8. She was just another broken doll,

dreaming of a boy with glue.

- Atticus

“I agreed to you sticking around here. I never said you could stay in my apartment.” Chevelle continues to argue with me. Ever since I followed her to her apartment, she’s been giving me hell.

“You keep talking as if I’m asking you. I’m not asking shit, woman. I need this window, and it happens to be in your apartment.”

“It’s my bedroom window, where I sleep!”

“I can take a break from hunting these assholes to fuck you if that’s what you’re asking for. Seems like you may need a good hard fuck to get you to chill the fuck out.”

“Jesus, you’re hardheaded.”

“I was just thinking the exact same thing about you.”

“Fine, I’ll sleep on the couch.”

I glance around, noticing she doesn’t even have a couch. There’s a bathroom and a small kitchen area. The only real furniture she has here is a big chair and her bed. “Scared?”

“Excuse me?” she hisses, her tone turning deadly. She can’t handle being challenged; she likes to win far too much. It makes her a badass, but it’s also a weakness if she doesn’t know when to back down.

“I asked if you were scared. You’re acting like a chickenshit over sleeping in the same room as a man.”

“Oh, that’s rich. You know damn well I can kick your ass if need be. I’m not scared of you.”

I snort but keep quiet. It’s enough of a response to make her cheeks flush. Fucking shit it makes her even sexier watching her get all wound up. Is this how she’d look riding my cock? I don’t have to worry about falling asleep tonight if she does actually sleep in here. My stiff dick is way too uncomfortable to get any rest around her.

I lay my arm across my lap and glance out to the parking lot. Her mouthy replies and tight figure are too much to take. I want to toss her across the bed, pin her with my body and make her give in to all of my desires. She could just lay there naked and let me stare at her all night. I can wait to fuck her if she lets me drink in her curves and pink folds for hours on end.

I need to fuck someone before this gets out of control. Sure, I’ve chased pussy, but they’ve always given in nearly right away. Chevelle though, she’s a tough bitch, acting like I don’t affect her in any way. I know her pussy’s wet though. she can pretend all she wants that she doesn’t eat up the attention I give her, but I can smell her sex. Mix it in with her resolve, and she’s like the forbidden fruit just taunting me to take a bite. I’d bite in a fucking heartbeat too. She just needs to bend a little more and admit that she wants me to fuck her.

“And what was that shit down there? I should’ve spoken to the cops, this is my business.” She glares at me, scrambling for something to fight with me about to change the subject away from my previous challenge.

My brow raises, ready to put this woman across my knee. “You can’t say thank you, can you?”

“You expect me to thank you? For what? Having me sit back like some meek little woman? I don’t think so, biker boy.”

“You need your ass spanked,” I growl, and she shoots off the bed.

“Try it,” she hisses, coming to stand in front of me. She’s way too close for us to be arguing like this. With the amount of untapped sexual tension between us, I may snap.

I get to my feet, leaning away from the wall I was propped against and tower over her smaller frame. I made the mistake of underestimating her the first time. I’ll never do that again. Being slammed on my back once was too many times for me. “Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.”

Her eyes flare. “You’re not man enough,” she breathes.

It was the wrong thing to say. I’d have kept going back and forth with her all night if she’d persisted, but that comment, nope. She’s used to weak men; I’m not one of them. My hand flies to her throat, grip tight enough to hold her in place and my arm span keeps her far enough away to retaliate.

“You’ve mistaken,” I growl. “You caught me off guard before, but sweetie, you’ve met your match.” At that, I hook a leg behind hers, twisting her in the process, so we hit the floor with me over her back. I do my best to not squish her beneath me, but she’s got too many moves that I have to focus on subduing her more. My other hand takes over, clamping the back of her neck and I release the front, keeping her face to the ground.

I reach back and smack her ass through her jeans and lean forward, breathing against her throat. “Want another?”

“I hate you!” she screams furiously. She’s so pissed it’s hard for me to hold back my pleased chuckle.

I smack her ass again, and she makes a feline growl sound that I find deliciously toxic. It’s her being completely livid, but it turns me on further.

Leaning back down, I rub my nose behind her ear, taking in her scent. She smells like sugary vanilla. I wonder if she tastes like it too. “Another?”

“Fuck you,” she hisses, and I chuckle.

My warm breath flutters over her flesh. “I wish,” I admit with a grumble and draw her lobe between my teeth. “But not tonight, I have to work.” I finish and sit up then spank her again.

She does this angry scream thing in the back of her throat. I’m pretty sure if I let her up now she’ll attempt to kill me.

“Be a good girl, or I’ll keep going.”

“You better pray you never sleep!”

My palm rests on her ass, and I laugh again. “I could sleep with you under me...naked.” My hand spans enough to barely caress her between her thighs. Her folds are probably swollen and red, begging to be fucked. God how I’d love to see them right now and lick her clean.

“Let me up.”

I spank her ass again, and her breathing becomes labored, morphing into more of a pant. She’s turned on—she likes it as much as I do.

“Say please.”

“Please, fuck off.”

“You won’t get rid of me that easily. Now, you gonna play nice, or should I keep spanking you?”

“I don’t play nice,” she admits and wiggles her hips.

“I know; that’s why I can’t get enough of you. Tell me Chevelle, are you wet right now?”

“Shut up.”

My palm smacks down as I deliver another spanking, “You were doing well for a minute.”

She takes a deep breath, exhaling, and she mumbles, “Will you please get off of me?”

Bending back over, my tongue trails along her lobe, my excited breath warming her ear as I demand, “Tell me if you’re wet.”

I wait with bated breath, not expecting her to answer honestly. I’m surprised she hasn’t bucked me off by now.

“Soaked.”

“Your panties or pussy?”

“Both.”

“You’ve made me a happy man,” I confess, rubbing my nose against her gently one last time before climbing to my feet. I head straight to the bathroom to take care of my hard on. My dick’s so stiff right now if I don’t get some type of relief I’ll puke later from the serious case of blue balls. I’ve never needed to feel a woman wrapped around my shaft so badly before in my life.

He storms to the bathroom, and I couldn’t be more thankful for the small reprieve. My cheeks are flushed and burning from admitting the truth to him. I’m mortified over what just happened—that I let him gain the upper hand—and the fact that I enjoyed every second of it.

He’s infuriating, always arguing with everything I have to say and being so damn good-looking while doing it. I was ready to hand him an ass kicking, and then his hand just shot out of nowhere catching me by surprise. I’m going to have to store that move. Not that I’m big enough to use it myself, but I’ll be damned if another man gets the jump on me like that again.

Climbing to my feet, I step to the window he was busily peering out of before I tried to pick a fight with him. I’m not used to having anyone in this space, especially at nighttime. If I want to sleep with a man, I go elsewhere—never in my home.

Mercenary just strolls in and takes over everything like he owns the place. How can he be so blasé about sticking around here so much? People have come and gone throughout my life. I learned at a young age to not expect them to stick around and having him here like this feels as if it’s crossing a barrier or something. I know it’s for my protection, even if I don’t want to admit out loud that I need it. It’s all nerve-wracking. I’m used to taking care of myself.

I blink and register the figure across the street propped up against the light post. Shit. I wonder if Mercenary saw him too.

With a few quick hops, I bang on the bathroom door and receive a grunt in response.

“Cupcake?”

“In a minute,” he grumbles.

“There’s someone outside.”

“Fuck!” He swears and follows it up with a groan. I hear the sink turn on and jump back. I don’t want him to think I was standing here listening to him do whatever he was doing. Although I have a good guess he was in there stroking his cock. I wonder if he’s hung long and hard or if he’s more blunt and wide?

Damn it. He has my mind constantly in the freaking gutter around him. He’s pure sex on two legs, and I can’t seem to help myself when I’m in his presence. It’s already bad enough I needed to put on a new pair of underwear and got zero relief from him taunting my pussy earlier.

The door opens, and he steps through, cheeks still pink with his breaths coming heavy.

“Have a good time?” I ask with an amused grin. I’m such a bitch sometimes, I laugh to myself.

“Would’ve been better if it was your mouth,” he responds gruffly and strides to the window. “Where did you see them?”

“Him. I saw one man. He’s across the street, by the light post.”

His head tilts for a brief second before straightening and reaching for the CO2 fed gun. “Son of a bitch. I think he’s too far away.”

“I could create a distraction, maybe get him to come closer?”

“How do you figure?”

“I can go outside; maybe he’ll cross the street.”

He snorts and mimics my voice, not sounding even remotely close. “And maybe he’ll put a bullet in you the first chance he gets.”

“Okay smartass. I just figured he’d want my money, not my life.”

“Because the bomb earlier didn’t clue you in enough?”

“You’re a dick, you know that?”

“Maybe if I had some relief I wouldn’t be so dickish.”

“Dickish? Did you just make that up?”

He shrugs.

“You’re just pissed because he’s too far away. It’s not my fault you don’t know how to shoot.”

With a growl, his glare lands on me. “Woman…”

The word’s enough of a threat to shut me up. Clearly, he doesn’t find me distracting him right now very amusing. Instead of arguing further, I whisper, “I’m making some tea then.” Not sure why I whisper since we’re inside this giant building and the guy’s across the street, but I do.

He nods, silent and I tiptoe toward my shoebox sized kitchen. I need to do something to get my mind distracted and making tea seems to be the easiest option to put a little distance between us. I don’t know how I plan on getting any sleep with him here like this. My place is a studio, which means the only real room that has any privacy is the bathroom. Even now when I’m busily digging through my cabinet to hunt down lemon and chamomile tea bags, I can easily watch him from across the room.

I find the gray box and pull two bags free and heat the water. Once it’s hot enough, I pour two cups with a tea bag in each, grab some spoons and a bottle of honey. With light feet, I make my way until I’m beside him and can set the cups on the small table off to the side of us.

“Did he move?” I whisper and peer through the pane of glass.

“Nah.” He swallows, and my gaze lands on the same man as before. He’s still there in the same position.

I peer up at Mercenary, taking in his relaxed stance. You’d think he’d be uptight since he’s planning on shooting the guy, even if it is with a tranquilizer. He’s not though. You’d think it was just another day on the job for him. Maybe it is. “Is this sorta thing normal for you?”

With a huff, he flicks his gaze to mine. “Do you need attention or something? I already spanked your ass once tonight.”

With a glower, I spin around and busy myself by removing my tea bag and stirring in some honey. I was going to be nice, but he can take his tea bitter. I smirk to myself and bring my cup along with the bottle of honey with me to sit in my favorite overstuffed chair.