Sarah’s eyes never waver from mine as she lowers her body down to kiss me before dangling her breasts in my face. I kiss the silky soft skin tenderly, tracing the deep star-shaped scar on her side with my tongue, marking over it with better memories. I kiss to her nipple, sucking it deep into my mouth, teasing her with swirls of my tongue all around her breast. I trace down her curves with my hand, tracing her ass and delighting at her gasp.
I know that Sarah could probably use a few visits to a good head doctor. The hell she went through can’t be cured through a ‘kidnapping’ and a vacation in upstate New York. I’ve held her safe and given her space when she’s woken up from nightmares or gone into reflective funks. But it’s here in bed, I think, that lets her heal the most. I give her what she needs, showing her that there’s more than just anger and violence in a relationship. “Show me, baby. Show me how good you want to feel.”
Sarah smiles and throws her hair back over her shoulder in a dark wave that makes my cock twitch as she lifts herself up. Reaching down, she spreads the lips of her pussy to show me just how wet she is as she positions herself. I watch, my eyes widening as a glistening droplet of her moisture drips from her pussy to fall on the head of my cock, disappearing into the shiny wetness already there.
She lowers herself onto my cock, and I smile as she mewls and arches her hips, taking what she needs. With Sarah, I never tease, never do anything but give her what she wants. Reaching down, I place my thumb over the shiny pearl of her clit as she works to take me in deep, inch by inch.
“Oh, fuck,” Sarah gasps. She reaches down with her right hand, and I interweave our fingers, locking her hand against my chest. Sarah stills for a moment, just relishing the feeling of fullness as she adjusts to my size. After a moment, she grinds against me, my steely hard cock surrounded by the heat of her tight pussy all the way to the base. “Fuck, Ry, I need you . . . to move.”
As Sarah rides me, I oblige, thrusting up into her as she rolls her hips, holding our thrust for a moment at the point where she’s completely full before we do it all over again. Sarah’s hips roll to meet me every time, welcoming me in as she squeezes, milking me. She cries out, and I know she’s close, so I start moving my thumb to strum her clit in time with our strokes. Her fingers tighten on my chest, scratching the skin, but I don’t care, as she cries out again. Her body detonates as shudders rack her from head to toe, the spasms triggering my own orgasm, and I fill her with my seed.
Sarah collapses onto my chest, her head smacking my shoulder, but I barely feel it as I hold her, letting her settle completely on top of me, pulling my free hand out to wrap around her and hold her safe and warm as my cock stays buried inside her and our hearts slow. Sarah breathes heavily into my ear before chuckling dreamily. “I was right. This is definitely a good morning.”
I turn my head to peek at her, memorizing her mussed hair, rosy cheeks, and satisfied, amused smile. “And as long as you want it, I’ll say good morning with you like this every damn day.”
The clock picks that minute to switch on, a local radio show turning on. “The Hot 102.5! Playing the hits that get your morning going!”
Sarah grumbles and turns her head, smacking my clock radio. “I wish we didn’t have to come back to that.”
“I’ll talk with my boss,” I joke, taking the opportunity to nuzzle and nibble on a delectable ear. “Maybe I can get a pay raise enough to afford one of those newfangled clock radios that’ll play MP3s.”
Sarah laughs, sighing happily as I lick her earlobe before turning her head back and kissing my lips. “Speaking of the boss, isn’t your brother supposed to be here soon?”
I grumble. She’s right. Still, the feeling of her body pressed against mine is tempting. If it weren’t that Marcus has the keys and codes to my penthouse and probably still hasn’t broken his habit of just walking in whenever he’s expected, I’d be tempted to go another round with Sarah. I mean, until about two weeks ago, this was his home too. Still, to have a whole morning of wanton frolicking with Sarah . . .
She sees the frustration in my eyes and smiles. “Don’t worry. Rygirl is still right here for you, and you can have me all you want later. Go grab a shower. I’ll go get the coffee going.”
I pull her down, kissing her forehead tenderly. “I know Marcus is gonna be here soon, so okay. I need to shower, but still, I just want to stay here with you.”
Sarah giggles and climbs off me, giving me the chilling and erotic sight of her scarred back and amazing ass. I’ve spent hours over the past week kissing each of those scars, but it’ll be a long time before I can heal the pain. Still, the look she gives me as she sashays over to the hook on the back of the bedroom door and gets the long, purple silk robe I bought her reassures me. “Go get cleaned up, and I’ll start the coffee.”
She leaves the bedroom, and I get out of bed, heading to the bathroom with a huge grin on my face. She thinks she’s lucky, but I’m one lucky man.
Chapter 17
Sarah
Padding to the kitchen as I tighten the belt on my robe, I make a beeline for the coffee machine. While Ryker might not be a great cook, he’s compensated with the best technology money can buy. And a coffee machine that freshly grinds the beans before making some of the best stuff you’ll find outside a coffee house? Perfect. Caffeine, quickly and in mass quantities, coming right up.
I hit the button on the machine, deciding to go with the Honduran blend today. Leaning back against the counter, I look around at the penthouse. I can’t believe I’m here, safe and happy. Sure, Ryker’s penthouse is luxurious, but that means nothing to me. I don’t mean to be ungrateful, but I had that at Jacob’s place. Luxury doesn’t matter to me. We could be back in that broken-down warehouse that Ryker used as a safe house. As long as I have him, I’m happy.
The coffee machine beeps while Ryker’s still in the shower, and I pour myself a steaming cup. Reaching across, I grab the sugar and add in two big spoonfuls, the perfect amount for me, before sipping and sighing deeply as the delicious brew immediately finishes waking me up. Morning sex with Ryker is . . . well, all sex with Ryker is fabulous, but I also tend to get worn out and want to go back to sleep because it’s so dreamy. But not with this stuff.
The doorbell rings and I set down my cup. I head into the foyer by the elevator, checking the video camera feed, and I see that it’s Marcus, along with a woman. I chuckle. No wonder Marcus used the doorbell. I thumb the intercom. “Come on in, guys.”
A minute later, the front door opens and Marcus comes in. With him is Kendra, a feisty sparkplug of a woman whom I met the very first night that Ryker kidnapped me from Jacob. At first, I was unsure about her. She seemed to be enmeshed in Ryker’s world so well, and she is a beautiful, albeit deadly, woman. With tattoos covering her right arm, brown hair done up in twin braids, and a strong jawline, I thought I’d be put off by her sometimes rough around the edges demeanor. Instead, I’ve enjoyed the times she and I have been able to talk, limited though it might be. “Someone’s got a freshly fucked look on their face.”
Marcus looks aghast at Kendra’s greeting, but I have to chuckle, smiling. “What can I say? It’s damn good coffee,” I joke back, raising my mug in a toast. “What do you say, Kendra? Want a little cream with your sugar?”
Kendra laughs and spins around one of the dining table chairs, sitting down and leaning against the low back casually. “No thanks. I like my coffee like way I like my men.”
“You mean any way you can get it?” Marcus jokes. It’s another thing I like about Marcus’s evolution—he’s growing more comfortable with showing both sides of his personality. Inside, he’s still the thoughtful guy who helped take care of me when Ryker was out taking care of business, but he never would have let Kendra joke with me before, or have joked back with her. Before now, he was Ryker’s right-hand man, kicking ass and taking names and holding the line. Now, he’s developing into . . . more.
Kendra turns a light shade of pink but doesn’t say anything. Sh
e’s lower in rank within the gang, even if I suspect she’s quickly climbing the ranks.
“Hey, you eaten yet?”
“Nope, but I appreciate the coffee,” Kendra says, getting up and walking into the kitchen like she owns the place to grab a mug, obviously remembering where they’re kept. I remember our first real conversation, where she bluntly told me that she’d never slept with Ryker, had no designs on him whatsoever, and good luck with that. She’d raised a finger with each of her list of items like they were bullet points and then turned her hand to flip me off. I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or offended at the time, but ultimately, it’s made it more comfortable for us to be friendly.
Marcus grabs a mug of coffee as well, and we settle into the living room. “How’re you doing? Everything okay since you guys got back?”
I can tell he wants to ask so much more, but he’s trying to be tactful. It’s another of my favorite things about Marcus. He can be sweet, kind, even a bit quiet in private, but I’ve seen him in action, too. When shit needs to get done, he turns it on and is a dominant badass who demands respect from his crew. It’s fun and more than a little entertaining to watch him switch between personas. It reminds me of acting when I’d have to get into character. But for Marcus, it’s not fake or acting, just two sides of the same coin. As he develops, I’m curious to see if the two sides blend more or if he keeps them separate, keeping his sweet side hidden in favor of being the new hardass boss in town.
“I’m good. Actually, I’m great. I’ve got another meeting with the police today.”
“You going to talk to the cops?” Kendra interrupts, surprised. “No offense, but I wouldn’t go into Police Plaza without being unconscious or dead.”
“Relax,” I reply, smiling. “Ryker’s going with me, and I’m not expecting it to be anything more than a formality. They’ll have to leave Jacob’s case open, of course, but nobody’s talking. Also, this afternoon, a lawyer’s going to come by to talk about Jacob’s will. I don’t really give a shit about anything of his, but I am the listed next of kin. Jacob had no heirs.”
Marcus nods in acceptance. “Good, good. Let me know if you need a guy for the money management. I know someone. He’s clean and everything, but talented at making your money work for you.”
“Thanks. I’m just gonna see what the lawyer says and go from there. I don’t even know what all Jacob had other than the house. I mean, you guys blew up his restaurants.”
I feel Ryker walk in behind me, his presence filling the space as he offers a handshake-hug combination to Marcus. He sits down, close but not crowding me, letting me always know that I’m safe. “I think it was the best bit of urban renewal this city’s done in twenty years. Actually, Marcus, do me a favor. Arrange a car and driver for going down to talk to the cops. I just want to relax today.”
Marcus laughs. “Yeah, I can do that. Think of it as a retirement gift.”
Ryker shifts to all business. Kendra brings him a cup of coffee, and he takes a sip, giving me a thankful nod. Somehow, he knew. “Okay, so enough with the pleasantries. Let’s talk this through. How do you want to handle this?”
Kendra interrupts, her eyes flashing between Ryker and me. “Ryker, no offense, but are you sure about this? Are you really ready to give up everything you worked for?”
Ryker strokes my hand, reassuring me before he says anything. “Kendra, I did exactly what I always planned on doing, delivering justice to the man who killed my father. Yes, I planned on running this city after that, but plans change. Marcus is the man for that job, and I have other things to consider now.”
“Did you make him do all of this?” Kendra asks me in her usual blunt manner. “Some kind of pussy magic?”
“Kendra, I didn’t force Ryker. He wanted out of the life, and after what Jacob was like . . . well, let’s just say I wish all of you were out of the life. But I understand the reality of things. So Ryker and I are making a choice for ourselves.”
Kendra looks at Marcus, who gives her a look that makes me wonder. Nah, couldn’t be. She doesn’t seem to see it though. “You know, I back Marcus all the way. Just making sure. And Sarah, you’re all right. Probably the closest thing I have to a girlfriend, but don’t be calling me for shopping and shit, ‘kay? You might be just fine rolling in a silk robe, but I’m a bit more rugged. I don’t even have a pair of high heels.”
“Thanks, Kendra, and don’t knock a silk robe till you’ve curled up in one. Maybe I’ll get you one and then you’ll see for yourself. Seriously, though, I appreciate that you’ve always had Ryker’s and Marcus’s backs and aren’t the least bit scared to call them on their shit. So do me a favor.”
“What’s that?” Kendra asks. “Frappes and manicures?”
I laugh, shaking my head. “No, I want you to keep checking on Marcus and watching his back.”
“Now that’s something I can do.”
Chapter 18
Ryker
After breakfast, Marcus and I go down to my basement gym. I’ve used a lot of crummy, dirty ‘dungeons’ in my time, but I have to admit that having my own gym in the basement of this building has been a pampering I like.
As I roll out my shoulders, Marcus gets right to the point. “All right, Ryker, I know you said you needed a vacation, and I understood. I didn’t call you except for big issues the whole week you were up in Niagara or wherever the hell it was you guys went.”
I laugh lightly. We didn’t get anywhere near Niagara Falls. Just me, Sarah, and a cabin in the woods overlooking a lake. “Which I appreciate.”
“Good, but you know I need you here now, right? We’ve got to establish our control. It’s only been a few weeks since you killed Waters.”
I cross the room to the wall of ‘accessories’ that I like to use and select a set of medium-intensity resistance bands. They’re good for warming up, and I want to work my back today. “I know. But this transition needs to happen as rapidly as possible, Marcus. I’m getting out of the life. Sarah is my priority now.”
Marcus gives me a questioning look, waiting while I do my shoulder exercises, the whole time looking uncertain even after I just told Kendra the same thing. “You’re really doing this, giving up everything for her after working so hard for years? I know you keep saying it, but damn, part of me still doesn’t believe it. Or maybe I just don’t want to.”
I think back over the years, fighting for every scrap until I could make a name for myself, the nightmares after my early jobs when my stomach would roll with what I’d had to do, earning respect bit by bit as I proved myself to the crews on the ground in this city. No one thought I had what it took. I started from there, fighting my way up and making a name for myself. Yes, the last few years have been better, controlling and strategizing from the top of the hierarchy as boss, but it still comes at a price—one I’m no longer willing to pay.
Instead of explaining all of this to Marcus, I go over to the pullup bar, clipping the band to the post between my feet before grabbing the bar overhead, making each pull harder as I go up. I shake out my arms again and reply. “Yep, she’s it, the one and only for me. I told you when it all happened that she’s more important than anything. Except maybe you, man. And regardless of what Jacob Waters may have been, Sarah’s not part of this world.”
“I can see that,” Marcus says, agreeing.
I start my first set of pull ups, going all the way up and down as I feel my muscles work. After ten, I let go and shake out. “You know better than anyone that I don’t do things half-assed, taking care of this city or loving her. I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do. The city’s yours, Marcus. Don’t fail it.”
Marcus hears my challenge and smirks, pulling off his shirt and rolling his own shoulders out. “Fail it, huh? Let’s see who fails first then. Alternating sets of eight?”
We go to it. Marcus has always been not only my little brother, but my biggest supporter and the person who pushes me to be the best I can be. At least until Sarah. We go back and forth,
the rules long established until we both fail at the same point, neither of us getting more than six reps on the last set. Leaning against the wall, Marcus chuckles. “I still say you cheated on that last one.”
“I’m a crook. Of course I cheated,” I joke back. “So, you feeling better about all of this?”
Marcus laughs, shrugging. “Holy shit, man, gimme a little time to let it sink in still. How you wanna do this then?”
I undo the band and head over to the bent-over row machine, sliding on plates until I’m sure I’m challenged. “Just like we talked about before my vacation. You’re gonna run the show, be the face, and I’ll be the man behind the curtain. You’ve been doing street-level lieutenant stuff for a while now, so it’s just a slight step up. Let everyone think I’m running it quietly for a while so it’s not like it’s happening so fast, but it’s all you. Your decisions, your rewards. And your consequences.”
“That I’ve got no problem with,” Marcus says as I start my first set of heavy rows. “But what about on the big level? All the bosses around town know you’re the king now, man. How are you going to get them to accept my word around here?”
“We’ll transition,” I reply, switching arms on my exercise. “Any meetings, we both go, so they get just as used to you as me. Then, once they all know you, I step back. By then, the word should be out that you’re the man in charge. Still, keep me in the loop so I know what’s going on, and we’ll transition as slowly as you need. You can keep me on as your ‘business consultant’, because I’ve always got your back if you need anything, brother. Deal?”
Marcus gestures with his hand, and I get out of the way so he can do his set. “Deal. So first up, the streets. They’ve been on lock now for two weeks, Ryker. I’m worried that if it goes much longer, the pressure cooker’s gonna get too much. Everyone knows our crew’s the control valve. I think we’re ready to roll back full-steam for the boys and the girls. Junkies are getting pretty fucking antsy, and I had to spot a few girls some cash to cover their bills for their kids.”
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