“Please,” I whimpered again, my legs tightening around his waist. “Please stop teasing me.”
Jack gently guided his member toward my opening. The tip stayed there, pressed against me, but not entering me.
“I want to cherish every moment,” he whispered against the skin of my neck. “To never forget any of this.”
I didn’t have a chance to ask him what he meant by that. He slid himself inside me, inch by inch, slowly. My nails dug into his flesh as I finally got my wish.
Jack let out a groan as he became sheathed inside of me. His head fell forward, buried in my neck. His breath was warm against my skin, his beard tickling my face.
And he stayed nestled inside me with my body wrapped around him.
Slowly, he started moving. His thrusts were precise and even, each one seeming to go deeper than the last one.
“Yes, yes,” I groaned, throwing my head back.
The first wave of my orgasm hit me by surprise. My back arched, and I lifted my pelvis toward Jack. He thrust into me at just the right time, and my legs quivered as I cried out his name. I’d tried to be so quiet until that point, but I lost all control, unable to keep my voice down.
Jack held onto me, continuing to pump in and out as my orgasm sent wave after wave of pleasure through my body.
As my orgasm subsided, Jack pulled out of me.
“No, please don’t stop,” I begged.
“Oh, I’m not stopping,” he growled. “I’m just getting started.”
He helped me down from the counter, then positioned me so I was facing away from him - looking in the mirror and bent over the sink.
I could see him behind me, towering over me. His cock pressed into me, sliding in easily as if it was always meant to be there. I watched the reflection of his face as he entered me, twisting into a look of pure bliss.
He grabbed my hips, holding me steady as he fucked me from behind. His movements were more desperate than before. Faster. Harder. His thick cock stretched me to my limits. I kept watching his face, savoring the look of pleasure, and knowing that my body was was making him feel that good.
I knew when he was close from the guttural sounds coming from deep within his chest. I clenched my Kegel muscles around him, tightening and releasing, milking him for everything he had. Jack’s fingers dug into my flesh as he slammed himself inside me one last time.
His cock throbbed inside me as he filled me with his seed, pushing me over the edge one more time. I came harder than the first time, grabbing the counter for support as I cried out Jack’s name.
It took a while for our bodies to return to normal. We stayed like that for a few more moments, with Jack nestled inside me.
He slowly slipped out, and I turned to face him. My knees were a little weak, but thankfully he was there to grab me to keep me from falling. He held me in his arms, letting me rest against his chest as he kissed the top of my head.
“I love you, Cassie,” he said. “I know it’s early, but…”
I looked up at him and smiled. “I love you too, Jack.”
We shared a smile before he kissed me again.
“Now we should shower,” he announced. “Are you feeling up to it?”
“Sure, if I can stand, that is,” I laughed.
“I’ll be there to help you.”
He guided me to the shower, which was large enough to fit both of us. It was larger than some people’s entire bathrooms.
As soon as we stepped inside, Jack started the water. The warm water rushed down my skin, and I relaxed into him, letting him hold me under a showerhead that made it feel more like rainfall.
“Here, let me wash you,” he said, grabbing the loofa I’d placed on the hook earlier. He took the body wash and lathered it, then slowly started washing my entire body from head to foot. His fingers moved gently over my more sensitive parts. He massaged my head as he washed my hair. There was no rush; he took his time, letting his bare hands linger on my soapy body.
Then it was his turn, and I told him I wanted to return the favor.
Jack
Cassie’s breathing was even and calm. Her head rested against my chest, and I didn’t want to move - I wanted to stay like this forever. But I had to go.
I gently slid out from underneath her, letting her head rest on my pillow. I stared down at her for a few moments, telling myself it was merely to make sure she was asleep before I left. But really, I didn’t want to stop looking at her.
The moon was full tonight and shining through the curtains of the window, allowing me to see her clearly. Her dark hair fell around her face, making her look even paler than she was normally. She was so beautiful, so peaceful. I wanted to give her the world to make sure she had the life she truly deserved to have. Which was why I knew what I had to do.
I found a notepad in the table next to the bed and scribbled a little something for Cassie. She deserved to know why I was doing this, and I wanted to make sure she knew how much I loved both her and Owen. I left it next to her phone on the end table before kissing her softly on the forehead.
Before slipping out, I stopped by Owen’s crib. Just like his mother, he was sleeping peacefully. I didn’t want to wake him but had to touch him one last time. I took his little hand in mine, amazed at how tiny it was. I felt tears well in my eyes.
I pictured all the milestones I would miss. His first words. Owen pulling himself to his feet the first time. Learning to ride a bike. First day of school. Last day of school and graduation.
I was doing this so he had those milestones. Even if I missed them, he would get to live. He and Cassie didn’t deserve any of this mess.
It was time I took care of them and to do what had to be done.
My feet felt like lead weights as I walked out of the room. I quietly closed the door behind me as I stepped into the hallway.
No one was stationed outside of our room now, thankfully so. Since I was there, they were in the living room - which wasn’t too far away. Still, I hated leaving Cassie and Owen alone. We were on the fourth floor, so even with a balcony, there was no way anyone could get up to them, but still. So many possibilities flooded my mind.
I had to walk through the living room to get to the door. I was careful with each step I took as I made it down the hallway. Graham was on the couch, having recently been sewn up by Mason. Mason was on the chair closest to him. Elijah was on the floor. I didn’t see Samuel at first. Then I noticed him by the door. Sitting in a chair, and at first, I wasn’t sure if he was awake or asleep - so I stood there waiting for a response from him. Nothing came.
I moved into the room and checked the coffee table for the keys. As expected, they were all laid out with wallets and everything else. I hated doing this, but without having my truck here, I had to use one of theirs.
I grabbed the keys to Graham’s truck, carefully moving them so they didn’t jingle. I palmed them as I moved toward the door, careful not to step on Elijah.
No one could know what was happening. I had to do this alone. It was the only way.
I walked quietly across the floor and prayed the door wouldn’t make much noise as I unlocked it. I wouldn’t be able to close the deadbolt behind me, and that alone caused me to pause. I would only be able to lock the doorknob itself. Would that be enough? I glanced at the room full of men and felt like they were more protection than a lock anyway.
I opened the door slowly. It creaked, and I froze, expecting one of the brothers to notice.
“Going somewhere, Jack?” Samuel’s voice didn’t surprise me. He spoke softly. Hopefully soft enough that no one else would hear him.
I stood there with the door partially opened, staring into the hallway. I couldn’t tell him the truth, so I said the first thing that came out of my mouth. “No, I was just looking for the bathroom and got confused.”
“The bathroom is in the bedroom,” he said, watching me.
I turned and looked at him. He was wide awake; I don’t think he was asleep at all during any o
f this. He’d been watching me, waiting to see what I was doing.
I closed the door gently and turned to Samuel. “Listen, I have to do this. And I have to do it alone,” I said, speaking barely above a whisper. “It’s my one chance to make everything right.”
“What are you doing?”
“I can’t tell you. You just need to trust me, Samuel.”
Samuel was quiet, staring at me in the darkness. I could tell he was studying me, pondering. I should’ve known I wouldn’t be able to get past him - or any of my brothers. The truth would go a lot farther.
Samuel sighed. “Do you really think it’s wise going anywhere alone?”
“I have to do it. Now, are you going to stop me or…”
“I’m not going to stop you, Jack,” he murmured. ‘You’re a grown man. You can make your own choices. But I can tell you that you’re stupid if you think—”
“Thanks, Samuel,” I said, cutting him off. I opened the door. “That’s all I needed to hear. I gotta get going now. Can you lock the deadbolt behind me? And please, no matter what happens, make sure my family is safe.”
I stepped into the hallway and closed the door. I checked the knob. It was locked. I moved toward the elevator, my feet once again feeling too heavy to walk very fast. I was leaving everything I loved behind. I had to trust in my brothers to protect them after I was gone. I hardly knew them, but I could tell they were good people.
They were better men than I was.
I stepped into the elevator, with one last look down the hall to make sure none of them were following me, then pressed the button. The ride down to the garage was slow. I sighed as the doors opened.
The garage was empty of people. Considering how early it was - or late, rather - it was no surprise. I hurried to Graham’s truck as the elevator doors closed, and the elevator went back up.
I climbed into the truck and started the engine. I checked my phone and put the address Hank had sent me into the GPS. Three hours away. Considering the time he’d given me, it would be tight, but I’d make it if I didn’t stop much.
I pulled out of the parking spot and drove out of the garage, listening to the robotic voice of the GPS. I let it guide me where I needed to go.
* * *
Two hours and fifty-five minutes later, I was pulling into a warehouse parking lot. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, hinting at the day to come. I didn’t see another car in the parking lot. Not a sign of another person in sight. The car that had been behind me passed after I turned in, and now the road was empty.
I double-checked the address, making sure I was in the right place, which I was.
“Alright, Jack. This is it,” I muttered to myself as I climbed out of the truck.
I noticed headlights pulling into the gravel driveway just as my feet hit the concrete. Must be Hank, I thought to myself. Or whoever he sent to finish the job. I wasn’t sure if he would do it himself or trust one of his right-hand men for the job. As far as I was aware, Richard was dead. I wasn’t sure who else in his organization was trustworthy. Maybe we’d killed them all. Wouldn’t that be nice, I thought.
I also knew it was likely a lie. This was bigger than just a few people. I had no idea the extent of this crime ring when I got involved with it. I knew Hank was at the top, so I knew it had to be powerful. But the size of it - they seemed to know people everywhere. Hank had connections, not that it should surprise me. I always thought they were mostly a Liberty operation, maybe the surrounding counties. But now I realized it went much further than Utah.
I stood by the truck, my hands out to show I didn’t have a weapon. As the vehicle came closer, I realized it was a truck. A truck I recognized too. I cursed under my breath, “Dammit, Samuel,” just as Graham pulled up beside me in his brother’s truck.
He wound the window down and said, “Get in, Jack.”
“What the hell are you doing?” I growled. My fists were balled up at my sides. “I told Samuel I needed to do this alone.”
“I know you did, but even Samuel agreed we couldn’t let you do this alone.”
“You’ve already been shot because of me,” I ground. “Get the hell out of here before you end up dead because of me.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m not leaving you to die,” he said. “If you die, I’m going down with you. We promised our dad we would take care of you, and we’re not breaking that promise.”
My heart was racing as I scanned the area. Hank had been very clear. I had to come alone, or everyone I loved would be at risk.
“Graham, you don’t understand—” But it was too late for me to explain. A motion sensor light near the building flipped on, and both Graham and I turned to look at the same time.
Hank was walking towards us, and he wasn’t alone. Three very large men with machine guns were walking with him.
“Shit,” I muttered.
“Get in the fucking truck, man.”
“Well, well, well,” Hank called. “What do we have here? Jack, you disappoint me. I really thought you were nothing like your father.”
“I’m not. I was followed. Just let him go, and you can have me,” I yelled to him.
“Too late for that. He’s already seen my face,” the man said as he reached us. “And it’s too late for everyone you love as well.”
“Please.”
“Get in the truck, Jack. Get in the fucking truck, now,” Graham ordered.
“It’s too late now,” Hank said.
It’s too late. Too late to save my family through sacrifice.
They needed me now.
Graham swung the passenger side door of the truck open, and I jumped inside. He slammed on the gas pedal, making a beeline toward the men as I slammed the door shut. Explosions and shots rang out as Graham called out to me, “Get down!”
I hunkered down in the seat just as the window exploded above me. Shards of glass littered the seat and covered my body as the truck made a quick u-turn, throwing me into the door.
I couldn’t see what was happening outside, so I had to trust in Graham to get us out of there. The truck bounced as we went from gravel to asphalt, signaling we were on the road. I managed to sit up, catch a glimpse from the window. The gunshots were further away.
“They’ll follow us,” I said.
“Oh, I’m counting on it,” Graham said. “But there’s a town just ahead. Once we get there, we’ll work on losing them. We can’t go straight back. I gotta be sure we lost them.”
“This was fucking stupid, Graham,” I said.
“No, what you were doing was fucking stupid. Do you wanna get killed?”
“That was the whole point,” I yelled. “If I handed myself over to him, he would leave my family alone. But only if I came alone. Now? Well, now you fucking ruined it.”
My blood was on fire. I was raging mad. My fists were clenched, and I wanted to punch something, anything.
“You need to trust us, Jack. Believe it or not, we know what we’re doing. None of you have to die.” He shook his head. “But then you pull shit like this without talking to us. We have to work together. Do you hear me?”
“I can’t let anything happen to them,” I said.
We’d pulled into a town, just as Graham had said we would. It was a quiet, small town, and most of the people were still asleep. People were walking down the street, cars on the road. I glanced behind us, but no one had followed us that I could see.
“How did you find me?” I asked. “I was so careful. I didn’t notice anyone following me.”
Graham smirked. “There’s GPS locators on all of our vehicles,” he said. “In case we ever get separated, we know how to find each other. I left shortly after you did. I didn’t have to follow directly behind you to know where you were.”
“Damn.”
“I told you, Jack. We’re professionals. We know what we’re doing here.”
I shook my head. “You don’t know what you’re up against.”
“I think we have
a better idea than you do.”
“Did you see who that was back there?”
“I did.”
“And that doesn’t fucking scare you?”
“I don’t scare easy, Jack.” He glanced at me. “Death doesn’t scare me - but losing the people I care about does. Losing my family is the worst thing I can imagine.”
“We’re hardly even family,” I said.
“You’re my brother, Jack. And I made a promise to my dad. One I take very seriously.”
I rested my head back against the seat and closed my eyes. “Well, now my family is likely in danger here.”
“No, they aren’t. We’ll make sure they’re taken care of,” Graham promised softly. “You can trust us.”
We drove through the sleepy little town without saying much. I had no idea what we were going to do now. We couldn’t lead them back to the condo. We needed a plan.
And from the look on Graham’s face, he already had one.
Cassie
I rolled over in bed, reaching for Jack. I expected to find his warm body next to me. I opened my eyes to find his side of the bed empty. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes and looked toward the bathroom, expecting to see the door shut or hear him inside.
But it was silent.
I slipped from the bed, stretching as I checked the time on my phone. It was almost five in the morning, almost time for Owen’s breakfast. The apartment seemed quiet, and I wondered if I was the only one awake. It sounded like it.
But where was Jack?
As I put my phone back down on the end table, I saw a piece of paper folded up. My name was written on the outside. My heart stopped as I recognized Jack’s handwriting. I didn’t even have to open it to know it wasn’t good news. I reached for it and opened it. His handwriting was sloppy and looked rushed, but I could read it.
Take a Mountain Man Home for Christmas: A Mountain Man Romance Christmas Collection Page 120