Chapter Ten
Four days later
Scarlett stretched her arms above her head and stared up at the ceiling fan. Last night had been another dream come true with Bain completely at her mercy. She loved how he caved, how he loved having her mouth on him. There was no way she could even begin to imagine how he must have felt as a child being forced to commit those kinds of acts. She didn’t want to think about it.
Children were supposed to be protected, enjoyed, loved, not used as toys in a game. That was what he’d been forced to endure. They had all been toys, playing some disgusting game. Sitting up in bed, she reached out and already knew she would find Bain’s space empty. He rarely slept late, nor did he go to sleep early either. She would promise herself each night that she would be the last to fall asleep, and each night, she’d be the first to fall. It didn’t help that he would spend what felt like hours stroking her hair.
Each touch promised her safety and love. She had never known love, not really.
Pushing the blankets off, she climbed out of bed, grabbed a shirt, and went in search of him. Every morning she would find him in the gym that he always had set up. She leaned against the doorframe, arms folded as she watched him attack a punching bag. He wore a pair of sweatpants, and his body glistened with sweat.
Since their unexpected door visitor something had been bothering him, and she didn’t know what. Over the past four days she had seen how distracted he’d been when he didn’t think she was looking. What Bain didn’t realize, she was always looking at him and always curious about what was going on in his head. Michael was gone. Her past life was behind her, and with Bain she saw a future with the two of them. It was weird considering he was a contract killer, but there were worse things to have in a relationship.
“You look beautiful like that,” Bain said, turning with a smile. He headed toward her, leaning down to grab a bottle of water. The moment he was in front of her, he pressed a kiss to her lips, and then pulled back to take a long swig. She couldn’t resist admiring his neck as he swallowed, and then she felt like a bit of creep for watching him.
“Morning,” she said.
“Morning.”
She placed a hand on his chest. His heart was beating normally. He hadn’t even exerted himself yet. “I was hoping you’d be in bed this morning.” She slid her hand down his chest, resting at the waistband of his pants. He wasn’t wearing any boxer briefs.
He covered her hand with his. “I had a few things I had to do.” He didn’t stop her as she slid her hand inside his pants, and found his cock. The moment she touched him, his dick started to get hard. She loved that. Any doubts she had about them left her mind because of his response to her touch.
“A few things that are more important than this?” She ran her thumb over the tip of his dick, watching as he groaned. The veins in his neck seemed to stand out. “Why do you always come here first?”
“I have to keep up with my training.” He moved her so that she was pressed against the wall. His hand was on her waist, moving up to cup her breast. She released a gasp as he pinched her nipple, and then tugged open her shirt. The bottle of water dropped to the floor, forgotten as his lips tugged on her nipple which he’d exposed.
Sinking her fingers into his hair, she watched as she lapped at the firm bud. He glided his tongue across the valley of her breasts, taking in the second one. He didn’t let the first nipple go unattended as he covered it with his hand, kneading her soft flesh.
She pressed her thighs together as arousal rushed between her legs. He kept her in a constant state of arousal. She craved his touch more than she did air.
At thirty-six years old, she had never thought about sex all that much until Bain had claimed her as his own.
“You’re doing that thing to distract me.”
“Is it working?” he asked.
“You can’t keep your secrets forever.”
“I can try.”
She whimpered as he dropped to his knees and lifted one of her legs, placing it over his shoulder. His fingers caressed up the inside of her leg. She cried out as he filled her pussy with a single finger, his thumb stroking over her clit.
“You want my mouth on this pretty little pussy?” he asked.
“Please, Bain.”
“I love it when you beg. There’s no other man who will ever give you what I can. Only I can make you feel this good.”
“Please.” She needed his mouth, and then she needed his cock. She had to have something because she couldn’t think straight.
His tongue flicked across her clit, and she cried out. He placed both of his hands at her hips, keeping her standing. Her pussy felt empty, and she wanted him, only him.
“Bain, please…”
“I know, baby. Let me take care of this for you.”
She had wanted to take care of him inside their bed. Staring down at his head, she ran her fingers over his cropped hair, as she began to thrust her pussy against his mouth. He made her so wanton. She would have never tried to seek her own pleasure before. Bain moved his hands from her hips, gripping her ass so tightly that she knew there would be bruises where his fingers were.
“You taste so damn good.” He slid his tongue down, filling her pussy, and fucking her with it. When she thought she was close to orgasm he stopped, moving back to her clit, sucking and nibbling on the hard bud.
“Please, Bain,” she said, once again.
“What do you want, baby? Tell me and I’ll get it for you.”
“I want you inside me. I need you.”
Within seconds he had moved her toward one of the machines that he used for weight lifting. He sat down and then moved them so that she was straddling him. His cock was already out, hard, and ready. “Take me, Scarlett.”
She had wanted to be on top of him again for so long now but always held off for fear of upsetting him, or bringing back memories he’d rather forget. “You’re sure.”
“I’m completely sure.”
Wrapping her fingers around his length, she watched the pre-cum ooze out of the tip. Placing his head at her entrance, she returned her gaze to his, and lowered herself down onto his dick. With every inch that she took inside herself, she watched as his eyes seemed to go a little darker, the pupils dilating, and his cock pulsing within her. His reaction set off a new kind of power that she didn’t want to give up.
“You have no idea what you do to me,” he said.
He palmed her hips, moving down to her thighs, gripping them tightly. She loved how big and rough his hands were. They only aroused her more with his touch. He went back to her hips and slammed her down taking the rest of him so that he was seated to the hilt inside her.
She cried out. He wasn’t a tiny man, and his cock at this angle seemed to go far deeper than before.
“This is where I’m always supposed to be,” he said.
Licking her dry lips, she placed her hands on his chest. “You’ve been lying to me, Bain,” she said.
“Don’t talk about it now.”
“You use sex against me all the time. I figure now is the perfect time to find out what has been bothering you.” She moaned as he pinched her nipples and then stroked them with his finger. Closing her eyes, she basked in the sharp bite of pain but didn’t get off track.
“We don’t need to talk about this.”
“I think we do. In fact, I know we have to talk about this. You can’t keep hiding it from me.” She rolled her hips and watched as his jaw clenched. “Who was at the door?”
“You’re not going to win this, Scarlett. Let’s just enjoy this.”
“Bain, we’ve not known each other very long, but even in that short time, I know when something is bothering you. You’re training hard, harder than I bet you ever have before. We rarely leave the house, and there’re guns everywhere. What’s going on? You can’t hide from me or whatever is bothering you. I don’t want you to live in fear.”
She rocked against him and struggled not to close her eyes because they were both still aroused. It was crazy, and insane. He held her tightly, and when she would have stopped to question him, he took control and made her fuck him even harder. He pulled her up and down on his cock, making her take him even more.
“I won’t let them take you away from me. Touch yourself, Scarlett. Let me see and feel you come apart.”
She wanted to deny him, to argue and tell him no, but instead, she reached down and stroked her clit as he continued to pound inside her. She was supposed to be in charge, but against his strength and the pleasure, she couldn’t fight it.
Just a few strokes to her clit, and she came apart, yelling his name and whimpering as he slammed up inside her. There was no way she was going to be without bruises as he held her so tight. It was almost as if he was afraid of letting her go.
Within seconds, Bain joined her, flooding her with his cum as his cock pulsed within her. She collapsed on his chest, refusing to move. She didn’t care if they made his exercise equipment dirty. She wasn’t moving, not an inch.
“I was an idiot. I hurt Boss, and now, because of my mistake, he’s coming after you. I’m training to make sure that I can protect you. That’s why I won’t sleep in, and why I’ve got weapons around the house. I’m preparing for him. He’ll strike when I least expect it. I can’t let anything happen to you. I won’t.”
Wow, she didn’t expect that. Her days were possibly numbered, and as she looked at Bain she saw fear in his eyes, which was so strange coming from him.
****
Killian’s warning had to be taken seriously. Boss wasn’t a man to do things half-assed, and Bain knew without a doubt that he would strike out and hurt him. The only way to hurt him was to do it with Scarlett. He shouldn’t have shot him, and he regretted that, now more than ever.
Scarlett hadn’t said anything to him since he had told her the truth. She stood in his kitchen, dressed in one of the many dresses he’d bought her, the fabric molding to every single curve and turning him on as she silently cooked them dinner.
After their lovemaking in the morning, she had climbed off and showered. Then he’d followed her around the house as she cleaned everything.
Was she quieter than usual?
Crap, he couldn’t stand this, not knowing her thoughts or what to do.
“Talk to me, Scarlett.”
She glanced over at him. “What would you like me to say?” she asked. “Everything seems kind of lame and silly.” She chuckled. “I’m just doing dinner.” She tilted her head to the side, staring down into the pot.
“Just talk to me. You can say anything, but don’t give me this silence any longer. I can’t stand it.”
Once again her gaze was on him. “I’m trying to figure things out. This guy, he’s going to hurt me because you shot him? Why didn’t he shoot you back?”
“I don’t know. Boss doesn’t react. He never has. He gets even.”
She poured two cans of tomato sauce into the pan and stepped away. With her hand on her hip, she leaned on the counter, staring at him. “What do you want me to do, Bain? You’re scared of Boss?”
“No! I’m not afraid of him.”
“Then what are you afraid of?”
He stared at her. “You really don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“Boss has never frightened me because I’ve never had anything to lose, don’t you get that? He’s … he’s the owner of Killer of Kings.”
“And that makes him worse than any of you?” she asked.
“He’s got a body count that no one can even begin to imagine. Killing is an art form to him, Scarlett. Lisa was just a number to him. He has to get the job done no matter what.”
Tears filled her eyes, and he hated that he had brought up her friend.
“I’ve never had anything to lose, and I can’t stand the thought of anything happening to you, baby. I can’t.”
“You can’t live like this, Bain. You’re going to kill yourself. You have to rest.”
He shook his head. “No. The moment I stop being on my guard, he’ll come for you, and I told you, I can’t have you leaving my side. I won’t … it’s not happening.”
She turned back to the stove, and he watched as she stirred some seasoning into the pan. “I never for a second thought I could be this happy,” she said.
“Scarlett?”
“No, you can let me speak. I’ve heard enough of what you said. In your own words, you have said that Boss won’t kill me.”
“No.”
“He’ll just hurt me.”
“I’m not going to let that happen.”
“Would it be so bad to let him do that? To let him do whatever he wants?”
Bain gritted his teeth. He got up from his seat and rounded the counter so that he was in front of her. Cupping her face, he forced her to look at him. “I’m not going to let you to be hurt because of me.”
Tears shone in her eyes. “Viper, he hurt for you as well, didn’t he?” She covered his hands with her own. “I love you, Bain. I know it makes everything else crazy and even myself, but I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life being happy. The last four days, they’ve been perfect. The best days of my life so far, and saying that at thirty-six years old, is kind of sad. You make me happy. Do I make you happy?”
“More than anything. You know that.” He’d never thought he’d be happy or find a woman he trusted as much as he did Scarlett. It was why he was freaking out over Boss. Normally, he’d just take the guy out, but killing Boss came with consequences, and he wasn’t about to create more pain. He had to wait it out. Even as he’d been training, he’d been trying to figure out how to bargain with the devil. What could he possibly want in place of Scarlett? There had to be something.
Killian was a strange kind of guy. He was a hardened killer, but unlike everyone in the business Bain had ever known, Killian had morals. There were jobs he wouldn’t take, and even jobs he’d been known to intervene on. More than once Killian had gotten on Boss’s bad side.
“Then let me do this for you. If Boss comes, he does.” She went on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
His cell phone rang and interrupted their moment. Glancing down, he saw it was Viper. “I’ve got to take this.”
“Go ahead. I’ll finish up dinner.”
He didn’t go far. Sitting down in a chair in the doorway, he watched Scarlett work as he took the call. She loved to cook, and he’d never eaten so well in his life.
“What have you called to warn me about now?”
“For a guy who has a revenge-seeking Boss on your hands, you’d think you would be nicer.”
“Like you said, I’ve got a revenge-seeking bastard on my hands. I’m not in the habit of making pleasant conversation.”
“You know he’s going to come,” Viper said. “It’s only a matter of time.”
“He’s not getting anywhere near her. I will kill him, Viper. Be sure of that.”
“Why don’t you stop being a pussy, and call him. Talk to him.”
“Why would I do that?” he asked.
“Reason with him. Boss is many things. He’s a killer and a businessman. See if there’s anything you can offer him that he wants.”
Bain closed his eyes, suddenly feeling exceedingly tired. He’d not been sleeping well, and besides the few hours he allowed himself, he was starting to wear thin.
“Is that all you called me about?”
“Bain, other killers are taking bets on how long you last in this business. They think Boss is going to kill you. Don’t prove them right, okay? I don’t want to lose you.”
“Nothing is going to happen to me. I’ll be perfectly fine.” He hung up the phone, not wanting to hear any more of Viper’s miserable voice.
His old buddy had a point though. The only thing he hadn’t done was talk to the man himself. What harm would it do?
Scarlett was still dealing with dinner. Scrolling through his contacts, he found the number for Boss and dialed.
It rang several times before Boss finally answered.
“I wondered when you were going to call.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve been waiting for you.”
“I see Killian was dealing with his moral compass again. That is going to cost him.”
Bain gritted his teeth. “What do you want?”
“I’d say with the fact you’re calling now, I bet I’ve got Viper to thank for this, right?”
This was why Boss would forever be on fucking top. He knew shit that no one else ever did.
“What will it take for you not to come after Scarlett?” he asked.
There was laughter over the line. “Oh, Bain, there are times I question why I wanted you as part of the team. You’re always so quick to judge.”
“She had no part in any of this. Your beef is with me.”
“On that you are correct, but you see, years have taught me that a way to get a message across is to hurt the ones close to the person.”
Bain closed his eyes. It had been years, since he was a child, since he had begged for anything. “Please.”
“Oh, what is this I hear? You’re begging me now, is it?” Boss laughed, this time even louder than before. “I find this so fucking funny. I never thought anything would get the precious Bain to beg.”
“I’ll do anything. Whatever it takes, just don’t harm her. Take me, fuck with me, I don’t give a shit.”
“Bain, I’m the boss. I say what goes, and when I’m ready, nothing will stop me from taking her. She’ll bear my mark, and every time you see it, you’ll know that you did it to her.”
Boss hung up, and Bain yelled, throwing his cell phone across the room, watching as it smashed into pieces.
He spun around as Scarlett placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay,” she said.
“No. It’s not going to be okay.” He gripped the back of her neck, holding her close. Kissing the top of her head, he tried to think of anything that would stop Boss coming after her.
Fuck! Fuck! Shit! Fuck!
Scarlett didn’t say anything more to him about that. They shared dinner, washed the dishes together, and then sat down to watch a movie. Neither of them spoke about Boss or his threats. Bain had cleaned away the broken phone and dumped it in the trash.
After watching a movie, he’d taken her upstairs and made love to her. Once again they had the long drawn out battle of who would fall asleep. He won. He always won, and he watched her sleep. Her light snores were sweet music to his ears. Placing a hand on her back, he felt her back rise and fall with each indrawn breath.
“I will protect you for the rest of my life. I can’t lose you, Scarlett. You’re the only thing that is good in my life. The only thing I want to keep.”
He hated that he had fucked up, and there was no way to take it back. After the life he had lived, he’d promised himself he wouldn’t feel helpless again, and yet here he was, helpless to save the woman he loved.
Boss would hurt her, and unless Bain could find something to appease the monster in Boss, it would mark her for the rest of her life. He knew about scars. He had more than any man he knew, and he didn’t want that for Scarlett.
For the next week, their life remained the same, going through the same motions. He slept for a few hours, trained, ate, spent time with Scarlett, and then they ate again, made love, and he watched her sleep.
Exhaustion was a horrible thing, and on the eighth night, Bain lost his battle with Scarlett. He fell asleep, and even as he drifted, he promised himself it would be but a few moments.
When he woke up, Scarlett was gone, with a note on the bed.
Picking it up, Bain felt sick to his stomach.
“Revenge is a dish best served cold. Sweet dreams. Boss XXX.”