Grind

by Sybil Bartel

  “You waiting for me?”

  The question made my skin tingle with awareness as an ache built between my legs. “Yes.”

  “Did you do as I asked?”

  My voice went even quieter. “Yes.” The ice and the bath.

  “You feel any better?”

  “I’m fine.” A little soreness wasn’t going to stop me. I wanted his hands on me the second he came back.

  “How’s Hunter?”

  “Persistent.” He’d followed me everywhere today except when André took me into the store.

  Dane chuckled then turned serious. “I miss you.”

  I closed my eyes for a brief moment. “Same.” God, I missed him.

  He dropped his voice to pure seduction. “I want my mouth on yours.”

  I sucked in a breath. “Same.”

  “Your responses are getting shorter,” he teased.

  “You know why.”

  “Mixed company. I get it.” His tone went all business. “Did you eat today?”

  “Yes.” André had religiously fed me three square meals and Hunter once, as if he would get in trouble from Dane if he didn’t.

  “Good. I’m going to be a few more hours. Go to bed and I’ll let you know when I get home.”

  The whole conversation from an outsider’s perspective would’ve seemed so normal. And it was, but it was also surreal and it made my stomach flutter and my skin tingle and it planted a seed of hope in my heart that I’d never had.

  I glanced at André and Tyler, but they were quietly talking. “I like that,” I admitted.

  “Like what, sweetheart?”

  Every time he called me sweetheart or love, I felt myself falling harder. “The last word.”

  His voice softened. “Ditto. See you soon.” He hung up.

  I handed the phone back to André.

  He raised an eyebrow at me. “You good?”

  “Fine, thank you.”

  He nodded and a few minutes later we were in the underground garage of Dane’s penthouse and André was helping me get out of the car. Hunter hopped out next and kept to my side as we all walked to the elevator.

  “Hold up. Keep an eye on her a sec, Tyler.” André patted his leg twice. “Hunter, come.”

  Hunter followed André out of the garage. I was a terrible dog watcher. That was three times today André had remembered to take Hunter out.

  They returned a minute later and I pet the top of Hunter’s head as he came to my side. “He’s well trained.” He didn’t even need a leash.

  André chuckled. “Would you disobey Marek?”

  Heat flamed my cheeks. “No.”

  “Smart move,” Tyler grumbled.

  “Watch it,” André snapped.

  I looked between them and instinct kicked in. “Did Dane do that to your face?”

  Neither of them said a word as we got into the elevator.

  The doors slid shut and I demanded an answer. “What happened?”

  Resigned, André exhaled. “He was shooting at you. Marek got pissed.” He glanced at Tyler. “Rightfully so.”

  Tyler shook his head at André. “I knew what I was doing, boss. I saw her. I wasn’t shooting at her. I was returning fire at the driver and the guard behind him.”

  “You hit her mother,” André countered.

  “She was waving her arms around like an idiot!” Tyler yelled.

  André smirked. “You don’t want collateral damage, don’t shoot at another man’s woman. You’re lucky that’s all he did to you.” He tipped his chin toward me. “Might want to apologize.”

  Tyler looked at me with absolute sincerity. “I apologize and I’m very sorry about your mother. It won’t happen again.”

  “Apology accepted.” He didn’t need to know how I felt about her, and the irony wasn’t lost on me that we both had bruises from disobeying Dane.

  The elevator doors slid open and Andre let me and Hunter into Dane’s penthouse. “Tyler will be out in the hall until Marek returns. If you need anything, let him know.”

  I hugged André. I didn’t know why I did it. I wasn’t a hugger, but it was instinctual and he’d been kind to me and I wanted to thank him. “Thank you.”

  His arms, big and strong like Dane’s, wrapped around me and he hugged me back, but there was nothing similar about the way he and Dane felt. “Anytime, chica, anytime.” He released me and squeezed my shoulder. “Glad you got your tomorrow. Take care of yourself.” He winked and walked out.

  Tyler handed him the keys, and I watched André get in the elevator.

  “Do you need anything, ma’am?”

  I glanced at Tyler. His back to the wall by the door, he stood with his legs slightly apart and his hands clasped in front of him. A gun sat in a holster attached to his belt.

  “Do you want a chair?” Standing for hours wouldn’t be comfortable. Viktor’s bodyguards had never stood for hours.

  Tyler smiled and I could see he would be handsome if his face wasn’t a mess. “I’m fine, ma’am.”

  I nodded. “How are you going to get back to the office when Dane comes home?”

  “I’ll call base for a pickup, ma’am.”

  I knew why Tyler didn’t have his own vehicle. The one I’d driven away from the shootout had so many holes in the hood, it was smoking by the time I’d gotten back to Viktor’s. Surprisingly, the windshield had been intact, but the car itself was totaled. “I’m sorry you’re short a couple vehicles.”

  “No worries, ma’am. All part of the job.”

  I nodded, but I still felt bad. “Okay. Good night, Tyler.”

  “Good night, ma’am.”

  I locked the door and ten minutes later, I was in bed with a canine lying across my legs.

  Neil walked into the warehouse as Luna and I loaded the last crate.

  He glanced at the two rented SUVs I’d put fake plates on. “How many?”

  “Hundred and twenty crates,” Luna answered.

  It taken us all night to load the vehicles and make runs to Luna and Associates.

  “What are you doing with them?” Neil asked.

  I shook my head. Luna and I had argued all night about it. I told him I’d fence them and he’d have more than enough money to replace his shot-up vehicles. He wanted to fucking turn them over to the Feds. “Ask Mr. Clear Conscience.”

  Neil looked at Luna. “You want to turn them in.” It wasn’t a question.

  Luna threw his arms up. “You say that shit like I’m in the wrong.”

  “You are,” Neil quipped.

  I hid a smile.

  Luna pointed at me. “Not fucking funny.” He looked accusingly at Neil. “You got a better idea?”

  “Yes,” was all Neil said.

  Luna waited like he’d get a further explanation from Neil. He didn’t.

  “Then it’s settled. Christensen takes them.” I shut the back door to the SUV.

  Neil eyed Luna. “How much do you want?”

  Luna swore in Spanish. “You both are fucking crazy. I don’t want a damn dime from this shit.” He got behind the wheel and slammed the door.

  Neil glanced at me and raised one eyebrow.

  “He needs three new vehicles.” Two to replace the totaled ones, and a spare.

  Neil nodded once. “How is the female?”

  “She’s fine.”

  “Tell him I will get the crates tomorrow night.”

  “Will do.”

  Luna rolled down his window. “You coming, Marek?”

  I glanced at Neil. “You didn’t tell me you did business with the triplets.”

  “You did not ask.”

  “Tell me I didn’t make those fucks richer.”

  In a rare display of emotion, the side of Neil’s mouth twitched up. “Their return on investment was below market value.”

  I slapped him on the shoulder. “Good man.” I got in the second rented SUV. “You have a buyer in mind for all these?”

  “I did not say I was selling them.”

&n
bsp; I smiled and shook my head. “Right.” Because a commercial contractor needed one hundred and twenty crates of semi-automatic rifles and hand guns. “Good luck.”

  “I do not need luck.”

  No, he probably didn’t. “Later.”

  Neil left and I rolled out after Luna. One stop after dropping this last load, then I’d be home to my woman.

  I fucking smiled.

  The bed dipped and I smelled his soap and musk.

  I turned, but I didn’t even get a chance to say hello.

  His lips covered mine as his rough, warm hands cupped my face. His tongue sank into my mouth, and it was as if a switch had been flipped.

  Desire, sharp and painful, exploded like a fire inside me. My arms went around his neck and I couldn’t get close enough. Arched, clawing, I groaned into his mouth and ran my hands over his shower-wet, closely cropped hair.

  “That’s my fix,” he growled, rolling me to my back and thrusting his hips against mine.

  I cried out with need and spread my legs wider. Frantic desperation raced through my veins and slammed into my core. My pussy pulsing and clenching with aching emptiness, I dragged my nails down his back and aimed for his boxers.

  Something plastic caught under my fingertip.

  His mouth moved to my neck as he rocked his dick against my wet pussy.

  I stilled. “What is this?” I touched the thin plastic covering his lower back.

  He bit under my ear and I shivered.

  “Dane?”

  His hand moved to his boxers and he pushed them down only far enough to fist his cock. Rubbing the head of his dick across my pussy, his dark storm-colored gaze landed on me.

  My mouth opened and a desperate gasp filled the silence.

  He licked my bottom lip and hoarsely whispered, “Tattoo.” Then his tongue sank into my mouth as his cock sunk into my pussy.

  Oh. My God.

  He thrust deep.

  A full body tremor started at the base of my spine and radiated down my legs. My trembling hands grasped his biceps for purchase, but it was too late. I was already falling.

  “Fuck yes, that’s it, sweetheart. Come.”

  Oh my God.

  My legs shook. My heart pounded and wave after wave of unbelievable pleasure shocked my body.

  I saw stars.

  Big, beautiful, overwhelming stars.

  “Dane,” I blindly cried.

  Sunk to the hilt, his hips grinding into my clit, he took every last fear I had and destroyed it. His cock, his tongue, his whole body claiming me, marking me, changing me, he commanded my very being.

  His mouth on my ear, his hands in my hair, he whispered, “You are mine.” He thrust hard and stilled. “And I am yours.”

  A groan ripped from his chest.

  And I knew.

  His hot seed pumped into my body.

  I was his. All his.

  With his chest heaving, he latched on to my neck and swirled his tongue. Moving to my collarbone, kissing, biting, he covered my nipple and gently, so gently, he sucked.

  A fresh wave of desire bit into my womb and my back arched.

  Swirling dark green, brown, and gray eyes looked up at me.

  Every emotion in my heart, all the words I wanted to roll off my tongue, they stuck in my throat as I stared at the most beautiful man in the world.

  He reverently kissed the pale skin over my heart. “I am inside you.” He pulsed deep inside me and whispered, “This is my home now.”

  A tear slid down my cheek. “I’m not sad.”

  With a shallow thrust he ignited a new fire inside me. “I know.” He kissed my cheek then brought his forehead to mine. “I’m going to take you again.”

  I wanted him to. Again and again. Until I couldn’t feel my legs and all I smelled was him and his release all over my body. “Please,” I begged.

  His shallow thrusting turned into a slow grind, then he pulled almost all the way out. “Wrap your arms around me, love.”

  I wrapped my legs around his hips and grasped his face. “You promised,” I reminded him. “Tell me.”

  The tip of his cock hovering against my entrance, his forearms braced on either side of me, a slow, devastating smile spread across his face. “You ready for me?”

  “Yes.” God yes.

  He drove into me.

  “Ahhh.” Pleasure-pain shot through my pussy.

  He started pounding into me. “You want to know why I call you love?”

  My fingers dug into his shoulders. “Yes, yes, yes.” Every thrust stroked my G-spot and hit my cervix, then he ground against my clit.

  “Because I love your cunt wrapped around my cock.”

  I loved his dirty mouth.

  He stroked through our cum. “I love feeling my seed inside you.”

  My stomach fluttered at the very thought.

  He kissed one nipple then the other. “I love every goddamn ounce of attitude and submission you give me.”

  I grabbed the back of his head and pulled up.

  He brought his lips to mine. “I love holding you as much as I love fucking you.”

  I kissed him.

  Gentle and loving, he stilled and kissed me back. Then he looked down at me. “You’re the only woman I want.”

  He was the only man I wanted. But caught up in his words, his beautiful words, I didn’t give him mine, not yet. I kissed the hard angle of his jaw.

  He touched his lips to my forehead and slowly thrust. “You never even blinked when I told you who I was.”

  Oh God. I loved who he was.

  “And you feel so fucking right.” He sank deep inside me.

  I rocked my hips into his.

  “I call you love…” He went perfectly still. “Because I love you, Irina Tsarko.”

  It was too soon. It was crazy. It was risky. It was messy and imperfect.

  But it wasn’t wrong. He wasn’t wrong. Nothing in my life had ever felt more perfect. He gave me hope. He gave me strength. He gave me himself.

  And I loved him.

  I’d loved him the second he took a risk and trusted me with everything about him. I’d loved him when he saved me. I’d loved him when he said I was broken, and I’d loved him when he taught me how to open my heart.

  “I love you, Dane Marek.”

  His lips crashed over mine, and he did more than just make love to me. He gave me everything I’d ever wanted. He gave me a future.

  THANK YOU!

  Thank you for reading GRIND!

  Want to find out what Dane did next?

  Leave a review for GRIND on an e-book retail site and e-mail the link to sybilbartelbooks@gmail.com and Sybil Bartel will personally e-mail you the bonus scene for GRIND!

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  Have you read the other books in the Thrust series?

  THRUST – Alex’s story

  ROUGH – Jared’s story

  Want to read about Dane’s friends, Talon, Neil and André?

  TALON

  NEIL

  ANDRÉ

  Turn the page for a preview of ANDRÉ!

  ANDRÉ (The Uncompromising Series Book Three)

  André

  The Marines trained me to set my sights and wait for the shot. For eight years, I guarded my brothers and defended my country. Now I protect my clients. My personal security firm is the best in the business because I leave nothing to chance… until a dark-haired, hazel-eyed spitfire crosses my path.

  She and her sexy-as-hell striptease were supposed to be a one-night distraction. But too late I noticed the branding on her back and my blood ran cold. This woman wasn’t a distraction—she was a death sentence.

  Knowing who she was left me no choice. I took her on as my client. But running from her past and hoping we wouldn’t get killed wasn’t an option.

  The Marines didn’t train me to retreat. They taught me t
o engage.

  One shot. One kill.

  Even though writing is a solitary endeavor, I never create a book alone. I have such an incredible team behind me. I couldn’t do what I do without them. Virginia and Olivia are the best editors I could ask for. They whip my alpha heroes into shape and make them shine. Clarise designs all these sexy, amazing covers and I am so lucky to have her. Stacy takes all the words and formats them into this work of art you are reading right now. And last, but so not least, is a super special someone who I have come to adore as much as I rely on for all of her insight and witty comments and awesome sense of humor, but mostly for her friendship—Kristen Johnson, my beta reader superstar. Kristen has beta read this entire series and without her, my alpha heroes just wouldn’t be the same.

  I don’t know if you noticed my dedication for this book, but it’s true, Mr. Bartel hasn’t read one of my super alpha, scandalously sexy, books yet, LOL! So he doesn’t know that he saved Dane from using the word “glisten,” or that he’s (unintentionally) given me some of the best alpha hero one-liners and comebacks ever. But just in case he reads this, thank you, honey, you ROCK!

  And to all my readers who took a chance on me—I love you so hard! XOXO –Sybil

  Sybil grew up in northern California with her head in a book and her feet in the sand. She used to dream of becoming a painter but the heady scent of libraries with their shelves full of books drew her into the world of storytelling.

  Sybil now resides in southern Florida, and while she doesn’t get to read as much as she likes, she still buries her toes in the sand. If she’s not writing or fighting to contain the banana plantation in her backyard, you can find her spending time with her handsomely tattooed husband, her brilliantly practical son and a mischievous miniature boxer.

  But seriously?

  Here are ten things you really want to know about Sybil.

  She grew up a faculty brat. She can swear like a sailor. She loves men in uniform. She hates being told what to do. She can do your taxes (but don’t ask). The Bird Market in Hong Kong freaked her out. Her favorite word is desperate, or dirty, or both, she can’t choose. She has a thing for muscle cars. But never rely on her for driving directions, ever. And she has a new book boyfriend every week—don’t tell her husband.