Snow falls heavily, pelting the windows with the fierce wind that accompanies it. The dogs lay beside the roaring fire with the kittens between them. Catalina passed out on my chest hours ago and hasn’t woken since. Even when I shifted her to lay on the couch so that I could start the fire.
Standing behind the comfortable piece of furniture, I pointedly assess her cabin and the life she’s made for herself. From what I can tell, she hasn’t acquired much in the way of personal things. I found a file in the rolling desk by the door pertaining to a fire at the home she shared with her mother until the woman passed away.
Last spring, an inferno claimed it and everything she owned in it. It was ruled arson, and I can’t find anything that’s declared the case closed. The only thing I can think of is the mystery man who made her afraid to insist on getting her needs met.
Once this shit ends, he’s first on my hit list.
Catalina lives sparsely, with only the bare minimum, and I wonder if I could convince her to come home with me. If she’d leave this ice palace she calls home.
Checking my phone again, I fight the urge to throw it through the window as it flashes no service. I need to call King, find out what the fuck is happening with Thomas.
Even knowing this woman shares McCray’s blood, I can’t bring myself to loathe her the same way I had on the way out here. She’s nothing like that sadistic fucking family. She’s soft and sweet. Susceptible to manipulation.
I should know since I’ve done it to her myself. Got what I wanted by finding out her deepest desire. The difference is, I’ll give her everything she wants without leaving her hanging. With me, Catalina will feel nothing but love from my pain.
Suddenly, both dogs stand up, their bodies tense. Dark hair stands on end, their heads bent low with aggression.
I was shocked, at first, that they hadn’t tried attacking me after having Catalina crying out with pleasure. They simply accepted me into their fold without incident.
I couldn’t be more grateful for that than right now. “East,” I call, and the shorter of the two animals comes over to me. “Guard.” I point to my little lamb, and he sits by her head, ears twitching as I move to the window beside the door.
Pushing a corner of the curtain to the side with one finger, I see a shadow moving near the woodshed. “Got you,” I mutter, walking over to the gun cabinet she has. I open it to see weapons full of dust. “Fuck.” If they’re like this, then the likelihood of them backfiring on me are high. “We’re going to have a long fucking talk, woman,” I say as I pull out the switchblade I keep in my boot.
Whistling low, I motion for West to follow me. Easing open the door, we head outside, a blanket of snow on the porch hindering any surprise we may have had.
Surveying the area, I can see there are no vehicles, no four-wheelers that I’ve seen people using to get around, and I have to wonder who the ballsy asshole is. If it’s Thomas or if it’s someone else that could be checking up on her, knowing she’s up here by herself.
“Search,” I instruct West. I don’t even know if he knows what I’m talking about. I do know he’s an intelligent breed and will take cues from me. He walks about thirty yards ahead of me as we quietly move through the torturous weather. The wind masks the sounds of our feet in the crunching snow. Which also means we can’t hear whoever is out here.
A menacing growl erupts from the dog seconds before it attacks whoever is behind the shed. Creeping around the side of the building, I see West with his jaws around a man’s throat. He can’t be much older than my thirty-five years as he lays limply on the ground, fear etched in every line of his face.
“Who the fuck are you?” I ask as snow begins to fall harder.
When he opens his mouth to speak, West’s jaw tightens, and the man flails like a fish on a hook.
“West,” I snap, and the animal immediately backs off but remains close enough to have the stranger still shaking.
Rubbing his throat, he looks between the growling West and my hulking frame. Likely trying to decide who he stands the better chance of beating. Neither of us is a safe bet.
“Charles Manning,” he sputters.
“What the fuck are you doing out here?” I’m not the trusting sort, and the fact he doesn’t have a vehicle bothers me.
“I came to check on Catalina.” I can’t stop the menacing growl when he says her name. Swallowing hard, he looks between West and me again. “I haven’t heard from her in a while.”
“What the fuck are you to her?”
Getting brave, he pushes himself to his feet. “We’ve gone on a few dates.”
“Bullshit.” I don’t believe it for a second. Not with the way she was with me.
“It’s been about a month, but yes, we’re dating.” His voice is a little stronger, but his eyes still register his fear.
Reaching for him, he shrinks back as I grab the collar of his coat, pulling him to me. “That still doesn’t explain why you’re creeping out here like a fucking stalker.”
“My ATV broke down out by the road.” His explanation doesn’t sound any better.
“We’ll see,” is all I say as I drag him to the porch. Pushing him onto the first step, I point and say, “Don’t fucking move,” as I go inside.
Catalina is right where I left her, only her shirt has moved up to show her stomach and the underside of her lush tits. I’m half tempted to suck on them until she comes from the stimulation alone and say fuck the idiot outside.
Kneeling beside her, I can see the outline of her peaked nipples. Knowing my hands are ice cold, I gently lift her shirt, baring her succulent tits for my viewing pleasure. Her nipples tighten from the chilly air.
Grinning, I lean down, licking across the tip of each lightly, enthralled as she arches her back for more. “Fuck him,” I groan out. Leaning forward, I capture her flesh in my mouth. Vanilla explodes on my tongue as she moans for more.
Slipping my frigid hand down the front of her pants, I plunge two fingers into her tight little cunt while putting pressure on her clit as I devour her tit, almost fitting the entire globe inside.
Her gasp of pleasure tells me she’s awake, or at least getting there. I pump my fingers in and out of her the way I want to with my cock, hard and fast, and her body shivers with pleasure.
“Atticus,” she breathes out into the quiet night.
Her hips are moving in sync with my fingers as she rides the waves of her pleasure. Switching breasts, I give the other the same attention as the first. Lifting my hand to her mouth, I shove two fingers into the warm cavern in the same fashion as her cunt. Only I push them to the back of her throat, blocking her airway, and immediately, she’s tensing, and a gush of liquid hits my hand as she comes apart for me. Her body convulses as I work her harder, stringing out every ounce of pleasure I can before I pull her pants off entirely and finally taste her properly.
Seeing her naked pussy for the first time does something to me. Right then and there, I’m swearing my devotion to this fucking woman. For the rest of our lives, she’s going to own me. Anything she wants, I’ll get it for her.
“Fuck is that pretty, little lamb.” She blushes at my compliment. “You ever have a man’s tongue lick you like a popsicle?” I look up in time to see her shake her head. “Good. I’d hate to have to kill more than one man.”
Turning her so she’s sitting up, I drag her hips to the edge of the couch. Lifting her legs over my shoulders, I spread her wide open. With a perfect view of both her holes, I have a hard time deciding which one I want to eat first.
Rubbing one finger between her swollen lips, I draw much of her cum from her pussy down to her ass—she tries to pull away—and push the finger through her tight rings. “I’m going to bury my dick so deep into this tight little ass of yours, you won’t know whether to moan or cry.”
She shocks the fuck out of me when she says, “Atticus, please.”
“That another one of those cravings you have?”
“The biggest,” she admits.
Grinning, I lean down to her cunt, murmuring, “Where the fuck you been all my life?” as I suck her lips into my mouth, pulling tightly. I pump my finger in and out of her ass roughly.
“Oh god!” she cries out, and I know the asshole outside hears her.
He ain’t heard nothing yet.
Catalina
This shouldn’t feel so good. It should feel forbidden and naughty and dark.
Yet, it’s everything.
Atticus does things to me I never dreamed of happening. I want more. Every dark and devious thing he has planned, I want it. And I want it harder. I want him to take me the way he envisions.
“When my dick is ripping these beautiful holes apart, you’re going to beg me to stop,” he promises. “But I’m just going to fuck you harder. You’ll be begging me to break you.”
Mercy, do I love the sound of that.
When his lips wrap firmly around my clit and his teeth nibble, I can feel my womb tighten, my pussy grasping for something to hold onto until it’s there. Until I’m rocketed into another world where white-hot pleasure is the only thing possible. I feel him licking me clean, devouring my cries and juices. His finger leaves my ass, and I find I’m disappointed. I want more. I want harder. I want him to claim me.
“Atticus!” I cry out when he pulls his dick out of his pants and places just the head against my cunt. He doesn’t push in, but I feel his semen shooting jets inside of me. The warmth makes me tingle as it coats my walls until he’s shuddering just as hard as me.
“Fuck.” He sounds angry. “Lips,” he demands. Sitting up, I’m not shocked when he presents me with his very large dick. Small piercings align along the shaft, and I’m very curious about how that’s going to feel inside of me. “Open.” I do as he asks. Pushing his whole length into my mouth, he tilts my chin, so the head settles in my throat nicely. With just enough room to breathe, he holds still. “Don’t move,” he demands. “Eyes, Catalina.” I look up to him. “If you move, there will be hell to pay.” A coldness enters his stare. “Understand?” I nod slightly. “Have you ever been on a date with Charles Manning?” I have to think, I know the name, and then it hits me, and my eyes widen. “Is that a yes?” He’s pissed. But I still shake my head no, tentatively. My gaze remains on his. “You lying to me?” I shake again. “He says you were, a month ago.”
I have to think back. Honestly, I don’t go into town often, but when I do, I eat at the pub because I like the food there.
I try to pull away when his grip in my hair tightens.
“You got something you need words for?” I nod in reply.
He lets me go, and I’m sad to lose the feeling of his cock in my mouth. I was enjoying the taste of him.
“When I go into town, I always have dinner at Jester’s, the pub.” Atticus nods. “Charles was there the last two times.” His eyes darken to rage again. “I mostly sit at the bar. He sat beside me. We said maybe three sentences to each other. Nothing more. Ever.” I can’t emphasize that enough.
Nodding his head, he puts a finger under my chin. “Why’s he saying it’s more then?”
“I don’t know.” He searches my gaze quickly before telling me, “Go get some clothes on. No fucking underwear.” Doing as he says, I pull on a pair of fleece pants and a sweater. Confusion swirls through me about what’s going on. He’s running hot and cold, and I really don’t like it.
Entering the front room again, I stop in my tracks when I see Charles on his knees by the front door. I say nothing as West stands sentry beside him, and Atticus is in the small kitchen boiling water.
“Little lamb, come here.” I go to him, even more confused than moments ago. “Has he been here before?”
“No.”
“Any reason he would come out here to check on you now?”
I look back to the man again. He looks terrified. “No.” I don’t understand what’s happening. “What’s going on, Atticus?”
“While you were sleeping, West and I caught him out by the shed with the claim that he was coming here to check on you because of the weather.”
“I didn’t hear a vehicle.” Atticus had also exhausted me, so maybe I slept through it.
“That’s because he claims it broke down by the road.” It’s not an unreasonable possibility.
As he walks over to Charles with a pot of boiling water, I begin to worry. “What are you doing?” I follow behind him.
“I grew up in the streets, fighting, stealing. You name it, I’ve pretty much done it. When I was twenty, I met three men. They’d just begun to take over the city and build their empire. They brought me into the fold. Accepted me as family and it’s what we’ve been ever since.”
“That’s…nice.” I don’t understand why that’s important here, but I can see from Charles’ face he does. He understands what’s happening.
“Please don’t,” he begs.
“Something I learned long ago was how to get information from a person without making a mess. I typically enjoy using a few instruments, but I have to get creative here. Boiling water can be quite painful.” His sight is locked on Charles in front of him.
I have a feeling where this is going now, and I don’t like it. “Charles, for god sakes, tell him the truth. We never went out on any dates. We barely know each other.”
“It’s much more than that, little lamb,” Atticus says. His tone is deadly. Different than he’s used with me. Pulling a knife from his boot, he grabs Charles’ hand. “Boiling water on an open wound is about as painful as it can get because the water gets right in there, hits the bone. Veins, vessels.”
“What do you want?” Charles asks, his voice shaking. I’m stunned speechless. Atticus speaks like he does this all the time. Maybe he does. I don’t know him.
“I want to know why you’re here. What your purpose was tonight.” His voice is calm now.
“I told you, I just wanted to check– Ahhh!” He starts screaming, and I have to cover my eyes from the sound as the kittens scatter towards my room.
“Atticus…” I whisper horrified.
“Try again, Mr. Manning. I know men like you. Predators. You see, I knew what you were here for as soon as you approached the shed. You’ve had every chance to tell me. Now, I’ll get the information my way.”
Charles sobs, “I just wanted to check on her.”
“Do you know a man named Thomas McCray?”
McCray?
I know that name.
How does he?
“No,” Charles responds, shaking his head.
“I believe you,” Atticus tells him. “Why are you here?”
Charles pauses before answering this time. I almost don’t want to know his reply because there is no reason in the world for him to be out here. Especially in this storm.
“Your intent was to rape her, wasn’t it?” I can feel the color drain from my face.
“You wanted to rape me?” I finally speak, stepping forward. I make the mistake of looking down and see his hand has broken out in blisters. The skin is bright red from the heat.
“No,” he says, but I don’t believe him.
“You’re lying.”
“She’s right, you are. I grew up around men like you. You take pleasure in hurting those weaker than you. Shitty for you, I’m much stronger. I’m also meaner. You see, I’m mostly psychotic, and my morals are bent. I make the rules as I go, and right now, I’m thinking your dick needs a bath in this water so you can never try this on anyone again.”
“Oh god.” I’m horrified at the picture that enters my mind. I know if I don’t intervene, Atticus will follow through with his threat. Stepping between the two men, I break the contact of Atticus’ hold on the man’s wrist. “Not for me,” I tell him.
“Always for you,” he insists, his deadly stare meeting mine.
“You’re a killer.”
“One of the worst,” he confirms, and I don’t know how I feel about it.
“You’d kill for me.” It’s not a question. I knew it from the moment he walked through my door.
“Yes.”
“Even when I ask you not to?”
“Especially then.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s when I know you’re in the most pain. You won’t show it, not now, but the mere idea of a man you know coming here with the intent to do you harm hurts every part of your soul.”
Silent tears stream down my face.
He scowls, and I can see him getting angrier.
“You’re fucking dead, Manning,” he hisses. “Get the fuck out, and if you ever come back, I’ll do to you what we did to the man who hurt my friend’s girl.”
Fascinated, I ask, “What’s that?”
“Lit him on fire. Alive.”
I blink.
“Shit,” Charles squeaks seconds before the door opens and slams shut behind him.
Atticus’ gaze locks on me, hot, heavy, hard. He’s deadly right now, and I’m not scared for even half a second. I know he won’t hurt me.
“To your room. On the bed. Naked, now,” he instructs, and I run to do his bidding.
Atticus
I need her out of my sight. I’m full of pure rage, and I know if she stays a moment longer, I’ll do something she won’t like.
Heading out the door, I follow Manning. I want to know what he’s going to do. In fact, I want to kill him still. I want his blood on my hands for even thinking he could have Catalina.
She’s mine.
Seeing him near the road that leads up to the cabin, I watch as he struggles to climb on his four-wheeler.
I step on a branch, and it sounds like a shot in the night. His head whips around to meet my cold stare as he sits frozen like a deer as I approach him.
“I’m leaving like you said.” He blubbers like a baby, tears spilling from his eyes.
I circle him like the predator I am. I have no reason to let this man live. I could kill him right now, and no one would be the wiser. People may know I’m in town, but they certainly don’t know where I am. They have no idea I intend to steal Catalina away just as soon as this storm passes. They’ll never know what happened to the sad girl in the mountains once I leave with her.
“I want to kill you,” I tell the man. He cries harder. “I want to spill your guts from your sternum, so you don’t die quickly. I want you to suffer for thinking for even a second that you could have a piece of my woman.”
“I wasn’t–“
“Don’t be a fool. We both know you were going to spend the time this storm was around raping her repeatedly. Maybe even kill her. For that thought alone, your life will end.”
“You said–“
“I told a lie to keep her happy. She’ll never know your existence from this earth has perished. She’ll never know I plan to leave you in these woods to be eaten by any wild animal that passes you by.” Just the thought of his suffering has a smile flitting across my hard face.
“You can’t do that,” he protests.
“Except I will. The only question is, how much pain do you want to suffer before I do.” I pause for effect as his face pales further. “There’s another man in town. The man I mentioned before. I want to know where he is.” His eyes widen. “This storm is supposed to end in three days, maybe less. By the time it passes, you’ll have the information I want.” I turn to make my exit, knowing he’ll dig up what I want by the time we’re ready to leave.
“What if I can’t find him?” he calls to my retreating back.
“You will.”
As I hit the first step on her porch, I hear the retreating sounds of his vehicle. Stripping my coat as I enter, I head straight to her small room.
“I thought you left,” she comments as I enter. A blanket is wrapped around her naked body.
Reaching behind me, I grab the back of my shirt, pulling it over my head and dropping it to the floor. My knees hit the edge of her bed, and I grasp a fistful of the blanket and yank, revealing all her creamy flesh for my viewing pleasure.
She gasps as the cool air hits her skin, pebbling her nipples into hard peaks. I remain quiet as she struggles not to squirm in my presence.
“Atticus?” she finally questions, fear written in every line of her body. Crooking a finger at her, I coax her to come to me.
When she’s just a hairs-breadth away, I graze my fingers up her arms, touching her lightly. I want her soft and supple for me. “I’m not a man that follows the law, lamb. I’m never going to be your prince charming. I am dark; I am death.” Her eyes are glued to mine as I speak, and I don’t see the repulsion I expected. “I am loyal and am claiming you now, tonight. That means you are solely mine. I will never allow any harm to come to you. I won’t ever give you a sliver of doubt about how I feel for you.”
I watch as she swallows harshly. “That’s an awfully profound commitment for knowing someone only a day.”
My lips tilt in amusement. “I don’t fuck around when it comes to the things I want in life. I see, I want, I take. It’s as simple as that.” Catalina hesitates as a thought crosses her mind. “Say it. Never hide anything from me.”
She bites her bottom lip in a way I’d like to be doing right now. “You said Thomas McCray.”
Just like that my libido has died. “What of him?” Everything we have on her says she’s never met the man. Likely hasn’t heard of him. I’m curious how she knows his name now.
“What does he want?”
“Put a shirt on,” I tell her. I can’t talk of this piece of garbage while she’s naked, waiting to take me into her body. I walk out to the living room as she does what I say, wondering how to explain what he’s done, what he wants to do with her.
Sitting on the couch, I hear her soft steps approach. She stands in front of me before crawling into my lap.
“You hate him,” she comments. I don’t deny it. I’d like to slaughter that son of a bitch for what he’s done to me, to Lilith. To us all.
Grabbing her hand, I bring it up to the wound in my shoulder where his bullet landed only a few short months ago. “This is not my first bullet wound. But it is the most impactful.”
“He shot you?” she asks, inspecting it with her gentle fingers.
“He ordered the shot when he ordered the kidnapping of Lilith.”
“Who is she?” Jealousy creeps into her voice, and I have to remind myself she doesn’t know who we are, what Lil means to us.
“I am part of an organization—the Adair Empire—and Lil is King Adair’s queen.” I feel her freeze at the mention of who I truly am. “You’ve heard of us.”
She looks me in the eye as she speaks. “I have a cousin, Steven, he has mentioned Thomas over the years. Told me of his family. Warned me to steer clear of the man.” Little lamb looks down briefly before connecting our eyes once again. “He also warned that the men of the Adair Empire were killers. Unjust, torturous men.”
Most women would show an ounce of fear speaking of us. Hell, most men would. Not my lamb. No. She meets me head on and dares me to prove her words true.
“We aren’t good men. We have our own rules. Some bound by blood. Until lately, we weren’t what he’s said. We run a tight business. And when, if, we decide someone needs persuading to give up information, yes, we do torture. We bring death swiftly, quietly, bloody if necessary. But only ever to those who betray us.”
“I don’t”—she takes a deep breath—“I don’t know if I can live like that.”
Smoothing my hand up her back, I take a fistful of her hair and pull roughly. “You’re my heaven, Catalina,” I whisper in her ear. “And maybe I’m your hell.” Running my nose along her throat, I lift my other hand to wrap around the column of her throat. “Have no doubt, you, little lamb, are a warrior. You are fierce, and you are mine.”
“You won’t let me go, will you?”
“No.” No sense in lying to the girl. “Do you want me to?”
Her eyes widen, clearly not anticipating me to ask her that question. “I don’t know.”
“What scares you?”
“You’re a killer.”
“I don’t kill women. None of us do. If anything, Lilith would skin a woman alive for thinking to cross us before we would.” She relaxes marginally.
Her mouth opens and closes as she processes my words, gearing up for her next argument. I’m fucking done.
“Enough of this. There is no argument you can make to convince me to let you go. I would rather cut off my own hand than harm a hair on your head, and that’s all you need to know.”
“Okay.” That was easy.
“You say this now…”
“I say this because if you wanted to kill me, you could have done so easily when you had your hands wrapped around my throat. You took me to the edge and nothing more.” Damn. “I don’t know you as a person, but I know you as a man.” There’s a difference? “Except…” I wait for the bomb to drop. “You can’t kill for me, Atticus. I won’t have another’s life, or death, on my hands.”
Agreeing to that isn’t as easy as she’d like, but… “I’ll try. No promises.” It’s the best I can do. I’ll always want to slay her dragons.
“Good.” Instead of picking her up, I tear the shirt off her body and suck one of her puckered nipples into my mouth. Inhaling her tit as her fingers run through my hair, pulling when I do. “Atticus,” she moans, “I need you.”
Unbuckling my jeans with my other hand, I’m past caring that she may need slow and gentle due to her untouched state because I want in her cunt, and I want in right fucking now.