Mercy's Angels Box Set (Mercy's Angel #1-3)

by Kirsty Dallas

  “We stop any time you want. Remember, Em, you’re in control here.” He turned off the water and led me out of the shower, wrapping a big soft towel around my heated skin.

  “Finish up in here and meet me in my room. If you don’t come, Em, I won’t hold it against you, and I won’t care any less for you. As I told you, we’re in no rush to do this.”

  I simply nodded as Braiden turned and left me alone.

  Brushing my teeth, I kept my gaze on the woman who started back at me from the mirror. She was different now, her eyes no longer haunted. There was strength in that woman, and even though a man had tried to break her, he hadn’t. There were still cracks and fissures, but over time even they were closing up. They’d likely leave behind scars, but I was coming to understand that those scars wouldn’t hurt as bad as when they were put there. Glancing at my clothes on the floor, I decided to leave them there, using a towel to wrap around my body before I slipped across the hallway to Braiden’s room. I was so nervous my hands shook, but the nerves were not a result of fear. This was pure, feminine insecurities running through my veins. Would I measure up? Can I give him what he needs? Will I make a fool of myself?

  Braiden’s door was slightly ajar and I pushed it open. He stood before me, his own towel hanging dangerously low on his waist. Braiden’s dark eyes followed me as I entered the room, pushed the door closed, leaned against it, and stared back. He reached for my hand and pulled me into his chest as his lips crushed against mine. Kisses like this didn’t exist in the world I had come from. Kisses like this burned with promise and need. Kisses like this were for women who were cherished by men who adored them. Braiden didn’t break the kiss, he pulled me with him across the room, turned me, then finally allowed me to breathe. As his lips left mine, his hand rested on my chest. With gentle pressure, he pushed me back, and I lay on the bed before him, ready to be shown exactly what a tender caress was supposed to feel like.

  Chapter 20

  BRAIDEN

  An honorable man wouldn’t have touched her. An honorable man definitely wouldn’t have kissed her, but I had never been an honorable man, and I wasn’t about to become one. The need to touch Emily was seared into my brain but if she said no, it would end immediately. I might be an asshole, but I wasn’t a rapist. In this moment, the need and yearning I saw in her eyes was guiding me. She wanted me to touch her, and unless she asked me to stop, I would gladly do so. Emily’s skin was soft, warm, and far too tempting. I wanted to see her glow with the pleasure she had been denied for far too long. Rather than grab her wrists, pin her pliant body beneath mine and slam myself deep inside her like I wanted to, I lay down beside her and gently pushed her hair back from her face. Gentle I could do. It wasn’t something I did often, but I always gave my woman what she needed, and right now Em needed sweet and tender.

  “What do you want me to do?” I asked, already knowing the answer but needing to hear her say it out loud.

  Her brow creased with confusion. “I...” She wasn’t used to being asked. Leaning in close, I nuzzled my face in the sweet soft spot where her shoulder met her neck, and inhaled the honeyed fragrance of soap that clung to her skin. She shuddered beneath my touch. “I don’t know,” she quietly confessed.

  “Do you want me to touch you?” I offered, the asshole in me prayed she said yes, while the man I should be hoped she said no. I nibbled at her jaw knowing the asshole would win.

  “Yes,” she sighed.

  A ghost of a smile slipped over my lips at her breathless answer. “With my hands?” My lips barely touched her skin as I trailed feather light kisses across her shoulder.

  “Yes.”

  With her permission granted I raised my hand to the towel still wrapped around her body and pulled it free. Her skin was so soft and warm and smooth as satin, her gentle curves demanded my attention. Looking at her was almost torturous; she was a sight that played havoc with my control. The dominant man in me with a kink list a mile long wanted to restrain her and fuck her hard, but there was another side of me that wished to enter her slowly, so I could watch the desire in her eyes as I leisurely brought her to orgasm. Unable to resist her lure any longer, I ran my fingers over a pink nipple, enjoying the sight of her body as it shivered under my touch.

  “So beautiful,” I growled, placing a kiss on a small, pale scar on her chest. Emily’s hands tangled in my hair, holding me close. Loving her encouraging hands, I fought a grin as I moved lower until my mouth closed over her nipple and sucked hard. The long moan that escaped her lips didn’t help my restraint as my hand closed over her other breast. My eyes were in danger of slipping shut so I could simply enjoy her and those soft, mewling sounds, but I kept an eye on her face and the rise and fall of her chest, making sure she was here with me in the now and not slipping into an ugly memory. Her hips rose, seeking for the release that was building. With a gentle hand, I traced my fingers down her soft tummy and over the bare skin of her pussy. So soft, plump and warm. Switching to her neglected breast, I sucked on her nipple as my fingers glided between her smooth, wet folds. Another long moan of satisfaction urged me on. Gently rubbing the warmth between her thighs, I pulled my lips away from her breast and took her mouth in a deep kiss. My tongue explored her mouth with a demand that was simply impossible to restrain, and when I pulled away I nipped her lower lip like the greedy demanding asshole I was.

  “Please, Mой,” she murmured. The submissive plea that left her lips caused a low growl to rumble from deep inside my chest.

  “What do you want, Malen’kaya?” I asked with a less than subtle urgency. My finger slipped deep into her body as my thumb rubbed her clit.

  “More, please.”

  More I could do, and was happy to oblige as I fucked her with my fingers. She was so warm and wet—I needed to be inside her—needed to feel this wet heat on my dick. Rolling to my back I dragged her soft body over mine and grinned with male satisfaction when she protested at the loss of my fingers from her pussy. As I settled her over my hips, the warmth of her most intimate part pressed against my hard cock. Skin on skin, we were pressed together in the most natural and carnal of ways. With soft, erotic touches and sips from her lips, I held her close enough to feel every inch of my skin, but still gave her plenty of room see everything that was happening. When her fervent gaze settled on mine, she paused for a moment. With her flushed cheeks, her swollen and red lips, and her hair tangled around her face, she looked like a goddess. She was beyond beautiful, unquestionably the most stunning woman I had ever seen.

  “You are in control,” I reminded her. With a subtle nod, she slid her hands up my stomach to rest on my chest and moved her hips tentatively, sliding her wet pussy along my rigid shaft. My rolls practically rolled back into my head and I clenched my jaw with restraint. The need to take control was riding me hard, but I cared for this woman enough to allow her this. She leaned forward to kiss me, and her soft breasts pressed against my skin. My fists clenched demanding I reach for her, so instead, I raised them above my head and held onto the headboard tightly, which groaned under the pressure. When Emily sat back and noticed, her eyes flared with surprise.

  “You don’t want to touch me?” Her body stilled, and her eyes filled with concern.

  “More than anything, Malen’kaya, but his is about you taking control. You are the master now,” I smirked, “and you should take advantage of it. I doubt I will be able to concede control like this often.”

  She smiled as she moved her hips again and dug her fingernails into my chest. Her eyes roamed my body greedily. I could almost hear the wicked thoughts and possibilities unfolding in her mind. Reaching around behind her, she cupped my balls and rolled them in her hand. My balls tightened and one hand snapped down to pinch my dick, holding back my seed as one might do and out of control animal. Once I felt like I wasn’t going to shoot my load all over my stomach like an inexperienced teenager, I gripped onto the headboard once more. Emily continued to move her hips, sliding her pussy along my shaft, crea
ting a friction that had my hips automatically seeking more. Her fingers continued to massage my balls as she rocked herself against me. It was heaven and hell all at once.

  “Condom?” she finally panted as her control began to slip away.

  I stilled, knowing very well I had ample condoms in the drawer beside me, but I wanted to feel her wrapped around my cock without the intrusive cover.

  “I promise I’m clean, I was tested,” she quickly offered with a blush.

  “The only time I’ve gone without has been during long term relationships, and I’m tested regularly. I’m safe, Em, and I want no barriers between us, but if you would prefer one, they are in the bedside draw.”

  She looked at me for a moment, our bodies so close to joining yet so far. “I can’t get pregnant,” she murmured.

  Before I could let go of the headboard and reach out for her, she lifted her hips and positioned my cock at her entrance. Her eyes stayed on mine as she worked herself onto my length, far too slowly. The heat of her core sliding over my dick was the best kind of torture. It was so good I could stay like this forever, but so good I feared I would explode at any moment. Em paused before she raised her hips and slammed them down hard. There was no way I could contain the groan that spilled from my lips. I gripped the headboard tighter. As she threw her head back, her breasts arched forward. She continued to ride me hard and slow, and my hips thrust up to meet hers and she arched back a little more, giving me the most spectacular view of my glistening cock disappearing into her folds. Her movements gradually became faster, and when I finally dragged my eyes away from the sight of our joining, I noticed the frustration in her eyes.

  “I need to touch you.” I wasn’t asking for permission. It was merely a warning. Her nod was immediate. My hands gladly released the headboard and I sat up, bringing our eyes in line with each other. Grabbing her beautiful ass I ground her down and forward in a way that I knew would create friction against her clit. Her hands wrapped around my neck and pulled me in for a firm kiss that I was happy to indulge her with.

  “Harder,” she whispered.

  I pulled her down again with more force, over and over. Her skin now glowed with a fine sheen of perspiration and I licked her shoulder, enjoying the salty taste of her on my tongue.

  “I need more,” she whimpered.

  Without hesitation or any thought of the consequences, I flipped her to her back, grabbed her wrists and pinned them down forcefully above her head. Her eyes flared with shock but I could also see the excitement in them. Holding her gaze I pushed my cock deep into, the slap of our flesh meeting filled the room. Emily’s naturally submissive body began to respond. Her breathing grew rapid as she demanded more, harder, faster. Finally, she arched her back and screamed out her release. The walls of her pussy clenched so tightly around my cock, my balls immediately tightened and I spilled inside her, growling into her neck as I did. My hips thrust forward a few more times, riding out the orgasm. When I could no longer move, I collapsed, barely holding my full weight off her. My face was resting in her neck, and I kissed the rapidly beating pulse there before raising my head.

  “Are you okay?” I asked, finding a shred of decency. Perhaps I should have asked her several times by now, but in my greedy need, I was afraid she might say no.

  She looked a little surprised as she pushed the hair from my eyes. “I think so,” she admitted.

  When I kissed her this time it was with far more reverence and tenderness than I had moments before. I licked her lips, tasted her tongue and reluctantly pulled away. Rolling from the bed I went to the bathroom to dampen a washcloth. When I came back into the bedroom, she still hadn’t moved, her long legs tangled around the sheets, her breasts proudly on display, her shoulder length hair fanned out on the pillow beneath her head. One sated, glowing female. Sitting at her side, I gently pushed open her legs, and cleaned her with as much tender care as I could. Somehow I managed to hide the smile at the blush that stained her cheeks, then I threw the washcloth toward the bathroom door, not caring where it landed, and climbed back into bed beside her. Truth be told, now that the deed was done, I was more than a little worried. Sex for her had always been something to be afraid of, even ashamed of. Now that she had time to think about what had happened, would she regret it? Would she fear me? Opening my arms, she settled into my embrace, her head rested against my chest, right over my heart.

  “Braiden?” she whispered.

  “Yes, Em.”

  “Can we pretend that was my first time?”

  Her words pained me and humbled me at the same time. As my eye lids shuttered closed, I took a deep breath, savoring this moment. It would be one I would remember forever, one I would hopefully look back upon in my last, dying moments and recall the very second I knew I loved this woman. Not just needed her, but loved her. “That was your first time, beautiful girl.” She turned her head until her chin was resting on my chest, her brows creased in confusion. I ran my thumb over the wrinkles in her forehead in an effort to smooth them away. “It was your first willing time. With Jonas it didn’t count, he deceived you. In all the ways that matter, this was your first time, Em.”

  She took my hand from her face and pressed a kiss to my fingers before turning her head and settling into my body as if she were made for it. We were two broken pieces that just fit. While my conscience quietly scolded me for touching this fragile woman, my heart warmed for her. I had never needed a woman before. For as long as I could remember I wanted them, desired them, but I’ve never found myself in a position of craving one on a soul deep level, until now. Her hair slipped through my fingers as I petted her, knowing this brought her comfort. As a dominant male, I wanted to provide for the woman I was with. Her pleasure and happiness would always be first and foremost, I wanted her to be protected and happy. She would be strong enough to keep an arrogant male like myself in his place, and I knew in my heart Emily was something special. I knew it from the first moment I saw her in that picture Rebecca had shown Dillon and I all those many months ago. Emily had the heart of a lion and the soul of a warrior, she was everything I ever wanted and everything I hadn’t realized I needed. The thought of losing her was painful, and that’s how I knew this was more. These feelings, these needs, they weren’t fleeting and they were more than simple infatuation or desire. They were love and I knew I was prepared to fight for this woman, to keep her by my side, sane and happy.

  ***

  A phone call just before dawn had me up well before Emily. Wrenching myself away from her beautiful, soft, warm body had been much harder than I thought, like tearing apart Velcro. The early call had been from Alexander’s second, Dominic. Dragging me from the luxury of Emily’s body had leaving me irritable. News that Jonas was alive and well in London had me confused on top of that. It just didn’t seem a likely scenario. Dominic’s source had been a meth laden arms dealer who had betrayed Alexander’s confidence. He was unreliable at best, and now anchored to a block of cement at the bottom of the Thames. My gut told me that Jonas had been in London at some point, but was more likely closer to Claymont now. I knew he would come for Em. Even if he sent Nate to collect her, I knew he couldn’t be too far away. She was far too important to him and he would want to deliver her punishment personally. A morning report with Bomber and Gabbie had taken less than half an hour, but several emails from Dillon kept me sequestered in the office for most of the morning. While I concentrated all my time and effort into protecting Emily and trying to find Jonas Levier, Montgomery Security kept running and Dillon usually took the brunt of the work load. Wanting to give him a break, I spent the morning fulfilling orders for our state-of-the-art security system, and carefully sorting through emails requesting our security services, for anything from temporary bodyguard duties to missing person reports. To say our business was booming was an understatement. It was obvious we were going to have to hire more personnel and soon.

  Em remained absent all morning, but I was so buried in work the time passed quick
ly and what might have felt like an hour or two stretched on. Gabbie checked on her at one point for me, letting me know she was in her room reading. She seemed a little distant, but otherwise alright. Once I realized lunch had come and gone I cursed myself from being so irresponsible. My distance could be perceived in the wrong way, and Emily was still self-conscious enough to need my reassurance and touch. I tapped quietly on her door. When there was no answer, I pushed it open and pulled up short when I noticed her sitting on the floor in the corner of the room. Her head was rested against the glass door that led to the back patio, her feet tucked under her. She seemed so forlorn and lost. Fucking idiot, I should have personally checked on her long before now. Taking a long deep breath, determined to make this right, I reigned in my control and approached her cautiously, kneeling down at her. She didn’t move.

  “Em?” My voice was low and gentle. When she didn’t respond, I decided to be a little sterner. Anger at myself helped fuel my familiar commanding tone. “Em!” Her shoulders flinched, but she didn’t respond otherwise. With a heavy sigh, I reached for her face and forcibly drew her gaze to mine. “I’m sorry I have been absent all morning, I got lost in work. Is everything okay?” It took all the control I possessed to gentle my voice, but the command was still there. Her eyes watched mine cautiously for the longest time and I never looked away. I wasn’t leaving until I fixed this, fuck, she might have been regretting her decision to have sex last night and I had ignored her like the stubborn male I was prone to being. Likely sensing my determination, her shoulders slumped forward and her gazed lowered.

  “It’s nothing,” she whispered.

  Clearly this was a whole lot more than nothing and her reluctance to talk to me only pissed me off more.