A Solemn Creed

by Dakota Black

  “Acquisition?”

  “Yeah. I told you about the oil company Mitchell and I started. Mitchell’s father wanted us to work with him, but in the end, we acquired the company, merging the two. In a sense, we pushed Mitchell’s father out of business. There were a hell of a lot of skeletons in various closets.”

  “Then you purchased the Steele site?” she asked, putting certain pieces of the puzzle together.

  “Yes.” He flipped through several additional pages before continuing. “I called Mitchell and he was able to figure out that Bart Randolph is trying to purchase all the ranches in close proximity to yours.”

  “Because there’s oil on every piece of property.”

  “You got it. To the tune of eighty thousand acres. With that kind of purchase and if there’s enough oil, they could become the largest producer of oil in Texas, certainly rivaling our hold on the market.”

  She brushed the tips of her fingers across her mouth. At least he’d told her the truth. “And what did you say to Bart?”

  “That he was going to leave you alone and turn himself in to the authorities.”

  Amber bit back a smile. “You have balls.”

  “I have reasons why I don’t want anything to happen to you.” Camden eased the book onto the desk.”

  “What would those be?” She was rattled, her mind reeling. Business. This was all about business and nothing more. She’d been played as a fool.

  Camden smiled and inched closer. “I have a special liking for a girl I know, one hard headed and mouthy lady, but with a heart of gold.”

  She wanted to believe him. She craved the kind of intimacy they had shared, but her gut was telling her this was all wrong. “Don’t come any closer.”

  “What?”

  Swallowing hard, she did everything she could to push away the tears. “I’m not going to do this.”

  “Do what? I know you’re frightened, worried and you have every right to be.” He took another step.

  Throwing out her hand, she eased back, almost tripping over the box. “Don’t! Everything is very clear to me now. You’re only here because you wanted to figure out what was going on in order to save your company, or at least the damn Steele sight. I learned why Jorge hired you and sadly, how you fooled him, but this isn’t going to work any longer.”

  “Amber. That’s not true. I had no idea what was going on. Neither did Mitchell.”

  “You can’t really believe I’m going to buy that.” Issuing a scattered huff, she maneuvered around the box, moving closer to the door.

  “I’m telling you the truth. We can talk to Mitchell right now. He didn’t know I was coming here. He had no idea. He still doesn’t know all the details. I can’t tell him. I won’t!”

  She heard the conviction in his voice, but her nerves were too frazzled, her mind full of too many details. “I don’t believe you! This is all about business to you. For all I know, you’re working with Bart to take my ranch.”

  Camden pursed his mouth, his eyes flashing.

  “Nothing to say? Because you know I finally figured you out. Well, you can’t have my ranch. I’ll sell everything else I own, but I refuse to give it up to treacherous, lying assholes!” When he didn’t say anything, she turned abruptly, heading for the door. His hand wrapped around her arm, yanking her back.

  “Listen to me.”

  “I will not!” Struggling to get away, she made a promise to herself that she wasn’t going to be played for a fool ever again.

  He held both her arms, squeezing as he towered over her. However, when he spoke, his voice was soft, laced with sadness. “Listen to me.”

  “No!”

  “I had no idea that the Randolphs were after your ranch or a share of our business. In fact, when I came here, I couldn’t care less about my position or almost anything else to do with Rush Enterprises. Everything I said to you was true.”

  “You must think I’m a fool.”

  “No! Please!” His words full of exasperation, his entire body was shaking. “If I had any plans on taking what is rightfully yours, do you really think I would have come back here today?”

  Amber held her breath. There was no reasonable answer.

  “No! I would have left, able to use the information I gathered, even forcing the other ranchers to sell their land, but I didn’t. I came here to protect you, to work with you because I love you! Damn it. I’ve fallen in love with you.”

  The words hung in the air, floating, almost echoing and matching the beating of her heart. She could see so many raw emotions, anger and hatred, sadness and self-loathing. She could also see something else.

  The truth.

  “I. Love. You.” The whisper was hoarse, ragged. He gave her a partial smile.

  “Camden, I…” What the hell was she supposed to say?

  “I’m not lying to you and I won’t, but I’ll leave if you would like and while I’ll find a way to protect you, I won’t bother you again.”

  Amber continued to stare into his eyes, searching for answers, but they had more to do with a need for her own.

  He opened his fingers, letting her go. “I’m sorry for invading your life.”

  The moment he stepped to the side, she released all her anger and the doubt she had in both of them. “Wait.”

  “For?”

  “I love you too. As crazy as that sounds, I do.”

  Camden hesitated before taking her into his arms, shaking his head. “Lady. You are so damn special. I want to give you the world.” Crushing her mouth, he yanked her against the heat of his body, rubbing his hands up and down the length of her back.

  She was breathless, her heart racing and she fingered his hair, running her fingers through the long strands. When he pushed open her lips, forcing their tongues to entwine, she was shaking, wet all over. She raked her nails down his spine, dragging the shirttail out of his tight jeans.

  Grunting into the kiss, he turned her in a full circle and tugged her top until he could reach underneath. He brushed his fingers around her skin in lazy circles as the heat of passion shared continued.

  The way he touched her, the level of commanding intimacy was intense, electrifying and she could no longer think, had difficulty breathing. She wanted him. All of him. Tearing at his shirt, she undulated against him, grinding her hips.

  Camden broke the kiss and shook his head. “I want you.”

  “Mmm…”

  A chuckle slipped past his lips as he took a step back, dragging the shirt over his head, tossing it across the room.

  She peeled away her tank top, her bra then reached for his belt buckle as he struggled to remove his boots. She had to touch him. She had to taste him.

  Just as she managed to unbuckle the belt, he cupped her breasts, growling as he lowered his head, engulfing a nipple into his mouth. As he sucked, his tongue swirling, he allowed a series of grunts and moans, every one of them savage.

  Panting, she tossed back her head, holding his chiseled upper arms to remain upright. “Oh God.” She blinked but was unable to focus, her heart racing, her blood pumping. Every muscle was dancing from the way he seared her skin, the heat of his body next to hers. Her cunt was clenching and so wet, slickening her already wet panties.

  Camden bit down, taking her hardened bud between his teeth, sucking as he pinched her other nipple. “All mine.”

  “Yes. Yes!”

  He blew across her skin as he peppered her chest with kisses then dragged his lips to her other nipple, alternating between sucking and nipping.

  Pain coursed through her legs, forcing them to shake, for her knees to bend.

  “I will devour you.” The words were laced with such authority, extraordinary darkness and he licked up to her neck then her chin before kissing her mouth once again.

  Everything was messy and full of desire and she fumbled to shove away his jeans, to push them past his carved hips. Using one hand, she slipped her fingers into the tight confines, releasing his throbbing cock.


  “Fuck, baby. What you do to me.” Giving her a concentrated glare, one so demanding as well as full of ferocious desire, he curled his upper lip as he yanked at her shorts.

  She rolled his balls between her fingers, kneading. Squeezing. She heard the purring sound in her voice and licked her lips. “Long and thick.”

  Giving a series of deep chuckles, he managed to jerk her shorts and thong past her hips and thighs, lifting her off the floor and kicking them away. “Ready to fill every hole.”

  “Mmm… Yes!” She dropped to her knees, pushing his jeans down from his ass and hips. Sliding her arm around his hips, she squeezed and caressed his firm ass, amazed how tight, how muscular. Wrapping her hand around his cock, she brought his cockhead to her lips, drawing a complete circle around her mouth.

  “Careful teasing me.”

  She darted out her tongue, taking the tip into her mouth. Sucking, she began to pump the base of his cock, moving her hand back and forth, creating the kind of friction she knew would drive him insane.

  A long string of guttural sounds roared up from his throat and he pressed his hand on top of her head. “Yes. Suck me.”

  After darting a look at his perspiring face, she dragged her tongue across his sensitive slit, shuddering at the taste of his pre-cum. She opened her mouth wider, taking him down an inch at a time, her hand stroking, moving up and down his throbbing shaft.

  “Fuck…” His body was shaking, and he intertwined his fingers in her hair, using enough pressure to keep her in place.

  And she wasn’t going anywhere. Closing her eyes, she relaxed her throat, licking back and forth as she took him all the way down. She fingered the crack of his ass, sliding her finger up and down.

  Camden spread his legs as the strangled breath sounds increased. He cupped both sides of her face and dropped his head. “Suck me, baby. Suck. Drop your arms. I want control.”

  Amber eased back until only the tip was inside her mouth. Easing her arms by her sides, she looked up, blinking as a bead of sweat fell from his chin and onto her cheek. As he began to fuck her mouth, jutting his hips forward and driving in even plunges, she relaxed her body, giving him full control.

  Rolling onto the balls of his feet, he strained as he face-fucked her, tossing his head back and forth, panting. “So hot.”

  She wanted him to come down her throat, to fill her mouth with his seed and she concentrated on her breathing as she obeyed, keeping her arms by her sides. His balls were swinging, hitting just under her chin and she longed to suck on them, but he was in full control.

  “Yes! I want to… mmm…” He continued thrusting in and out, his rhythm practiced, methodical, for several minutes. Then he pulled all the way out, bending over and slipping his arms under hers. Lifting her with ease, he slid his arm under her ass, cradling her against him. “I’m going to fuck you.”

  She wrapped her legs around his thighs and draped her arms over his shoulders, pressing her face into his neck. The scent of him, even though he reeked of dirt and dust, sweat and testosterone, was powerful, intoxicating and she licked his neck, nipped his earlobe.

  Taking long strides, he moved to the desk, laying her down on top of the various papers. He remained over her, blowing a swath of hot air.

  “Camden!”

  Camden gripped her hips and yanked until her ass was off the edge. Then he lifted both of her legs, placing them over his shoulders.

  Smack! Crack!

  “You’ll get more of these later,” he murmured before thrusting his cock deep inside her pussy.

  “Yes!” Flailing her arms, she moved them back and forth, pushing papers off the edge, floating into the air. She kept her legs straight as he fucked her, sliding in and out, his thighs hitting the back of her legs. She was tingling all over and wanted nothing more than to do this every day, more than once. Sliding a finger into her mouth, she sucked on her finger as he pumped harder. Faster. Every hard drive became more brutal.

  Slap! Pop!

  “Oh!” she moaned, the slice of pain delicious.

  “Such a damn tease,” he said then growled, shaking his head.

  Biting her lower lip, she slid her finger around her nipple, moaning and panting.

  Camden switched the angle, lifting her off the desk.

  “Oh!” The intensity of the way his cock hit the mouth of her cervix took her breath away. She clenched her eyes shut and tossed her head back and forth,

  Crack! Slap!

  As he continued to drive into her cunt relentlessly, he smacked her ass and she was driven to a heightened state of pure bliss, the kind of ecstasy that stole her breath. “I…”

  “You want to come?”

  “Yes! Please!”

  “Good girls get fucked in the ass,” he growled.

  “Oh yes!”

  “Then come!”

  Camden continued plunging, jutting his hips forward, using his strong thigh muscles but she was unable to hold back. The intensity was too much, just too… “Yes! Yes! Yes!” Tossing her hands over her face, she moaned, trying to bite back a scream as the single orgasm became a vibrant wave, shocking her system.

  Smack!

  Amber fell into a wonderful lull and couldn’t help but smile. She was vaguely aware that he’d turned her over, placing her feet onto the floor.

  “After I’m finished, I’m giving you one long. Hard. Spanking.”

  “Oh, yes, sir.” She heard the sound of her voice, knew that she’d said words, but as she pressed her face against some file or stack of papers she didn’t care.

  Camden brushed his fingers down her spine then tapped his cock against her ass. “I take what’s mine.”

  She opened her legs wide as he wiggled the tip of his dick against the crack of her ass. Her entire body shaking, she eased back her arms, pulling apart her ass cheeks. She knew what he wanted, what he would take.

  “Yes,” he whispered and slid the tip of his cock just inside her dark hole. Gripping her hips, he leaned over and whispered, “No man will ever fuck you here again.”

  “No, sir.” The moment he thrust the entire length of his cock into her asshole, she bristled and gritted her teeth. The anguish was horrendous, but she was full of electric vibes coursing through every muscle. This was amazing. “Oh!”

  His body was shaking as he began to pump inside, easing back each time until the tip was just inside then pushing into her again. And again.

  The force pushed her hard against the desk and she dropped her hands, savoring the combination of pain and such pleasure. The harder he thrust, the more she wanted, craved. She belonged to this man, body and soul.

  “Oh, yes!” He continued until the movement became erratic, sweat sliding down from both sides of his face. “I can’t hold it. I…”

  She clamped down her ass muscles and smiled. “Ooohhh!”

  “Fuck!” Leaning over, he pulled the hair away from her neck. “I do love you.”

  “I know.”

  “But that doesn’t get you out of your spanking.”

  Crack! Slap!

  The slap of his hand left her in a dreamy state. She’d never felt so loved and protected.

  Smack! Pop!

  “My defiant woman.”

  Slap! Crack!

  “Yes, sir.”

  Pop! Slap!

  As the spanking continued, all she could think about was the graph. Who else was involved?

  And she had a feeling that another terrible experience was about to occur.

  Chapter 11

  They sat out on Amber’s back porch, nestled together in the swing. She was leaning against him, her leg swinging off the side. His thoughts remained troubled. Telling her that he was leaving was going to be the toughest thing he had to do in a long time, but necessary. Mitchell and Zach had developed a plan of their own, one that Mitchell had refused to talk about on the phone. He rubbed her arm, brushing his fingers across her skin and while the scenery was beautiful, he wasn’t paying attention to anything.

  “
The graph is missing,” Amber said casually.

  “What?” Lifting his head, he leaned over to see her face. “What did you say?”

  “I said, the graph you looked at is missing. I wanted to take a better look at it and it’s not there.”

  “What the hell?”

  “I think someone from the party took it.”

  Camden thought about what she was saying. “Drago.”

  “Maybe. Why do you think that?”

  Exhaling, he knew he should have told her what he’d learned before, but what was he supposed to say? “Drago used to work on oil rigs.”

  “I knew that. He never lied about his previous job.”

  “But did you know where he worked?”

  She sat up, sliding her feet to the porch floor. “No. I didn’t really think it mattered.”

  “Alaska and for a subsidiary of Bart Randolph.”

  Bristling, she pursed her mouth and balled her fists.

  “That might not mean anything, but I thought you should know.”

  “Then he’s the one working to sabotage me.”

  “What makes you think anyone is?” Camden asked, easing the hair from her face.

  “Think about it, Camden. Every location of the steers has been known. The fire was set in a place that I didn’t have cameras. The party wasn’t something I advertised yet that’s when the fuckers took down the fence. Then the graph being stolen. I don’t believe in coincidences.”

  “No, I guess I don’t either. I don’t know. For all the misgivings I had about him, the way he acted when… When Walt was killed was real. He didn’t have any idea what was going to happen.”

  “So, good ol’ Bart kept him in the dark.”

  Camden had a feeling there was someone else, but he was going to have to allow the plan to work. While he hoped that Bart would make a play, his anger and carelessness fueled by the visit to his office, he had his doubts. The man hadn’t been able to garner as much help as he would need to get this far without being a cool cucumber. “If there is someone betraying you, that will be found out.”

  “Yeah? Well, my guess is it’ll be too late by then.” She jerked up and walked toward the stairs, leaning against the post.