CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Kolan
Later that night, I walk outside to take a call from Sarge and get caught up on everything I’ve missed the past few days, especially the youth. When he informs me that Benny took it upon himself to be in charge until I return, I can’t help but grunt.
Figures.
However, after the way he put a smile on Sophie’s face today with that bracelet, he can pretty much have whatever the fuck he wants. That kid might be a pain in my ass, but I have to admit he’s smooth. It made me wish I had thought to do something like that. Instead, I’ve been burying myself in her every chance I get, making her moan and scream my name…
The thought has me adjusting myself. I’ve been as hard as a goddamn rock since she walked out in that bathing suit this afternoon. It took every ounce of restraint I had not to rip that scrap of material from her sweet body and fuck her like I wanted to.
I took her to the doctor the day after we were together and got her on birth control. Since then I’ve spent every moment I can inside of her, worshiping her in ways I never knew I was capable of. I’ve managed to keep the dark part of myself hidden, and strangely…I don’t miss it. I want to own her and claim her in ways she could never imagine, but I don’t need it. All I need is her…and the control.
Deciding not to wait another second, I finish up with Sarge then go on the hunt, anticipation swelling in my veins. I end up finding her in my gym. Music quietly plays from the speakers as she stands in front of the floor to ceiling mirrors, staring at her reflection. She’s still in her sundress that she threw on over her bathing suit from when we drove Benny home earlier. Her expression is thoughtful as she touches the jagged scars on her slender neck.
I come to stand behind her, my hand sweeping her long hair to the side before bringing my lips to the base of her throat.
“It’s worse than I remember,” she whispers.
“Is this the first time you’re seeing them?”
She nods. “Yeah, other than when I was in the hospital. I couldn’t bear to look at them,” she admits quietly, her fingers tracing the scars. “He didn’t leave a single inch of flesh untouched.”
“He left a lot untouched,” I say, bringing her body flush against mine.
The back of her head rests against my chest. “I wish you would have known me before all of this. I was so different. I was fearless, confident. I smiled all the time and loved life. I never hid any part of myself. I wasn’t so…damaged.”
“You’re far from damaged,” I tell her. “I don’t know the girl you were before but I really like the girl I’m looking at now.” My hand moves to her neck, my thumb stroking her angry skin. “This might be all you see when you look at yourself but it isn’t what anyone else sees. It’s only a small part of who you are and even that part is not flawed. We all have weaknesses, Soph, and I like that I’ve gotten to see all of yours. Trust me when I tell you, the furthest word from my mind when thinking of you is weak.”
A smile stretches her pretty lips seconds before she turns around to face me, her arms winding around my neck. “You say the most perfect things.”
I pull her in close. “I just speak the truth. It’s all you’ll ever get from me.”
Rising up on her tiptoes, she feathers her lips across mine. “Dance with me.”
Eminem coming from the speakers is far from danceable, but I find myself unable to deny her. I’d give her anything she asked for if it made her smile. My feet shift, moving us side to side in the most awkward rhythm.
“I really suck at this shit,” I tell her, every muscle in my body stiff. Usually I’m good on my feet, especially when I’m in the ring, but not at this. However, if I were between her legs right now, rhythm wouldn’t be a fucking issue.
“No, you don’t,” she lies, gazing up at me with a smile on her face. “If I could choose one person to dance with for the rest of my life, it would be you, Kolan Slade.”
I drop my hands to her ass, bringing her flush against my straining cock. “I have a better idea.”
“Hmm, and what might that be?”
“You dance for me.”
She stills in my arms. “Are you serious?”
Instead of repeating myself, I unwind her arms from around my neck and go grab the chair I have sitting in the corner, bringing it to the center of the room before taking a seat.
A shy laugh escapes her. “You seriously want me to dance for you?”
“Yep.” I hold her eyes, challenging her.
With a sassy smirk, she moves toward me, her hands planting on the back of the chair on either side of my shoulders. “All right, Slade, I’ll dance for you…on one condition.”
I lift a brow, surprised by her boldness and a little amused. “And what’s that?”
“No touching allowed. House rules.”
I grunt. “There are no rules, baby, because I’m the one who makes them.”
Her smirk spreads into a full smile. “Not this time. Follow the rules or I stop.”
The dark hunger I’ve been trying to conceal begins to claw its way to the surface.
My fingers grasp her chin, holding her in place. “Watch it, Sophie. Tempt the beast and it’s exactly what you’ll get.”
“Maybe it’s time I met him.”
My muscles burn, fire surging through my blood. She has no idea what she’s asking for.
Leaning in, she brushes her lips across my jaw before moving to my ear. “Relax, Slade, and enjoy the show.”
It takes every ounce of control I possess not to throw her down right here and pound into her like the animal I keep caged inside.
Stepping back, she walks over to the stereo and picks up my iPod. “What kind of selection do you have going on here?”
“It’s satellite,” I tell her, then clear my throat when I hear how rough my voice sounds. “Click on the green icon and type in any song you want.”
“Hmm…any requests?”
I stare back at her, wondering if she’s serious. “Baby, I don’t give a fuck if there is any music. I just want to watch you dance.”
A laugh tumbles past her lips, creating a seductive melody all on its own. “Hold your horses, Slade. I got something in mind that will work just fine.”
Her body works perfect with or without a fucking song. I dig deep for patience as she takes her precious time finding whatever she’s looking for.
A few seconds later, “I Touch Myself” by the Divinyls comes through the speakers. The only reason I recognize it is because my sister is a music buff and I had to listen to shit like this constantly. However, this song could end up being a favorite now. Especially if she keeps swinging those hips like that.
She turns to me, clearly holding back a laugh. “It’s perfect, right? Because it’s true.” Pointing at me, she begins singing, “When I think about you, I touch myself.” My blank expression has her tossing her head back on a laugh, finding herself fucking hilarious.
I find nothing funny about how hard she makes my dick. “Dance, Sophie,” I order.
“My, my, aren’t we impatient,” she sasses, spinning around with her arms above her head. She starts toward me, each swing and dip of her hips tempting—sexy.
Driving me to the edge of fucking insanity.
She silently sings along with the song, trying to be cute, but my mind can’t seem to focus on anything else except the words falling from her lips. Evoking images of her spread out, fingers buried in her sweet little pussy while thinking about me.
The fantasy fades as she gets closer, her addictive scent rushing through my blood like my favorite drug.
She stops a few feet in front of me, just out of reach. Her fingers tease the tops of her silky thighs as she drags her dress up.
Then down.
Up.
Then down.
Offering me only a peek of the sweet spot I crave. Slowly, and I do mean so fucking slowly, she peels the dress from her body, tossing it in a heap at my feet.
Okay, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.
Eyes hooded and flickering with desire, she turns her back to me, pulling the string of her bikini loose as she does. Every muscle in my body is tense—hard—as she circles that perky ass of hers.
The best ass I’ve ever laid eyes on.
My fingers curl into my palm as I get the urge to slap it, to hear the sound crack through the air and watch her pretty flesh stain with my mark.
Once her top falls to the floor, she covers herself with her hands, shielding them from my view in the mirror she faces. With a taunting smile, she tosses me her seductive eyes over her shoulder.
“Turn around,” I order.
She gives me a shake of her head, her defiance raging in my blood. Holding her gaze, I shed my shirt from my body then unzip my jeans and pull out my stiff cock, pumping it with a firm grip.
A gasp parts her lips, a sweet flush heating her cheeks.
“Turn around, Sophie.”
This time, she follows the order.
“Drop your hands.” My voice is deep and controlled, despite the chaos roaring through my veins.
She does, revealing full, round tits and tight, pink nipples that are begging for my mouth.
“Closer.”
She moves to stand in front of me, her gaze remaining glued to my hand, watching every stroke. Gauging from her quickened breaths, she’s enjoying the show as much as I am.
“You like knowing you do this to me? Like seeing me hard for you?”
“Yes,” she whispers.
Hooking two fingers into her swim bottoms, I jerk her between my legs and take a sharp nip of one stiff peak, drawing a harsh gasp from her.
She grabs onto my shoulders, nails biting into my hard flesh, the sting calling to the primal need I keep buried inside.
Releasing my cock, I pull the strings at the side of her bathing suit bottoms, my lips trailing down her flat stomach as the material falls to the floor. I groan at the sight of her, bare and slick with her juices, my mouth watering as her sweet scent impales my senses. I spread her open for my view, blowing gently on her clit.
A fiery whimper purges past her lips, her body trembling. “Kolan, please,” she begs.
“It’s not nice when someone teases, is it, Soph?”
“Depends,” she responds on a ragged breath. “It was fun to do it to you.”
I glance up at her, watching a sassy smile dance across her lips. It breaks my restraint. Spinning her around, I lay a hard and heavy hand to her ass, the resounding smack echoing throughout the room.
“Oh god.” Her cry of pleasure pierces the air, knees threatening to buckle beneath her. I grab her hips to steady her, watching the pale flesh stain the same color as her lips.
She doesn’t pull away; she pushes back for me.
“Again?” I rasp.
“Yes.”
Giving her what she wants, I lay another slap to the other cheek, her scream rushing through my veins. “I knew you’d love it,” I groan. “I’ll bet I could make you come with only my hand to this pretty ass of yours.”
“God, Kolan,” she moans, her hands braced on my knees.
Twining her long, wavy hair around my fist, I tug her head back, bringing my lips to her ear. “Isn’t this what you wanted, Sophie? To have me lose control and see this side of me.”
“Yes. Because I want every part of you.”
She has it. Especially the part in my chest.
I will never fully lose control with her. It’s not who she is, but if she wants a taste of the beast then I’ll gladly give it to her.
My lips brush a soft kiss to the base of her throat. The last act of tenderness she’s about to get from me. “Then hold on, baby, because that’s exactly what you’re about to get.”
Without another word, I drive her down on my throbbing cock. A growl rips from my throat; mixing with the sweet sound of her cry as I bury myself so goddamn deep I’m not sure I’ll ever dig myself out.
I arrange her legs to drape over my knees then wrap a gentle hand around her throat to tilt her head up. “Look at us. Look in the mirror,” I instruct her. “Look how pretty you are with my cock filling your pussy.”
She whimpers; eyes riveted to the spot between her legs.
“We look good, don’t we?” I say, nipping her earlobe.
“We’re beautiful together.” Her words fall on a strangled whisper, her heavy-lidded gaze shining with emotion.
“Yeah, baby, we are.” My lips press against her throat, hands moving to cup the heavy weight of her perfect tits, gripping and pulling on her stiff peaks.
“Kolan,” she whimpers, her ass shifting against my hips.
“Say it, Soph. Tell me what you want, baby.”
A moment of silence captures the air, only the sound of our harsh breaths being heard.
Until she breaks it.
“Fuck me and don’t stop.”
Growling, I begin fucking her without abandon, selfishly claiming what I will never allow someone else to have. Our sweat-slicked bodies slapping in urgency, her cries of pleasure fueling each frantic thrust. My fingers dig into her hips, gripping as I pound up into her, watching her tits bounce in the mirror.
Bringing one hand between her legs, I rear it back and slap her wet flesh. “Oh god!” she wails, her pussy fluttering around me as she teeters on the edge.
I rear back, delivering another slap, hard enough that it sends her over the edge.
“Kolan!”
“That’s it. Scream my fucking name, baby. Let the whole world know who you belong to.”
I keep my momentum, fucking her through her orgasm. It isn’t until her final tremor subsides that I let go, filling her hot depth with everything I have.
A moan leaves her as her sweat-slicked body sags back against me. I brace an arm across her chest, feeling her frantic heartbeat.
“You okay?” I ask, dropping a kiss to her shoulder, hoping it wasn’t too much for her. Especially that last mark between her legs.
“You know that saying, ‘you’ve been fucked within an inch of your life?’” she mumbles. “I’m pretty sure that just happened to me.”
My mouth splits into a grin. “So that means you’re good?”
“Ask me in a few minutes when I can form a thought.”
With a chuckle, I lift her off my cock, wanting to whimper like a pussy from the loss. Dragging my pants back up, I keep her against me with one arm then lean over to snatch up my shirt, using it to clean her before gathering her slender body in my arms.
“Oh good, you’re carrying me. Because my legs won’t work at the moment.”
“Don’t worry, baby, I have you.”
Her hand moves to my jaw, bringing my attention down to her soft expression. “I know. You always do.”
I kiss her fingertips as they brush my lips.
Striding into my bathroom, I take us into the shower, hating to wash any of myself off of her. But I figure she doesn’t want to sleep with my cum running between her silky thighs… The thought has me growing hard again.
I finish quickly, before I end up taking her again, something I don’t think she would appreciate at the moment since I’m the one keeping her upright.
Once I’m done drying her off, I lay her naked body out on my mattress. “You look so fucking good in my bed,” I growl, taking my spot next to her and pulling her in my arms.
“You probably say that to all the women.” She tries to play it off with a teasing smile but I know better.
Reaching between us I grab her chin, forcing her to look at me. “I’ve never had another chick in my house let alone in my bed. Not here or any other place I’ve lived.”
“Never?” she asks, shock evident in her tone.
“Never. Only you, Soph.”
Her smile returns, this one genuine. “I love it when you call me that.”
“Call you what?”
“Soph,” she answers softly. “My sister always called me that and she’s always been Tess to me.”
“Is she older or younger than you?” I ask, intrigued to know more about her family.
“Older. Not by much though. We’re only fifteen months apart, but by the way she bossed me around you’d think she was my mother.” There’s no hostility in her words only affection.
“Can I ask you something?”
She doesn’t hesitate. “Of course.”
“Why Lia? Why did you choose that name?”
Sadness twists her expression. “Lia is Tess’s middle name and my mother’s maiden name is Kay.” she shrugs. “It was a risk since it’s something he probably could have found out, but I had to keep something from them close to me. Even if it was only a name.”
I brush a wet strand out of her face, the loss in her voice gripping my chest. “When’s the last time you spoke to them?”
“I heard my mother’s voice a couple of weeks ago when I called. Even though I never said anything, she knew it was me. My mom’s always been good at that.”
“Maybe it’s time you spoke to them. Tell them you’re okay.”
She shakes her head. “Not yet. I can’t risk something happening to them. He’d use them against me. I already live with enough guilt over Blaine and Lara.”
I scowl, surprised by her response. “What the fuck do you have to feel bad about with those two?”
“They’re dead because of me.”
“The hell they are,” I snap, the words coming out harsher than I intended. “They’re dead because of him and because they were fucking behind your back. That’s not on you, Sophie.”
There’s a brief moment of silence as she gazes up at me, her expression pinched with pain. “When I think about the way they betrayed me I get so angry,” she admits quietly. “Sometimes so much that I think I hate them. Which makes me feel even more guilty.”
“The last thing you should ever feel when it comes to those two is guilt.”
Her eyes search mine, terror dark in their depths. “If anything happens to you, I won’t survive it.”
“Nothing’s going to happen to me,” I tell her firmly. “I have never been beaten and I never will be. You will not lose me.”
Her arms lock around my neck, pulling me in close for a hug. “Good, because I’ve already lost too much. Dancing—my family. If I lost you too, it would destroy me.”
Not as much as it would me.
Hearing her speak about her past sends the crushing reminder that she had a life before me. One where she was happy and thrived in before that bastard showed up.
One she could go back to when this is all over.