The Beginning—A Duet: Ryder & Two Worlds Colliding

by Jani Kay

  “You said he was a mean-ass cop.” I took a long sip of my beer. Damn it tasted good. “Tell me more?”

  “Oh, he’s with Special Ops. I don’t know all that much. Harrison’s pretty secretive about it. All I know it has to do with protecting our country against terrorists and eliminating illegal weapons. He won't tell me more. For my own protection, he said.” Her eyes were cast down, and there was a sadness tugging at the corners of her mouth as she spoke about him.

  She sighed heavily. Suspecting there was more to the story, I kept silent, encouraging her to keep talking. She fell silent for a while, and just as I was about to give up on her offering more information, she spoke again.

  “Ten years ago, something terrible happened that changed him forever. And me, too.” She closed her eyes as if to hide her pain.

  My head jerked up. Now I fucking had to know more. I narrowed my eyes and watched her, still staying silent even though I had a hundred questions running through my brain.

  “What happened?” I asked softly when she went all quiet. She was so deep in her thoughts I worried she’d fallen asleep.

  “It was all my fault. What happened to Amy. And the others.” She bit her lower lip, her chin quivering. Fuck, she was going to cry. I hated when women cried. I never knew what the fuck to do.

  “Princess, it’s OK.” Pulling her foot onto my lap, I stroked it, massaging her soles with my thumb. Her shoulders relaxed slightly and she blew out a long heavy breath.

  “I haven’t spoken about it in years. More than seven, actually. After my therapy, I locked it away in a file in my brain and I tried to forget it ever happened. I'm trying to just move on with my life. Without the guilt.”

  What in fuck’s name could have happened? And who was Amy? And what did it have to do with Harrison? So many fucking questions, but I didn't want to harass her with my curiosity. At least, not yet.

  Clearly it was a big deal. Tears were streaming down Jade’s cheeks. Fuck, I hadn’t meant to bring her pain. I knew all about burying the hurt so deep that it got lost in a dark corner of one’s soul.

  “Babe. It’s OK.” I put both our empty beer bottles on the table, and scooted over to hold her. Seeing my woman less than happy had a strange effect on me, twisting my heart and squeezing the fuck out of it.

  Jade rubbed at her chest, then looked up at me with her big blue eyes. Fuck, I drowned in those eyes. For a minute there the world stood still.

  Then she started laughing. Yeah. Laughing.

  “Babe. You OK?” Was she losing the plot?

  “You look so funny wearing only a tee and socks.”

  She was right. It wasn’t my best look. I'd never cared what a bitch thought before. Why did I suddenly care now? I leaned over and pulled off my socks, throwing them into the corner.

  “Better?” I grinned.

  She quirked an eyebrow. “The tee?”

  I pulled it over my head, and sent it to join my socks.

  This woman was going to be the best fucking lawyer in the state.

  She had question-evasion down to an art.

  Chapter 4 ~ Jade

  Stunned, I sucked in a breath.

  I’d changed the subject purposely to distract Ryder from asking too many questions. But I’d never bargained on getting totally distracted myself.

  Ryder was magnificent. His body was lean, yet muscled, with large pecs and washboard abs that left me speechless. The hardness of his body was such a strong contrast to my own soft curves that it had me salivating just at the thought of running my fingers over his skin to feel that hardness beneath my palms.

  My gaze followed the deep V that flanked his groin and came to rest on his cock. A smile twitched the corners of my mouth as I admired both the length and breadth of the beast that had ravaged me and driven me to orgasm.

  Yes. Ryder Knox was a fine specimen of alpha-maleness indeed. And tonight he was mine. All mine.

  His sculpted body and artful tattoos took my breath away. If I'd ever been on the fence before about an inked body, I was a convert now. I traced a finger up his arm, following the tattoo of the cobra’s tail from the top of Ryder’s hand, curling its way up his forearm to his bicep and triceps. His muscles flexed in reaction to my feather-like strokes. Curling my fingers, I squeezed his upper arm. Feeling his brute strength flipped my stomach and made my pussy clench. Here was a man who could protect me against harm. It was intoxicating.

  My hand floated over his chest toward the tattoo above his heart. It was beautiful; a red and yellow exotic bird with a long sweeping tail that ended just above his nipple. I sucked in a breath when my eyes fell on his nipple ring. God, it was sexy. I had to touch it. I dipped my head and licked his nipple, sucking gently on the piercing.

  The feral groan that rumbled from his chest made my heart sing. I liked that I could affect him this much.

  My tongue traced down the center of his torso, kissing and lapping its way south, passed the sprinkling of hair that took me directly to the pot of gold. I ignored his cock, which by now had grown in length and width, and was bobbing its head for my attention. I kissed the V on each side of his loin, eliciting an even deeper groan.

  “Fuck, babe. What are you doing to me?” I looked up at him from under my lashes. His pupils were fully dilated, a fine mist of sweat covering his skin.

  I went in for the kill. Without touching him with my hands, I licked the pre-cum from his tip before rimming his cock with my mouth. Listening for his panting breaths, I gauged how well I was doing, increasing the pressure of my lips as I ran them up and down his shaft.

  “Suck me,” he demanded, grabbing a fist full of hair and pushing his cock into my mouth. I took him deep, nearly balls-deep. He was too big to take all the way without gagging, so I quickly fisted the base of his cock to fully envelop him.

  I sucked.

  He groaned.

  I pumped his cock with my fist till he pulled my head right back, releasing his cock.

  “Jesus. You’ll make me come if you keep that up for another second.”

  I licked my lips and smiled up at him. The expression on his face was priceless: half-dazed, half in agony, I knew he was close to the point of no return.

  Ryder pulled me up his body, and I felt my hardened nipples scrape along his skin. He let out a long hiss. Holding the back of my head, he kissed me long and hard, every ounce of his longing poured into that one kiss. Finally he released my mouth.

  “Ride me. Make me come hard,” he ordered, his voice gruff.

  Yes.

  I was dying to get his cock inside me. I ripped the foil with my teeth, barely caring if I bit a hole in the fucking condom, I was that desperate to have him fill me. My fingers trembled as I placed it onto the tip of his cock. He sensed my uncertainty and covered my hands with his, helping me to roll it on. Shit, it was sexy as hell. I squeezed my thighs together, the ache in my pussy becoming unbearable.

  “Eager, Princess?” he murmured, chuckling softly.

  I nodded. We were equally desperate, and this wasn’t the time for talking.

  Pushing upward, I lifted my body and his hands cupped my ass and squeezed. “Perfect. Your ass is perfect.”

  I smiled back at him as I took his cock in my hand and guided it to my waiting entrance.

  “Ryder,” I gasped as his hands guided me down and his cock drove into me, filling me to the hilt.

  “Good girl.” It was a fullness I loved experiencing.

  “Now ride me,” he said, a smile twisting the corners of his mouth as he reached up and grabbed my breasts in both hands and squeezed hard.

  Finding strength in my thighs, I rode his cock, slamming down onto his balls each time. He pulled me forward and sucked a nipple into his mouth before biting down on the hard nub. I squealed, trying hard not to make a noise. The combination of pleasure and pain drove me to the edge.

  His fingers found their way to my clit and he circled the sensitive bud till all my senses exploded. “Ryder. Please. I'm going to come.
” I panted, frantic for release.

  “Come, baby. Come for me.” His voice was husky, and his command sent me over the edge.

  I let go. “Yes. Baby,” I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper. Wave after wave of delicious ripples passed through my body, gripping his cock as I convulsed around him.

  “Fuck. That’s it for me too.”

  His eyes rolled back in his head before he closed them and I watched his beautiful face as he came apart, pumping into me.

  He pulled me to his chest and I lay on top of him. His arms tightened around me, his chest heaving with exertion. He planted a kiss on my forehead.

  Completely sated, we fell asleep as the birds started twittering outside, a sure sign that dawn was approaching.

  Chapter 5 ~ Jade

  The morning had come all too quickly, and Ryder and I had dozed off in one another’s arms, exhausted, sweaty, and thoroughly fucked. I would probably still be sleeping if it weren’t for my phone waking me. I let it go to voicemail.

  Since I was awake, I decided to get home before Ryder woke and tried to stop me. I slipped on my dress and tiptoed to the door. Luckily Ryder was out cold, so I snuck out of the house and found my shoes by the front door. I walked to the sidewalk before I called for a taxi.

  While I waited for the taxi, I scrolled through the nine text messages Marcus had left me. Then I listened to the thirteen voice messages, deleting them one by one. From what I could gather, Marcus was in a spin; he’d left the party and gone home, avoiding my father so that he didn’t need to explain to him that I’d caught him with his pants down and his dick inside the new secretary. Or that I’d gone off on the back of a badass biker’s motorcycle. I suppressed the urge to giggle, thinking of Marcus and his panicked expression when we rode off, leaving him on the sidewalk.

  I didn’t think Marcus ever imagined that good girl Jade would really go through with something like that. And he was right—a mere few months ago I wouldn’t have dreamed that I’d behave like this. Jesus, I would’ve slapped a libel suit on anyone who dared to degrade and insult me with such an accusation.

  Now, here I was, sneaking to my bedroom like a teenager, my shoes in my hand, wearing Ryder’s shirt over my dress. I looked a goddamn mess, and I hoped I could get to my room before being spotted and interrogated.

  “Jade, is that you, honey?” Mom’s voice was laced with worry.

  “Yes, I’m home. And everything’s fine.”

  She caught me just as I reached my bedroom. Her eyes narrowed and she drew a deep breath. “I’m glad you’re safe. But you had me really worried. It’s not like you, Jade. You didn’t even behave like this when you were younger. . .”

  “I know. And maybe I should’ve. Because I grew up to quickly, and never had a chance to just be a crazy teenager.”

  “Then why start now? Who is the man that you slept with last night? I know it’s not Marcus. And good Lord, you look a mess. Must’ve been a rough night.”

  Mom never sugarcoated her words. I appreciated that about her, because I always knew exactly where I stood.

  “Daddy?” I enquired, yawning behind my hand. My eyes were about to fall closed. I’d hardly slept and after the vigorous . . . exercise Ryder had put me through, I was sore and tired.

  She shook her head. “He’s asleep. I gave him something to help him doze off. Go have a shower, Jade. I’ll bring you a cup of tea. Looks like you could do with it.”

  I shot her a grateful glance. I wasn’t off the hook—I knew Sylvia Summers better than that—but she’d let me clean up and sleep first, so that I was up to the full-on interrogation that lay ahead.

  “Dad called Harrison. Just thought you should know. All Marcus said after Dad finally got through to his phone is that you left on the back of a motorcycle. Is that true?” A small smile twisted the corners of her mouth. She was the one who’d taught me to always know the rules so that I could break them properly if need be.

  I nodded. “Yes. But there’s much more to the story that I’m sure Marcus didn’t bother to elaborate on.”

  She gave me a knowing smile. “As there always is. I’ll go make that tea now, and we can talk later.”

  As soon as she left, I went for a shower. The sooner I washed the smell of Ryder off my body, the better. He’d covered every inch of my skin with his mouth, and as I touched myself while soaping up, I couldn’t help but remember the ecstasy all over again. I was sore, but it was a feeling I’d never known before, and something I definitely wanted to feel again.

  With Ryder.

  And there lay the problem. Now that he’d stoked my fire, it was going to be difficult to smother the flames. Just thinking about him made my heart beat that bit faster.

  I needed to sleep. It was the only way my brain could process all of this and become clear again. I had to shake the sex fog, and become the practical woman I always was.

  But it had felt so good to be free.

  So good to give myself completely.

  So good to be thoroughly fucked by a gorgeous, strong and virile man like Ryder Knox.

  Thankful that Mom had just left the tea on my bedside table. I drank it and crawled between the sheets.

  A smile came to my lips. I wanted Ryder messing on these Egyptian cotton sheets while fucking me into oblivion.

  I needed to find my own place.

  Soon.

  Chapter 6 ~ Ryder

  I rolled over and reached for her. How was it possible that it felt like Jade had always belonged here—in my bed? I couldn’t get enough of her. Everything about her turned me on: the taste of her skin, her mouth . . . and her pussy. But not only her body and the way she looked—I loved the way her mind worked too. And there was something sweet and caring about her that appealed to me more than I’d want to admit.

  But what I loved most, was that my good girl could turn into a naughty girl when she was with me. Yeah.

  I wanted to savor her all over again. Fuck, I was getting hard just thinking of where my mouth and dick had been.

  Jade wasn’t in the bed.

  “Babe?” I called out. I knew women went to the bathroom a lot after sex. And we’d been fucking all night long.

  No answer. Was Princess playing tricks on me? Or maybe she’d fallen asleep in the bathroom? I wouldn’t blame her. It had been a night like no other.

  I got up and sauntered to the bathroom, my half-mast dick swinging as I thought of what I was going to do to her when I got her back into the bed. Yeah. My Princess had a fire in her I didn’t think I could ever quench. Her greedy pussy just wanted more, no matter how much I’d given her. Next time we were together, I wanted to take her bare. Skin to skin. We needed to have a talk about that . . .

  The bathroom was empty. OK. Maybe the balcony? No.

  She’d left. Fuck.

  I wanted to spend more time with her.

  I couldn’t get enough.

  Chapter 7 ~ Jade

  Spread across the bed, lying on my stomach, and paging through the newspaper, I was looking for rental apartments near Daddy’s offices. If I was going to move out, I wanted to be close enough to work so that I didn’t spend inordinate amounts of time in traffic jams.

  A knock on my door had my head jerking up. Oh shit. Daddy. It was time for the talk.

  “Morning, honey. Can I come in?”

  I don’t know why he asked, because he was already standing by my bedside, peering over my shoulder at the newspaper. He didn’t say anything, he just coughed.

  Daddy knows.

  He made himself comfortable on my dresser stool, looking very handsome in his tennis outfit. For a man of fifty-three, he was extremely fit. My father went to gym every morning before going to the office, because he believed that a healthy body housed a healthy mind. He also held the opinion that everything was easier if he took his stress out on weights and punching bags.

  “Do you want to tell me what happened last night with Marcus? And explain why you went off on a motorcycle and didn’t come home u
ntil this morning?”

  His eyes were hard, belying the smile on his lips. He made me feel like a small child. But this time I was standing up for myself. For far too long, I’d allowed my parents to steer my life.

  I sat up, folding my legs underneath me. It was going to be hard to convince him to let me make my own mistakes and also that I needed the freedom to make my own choices—whatever they were.

  Because I knew that part of living was to experience pain and loss and hurt. That was the only way to also know happiness and gratitude and live a full life.

  As I relayed what’d happened, he sucked in a breath, his jaw setting as he clenched his teeth. Edward Summers was not a man anyone messed with. Both Harrison and I had inherited his tenacious characteristics. Right now, I wouldn’t want to be Marcus.

  “Tell me about the man you left with—on the back of his motorcycle, no less,” he demanded. “How do you know him?” The sneer on his face got my hackles up immediately. He was judging Ryder without ever having met him, or knowing anything about him.

  Strange how only a few months ago, I would’ve also pulled my nose up in disgust. But now I knew better. I knew not to judge a person by appearances alone.

  “He’s the man I met at the agency. The one I told you had rented the house in Beverly Hills. He just happened to be there when I needed him. Kind of my knight on a rumbling horse.” I laughed, remembering the awkwardness of it all at the time.

  Daddy was less amused. “The rude biker guy? Jade! And you actually got on the back of his motorcycle? I’ve always warned you about staying away from strangers, but this is even worse.” His eyebrows furrowed, and his lips thinned into a grimace.

  I rolled my eyes. “Daddy, he’s not that bad when you get to know him. He’s helping out a friend’s family. That says a lot about a man’s character.”

  “But Jade, you were the one who told me how unmannered he was. How you didn't trust his motives for renting the house. Now you‘ve done a flip on that assessment?” His eyebrows raised as he glared at me, not pleased at all.