“Don’t stop,” I pant and rock my hips, taking him deeper inside me.
My body buzzing from head to toe, I’ll never be able to get close enough to this man. Sebastian stops moving his hands for a second and then a sharp tug tweaks both my nipples at the same time. I mewl my approval and inhale deeply, picking out scents of leather, sandalwood, bergamot and cypress as my husband’s unique smell surrounds me in a blanket of erotic masculine bliss. Without my sight, all my other senses are ultra stimulated. Passionate love and sheer pleasure merge in an erotic fire licking me everywhere at once, and it suddenly hits me what he’s using on my nipples: that thin red ribbon in the box with the mask.
“Sensitive nipples aren’t the only change,” I tease, feeling sexy and confident in my current skin. I’m so close, it takes all my concentration not to shake with each rocking motion of our hips, but I want him to go first, so I lean close and whisper. “With all the blood flow going on down below, I’m constantly horny as hell, Mister Black.”
“Fuck, you tear me up, Little Red!” Sebastian grates, his hold tightening as he surges deep and groans his gratification through his climax. I don’t hold back my cry of ecstasy as an intense orgasm crashes over my body in bone-deep waves, setting off in explosion of dancing colors in my sightless world.
Panting hard, I rest trembling hands on my husband’s sweat-soaked chest as he spears his hands in my hair and pulls me to him for a possessive, entirely dominant, I’m-nowhere-near-done-fucking-you-senseless-tonight kiss.
This is why giving in to Sebastian’s control is worth every exhilarating second.
So very much worth it.
Chapter Nine
Sebastian
I smile and touch Talia’s shoulder after I get back from my morning run. She moans and rolls away, mumbling, “Just ten more minutes.”
She looks well tumbled tangled up in our sheets, her long hair bedhead-messy. My smile widens to a grin at the slight burn her nails left behind on my back. Last night was fucking epic, but as much as I could’ve kept her up all night, around two in the morning, I tucked her close, and we fell into an exhausted, blissfully sated sleep.
“Up and at ‘em,” I say, rolling her over onto her back, which usually wakes her up. When she doesn’t move, I sit on the bed and pull the sheet off her naked body. Her breasts are full and gorgeous as fuck, the rosy tips darker than usual after last night’s adventures. I pick up the thin ribbon that had fallen to the floor sometime last night and slide it through my fingers, mentally picturing the sight of the two small bows I’d tied around her nipples.
Tucking the ribbon away in the nightstand, I watch my wife take deep, even breaths. My wife. Even as I stare at her, fully pregnant with our child, I still can’t believe she’s mine. I’m the luckiest bastard in the world. My hand clenches around the sheets as I think about the fact someone is out there, lurking…and possibly stalking her as well. The sight of her aunt’s swollen face and battered body made me feel physically ill. If someone had done that to Talia, hurt her or our unborn child, the sadistic motherfucker would never make it to prison. I’d shred every part of him so completely, they’d need a mop and bucket to collect his remains.
Just looking at her sleeping peacefully calms the beast starting to rise inside me once more. I needed last night. Fucking hell, did I need it. I’ve never felt the kind of rage that thrashed inside my chest once I overheard Talia make the connection that Isabel’s killer and her aunt’s attacker were most likely the same person. For Talia’s sake, I tamped it down. I didn’t want her to sense my unease. She mutters in her sleep, sighing happily, and I catch myself smiling despite my concerns. That’s what she does to me. I’m glad I didn’t lose my shit last night, but tighter security is on the agenda from here on out, whether she agrees with me or not.
She doesn’t appear uncomfortable on her back, but the further into the pregnancy she progressed, she shifted to sleeping on her side full time. So for these few rare moments on her back, with her breasts jutting out and arms flung over her head, my gaze traces the bright sunlight’s trail along her body as it washes out her skin tone. I scan over her hair and I close my eyes briefly, storing the image of her like this away before it fades. I itch to spear my fingers into her tangled locks, but I’ll give her the ten minutes she requested.
My line of sight trails to her round belly and just when I lift my hand to touch it, her whole stomach shifts from round to oblong. She moans in her sleep and rolls to her side, while her belly remains in its odd shape. Chuckling quietly, I touch the distended part of her stomach and massage lightly. “How about you curl back up into a tight ball and give your mom’s ribs a break, Champ.”
As a tiny limb juts against my palm, Talia laughs sleepily and pats my hand on her stomach. “It’s too early, Sebastian.”
“It is,” I say, tucking her hair behind her ear so I can see her whole face. “But if we want to be back for an afternoon visit with your aunt, then you need to get a shower.”
Her eyes open wide and she sits up on her elbow, her brows pulled together. “Where are we going?”
Standing, I smack her gorgeous rear and shake my head. “I’m not telling until we get there. Now get moving. You can take a nap on the way if you want.”
Once she sits up, I hand her a phone. “Here’s your new phone.”
Taking it, she frowns. “Where’s my old phone?”
“Gone. All your information has been ported over to this new, unlisted number. Theo and other BLACK Security men have been given an image of the ‘old man’ we saw near the limo the night of the bombing. It might just be of the back of him, but knowing the killer could be an older man or pretending to be older is important. I’ve also alerted hospital security about a potential threat on your aunt’s floor. I want them backing my team up.”
She looks up at me, her expression grim. “This is one time I wish I’d been wrong.”
I shake my head in a fast jerk. “The fact you stuck with your instincts could make the difference in us finding the bastard. Your aunt’s attacker doesn’t know we’ve connected him to Isabel’s murder too. I was wrong to let my anger at Paulo color my viewpoint. Someone from BLACK Security will retrieve Vanessa’s phone, so we’ll have it when we get back. For now, hop in the shower, Little Red.”
“Where are we?” Talia yawns and stretches, then straightens her long sweater over her belly as she glances out the car window at the trees zooming past.
“We’re definitely not in Manhattan anymore, but we are almost there.” Smirking, I shift gears and maneuverer the car up the hairpin road turn, hitting the gas to climb the mountain road. “And don’t use your phone’s GPS to cheat.”
“I was just sending my new number to work and family.” Setting her phone down, she slides her gaze up my boots, jeans, and sweater, settling on my leather bomber jacket. “You know, it’s not fair that you can look equally good in rugged man clothes too.” Sighing at my low chuckle, she pushes her hair over her shoulder. “At least tell me you’re whisking me off to the mountains to have your way with me.”
I laugh, the tension easing from my body the farther from the city we get. “As tempting as that is, we’ll have to save it for another time. This trip has a purpose.”
“The purpose has nothing to do with taking me away from the city to protect me, right?”
“Not in the way you’re thinking.”
Her eyebrow shoots up. “We’ll get back to your non-answer in a minute, but…” She points to her fitted jeans and low boots. “If this is an outdoor thing, I’m not dressed for hiking.”
“Your wool coat will be needed, but no hiking is required. And we’re here,” I say, anticipation churning through me as I turn into a driveway and hit the gas to pull us up the slight incline.
“What a gorgeous cottage! Okay, I take it back…protect me all you want. Can we go look at it?”
“Yes, we’re here for a bit.”
Eyes alight with excitement, she immediately opens the
door and steps out of the car. Walking around so she can see past the house, she gasps. “Ooh, Sebastian, you have to see the mountain views. It’s so beautiful. Can you imagine what it would look like if it weren’t overcast?”
Her voice fades as she disappears around the side of the house. Reaching into the glove box, I retrieve the gun and its holster and slip it into my jacket pocket.
“Come on! It’s a view to die for,” Talia says, waving to me. The fact she’s practically bouncing on her toes tells me that bringing her to the Catskills now was the right thing to do.
I find her around back, standing on the deck. With a wide grin, she wraps her arms around herself to stay warm and turns her face into the cool mountain wind as she stares past the acre of landscaped grass to the forest and the expansive mountain views beyond. “I take it the scenery meets your approval?” I say as she pulls out her phone to snap a couple of pictures.
“I’m sending these to Cass. She’s going to be green with envy.”
As she turns to take one of the house, I put my hand over the lens. “Not the house, Talia.”
“Guess the owners are super private,” she says, pouting her disappointment.
“They are very private.”
“Why?”
I wait until she tucks her phone into her pocket, then take her hand and put a key in it. “I bought this house as a surprise once the baby is born.”
“It’s ours?” she asks, wide-eyed.
I smile and swing my arm wide. “I think we should be able to find plenty of places among our hundred-and-fifty acres to take our child hiking, camping, fishing, and generally enjoy life away from the city. We’ll renovate the inside to our taste and if you’d like we can clear out more trees for a bigger yard.”
“No, the yard is just right and the view…is perfection.” Her eyes fill with tears and she folds her fingers tight around the key. “What a lovely present, but why all the secrecy? Is this to protect our family?”
I fold my arm around her shoulders and pull her close. Sharing my warmth, I kiss her temple. “I want to have one place that only a select few people know about. Den, Mina, Cass and Calder will be the only other people who know this home exists.”
Talia’s eyes light up. “So I can bring Cass and Mina here for a girl’s weekend?”
“Of course, but for now, it’s lesson time. Put your gloves on.”
“Lesson time?” she says, slipping her thin gloves on.
“Yep.” I lead her down the deck steps. As we step into the back yard, I take her gloved hand and set the holstered gun in her palm. “You’re going to learn to shoot a gun properly. I would prefer to wait until the baby is born, but until we catch the psychopath who killed Isabel and hurt your aunt, I want to know that you can protect yourself and our child if necessary.”
Talia looks at the gun in her hand, then to me. “Wouldn’t it be better if I took the gloves off?”
“It would be better if you didn’t have to handle a gun ever,” I grate, then continue, my tone calmer. “Normally, yes, you’d shoot without gloves, but shooting produces lead and noise. Going to a shooting range is exponentially louder, and I want to do what I can to protect the baby, so that’s why we’re here out in the open. You’ll shoot as little as possible, but enough to feel comfortable.” I tap the gun in her hand. “This is a Sig Sauer P238. Its grip fits in a woman’s hand much better, which will make the kick feel less pronounced. Today is a minimal lesson. After the baby’s born, if you want, I’ll take you to a range in the city so you can work on really getting comfortable with your gun and perfecting your accuracy.”
Talia looks at the gun and takes an unsteady breath. “I wish I didn’t have to either. Guns make me tense.” Pressing her lips together, she folds her fingers around the edge of the holster, then pops the leather snap holding the gun in place and slides the gun out with her other hand. “But I’ll do what I have to in order to protect my family.”
“That’s my girl.” Tucking the holster away in my jacket pocket, I spend the next ten minutes showing her all the steps she should go through while handling her gun: from the safety, to checking the chamber and her clip, then loading a round. I touch briefly on the benefits of having a bullet in the chamber, but she immediately shakes her head.
“I won’t carry one in the chamber, Sebastian. I could fill a book with stories of accidental discharges from my job at the Tribune.”
“I understand your concern. Experience and diligence is key. In my line of work, carrying hot can make a huge difference in the attacker getting to you or the one you’re protecting before you can fire. To put it in perspective, with someone running at you, you’ll have less than twenty-five feet to pull your gun, get a bullet in the chamber and pull the trigger before they’re on you.”
She grimaces. “Good to know just how little time and distance I would have to react.”
“Understanding how an extra step can impact the outcome of a dangerous situation is important. That’s where practice can cut that precious time down. Okay, show me the steps I’ve just gone over with you.”
Once she practices until she feels comfortable handling and loading the gun, I button her long, thick wool coat closed over her belly to muffle the sound, then hand her a pair of earplugs and put in my own. Turning, I point to the two-foot wide No Trespassing sign nailed to the huge oak tree at the back of the yard. “That sign is about seven yards away. Focus on getting comfortable with squeezing the trigger, feeling the pressure and lining your sight. You’ve got six shots. Make them count, Little Red.”
Two errant shots fly past, then Talia hits the sign three times in a row, her bullet holes next to each other.
“Nice shooting!” I grin as she moves the gun to her other hand and flexes her gun hand.
“I definitely get what you mean about the kick. My hand’s tingling.”
“It’ll go away.” I gesture to the sign. “Okay, try one more and that’s it.”
Just as Talia starts to lift her gun toward the target, I put my hand on her arm. “Don’t move.”
“What?” She keeps her line of sight straight ahead, but her voice tenses.
“Don’t you see him? The wolf standing in the woods?”
“Where?” She scans the dense foliage but shakes her head. “Are you messing with me?”
“No, I’m not.” Touching her back, I turn her slightly to the left. “From the bottom left corner of the sign, lower your gaze down about four feet, and then scan your line of sight three feet to the left.”
“I still don’t see—” She stops talking as the wolf moves forward and steps to the edge of the woods.
I instinctively reach for the gun concealed at my back as he stares us down for a couple of seconds. When he bares his teeth and begins to growl, my whole body tenses. I know how fast wolves can move. “Shoot near him, Talia. The fact he’s not scared off by your gunfire isn’t good. The shot needs to be close enough to make him feel threatened so he won’t come back.”
She shakes her head, her outstretched arms starting to tremble. “I might accidentally hit him.”
“Focus and pull the trigger,” I say calmly even as I release my gun from its holster. The wolf leans forward slightly and I lower my gun hand by my side.
Talia’s eyes start to mist over. “I—I’ll hit him.”
The second the wolf steps forward, I lift my gun, but a gunshot echoes before I can pull the trigger.
The instant the wolf lets out a surprised bark, then ducks and runs off, I pivot to where the sound originated, gun raised.
Den’s standing by the side of the house, his gun trained on the woods.
When I exhale and lower my weapon, he tucks his gun away, then disappears around the front of the house.
“Sheesh, that scared the crap out of me!” Talia says in a shaky voice. “Did you know Den was here?”
Nodding, I turn back to her. “If I didn’t tell him about this trip, he would’ve followed us anyway.”
As I hol
ster my gun, she sighs heavily. “I guess I failed.”
“At what? Being human?” I take her gun, flip the safety on, then put it back in the holster. Sliding the gun into my jacket pocket, I put my arm around her and pull her close. “Not wanting to take a life is a good thing.”
She looks up at me, her brow furrowed with self-doubt. “But—”
“The goal today was to make sure you knew how to handle and shoot a gun safely, not to turn you into an assassin. Don’t worry. This was all just a precaution, but a lesson that’s worth learning. I’ll only want you to have a gun if I’m not there.” Tapping her nose, I smile. “Come on, Gunslinger. Before we head back to the city, let’s walk through the cottage so we can talk about any changes we’d like to make.”
“Is it me, or does the hospital smell all kinds of wrong after spending time inhaling crisp mountain air?” Talia says in a low tone as we walk down the hall toward her aunt’s hospital room.
“If a hospital ever smells good to you, I’d be worried…” Pausing, I put my hand on her arm and stop her in the hall. “Where’s Theo?” I pull her behind me and say to Den as he joins us, “Theo’s not at his post.”
Talia shakes her head as Den and I automatically start to step forward. “Wait. Before you go barging in there, let me check with Charlie. Aunt Vanessa might not even be in her room right now.”
Tension flowing down my spine, I wait for Talia to check her phone for texts.
“Charlie left an hour ago.” Her brow furrows. “I’ll text Theo.”
As we wait for Theo to respond, I shift my gaze back to the doorway where Theo should be and my whole body tenses. “Den.” I keep my tone low and calm as I reach for my gun. “Take Talia with you to the nurses’ station and have them alert security to lock down the unit.”
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