Men of Mercy: The Complete Story

by Cross, Lindsay

  Sparrow would be easy prey. He simply had to lay the bait and spring the trap. He remained motionless, his eyes closed, until he heard the door shut behind them. His shirt was gone.

  Jared’s eyes shot open to survey his body—she’d stripped him except for his pants. Bound his feet to the bed too. Fuck all. The now familiar anger pulsed through is veins, and he bowed up completely from the bed in an attempt to break free, disregarding the pain at his wrists.

  He hated being restricted. That's why he preferred to sleep outside on missions, why he didn’t have a permanent home to go to between jobs. He didn’t like to be tied down to anything after what he’d survived. Even the thought of it was too constrictive. And yet he’d willingly let her tie him to her bed. Why?

  He didn’t like that his own behavior didn’t make sense to him. He liked clear. Concise. Black and white. Not the unyielding gold of Sparrow’s eyes.

  Remember your mission. Remember Hoyt. He had to get free. And it seemed the only way he could do this was to turn this innocent’s game against her—seduce her and use her to find Hoyt.

  Jared listened to her move about the trailer, the paper thin walls doing nothing to mute her movements. The shower cut on and the image of her naked, steaming hot water running down her body, sent a fresh wave of lust straight to his cock. Shit, those were not the thoughts of a man bent on escape and rescue.

  He’d have to move fast. Hoyt had been missing for way too long. Images from Jared’s past, of the dark closet with the rusted bolt in the floor flashed through his mind. They’d been held there together with no food or water, left to starve to death in their own piss. And fucking Kay Crowe, his own flesh and blood, had put them there.

  Sparrow was the one who set you free.

  Jared tried to ignore the memory of her small hands and frightened eyes as she cut through the ropes holding them to the floor. She’d risked her life to save theirs.

  And now she worked for the very woman who’d nearly killed them.

  A few minutes later he heard a thump, followed by a shriek and a loud bang. She had to have thrown something. He couldn’t help the smile tugging at his lips. Her reactions were quick and honest. Her eyes were a mirror to her thoughts. Her taste was as sweet as the honeysuckle growing in the hills. God, her taste had nearly taken him hostage. But now he was prepared. He was focused. Kay had ensured he’d remembered who he was and why he was here. His brother. Hoyt was being held prisoner somewhere in this compound and Jared would do whatever it took to find and rescue him. But when Hoyt was safe and sound, Jared would return to mete out his revenge, and he wouldn’t leave a single Crowe standing.

  The floor creaked in the hall and Jared sucked in a breath, the anticipation of seeing her again nearly mastering his logic. Then he heard her long indrawn breath, like she was preparing for battle. Hell, he might have to coax her into the bed. If he could get her to straddle him again, he’d get those nipples between his lips and…

  The door creaked open on rusted hinges that hung slightly off-balance, and its weight sent it banging against the wall. Sparrow stood unmoving, her fists clenched at her sides. Jared's breath caught as he took in her appearance. She was clearly embarrassed, but she was far from laughable. She was smoking hot. A short white crop top barely skimmed her ribcage, dipping down low enough he could almost make out the top of her nipples. Nipples that would be visible through the near transparent material of her top if not for the bold black words, “Insert Slot A,” with an arrow pointing straight up to her mouth. The thought of her on her knees flooded his mind with desire. Jesus Christ.

  Her trim waist and belly button were fully exposed over the top of a pair of low slung cut-offs. He could only imagine how sexy her ass looked in those jeans. Her hair hung long and loose. Damn, his cock was already hard and she hadn’t even summoned the nerve to look at him yet.

  She finally lifted her gaze, starting at his feet and stalling at his waist. His cock jumped in response when her lips parted. Fuck all if he couldn’t get that image of her on her knees, taking him between her lips, out of his mind. He had to do something to distract himself before his plan flew straight out the window, and he succumbed to pure lust.

  “That is a definite improvement,” Jared said.

  Sparrow’s golden gaze jerked up to his and a slight tremor ran through her body. It reminded him of how she’d been as a little girl—those same huge eyes wide with fright. He couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit guilty for planning to twist this encounter to his own ends, but he wouldn’t harm her, emotionally or physically. Jared let his head fall back to the pillow and released a weary sigh.

  Maybe he should lie and tell her she was scrawny and ugly, but the words wouldn’t leave his mouth. She was beautiful and precious. And from the way she’d acted around Miss Kay, he could tell she was scared of the older woman. Could Kay be forcing her to do this? Using her like she loved using everyone under her power? Maybe he should rescue Sparrow from this nightmare when he left with his brother.

  “Come here, sit beside me.” Jared kept his voice gentle and silky smooth.

  Sparrow walked across the room, her steps tentative but graceful. How could something so pure exist in a hellhole like this?

  The mattress barely dipped under her weight as she sat down near his waist. When she sucked that full bottom lip between her teeth, he barely managed to hold back a groan. She might be pure and innocent and he might have good intentions, but he wasn't a saint. He fully intended to sample just a little bit of her wares before he convinced her to free him.

  “How would you like to begin?” Jared asked.

  Sparrow’s arched eyebrows dipped down in deep thought. She seemed to come to a decision, her face hardening with it, and she grabbed him between the legs. Jared gasped as pain shot straight up from his injured balls and nausea twisted at his stomach. “Shit.”

  Sparrow yanked her hand back like she'd been bitten by a snake. “I didn't mean to.”

  Before Jared could gather enough breath to tell her to give him a minute, she ran from the room. He focused on his breathing, getting through that first rolling wave of nausea. Had he thought her innocent? She was fucking deadly.

  Dammit, she was probably halfway across camp right now. What a royal clusterfuck. How long would he have to lay here until someone was sent in here to interrogate him with a knife now that the sweet way hadn’t worked. He could only pray it wouldn’t be Jimbo. That big son of a bitch looked brutal.

  But Sparrow returned a few minutes later. She hovered in the doorway and he could tell she was still shaken. But then she surprised him. She lifted her chin and re-entered the room. It wasn’t until she clunked down the two glasses on the nightstand that he noticed the bottle of whiskey clutched in her hand. She poured herself a shot, downed it, and then took one more.

  “I'm gonna do this.” She replaced her glass on the table, then knelt on the bed and straddled him, settling her core right on top of his cock. Blood flooded that part of his anatomy, making it even harder.

  “I’m ready, darlin’.”

  She reached for his face and palmed his cheek. The sensation of that small touch was pure electricity. Jared kissed her palm. “I’ve been waiting all night to kiss you.” Sparrow bit her lip and he groaned. “Every time you do that it drives me wild.”

  She released her lip instantly. “That?”

  Jared nodded, wishing his hands were free so he could yank her to him. “I can only imagine how soft they are, how sweet you taste. Come here.”

  She dropped down onto her elbows, her lips hovering just above his. The sweet smell of honeyed whiskey filled his nostrils. He forced himself to hold perfectly still as she lowered her head, gently pressed her lips to his and gave him a stiff, closed mouth kiss. And then she sat up with a look of satisfaction. “How was that?”

  “I felt like I was kissing my grandma,” Jared said.

  Her cheeks flashed bright red and fire sparked in her gaze. “And just how exactly do you want to be ki
ssed?”

  “You've got to put some feeling into it. Open your mouth, let me have your tongue,” Jared ground out the words. He’d always made it a rule to steer completely clear of innocents. He preferred a woman, hot-blooded and lusty—one who knew how to handle a man. But for some reason, instructing her like this had him nearly dripping with pre-cum. And damn if that look of angry determination on her face wasn't sexy as hell.

  She pressed her lips to his again and Jared held as still as he could, letting her learn. When her lips parted and sucked his lower lip between hers, his hips shot up off the bed. She continued exploring, moving her hands to his shoulders, her soft fingertips tickling his skin. Jared's resolve to let her go at her own pace melted away. He rose as much as he could, biting her lower lip and pulling her down to him. When he felt her resistance cave, he slanted his head and plunged his tongue into her mouth. Her response was immediate and passionate. Quickly learning, she met him head on. By the time they parted, they were both panting. His cock was harder than a fucking piece of granite and they’d only kissed.

  “I want to touch you,” Jared growled, driving his hips against her core.

  “No, I'm the one who’s gonna touch you.” Her eyes were wide with wonder as she traced his chest with her palms. Her innocent touch made his balls tighten up nearly inside his body.

  “You told me your name is Jake. You're here looking for your brother. You know Miss Kay—and you hate her.” Sparrow continued to rub circles on his chest, finding his nipples and brushing her thumbs back and forth over the tender peaks.

  Had he thought she would be so easy to play? She’d inferred quite a bit from his reaction to Kay. He would have to hold his cards closer from here on out. “Well, I guess you know everything now.”

  “What is your problem with Kay?”

  “We played this game before. You want something from me I want something from you.” Remembering the taste of her nipples, Jared let his gaze fall to that tiny white shirt.

  “Tell me why first.” Sparrow’s delicate fingers lifted to her rib cage and held on to the bottom of the tiny shirt, arms crossed, ready to yank it over her head. Her hips moved forward and back and the sensation of her crotch rubbing against the length of his cock was nearly enough to make him come undone.

  She was driving him wild, so he decided to give her what she thought she wanted to know. But he wouldn't tell her the truth. “I'm here because my brother made a deal with Kay, and now he is missing.”

  “What kind of deal?”

  “No, sweetheart, that's not our deal.” Jared dropped his gaze. If she didn’t take that shirt off right now, he was going to detonate. She yanked the sexy material off. His mouth went completely dry. Had he thought her breasts were sexy before? They were full, heavy, and her nipples were rock hard and begging for his mouth. “Lie down. Let me taste those pretty nipples again.”

  She lifted her hands, cupping their fullness as if in offering. “Tell me.”

  “If you don’t stop humping my dick, I’m going to cum in my pants.”

  She fell onto his chest. “Tell me what I want. What does he look like? What did he want from Kay?”

  Jared was having to fight harder to fabricate plausible lies—those tight little nipples were driving him crazy pressed against his own. Her entire body mimicked the movement of her hips as she rubbed up and down him, slow, sensual, and sizzling.

  “He told me he was coming here, but he never came back. I haven't been able to get in touch with him, and I think something bad might have happened.”

  Please don't stop. Just don't stop. She rewarded him by pressing her sweet lips to his, this time without an ounce of hesitation. Her tongue plunged into his mouth, her kiss demanding. There was no hint of awkwardness. His tigress.

  Where was this feeling of possessiveness coming from? He’d never kept a woman longer than one night, never thought of a woman as his…

  “Untie me. I've got to touch you.” Jared rasped, his oxygen all but gone.

  “I can't. I can't risk it.”

  “You can,” Jared commanded. But the little minx sat back, riding his cock, the rough material of her jean shorts pressing hard against his engorged flesh. “I told you what you wanted to know, now it's your turn. Take those shorts off.” He couldn't help the harsh authority in his voice this time. He was losing his mind, needing to touch her, to be inside her. Needing to take her.

  Sparrow stood up right there on the bed, her feet straddling his hips. She unsnapped the button, slowly slid the zipper down, and then hooked her thumbs into the top of the cut offs and slid them down her long lean legs, torturing him with every inch of flesh revealed. When her shorts were to her ankles, she kicked them off and stood proud and naked, except for her panties.

  They were white cotton with black lettering to match her barely-there top. There was a black arrow pointing straight at her crotch, and the words “Insert Slot B” were stamped across the top.

  Jesus fucking Christ.

  She dropped to her knees and straddled him again, falling forward onto her arms, her long, silky hair trailing across his chest. Her tight nipples and flushed skin spoke to her arousal as much as the small moans coming from her lips. He could just imagine how wet her panties would be, if only he could get his hands untied to touch her. Right this minute he'd be willing to say anything to get inside her.

  “I can't wait to touch you, to put my hands on you. Run my fingers through your hair. Hold your head to mine as I take your lips, and my kiss won't be gentle this time, Sparrow, it will be hard. I want to show you how a kiss should be.”

  Her eyes went even more heavy-lidded, but she still held herself aloft over him.

  “And when I'm through with your mouth, I'm going to cup your beautiful breasts. I'm going to squeeze them and roll your nipples between my fingers until you're moaning with pleasure.”

  She bucked against him, her tight nipples grazing his chest.

  “Show me Sparrow, cup yourself for me, let me imagine what my hands would look like on your soft skin.”

  Chapter 8

  Sparrow’s body was on fire, her skin so sensitive just the brush of his chest against her drove her wild. Never had she experienced so many sensations at one time. His voice rasped over her skin. Sexy. Commanding. Hot. She wanted so badly for him to touch her.

  It was like someone else had taken over her body. Some wanton. She sat back on her heels, savoring his hard length pressed against her panties. Unable to resist, although she didn't understand why, her hips rocked forward and back. The pressure was building in intensity with each movement.

  Unbidden, her fingertips grazed her thighs, skimmed her belly, and then cupped her breasts, squeezing them for the man beneath her. They felt heavy and swollen, aching for his touch.

  “That's it. Now pinch your nipples.” He locked his gaze on her, commanding her even as he was bound to her bed.

  Sparrow felt like she would die if she didn’t follow his instruction. She'd never touched herself before, never explored her own body or anyone else's. Following his lead, she took her thumb and finger and squeezed each nipple, pulling and twisting. Intense pleasure combined with pain pulled a sharp cry from her lips.

  “That's it sweetheart. That's it. Harder.”

  She tugged and didn't try to hold in her cry of pleasure. She watched, her lids heavy, as he yanked at the rope over his head, and right at that moment she would have given anything to feel him touching her. She knew instinctively that while her hands might feel good, his would drive her absolutely wild. “Hank.”

  “Free me.” She let her head fall back while riding his cock. Tension built inside her and she knew it had to lead to something, but she had no idea where.

  “God, I can feel how wet you are. You're soaking those panties. You need me to touch you. To take care of you. To give you sweet pleasure. All I need is one hand, Sparrow, that's it. Let me show you.”

  Sparrow was a woman possessed. She didn’t need to understand what wou
ld happen, she just knew he would take care of her. She rode him faster, moaning with each thrust and before she even realized what was happening, her hands were skimming up his huge arms and tangling in the rope.

  “Almost there, baby.”

  He bit down on her nipple and she cried out, bringer her hand back down to cup his head, her body buckling under the intense pleasure.

  When he released her, she wanted to weep. “Untie me and let me make you scream.”

  Her fingers shook so bad she couldn’t get a firm grip on the knot. Frustrated, she yanked, and the rough rope burned her flesh.

  What are you doing? Had she lost her mind? Suddenly she was just as desperate for release as he was.

  Her head dropped and she let her arms fall to her sides. She couldn't risk it, no matter how much her body screamed for his.

  “Get the knife and cut the goddamn rope.” He bucked beneath her, but instead of scaring her, it only made her hotter. Wetter.

  Squirrel had been right. He was too much for her. The sexual eminence flowing from his body controlled her. She wanted to do as he asked. She wanted what he could give her like she'd never wanted anything in her entire life.

  She knew what she had to do and she wanted to weep from despair. She reached over to the bedside table where Squirrel’s knife rested beside the two shot glasses, one laced with truth serum.

  “That's it baby, use the knife to cut the rope. I swear to God, I'll give you pleasure like you've never dreamed.” His raspy voice sent goose bumps racing across her flesh. Her heart tripped and her fingers fumbled over the handle of the Bowie knife.

  That's all that stood between her and ultimate pleasure. Or—her worst nightmare.

  Sparrow steeled herself and reached a little further, grabbing the bottle of whiskey and pouring a shot in each glass.

  She downed hers first, praying the liquid would give her courage to finish her task. She'd never in her life had a problem with being deceitful and devious, that's how she rolled—it was the only way to survive up here—but something about this man pulled at her soul and she found herself wanting to save him instead of use him.