Hard Ride: A Rough Romance

by Piper Stone

  “I’m so sorry. I wish I had something more to say.”

  “There’s nothing that matters. I picked myself up and was determined to make a difference. Maybe that’s why I’m such an asshole.” Now I had to laugh.

  “You’re not an asshole, you’re just on a mission.”

  “Much like you are.”

  Holland exhaled, nodding several times. “I guess you’re right. Maybe we can’t run from the past, but we can try and alter the path of the future.”

  “Said like a woman with purpose.” I had to admire her. She was stronger than the majority of people I’d met.

  The quiet settling between us remained unnerving.

  “I have a confession,” she said quietly. “Julia told me about Mr. Gammon’s son. Thank you for telling me the truth.”

  Another round of anger rolled from the depth of my system. “I should have figured.”

  “Montana, don’t blame Julia. She’s a reporter. That story was in the news, at least from what she said. Don’t allow that to interfere with all the great work you’re doing.”

  “I’m trying, but I swear to God, the fight is eating me, digging at my resolve.”

  “Don’t do that. You have to fight. You are an amazing man and a brilliant doctor. That’s all that matters.”

  Her adoration was almost more than I could handle. “Maybe I’m not the man you need.”

  “You’re wrong. You’re exactly what I need,” Holland said with utter confidence.

  I moved away from the fence, tossing the rest of my beer in the trashcan. Maybe I wasn’t ready to share all of me with anyone, including the woman who challenged me every day.

  So beautiful.

  So incorrigible.

  So bratty.

  “No, you don’t, Mr. Cobalt.” Her hand wrapped around my arm, able to jerk me to a halt. “You’re a life-saving surgeon and a damn good bull rider, but you have a terrible bedside manner and you suck at letting people in. I understand what you had to deal with and I totally get why you’re jaded, but you have to yank your mind from the past. Granted, you’re arrogant and opinionated and hardheaded and I’m certain I can think of at least a dozen more attributes you need to work on.” Her words were said with a lilt.

  “Oh, yeah?” I barked, unable to hold back a grin.

  “Oh, absolutely without a doubt,” she shot back. She tossed her beer, jumping when the two bottles smashed together.

  I jerked my arm away, but there was no animosity in my mind, no anger in any manner. Just unbridled lust. The past and the present swirled together, a reminder that I wanted this life, that I cared about this woman. “We’ll see about that.” I pushed her hard against the wall, tugging at her clothes as I crushed her mouth with mine.

  Moaning, she yanked my shirt from my jeans, sliding her hands across my heated skin. My cock was at full attention, the hunger far too wild to ignore. Every part of me ached to be inside of her.

  As the kiss became savage, she raked her nails down my back, grinding her hips against mine. The friction was incredible, sizzling every nerve ending. I sucked on her tongue as she made animalistic noises, now struggling to unfasten my belt.

  I fisted her hair, yanking out the ponytail and sliding my fingers through her long strands. I wrapped my other hand around her neck, keeping her in place as I broke the kiss, sucking then nibbling on her lower lip.

  “Oh. Oh. Oh,” Holland whimpered, able to unzip my jeans.

  I planted kisses across her chin and down her neck before sucking on her nipple over the thin material of her tee shirt.

  She managed to slide her hand into my jeans, wrapping those long fingers around my shaft. I was almost instantly shattered by the raging desire, white-hot heat flashing through every muscle. I had to have her. I craved her like no other woman.

  Struggling, she managed to push me back just enough to drop to her knees.

  I took several deep breaths, glancing from right to left. Oh, what the hell did I care if anyone witnessed our bestial act?

  She peeled away the edges of my jeans, easing my cock and balls into the air.

  I kept one hand wrapped around her hair, the other pressed against the wooden siding. “That’s it. Yes, baby. Suck me. Just suck me.” The moment she wrapped her hot, wet mouth around my cockhead, I threw my head back, fighting my natural instinct to roar like a beast. Stars floated in front of my eyes, my heart racing. I was in heaven and nothing could feel any better than this.

  With the exception of being inside of her.

  Her moans escalated as she rolled her tongue across my sensitive slit, forcing every muscle in my body to tense. When she ran her hand between my legs, cupping and squeezing my balls, my knees began to knock.

  “Jesus, baby. You’re on... fire.” My words were scattered, breathless.

  She seemed fueled by my words, taking my cock further into her mouth, using her strong jaw muscles to clamp down like a tight vise. Then she dragged her tongue along the underside of my shaft, mewing as she licked up and down the entire length.

  I could no longer think clearly and had no care who found us. My grip became tighter, holding on for dear life as her lips found my tight balls. Soon they would be swollen, ready to explode. “Jesus. F. Christ.” My muttered words seemed to echo in the dense space. From somewhere, I could swear I heard activity, but could only smile at the thought.

  She sucked one testicle then the other, taking her time to swirl her tongue in circles and zigzags. All the while her other hand rolled up and down my cock, squeezing my cockhead. As if desperately hungry, she slid her tongue back up, groaning before taking half my shaft into her mouth.

  That’s when I could stand it no longer, jutting my hips forward and face fucking her like some wild animal. She allowed me to take control and even in the darkness, I could see her peering up at me, watching my every move.

  I slammed into her mouth in hard strokes, the tip hitting the back of her throat. Everything was a blur as my body took over, wanting nothing more than to spew hot cum deep inside.

  Insatiable, she stroked the base of my cock, meeting it with her mouth with every hard thrust, her other hand teasing my balls in a relentless fashion.

  I was close to erupting, unable to stop the savage needs encapsulating every inch of my body.

  “Suck me. Deep throat me, baby.”

  She obeyed without hesitation, relaxing her throat until her bottom lip was resting on my balls. That’s when I knew I was going to lose it. I held her in place, savoring the sweet moment, trying to catch my breath.

  But it was no use.

  A series of ragged growls pushed past my pursed lips, my body jerking as cum rushed from my balls. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!” I gripped both sides of her head, digging my fingers in as the climax swept through me like a tidal wave. Cum filled her mouth and all I could think about was doing this again. And again.

  Even though she gagged for a few seconds, she took almost every drop, sucking me dry. Her tongue never stopped moving, her mouth clamping down.

  I slapped my hand against the wall, gulping for air, my legs threatening to buckle completely. “God. That was... Amazing.”

  Holland slipped her hands up my thighs, able to push me back enough to ease my cock from her mouth. She licked her lips, purring in the most sensual manner.

  Stumbling backwards, I brushed my wrist and hand over my forehead, still seeing stars. “Holy... Shit.”

  Another purr was followed by a giggle as she struggled to stand. “Now who’s dominating whom?”

  Oh, her words added fuel to the already blazing fire. I grinned as I slipped my cock and balls back into place, fumbling to zip and buckle. “We’ll see about that, sweetheart.”

  “I think you already said that before.”

  Issuing another growl, I tossed her over my shoulder, heading toward the exit.

  “Put me down, you brute. Where do you think you’re taking me?”

  “That depends on your attitude.”

  She p
ummeled her fists against my back, cursing under her breath. And for some crazy reason, all I could do was smile.

  “Let go of me!” she insisted.

  “I’ll take you to your place, but I’m spending the night. Period. And you will do everything I say. Clear?”

  I heard her laugh then the sound seemed choked.

  “Wait,” she said. “Put me down.”

  “Why?”

  “Smoke. I smell smoke.”

  “What?” I eased her to the ground, taking a deep whiff. “Are you certain?”

  “Oh, yeah. That’s smoke.”

  After inhaling again, I hissed and ran toward the arena where I was able to see the first lick of flames. “What the hell?”

  “There are still livestock here. We have to get them out!”

  “Are you certain?”

  “Yes!” she yelled, pointing toward another set of stalls, ones where the security was tight. “We have to get them out of here.”

  “Go call 9-1-1. Then stay out. Do you hear me? There’s no time to argue.”

  Nodding, she raced toward the parking lot.

  As I raced toward the buildings, another stench assaulted my nostrils. Gasoline.

  The fire had been intentionally set.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Holland

  “Do you really want to know the truth, Deborah? Do you? Your mother certainly didn’t want to know.”

  “How dare you even speak of my mother. You’re the reason for her death!” I slammed both hands on his desk with enough force that several papers flew off. Even his prized laptop skittered precariously toward the edge. What the hell did I care.

  My father smiled, the same conniving look I remembered from years before. “And you act just like your mother, intolerable.”

  “I knew I shouldn’t have come here. For some insane reason I thought that I would try one more time to get to know my father, the man who abandoned me, who blamed me for my mother’s death.”

  He seemed shocked, his eyes opening wide. “Is that what you think?”

  I held my arms, walking toward his impressive bank of floor-to-ceiling windows and peering down at the bright lights of Chicago. I could remember a few fleeting fabulous moments with my parents. Ice skating. Christmas shopping. Eating ice cream. Those were all fake. “That’s what I know happened. You hated me after Mama died. I was just a child. I couldn’t understand.” I heard the gut-wrenching sound of my own voice and was disgusted with it.

  I could see in the reflection that he’d moved from around his desk, taking careful steps in my direction. He even dared to reach out his arm, pulling back before I snapped at him. I’d never seen him looking so frail, beaten by the world. Hell, he deserved it.

  “I loved you so much, even more than I adored your mother. I never meant to encumber you with guilt. What happened had nothing to do with you.” His sigh was one of the first compassionate emotions I’d heard from him.

  “Whatever. You couldn’t face the horrible truth. Then you sent me away like trash. Unwanted. Unloved.”

  “You’re right but not for the reasons you’ve thought for all these years,” he half whispered. “I sent you away to protect you, to keep you safe from...”

  “From? Who, Daddy? Who? Your rich clients? They’re nothing but wimps. You fooled them all, didn’t you? Just like you fooled my mother.”

  He walked away, even stumbling slightly. Did he actually think he was going to fool me? What a crock of shit.

  “My clients weren’t who you think they are, Deborah. They aren’t good men. In fact, they’re evil. I got in too far, greed replacing common sense.”

  Turning around, I blinked several times. “Evil. What are you talking about?”

  “Organized crime.” He smiled even as beads of sweat trickled down both sides of his face. “One client turned into two then five. By that point, I was making so much money that I didn’t want to stop, even if I could. I was making them hundreds of thousands of dollars with dirty money. Money they stole from people, innocent people. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This had to be some kind of joke. “You don’t seriously expect me to believe that. Do you?”

  He chuckled and moved back to his laptop. “Your mother found some files I had hidden at the house, damning files of all the clients. What she concentrated on was the fact that I was taking money, not who the clients were. She threatened me with going to the police. In truth, I was resigned to her doing so, as long as she could forgive me.”

  “That’s not what I heard during your argument.” But I had to admit, I was starting to forget details.

  “That is the truth. I deserve to go to hell for what I did, for what I put you and your mother through, but I want you to know that I loved both of you very much. I love you and want the best for you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

  “Organized crime. The mafia. You’re out of your mind.”

  “I never found the information your mother hid but that’s the reason for her death.”

  “She had a car accident, hysterical over your argument. I almost died in that car!”

  “Which is why I sent you away!” he bellowed.

  I rubbed my eyes, trying to make sense of what he was trying to tell me. “What, Father? What was the reason for her death?”

  “They killed her as a warning.”

  I jerked awake, taking several gasping breaths. I hadn’t been forced to endure the nightmare for months. Everything was coming to a head, the past colliding with the future. No, I wasn’t allowed to have a future.

  The heavy breathing of the man lying next to me was a comforting reality in a fucked-up world. We hadn’t gotten to my house until almost five, but we had been able to save the animals. Everything had been a blur, the fire racing through the facility. We were lucky. Yeah, lucky. I was groggy, my stomach in knots, but there was no way I could get any additional sleep. I was too sick. Sick at heart. Sick in my mind. Nothing made any sense any longer.

  I’d continued to lie to Montana, of all people, but I couldn’t bear the truth. Even saying the words would be far too repulsive.

  I closed the bathroom door before turning on the light and gripped the bathroom counter. The phone call from my father had been so unexpected, the information he’d given me fueling every fear I’d had. They were coming for me, thugs working for the Chicago mafia, terrified that I had information that could lead to arrests.

  And more.

  Believing I had what belonged to them.

  Yes, my father had insisted that I understand just how dangerous the organization was and how far-reaching their tentacles were years ago at that meeting. My name had been changed when I’d moved to live with my aunt and uncle, all ties broken. Given my mother had been estranged from her own sister, never knowing where the woman lived, my father had thought the location would be a safe haven.

  He’d gone to great lengths using a private investigator to find her, not that the mafia couldn’t have done the same. I’d never known anything was out of the ordinary until my meeting with my father not long after I’d graduated from college, ready to enter veterinarian school. By then, his entire world was unraveling. In truth, I’d suspected the call from the prison meant he’d been murdered.

  I’d never asked my father questions, although he’d alluded to having hired a security team of his own. As if I’d given a shit. I’d left the meeting with my father and my birth city, never looking back.

  Was it possible the crime syndicate was settling old scores? If what my father had said was true, then I had every reason to be terrified. They believed my father had money hidden somewhere. Correction, mafia money. And they believed that he’d sent the entire amount to me.

  As crazy as it had sounded years ago, everything was beginning to make perfect sense now. What was even worse? The organization could be establishing new turf, trying to push the ranchers out of business in order to build casinos.

  I almost
doubled over with laughter at the thought. Was it coincidental? I had no idea what to believe any longer.

  I turned on the water, yanking the tee shirt over my head. I felt filthy, dirtier than I ever had in my life. Montana had insisted on staying with me. Protecting me. He had no idea the evil he was protecting me from.

  As I turned on the water as hot as I could stand, I shivered, my stomach cramping. Even crazier? I knew my father still had money hidden away somewhere. It wasn’t what he said but how he’d laughed about the concept. The same cunning deep baritone that he’d used when my mother had confronted him.

  My legs were little more than rubber as I stepped into the shower, trying to keep from bursting into tears. There were still too many questions and I had no way of being able to confirm anything my father had shared. For all I knew, he could be filling me full of lies.

  Was there any money hidden?

  Was there anyone hunting me?

  Was there any connection to the suspicious activity regarding the ranchers?

  The man at the exhibition?

  I closed the door, slapping my hands against the cold tile wall, taking deep breaths in an effort to fight the rage and sadness. I wanted so many things out of my life, including a relationship. Montana. Even his name sparked so many emotions, an unfilled life swirling in my mind. How could he ever care for the daughter of a convicted felon? How could he ever feel safe in his own home?

  The questions were too intense. I closed my eyes, allowing the water to rain down, hoping the hot liquid would wash away my sins. As steam increased, rising from my feet, I was thrown into a vacuum, allowing the tears to fall.

  I had no sense of him, the man I’d fallen in love with until he wrapped his body around mine, his rugged hands only lightly placed on my thighs.

  “I woke up and you weren’t there,” he said, his tone dripping with concern.

  “I didn’t go anywhere. I was covered in soot.” I could tell by the way his body tensed that he heard the catch in my voice, the utter anguish pouring from my heart.

  “There will never be any level of filth staining you that could make you dirty. You will always be pristine in my mind.”