tugs on his dick, his movements fast and almost angry as his other hand grips the knife. It looks like a standard knife that we use to chop things up in a kitchen. This terrifies me even more because what the fuck is he going to do with it? Why was he trying to get into my house? Who is he looking for? Was it her all along? Does he know her? It’s hard to tell who it is due to his hood being up but I have a couple of half-decent stills of his face. I’m going to edit them for a clearer look.
I’ve sent a few through to Stone, and some to Devon who left twenty minutes ago, and some to Tucker, my company’s head of security.
There’s little else I can do but wait to see if they recognize him. I plan on showing some of the edited stills to Tempest but I don’t plan on telling her about the fact he has masturbated to her through the glass. It makes me sick knowing he stood there for over an hour watching her, twisting that knife in his hand.
Until we catch this fool we can’t let her out of our sight.
I have never known fear like the fear I felt when I heard her scream. It had us all tossing up our cards and racing to her room. Stone had his gun out before he was even out of his chair.
I’ve never heard a scream of fear like that before.
I’m still feeling the adrenaline from it.
The house is locked up and safe, my son is on his way home but I don’t plan on keeping her out of my sight tonight. He can discover us and question me all he likes, tonight I just need to keep her close and keep her safe.
On that note, I shut down my computer and join her in bed. She’s rid her delectable body of the underwear that we all unfortunately saw her in and is wearing one of my T-shirts and a pair of my boxer briefs. She still looks ridiculously sexy.
I climb in behind her and lie on my back, looking up at the ceiling, fighting the urge to wrap my body around hers. This is getting complicated.
I double-check on the pistol in my bedside table, it’s loaded, the safety is on, it’s there for w
hen I need it. I mean if I need it which I hope I never will.
Sighing, I rub my hand over my face and glance at the sleeping woman beside me again.
Why did it have to be her? Why can’t I be with anybody but her right now? Feeling the way I feel…
I don’t even know what I feel, but I know that it’s more than I should and definitely not just sex anymore.
“Stop,” she murmurs, tensing in her sleep. “Please, just stop.”
“Tempest,” I whisper, placing my hand on her stomach.
She curls into me immediately and sighs. Her hand rests on my chest and her thigh shifts over mine. I adjust my arm under her neck and relax. This is not something I do but I’ll allow it because it feels really fucking nice. She feels really fucking nice.
She smells of berries too, which is also really fucking nice.
I drift to sleep and I don’t even feel it.
Warmth surrounds my cock.
So much warmth and wetness.
My eyes blink open, it’s still dark but I feel her hands digging into my chest, I feel her bucking against me, slowly at first but faster when she sees me open my eyes.
“What a way to wake up,” I groan as my balls begin to burn and tingle and my cock gets harder and thicker inside of her.
She moans, leaning forward and pressing her forehead to mine as her hips circle and move.
“Do that thing you do,” she breathes, squeezing her eyes shut.
“That thing?” I question, gritting my teeth because I’m so sensitive I might only last another minute if I don’t focus.
“With your thumb,” she snaps, sounding angry at me for not immediately knowing what the fuck she’s talking about.
“As you wish.” I grin in the dark, sliding my hands up her thighs as she continues to bounce on me, sitting upright again. My thumb finds her clit and rolls over it, softly at first but then quicker as she gets wetter.
She mewls and gasps and I know I’m doing it just right. It doesn’t help me much though because she’s squeezing my dick like never before.