by Stone, Piper
Austin
Piper Stone
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Afterword
Books of the Montana Bad Boys Series
Books of the Dangerous Business Series
Books of the Merciless Kings Series
Books of the Mafia Masters Series
More Mafia Romances by Piper Stone
Books of the Club Darkness Series
Books of the Alpha Beasts Series
More Stormy Night Books by Piper Stone
Piper Stone Links
Copyright © 2021 by Stormy Night Publications and Piper Stone
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Published by Stormy Night Publications and Design, LLC.
www.StormyNightPublications.com
Stone, Piper
Austin
Cover Design by Korey Mae Johnson
Images by Shutterstock/FXQuadro and Shutterstock/Scott Wilson Photography
This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults.
Prologue
Brothers in arms.
Soldiers.
Cowboys and Marines.
We’d been called so many things.
Heroes. Monsters. Sinners and saints.
Above all we were men honoring our country even while our pasts continued to haunt us.
Some said we could never return, that we were damaged beyond redemption.
Others would stop at nothing to prevent us from doing so.
But we were determined to protect those we loved.
Six men determined to right the wrongs from our past.
Six men prepared to do what it took.
No matter the cost.
Then…
Chapter 1
Francesca
A darkened night. A rain-slickened twisting road. A light fog.
An accident waiting to happen, but I hadn’t been able to tolerate remaining in Hamilton another freaking minute. While I didn’t mind certain political obligations, my grouchiness had rubbed off on the audience members. Or maybe vice versa since I’d been heckled by a solid twenty perfect of the crowd.
While threats weren’t new, a solid percentage of those living in Montana hating some of my viewpoints, a few had escalated enough I remained nervous. That’s the reason I always carried my weapon with me. I never left home without it.
I rubbed my hand through my hair, exhausted from the long days and sleepless nights. Something in my boring life needed to change. As I rounded a sharp curve, I automatically slowed, fearful of wildlife crossing the road. It seemed like I was miles away from civilization and I didn’t want to become a tasty snack for a hungry bear.
That would piss me off.
As I laughed, the headlights flashed on something up ahead and a moment of creepy-crawlies slithered down my spine. I eased off the accelerator as I approached, craning my neck and wishing the freaking windshield wipers would work faster. The sight of someone walking on the side of the road wasn’t unusual, but it was for this time of night as well as this stretch of the road. The hooded figured realized my approach, turning slightly and sticking out an arm.
Oh, my God. The person was hitchhiking.
My commonsense prevailing, I swerved to avoid tossing the hitcher against the rocks of the hillside. I also slowed down to a crawl, straining in order to get the slightest look at who it was. While the shadows were too significant to make out any features, there was no doubt the person was a man.
A big, brawny dude with a killer body.
I kept going at a snail’s pace, barely going three miles per hour.
“What the hell are you doing, Franny?” I whispered to myself as I gazed into the rearview mirror, a strange sense of longing creeping in, easing to a stop. “This isn’t like you. You’re a smart woman. You don’t pick up strange men on the side of the road.”
Whether or not the reminders did me any good wasn’t going to matter.
The hulking mass was approaching.
Uh-oh.
I reached under the seat, pulling my Beretta into my hand, prepared to fire if necessary. No motherfucker was going to take me down without a fight. I kept the doors locked and the windows up as he approached, managing to grab a flashlight out of the console. After flicking it on, I swung the beam toward his face.
His incredibly gorgeous face and eyes that could melt your very soul. While there was no smile on his face, I sensed he had no other options and rolled down the window. “Where ya headed?”
“Missoula.”
One word, but with that single three-syllable word, I was drawn into a moment of blatant desire, the tone husky and deep. From what I could see, he was carrying a single duffle bag and there were no signs of weapons.
Make up your mind.
“That’s where I’m going. Why don’t you jump in?” As I hit the unlock button, a knot formed in my stomach. Did I have a death wish? I’d never been one to engage in this type of risky behavior. I kept my hand on the weapon as he crawled inside, shoving his bag between his legs. Suddenly, the cab of the truck was filled with his masculine scent. Ripe with testosterone and the smell of the forest, I was forced to take a deep breath, the fragrance intoxicating.
He slowly slipped the hood of his sweatshirt off his head then pushed his sleeves to his forearms. While two- or three-day stubble covered his angular jaw, his head was devoid of hair. I was able to see additional ink crawling up both sides of his neck. He was rough, rugged, and one badass man.
And damn if he didn’t make my mouth water.
The door was still open as if the mystery man was giving me an opportunity to kick him out. Immediately, my eyes were drawn to the tattoo on his left am. He was a Marine. I took a deep breath, shoving the weapon back under the seat before offering a nod and a smile. “You’re in the service.”
“I was,” he stated with no inflection before closing the door, shoving us into almost total darkness.
“My brother was a Marine.” When he didn’t say anything else, I pressed down on the accelerator, trying to calm my raging libido. The bulky jacket couldn’t hide his muscular physique, his massive legs filling out his faded jeans. I remained quiet, uncertain what to say, but I could tell he was studying me, his head slightly turned.
“I appreciate you stopping.”
I’d never known a man with such a deep baritone. “You’re welcome.” I’d never been a woman to make a connection right away, or maybe I’d refused to allow that to happen, hence my boring love life. I’d been cautious, careful to check references, refusing to follow my desires before entering into a single date. And there’d be absolutely no spark in a single one of them, including my previous marriage.
At this moment, I was unable to breathe, the electricity shooting through me volatile and exciting. I gripped the steering wheel, doing everything I could not to glance in his direction, but he continued to study me, raking his gaze down from my face to my legs, then slowly lifting it again.
“You should be careful,” he muttered.
“Why?” I dragged
my tongue across my lips, doing everything I could to keep filthy thoughts out of my mind.
I was failing badly.
I wanted nothing more than to peel away his shirt, discovering the rest of his delicious body.
“Because a beautiful woman should always be careful around dangerous strangers.”
The words weren’t meant as a threat, merely a compliment. They also ignited a flame, one that had been dead for a very long time.
“I’m Franny,” I managed, my breathing shallow as I tried to keep my eyes on the road.
“Vader.”
“As in Darth Vader?” I snagged another quick look in his direction.
“As in death.”
His words were haunting, as if he’d experienced far too much during his time spent in the Marines. I knew that all too well, the heartache and sorrow often too much to bear, my late brother’s stories horrifying.
As I continued driving, the heat in the cab became oppressive, my thoughts continuing to linger in a very bad place. The light rain continued to fall, the only sound in the truck the windshield wipers slashing back and forth, the rubber obviously failing, their action creating a slight squeak. When the headlights reflected off a small sign on the side of the road, I took a deep breath, my heart racing.
I rounded another curve, the half-lit neon sign in the distance forcing me to inhale. I held my breath as my fingers trembled. I’d never been a risk taker, but I was tired of living a controlled life.
“Stop there,” he commanded, obviously noticing the sign.
You’re nuts. Keep driving. Just keep driving.
But I didn’t.
Vader didn’t make any sounds as I made the turn, pulling into a parking spot and allowing the engine to remain idling. A full thirty seconds passed before I found the courage to speak, although I couldn’t look in his direction. “What are you going to do?” Why did I even ask?
You’re crazy. What are you doing?
I couldn’t answer the question. There were no rational explanations why I’d followed his demand.
He exhaled before opening the door. “Whatever I want to, Franny, and you will obey my every command. At. All. Times.”
“Obey?” Every part of me shivered.
When he turned his head, this time I was able to see just how dazzling his deep blue eyes were. They had so much depth, yet they were riddled with just as much pain as they were with raging desire.
“Yeah. You are mine.” He reached over, turning off the truck then yanking the keys from the ignition, shocking the hell out of me.
When he slammed the door, I was forced to take several deep breaths, a rush of fear of the unknown rolling into me. There was no way I could change my mind, no possibility that I could get away from him. I was disgusted with myself as well as fully aroused, trying to weigh the odds I’d made the wrong decision.
I closed my eyes briefly, able to hear the hard thudding as he walked away from the truck. “You have no idea what you’re doing,” I whispered, now quivering all over. I should use my phone, calling my best friend or my assistant to come get me, hiding…
Where?
I laughed as I studied his form through the plate glass window as he communicated with the man inside. This was the dumbest thing I’d ever done in my life.
And the most exciting.
He returned a few minutes later, a keycard in his hand, providing the keys to my truck and nodding toward the far side of the motel. “Pull around back.”
I did as he instructed, parking under the single dim light in the motel’s lot, biting my lip before shutting off the engine.
Very slowly Vader turned his head in my direction and this time I couldn’t keep from looking him in the eyes.
“You will do everything I tell you to do,” he stated gruffly.
“Yes.”
Nodding, he opened the door, climbing out, leaving his duffle on the floor. When I managed to jump out, I grabbed my small bag that held what little was precious to me, then followed him as he climbed the single flight of stairs. There were very few cars in the parking lot, the abysmal location and the aging facility likely the reason. But it didn’t matter. I wanted to live for once without fear of second guessing my decision.
After unlocking the door, he moved into the darkness, closing and locking it behind me. I tossed my bag, wincing when he flicked on a single light, the ugly amber glow doing little but highlighting the seedy space.
Vader shifted his heated gaze in my direction, his chest rising and falling, his jaw clenching. There was no doubt he was undressing me with his eyes. With a hard yank, he dragged his jacket as well as a tee shirt over his head, tossing both to the floor, exposing his upper torso. He was utterly the most gorgeous man I’d ever laid eyes on.
Ink covered his entire chest and arms, the colorful tattoos depicting dragons and eagles, all weaved into a masterful piece of art. He was built like a powerlifter, his broad chest and shoulders matching the most perfectly chiseled six-pack. Every inch of his body was sculpted, created by the gods above.
I found it difficult to breathe, blinking several times as I gazed upon his stunning flesh. He took long strides, approaching me within two seconds, yanking my arms over my head as he crushed the full weight of his body against mine.
“This isn’t about romance, Franny.”
“I’m not looking for romance. I just want sex.”
For the first time, a smile crossed his face as he narrowed his eyes, pulling both my wrists into one gigantic hand. “Then you better like it rough. I take what I want.” He didn’t give me any time to answer, raking his hand down the front of my blouse, every button popping, scattering to the floor.
I took gasping breaths, struggling in his hold, my nipples already hard and my pussy aching. When the scent of my feminine wiles floated between us, he took a deep breath, letting it out seconds later with a husky, deep growl. Everything about the man was savage, including the way his eyes penetrated mine.
He maneuvered the front clasp on my bra, dragging the lace material away and exposing my breasts. “Goddamn beautiful,” he huffed before capturing my mouth, immediately thrusting his tongue inside.
I’d been kissed dozens of times, but the way he dominated my tongue, drinking as if from the depths of my soul, created an explosion of sensations. I was immediately lightheaded, still fighting in his hold by the way he devoured my mouth. As he ground his hips back and forth, the feel of his rock-hard cock sent shivers down my legs.
When he jerked back, another growl left his lips, his breath skipping. He chuckled as if he’d found a pet he was determined to tame before brushing his lips forcefully across my jaw then raking his teeth down the side of my neck.
“Oh,” I whimpered, unable to stop the guttural sound. The second he dragged my blouse and bra aside, cupping my breast and squeezing, my legs began to shake. He was rough as promised, pinching my nipple between his fingers while licking my other hardened bud, nipping and biting down. The wave of pain was incredible, shooting another round of electricity into every muscle.
“Arms over your head and keep them there,” he instructed. “If you disobey, I’ll punish you.”
Punish? I shuddered at the thought.
Vader took his time, swirling his tongue around one nipple while twisting the other. I couldn’t breathe, my mind foggy and I found it difficult to swallow.
When he’d had his fill, he reared back, removing his hand from my wrists. But the hard, cold stare he gave me was a clear command not to move. He yanked at my blouse, the material ripping as he pulled it from my body. I wasn’t shocked by his intensity, our hunger on the same desperate level.
But I was surprised when he cupped the side of my face, his large fingers digging into my skin as he rubbed his thumb back and forth across my lips, pushing and pulling them with his actions. His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched before he raked his hands down the length of my chest.
The tenderness was short lived. He dragged my bra off my
arms, tossing it aside then kneading my breasts. There was no doubt he was going to ravage every inch of me. I kept my arms over my head, although I wanted nothing more than to touch his chest, to feel the heat that sizzled over every inch of him.
But this was wrong. So wrong.
He lowered his hands, slipping them around my waist until he located the button and zipper on my skirt. Very slowly he eased the material down my hips, dropping to his knees as he pulled the skirt to the floor.
Every part of me was numb, nothing more than a ragdoll as he took off my heels then removed my skirt entirely. I tried to take several deep breaths but failed as he rolled the tips of his fingers up the insides of my legs. When he reached my panties, he lowered his head, burying his face in my lace-covered mound, every sound he made primal. The man was preparing for a feast.
Oh, God. Oh… I bit my lip to keep from crying out, blinking several times in an effort to focus on anything, but the world around me was a giant and colorful haze.
Vader rolled his face back and forth, the force he used shoving the material between my already swollen folds.
“Yes, oh…” I tossed my head, doing my best to maintain my position but knowing I would fail within seconds. I wasn’t prepared when he let off a low, deeply husky, and carnal growl before snagging my thong with his teeth, jerking his head to the side.
The ripping sound seemed exaggerated and I was unable to keep a series of moans from rushing up from my throat.
“This pussy belongs to me,” he roared. “You will not come until I issue the command.”