Submerged (Bound Together #1)

by Lacey Black

  We make it back to my apartment in record time. I’m not sure how many laws are violated tonight, nor do I really care at this point. Reaching my parking lot, Blake finds a spot at the back of the lot, far from the closest security light. As soon as the car is in park, he throws off his seatbelt and grabs for mine. When I’m freed from my safety restraint, I’m being pulled onto his large, hard body.

  His lips are bruising as they crash down on me. I work my way into his lap, straddling him between his body and the steering wheel. My hands dive into his hair, slightly tugging the short strands and making him moan with pleasure. Blake slides one large hand up my left leg and thigh. My skin is smooth and tingly as his hand works its way closer and closer to my throbbing core. I use my lips to kiss, suck, and nip at Blake’s much coarser skin. Even after shaving just hours ago, I can feel the stubble of his facial hair starting to sprout on his face. When I run my cheek against his, it burns slightly and I know I’ll have red marks on my tender flesh.

  “Fuck, I want you. Right here. Right now.” Blake’s voice is clipped like he’s barely holding on to his self-control. His need is written all over his face, etched in the depths of his emerald green eyes.

  I grind myself down on the hard length being restrained by his black dress pants. Blake lets out a hiss as he rocks with me, mimicking the motions of sex. His hands finally pushes up my dress and reaches the apex of my legs where he discovers soaking wet lace panties. Moving them aside, two fingers stroke my wet, swollen flesh. I moan into the dark night of the car, rolling my hips to try to increase the pressure where I need it most.

  “How much do you like these things,” he asks darkly as his eyes clash with mine. I shake my head from side to side only moments before the small scrap of black lace is ripped from my body. “I’ll buy you more.”

  His mouth finds mine once more. The kiss is urgent and hot, and leaves me wanting more. I reach down in that small space between our laps and reach for his belt. The buckle digs into my skin as I tug and pull to get the leather accessory free from his pants. I’m sure my thighs are going to be bruised tomorrow, but I can’t quite find the desire to care.

  When his belt is finally open, his button and zipper both quickly follow. My hand dives into the front of his pants finding him hard and very ready. My sex throbs and aches to feel him inside me. The desire starts to fill my entire soul as my body burns for him. Only him.

  Blake lifts his hips and starts to tug. I have no idea how it happens with me sitting on top of him, crushed between his chest and the steering wheel. It’s not like there’s a lot of room here. When his erection is freed from his pants, he leans forward and lifts the steering wheel, giving me just a little bit more lower back room.

  Lifting up on my knees, I watch as Blake positions himself at my entrance. The urgency in his eyes mirrors that of my own as I slowly lower myself down, impaling myself on his amazing cock. I stretch around him, taking him all the way to the hilt. Our mutual moans fill the inside of the car. I lean forward, seeking out the only pair of lips I long to kiss.

  As soon as our lips touch, lightning strikes our joined bodies. As much as we both try to fight it, trying to slow down this out of control freight train, there’s just no stopping it. The body’s natural urges take over. It’s animalistic; that’s the only way to describe it. The car is filled with the sounds of skin slapping, grunting, and heavy breathing. Blake’s hands grip my hips and he pushes me up and slams me back down again and again. The steering wheel smashes into my back with each thrust, but I could care less. Right now, having Blake inside of me, filling me completely, is my only concern.

  My soft cries fill the inside of the car as I feel my body start to tighten. Blake brings me closer to the brink of insanity with each upward thrust of his hard body. I use my arms to try to give myself leverage against the steering wheel while gripping his powerful legs with my thighs. This is raw. Urgent. Hot.

  Blake thrusts hard up inside of me, and follows it up with a hip roll which effectively sends me completely over the edge. The noises I make sound foreign and distant, but I know they’re mine. As my internal muscles tighten around him, gripping him like a vise, Blake follows me into oblivion. He stalls only momentarily and then pushes up and into my body a few more times before exhaustion stops him completely. We both sit there, panting and spent, and try to collect our thoughts and breathing. Never in my life has it ever been that urgent, that unadulterated need that completely consumes you body and soul. Only with Blake.

  Blake leans forward, his open lips finding mine. He’s still panting as he gently rubs his lips against mine. The sweetness and openness of this kiss says more than any words possibly could. He’s treasuring me, reveling in me, loving me. Though I haven’t said it–and neither has he–I know I’m in love with him. Completely over the edge, I want to spend the rest of my life with this man, love. But, I just can’t say it. Not yet.

  “Carly.” That one word comes out a statement. My name on his lips is an addiction I don’t know if I’ll ever overcome, but it’s a moot point because I don’t ever want to. “I -” he starts but stops. His deep green eyes search my face and stare straight into my soul. “Only you,” he finally whispers.

  I lean forward and graze my lips softly against his. He tastes like pure man with a little hint of honey. I could kiss him forever.

  Blake starts to slide out of me, grabbing his tight, white tank top to assist in the cleanup process. “Shit!” he exclaims, eyes wide as the color drains from his face.

  “What?” I ask, concerned that he hurt himself or that somehow we drew a crowd and they’re all watching through the steamed up windows.

  “I, uh…I didn’t wear a condom,” he finally says, his voice small and laced with fear. His eyes are cloudy and his breathing slightly labored. “I’ve never not worn a condom,” he confesses. “I’m sorry. I can’t believe I was so caught up in the moment that I didn’t even realize.”

  “It’s okay, Blake,” I whisper, kissing the end of his nose softly.

  “Are you on the pill or something?”

  “No. But it’ll be alright.”

  “But what if I got you pregnant?” Again.

  “Then we’ll deal with it.”

  “You’re not freaking out right now? Why?” he asks, running those big hands down my arms while his concerned eyes search my face.

  “I guess I’m not. I mean, I’m a little worried, sure, but I guess if that happens, I hope things would be different this time around,” I tell him.

  “Yeah, it would,” he says before claiming my lips once more with a soft kiss. “It would be so fucking different this time around, babe. I promise.” Blake’s eyes are full of tenderness and compassion. I know that if I were to get pregnant a second time, he would be there from start to finish. There’s no doubt in my mind that he would stick by me and make sure that I was taken care of. Not because I couldn’t do it myself or because he didn’t get to experience all of that the first time around. Because that’s the type of man he is. If there’s anything I’ve learned about Blake Crisp, it’s that he’s a hands-on kinda guy.

  “We should get inside before the security cameras catch any more than they’ve already got.”

  Blake quickly buttons his shirt before securing his pants. “I’ll kill anyone who watches that video,” he growls, and by the look in his eyes, I know he means it.

  I straighten my wrinkly dress as quickly as possible. Making sure I’m completely covered, Blake exits his side of the vehicle and walks around, opening my door for me. He extends his hand and ushers me into my apartment building. I try not to dwell on the fact that we just had unprotected sex. Hell, even when we were protected, I still got pregnant. So what would I do if it happened again? I won’t force Blake to be a part of anyone’s life. If he chooses to stay active in their lives, then I’ll gladly accept his help. But I will not force him.

  As we make it up to my apartment, I can’t help but think that I won’t be forcing anything. I have a
feeling that Blake’s already as much a part of Natalia’s life as I am. Even if whatever is going on between him and I doesn’t work out, he’ll still be the father I always wanted for her.

  I know.

  I trust him.

  Chapter Eighteen – Wake-Up Call

  Blake

  The ringing of a telephone wakes us up around seven-thirty. After we made it up to Carly’s apartment last night, we showered together before devouring each other once again. We took our time washing each other’s bodies and touching one another as if we’d never get enough. And I can’t. I can’t fucking ever get enough of her. I’m surprised I lasted until she rinsed the soap out of her hair before I took her from behind against the ceramic tile shower.

  In bed, we talked about her childhood a little more. I still feel guilty asking her about it. The line is blurred between wanting to know her past for myself and wanting to know for the job. When she asked about my tattoo it was a welcome reprieve from the guilt I’m constantly carrying around because of my deception.

  “What does this mean?” she asks.

  “The eagle?”

  “Yeah.”

  “It represents freedom.”

  “And what about the flowers?”

  “You don’t think a man can have some flowers tattooed on his body?” I ask, smiling down at her while she traces the dark outline of the eagle.

  “Of course he can but it has to mean something. Men don’t usually just get flowers tattooed on their bodies for the fun of it,” she says.

  “You’re right. It does mean something,” I tell her, absently stroking the soft flesh of her shoulder.

  “So? What does yours mean?” she asks, turns slightly to see my face.

  “It’s a reminder,” I tell her honestly, knowing that she’s going to want more information, and not knowing what she’ll think when she gets it.

  “Okay, I’ll bite. A reminder of what?”

  “It’s a reminder of a scent,” I tell her, turning her so that she’s full on facing me. I stroke the hair along the side of her head as I inhale that scent that I crave.

  “A scent? Wildflowers?”

  “Yeah, it reminds me of someone that I will never forget. It reminds me of her scent; the lotion she was wearing the night I met her. It reminds me of the one perfect night where everything was right and the way it was supposed to be. Even though I never saw her again, I knew I would never forget her wildflower scent. It’s ingrained in my nostrils and in my brain just like this tattoo.”

  “Wow,” she whispers as a single tear slips down her face. “You remember how I smelled?”

  “I remember everything about you, Carly. Some nights, your memory was the only thing that kept me going.” I want to elaborate so fucking much right now. I want to tell her about me–the real me–and the job I’m doing. I want to tell her that the memory of her scent and our night together was what brought me comfort on those long nights of engaging in illicit and illegal activity.

  “I remember everything, too,” she whispers just before swiping her tongue across the stubble on my chin. My dick instantly hardens and is ready for her again–for a third time tonight.

  I will never get enough of her.

  Carly rolls over, reaching for the cell phone that’s vibrating on the nightstand next to the bed. She answers with the world’s most adorable, “Lo?” She doesn’t even crack open her eyes as she snuggles back into the pillow that we’re sharing. I can’t help the cheesy smile that crosses my face. I’m a damn lucky bastard.

  “Oh. Hi,” she says, opening her eyes and sitting up. “No, no, I’m awake.” I’m on instant alert afraid that something’s up with Nat or her mom. “I don’t know,” she says, clearly undecided about something. “No, I don’t want to meet there. I’d rather meet somewhere neutral,” she adds before listening for several moments. “That’s fine,” she says finally before hanging up.

  I wait her out for several minutes before she turns to me. “That was my dad.” Okay, I wasn’t expecting that.

  “What did he want?”

  “He wants to meet for breakfast. He wants the chance to explain things to me. He wanted to meet at his house, but I don’t feel comfortable going there. I want to do it somewhere neutral so I can leave if I want to. You know?”

  “Of course. Do you want me to go with you?” I offer, not really liking the idea of Carly being alone with Roman. I’ve worked for the man for too long and know too many of his deep, dark secrets to want Carly anywhere near him.

  “No. I need to do this on my own,” she tells me. I watch as she slams her brave face firmly in place before hopping up to get in the shower.

  While Carly gets in the shower, I slip into the kitchen and make a pot of coffee. Waiting for the coffee to brew, my phone on the counter pings with an incoming text message. It’s from Styx.

  Styx: Noon. The Facility.

  I fire back a quick acknowledgement while the coffee percolates. My mind races as I try to determine what Styx’s summons means. Could we be getting ready for the big job? The one that has the FBI chomping at the bit and foaming at the mouth to get their hands on? That must be it. It’s the only thing I can think of that would warrant a summons from the man one step above me in this organization.

  With a cup of steaming coffee in each hand, I slip into the bathroom just as Carly is shutting off the water. Water cascades down her body as she reaches for the towel hanging on the hook. All I can think about is her wrapping those long, lean legs around my neck as I ravish her.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” she says with a coy smile.

  I set our cups down on the counter before taking her wet body in my arms. “Are you sure about meeting your dad this morning?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure. I need to hear what he’s going to say. Maybe he’ll be able to shed some light about why I was led to believe he was dead for over twenty years,” she says with a small smile. Little does she know that it’s one of the main reasons why I’m not fighting her to go. I’d really like to know why the fuck he sent her and her mother away, as well. “Thank you for offering to go with me,” she mumbles against my lips.

  “So, I was thinking, I have to go into work for a bit around noon. What if I run and get Nat from your mother while you go meet your dad. Then she’ll already be here when you get done with your breakfast with Roman.”

  “You’d do that?” she asks, clearly surprised at my idea.

  “Of course I would. You should be home before I have to go to work. It gives me time to hang out with the munchkin for a bit,” I say, honestly excited about the prospect of hanging out with Nat for a bit this morning.

  “That would be alright,” she says while she wraps her arms around my neck, towel dropping into a heap at our feet.

  “Now you’re never gonna make it to breakfast,” I mumble before claiming her lips with my own. She tastes like mint, which reminds me that I have yet to brush my teeth. Keeping the kiss PG despite the fine-ass naked woman pressed against me is a challenge, but I manage. I dress quickly and take care of brushing my teeth while Carly dabs a little make-up on her beautiful face. Honestly, she doesn’t need any of that shit. She has a natural beauty that most women only dream about with her olive skin and long, dark eyelashes. She’s a walking, talking wet dream. And for two years, she was my wet dream. Now, she’s the living thing.

  Slipping on pair of dark denim jeans and a pair of pumps, Carly walks over to her closet and removes a soft, pale blue cashmere sweater. She looks every bit the stylish beauty as she frets with her outfit. She appears nervous as she adjusts the sweater, lightly pulling and moving it as if it wasn’t perfect already.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask her, saddling myself up behind her and pulling her into my arms.

  “I don’t know. I just…I don’t know what he’s going to tell me. I guess it’s just the fear of the unknown, you know? Like what if he tells me that he doesn’t want to be a part of my life? Not that he was a part of it before, but what if there
is no relationship to start? What if he wants to go on with his life as if I don’t exist?” Carly gnaws on her plump lower lip with her teeth.

  “Then, we’ll deal with it. I’m not about to guess what Roman Hernandez is thinking, babe. The only way to find out is to meet him and hear him out.”

  “What if he wants a relationship now? What if he suddenly wants to be my father, but I’m still too pissed to allow that to happen? Do I just walk away?”

  “I can’t answer that for you. Being angry with him is okay, Carly. Go hear him out and maybe it’ll help bring you peace and closure. If he wants a relationship with you, you don’t have to jump into it today. Take it slow and see where it goes,” I tell her.

  “You’re right. I don’t have to make any decisions about the future today. I’ll just go and hear him out. Then I’ll decide from there what’s best for me and Natalia.”

  “That’s a great way to go about this. Just remember that I’ll be here for you when you’re done.”

  “Thank you,” she says before turning in my embrace and wrapping her arms around my neck. God, I love the feel of her body pressed against mine.

  “You should go or you’re going to be late. I’ll run and grab the munchkin and meet you back here,” I tell her.

  “Here, you’re going to need these,” she says as she pulls her keys out of her purse. She removes two from the ring and hands them to me. “The bigger one is for the front door downstairs and this one is for my apartment.” The gesture feels so intimate. So right.

  “We’ll be here when you get back,” I tell her as she slips out the door and heads to meet her dad.

  I grab the rest of my stuff before heading out myself. Carly never asked if I knew where her mom lived. Of course, if she would have asked, I would have played dumb and let her give me the address, but I’ve known where she lives since the day Carly walked back into my life, thanks to Luke’s intel.

  It doesn’t take me very long to drive over to Georgia’s house. It’s a small, ranch style home in a pleasant subdivision. The brick exterior and dark green shutters are warm and inviting. The place has been clearly taken care of over the years. I walk up the paved path towards the front door and ring the bell. She answers with a bright smile on her face, holding my little girl.