What the fuck had happened to Syll?!

I couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed when I’d first come into the bar. I’d been thinking about everything that’d happened to me today, and how I wanted a drink and to talk to someone. Syll had been the first person to come to mind, which made sense since I didn’t really have much in the way of friends. I’d been almost to the bar when I realized just how real that statement was. On the extremely rare occasions in the past I’d needed to talk to someone, I’d gone to my grandfather. But I couldn’t go to him anymore.

I wished I could blame my lack of attention to a new bout of grief, but that wasn’t it. I’d simply been so focused on myself that I’d never considered anything else. Or anyone else.

She deserved better.

I’d known that from the moment I met her.

And I’d still wanted her last night.

Fuck the past tense. I wanted her now. One time with her wasn’t enough.

But this wasn’t about me anymore. The moment I’d looked up and seen the bruises she tried to hide, the swollen left side of her face, everything became about her. Even when she was ranting, I could only think about how to take care of her.

I took her hand, not because she needed me to lead her, but because I needed to touch her, and until I knew more, I didn’t want to accidentally touch her somewhere that would cause her pain.

As we headed toward the back, I allowed myself a moment to appreciate the irony at the desire to not cause pain. I wasn’t a true sadist, and I wasn’t the sort of sadist who enjoyed anything non-consensual or intentionally harmful. In fact, the thought of causing Syll any sort of pain that wouldn’t result in her extreme pleasure went against every fiber of my being.

If I found out that an actual person was responsible for how banged up she looked, they would have an easier time turning themselves into the police and facing assault charges than what would happen if I got my hands on them.

She tugged me to a stop before we reached the door to her apartment. Her office was fairly quiet, and it was empty, but a part of me was disappointed that she didn’t want me in her place again.

Then again, that hadn’t exactly ended well, so I supposed being in a neutral place was best for the talk we needed to have.

“All right,” she said as she tugged her hand out of mine. “We’re alone. What did you want to talk about?”

“Are you kidding me?” I gestured toward her face. “What the hell happened to you?”

She sighed with the weariness of someone who’d told the same story so many times that it was almost painful to say it one more time.

“I fell down the stairs.”

“What stairs?” I wasn’t going to let her get away with some bullshit story. “There aren’t any stairs in this building.”

“How do you know?”

I almost growled at her. “Because I’ve seen the blueprints. Before I came here the first time, I looked over the building information available to the public. This is one-story, with no basement.” I took a step toward her and softened my voice. “Talk to me.”

She folded her arms across her chest and looked away. “Someone broke in earlier today and did this.”

My temper, usually kept under lock and key, flared. “You aren’t covering for that asshole ex of yours, are you?”

She shook her head, a small smile touching her lips. “Gilly basically asked me the same thing. He’s still an asshole, but he didn’t do this. The guy wore a ski mask, but I would’ve recognized Billy’s voice. Besides, he was way too tall to be Billy. I think it was the same guy who trashed the place.”

“What did the cops say?”

She looked down at her hands. “I didn’t call them.”

“Dammit, Syll, you need to report this!”

Her head lifted so I could see the sparks in her eyes. “And you need to mind your own damn business. This is my bar, my life. I’ll take care of things the same way I have since my dad died. Myself. You might not be used to a woman who prefers to do things herself rather than relying on a man, but I was raised to be indep–”

I cut off the rest of what she was going to say by covering her mouth with mine. I kissed her carefully, not wanting to aggravate her injuries, but I wanted nothing more than to plunder those sweet, dark depths with my tongue until she was soft and pliant in my arms.

I should have known better.

The moment I lifted my head, her hand went up to slap me. I automatically caught her wrist, and her eyes went wide. The flash of fear I saw in them cut me, and I promised myself that I would do whatever I could to make sure she knew she was safe with me. No matter what had happened between us in the past, or what would happen in the future, she needed to know that I’d never give her reason to be afraid of me.

I brought her hand to my mouth and kissed the palm. I didn’t release her hand but rather began to massage it as I spoke, “I’m sorry. After last night, I thought it would be okay for me to surprise you with a kiss. I shouldn’t have assumed.”

“I…thank you.” Uncertainty clouded her features. “I shouldn’t have tried to slap you. This time.” Her shoulders slumped. “I’m just having a really shitty day.”

I gave her a small smile. “Me, too.”

I didn’t tell her that my bad day started when I realized she’d left without a word. This wasn’t about blame or guilt. It was about something entirely different. We weren’t in a club, and we’d never discussed anything along the lines of a Dom / sub relationship, but the Dom in me was determined to protect and care for her.

I cupped her chin, tipping her face back until she was looking at me. “How can I help you? Just tell me.”

“I don’t want to talk,” she said. “And I don’t want to think.”

“I think I can manage that.” I gave her one of my most charming grins, and for the first time in a long time, I meant it.

“I’m not expecting anything from you,” she continued. “And I’m not offering anything.”

“I thought you said you didn’t want to think or talk anymore.”

She gave me a hard, searching look, and then nodded. “You’re right. I don’t.”

This time, she kissed me.

I let her take charge of it, and my Dominant side didn’t even argue. With everything that had happened to her recently being so far beyond her control, I knew she needed to feel at least some semblance of it somewhere. When the hands that had gripped my shirt softened against me, I took over.

I ran my hands down her back, paying close attention to any sign of discomfort so I could shift my caress. It was one thing to tease after a punishment, and something else to play off a true injury. I palmed her ass and lifted her onto the desk. A few papers fell to the floor, but I ignored them as I started to unbutton her shirt.

Once I had it undone, I broke the kiss and let my gaze fall to her bra. It was nothing fancy, probably the easiest one to put on with her injuries, but that didn’t matter. It was a front clasp.

Hell. Yes.

I flicked it open, mumbling a curse as I lowered my head. She gasped as my tongue circled one nipple, and then the other. They pebbled as the cool air came in to contact with the sensitive skin. I could’ve spent hours just doing this, but we didn’t have hours. Sooner, rather than later, someone was going to realize that she wasn’t in the bar, and they’d come looking for her. My money was on the blonde she’d called Gilly.

I needed to make sure we both got off before that happened. Which meant I needed to get her out of her pants.

“Damn jeans,” I growled. “Lift up.”

She obeyed, and I tugged off her jeans, taking her panties too. They were plain cotton, but I tucked them into my pants pocket anyway. When I raised my eyes, she was watching me with a questioning look on her face.

“You can get them next time.” I pushed her knees apart, loving the way she flushed as she opened to my perusal. “Another note for next time: you’re going to touch yourself while I watch.”

“Why not now?” she asked.

“Because I need to taste your pussy.” I sank to my knees. “Now, be a good girl and come whenever you like, but you might want to keep it down if you don’t want everyone in the bar to know what I’m doing.”

As I lowered my head, she opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out was a low keen. Damn, she tasted amazing. Fresh and clean, reminding me of spring. I licked her again and earned another of those dick-hardening sounds. I needed more time to properly go down on her, tease her until she was panting and begging, taking her so high that she’d see stars. But I didn’t have that kind of time now, which meant I was going to have to go with getting her off as quickly as possible.

Her hands came down on my head, fingers digging into my hair, nails scratching my scalp. I gripped her hips as firmly as I dared, holding her in place against my mouth even as she tightened her hold on my head. She didn’t need to worry. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere until she exploded on my tongue.

I danced around her entrance, sneaking quick dips inside to sample her arousal, and then moved up to her clit. I flicked my tongue against it, and she said my name. Then I pressed the flat of my tongue to it and rubbed the swelling bundle of nerves. That earned a curse and a jolt of pain as she pulled my hair.

I looked up at her as I repeated the combination. Her breasts heaved with every breath, her chest flushed, and nipples hardened. Her head was tilted back, exposing her neck, and I had a momentary image of what it would be like to mark her skin with my teeth, to wrap my fingers around her throat. Not to choke her, but to see just how much she trusted me.

More things to add to my list.

At this rate, we’d be together until next Christmas. The thought didn’t disturb me as much as it might once have.

“Jax,” she whimpered. “I’m so close. Make me come, please.”

I pulled back just far enough to speak. “Have you ever come from oral sex?” Her eyes opened, and she looked down at me. “Tell me, Syll.” I made it an order.

She shook her head. “Bil–he never liked going down on me, and he didn’t like me to tell him…” She paused, then continued, “I don’t want to talk about him. The answer’s just no.”

I turned my head and kissed her inner thigh. “Then it’ll be my pleasure to give you your first.”

I put my mouth on her again, working my tongue over all her sensitive areas, scraping my teeth lightly across her clit, sucking on it, overloading her on sensations until she finally exploded with a desperate cry. She clapped a hand over her mouth as the orgasm ripped through her, muffling the sound, but that was okay for now. One day, I’d want to learn just how loud I could make her scream.

I stood, watching her body twitch and tremble as the pleasure faded.

We weren’t done yet.