Addison put her weapons down on the table and shakily collapsed onto the mat. She put her head in her hands and cried. She hoped she was doing the right thing. It felt right. She wasn’t really scared that Erica was going to come back. She was pretty sure she managed to impress on Erica how very disposable the girl was if she did come back. Plus, she had Daniel to protect her as well. Sniffling, Addison stood up and decided she better make her way back downstairs before she was forced to explain to Daniel how she came to be standing next to the empty spot where Erica used to be.
***
Daniel was patient. It was what made him such a good hunter. He waited in the basement garage for Addison to wake up and realize he wasn't with her. He listened, gratified, as she called his cell phone and received no answer. Then he waited as she made her way upstairs to the security floor to find him. He watched the security footage on his laptop as she confronted Erica Pennington. Though he knew she wouldn’t shoot the blond bitch, he smiled as she pointed the loaded gun at her stalker.
As predicted, after some pacing and conversation, Addison finally unlocked Erica and let her go. She looked like a fucking savage queen, blind and beautiful, holding out a gun and machete, threatening her attacker. He was so fucking proud, he wanted to run upstairs and kiss her senseless. He packed his laptop away and strode to the bottom of the stairs where Erica would appear. He had men on the outside of the garage ensuring that no one would interrupt. Moments later, the blond woman flew through the door, right into his waiting arms.
He turned her easily around and, before she could scream, placed her in a choke hold. She tried to struggle, but he easily knocked her flailing limbs aside. He felt tears touch his arm where she struggled to breath and clawed at his skin. He lifted her off the ground until her ear was next to his mouth.
“We have something in common, bitch,” he whispered as her struggles grew weaker. “We both love my girl and want to make her happy. I knew she needed you off her conscience, so I let her think she let you go.”
Erica’s unconscious body slumped against his. He shoved her away in disgust, before lifting and tossing her carelessly in the trunk of a waiting vehicle. “Let’s go for a drive.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
3 months later
"Are we on a date?" Addison asked mischievously. "Because I'm not really the dating type, you know."
Daniel grunted as he pulled the truck to a stop. He turned to her and tapped her cheek with two fingers. "Watch it, woman, or I'll push you out of my truck and let you find your own way back."
She grinned and waited while he made his way around the truck to help her out. It usually annoyed her when people did things for her that she could do for herself, but it was different with Daniel. He was a single unit, a solitary man, with Addison as the only exception. He did things for her because he wanted to, not because she was blind.
She went into his arms and laughed in surprise as he lifted her right out of the truck and up into the air before lowering her slowly down his length. He placed her next to his solid body and took her hand, smoothing her slim fingers along his strong forearm. She inhaled his scent, savouring the wonderful subtle male smell that was so uniquely him. She would recognize it anywhere.
"Won't you tell me where we are?" she asked curiously. "You know I hate surprises.”
“It’s not a surprise, just something I want to show you,” he said gruffly. “There’s a guy here to help us.”
“Okay, now I’m intrigued,” Addison said with a laugh. “Since when do you need help with anything?”
Daniel grunted. “Still can't do your damn hair.”
“Mr. Mercer? Ms. Sterling?” A man’s voice interrupted their banter. “Thanks for coming out here on this beautiful afternoon, I’m Trevor Milton.”
He shook their hands and then asked them to follow him inside. Addison leaned up on her toes and whispered to Daniel with a giggle, “He sounds like a real estate agent.”
“That’s because he is,” Daniel responded gruffly.
Addison’s jaw dropped and she stood rooted to the spot until Daniel hooked an arm around her waist and lifted her off her feet and up the stairs. She barely spoke as the man led them through each room, showing them all the wonderful perks of the one hundred and fifteen year old character home. He pointed out all of the original fixtures as well as the recent upgrades and additions. He was careful to point out only the positives of the home and none of the flaws to his potential clients. After about twenty minutes of listening to himself speak, he finally seemed to realize neither of his new clients were speaking, let alone showing even a tiny spark of interest in the home.
“Uh, so that’s the home. It’s been on the market for several weeks, but it’s definitely not going to last. It’s only a matter of time until the right buyers come along and snap it up!” he announced, like Addison and Daniel would be idiots to let it pass them by.
Daniel was staring hard at Addison, trying to discern her mood. “Leave,” he said to Milton.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” the agent said, jumping a little.
Addison felt the tension in the room go up a few notches and reached out to catch Daniel’s arm in case he planned on doing something irreversible to the poor real estate agent. “It’s okay, Daniel,” she whispered.
He ignored her and said to Milton, “Will you leave for $3000?”
Milton apparently had a shrewder mind than he’d thus far exhibited, and balls of steel to go up against Daniel. He thought for a moment and said, “Make it $5000 and call it a deposit on the house and we have a deal.”
Addison felt Daniel tense under her fingertips, then he let out a short bark of laughter. “Deal,” he growled, “now get the fuck out.”
“I’ll go draw up the papers. You can meet me at my office tomorrow to sign for the house.”
Daniel didn’t say anything until Trevor Milton left, then he turned to Addison and said, “Talk to me.”
“You just bought a house,” she said faintly, shaking her head.
“For you.”
“But… you can’t just buy a house for me, Daniel,” she said, hesitantly. “It’s too much, it’s too soon. What if… what if you change your mind about me… about us?”
His arms tightened around her until he was holding her tightly against his body. “Addison,” he said quietly against the side of her head, “when that bitch took you and I thought I might lose you, I was ready to follow you into death. I knew I didn’t want to live if you weren't in this world with me.”
“Oh, Daniel,” Addison whispered reaching out to touch his face, her palms caressing his bearded cheeks lovingly. “Don’t say that, I can’t stand it.”
“Can’t stand a world without you in it. I promise you, I won’t ever leave you, and you won’t leave me. Understand?” he demanded gruffly.
“I understand,” she said through tears.
He hugged her tightly then set her away from him and wiped the tears from beneath her eyes with his thumbs. “Can’t stay in my place. It isn’t a proper apartment. And your place looks like the fucking Mad Hatter had an acid trip paint brush party.”
Addison laughed and hiccuped at the same time. “I let Anya paint it.”
“Pretty sure even you would have done a better job.”
“Was that a blind joke?” she demanded, poking him in the ribs. She rubbed the rest of her tears away using the sleeve of her cardigan. “I want a tour of my new house.”
He took her hand and led her through the house. First, the spacious backyard which he assured her was fenced and big enough to house a dog if she wanted one. Addison stood for a moment with her mouth open and fresh tears in her eyes. Her parents had never let her have pets because of the mess and then, by the time she could afford it herself, she just didn’t feel it was fair to keep a dog in her city apartment.
“Oh, yes please!” she squealed, throwing herself into his arms and hugging him tight. “I want a dog, a little terrier or a Chihuahua t
hat’s missing a leg or an eye and down on its luck like me! Actually, let’s just go to the pound and ask for the dog that's been there the longest, poor little thing. Can we go pick one up tomorrow? Can I name him or her Yo-Yo Ma?”
He picked her up, her arms still wrapped around him, and carried her back inside for the rest of the tour. He explained that it was just outside of the downtown district on the other side of the river, about a five minute drive from King Tower. She teased him about wanting to be so close to work, but was secretly impressed that he was willing to stay offsite in order to live with her in a place of their own. She knew he was dedicated to his job. It showed how much he cared about her and their life together that he was willing to live outside of the Tower.
He described the area to her as being affluent, but quiet with an extremely low crime rate. He said the house had a third floor studio that apparently had excellent acoustics that could be used as a practice space for her cello. He then showed her up to the second floor and led her from room to room describing which could be his office, which would be the guest room and which would be their room.
“Which one will be our room again?” she asked huskily.
He gave her a little push into a room. “This one.”
“Is it big?” she asked, mischievously, dropping her cardigan on the floor.
“Big enough,” he assured her, reaching out to capture her good wrist and pulling it behind her back. She brought her other hand up and curved it under his T-shirt, flattening her palm against the hard plane of his stomach.
“Describe it to me,” she whispered.
“It’ll fit our bed,” he growled down at her.
“Which one?”
“Mine. Definitely mine.” He leaned down and licked her bare shoulder, biting at the thin strap of her top and snapping it against her skin. Then, using his teeth, he slid the strap over her shoulder and licked his way back up her neck, causing her to shiver and squirm.
“So you can tie me up to the posts?” she whispered.
“That’s why I bought the damn thing to begin with.”
She gasped. “I knew it! You pervert!”
“You love it,” he growled, gripping her jaw and shoving his tongue into her mouth. He kissed her thoroughly before letting her surface for air.
“I love it,” she agreed breathlessly. “What else… the room.”
“Has a walk-in closet, one of those old creepy ones with a hanging light you have to pull to turn on,” he said.
“Really?” she asked excitedly. “Do you think the closet locks from the outside?”
“If it doesn’t, I can fix that,” he said, pulling her top and padded bra off in one move and dropping them to the floor. “Fuck, your gorgeous tits make me want to fucking devour you every damn time, Addison.”
Putting truth to words, he bent her backwards over his arm and sucked her breast into his mouth until she was moaning in delight and clutching his hair. She used to feel self-conscious about her smaller than average chest size, especially in comparison to her backside, but Daniel never gave her a chance to feel any kind of self-doubt. He worshipped her too well for her to think she possibly had any flaws.
Her moans turned to screams as he started using his teeth against her nipples, turning the soft nubs into diamonds. Moisture flooded her pussy, making Addison squirm against him and beg for the release only he could give her. “Please, Daniel… please… I need…”
He lifted his head from her breast and pulled her down until his mouth hovered over hers. “What do you need, baby?” he growled.
“I need you, Daniel!” she wailed.
“Always,” he promised, reaching down to pull her soft cotton skirt down her legs.
He spread it on the dusty floor beneath them and laid her down on top of it, gently pulling her cotton panties down her thighs. “So fucking beautiful.”
“Tell me,” she whispered shyly.
He chuckled darkly. “I love it when you use my eyes,” he growled, kissing the softness of her plump inner thigh. “You’re laying on dark cherry wood floor with your hair spread out like a halo, your pale skin is glowing in the light of the sun coming in through the window. And the gorgeous pink wetness of your pussy is all for me. So damn beautiful.”
“I didn’t know you were a poet,” she gasped playfully.
She reached out for him, but he held her down with a hand on her stomach and fell on her, licking her until she was moaning and crying out for him to make her come. He took her to the brink of orgasm and then held back. “Beg me for it, Addison.”
“Please, can I come?” she keened wildly, barely aware of what she was asking.
He chuckled and refused over and over until she was screaming some very unladylike things at him. He enjoyed when she did that. He liked making her swear at him when he knew she really preferred not to use foul language. Unfortunately for him, Addison managed to get a hand in and give herself a quick orgasm before he could stop her, since he was cautious not to grab her recently broken wrist.
“Oh, thank god!” she sighed happily, her hips sinking to the floor.
“Brat,” he said nipping her thigh and causing her to jump.
Before she had a chance to really enjoy her short-lived, self-induced orgasm, he flipped her over onto her stomach on the hard floor and spanked her ass several times until she howled and begged him to stop. Then he hooked an arm under her hips, forced her onto her knees and pushed her shoulders down to the floor. He spanked her ass several more times until she was alternating between screams of pain and shoving her heated ass back into his palm and begging for more.
“You want more?” he growled, pushing his fingers roughly into her dripping pussy. “Like this, baby?”
“Ohhh, god yes!” she yelled, shoving her hips back and fucking herself onto his fingers.
He yanked his shirt over his head and unzipped his jeans. Shoving his jeans and underwear over his hips, he took his cock in hand and pulled her back until he slid into her slick heat. She moaned in ecstasy as he slid roughly into her silken depths. He didn’t wait until she adjusted this time, but started slamming his hips into her curvaceous ass, branding her in the bedroom of their new house before the ink was even dry on the papers.
“Fuck, Addison,” he growled as his balls tightened and the head of his dick flared in the tight clasp of her pussy. “Você me possui!” You own me.
He reached up and gripped her hair, pulling her head back so he could see her face. “Look at me, Addison, look at me.” When she opened her eyes and looked back at him he said, “Come with me, now.”
She didn’t know how, but her body responded to him every time. She exploded around his cock, pleasure sizzling through her, sending white streaks of lightning through her vision. He followed her, squeezing her hard against him and shooting hot jets of semen into her body. She collapsed and he laid her gently down on the bed of clothes. He adjusted himself and then lay beside her and gathered her against his side.
She sighed happily and snuggled against him. “Thank you for the house, Daniel. I think we’re going to love it here.”
He rubbed his bearded chin against the tip of her ear. “Your welcome, love.”
Her breath caught. It was the first time he’d ever used that word with her. She knew in her heart that a man like Daniel couldn’t be tamed, but he could be domesticated just a little. And she was the only woman in the world to do it. She would have to add that to her resume, right beneath First Chair. She smiled and held his hand tightly against her breast.
“Time to go, Addison,” he said, quietly.
She frowned a little and sat up, pushing her tangled hair aside. “Why? I thought we just bought this place. Don’t we get to stay for as long as we want?”
“We’re meeting someone.”
“Who are we meeting now?” she asked cautiously. “Are you buying me a car next? Because unless its one of those Google self-driving ones…”
“Not a car,” he said gruffly. “A person
who wants to meet you but didn't know if he’d be welcome. His name is Otto Dunlevy. He’s been tracking you since you were twenty-one. Jane gave me his information and I had a chance to look into him. I’m impressed with his work and the respect he’s shown for your privacy over the years. Uncommon in men of his profession.”
Addison sat in silence for a few minutes thinking. Finally, she turned toward Daniel and said archly, “So he gave me what you didn’t?”
Daniel growled at her. “He’d be a dead man if he wanted what I wanted from you.”
Addison sighed. “You don’t play fair, Daniel, you never have.”
“That’s how I win,” he said smugly.
She laughed and smacked him on the bare chest with an open palm. “Okay, let’s go meet Mr. Dunlevy.”
Daniel helped her to her feet. “He’s going to love you.”
She looked up at Daniel, letting him see the vulnerability in her eyes. If her own parents couldn’t love her, how could a stranger?
“How do you know?”
He pressed his thumb against her lips and said, “Only an idiot wouldn’t love you.”
“Are you an idiot, Daniel?” she whispered.
He pulled her close, twining his fingers through her hair. “No.”
THE END
Sneak peek – Book 6: Bound by Blood
Blyad. No one is going to believe this bite-sized girl can take me down! Boris Grekov thought in annoyance, glaring at the fine-boned Asian woman standing across the room.
Something about her body language got on his nerves. She hadn’t even glanced up when he and Claudia strode into the training section of the security floor. She stood with her back to the wall, as any good bodyguard would, talking to Daniel Mercer and Tyson King. If she made it through the hand-to-hand combat portion of her interview then Mercer, and by extension King, would become her employer. It looked like Mercer was drilling her on techniques. His face gave none of his thoughts away. Not that Mercer ever gave anything away. He was one tough motherfucker. Which was saying something, given Boris’ reputation as a lethal Russian mob enforcer.
Fear in Her Eyes (Fire & Vice Book 5) Page 28