by Lolita Lopez
Menace snatched her by the waist and dragged her close. He reached back and turned his chair around before sitting. He hauled her onto his lap and forced her to straddle his thighs. Those skilled fingers that had shown her so much pleasure cupped the back of her head and tangled in her hair. The pain in his pale eyes stunned her.
“Naya,” he said with force, “you are worth fighting for.”
“Wh-what?” She could barely form the word.
“You are worth fighting for,” he repeated just as firmly. “Those people? Your blood? They abandoned you, but I never will.”
He seemed so honest and sincere. She had never wanted to believe a man so much in her entire life. She opened her mouth, but he shook his head and pressed his fingers to her lips.
“I know what you’re going to say, but I’m not those men.” He seemed to be struggling for the right words. “Do you have any idea what you mean to me? What I went through to get you?”
Menace gripped the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up and over to display the right side of his body. Those tattoos she’d studied earlier were in clear view now. “Every mark I carry on my body is a reminder of the hell I’ve survived. These tell the story of my history as a soldier.” He touched his left side, the bare side. “But here? This is where I’ll tell the story of us. Someday soon, your mark will be right here.”
Menace touched the space just above his heart. The implication hit her hard. He would wear her mark on his heart because she meant more to him than anything in this world.
“When we have children, their marks will join yours. I will carry you on me forever because you are mine. That is what you mean to me.” Menace caressed her cheek. “Do you understand now?”
“Yes.” The depth of his devotion both terrified and warmed her. No one had ever spoken to her in this way. If any man in creation had the audacity to be everything he promised, it was probably Menace.
He stroked her jaw and smiled sadly. “I know you don’t believe me. Not completely, at least.” He kissed her tenderly. “That’s all right, sweetheart. I know what I’m up against and I’m willing to take on the challenge of convincing you.”
Naya didn’t know what to say to that. Menace reached for the orange he’d peeled and popped off one segment of juicy fruit. He teased it across her lips. “Eat your dessert so I can have mine.”
His sexy, playful meaning didn’t escape her. She happily allowed him to slip the citrusy flesh between her teeth. She munched on the delicious orange and felt the first tendrils of anticipation unfold in her core. Only one thought circled round and round in her head. I could get used to this.
Chapter Seven
Menace enjoyed watching Naya sleep. Her relaxed face showed the slightest hint of a smile. Considering the way he’d ravished her after she’d finished that orange, he wasn’t surprised. Hell, he’d had a smile on his face when he’d finally drifted off with her secure in his arms.
He studied her full lips and dark hair. The first soft rays of faux sunlight spilled out of the recessed lights above the bed. His people had long since mastered the art of long-term space living by fooling the body with specially filtered UV lights set on timers that mimicked a daily solar cycle. By eating a specialized diet high in vitamins and exercising regularly, the Harcos lived in space for years without suffering negative side effects.
Menace wondered how well Naya would take to her new lifestyle. Hallie had struggled with living in full-time orbit. Vicious sent her to see her sister in the colonies whenever possible so she could have a few days with her feet on solid ground. If Naya needed that, he’d find a way to make it work. There were years of vacation days banked in his account waiting to be used.
He trailed his fingertip along her collarbone to the very tip of her throat and then lower to the valley between her breasts. Their discussion from last night still troubled him. That she had a criminal past as a juvenile delinquent was the least of his worries. The women of Calyx were faced with ugly choices. To survive, Naya had made the choices she felt necessary. He would never hold those against her.
No, what troubled him most was the way the people who should have protected her had treated her so abominably. A mother who ran out on her and a brother who left her behind to struggle for survival? It was an absolute disgrace.
He now understood what he faced in earning her trust. It wasn’t going to be easy, but then none of the things in life worth having ever were. Naya was worth it. He had to make her see that she was truly a person who deserved happiness and love and security. If it took his last breath, he’d show her that.
Remembering a promise he’d made about giving her time before they took a step toward parenthood, Menace carefully slipped out of bed. To his amusement, she reached for him in her sleep. He patted her seeking hand until she settled back down. Smiling, he headed into the bathroom and went through his usual morning routine. Before returning to bed, he opened up the med kit in one of the cabinets and found the thermometer.
He slid back in bed and activated the thermometer. Before she’d gone to sleep, Naya had explained that her temperature had to be taken at roughly the same time every morning and after at least four hours of sleep. Considering the routine he kept, she would likely wake near this time every day.
Menace pressed the flat, circular tip of the thermometer to her temple. A split second later, Naya’s eyes flew open in sheer terror. She grabbed his wrist hard enough to leave bruises. “Get that off of me!”
The thermometer beeped and he carefully tugged it away from her head. “Easy, Naya. It’s just a thermometer.”
Wild-eyed, she smacked at his hand and sat up. “The hell it is!” She rubbed the spot where he had taken her temp. “What did you do to me? Did you inject me with some kind of drug?”
Her misunderstanding would have been humorous if she wasn’t so clearly gripped by paranoia. “Look,” he said and thrust the thermometer into her hands. “It’s just a temperature-taking device. You hold it to the forehead or temple and it takes a temperature in three seconds.”
She took the device with trembling fingers and studied it. Her fingertip traced the flat probe and then the digital display. She swallowed hard as color crept into her cheeks. Obviously embarrassed, she refused to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry.”
“Hey,” he said softly and tipped her chin. “It’s all right. I should have woken you first. I can’t imagine how scared I would have been if some woman I’d only known for a day was jamming something strange against my head while I was in a dead sleep.”
“I guess.”
“Let’s start this day over, okay?” Menace leaned forward and captured her lips. “Good morning, sweetheart.”
Happiness filtered across her beautiful face. “Good morning, Menace.”
“Smile for me,” he murmured and brushed his knuckles across her cheek.
“What?” She laughed nervously but couldn’t squash the bemused smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Why?”
He kissed her forehead. “Because I like to see you smile.”
Before she could ask him why he liked that so much, he claimed her mouth in a kiss that grew increasingly passionate. Mornings had always been the time that he was the most easily aroused. Having Naya’s soft, warm body in his arms made it impossible for him to think of anything else but possessing her again.
He pressed her onto her back and threw a leg over her hips. Pinning her smaller body beneath his, Menace pushed up onto his knees and planted his hands on either side of her face. She gazed up at him with such apprehension on her face. He nuzzled her neck and nipped her sensitive skin. “Relax, Naya.”
“It’s hard sometimes,” she admitted, slightly breathless. “I know you won’t hurt me, but you’re just so damn big. I’ve spent my whole life keeping away from big, scary men.”
He couldn’t blame her for experiencing an ingrained response. Not wanting her to be uncomfortable, he lifted off her and started to move to the side. To his surprise, she w
ound her legs around his waist and shook her head. “Stay on me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She bit her lower lip and then admitted, “I like the way it feels.”
Now they were getting somewhere. “But it makes you feel conflicted?”
She nodded. “I feel like I shouldn’t want to be powerless to you. I feel like I should be the one in complete control.”
Menace caressed her naked breast and brushed his thumb over her nipple. The dusky-brown peak tightened under his touch. “You respond so wonderfully to being submissive to me, Naya.”
“I know.” She didn’t sound happy about it.
He kissed the side of her neck and nibbled her earlobe. Coaxing pleasured sighs from her lips made his dick throb. Her hands roamed his sides, setting his skin alight. “I gave you a safeword, remember?”
Her hands went still on his ribs. “Blue?”
“Yes.” He gazed down at her. “You have the power to make everything stop, Naya. Even if I have you cuffed to my bed and your feet suspended in midair, you’re the one in control.”
Interest flashed in her eyes. “Could we do that?”
He tilted his head. “You want me to cuff you to my bed?”
She gulped hard. “Yes.”
“You’re sure?” He was ready to pounce on her request but didn’t want to regret it later if she wasn’t absolutely certain.
“You said I’m in control, right? If it’s too much, I can use the safeword you gave me.”
He nodded. “It won’t get to that point, Naya. The first moment I detect any true fear from you, I’ll cut you loose.”
A sweet smile brightened her face. “I know you will.”
She hadn’t said the word trust, but they were getting there. She trusted him not to hurt her. She trusted him to behave honorably and abide by the rules. Knowing her history, it was a huge step forward in their relationship.
Menace kissed her deeply. “Wait here. I need to get some things.”
“Um, may I use the restroom first?”
“Sorry,” he apologized quickly. “I shouldn’t have jumped on you the second you woke up, but you’re just too tempting.”
She laughed. “Well with an apology like that, a girl can forgive her big, sexy sky warrior for making her do the potty dance.”
Menace frowned at her while she bounced off the bed and scurried to the bathroom. “The what?”
She touched the frame and opened the door. Glancing over her shoulder, she presented such a stunningly erotic picture. Her bare bottom and smiling face were the things of fantasies. “You haven’t spent much time around toddlers.”
He shook his head. “Children aren’t very common aboard the Valiant yet. We’ve only just started an elementary school program for five- and six-year-olds. I understand it’s a class of seven.”
“Well, someday when you have a handful of rotten little Menaces running around this place driving you insane with their yelling and wild antics, you’ll understand the term.”
She disappeared into the bathroom and left him thinking about the very real possibility of such a thing happening in the not too distant future. An image of a young child with the same honey-brown skin and dark hair as Naya but his pale eyes appeared before him. The idea of someday walking into a noisy home to be greeted by the sounds of his wife and children filled him with the most desperate sense of longing.
For so long, he’d fought to preserve the Harcos way of life from those insurrectionists who wanted to ruin everything that was good and right and true about their society. He’d gone into battle ready to die to defend the lives of the men who stood on either side of him. Grabbing Naya had given him a chance to build something even greater to protect and defend—a family, his very own family.
Emboldened by his desire to cultivate a lasting, trusting relationship with the young woman he’d caught in the forest, Menace climbed off the bed and made his way to the playroom attached to their bedroom. He quickly chose the items he needed for the sensual torment he had in mind.
When he returned, he found Naya kneeling in the center of the bed. The ends of her hair looked damp. Had she showered that quickly? Anxiety and excitement radiated from her in waves. She chewed her lower lip and picked at the sheets. Telling her to relax wasn’t going to help. The sooner he had her bound and completely at the mercy of his hands and mouth, the better.
“On your back,” he ordered and dumped his armful of supplies onto the bed.
Her curious gaze scanned the items he’d dropped. She pointed to a slim, short anal plug he’d chosen on a whim. “Do I even want to know what the hell that is?”
“Probably not,” he said with a teasing smirk.
To her credit, she didn’t instantly refuse to even consider the plug. She did as he’d asked and moved onto her back, her hands fisted at her sides. Gently he took her hands in his and pulled her arms up over her head. He hoped that in time she would grow to trust him enough not to tense up so badly. For now, he was willing to work around her fear. After the life she had lived in Connor’s Run, he couldn’t expect anything less from her.
When he pulled free the leather, padded cuffs hidden between the mattress and headboard, Naya’s eyes widened. “Is that standard bed design around here?”
He laughed. “Yes. There are points along the bedframe that allow restraint connections.”
She was quiet. “Is our bed the only place I need to worry about you whipping out the chains and cuffs? I mean, the dinner table is just a dinner table, right? It’s not some weird piece of sex furniture?”
Menace snorted. “It’s just a table.”
He didn’t tell her that even a simple table could be a perfect prop for some impromptu rough loving. He expertly applied the cuffs to her wrists and hooked the chain to a ring attached to the very top of the headboard. He pulled the chain taut, ridding it of any slack so she wouldn’t be able to jerk her arms and potentially hurt her shoulders or wrists.
He checked the cuff tightness again. Vicious had been right about buying the extra-small cuffs. The supply shop had started carrying them not long after Vicious Grabbed Hallie. They were much more expensive but provided such a good fit for Naya’s slim wrists.
Menace swept his fingertips along the exposed undersides of her arms. She shivered and tried to squeeze her knees together but ended up squeezing his hips instead. He continued to tease and torment her with ticklish caresses and featherlight kisses as he moved down her body. The sight of her hard nipples and deepening breaths told him all he needed to know.
Skimming his way down her body, Menace became aware of the bright, fresh scent of the citrus soap he had bought especially for her. She had done more than just brush her teeth in preparation for their morning tryst. He found her actions a bit curious but wondered if this wasn’t one of those slight cultural differences. He had heard that the women from Calyx were incredibly sensitive about cleanliness. Considering the attitudes many of the men down there held toward women’s bodies, it wasn’t surprising.
While he wouldn’t blink twice at making love to his woman after a torrid night together, Naya clearly felt more comfortable after tidying up a bit. He made a mental note to start tomorrow morning by carrying her into a steamy shower. Just the thought of getting his soapy paws on her wet body made his balls ache.
But right now he had her bound to his bed, willing and ready. Menace grasped her ankles and latched the second set of padded cuffs around them. He hooked one end of a restraint to the ring dangling from the front of each cuff. The other end of the restraint he attached to connection spots on the headboard.
“How do you feel?” He inspected the ankle cuffs and the restraint straps to ensure her legs weren’t bearing any unnecessary weight.
“Vulnerable,” she admitted.
“Good.” He caressed her outer thigh. “Relax your muscles, sweetheart. Let the restraints do the work.”
She inhaled slowly and closed her eyes. Menace sat back on his heels and
let his needy gaze rake her sexy body. Trussed up in his restraints, she looked absolutely delectable. Her wide-open thighs invited him to delve between them and explore her slick, tight pussy. He couldn’t wait to hear her moaning and panting and shrieking his name. If ever there was an ego stroke, it was the sound of his woman gripped in the throes of passion.
“Menace?” She spoke softly and uncertainly. “What happens now?”
“Now?” He let his fingertips trail along her inner thigh. “Now we play.”
Naya gulped down her anxiety. There was no mistaking the impish glint in Menace’s eyes. With her wrists cuffed overhead and her legs in the air, no amount of wiggling or jerking would set her free. His searing gaze roamed her naked curves. He looked at her as if she were the most perfect and beautiful woman in the whole universe. No one had ever made her feel as craved and needed as Menace.
When he swept his rough, calloused palm along her skin, she shivered with desire. There was something about his big, warm hands on her body that made her lose control. His touch short-circuited the side of her brain that demanded she be tough and brave and dominant to the point of off-putting. There was a reason men back in Connor’s Run weren’t beating down her door. She came across as cold and aloof out of necessity. Showing weakness was the quickest way to becoming a victim in her neck of the woods.
But here with Menace, under his loving hands, she was slowly learning to accept her submission to him as a special kind of intimacy. She couldn’t imagine any other man she would willingly allow to master her. Those honest green eyes showed no malice. Naya had always prided herself on being able to read people. Only once had she ever been truly fooled, but that instance was complicated by her sisterly affection and her childish belief that blood meant something.
Menace wasn’t Nattie. Oh sure, she’d only known Menace for a day and yes, the mere sight of this feral beast of a man made her clitoris tingle with some kind of primitive need, but she believed with every fiber of her being that at his core Menace was honest and loyal and kind. Even though her heart raced and her gut clenched with nervousness, she recognized that Menace wasn’t going to harm her. He considered her a precious gift that should be protected and cherished. Frankly the idea that someone wanted to protect and provide for her was more unsettling than being cuffed and bound to his bed.