by Layla Frost
Without another word, I twisted out of Killian’s hold, grabbed his wrist, and pulled.
And got exactly nowhere.
“Time to move,” Killian told Blake, his tone deceptively calm. “You want the reminder of the goddess you were thick enough to give up, your choice. ‘Cause unlike you, I don’t need to run my mouth about whether or not I’ve fooked Gus. You’ll know by looking at her. But if you say a single word to her again, I’ll do what I do best.”
“What? Be a thug?”
“Find shit. Shit you want buried. I’ll line your skeletons up one by one so the whole world sees.”
With his point made, Killian let me pull him toward the apartment.
I’d barely made it into the living room when I was nearly knocked over by a fuzzy torpedo. Dropping to my ass, I opened my arms and accepted Nolan’s love, his tail wagging like crazy.
“I missed you, too, bud.” I scratched his ears.
“He’s been moping around, sad and ornery,” Killian told me. “Both of us have.”
“Is it true?” I asked without looking at him.
“Aye. We’ve been a couple of pathetic lads.”
“That’s not what I mean, and you know it.”
Killian dropped my duffel but set the box down carefully.
When I’d gone through Meema’s, there hadn’t been much of my old stuff I’d cared to keep. What hadn’t been donated had been packed for the movers to deal with. The only exception had been that box, which I’d brought on the plane with me. It was filled with irreplaceable things of my mom’s, and I hadn’t wanted to risk anything happening to it.
Turning to lean against the island, Killian crossed his arms. “Told you I’d already seen you. Also told you I wanted you from that moment. I just didn’t say when that was.”
That was true.
Still...
“Seeing and watching are two very different things,” I pointed out.
Killian moved to stand in front of me. Reaching out, he cupped my cheek. “First day you were here, you were sitting like this. You stared up at me with those wide eyes, and I was gone. Never had my dick go so hard, so fast. I wanted your lips wrapped around me, aye, but mostly I wanted you to always look at me like you were.”
“How was I looking at you?”
“Like you knew I was the monster in the dark, and you wanted to turn the light off and be with me.”
Again, he was right. Even before I’d seen his guns, I’d known he was dangerous.
And I’d wanted him all the same.
Offering me his hand, he pulled me to stand before tugging me close. His palm slid down my spine to settle on my ass, and I had to lean back to see anything more than his broad chest or bearded jaw.
“I watched because I’d told myself if you were happy, I’d leave you alone to have a normal life. One with a lad who didn’t have a body count on his soul and blood on his hands.” His lips curled up on one side. “Not saying I would’ve been able to stay away, but that’s what I’d claimed.”
With his whole eagle-eyed thing, I knew his observations would be correct. That didn’t stop me from asking, “What’d you see?”
“That you were happy.”
Swing and a miss.
Poor Killian, no longer batting a thousand. He’ll have to settle for .999.
“But not with that prick,” he amended, preserving his streak. “It was because that’s who you are. You wanted to be happy with him, but you weren’t. Which was why you hadn’t fooked him.”
“You knew?”
“A blind man could’ve seen you hadn’t. That he didn’t make you happy.” He dropped his forehead to mine. “I might be the monster in the dark, but I’ll live and fookin’ die to make you happy, mo chuisle.”
“Then kiss me and take me to bed, Killian,” I ordered huskily.
“Love the way you say my name,” he growled, his fingertips digging into my ass cheek as he pulled me up onto my toes and leaned into me, dipping me back. His hardness pressed against my belly as he took my mouth, his kiss bruising and raw.
He tugged my shirt up, pausing the kiss only long enough to whip it over my head. I did the same to his, but when I couldn’t reach any higher, he took over. My lips skimmed across his hard abs and chest as he reached behind his neck with one hand, yanking the tee off in a smooth motion.
Killian unhooked my bra, and I shrugged it off, tossing it somewhere as he palmed my breasts. The calloused pads of his thumbs were rough on my nipples as he teased them with barely there touches before continuing down. His knuckles skimmed my stomach until he reached my leggings. Bending to shove them down, his lips trailed from my jaw to my neck, his teeth, tongue, and beard teasing the sensitive skin.
I held him to me while trying—and failing—to stretch my arm far enough to undo his jeans. “Killian.” His name came out as a moan of pleasure and a growl of frustration.
“Fookin’ love it,” he bit out before taking my mouth in a kiss so demanding, I could only hold onto his shoulders and give him what he wanted.
Me.
Lifting me easily, he didn’t pull away from the kiss as he started walking, impressively not crashing us into anything.
Impatient and so turned on I was shaking, I worked at trying to kick off my shoes and pants but had only managed the shoes by the time we’d reached the bed. My leggings and panties were still tight around my knees when Killian loosened his hold on me, slowly lowering me so my body dragged against his. As soon as my feet touched the floor, I was scrambling to pull my bottoms the rest of the way off.
“No.”
At Killian’s gruff word, my eyes shot to him. “What?”
“On the bed, ass up, mo chuisle.”
Don’t gotta tell me twice.
I scooched to the middle of the bed before rolling over onto my knees with my ass up and my chest down. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Killian’s gaze was locked on my pussy. I watched as he roughly shoved his jeans down, taking his cock in his fist the moment it was free. Gripping it and stroking slowly, he stepped out of his pants and put his knees to the bed.
Since I couldn’t spread my legs, I wasn’t sure what he planned to do. If it was more torturous teasing, I was gonna riot.
After I enjoyed it for a minute or two.
Ten at the most.
Positioning himself with his knees to the outside of mine, Killian didn’t tease. He didn’t take it slow. He slammed his cock into my pussy, going to the hilt and lifting my knees off the bed.
I cried out at the intense pleasure.
It was too much. With my legs nearly closed, trapped by my pants and his own legs, the already acute fullness of Killian fucking me from behind was magnified. I couldn’t spread to ease the ache. I felt… everything.
I clutched the sheet.
I arched my back and tipped my ass up in the air as high as I could get it.
I moaned when he palmed my ass cheeks, his fingers digging in.
I hissed out a delirious approval when he used that hold to slam into me harder.
My trapped legs meant that when his control was gone, I was able to take his forceful thrusts without my knees sliding apart. I didn’t have to stop to reset my stance.
With no break from his relentless, desperate rhythm, the pleasure he was building low in my belly didn’t have the chance to wane. It grew, tightening and coiling until there was no more it could take.
Like my veins were filled with electrical currents, bursts of blinding pleasure hit different spots, making me pulse as my orgasm ripped through me.
Destroyed me.
“Thank fook,” Killian grunted, his words echoing in the void that was my head since my brain was still riding the high.
Moving his hand, he reached around to stroke my clit, making tiny jolts shoot through me.
“I can’t take another,” I claimed, even as I felt it building. I lifted up on my arms, determined to shift away, but my hips started rocking instead.
Still teasin
g my clit, his other palm flattened between my shoulder blades, pressing my chest back to the bed. He kept it there, though he eased the pressure. “Been a week, mo chuisle. I’m feeling greedy.”
I need to come.
Now.
Killian’s thrusts grew uneven and frantic. Mine were just as chaotic as I fucked myself on his cock.
It was uncoordinated.
Raw.
Perfectly imperfect.
The tension in me exploded, leaving my head swimming and my body feeling like a trillion separate nerve endings.
Killian’s groans filled the room, sounding rough and harsh.
Savage.
When he was finished, his torso covered mine, his mouth at my ear when he whispered, “Really fookin’ missed you, mo chuisle.”
His lips and beard trailed down my spine, his cock sliding out of me as he moved away.
Without him holding me in place, I flopped down, far from graceful but also really fucking far from caring.
Killian left the room, but I didn’t have the energy to look to see where he was going. He was back a minute later, and the bottom of the bed dipped. Tugging my leggings and panties the rest of the way off, he spread my legs.
Even though I couldn’t see it, I knew Killian was staring. It was like a physical sensation, pulling at me as the air went thick.
But it wasn’t happening.
“I actually mean it this time,” I muttered, my words muffled against the mattress. “I cannot go again. For a long, long time.”
Chuckling, Killian wiped something warm between my legs. “Aye. I won’t try again until tomorrow.”
“Whoa, let’s not go crazy. We’ll aim for a few hours.”
There was another chuckle. “I gotta take Nolan out and check in with my guys. Sleep.”
“Aye,” I muttered, never too tired to tease him.
“You play with fire, little one.” His hands went next to my head, his body caging me in as he lowered his mouth to my ear. “It’s been over a week since I’ve tasted you, and I’m fookin’ starving.”
Maybe I’m not so tired.
As long as I don’t have to move, I think I can make this work.
“But that’ll wait until you get some sleep.” The bed shifted again as he climbed out and covered me up, closing the door softly behind him.
Half-asleep, my thoughts bounced around. They replayed pieces of my altercation with Blake—filling in the zippy comebacks I should’ve said—before focusing on the knowledge that Killian had wanted me for longer than I’d realized.
In that hazy space between consciousness and sleep, I briefly wondered if Killian may have had something to do with expediting the demise of Blake and me. As a complete stranger, it wasn’t as if he could’ve walked up and demanded I leave Blake to be his.
He was hot, but no one could pull that off without looking like a nut job.
The timing and coincidence of it…
As quick as the thought formed, I dismissed it. Not because I didn’t think it was possible. It totally was. Killian was ruthlessly determined to get what he wanted.
And, according to him, he’d never wanted anything or anyone as badly as he wanted me.
But it was a moot point. Even if Killian had done something, it’d still been Blake’s decision to cheat—and I doubted it’d been the first time. I was just grateful that, suspicious timing or not, I’d caught him before wasting any more of my life.
I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew, I was on my side and someone’s body was curling around mine, their front to my back. Inhaling, I smelled honey smoke and Killian.
“Everything ‘kay?” I mumbled.
“Aye.” His lips were pressed against the top of my head, his voice a rough, rumbled whisper. “Welcome home, mo chuisle.”
Then, like he always did when we slept together, Killian pushed his arm under my head and curved it so he could hold my breast. His other wrapped around to cup me between my legs, the possessive touch a reminder of the dull ache he’d created there.
Killian Nox loved me like I was priceless and fucked me like I was unbreakable.
It was perfect.
Actually, my life was.
Perfect and fun and hard and heartbreaking and sexy and stressful and real.
It was perfectly imperfect in a way I hadn’t known it could be until I’d had a beast at my back.
Until Nox.
EPILOGUE
KILLIAN
Two Months Later . . .
I THINK SHE’S TRYING TO KILL ME.
Her tongue touched my neck and her teeth bit into the muscle there before she whispered, “Hurry, Killian.”
Aye, definitely trying to kill me.
With her legs around my waist, I was tempted to forget about unlocking the door and just fook her against the damned thing. She’d been teasing me all night.
We’d had dinner with Teo, Lars, Jake, and their lasses, plus Gus’ friends Rosie and Marco, to celebrate. I’d met them straight from work which was probably better because had I seen her at home in the short dress and fook-me heels, we wouldn’t have left until I’d had enough.
And, when it came to Gus, I’d never get enough.
My dick had gone hard as soon as I’d seen her in the restaurant lobby. I hadn’t thought I could get harder, but she’d proved me wrong by looking up at me—a teasing smile on her lips and heat in her eyes—to whisper she’d picked up our wedding bands after class.
She’d known what she’d been doing. Since I’d put a ring on her finger the week after she’d moved in, just the thought of her becoming mine made me need to sink into her.
I was sick.
I also didn’t care.
I’d been ready to carry her out, but since we were there celebrating our engagement, Gus had insisted we stay.
We’d spent an eternity having dinner and drinks while she’d done everything she could to torment me. Just her being her was enough to make me crazy.
I’d been counting down until I could bury myself deep, but she hadn’t given me the chance. We’d gotten to our building, stepped into the elevator, and before the doors had even closed, she’d climbed me.
Like I was a fookin’ tree.
Her dress had pushed up when she’d wrapped her legs around my waist. Tangling her fingers in my hair, she’d kissed me like she’d been the one being tortured all night.
Finally getting the door unlocked, I pushed it open before kicking it closed behind us. I turned and pressed her against it, wondering if it were possible to hold her up and eat her pussy at the same time.
Deciding it was worth a shot, I began lifting her.
“Killian,” she hissed.
“Aye, trust me, mo chuisle.”
“No, no. We’re definitely trying this again soon. But the window to the balcony is open.”
My body went wired. Lowering her to her feet, I put my finger to my lips. I turned and bent to pull my gun from my ankle holster, my eyes staying on the balcony.
Where the hell is Nolan?
When it came to Gus, Nolan was a fluffy, spoiled baby.
But to most, he was a territorial lad who bared his teeth and got loud to scare them away.
The apartment was too quiet.
Creeping forward, gun drawn, I was almost to the opening when someone moved out of the shadows, a smoke hanging from their mouth.
“Ay!” a thick accent grunted. “‘Bout time ya got home.”
My shoulders slumped as I lowered my gun. “I almost put a damn bullet in you, you motherfookin’ muppet.”
Dair put his smoke out, flicking it to the side before coming in.
Nolan moved with him, keeping his body pressed against Dair’s legs.
Traitor.
Dair scowled, but it was just an act. “Aye, what kinda greeting is that? Yer manners leave a lot to be desired, lad.”
After putting my gun away, I hugged the man who was basically my brother. “What’re you doing here?”
&
nbsp; “Figured I’d come meet the bonny lass who stole yer heart.”
Tucking Gus under my arm, I made introductions. “Gus, this is Alasdair. He’s the lad who works for me in Dublin.”
Dair tipped his head to the side. “I’d say we’re more like a partnership.”
“Good idea. I’ll stop signing your paychecks, and you can take over more of the—”
“I’m the lad who works for him,” he backtracked.
“Nice to meet you,” she said, taking his outstretched hand. “Are you part Scottish, too?”
“Aye, ye’ve got a good ear on ya. Unlike Nox, it’s my ma who’s the Scot and my da who’s the Dubliner.” He grinned wide as he stared, keeping hold of her.
When his hand and eyes were on her too long for my liking—which was anything more than a second—I warned, “Still not too late for that bullet.”
Chuckling, he released her. “Can ya blame me? I’m thinking of moving to the states if this is the talent.”
“Why didn’t you call?” I asked. “Happy you’re here, but…”
His gaze darted to Gus and then back again. “Aye, why don’t we go outside and have a smoke?”
Gus tensed in my hold before trying to shift away.
Keeping my arm around her, I said, “You can come out, too, mo chuisle.”
I wasn’t sure what Dair had to say, but it didn’t matter. Gus could know anything she wanted.
She just didn’t always want to.
Touching my chest, she tipped her head back. “I’m good. I’m gonna get changed and feed Nolan.”
“Oh, the lad’s good,” Dair said. “I got hungry earlier and ordered us a couple porterhouses from the restaurant down the street.”
“You bought my dog a seventy-dollar steak?” I asked.
No wonder he’s plastered to him like they’re best friends. Even I can’t compete with a porterhouse.
His brows lowered like he thought I was thick. “Aye. You think I’m gonna get him a cheap sirloin while I’m eating a porterhouse? That’d be rude.”
Shaking my head, I kissed Gus and let her go. I grabbed a cigar from the box and headed outside to light it. “So, why the hell you really here?”