Protected: A Masters and Mercenaries Novella

by Lexi Blake

  “Motels are for boring people. I want to do it here. Now. I need you, Wade. Everyone’s gone.”

  He was pretty sure there were still a bunch of cars in the garage, but there weren’t any close to his truck. He thought Hutch was still here and most of the crew from Miles and Dean, but he couldn’t be sure because he’d just gotten a hand on her breast. Soft breast. It had the sweetest pink nipple that got tight when he sucked on it. Her breasts were exquisitely sensitive. She shivered as though she knew exactly what he was thinking.

  “Baby, we can’t make love in a truck.”

  “We did it many times in the past.” Her fingers worked the buckle of his belt.

  They had. Although the truck had been a beat-up piece of crap handed down from his oldest brother and shared between Wade and Heath. They’d gone to a party at a friend’s house and then stopped by the lake to talk, and talking had led to kissing and kissing led to him making love to her in the cramped back seat of the cab.

  At least he had some room in this sucker. And he didn’t have to climb over the seats.

  Were they really going to do it in the parking garage?

  Her hand cupped his cock and the answer was clear. They were definitely doing it here and now. Still. “Are you sure? I want this to be good for you. I want everything to be good for you.”

  She stroked him, her soft palm making him struggle to breathe. “Wade, I haven’t had an orgasm in fifteen years.”

  He gritted his teeth. He couldn’t argue with that. “Then you’ve got time to make up. But, baby, if you want me to be able to actually use that, you gotta stop. I’m going to come in your hand in a minute or so. It’s been a long time for me, too.”

  Not compared to her, but he wasn’t a complete manwhore like some of his friends. Every stroke of her hand was pure pleasure. His cock was ready to explode. It was also ready to get inside her, and he needed to give her more.

  She brought her hand out of his pants, and despite the fact that he’d told her to do it, he mourned the loss. “Get in the truck.”

  He practically growled at her. “Damn it, Genny. I need you to understand something. I’m going to do this for you. You seem to need something, to be in control, but that’s not always how it’s going to be. We need to talk about this tonight. We need to talk about some of the things I’ve done in the last fifteen years.”

  “Like gotten into whips and chains?” She hopped out of the truck, her face flushed. “I totally went through your closet. You have a lot of lube. Why is it flavored? I would think cherry or grape would be better than ginger, but it’s an interesting choice. Are you the one who uses the whip or did you find out you liked getting your ass beat? I’m cool with either way, though I don’t know how much I want to get paddled. The tying-up thing might be fun. But right now I’m running on a high, babe, and I want to ride your dick, so could you please lie down and let me use you? I’ll tell you how pretty you are later. I stole a condom out of the kit because I wanted to be ready.”

  She was going to kill him. He climbed into the truck and was grateful he’d spent way too much on the fucker. It was massive, way bigger than he needed in the city, but he’d always wanted one. “We’re going to have a very long talk, baby. And you might get acquainted with the ginger lube.”

  He lay back, pressing the button that leaned the seat back. His whole body was singing and she hadn’t exactly said finding his kit had scared her. She might never want to play in certain ways, but he could deal with that. He could deal with almost anything as long as she was willing to give him another chance.

  He shoved his jeans down and unleashed his cock.

  She joined him, pulling up her skirt.

  Was she not wearing underwear? He took the condom from her and tore it open as she managed to get the door closed. With shaking hands, he pulled it on, stroking it over his cock. “Baby, I need to get you ready.”

  She shook her head. Now that they were closed in together, he could feel the heat of her body, the intimacy so much greater since she’d shut out the world. “Touch me and tell me I’m not ready. I might not have been a week ago, but now it’s all I can think about. I’ve wanted this since the moment I saw you again. Even when you were being a massive ass to me, I wanted you. I’ve never been able to not want you.”

  She was gorgeous, her face flushed with need. He shoved her skirt up higher until it was almost around her waist. He could see the hint of her pussy, and it sent his heart rate into overdrive. “I like your choice of undergarments.”

  “I was too embarrassed to buy them around you.”

  “You don’t need them.” He liked the idea of her walking around ready for him. Only him. God, she’d only ever willfully been with him. She was basically still inexperienced. She might be experimenting with him because he was safe. It would kill him, but he wasn’t going to stop her. If this was some form of revenge, he was going to turn it around on her. He would make it so fucking good, she would never want to leave him. He moved his hand between then, letting his fingers brush against her pussy.

  And then his cock was twitching again because she was right. She didn’t need much more. Her pussy was wet and ripe. Her pussy was begging for him.

  He intended to give it to her.

  He slid his thumb up and found her clitoris. He watched as her eyes widened. That breathy gasp that came from her throat was one of the sweetest sounds he’d ever heard. His eyes met hers as he pressed on her clit and let a finger work its way into her pussy. She was hot and tight and was going to feel right when she mounted him. Her hips started to roll, finding a rhythm as he curled his finger deep inside her. He stopped abruptly, offering her his cock instead. “I want to go together. I want you to come around my cock. Ride me, baby.”

  She moved up, positioning herself over his erection. He gritted his teeth as she began a slow slide down his cock. Heat threatened to overwhelm him. This was what he’d wanted for years, what had been missing. Even as he’d pretended and lied to himself, he’d needed her.

  She lowered herself steadily down, every inch she took making him sweat. She was tight, a damn vise around his cock. He steadied her, his hands on her hips.

  “You’re killing me.”

  Her lips curled up. “Then it’s a good way to go. I forgot how big your dick is.” Her head fell back as she slid those crucial last few inches. “I missed this.”

  “I missed you more than you know.” He was going to die if she didn’t move soon, but he needed her to understand. “I missed more than your body. No one ever loved me the way you did, Genny. And I never loved anyone else.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t do that with you. Not now. But I do need this.”

  She shifted her hips and his eyes rolled to the back of his head, the feeling perfectly exquisite. She rolled against him and he let it go. He wasn’t going to stop telling her he loved her. He would never stop that, but he was going to be with her for weeks at least, maybe months. He would win her over by giving her everything he had.

  Genny rode him hard, leaning over and allowing her mouth to find his. His tongue slid against hers as his cock pulsed inside her. He wanted her naked next time, wanted every inch of her body against his, but it was too urgent. It had been too long and she needed this. It was like releasing a pressure valve to normalize.

  He shoved up, forcing himself deep inside her, and he felt the moment her pussy clamped down around him, milking him for everything he had. He went over the edge a second after she did, pumping up into her and praying the moment could last forever.

  Peace filled him as she slumped over, her head finding the crook of his neck.

  His body felt warm and relaxed, finally in the place it needed to be.

  A knock on the window had him reaching for his gun. Which was in his duffel. Damn it. Genny gasped and sat straight up.

  Hutch was smiling in the window. “Hey, guys. If you’re finished, I was thinking we could go get a beer.”

  He stared at Hutch as Genny frant
ically tried to get her skirt to cover her pink parts.

  Hutch backed up. “No? Okay. Maybe later. See you tomorrow. And that truck’s got some serious shocks on it. Way to go, Rycroft.”

  She gave up and buried her face against his chest. “I can’t believe I did that. Is everyone going to know?”

  He took a deep breath, loving the way his truck now smelled. Like her. Like sex. “Yep. The good news is no one will care. Welcome to McKay-Taggart, baby.”

  She was going to fit right in here.

  Chapter Seven

  Genny allowed Wade to help her down from her seat in the truck. She had to admit that this particular truck was way more comfy than the last one she’d made love in. And the man was even hotter than the boy.

  Of course she hadn’t gotten caught by a coworker back then.

  He grinned at her. “Kiss me before we go in and have to pretend you didn’t rock my world an hour ago.”

  Because Ash was home. Wade had left work and gone to pick him up from school, escorted him home, and made sure Ash was inside and secure before he’d gone back to work. That was how the man had spent his lunch break. Then he’d been willing to let her have her wicked way with him.

  She was in danger with him. It would be a stupid thing to fall for this man a second time. She couldn’t stay here forever. At some point she had to stand on her own two feet.

  Still, she went up on her toes and brushed her lips against his in a sweet kiss. Her body reacted immediately. Years she’d gone without. Her body had been a useless thing, but now it seemed to come alive every time she saw him.

  And she definitely wanted to ask him about that bag she’d snooped around in. It was in his closet on the floor with his athletic shoes and boots. She hadn’t been able to help herself. It had been a little peek. And then she’d gone through the whole thing. At the time she’d kind of wanted to see what she could find out about him without asking him. It hadn’t been fair, but she’d been through too much to let herself and Ash stay with a man who might be doing something he shouldn’t.

  Oddly, the floggers and rope and lube hadn’t scared her. Even back when they were young adults, Wade had liked to be in control. Now, thanks to romance novels, she knew what to call him. Dominant. He’d always been that way. Wade was a man who liked to be in charge, who needed routine and control.

  The fact that he’d taken them in and never once complained meant something. He’d allowed her needs to take over. He’d even allowed her to take control in what she thought he suspected might be their only sexual encounter.

  Did he think he was sleeping on the air mattress?

  Not after the day she’d had. He could sneak into bed with her after Asher went to sleep. She intended to spend all the time with Wade she could before she had to let him go. It might make things easier. They could explore what they’d missed and not wonder for the rest of their lives.

  Maybe she could figure out if what he felt for her was guilt and pity.

  He opened the backseat and drew out the pizza they’d picked up. “I need to talk to you about something I found out from Adam today.”

  She started toward the front porch. “Is he the guy who runs the other company? Ian has a bunch of wagers going about him. I had to be careful with the white board because he’s got the whole office betting.”

  “Yeah, Adam runs a company that specializes in finding missing persons or identifying suspects in crimes. Ian thought they would be good at keeping track of Brock when he’s let out of jail.”

  The thought sent a shiver up her spine and took some of the joy out of the day. Naturally. She couldn’t do anything without Brock coming into it. “What did they find out?”

  His jaw tightened and she knew whatever was about to come out of his mouth would upset her. “Were you aware that Brock took out a five-million-dollar life insurance policy on Ash?”

  She stood there for a moment, allowing the words to sink in. Brock hadn’t cared about Ash as anything but a tool to keep her in check. He’d spent very little time with his son unless he wanted something from her. Oh, he would force them to smile for the world’s most awkward family Christmas pictures. He would use them both as props, but he didn’t care about either of them. It did give her some insight into what he was planning. “He wants to take me with him, but he’ll kill Ash to get the money. He likely has someplace outside the US he intends to take me to. Someplace where no one will care that he keeps me prisoner. He told me he would do it if I ever left him. He said he would find a way to get me back and he would make sure I never got away again.”

  The words sounded dull coming out of her mouth. She wasn’t safe. It had all been a fantasy. He’d told her what he would do, and she would give him one thing—he’d never not kept his word when it came to punishment. He’d always let her know it was coming, as though he understood the anticipation was almost as bad as the pain.

  “Let’s go inside.” Wade put a hand on her back and started gently moving her to the door.

  Her feet moved, but it was like she was outside her body. He wanted to kill Ash. He was willing to murder their child in order to collect the money. How would he do it? Brock was smart. He would make it look like an accident. God only knew what kinds of connections he’d made in prison. She’d been right the first time. She had to face Brock. He wouldn’t accept anything else. If she didn’t, if she hid behind Wade, she would get Wade and her son killed.

  She would be left with nothing but pain.

  The door closed behind her and Wade strode into the small kitchen. They’d gotten a bigger table, a four top to replace the tiny bistro set. She shouldn’t have made him buy new furniture. That had been selfish of her.

  “Mom? How was the first day of work?” Ash popped over the back of the couch where he’d been sitting playing some video game. The couch Wade had also bought because the three of them couldn’t sit on the two lounge chairs he’d had. Ash sobered when he got a good look at her. “Not good then?”

  Wade moved beside her. “Ash, I need to talk to your mom.”

  Ash stood up. “What did he do?” He came out of the living room. “Don’t tell me it’s nothing. There’s only one reason my mom gets that dead look on her face. It’s because Brock is causing trouble. So I ask again. What did he do?”

  “I think it’s time we moved you,” she heard herself saying. It was like she was stuck inside her body, hiding away, but that strong, unfeeling part of her had taken over. Super Mom. Super Mom felt no pain. She did what she had to do. She didn’t need stupid things like a job or good sex or self-esteem. All that mattered to Super Mom was that Ash survived. Ash was the only thing Super Mom cared about. “Can this Adam person change Ash’s identity?”

  “What?” Ash shook his head. “I’m not changing my identity and I’m not going anywhere. We’ve been through this.”

  She turned a steely gaze on her son. “You’ll do what I tell you to.”

  She watched as Ash seemed to grow an inch or two taller. “Not when it comes to this I don’t. What’s your brilliant plan, Mom? Who you going to pawn me off on? Change my name? What the fuck is that going to do?”

  Anger welled and it didn’t have anywhere else to go. She pointed at her son. “Stop cussing. You’re thirteen years old. You don’t get to talk like that and you absolutely don’t talk like that to me.”

  He shrugged. “Hey, if you abandon me I can do whatever I like.”

  Wade put a hand up like he could stop them. “No one is abandoning you.”

  “She is. She’s been waiting to do it for a long time,” Ash said.

  “I don’t think that’s what she means to do.” Wade’s voice was altogether too calm. “Let’s sit down and talk about this.”

  “You stay out of it,” she said. “You don’t get a say in this. Although I should let you. God, if anyone knows how to abandon someone it’s Wade Rycroft.” The words kept coming out, hateful and hurtful, and she couldn’t quite seem to stop them. It was all going to fall apart. It didn
’t matter how good she’d been, how much she’d suffered. One evil man wanted her and that had shaped her entire fucking life. What Brock wanted was all that mattered, and no one could help her.

  She’d made the horrible mistake of being kind to him. He’d fixated on her at a young age and wouldn’t let her go. No matter what she did. She’d never had a chance. A predator had gotten her scent early on, and he wouldn’t stop until he devoured her. Now all she could do was try to save her son. The idea that she could have a life, a job, some love, had been ridiculous, and she had to finally learn the lesson.

  Wade had paled and took a step back like she’d physically hurt him. “That’s fair. But we need to sit down and talk about this. I know I…”

  Ash shook his head. “It won’t work. She’s got her martyr face on.”

  Wade sent a fierce frown her son’s way. “Don’t talk to your mother like that. I get you’re upset, son. I’m upset, but she just found out that your…that Brock took out a five-million-dollar life insurance policy on you and she’s terrified.”

  Ash stopped. “He did what?”

  She hadn’t meant to tell him that. It wasn’t fair. Wade wasn’t Ash’s dad no matter how much she…no. She wasn’t going there. This was a horrible mistake. She shouldn’t have come here. Shouldn’t have tried. Rage. It was all she had and she turned it on him. “You had no right to tell him that.”

  “But, baby, he has to know why you’re upset,” Wade said.

  The fact that he was being understanding simply made her angrier. It wasn’t fair or right, but her life hadn’t been that way either. “Get your things, Ash. We’re leaving.”

  Ash’s façade crumbled, and he looked like he was five again and his father was taking his puppy away because it pissed on the floor. “Leaving? But I like it here. I don’t want to leave. Mom, I’m sorry. I won’t cuss.”

  “This isn’t about you, Ash.” Wade’s voice sounded tortured. “Go to your room and let me handle this. I promise you this is going to be okay. You’re not going anywhere. Take the pizza and watch TV and it’s all going to be fine in a couple of hours. I’m going to take care of her.”