“Harder,” I cried. His mouth claimed mine again and we waged war with tongue and teeth. I swear he had better never cut his hair. My fingers tangled in the sweaty locks and pulled as I rode the steam engine called Brack Jacobs.
My orgasm didn’t build, it exploded. I cried into his mouth and he backed off enough to bite my lower lip. It hurt. His fingers pushed deeper into my ass spreading me. That hurt, too. The pain was delicious. His thrusts accelerated and as I came down from my orgasm high, Brack blasted into me. I clenched my pussy muscles. I was entirely too sensitive, but some basic instinct craved Brack’s cum deep within me.
I loosened my grip on his hair, wrapping my arms around his neck. He didn’t pull out or put me down. Buried deep inside me, he walked into the bathroom, bent slightly, and turned on the water in the shower. He had to set me down so he could remove his pants, shoes, and shirt. I whipped my tee over my head, kicked off my shoes, and stepped into the shower. He joined me a minute later. Without words, we washed each other. I have no idea why we both remained quiet. Hell, I didn’t know why he fucked me as soon as we entered the hut.
When we were clean, he pulled my back against his chest resting his chin on my shoulder. “I didn’t like him touching you,” he grumbled.
So that was it. I wanted to laugh in pure joy. I’d noticed his changing demeanor as the knife lesson commenced, though it never occurred to me that jealousy played a part. I should be running in the opposite direction as fast as possible. I never stuck around if a hot tryst turned into something more. It wasn’t my style. I didn’t take chances with someone getting between me and my goals. For some reason, Brack’s honesty put a warm fuzzy feeling in my belly.
I refused to dwell on it. I’d much rather enjoy his slick fingers skimming across my flesh. I slowly turned and went to my tiptoes placing a soft kiss on his lips. “You could have stopped it any time.”
He tipped his forehead against mine. “You need someone different to work with you. Ray will take over tomorrow. He’s married, so it shouldn’t be as bad.” Now I couldn’t help laughing aloud. Brack suddenly jerked my hair back so I stared into his eyes. “You think that’s funny do you?” His slight grin confirmed he wasn’t angry.
My hands traveled down his body as I went to my knees. “I’ve been very bad and need to make it up to you.”
His eyes glowed with need.
I enjoyed giving a blow job in the shower. There was something more erotic about it. I put all my tricks into play. When my fingers traveled the crevice of Brack’s ass, he stopped my exploration. The man needed to get over his hang up. Though I’d never done it, I heard stimulating a man’s prostate gave an intense orgasm. He’d said my ass first and I’d hold him to it. I couldn’t believe the thrill that shot through me at the thought of him taking me there. Then it would be his turn and, hell, I’d tie him down if needed.
“I’m there, baby,” he growled between clenched teeth.
I looked into his eyes taking him as deep as possible. His head went back and his mouth opened with a loud groan when he spilled down my throat. After he recovered, he looked down at me. Those eyes.
“Come here,” he said in that gruff way that had my insides fluttering.
It killed me to admit I was done for a while. “No more or I won’t be able to walk.”
His grin was priceless as he helped me up and gave me a hot kiss that almost had me changing my mind. My stomach rumbled and we both laughed. “I’ll feed you,” he said after another kiss.
With everything horrible going on in my life, Brack made it bearable. Maybe a steady relationship with a man is what I needed. As a bodyguard, my father liked him. As a lover slash boyfriend, it would be another story. That thought gave me a warm feeling all over. I needed to bring my father into this century and Brack might be the man to help me do it. Daddy’s little girl was all grown up. The thought of the two lives lost because of me… okay, my stalker, crossed my mind. I couldn’t face that pain right now, and with another rumble from my belly we stepped from the shower and dressed.
Brack used every possible opportunity to inappropriately touch me that night. He made me smile and laugh. He also made me dream about the future. One where crazy stalkers didn’t kill innocents and my life could return to semi-normal. No, never normal again. If I survived, I would be forever changed. And thinking of change, I couldn’t believe the difference in Brack since he reversed his refusal to sleep with me. I wasn’t sure what caused him to jump into sex, but I was glad he did. I needed his body to keep my mind off real life.
We ate a quiet dinner. Once we made it to the bed, I passed out a few minutes after he wrapped his arms around me. No dreams and a good night’s sleep had me ready to face another day and learn to kill.
Chapter Twenty-Four
My introduction to Ray’s fighting techniques wasn’t at all like working with Herman’s. Ray used his size to push me around and had no problem pummeling me. He took his teaching skills seriously. Ray was slower than Brack and Herman, but I still had trouble staying off the mats.
“You need to stop him from grabbing you or you’ll face-plant every time,” Brack said as he lifted me from my face-down position on the mat. I would scream again, but there was no air in my lungs. I wasn’t sure who I hated more—Brack for the smile he tried to hide or Ray for leaving me with a body covered in bruises.
“Then fucking teach me how because nothing I’m doing works.”
Brack smoothed down my shirt, which caught beneath my boobs. “Sometimes you need to run. You’re doing a great job at attacking, but you also need to know when escape is in your best interest.”
“That’s what you think. I’m taking Snuffleupagus down if it’s the last thing I do,” I huffed as I walked back to the center of the mat. “Come on, Snuffy, give it to me again.”
Ray’s face turned a deeper shade of red. “Sure, pretty pants, whatever you want,” he said a split second before he attacked.
I sidestepped, batted his beefy hand aside using Herman’s knife-fighting technique and shot out with a foot to his shin. Damn it hurt. Me. When he backed up a step, I took off. I left the hangar behind with Brack calling my name and uttering a few curses that had me laughing. I ran full out needing the expansion in my lungs. I headed to the water, which was about half a mile away. I heard Brack yell once more from behind me, so I veered into the trees. They weren’t dense and my thoughts were to keep the road in sight. A crashing noise came from about twenty feet to my right opposite the road. I tripped as I glanced over. I fell into low brush with a pointy stick or two poking me. I wasn’t thinking of pain. Something or someone was close. I could feel them watching me. My heart raced. A shadow appeared over me and I rolled. At the same time I kicked out my legs.
“Hey, it’s me,” Brack said as he jumped out of my reach.
He didn’t look happy. “There’s someone there.” Now I was afraid for Brack, who had his back toward where the noise came from.
“Just me, Olivia,” Ray joined us from the trees.
I slapped Brack’s hand away. Fuck. With the training, I thought I could outrun my fear. All I wanted to do at this moment was roll over and cry. My world would never be close to how it had been. Now something as simple as rustling trees had me panicking.
“Are you going to lie there all day or do you want me to join you?”
I looked around and Ray was no longer in the vicinity. “You are such an asshole.”
“No, you’re not thinking. That causes danger to everyone around you. Why do you think I called in extra protection? Do you still think this is a game? Two people are dead and a lunatic has his sights set on you. Taking this seriously would help my job.”
“Does fucking me help your job?” I rolled and went to my feet. “You never told me why you called in backup. Is the island compromised? I have the right to know.”
One blue eye and one green eye rolled.
“You bastard.” I swung my fist and it connected. Not with his face. He’d put his
palm up to block.
Brack twisted my arm and spun me until my back was against his chest. He spoke close to my ear, sending shivers across my skin. “They’re only here because your safety is compromised with me. I told Mack I planned to fuck you and requested backup.” One hand smoothed up my thigh and stopped at my hip.
I steeled myself against the flood of desire that swamped me. I needed answers. “And what exactly changed your mind? Don’t give me that shit about my body or drive to win. You were so adamant about not fucking me. Just tell me the truth for once.” I didn’t want to beg but I really needed honesty. “Please.”
Brack released my hip and turned me around. His eyes burned into mine. “I wasn’t getting through your thick skull that you need to prepare yourself for all the crazies in the world. You weren’t taking our drills seriously. I fought changing our relationship with everything I had. I planned on fucking you from the moment I saw you if that makes you feel any better. Even Mack thought getting into your hot little pussy was a bad move. Bottom line, I should have kept my dick in my pants and waited. I can’t go back and do it again and truthfully don’t want to.”
I studied him closely. “I can’t believe you told Mack.”
“I had no choice. You don’t sleep with a target. It fucks things up. I can handle you pissed off. I can’t handle watching this guy take everything from you and turn you into a quivering mess. I’ve seen that. Seen what it does to a person. Not you. I fucked you because I wanted to. I’m selfish. And you are sexy as hell, so live with it.”
His lips slammed into mine bringing all his anger into play. I kissed him back with mine.
He broke away first. “Not here. You need to work with Ray. We know nothing about your stalker. I want you prepared.”
I’d thought about a long-term relationship the night before. Brack’s words about being prepared had me realizing he wouldn’t be around forever. Not that it really mattered. He was safer away from me. When I returned home, tennis would take over my life again.
I turned away. “Let’s go. I have some Snuffy ass to kick.” Brack’s low laughter came from behind me. A moment later he surprised me by taking my hand. I couldn’t ever remember holding a man’s hand while walking. Something so small had my eyes tearing up. Brack wasn’t mine to keep. While this lasted, I would enjoy the small things. Thinking about the night to come—I would also enjoy the big things. Brack’s cock inside of me was one of them.
Snuffy waited. I walked over and we went back to him beating me up and me doing everything I could to stay out of his grasp.
“Tomorrow you’ll work with me again,” Brack huffed as we ran back to the hut.
“It’s the work with you tonight that I’m looking forward to.”
“I’ll give you some work after you call your father.”
I’d noticed Brack take a call and walk out of the hangar earlier. “Daddy checking up on me again?”
“More like him giving orders. Order number two was a phone call from you.”
I laughed. “And number one.”
“Catch your attacker.”
I’m sure he threw in a few expletives with his demands. I would speak with my father tonight; now I just needed to cool down. “I want to swim before we go in, you up for it?” I wasn’t breathing as hard as Brack was, but I was tired and my muscles needed a nice soak.
“Sure.” Brack put on a surprising burst of speed. “Last one in is a rotten tomato.”
“That’s egg, you idiot,” I said with my own burst of speed.
“I like eggs, all tomatoes are rotten.”
I laughed again and beat him by twenty-five feet. His running had improved, but he still wasn’t a match for me. I’d make him prove himself in bed tonight. We were both laughing as we hit the water. The Jeep veered off and headed to the hut. Okay, maybe we wouldn’t wait until tonight.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Two weeks later, I was still beat up and bruised. The only difference… my trainers were, too. It made things interesting to have three men teaching me what I needed to know. I learned each style. I also picked up from them and used the others’ styles against them. Three out of five times, I was down, but the other two were when I kicked ass.
Brack and I planned to barbeque with Ray and Herman later. We’d received a large supply of steaks, and Ray was out in the surf fishing. If he caught anything, we’d add it to our dinner. All three men grumbled over vegetables, but too bad. They would eat what I put in front of them.
We enjoyed steak and some fresh whiting for dinner. Ray and Herman left early. They slept in split shifts and never stayed around after eating. Brack told me they camped in tents but moved the location daily. They were part of Brack’s team because they adapted to their environment as well as being damn good men. He met both of them in the military.
I felt a little guilty that I was glad to see them go. Brack and I had sex on the brain and I needed him working off the state of desire he had me in with one hot glance of his sexy eyes. He knew it too. His shades were back to being a part of his fulltime attire. He would casually remove his glasses and nail me with his hypnotic, sex on the beach gaze. I walked around in a perpetual state of “fuck me” wet panties.
Unfortunately, our sensual evening plans went to hell quickly. Brack went outside and called Mack while I called my father. Two weeks ago I’d promised to call every other day. It took some of the pressure from Brack. This call wasn’t nearly as pleasant as the call two days before.
“I’m tired of this going nowhere and I’m starting to lose faith in Brack’s man,” my father complained. I tried to interrupt, but he went on. “This asshole can’t be invisible. Everyone leaves a trail. And the damned DNA isn’t in. What the hell?”
“Daddy, let me speak please.” I moved the phone from my ear as his rant grew louder.
“And what’s going on where you are? These yahoos won’t tell me where that is. I’m paying them and don’t think it’s small change. I have a right to know everything. I’m the only person in your life that’s safe at the moment. This BS is going to stop or the paychecks will.”
The senator seldom got wound up like this, but once he did, it was impossible to stop him. I tried breaking in twice more with no success, so I finally gave up with a loud sigh, which he either didn’t hear or just ignored. Eventually, the silence from his end let me know he asked or demanded an answer to a question.
“Are you done?” I asked gently.
Now, I heard his sigh as I placed the phone closer to my ear.
“And don’t start with me about control issues again.” It was a reprimand, but his tone was softer.
“I’m okay, Daddy. They’re taking good care of me.” No way would I tell him about my self-defense training. “Brack has me playing racquetball. Coach Jerry will have my head, but I’m staying in shape.”
“That man calls every day. He’s beside himself with worry, or so he says. He cares more about the coming season and the green in his pockets than your safety,” he grumbled.
My dad and Jerry didn’t get along and never had. They were both strong willed and neither put up with my moods when I decided to throw a tantrum. Funny how I waited both of them out when they threw theirs. Jerry was an acquired taste. Every year I said I would replace him. Then I won and it didn’t feel right. With only a few years left in my career, he’d probably make the cut until I hung up my racquet.
My father finally settled down and I was able to end our conversation. I went outside to hunt down Brack and heard the tail end of his phone conversation.
“Get someone over there now. This isn’t like him. Something’s wrong. Call me immediately when you get there.” Brack ended the call and turned toward me. His expression was haunted. “Mack isn’t answering his phone and he never checked in today.”
My stomach cramped. Brack walked to me and wrapped me in his arms. It was me who should be comforting him, but I couldn’t. My entire body began trembling. “I’m sorry, so sorry.”
Yes we did. We knew my psychopath got to Mack, we just couldn’t voice it aloud. Brack walked me back inside the hut. We lay on the bed while he rubbed my back. The phone stayed clasped in Brack’s hand as we waited for it to ring.
It was two hours before we knew he was alive… for now. Mack was in critical condition. He survived, at least so far, because Brack sent one of his team to check Mack’s apartment. Our flight from the island was similar to the mad rush that took us here. Brack was speaking in monosyllables, if he spoke at all. Another of Brack’s team members was picking up Ray and Herman. The size of his organization surprised me. I needed to ask more questions.
Later.
“This guy’s mine now,” was all Brack said during the flight.
I was okay with that. My brain was scrambling for a safe place, knowing it didn’t exist. Ty was bringing me back to his playground. Brack would die and this creep would win. I swear I’d never be warm again. Ice traveled through my veins filling my entire being with dread. The plane engine rumbled. I tossed my cookies into several plastic bags that Brack placed in my lap. We didn’t speak. I’m sure Brack wished he’d never met me much less had sex with me. People in my life died and Brack’s friend was paying the price.
One thousand one… one thousand two…
Slam Page 11