by Lilly Holden
Make no mistake. That’s what this moment was. A taking. A claiming.
And the knowledge was utterly thrilling.
Jake slowed his thrusts, changing the angle of his thrusts so his cock rubbed over the sensitive spot deep inside me.
“Aaahh.” I tried to lift my head, but his grasp on my hair held me in place.
“Yeah, right fucking there.” He ground his cock over my g-spot, not giving me a chance to catch my breath.
Everything I was feeling, seeing, became brighter, more urgent. I craved more. Like my life depended on it. Grabbing onto Jake’s arms, I held tight, needing him like an anchor in a storm, even as he was the man driving me to smash against the rocks with my need for release.
Breathing became harder. I couldn’t keep my eyes open, needing all my focus to cope and stay in the moment. “I d-don’t think I c-can hold off.”
“Then don’t. Let yourself go.” Jake pumped harder as he let go of my hair and rubbed his thumb over my clit.
The choice was taken away from me.
I cried out as waves of ecstasy swept through my body, carrying me so high I feared I would have flown away but for Jake’s firm hold of me. My hungry core gripped Jake, each thrust bringing wrenching shudders of delight that held me spellbound. From a distant part of my mind I heard Jake’s curse, felt him stiffen before his big body shuddered from the force of his climax.
Seconds later, he collapsed on top of me. I should have objected to his crushing weight, but I soaked up the few moments, before he rolled to his side, drawing out of me as he went.
This hard, dangerous man who’d taken me with gentleness now pushed back the sweat-dampened hair from my face. “You were amazing, Charlotte.”
His praise was like sunshine filling my chest with its warm glow. My answering smile was instinctive. “I wasn’t sure what to do. Next ti—”
Jake pressed a finger to my lips. “I’ll teach you as we go. But you ran with what felt right, and it was.” This time his kiss was gentle, like a reward for doing well. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” In one quick move he had both of us off the bed and was guiding me toward the bathroom.
As we showered, I studied him. He had a body that had seen battles, literally. There was a vicious looking scar above his right shoulder blade, like a jagged cut from a knife maybe? The wound had healed to a silvery lightness. Not a recent wound then.
Once out from under the water and wrapped in a huge bath sheet, I touched the other scar on his right side near his ribs. “What happened here?” To my untrained eye, it looked like a bullet wound with the circle shape. Again, this mark was silver with age.
Jake stopped drying himself at my question. “Gun shot.” He gave his hair one more hard wipe with the towel before hanging the sheet up on the metal bar. “Four years ago.” His matter-of-fact tone did nothing to lessen my shock.
I stood there, silent as he began to dry me. But as his words sunk in, the questions grew. “Where were you, on some job?” Yes, I knew he was a deadly guy, but seeing the results of his business up close was another matter. In bed, I’d been distracted. Now everything was right in front of me and I couldn’t avoid the proof of the risks of his chosen lifestyle.
When he continued to ignore me, I ripped the towel away from him, taking a step back.
The hardening of his jaw was a sobering reminder I was the one who needed to be careful, but I pressed on. “You want me to trust you. Give myself to you freely for the next seven days. But you live a dangerous life, Jake. And I’m caught up in that life right now. Surely you can give me the bare facts?”
His sigh was loud, echoing off the white tiled bathroom. “I’m retired military. SEALs. Those scars are from years ago.” He grabbed the towel back and finished drying me.
A SEAL. Deadly. Daring. Uncompromising. That went a huge way to explaining Jake.
“When did you leave the military?” I unclipped my hair that I’d secured at the top of my head to keep it from getting too wet.
“A couple of years ago.” Putting the towel on the rack, he led me back to the bed. Tucking me next to him, he pulled up the sheets and covered us against any lingering chill from the air conditioner. “And before you ask, I’m thirty.”
That had been my next question. Trust Jake to be able to read my mind.
“Do my questions annoy you?” Probably, but I didn’t care.
“No, there’s just not that much information I can share right now.”
Right now? “But you can later?” I hated the hopeful tone in my voice, but this man had intoxicated me, like I was under some kind of spell or something just as unexplainable. Whatever I wanted to call it, Jake had drawn me in so close to him so fast, I didn’t know if I wanted to get free of him.
Jake wrapped his arms around me, pulling me near as I rested my head on his chest. He tugged on my hair, drawing my gaze to his face. “I’ve claimed you, Charlotte. That means you get to know all that I can share. But only when it’s safe for everyone involved.”
“What does that mean, you’ve claimed me?”
“It means you’re mine. Now. Tomorrow. And into the future.”
The future. “How long into the future?”
“Forever, sweetness.” His gaze held me transfixed. Determination shone from that dark brown gaze.
What could I say in response? My thoughts were so jumbled. Nothing much had added up today. It had been a day of firsts for me. Being essentially kidnapped, losing my virginity and then dealing with this larger than life dominant male who had turned my life upside down.
“You want me in your life forever?” I asked the question more to get the words clear in my mind as much as seeking Jake’s answer.
“I’ll admit things are moving faster than I’d anticipated, but yes, I do.” Jake met my confusion with an even stare. “I take what I want in life, Charlotte. I want you. Not just for sex, but as my woman.”
But that still wasn’t all I needed to know. “What about love? If you want to be with someone forever, you must love them.”
Jake swept his fingers through my hair, a flash of tenderness taking the harder edge off his normally rugged features. “You’re not ready for that answer, Charlotte.” His deep voice held a note of truth that kept me silent. “Go to sleep. Tomorrow’s going to be a big day for you.” Jake settled my head back down on his chest and continued to stroke my hair.
Questions filled my head, waiting to be asked, but it was clear Jake was done talking. As I nestled against him, I contended myself with the vivid memories of him claiming me and the fact that, right now, I was safe and happy in Jake’s arms.
CHAPTER SIX
Jake
I let out a relieved breath when Charlotte relaxed fully in my arms as sleep claimed her. The sweet bundle of woman had me hooked hard. When she’d questioned me about my feelings and loving her, I knew she’d freak if she heard my answer.
Yes, I loved her. And yes, I knew that was way too fast, but who the fuck was I to argue with what I knew to be true?
I’d had a buddy in the SEALs who told me that, as soon as he’d heard the woman behind him laugh, the guy knew he’d met his future wife.
At the time, I shook my head in disbelief, but the tables had sure as hell turned. Now I was the one determined to make a woman mine before she had a chance to question further.
Fuck, I wanted to tell her I loved her. Not sharing didn’t make me a pussy. Charlotte wasn’t ready to hear those words yet. I’d just taken her virginity. It would have been so easy to manipulate her with tales of love when she was vulnerable tonight, but I wanted her clear headed when I told her she had me heart and soul.
Jesus, listen to me. Heart and soul? I’d turned into a sissy, but…what the fuck could I say? I was a man who had been captured just as surely as when I’d cuffed Charlotte.
Lowering my head closer to hers, I took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet fruity scent of her shampoo. Rubbing my chin on her hair, I smiled to myself as she snuggled closer.
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The little waitress instinctively knew who she belonged to. Now it was just a matter of convincing her when her defenses were up. I let that thought stay with me as I drifted off to sleep.
Hours later, as the first rays of dawn crept over the grassy fields, I woke with Charlotte still snuggled next to me. After kissing her forehead, I eased myself out of bed, smiling at her grumbling at being moved. Christ, she was a treat in the mornings. Hair mussed from sleep—and some fucking hot sex—and with her curvy body relaxed, she was ready for taking.
My cock, already hard, throbbed in need. But last night had been her first time. She’d be tender at the very least. Besides, I had plans this morning for her.
Now that thought had me smiling.
Whether Charlotte would be pleased as she began her training was another matter.
Chuckling to myself, I made my way to the bathroom and took a shower, using the soap to relieve my hard-on as I imagined Charlotte tied spread eagle on the bed with my cock in her eager little mouth.
So content was she in my bed she didn’t stir as I got dressed, grabbed my laptop and made my way out to the kitchen. After starting a pot of coffee, I checked my phone and saw Eli had already messaged, saying he was on duty watching the cameras.
Since Eli would have seen me walk through the living room on my way to the kitchen, he’d know I was up.
Logging into my laptop, I scanned my emails just as my phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, I tapped the screen. “Ryder, how goes it?”
“Good, while I was guarding Reed, Deke installed cameras and bugging devices all over the man’s house and truck. In addition, we loaded some software onto his computers and phone. Wyatt Reed’s fucked. His every move is now on our radar.”
“Just remember the guy’s a computer geek. He’ll likely run a program on his devices to check if he’s being monitored.”
“This technology comes from government black ops. Wyatt Reed’s good, but he’s not that good.”
“Fair enough.” The aroma of fresh brewing coffee filled the kitchen. Getting up from the table, I went over and poured myself a cup. “What else you got for me?”
“Deke stayed the night at Reed’s house. The pussy lost his shit when we told him what we wanted him to do now we owned his ass. Reed honestly thought everything ended once he’d thrown Charlotte under the bus.”
My grip tightened on the handle of my mug. If only Reed’s throat was in my grasp right now. “Talk about a fucking coward.”
“Now he knows the fun’s just started and what we expect in return for allowing him to keep breathing. Unfortunately for him, dragging in that air will be painful.” Ryder chuckled. “Deke followed through on your suggestion to teach the guy some manners.”
I smiled to myself. My buddies and I could be total bastards, but women and children were something to be protected, cherished even. “I’m guessing you didn’t rush to save the prick’s ass.”
“I waited an appropriate length of time before I remembered to give a shit about our new asset.” Ryder’s dry tone hinted he’d not hurried at all. “Deke kept most of the bruising to areas other than Reed’s face. We don’t want our guy so damaged he couldn’t pull off the excuse of a bar fight to his criminal pals.”
“When’s he next scheduled to make contact with Garcia and his buddies?”
“Tomorrow evening. There’s another shipment due through town and Reed’s supposed to produce the records needed to facilitate the transfer.”
I hardened my jaw at the thought of what that shipment entailed.
Wyatt Reed was a weak piece of shit. His gambling problem and the debts he’d run up with Garcia were the reasons he’d been pressured into helping that bastard and his gang in the first place. Now my team and I were forcing him to follow our orders while not letting on to Garcia.
“He thinks we’re Garcia’s competition, right?”
“Yeah, as far as he knows, he’s traded one blackmailing group of criminal bastards for another, except we’ve told him to keep doing what Garcia wants but we manage him as he goes about his work.” Ryder sighed. “Reed fully accepted us moving in on Garcia’s turf. His only concern was for his own neck. He wasn’t even worried enough to ask what would happen to his cousin at the end of the seven days.”
I felt the muscle in my jaw tick as anger burned white hot inside me. Fisting my free hand, I imagined plowing a right hook into Reed’s jaw, smashing the bone into pieces.
Garcia and his gang were pure evil, men who had no compunction in carrying out a threat to hurt innocents. Charlotte was still in possible danger until that threat was eliminated.
“Good thing she’s now with me.”
“Yeah, good thing.” Ryder didn’t hide the amusement in his voice, which I chose to ignore.
Sooner or later, I’d have to share with Charlotte what Wyatt had gotten himself involved in. But not today. And thinking of the day ahead, I needed to make plans.
“I made an order yesterday afternoon. It’s due at our pick-up point this morning, special delivery. Can you get Deke to collect the box on his way back from Reed’s this morning?”
“A delivery?” Ryder was naturally curious, and since we were on a mission he had a right to ask.
“For Charlotte,” was my only explanation.
“Do I want to know?” Ryder asked in a dry tone.
“We’re all Doms. You can work it out.” At Ryder’s chuckle, I ended the call and sipped some of my coffee. Working with these guys was easy, especially since we shared many characteristics. Military trained, dedicated to the mission and our fellow brothers, we were hard men who had certain needs. Men who focused on a target.
If that happened to be a sweet little sub, all the better.
And speaking of little subs…
I headed back to the bedroom, walking in the room just as Charlotte was leaving the bathroom. Naked, with her hair now brushed and her face looking fresh, I was glad I had arrived before she attempted to dress.
Seeing me, she yelped in surprise and covered her breasts with her arms.
“Morning, sweetness.” Taking my time, I stalked over to her, letting my gaze rom over her body from her freshly brushed hair, to her bare mound and down her legs. “No point covering up what I’ve seen already.”
Her answering blush was cute as all hell. “I-I’m not.” She pressed her lips together and tried again. “I’m not used to someone seeing me like this.”
Thank fuck. “And nobody else but me will, unless I give them permission.” At the widening of her eyes, I chuckled. “Relax. I don’t share, Charlotte. But sometimes when I’m around other Doms, our subs are naked.”
She blinked, taking in my words. “A Dom? Like in that book that became a movie?”
“In a way, but we’ll get into that later.” In great detail and hands-on in a way she would be left with no questions. “Right now, I want a good morning kiss.” I leaned in, capturing her lips and tasted a hint of mint toothpaste as I pushed my tongue inside her mouth. She opened herself to me, leaning against me as I slanted my head and deepened our kiss.
When I lifted my head, she opened her eyes, her gaze slightly unfocused, her plump lips soft, and her mouth slightly open.
Christ, she was a temptation. Even without trying, Charlotte had ensnared me in a trap of my own making.
But right now, I needed to see to her needs. Gathering her in my arms, I held her close. “How are you feeling after last night?”
She shrugged. “Okay.” Seeing my frown, she rushed to explain. “I’m not sore, just… I can feel you’ve been inside me.”
I inhaled deep, my hold on her tightening. I wanted to roar in pure male satisfaction. The urge was primitive and totally fucking politically incorrect, but it was as real as anything I’d lived through in my life.
“Been where no other man has, Charlotte. The fact you still feel me there pleases me more than you know.”
“It does?” Her pretty blue gaze was full of wonder.
&
nbsp; Christ, she really had no idea of her own value. I planned on changing that screwed up perception.
I pulled her back a little and moved a hand to glide over her hip and down to her pussy, skimming over the bare—and damp—skin. I smiled at her quick intake of breath.
Fucking adorable. “You’re wet. Seems your body likes my touch, Charlotte. What about all the thoughts crowding your mind? Is your head in sync with your body?”
“I don’t know.” She lifted a hand—her other arm still clamped to her side with my hold—and laid it on my chest. “After yesterday, I’m questioning everything. The fact I can see myself with you long term blows my mind. I mean, you virtually kidnapped me and yet I’ve fallen for you so damn hard.” Taking in a deep breath, she met my gaze, as if deciding what to say before letting out the breath in one loud exhale. “All I know is I’ve never felt so happy and protected like I do when I’m with you. It’s like—” She broke off, her laugh rueful. “It’s like you’re my Prince Charming and a dark knight combined. I’m never sure which one I’m with, but I know I’m safe either way.”
“I’m both.” I moved my arm from around her and gripped the back of her neck. “Protector. Lover. Dom.” I firmed my hold, catching the way her pupils dilated with arousal. Such a natural little sub. “I’m going to push your limits, teach you all the dirty, carnal things your body and mind want. But I’m also the man who’ll hold you when you watch a movie on the sofa with me, who’ll take out the garbage and mow the lawn, who’ll do the little everyday things with you, too. The man who loves you.”
She stared at me, her mouth open, gaze wide. I could practically hear the gears of her mind whirring at what my words meant for her.
How close was she to making the choice to be brave and take a step forward with me? I had to know.
“Do you want that, Charlotte?” I moved my thumb at her nape, massaging the skin underneath. “Of your own free will, do you want that?”
I swear to fucking God I could hear my heart beating as I waited for her answer.