* * *
I don’t know how I had managed to disentangle myself from Charlie without waking him up, but I did. I wanted him to sleep in. Twice during the night, I woke up screaming from dreams of dark, ugly, tainted memories. In the end, Charlie had left the bedside lamp on and soothed me back to sleep, and now I felt guilty. Charlie shouldn’t have to deal with my drama. Why the hell couldn’t I just get over it and move on? When I was awake, I could acknowledge my fear would somewhat diminished in Charlie’s presence. I wasn’t as nervous and jumpy during the daylight hours, but as soon as darkness descended, so did the nightmares. After my attack I felt like I’d lost so much—my identity, my strength, my self-confidence—and Charlie was helping me get that back. But there were still many deep-rooted fears that had taken up residence in my heart: fear of being overpowered, of not being able to defend myself; fear that someone could so easily invade the safety of my home and hurt me. A fear I had never experienced before the attack and sometimes felt so thick and strong I thought it would suffocate me. I didn’t know to fix that.
Sipping my coffee in front of one of the large bay windows in the living room, I stared at the snowy mountains before me. Damn it was gorgeous up here; I couldn’t believe this was Charlie’s. The bachelor pad above Carter Constructions was more like the Charlie I knew before; this cozy and welcoming cottage was a new Charlie that I liked a lot. Heck, I loved a lot. The thought of Charlie’s burned down apartment and Jax’s burned out office made me cringe. My fault, I solemnly thought. A warm kiss pressed to my neck made me jump.
“Sorry, Betty Boop, didn’t mean to scare you,” Charlie said, kissing me gently on the top of my head again. When I turned to face him, I did a quick perusal of his fine form. He was wearing sweats that sat low on his hips and a tight fitted shirt, and his light brown hair had that just fucked look that he wore so well. Charlie smirked.
“You hungry? Cause you look like you wanna eat me.” I snorted, but didn’t say anything, because quite frankly, he was right. “Come on, we’re going to work-out together.”
I took his outstretched hand, but paused at the mention of working out. “Ummmm...say again?”
Charlie laughed. “Really, scared of a little exercise, Betty Boop?”
It was my turn to laugh. “No, not scared, I just prefer my exercise to be done on a bed, horizontally.” I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively at him. “Or vertically, against a wall, whatever works for you.”
“Damn, woman. Why does it suddenly feel like I’m the chick in this relationship and you’re the dude?”
I stood up and cupped him intimately. “You don’t feel like a chick to me.” I smiled seductively.
“Fuck me,” Charlie growled, before slamming his lips down on mine. He pulled away abruptly. “Fine, we exercise your way first, then my way.” He spun me around and pushed my chest over the back of the couch. His firm hands pulled my pajama bottoms down my hips and I carefully stepped out of them. “You have the sexiest ass, baby.” He stood behind me and took his time exploring my flesh, which was covered in goose-pimples, and not from the cold. It didn’t take long before I was wriggling with impatience. Charlie gave me a gentle slap on the ass and I stilled, giving him a sharp ‘what the fuck’ look over my shoulder. My rebellious protest was really feeble though, because I actually didn’t hate the slap. “Stop moving,” Charlie murmured as his hand pressed firmly against my spine, pushing me down even further. I could hear the rustle of clothing as his pants slide down his thighs and his feet moved between mine to kick my legs further apart. Deft fingers caressed my skin, sliding up and down the inside of my thighs, catching the outer edges of my feminine lips, but not actually hitting where I wanted them. Wiggling with impatience I pressed my ass back into Charlie’s groin and his long moan was mixed with a masculine chuckle. Without warning his fingers were suddenly in me, pushing in and out and my head fell forward as I let all my worries slip away and simply allowed myself to feel. The slow rhythm he set drew me closer and closer to orgasm, my legs shaking with the need to come. Just as I felt myself climbing that last steep rise that I would soon tip over, the bastard removed his fingers. Before I could mutter a single profanity, the rigid texture of his fingers was replaced by the warm wet heat of his tongue. The thought of him going down on me like this probably should have made me self-conscious, I was bared to him in such a vulnerable position, but when his lips sucked hard on my clit and he groaned a deep growl of satisfaction I could have cared less. Pushing back I silently begged him for more and he moaned low before pressing his tongue inside me, eating at me like a starved man. Just when I thought I couldn’t take any more, that my legs would crumble under the pressure of a hard orgasm, he was gone.
“Charlie!” I panted furiously, so close to climaxing.
“Fuck, you make me so hard, baby.”
He ignored my protest and pressed the solid length of his cock against the cleft of my ass as if to show me proof. His fingers were once again in my pussy and I almost purred out loud like a happy kitten. When his fingers left me this time, they were replaced with his cock, and as he entered me, we both groaned at the intimate contact. Charlie pulled back, his hardness almost slipping free of my entrance before he smoothly pushed forward again, riding me at a leisurely pace. His hands massaged my ass cheeks as I hung awkwardly over the back of the couch. His pace slowly became more frantic, and suddenly he pulled away from me—again! I was about to protest the loss, but before I could say a word, he nudged me toward one of the bay window seats and pushed me down on my knees. His hands found my wet core once more and I pushed back on his greedy fingers. They were quickly replaced with his hard cock as he slammed home—hard—almost pushing my head against the clear glass in front of me. I barely noticed the breathtaking snow-capped mountains as Charlie took my breath away with his greedy, long, sure strokes. I felt the solid heat of his chest as he leaned over me, licking and kissing a trail up my spine to my neck.
“You feel so fucking incredible Betty Boop—so hot and wet—I can barely stop myself from coming the second I get inside you.”
His words sparked a light within me that pushed me towards orgasm. He gripped my shoulders and pulled me back to meet his hips that that were now thrusting harder, faster.
“Sexiest fucking woman I have ever seen. I can’t keep my hands off you.”
“Charlieeeee,” I moaned loudly.
“Yeah, baby, I’m right there with you.”
He reached around and cupped my breasts, squeezing and pinching my nipples before his hand ran the length of my body to find its way between my legs. He began to stroke my clit. His chest pressed against my back as his free hand wrapped itself possessively around my neck. There was no pressure in his hold, nothing for me to be scared of—it was covetous and tender, and it made me feel like the most treasured woman alive. He began to thrust even harder, but he didn’t break our close contact, and when he finally growled loudly on a hard urgent thrust, I screamed his name wantonly. There was no one around to hear the sounds of our desperate love making, so I could scream until the rafters collapsed.
Charlie lifted himself from my back and slowly pulled away, his hands still caressing my body as if he was reluctant to part with me. I stood on shaky legs and turned to face him. His cheeks were flushed with the exertion of our lovemaking and sweat glistened on his perfectly sculpted chest and abs.
“I like working out your way,” he murmured as he leaned down to kiss me hard.
“We could just do this all day rather than try your idea of exercise,” I suggested.
Charlie grinned. “How about we do a little exercise my way, then I can lay you over the bench press and fuck you till you can’t walk anymore?”
I considered that for a moment. “There are some parts to that plan that I am very much on board with, however, your version of exercise worries me a little. I’m not sure I can keep up.”
Charlie spun me around to face the stairs. “I promise to easy on you, for the exercise part a
nyway,” he patted me on the ass. “Go clean up and get back down here. I am but a mere man, I need a few minutes to recover before I can have you screaming my name again. A good run should have me ready to go in no time.”
***
Dressed, sated, and looking a little well-fucked, as Ella would say, I met Charlie in the kitchen.
“Right, now that we got that out of our system, let’s see if you can kick my ass.”
In the basement, that I didn’t know existed, Charlie had the ample space decked out like a small gym. A weight bench sat on one side of the room, a punching bag was in the center, and a treadmill was on the other side. Taking pity on my out-of-shape condition, Charlie situated me on the treadmill, starting me out at a steady walk that eventually moved into a steady jog. When I say steady, I mean flat-out trying to kill me. By the time the machine slowed back to a walk, then eventually stopped, I was breathing like a woman with an unhealthy does of emphysema and losing more moisture than a shower stall. Charlie led me through some basic self-defense maneuvers and eventually I gave him a ruthless shove and collapsed on the ground. We had been working away in his make-shift gym for almost two hours and I was done. This was officially a record for Rebecca Donovan: the only exercise I have ever allowed to continue this long was sex. Laying in a boneless heap on the floor, Charlie laughed as he wiped his face down with a towel.
“You did good, Betty Boop. Long way away from kicking my ass, but you made a valiant effort which deserves a reward.” I pulled my limp, jelly arms away from my face, and looked up at the wicked man that stood above me.
“Reward?” I smiled and his lazy grin became sinfully hot.
“Shame I can’t move.” I breathed heavily.
Charlie winked. “You don’t need to move.”
A trickle of sweat fell down my forehead, reminding me that I was a stinky, perspiring mess right now. “You’re not touching me till I’ve showered,” I said sternly. Shit, the determined look on Charlie’s face had me both slightly worried and a little excited. “Uh-huh, no way. I can barely stand the smell of myself and you’re all sweaty.”
“You know, this is the second time you’ve suggested you have a problem with my perspiration. Let me get this straight, it’s okay if it’s in the bedroom, but not in the gym?” He raised a brow.
“Not just in the bedroom. The living room is okay, too, or the bathroom, laundry room, maybe the kitchen, but not on the table, island, or counter because that’s just unsanitary. But, yeah, sex sweat is okay, gym sweat is gross.”
Charlie laughed loudly. “You do know it comes from the same place within our body, right?” he teased, with that wicked grin of his. Just when I had my snappy retort ready, our playfulness was interrupted by the sound of my cell phone. Worried it might be Emily, I scrambled to get it. The caller ID showed an unknown number, which meant it could very well be my sister.
“Hello?” I asked, having regained some composure following Charlie’s mischievous smile.
“Sweetheart,” a man’s voice drawled, “have you missed me?” An immediate chill swept through my body. I opened my mouth to answer, but nothing came out. The room around me narrowed and my heart echoed loudly in my ears. “I’ve missed you and that hot cunt of yours. Emily is pretty fucking tasty, but she’s a little too used for my liking. You’re fresh meat. Hot, juicy, fresh pussy.” He smacked his lips together and I lurched forward, holding the wall to steady myself.
“Who the fuck are you?” My voice didn’t waver and my fear was quickly replaced with anger. “And where the fuck is my sister?”
Chapter 18
Charlie
One more minute, that’s all I would have needed, and Rebecca would have been stripped bare and beneath me. I was surprised her phone actually worked out here; coverage at the cabin was patchy at best. As I began putting away the few light weights we had used, I glanced in Rebecca’s direction. Her face was pale and sickly looking and she seemed to waver for a moment. I stood slowly, watching her carefully as she held the phone to her ear. When she demanded to know who was calling and where her sister was, I knew immediately who was on the other end. I was by her side in a second and snatched the phone from her hand. Rebecca’s eyes flamed with fury, and when she tried to wrestle the phone back from me, I caught her hand and pressed it against my chest, leaning in close so she could hear, too.
“You are either really brave, or really fucking stupid to call this number,” I said with more composure than I felt. My words were met with a low snicker.
“Charlie Cole,” an unfamiliar voice crooned with amusement. I was surprised the fucker knew my name, but I played it cool, not wanting him to know he had caught me unawares.
“A little unfair that you know my name and I don’t know yours, don’t you think?” I knew who it was. The air of arrogance and entitlement in his voice assured me that it was William Levier. From what I had learned of Jonas Levier I couldn’t imagine him stooping so low as to play games with threatening phone calls. I’m sure he would have minions do shit like that for him. William, on the other hand, was an insignificant piece of shit with daddy issues, trying to make his own way in the world, and was failing miserably. He didn’t offer me his name as he rambled on with a voice full of conceit.
“I would have forgotten all about this little situation and be happily at home fucking some whore if it weren’t for your dogs.”
I wasn’t exactly sure what the fucker was talking about, but I assumed my dogs were Dillon and Braiden, so I decided to take a chance and play along. “You shouldn’t have touched Rebecca. Then you wouldn’t have had to worry about my dogs.”
The asshole chuckled again. “Well, then I wouldn’t have had the enjoyment of being buried knuckle deep in your woman.”
Anger bled into my body, the need to hit this fucker causing my grip on Rebecca’s to clench a little tighter. Taking a deep breath, like I had been trained to do in anger management sessions with David, I curbed my need for violence. “I’m going to give you fair warning now, fucker. Get out of Claymont. I won’t ask you again. If you don’t leave in the next twenty-four hours and stay the fuck away from my woman, you will be hunted and gutted, just like the worthless piece of shit you are.” He laughed again and I wanted nothing more than to have the asshole in front of me. I wanted to wrap my hands around his neck until the fucking thing snapped off.
“Firstly, Mr. Cole, you do not want to threaten me. If your dogs have done their work, then they know who I am, which means they know who my father is. Secondly, I have no intention of staying in this hell hole of a town, but I’m not leaving till I have what I came for.” Rebecca’s head rested against my chest and I held her close. “Half a million. I know property value, Mr. Cole, and I know your woman’s property is worth at least that, so transferring the deed over to me will cover it. I will have someone call back at this number within the next hour for a time and location to meet with me and my lawyer. If I don’t get what I want, I will take Rebecca as payment and put her to work in one of my father’s clubs—even though she’s much older than we like our girls, I’m sure she’ll put up a good fight for one of our clients—and she can earn me every fucking cent of that money. You would be surprised at the number of men that like a girl who fights back—I have no doubt a red hot innocent like your girl would make a fortune chained, gagged and flogged. Emily was a favorite in my father’s clubs, she had spirit but not anymore. Her sister though, all fresh and begging to be broken, she would attract a strong clientele.”
Rebecca whimpered and the sound made me see red. “You better hope you can find a hole deep enough to hide in fucker, because when I find you, I am going to rip your dick off and shove it up your ass, and, Mr. Levier?” I let his name hang for a moment, giving him fair chance to correct me if I was wrong—he didn’t. “That’s a promise, not a threat.” I hung up before the prick could hang up on me.
Rebecca’s eyes flew up to mine and she began to shake. Then she started hitting my chest and screamed, “Why did
you do that? You hung up on him and it’ll make him mad!”
I grabbed her fists easily. “Betty Boop!” Her frightened eyes looked at me straight on. “I want the asshole mad. Mad means easily distracted, on edge, not thinking clearly. People make mistakes when they’re mad.” A tear ran down her cheek.
“He might hurt Emily,” she sobbed. I straightened a little at her words. It hadn’t even occurred to me that Emily could now possibly bear the brunt of his anger. I dragged Rebecca quickly up the stairs, and dialed out using the landline. Braiden answered on the first ring.
“Rebecca just got a phone call from William Levier,” I growled. Braiden was quiet for a moment, and I imagined him sitting silently at his desk, mulling over what I just said. Braiden was a thinker, a deep thinker. He watched, listened, and seemed to see all. Anyone that quiet had to have dark secrets lurking beneath their cool exterior, and I had no doubt Braiden had plenty, but I still trusted him explicitly.
“What did Levier Junior have to say?” he finally asked.
“He wants cash and he’ll take it in the form of the deed to Rebecca and Emily’s property.”
“Or what?” Braiden asked calmly, too calmly.
“Or he’ll take Rebecca and put her to work in one of his father’s clubs.”
“You know he won’t get his hands on Rebecca,” Braiden said matter-of-factly.
“Yeah, but she can’t live the rest of her life looking over her shoulder.”
“She won’t have to. Head back into town, I don’t like the idea of you guys out there on your own. You can stay with me and Dillon. Between the three of us, we can keep Rebecca safe. Don’t use Rebecca’s phone until I’ve had a chance to look over it. The call will most likely be untraceable, but I’ve got a guy that can check it out anyway. Keep your weapon handy, too, Charlie,” Braiden spoke. His efficient composure impressed the shit out of me.
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