Protected: A Masters and Mercenaries Novella

by Lexi Blake

  “Tell me I don’t have to be gentle with you.” His voice had deepened. His cock was fully erect, a beast waiting to be let off the leash. “I can if you need it, but I’m not feeling gentle tonight.”

  Because of everything that had happened. He’d been there with her, but he hadn’t found the same peace she had. This was his way of finding peace, and she wanted that for him. “I trust you. I don’t need you to be gentle. I need you to be Wade.”

  He climbed on the bed like a tiger ready to pounce. He took her ankles in his hands and spread her legs, moving in between them. “I like you this way. You look gorgeous all tied up, and more than that, you can’t run from me. I spend an enormous amount of time worrying about you running away. I want to give you something worth staying for.”

  Before she could protest, he leaned over and put his mouth on her pussy. She knew she should say something about staying but all that came out of her mouth was a low moan of pleasure. Heat spread from her core, moving through her system like lightning. His tongue was silky smooth against her skin.

  Pleasure pierced through her as his mouth and tongue worked her over.

  “Oh, god. You didn’t…you never…”

  He turned his face up, and she could see his lips glistening with her arousal. “I was a kid. I only thought with my dick. Genny, has no one ever eaten this sweet pussy before?”

  She shook her head. The ties that bound her pulled at her body until she felt like a bowstring ready to release. “No. There was only you and then…”

  “Only me.” He turned back to his work, licking her in long strokes of his tongue. “I was always too impatient with you. There was never enough time. I never slept beside you or woke up with you in my arms. I want that now. Even if you leave me in the end, I want to spend whatever time we have together doing the things I should have done.”

  Again, something they should talk about, but he took her breath away. She rather thought he was doing it on purpose, but then she couldn’t think anymore. He sucked on her clit and the bowstring was released, her body exploding with sensation.

  She cried out his name, pulling against the ties around her hands as she rode the wave of the orgasm.

  Then he was up and moving over her. He reached out and grabbed the condom he’d pulled out of his kit and rolled it over his cock with shaky hands. He wanted her, wanted this. It made it easier to let go and not worry about what would come from letting him in her bed. It didn’t matter because she was caught, trapped, and she didn’t honestly want a way out yet. Like the ties on her hands, she enjoyed the fact that she couldn’t waste time fighting him. She was here and this had been inevitable.

  He pressed her legs up, laying them flat against his chest while his cock began to press inside her. He was big, stretching her wide. He was manhandling her in the best way possible. This was his “control.”

  “You’re so fucking tight like this.” He growled the words. “I want you in every position imaginable. Get ready because the nights are mine. I’ll do anything you like during the day, but after Ash goes to bed, you become mine. Not a mother or a wife. You’re my lover, my sweet sex toy, and I’ll have you in ways you never thought of.”

  He pressed his cock in and slowly dragged it back out, seeming to enjoy the leisurely pace he set. In and out, savoring every inch.

  It was driving her crazy. Even his words seemed to send her higher and higher.

  “I’ll play with you every night. I’ll tie you up and torture your nipples until you beg me to stop. I’ll bite them and lick them and decorate them with clamps. When I’m done with your nipples, I’ll concentrate on your pussy. I’ll eat your pussy so often, you’ll come just thinking about my mouth on you. I’ll make a meal of you every fucking night.”

  She could be who she needed to be during the day. She could be strong and resilient, making all the choices she needed to make for herself and her son, and then at night she could let it all go. She could turn herself over to him and let him take them both someplace amazing.

  It was the closest she would ever come to happiness.

  He pressed her legs apart, moving her where he wanted with ease, never losing his rhythm. He pounded into her, driving his cock deep inside.

  The world went spinning again, pleasure bubbling over her. She couldn’t breathe for a moment, but it didn’t matter as she watched Wade’s gorgeous face go hard. He held himself against her, every muscle in his body going rigid, and then he collapsed on top of her. His weight pressed her into the bed. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt warm and pleasantly lethargic. Her nights hadn’t been spent sleeping peacefully, her body well used.

  “Let me stay with you.” He whispered the words against her neck.

  She nodded her assent and worried she would never be able to let him go.

  Chapter Nine

  Genny reached up and grabbed the box of cereal Ash liked. Three weeks into her new life with Wade and she was enjoying the little things. Things like going to the movies and buying groceries. It was silly but she hadn’t done those things in forever. Well, not when she didn’t have to watch every single penny. When she’d lived in the mansion, it had been done for her. Brock would never have trusted her to properly buy groceries. After the divorce, going to the grocery store had been a study in humiliation.

  Not today. Today she got to buy anything she wanted. She had a debit card and the code and yes, they were Wade’s, but she was okay with that. She was cooking. Ash cleaned. Wade bought the groceries for now. She was going to help out once her paychecks started coming in next week.

  She had to think about how she was going to get Wade to let her pay rent. If there was one thing she wasn’t going to think about, it was moving out. She was crazy about him. But she had to consider whether or not she could give him what he needed. She’d learned a lot about the club Wade oversaw. Sanctum.

  Her cell phone trilled and there he was. The handsome, amazing man who rocked her whole world and made her feel safe. “Hey, babe. Are you almost done at the club?”

  She’d dropped him off at Sanctum and Ash at his new friend’s house. She’d gotten her nails done and gone by Ulta, and then headed to the grocery store. Wade had to make sure the club was ready for the night’s sessions and Ash was studying. Probably by playing video games and drinking root beer, but she was too happy for him to have friends to even question it. Wade hadn’t even blinked when she’d asked him if she could take the truck. He’d handed over the keys and promised that soon they would look for a car for her. She needed her own.

  Sweet freedom. Sweet man.

  “I should be ready in about thirty minutes, but take your time. I’ve got everything set up, but there’s some paperwork I need to get done. I was calling to make sure you found your way back to the store okay.”

  She loved the deep rumble of his voice. “I followed the GPS. I’m good that way.”

  He sighed. “I’m sorry. I worry. He was released yesterday.”

  “And I’m in a perfectly public place. He’ll bide his time,” she replied. They’d had this freak out the night before. She was calm now. They’d gone over every possible scenario. “We don’t even know that he’s figured out where I am. I can’t live my life in hiding.”

  “I know, baby, but I don’t like the fact that he didn’t go back to Broken Bend. We’re not sure where he is. Until I can tag his car and cell phone, I’m going to be on the nervous side.”

  “I’m surprised he didn’t go back, but I would also assume he’s embarrassed. I don’t know who he would have called to give him a ride if he didn’t have someone bring his car in.”

  “We’re shorthanded right now or I would have had someone following him twenty-four seven,” Wade admitted. “I’ll get Ian to hire some new guys. I promise.”

  She felt different. In the days since she’d cried and held onto him, since she’d welcomed him into her bed, she felt stronger. “We can’t do that. Think about this, Wade. If we start down that path, we’ll be
doing it forever. We have to live our lives and deal with what happens. I’ve thought a lot about this and I’ve come to a conclusion. Brock’s a coward. He made sure you wouldn’t be around to confront him. He was afraid of you fifteen years ago. We have to face him in court in a couple of weeks when the judge reviews our custody agreement. I think you should have a talk with him, let him know what you’ll do if he doesn’t behave.”

  Wade was silent for a moment. “I was already planning on that. I kind of thought I would have to sneak around you to do it.”

  She could understand that. “Nope. I’m going to let you be forthright and upfront, and we’re going to hope prison changed him.”

  It could happen. Maybe. Perhaps he would take the hundred K he had in offshore accounts and leave her be.

  And find some other woman to abuse. Yeah, that thought didn’t make her feel better.

  “I think I’ll believe that when I see it,” Wade said. “You be careful and get some toothpaste. Ash stole mine and you like that sandpaper.”

  She laughed. Sharing a bathroom with a man who cared about her was different. He tried to respect her space. “Will do. I’ll come back to the club when I’m…”

  She stopped in the middle of her sentence. Standing there in the aisle ahead of her was a tall man. He was lanky, though she was sure he thought of his slender frame as elegant. Unfortunately those slim limbs held a lot of strength, as she’d learned. He could easily break her when he wanted to, and he often wanted to.

  “Baby? Did I lose you?”

  Her heart pounded in her chest, making her bones ache. Her vision threatened to go black, but she managed to hold it together. “He’s here.”

  Brock Howard the third was staring at her, his eyes dark and cold. “Is that your new boyfriend? Or should I say your old boyfriend? I should have known you had not a creative bone in your body. You should hang up on dear old Wade. We need to talk, Geneva. I won’t take no for an answer. If you choose to bring him into this domestic disagreement of ours, I’ll have to deal with him. You won’t like how I deal with him.”

  Wade’s voice came over her phone. “Genny? Baby, I want you to…”

  She hung up. It was a habit, obeying Brock. The minute she did it, she hated herself, but in that moment she’d seen Wade dead on the floor because she hadn’t been fast enough. Her chest ached, like someone had kicked her and knocked all her air out. That light happiness she’d felt had fled and left behind nothing but terror. He was here. He was here and he would take everything she loved away.

  She loved her son. She loved Wade. She had to protect them both.

  Brock was staring at her, his eyes narrowed and a sneer on his face. “I don’t like the fact that you cut your hair. You know that wasn’t allowed.”

  It was okay. She was in a public place. He couldn’t hurt her in the middle of a grocery store. And she’d been stupid to hang up with Wade. There was a deli at the front of the store with tables. She would go and sit and call Wade back. Her first instinct was to run, but Brock could catch her out in the parking lot and she couldn’t risk that. Public. She had to stay public. “I assume divorcing you wasn’t allowed either and yet here we are. You’ll excuse me. I have shopping to do.”

  She started to turn, moving the cart in an arc. A sharp pain bit through her arm as he grasped her and hauled her back around.

  “Don’t you think you can walk away from me, bitch.”

  She glanced around to see if anyone could help her. A woman was at the end of the aisle. She had gray hair and stopped for a moment, but she took one look at what was going on and turned away, hurrying back toward the dairy aisle. No help from that quarter. “You’re hurting me.”

  “Yeah, well, you sent me to jail. This is the least of what I plan to do to you. Now here’s how this is going to go,” he said, every word a bullet from his mouth. “You’re going to walk out of here with me and we’ll go get our son. We’re going to Houston. We’ll start over. You’ll be a good girl or you’ll suffer the consequences.”

  She tried to pull away from him. “Let me go. You don’t want to start a fight here.”

  He chuckled. “I’ll start a fight anywhere I please. You think anyone will believe you? We were married for fifteen years. It’s well known how good a husband I was and how vindictive you are. Why do you think no judge would give you a restraining order?”

  “Because you paid them all off one way or another. You can’t do that now, asshole.”

  His grip tightened. If he twisted just the right way, he might break her arm. “Watch me. I’ve got people lined up who are going to talk about how I took the fall to keep you out of jail. They’ll testify that you’re a horrible mother and you’ve taken my son into places children shouldn’t go. Do you know what your boyfriend is into? Do you know what happens at that club he runs? No judge is going to let you keep our son living with that fucking pervert. And when I have him, I’ll have you, right? Or has your pussy overridden your motherly instincts and you’re ready to throw the brat out for Wade fucking Rycroft?”

  Brat? She hated it when he called Ash a brat. He did it because he knew it bugged her and she’d learned not to respond, but the other night had happened. The wound had been reopened and purged and she could feel again. She could feel rage. Genny picked up the steel can of pineapple juice she’d put in the front of the cart next to her purse. She’d gotten it because she wanted to make piña coladas and sit in the hot tub when Ash stayed the night at his friend’s house. That was blown now. Wade wouldn’t let Ash out of his sight, and she could freely use the can to bash in her ex’s head.

  She brought it up and back, ignoring the pain in the arm he was holding.

  You have to concentrate. Ignore everything but the goal. Get him to back off. Get your space and then you can deal with everything else.

  Wade’s words were in her head. Despite the fact that he was miles away, he was here with her. He was whispering in her ear, telling her what to do and that she was good enough to do it.

  The can met Brock’s head with a satisfying thunk. He groaned and released her arm. A thin trickle of blood showed up on his forehead and Genny heard a gasp from someone who had been walking down the aisle. She barely had a glimpse of someone turning and running but she couldn’t think about that now. She was reaching into her bag and pulling out the mace she’d bought months before. She sprayed it toward Brock, who slapped out at her.

  Genny turned and ran, leaving her cart behind. It didn’t matter. She wouldn’t be going out to get groceries again. Brock had ruined everything. She’d been a fool to think he might have changed.

  She started to run toward the front of the store. She had to get away. All her plans were gone, her good sense overridden. Panic threatened to overwhelm her. This couldn’t happen to her again, not after everything she’d gone through. If he got his hands on her, her life would be over.

  She was almost to the exit when a man stepped in front of the doors. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, tie, and khakis.

  “Stop,” he said and he was joined by two young men, blocking her path. They looked to be cashiers or stock boys.

  “My eyes.” Brock stumbled behind her.

  “I called the cops.” The man who’d fled from the aisle stood off to the side, his cell phone in hand. “I was there. I saw everything. She went crazy on him. She could have killed him.”

  The cops. They’d called the cops? That was good. The cops…would likely listen to the man who’d said she’d gone crazy. He hadn’t heard what Brock had said to her. He hadn’t seen Brock gripping her arm.

  “She’s my ex-wife. She hates me. I wanted to talk about our son. She won’t let me see him. Now she’s trying to kill me,” Brock managed as one of the employees gave him a bottle of water to douse his eyes with.

  “That’s not what happened.” She needed Wade. She felt so alone with all those men staring at her.

  “Hush, honey. Save it for the cops.” The elderly woman who had turned away was sudden
ly at her side. “I called them, too.”

  Shit.

  The doors slid open and two police officers stepped inside. One was a burly looking man and the other a tough female with dark brown hair pulled back in a tight bun. The man stepped forward.

  “I’m Officer Jones. This is my partner, Officer Lonzo. We got a call concerning a disturbance here,” the officer said.

  Brock pointed her way. “My ex-wife assaulted me.”

  The man who’d called the police nodded. “I saw it. She smashed him on the head and then maced him. It was awful. Guy’s just trying to talk to her and she goes off on him.”

  The female cop turned to the man. “You saw everything? Were you close enough to hear? What was he saying to her?”

  Officer Jones had obviously heard all he needed to hear. “All right. Come on, miss. We’re going to sort this out downtown.”

  He had a pair of handcuffs in his hands. Oh, god. He was going to arrest her and Brock would use it against her in their custody hearing. He might get her sent to jail. If she was sent to jail, Ash would be vulnerable. Her gut churned. He would hurt her son. He might kill him and Wade would have no way to legally protect Ash.

  No one would listen to her. She could tell her story over and over and it would fall on deaf ears. The world threatened to spin. How could she have gotten comfortable? How could she have forgotten? She was in a haze as she felt the officer move in behind her. She glanced over and Brock was a mess, his eyes red, but there was a smirk on his face. He knew he had her. He was going to get what he wanted.

  “Hey, could you hold up a minute?” Officer Lonzo was standing beside the elderly woman, but she looked at her partner. “I get it that your ex is giving you hell, but I think something else is going on here. Are there any security cams?”

  The asshole eyewitness shook his head. “Don’t need security cameras. I saw the whole thing.”