Family Bonds- Eli and Bella (Amore Island Book 6)

by Natalie Ann

  “You heard me. I wasn’t keeping anything from you. But you didn’t even bother to ask me. You marched in here because you’re pissed that someone didn’t tell you something. The almighty Eli Bond who everyone bows down to.”

  He almost snarled at her and she wanted to laugh. Damn, this felt good to let it out.

  To stand up for herself.

  To be heard.

  “I don’t expect anyone to bow down to me,” he said firmly.

  “I think you’re lying to yourself with that statement. Maybe if you asked me nicely I would have told you what was going on. Instead you think you can intimidate me into telling you.”

  He let out a laugh. “I can’t seem to intimidate or convince you to do a damn thing lately.”

  This time she curled her lip at him. Was he talking about the fact that they had their date on Thursday, he kissed her senseless in her suite and then walked out the door after and they haven’t talked to each other much since?

  She’d pretty much told him what she was looking for and he wasn’t making the move.

  He was treating her like hand-blown glass that would break at the slightest touch.

  She wasn’t glass. She was steel.

  And maybe it was time he knew that.

  He’d backed up a step when she showed her anger a minute ago; she wanted to see if she could corner him now.

  “What is it you’re trying to convince me to do, Eli?” she asked, moving closer to him.

  He held his ground. She should have figured. “Don’t play with me, Bella.”

  “Maybe I’m sick of being the one playing games because you seem to suck at them.”

  “Suck at games?” he asked, looking almost offended.

  “Yep. It’s right in front of your face and you don’t even see it. I guess I need to show you.”

  Her hands went to his chest and moved up, her blue eyes looking into his dark ones. He sucked in a breath. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  “I’ve known for a while. You obviously are the one that isn’t smart enough to figure it out.”

  It was probably the final straw for him when he crushed his mouth to hers and wrapped her in his arms. He was holding her tight and rather than feeling suffocated, she felt like a woman.

  Her hips went against his, feeling his stiff cock against her stomach. She was a foot shorter than him and instead of feeling nervous over being with someone that much bigger than her, she was excited.

  She just hoped to hell he didn’t stop or change his mind.

  It didn’t seem like he was going to though when he started to back her toward her room. She’d normally be one that tripped over her own feet at a time like this, but she was gliding like a figure skater.

  The back of her legs hit the bed, the strong body of Eli Bond coming down on top of her.

  Her hips moved up against his, and his hand slid under her shirt.

  Who would have thought a fight would lead to this? Never in her life had sex started as a way to let off steam and she was dying to see how much they heated this room up.

  Her shirt was pulled up over her head and tossed to the side, his mouth moving down her neck to her bra. “Fuck,” he said.

  “What?” she asked. Did she do something wrong?

  “I don’t have a condom on me. It’s not like I carry one in my wallet for no reason.”

  When he went to stand up, she put her fingers into his hair and pulled him so that his mouth was level with hers. “Then it’s a good thing I’m the smart one of the two of us since I’ve got a box of them in the bedside table.”

  He started to laugh. “Remind me not to insult your intelligence again.”

  “Another day I will. Now, you’ve got some work to do.”

  “Do I?” he asked. “Are you going to make some demands of me?”

  She didn’t think she could go that far and actually felt her face heat up. “Another time,” she said quietly.

  He looked at her face and must have read some of her embarrassment. “I’ll hold you to it.”

  He kissed her one more time on the lips and then moved down her chest, his hands going under her back and unhooking her bra, then pulling it off, sending it to the floor.

  There was a smile on his lips before he lowered his mouth and pulled a pebbled nipple between his teeth. She should have figured he wouldn’t suck but went right for something rougher.

  It didn’t hurt. Not at all. It felt wonderful to be tugged on like that.

  To have her skin lifted up, his tongue push the rose-colored tip back down, then pull up with his teeth again.

  How the hell could she have never known what this would feel like?

  He moved to the other side and did the same there. She wasn’t sure it was possible to get as wet as she had to be. “Eli?” she said. “I hope you aren’t planning on staying there all day long.”

  “No. Just having a little fun first.”

  “Have fun another time. Like an hour from now if you want.”

  He laughed, his mouth moving down her belly and to the waist of her linen trousers. With deft fingers he unbuttoned them, then pulled the zipper exposing her silk and lace peach panties.

  “Now I know why laundry took so long the other night,” he said. “You need to wash these on delicate.”

  She had a weakness for expensive undergarments. She wasn’t going to feel guilty over that indulgence either. “Some of the finer things in life take more care than others.”

  “Oh, they do,” he agreed, then pulled her pants and panties down. “Speaking of care? Did you have this done at the spa for the first time, or maintain it?”

  She was waxed, but not completely. She’d never been able to go fully bare, but she kept it neat and trim. Manicured in her mind.

  “Maintain,” she said. “If I’m going to wear pricey underwear, don’t you think I should have something special under it?”

  “Oh yeah,” he said, then lowered his mouth and took a taste, his tongue coming out and lightly touching her swollen bud. She wanted to lift her hips up or put her hands in his hair and force him closer.

  She wouldn’t though. That would be bolder than she’d ever been. Something told her that Eli was going to do what he wanted when he wanted anyway.

  And she was right when he spread her legs wide and started to taste every part of her.

  His hands were leaving nothing abandoned. His tongue either.

  There were parts of her body down there she hadn’t known even existed and before she could tell him to stop teasing her, he inserted two fingers in, curled them right at the end and found a spot she’d only heard rumors about.

  The air was sucked right out of her lungs as she arched up and started to throb. He found her bud again, but this time with his teeth like he had her nipples, causing her to shout out his name.

  There had been a buildup of epic proportions from almost a year of no male contact added to the upheaval in her life.

  She expected him to stop, but he wasn’t. Nor did she think her body could be climbing again.

  He sure knew what he was doing and she had to push it from her mind that he was a lot more experienced than her when it came to sex.

  She was almost to the point where she felt like she was going to come again if he continued what he was doing. Then he pulled away.

  Her eyes blinked a few times, the fuzziness from the orgasm gone as she watched him unbutton his shirt and fling it off.

  He wasn’t calm or in control anymore and she was thrilled with herself at having been able to bring him to that point.

  It’s not like she’d done much more than lie there and take what he was giving her though.

  She wasn’t about to lift her eyes off of his body while he undressed. No way. And she was glad she didn’t when she got a look at his chest and abs. “Guess you’ve got more time than I thought to work out and have a body like that.”

  He smiled at her. “Thanks. Condom?” he asked.

  “In a minute. Ke
ep going. I need to get the full experience.”

  “Oh, you’re going to get it. I’m not done yet.”

  “Don’t keep me waiting then.”

  “Have I said how much I like this side of you?” he asked, undoing his pants and dropping them down and kicking everything out of the way.

  “You haven’t. It’s been here all along if you looked close enough.”

  “I’m looking now,” he said.

  “So am I.” And what she saw was a cock bigger than she’d ever had in her before. Guess he had a reason for being so confident in his life.

  “Condom?” he said again. “Never mind. I’ll find it.”

  He moved to the side of the bed, her eyes never leaving any part of him. She heard the drawer open, and then the box and wrapper. He knew what he was doing. He didn’t need her to monitor him. Not when she’d rather admire his body.

  Once he was covered, he crawled back on the bed, his hands going into her hair and holding her head in place. “I need to watch you.”

  She blinked her eyes and felt him slide into her heat. Her muscles just wanted to grab on and not let go. Ever. She could stay like this all night, but she knew that would never happen.

  Her time was limited with Eli in more ways than one. She’d savor this while she could.

  He gripped her wrists and put them over her head, their fingers interlacing, his mouth capturing hers as he slammed into her and out in short forceful bursts of his hips.

  She was trying to lift up to meet him, but he was having none of that.

  He was controlling all the moves and she was going to hang on and enjoy every minute of it she could.

  But when he started at a steady thrust in and out of her, she knew she could match his pace and did so.

  Moans were coming out of each of their mouths, but the sounds were absorbed into the room. The focus was on their bodies and what they were doing to each other.

  She was working harder and faster than she had before to get to the second orgasm that always seemed to elude her.

  She had a feeling Eli was going to give her what she’d never been able to achieve.

  The closer she got, the jerkier her movements came and it almost seemed like he was trying to get her exactly to this point. “Are you ready again?” he asked against her lips.

  “Please,” she said. “I’m so close.”

  He let go of her hands, slid his under her hips and held her still as he pounded into her at a speed that would make a piston jealous.

  Out of nowhere the orgasm slammed into her gut, her muscles twitching and flexing, trying to grab a hold of something that wouldn’t stay still as she sobbed out his name again.

  He collapsed on her moments later, breathing heavily in her ear.

  After a few minutes, she smiled and then started to laugh.

  “Do I want to know what is so funny?”

  “Just that I wasn’t trying to keep my visit with Hailey a secret as much as you’re a busy man. I didn’t want to burden you with it.”

  “You aren’t burdening me with anything. But I still don’t know why that is funny.”

  “If I’d told you then you wouldn’t have come up here in a huff and I wouldn’t have had the best sexual experience of my life.”

  He got up on his elbows and looked into her eyes. “The best?”

  “You know you’re good,” she said.

  “I don’t know a thing other than I’m right where I’ve wanted to be for weeks.” He kissed her tenderly this time. Like he cared for her, as he’d said before. This time she was starting to believe she was worth it.

  19

  Personal Struggle

  “You’re taking a night off?” Griffin asked.

  “Don’t be jealous,” Eli said. They were in his penthouse on Tuesday morning. After he’d left Bella’s yesterday afternoon feeling like he could barely lift his head from that explosive release, he’d gone to his place and showered before he went back to work.

  He knew beyond a doubt that Griffin was fully aware of what Eli and Bella had done. Griffin would have seen Eli going in there worked up and then leaving looking less than his immaculately groomed self. Not to mention he returned to the floor wearing different clothes.

  “Jealous of you?” Griffin said. “Never. You might have the money, but I’ve got the muscles.”

  Griffin moved into Eli’s kitchen and started to make himself at home. He grabbed a bagel that was bought just for him, then popped it in the toaster and went for the peanut butter.

  Eli laughed over that statement. It was the truth. Power didn’t come with money, not necessarily, and in that case, Griffin had everyone in their family beat and always would.

  No, Griffin didn’t have bulging biceps, but he had an inner strength and a quiet speed and attack that no one ever saw coming. Eli had been glad Griffin was on his side more than once in life.

  “Yep, and you know what to do in my absence. You also know how to reach me if you need to. How come you only put one in the toaster? Maybe I want one too.”

  Griffin snorted and grabbed another and slid it in, then helped himself to the coffee that had already been brewed. “Unless I’m knocked unconscious—and we know the chances of that happening—or the building is on fire and I’m too busy carrying multiple guests out at once, I won’t be bothering you while you’re getting laid.”

  Eli laughed and told himself not to get put out with the way Griffin described it. Not with the grin being sent his way. If anyone knew Eli’s personal struggle right now, it was his best friend. The one who covered for him the most and knew what was fun and what wasn’t.

  It’d always been fun. This wasn’t and he didn’t need Griffin riding his ass over the cloud of rage he had going to Bella’s yesterday and then leaving a rumpled mess.

  “Then when I’m done with work today I don’t expect to hear from you until tomorrow morning,” he said.

  “I’ll make sure Bella has left before I come over,” Griffin said.

  The two of them almost always met in his penthouse to start their day and figure out what was going on, if anything was out of the ordinary. Griffin wasn’t one for office meetings. They’d have breakfast and coffee, then Griffin would go back to his secret cave and do what he did to keep the casino safe and secure. At night Griffin would be on the floor with him, often staying later. He figured the guy barely slept.

  “Please do,” Eli said. “I don’t need Bella embarrassed if she leaves the bedroom and finds you sitting at the counter preparing your bagel.”

  It wouldn’t be the first time that had happened. That he’d had a woman in his place and she came out of the bedroom to see Griffin helping himself to food. A few times he’d had a woman get all excited that Griffin would be joining them. His nose had gotten out of joint and he made it very clear he didn’t share.

  Griffin just ate it up, finished his food and left with a smile on his face.

  “I wouldn’t want to embarrass your lady. She’s been through enough by the sounds of it.”

  “She has,” he agreed. “So nothing new? I’m not thrilled Hailey is looking into things.”

  “You know that irks me just as much that she might find out something I couldn’t,” Griffin said.

  “It’s a competition between you two. I get it. She has her ways and you’ve got yours.”

  “Yeah, yeah. That cousin of yours is all about one upping everyone. It’s not even like I had much time since you told me. But there are no threats on the family. They are an old and established law firm with a sterling reputation. The oldest and only son, Ben—Bella’s father—went into political law. There were several articles thirty years ago that he was being groomed for a career in politics.”

  “Makes sense with where he ended up,” he said.

  “But that isn’t what I read was the plan. So I’ve got to wonder if that is part of the estrangement. That he met Bella’s mother and plans changed? There is no documentation of that anywhere.”

  “No
. That would be rumors of those that might have known the family back then,” he said.

  “Exactly. I can poke around more, but my guess is your cousin is one step ahead of me there and it might raise some flags to have two people doing it,” Griffin said.

  He smirked. “You’re probably right. You might have to concede this one to Hailey. I’d rather focus more on Oliver and what could be going on there.”

  “Speaking of which,” he said. “Adam returned yesterday. I’ll be talking with him later on to get a full report.”

  Griffin had sent an old Navy buddy of his to Monte Carlo for two weeks with flush pockets and a hand at cards to see what he could find out. Their communication had been minimal in case anyone was watching. The guy resided in another state and couldn’t be traced back to Amore Island. With any luck there would be more to report to Bella soon.

  “Keep me posted,” he said. “And how are things going with Ava’s situation? Anything new there?”

  “Nothing to report,” Griffin said.

  Last week Griffin discovered who had broken into Ava’s place. An ex-girlfriend of Seth’s that was nosy and jealous but had nothing to do with the identity theft. They may never know who stole Ava’s identity, but if anyone could find out more it’d be Griffin.

  “Now that the family issues are taken care of, let’s talk shop,” he said, preparing to eat his bagel with peanut butter on it since Griffin made them both. Not his favorite thing, but he’d never tell his best friend otherwise.

  Of course he was sure Griffin knew and only did it to see if Eli would speak up. It was a game they had and he’d eat twenty of them before he told Griffin he’d rather have cream cheese.

  “How do you like working here?”

  Bella turned to look at Molly. She was Robin’s assistant and had been giving Bella things to do since Robin had the baby over the weekend. “I’m not really working like you think.”

  “I know that,” Molly said. “You’re here with Eli on loan learning the ropes.”

  She grinned over that statement. She was learning a lot. “I’ve worked in casinos most of my life,” she said. “My uncle owns them.”