Kiss Me Harder: Unbreakable Series

by Cole, Aja

  Oh.

  I don’t think I’ve ever had a hard-on so quickly. It fires me up knowing that this woman is becoming more comfortable with letting her walls down around me.

  It makes me feel like I’m not doing too badly after all.

  “You’ve given me two equally appealing choices there.” I sit on the end of the bed, holding out my hands to her. She walks forward, sliding her palms against mine.

  “I thought they were about even.”

  “Mmhm.” I tug her close and bury my face in her neck, breathing in her skin. “You ever sneak a boy in here?”

  “In this house? No, I valued my life.” She shakes her head, reminiscing. “Viera was like my mom; they both have eyes in the back of their head, I swear. I would’ve thought I was getting away with something for all of ten seconds.”

  “The way your family tells it, you were a troublemaker with them.”

  She rolls her eyes, huffing out a laugh. “I wasn’t a deviant or anything. I just…liked a little freedom.”

  “So, I’m the first guy you’ve had here?”

  “Maybe I’ve brought multiple guys over once I got past eighteen.” She releases my hands and starts to play with the hair at the nape of my neck.

  “Nah, I’m your first.” Pressing kisses down her neck and across the top of her chest, I sink my teeth into the soft swell of her breast, pushing aside the scoop neck of her shirt with my nose.

  “I’m supposed to be in charge here, I thought.” She doesn’t move away from my touch and the words sound pretty weak to my ears.

  But I’ll be good.

  “You’re right.” I pull back, smacking one last kiss on her lips. “I’m at your mercy.”

  “I think I could get used to hearing that.” A teasing glint in her eyes, she backs away, unsnapping the button on her jeans and shimmying out of them.

  “This is what I wanna get used to.” I murmur, as she strips off her shirt, bra, and panties. She gathers her hair loosely around itself in a bun and secures it with a tie. My skin is heated just looking at her, all smooth brown skin and strength. It’s deeper than lust now, and I don’t how long it’s been that way, but I welcome the feeling.

  “Come on, Sir, I’m going to wash you and then I’m going to rub you down,” She bends over me so that her lips are just barely against mine, “Nice…” She lightly licks my lips, “and slow.”

  Fuck.

  29

  Naja

  It feels like there’s something in the air tonight, and I’ve caught it bad. The heat between Elias and I is hot enough that if the water were freezing cold, I don’t think I’d feel it.

  I wash him with my hands and a sponge, slipping and sliding along his tanned skin, lost in watching the suds collect in the dips of his abs and the vee of his hips. I trace the curves of his biceps and the jut of his well-developed shoulders, caressing the sexy veins in his forearms as I’m tickled by the hair on his muscled thighs and calves. Washing him is intimate in a way I’ve never experienced with anyone…and I think I might love it.

  Just thinking of touching every inch of his body this way again, after this shower, is enough to send my pulse skyrocketing into orbit and keep it there.

  For his part, he watches my every move with dark eyes, the look on his face simultaneously tortured and full of arousal.

  When he doesn’t speak and I still feel exactly what he would say, I’m aware of how deep this connection we have runs.

  I wash myself quickly and pull both of us under the spray, rinsing off and securing a towel around my body. With another, I pat his skin dry gently, taking care that there’s no drop left behind. Taking his hand, I pull him to the bedroom and push him down on the bed, motioning for him to turn onto his stomach.

  I switch off the lights, the glow from the lights outside enough to let me see his body. I don’t need full vision anyway; I want to feel him and learn his body completely with my hands.

  If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be in this house, with any man, I would’ve laughed. It’s a part of my life that I guard closely, and now Elias is a part of it too.

  This is for him…but it’s also for me. Not just because he’s a walking sex dream, but because I need to show him everything I’m feeling but am not ready to voice. I just need a little more time to sort myself out before I tell him something that I might not mean the way I should.

  It would be cruel of me to do it any other way. Pumping a small bit of lotion into my hands, I warm it between them before I lay my palms on his back, gently kneading his skin and massaging my way over his strong back. At his shoulders, I dig into the knots, squeezing my thighs when soft groans escape him, but putting my own arousal aside for now.

  I want to cater to him. Over the next hour, I don’t leave a single inch of his skin untouched by me. I take my time, lingering at the spots that make him groan the most, my lust ratcheting up with each one. I’m a wet mess by the time I’ve finished thoroughly massaging his front, avoiding more prominent displays of just how much he’s enjoying my touch.

  Eyes heavy-lidded in the dim light, he’s been biting his lips and I can’t resist leaning forward and sinking my teeth into his bottom one.

  It’s like a switch goes off.

  He drags me over his body, banding his arms around me and growling into my mouth. Like some helpless damsel, I clutch at his skin for any hold I can get, clinging to him in the darkness and not willing to let go. Lips keep finding each other and he rolls me, yanking my leg up around his hip, pressing his hot, thick erection around me and I’m so ready.

  I was ready for him the moment I started stripping my clothes off, hell, the moment he asked about staying over.

  It’s been too long.

  My head drops back when his wide cockhead presses against my heat, and he pushes through my rippling walls like a knife on butter. Sweat slicks both of us and I dig my fingers into his skin, gripping him with my thighs and meeting his every stroke.

  He pumps sure and deep, groaning and whispering hot words into my ear that don’t even fully register. All I know is that everything he does, his kisses, his touches, the way he drives into my body like he owns it—I never want it to end.

  Fusing our mouths together, he suddenly stops, dropping on his forearms to the bed, caging me with his size.

  “You’re so damn stunning,” he whispers against my lips. “So strong.”

  Stroking a large hand over my cheek, he presses another reverent kiss to my mouth that makes tears spring to my eyes. “So damn sweet.”

  I’ve never felt this cherished before, and it is a feeling that fills my soul to capacity.

  “So are you,” I breathe into the small space between us. “Everything and more.”

  He begins to move again, in slow, intoxicating drags that master my body and heart, the words he’s whispering in my ear this time completely clear.

  He punctuates each thrust with something that he loves about me, and by the time we fall over the cliff-edge together, the words are poised on my lips…but they’re stuck.

  So I whisper them in my head and pray I’m not so damaged that I can’t give him what he deserves.

  I love you.

  I love you.

  I love you.

  30

  Elias

  I wake up before Naja does, and the distinct smells of sizzling bacon and sweet cinnamon are hard to ignore. My stomach growls, but it takes a backseat to everything else right now.

  I don’t know if Naja realized that she told me she loves me. She cuddled up next to me after sex and we talked about small things, lighthearted things. I told her about my parents. She shared stories from when she was younger, and anecdotes about her team before she drifted off into sleep.

  But she never mentioned or referenced her telling me she loves me. She’s been so hesitant about saying anything that could be taken that way explicitly, and I’ve always heard not to take things seriously said during sex.

  Part of me wants to not say
anything and just hold the words close to me silently, not give her the opportunity to tell me she didn’t mean them that way.

  If the guys could hear my thoughts right now, they’d laugh in my face.

  I’m not going to bring it up. If she meant it, I’m sure she’ll say it again…and we can go from there. That seems like the safest and most non-pathetic way to go about things.

  There’s a light knock on the door, and I make sure the essentials are covered. Viera pokes her head in, telling me that breakfast is ready and that we’ve got fifteen minutes to get to the table. I take a few minutes to brush my teeth and take a super quick shower so Naja can jump in.

  “Good morning.” I stroke a finger down her face after I shake her awake, relaying Viera’s instructions. I’m waiting for her when she eventually leaves the bathroom, yawning and still half-sleep.

  “Morning,” she half-whispers, her voice throaty and coated with sleep. I tug her close to me and bury my face in her neck, something that’s becoming a favorite of mine. “I wish we could just stay here,” she says quietly.

  I pull back, searching her face. “We’re close to wrapping things up. Soon you’ll be back with Camille and you can start something new.”

  “We can’t see everything coming,” she muses. “There’s just something in me today that wishes I could forget the outside world exists and just stay here. With you. With Camille. Bring my family here and…forget about finding answers. I’ve never wanted that before.” She spears me with eyes that are troubled. “Answers for my team, for me, for my daughter…for the first time, I don’t care. I just want…” She shakes her head. “I just want to hold onto this, and I feel it slipping away.”

  “Hey, nothing is slipping away. This is temporary. We’re all closer to answers than we ever have been. You don’t have to choose.”

  “Don’t I?” she questions, eyes dark, and I know she’s not just talking about choosing between staying or going.

  “I wouldn’t ask that of you.” I stand, restless suddenly. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, I take her hand. “We have a six-hour drive to talk about everything we need to. For now, this is all we need to worry about. Yeah?”

  “Yeah.” She squeezes my hand, but I know she doesn’t let the thoughts go. I watch her through breakfast and through saying our goodbyes, feeling that she’s off-kilter and knowing there’s nothing I can do about it.

  “Kiss me, Mommy!” Cami says, her curly puff-balls shaking as she toddles over to Naja at the door.

  Naja kneels and holds her tight, talking close to her so I can’t make out what she’s saying. I see her smile waver before she smooths her face, scooping Cami in her arms.

  “Kiss, Eli!” She makes grabby hand motions and I lean down dutifully for her to place a sloppy kiss on my cheek. She’s the sweetest kid, and I hope I get a chance to spend more time with her when this is over.

  With both of them. Things feel up in the air right now, and I can only wait for our drive to really get into the thick of what’s going through Naja’s head.

  Only we don’t get a chance to hash everything out.

  When thirty minutes into the drive, both of our phones start ringing at the same time, I’m disappointed but not surprised. There’s more to think about still, than us.

  We’ll have our time.

  “Hey, lovebirds, how’s my godchild?” Bali sounds like she’s out of breath, and when I answer my phone and Hayes is yelling something unintelligible, I get the feeling that we’ve left peace and quiet behind.

  31

  Naja

  “And you’ve never seen them before?” I watch the hotel security footage of the men who went into the senator’s hotel room and waited for her, not knowing she wouldn’t be alone.

  The rest of the way back, Bali filled us in on what went down that morning, and then I got filled in on everything they’d talked about before we left to visit Cami.

  My blood boiled when they told me about Christopher. In my heart, I knew it would be something…something senseless. Something greedy.

  The more I learn, the more I hear, the more exhausted I feel. I just want a life again. A life that’s not driven by this. I feel stuck, but I can’t just abandon it because it’s not just about my feelings. I’ve lived in this world of finding answers and putting pieces together, and this is the final piece of the puzzle that’s plagued me for the past two years of my life.

  When did it stop being what I needed to wake up in the morning? When did it stop mattering as much?

  You know when.

  I watch Elias out of the corner of my eye as Tori is talking.

  He really does it for me. He can go from sweet to sensual so quickly. He’s not an asshole. He’s extremely intelligent. He cares about family. He’s fierce when he’s fighting for his beliefs. He has a big heart. He has a big…

  Warmth runs through my veins and I suppress a shiver, focusing again.

  “Never. I don’t know what I would’ve done if Bali hadn’t been there. I think they were a lot meaner than you all.” Tori’s hands are still shaking around her glass of water, and I honestly feel bad for the woman because she’s been through quite a bit at the hands of others lately.

  Our bad.

  “You’d be dead,” Elias says grimly, coming over to us and motioning everyone over. “They’re ghosts, but Kane matched some facial recognition from a few years back. Give you one guess on who they work for.”

  “Should’ve just killed Nathan Lewis when we had the chance,” Trevor grumbles. “But no, we got rules and shit. Minimal rules, but still.”

  “Actually, you’re wrong. It’s our friendly older brother, Christopher,” Roan corrects.

  “Why the hell would Christopher go after Tori? She’s got nothing to do with his brother or our team aside from us thinking she was behind it.”

  “Bingo. If he knows they weren’t successful at making it look like she’s behind it all, then she’s a loose end. She knows, we know, and somehow—so does he,” Bali points out.

  “Well nobody in this room is talking to him, so how the fuck would he know a damned thing? No one knows who we are, and no one outside this room knows we’re close.”

  Hayes makes a sound and we all swing to him, watching him rub a hand over the back of his neck.

  “Someone outside this room does know.” He winces.

  “Who?” Kane barks.

  “Nobody untrustworthy; I’m not an idiot. The director called asking for an update yesterday. That’s all.”

  My eyes slide to watch Elias as he frowns and turns away. I walk to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

  “Elias, you said she’s a friend of your family and a mentor…is there any possibility that she slipped up?”

  His face shutters and his jaw tightens. “I wish I could say for sure that she wouldn’t, but I…I don’t know. Maybe she trusted the wrong person.”

  “Call her. There’s probably a reason she called Hayes and not you, right?” Roan suggests.

  “You are her favorite child,” Hayes adds. “I thought it was odd, but she is my boss so I didn’t question it too much. I told her almost everything too.” He grimaces. “I’ll feel like shit if this is on me.”

  “It’s not on you, regardless.” Elias pulls out his phone, sitting on the edge of one of the beds and putting it on speaker as it dials. “Guess we’re about to find out.”

  “Elias, I was just about to step out. Do you need something?”

  “Nothing important; just wanted to call with some updates since we haven’t spoken in a few days.”

  “Oh, wonderful. I was wondering when someone was going to take me out of the dark.” She laughs.

  He shares a look with Hayes, who drops his head. Why wouldn’t she think that he would share with Elias that he’d spoken with her? He must be asking the same question, because he follows up with that.

  “Have you spoken to Hayes?” He pauses, and it feels like the rest of us are waiting with bated breath. If she lies on this d
irect question again, she’s definitely the leak.

  “No, I was under the impression that he was taking a few days off, actually.”

  It’s a bald-faced lie, and a stupid one at that. She must think they’re not together. But why? What would she have to gain from sharing information with Christopher?

  God, there are too many layers to this and I know Elias is wondering what the hell is going on too. I can barely keep everything straight my damn self.

  She has to know that Elias knows she’s lying, which means that she’s going to burn him after this. The thunderous look on his face and his fist clenched tells me that he knows it too. I slide a hand on top of his, somehow hoping I can infuse him with a little belief that we’ll work all this out and then we’ll be finished.

  The director is just one more hurdle to jump.

  “Got it. Well, there’s not much to update. We’re wrapping things up actually, all of our trails have gone cold and they’ve decided it’s time to move on. I’m thinking the same.” To his credit, his voice doesn’t reflect any of the anger that I’m looking at.

  “Oh wow, that is news. It’s probably for the best.” There’s a sound in the background. “I have to go, but call me if anything changes.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” The phone clicks off and, for a second, I think he’s going to throw it across the room.

  None of us would blame him.

  “She’s dirty, but I can’t figure out why or how,” Hayes breathes. “She’s obviously lying.”

  “Doesn’t matter why, just that she can’t be trusted anymore.” Elias exhales. “Alright, so let’s assume that Christopher now knows everything that Hayes told the director. That means he knows that your team isn’t dead, he knows that we’re not looking at Victoria for any of it, and he knows we know about him, Vincent, and their connection to Nathan Lewis.”