CHAPTER FOURTEEN
WHAT A DAY. After explaining everything to the police, who’d apparently been to the house many times, Armie tried talking to Bray alone.
The kid wasn’t real receptive. Armie remembered what it was like to be fifteen, feeling so adult, wanting to control his own destiny while others were actually in charge. He gave Bray his number and told him to call anytime. He also promised him that he’d be in touch, that he wasn’t going to disappear on him.
Bray hadn’t looked convinced. Never one to hold back, and having no skill at prettying up his words, Armie told him, “You’re not a problem I’m trying to dump, okay? I just have to follow the law, that’s all.”
That had startled Bray.
“When I say I’m not disappearing, I mean it. And damn it, I want you to know that.”
Reluctantly Bray had nodded. “Yeah, sure. Whatever.”
It was a start. Armie held out his hand and that confused Bray, too. But finally he accepted, and when he did Armie pulled him in for a bear hug. He felt awkward as hell, but he liked it all the same.
To cover the emotional moment for both of them, he mussed Bray’s hair and grinned. “I’ll see what’s what and be in touch, okay?”
Bray nodded. “Yeah.” His skinny chest expanded. “Thanks.”
A social worker approached, her careful smile in place, and Armie wondered how she did it. He’d rather fight in the cage naked every day than deal with the emotional devastation of shitty parenting. At least the woman was familiar to Bray and by the time Armie left, some of the suffocating worry had loosened. It seemed the last foster parents who’d had Bray adored him. It was only the mother’s insistence that she get him back that kept his life in turmoil.
The foster parents would be taking him in again. Armie heard the social worker tell the kid that they still had his room all set up.
I always end up back here.
Maybe this time would be different—but Armie doubted it.
After talking to Carter earlier, his mood had soured. Now, after this, he was literally spoiling for a fight. He needed to expend some energy in a bad way, and violence would suit him just fine.
Not the good sportsman competition of the SBC. No, he wanted a street brawl.
For that reason, he’d have preferred to steer clear of Merissa tonight. Maybe Cannon could just—
“You ready to go?” Denver asked. “Bray looks to be in good hands, at least for now.”
He’d clued Denver in earlier and naturally he wanted to get to his wife.
“I was thinking—”
“Don’t,” Denver told him, shouldering him to get him headed to the truck. “You’d break her heart.”
Denver’s tendency to act like a damn relationship specialist just because he’d gotten married was starting to rub him the wrong way. “What the hell do you know about it?”
“I know all the other guys will be there, in on the joke, and if you’re a no-show it’s going to devastate Rissy.”
Bullshit. Armie got in his truck and slammed the door shut. Stewing, he started the truck, then gripped the steering wheel.
Denver slid in on the passenger side. “You’re looking at this all wrong, you know.”
“You don’t know shit about how I’m looking at things.”
Whistling, Denver eyed him. “You don’t want to take your bad mood out on Rissy.”
“No, I don’t.” And in a dozen different ways, his past was catching up. His entry into the SBC, notes left by cowards and now memories stirred up by a boy in need. He didn’t want to see himself as Bray, but damn it, how could he not? And since he wasn’t a boy anymore, why the fuck did it have to make him feel so hollow?
“She’s not fine china,” Denver said quietly. “Women have a nice way of blunting the bad shit.”
Armie jerked the truck into gear and pulled out. “You don’t need to lecture me on the joys of sex. Trust me, I know.”
“I’m not talking about getting laid, dumbass, but yeah, that helps, too.”
Don’t ask, don’t ask—
“I’m talking about a woman you care for.”
So he didn’t even need to ask? Denver would just continue to regale him with a married man’s wisdom? “Can you be quiet? I’m trying to think.”
“No, you’re looking for a way out. Big difference.”
“You—” Denver’s phone rang, cutting off Armie’s venom and making him grind his teeth in frustration.
But then, as Denver said, “It’s Cannon,” Armie decided it was just as well that he take a breather on the animosity.
After all, he wasn’t really pissed at Denver. But this was a perfect example of why he shouldn’t be around Merissa tonight. He might say or do something that would—
“Cannon wants to talk to you.” Denver put the phone on speaker. “I already told him we can head straight to the shop and Cherry can take me back for my ride.”
After giving Denver the evil eye, Armie said, “Cannon, what’s up?”
“We’re already here, just waiting on you two, so thanks for making it a straight shot. The ladies might head out any minute.”
“They’re still inside shopping, huh?” What the hell was Merissa buying?
“Lots to see,” Cannon joked. “While we wait, I figured I might as well get an update on Bray. How’d it go?”
Armie spent the next few minutes telling Cannon everything he knew, as well as his plans.
“I know the foster parents. They’re good people. And since Bray will still be in the area, I’m betting they’ll let him continue coming to the rec center.”
That was a relief.
“See you in a few,” Cannon said. “And Armie?”
Dread had him mentally cringing. “Yeah?”
“I’m glad Merissa doesn’t have to go home alone tonight.”
The call ended and Armie could only stare at the road and concentrate on his driving. What the hell? Cannon knew his little sister was buying porn, for God’s sake. And he was glad that she’d be going home with him?
Laughing, Denver gave a light shove to Armie’s shoulder. “Guess Cannon knows she’s not made of fine china, huh?”
At the moment he didn’t understand Cannon at all, so no way would he weigh in on that.
As they pulled up to the shop, Armie shook his head. “This is probably the most traffic that joint has ever gotten.” He knew the ladies were inside, while Cannon, Gage, Stack, Leese and Justice waited outside. If it weren’t for his visit with Carter and then Bray’s fucked-up situation, Armie would be enjoying this a hell of a lot more.
Together he and Denver approached the others.
“So far,” Cannon told him, “there hasn’t been much foot traffic. Other than a couple of regulars, they’re in there alone.”
He looked in through the big front window. “I don’t see them.”
“Back room,” Stack told him, his tone dry.
The notorious “back room” was where all kinds of kinky paraphernalia could be found. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall...
Or to have been an escort. He was pretty sure the rest of the guys felt the same.
“While they’re in there,” Gage muttered, his gaze on the shop, “one of us should slip inside and make sure the cashier knows what’s what.”
“Dirk’s at the desk,” Leese told them. “Armie, you know him, right?”
Armie scowled. “We all know him.”
“Yeah, but you’re friendly with him.”
Denver elbowed him. “I hear tell you’re his best customer.”
Cannon laughed.
Screw it. “Yeah, all right. I’ll do it.” It’d be better than being needled by the rest of them.
Keeping an eye on the door to the special room, Armie went to the cashier desk, then put a finger to his mouth in the universal “Shh...” sign so that Dirk didn’t call out a greeting. Keeping it low, he said, “You have some ladies shopping tonight.”
“Yeah, dude,” Dirk replied with a smarmy laugh. “Not like I could miss them, right? Pretty clear they were in uncharted territory. You know them?”
“I do.” One of them more intimately than the others. “Make sure no one bothers them, okay?” Armie leaned closer. “My friends and I are going to be right outside—which isn’t something you need to share with any of them.”
Brows up, Dirk leaned to see out the front window, spotted the fighters lounging around, and gave Armie a bug-eyed look of uncertainty. “I don’t want any trouble.”
“No trouble.” Armie slipped him fifty bucks. “We’re going to surprise them—like a joke—that’s all. And to ensure they don’t see us as easily as you just did, we’re going to move down the road a little. But we’ll be there as soon as they come out. Got it?”
“They’ll be fine. Only Gary and Frank are around, and they’re not into chicks anyway.”
Armie looked. Old Gary and Frank stared through the open door into the room, but yeah, they looked more bemused, maybe even fascinated, but not interested.
His duty done, Armie said, “Thanks, man. I owe you.” Then he headed out before he got caught. They all walked down to wait in front of a closed furniture rental building, away from the entrance to the porn shop but with it in clear view.
Everyone seemed to be enjoying the diversion, telling ribald jokes and sharing suggestions. Armie wished he were elsewhere. He wished he were alone with his foul mood.
He had much to think about it, and details chipped away at his concentration. For her own good, the best option might still be to send Merissa home for the night.
He could play it off that he was tired; most men would be. He could say he needed time to think; the utter truth. Whatever Rissy bought tonight, she’d just have to enjoy it by herself.
Aw hell. That particular thought brought with it an explicit image, and of course his dick reacted. Shifting, Armie willed away the rising boner.
What he really wanted, what he really needed tonight, was a hard, mindless fuck to obliterate everything else.
But Rissy deserved so much more than that. Unfortunately, she was his greatest temptation, the one he most wanted to lose himself in.
He would never use her that way, so yeah, he’d definitely have to find a way to send her home. And the worst part? He was already missing her.
* * *
WITH CHERRY STICKING close to her side, Merissa perused the aisle of very realistic penises. At a particularly large one, she slanted Cherry a look.
Brows lifted, Cherry whispered, “Close.”
It was no secret that Denver was well-endowed—which had been a constant source of curiosity and teasing from all the other ladies. Voice equally quiet and somewhat enthralled, Merissa asked, “Bigger or smaller?”
“Actually—”
“Here you go.” Vanity tossed a book at Merissa. “You need this.”
Barely catching it against her chest, Merissa turned it to see the title.
Beside her, Cherry read aloud, “New Ways to Please the Man Who’s Done It All.”
Merissa rolled her eyes. “Very funny.”
While everyone laughed, Vanity said, “I glanced at it and I think there’s good advice inside. Check it out.”
She did—and had to agree. “Okay, so I’ve got my purchase. Now how about the rest of you?”
“A book?” Cherry complained. “Unfair.”
Vanity held up a package of edible body paints. “I’m going to create a masterpiece.”
Grinning, Harper asked, “Where? On Stack’s abs?”
“Most definitely.”
Yvette hesitated, then grabbed some massage oil. When she started to speak, Merissa said in a rush, “Little sister in the room!”
Amused, Yvette told her, “Fine. Just know that I’m going to put it to good use.”
Striding past all the supersize sex toys, Harper said, “I can’t even look at those for fear Cherry will think I’m daydreaming of Denver.”
Cherry covered her face, but nodded. Through her fingers, she said, “It’s true.”
“This.” Harper chose a customizable coupon book that included some pretty risqué promises. “Hopefully I can talk Gage into offering me a few coupons, too.” She winked theatrically.
And they all turned to Cherry, who gulped. That’s when the outrageous suggestions started, and Merissa had a great time ribbing her friend. Finally Cherry chose a really raunchy movie that left the rest of them agog.
Getting checked out was its own unique embarrassment. Two men stood off to the side of the main room, tracking their every move, and the cashier seemed jumpier than he had earlier.
Vanity saved the day by saying, “The gifts are on me.” And since she was so well-to-do after different inheritances, no one argued—especially since that meant they could wait off to the side while Vanity handled the transaction.
A minute later, each carrying a different bag, they stepped outside and right into loud applause—from all their significant others, as well as male friends.
The guys were laughing, amused, all except Armie, who appeared far too forbidding. Merissa had a very bad feeling about the long look he gave her. Something had happened, something that had Armie brooding.
Well, too bad.
Right then and there, she made up her mind.
After the earlier scare at her house, she needed Armie. Regardless of his dark expression, he could damn well comfort her—even if she had to force the issue.
* * *
HOLDING BACK, ARMS CROSSED, Armie leaned against his truck and watched the scene before him. Vanity, as energetic and in some ways as outrageous as him, jumped against Stack, planted a big kiss on him, then whispered in his ear.
That got Stack smiling before he took his wife’s hand and told the rest of them, “Later.” Since Stack had ridden over with Cannon, they left in Vanity’s car.
Gage snatched Harper’s bag away from her and then, holding it out of her reach, withdrew a small coupon-type book. As he flipped through the pages his eyes widened. Cocking a brow, he showed a particular page to Harper. She gave her husband a sly smile, nodded agreement and just like that, they, too, departed.
Trying not to focus on Rissy, Armie transferred his attention to Yvette. She willingly shared the contents of her bag with Cannon, who had one arm around her shoulders and a protective hand over her belly, while repeatedly kissing her temple. When he whispered to Yvette, she looked equal parts interested and flushed.
Armie shook his head. “Dare I ask?”
“None of your business,” Cannon told him. “I’m taking Yvette home. Everyone have a good night.”
“Cherry knows,” Denver said, as they all watched Cannon and Yvette leave. “I’ll get her to talk.”
Cherry slugged Denver in the stomach, then shook her hand. “Ouch.”
Making a big production of it, Denver lifted her hand to his mouth, teased his lips over her knuckles, and whispered, “What’d you get?”
Going three shades of red, Cherry opened the bag for him to see.
His smile was slow and suggestive. “That’s my girl.”
Laughing, Leese said, “If anyone’s going to need a ride—”
Denver opened his mouth, but Leese cut him off.
“No, scratch that. I meant a lift home. If you need a lift home, let’s get to it before I start blushing at all these demonstrative displays of lust.”
“He’s jealous,” Denver said to Armie. “But since you look like someone broke your funny bone, I think we’ll ride with Leese.”
“Let’s go, then,” Justice told them. “I’m thinking there are a few lady friends I need to call tonight and I don’t want to wait until it’s too late.”
Cherry waved to Rissy. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”
As Armie watched them all walk off, chatting amicably, he heard no reply from Rissy.
His time was up and he knew it.
Then he felt her approach. “Armie?” Her voice was hesitant, hurt. She touched his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
He rubbed his face with both hands, stepped out of reach and tried to summon up a smile. “Nothing. It was just a rotten day, that’s all.” The evening breeze toyed with her hair, compelling him to tuck one side back. And once he was there, his hand so close to her face, he couldn’t resist brushing his thumb over her soft, warm cheek. “I’m sorry, Stretch, but I’m lousy company tonight.”
“That’s okay,” she rushed to say.
Armie was already shaking his head. “No, trust me, it’s not. I’m going to head home to jog off some steam. You should sleep at your house and tomorrow we can—”
“No.”
He stalled. Had she just told him no? He met her stormy gaze and tried again. “I’ve got a lot on my mind,” he said. “It’ll be better—”
“Forget it.”
Her scowl surprised him. “Rissy.”
She stiffened up. “Don’t you Rissy me.” Bag in hand, she stomped to her car and pretty much snarled, “I’m going to your place!”
He’d never seen her like this before, insistent but also on edge. “I just told you—”
“I heard exactly what you said! But you’re not brushing me off, and that’s that.”
She refused to leave? He stalked up to her car. “Damn it, Stretch, if you’d just listen—”
Instead, she slammed her car door, started the engine and without giving him another glance, drove away.
Heading toward his apartment.
Son of a bitch!
Armie hurried to his truck and followed right behind her, his thoughts churning with every mile they drove. By the time he’d parked in the lot, she’d already jumped out and was literally jogging to his door.
What did she think? That he’d physically bar her?
Feeling like an idiot, his blood pumping hot, he chased after her.
She raced up the steps, and he thundered up behind her, getting to his apartment door just in time for her to slam it in his face. His door. Of all the...
He jerked it open, stepped inside and slammed it again. Nostrils flared, he looked around but didn’t see her. “Rissy?”
“Don’t bellow,” she bellowed back from the bedroom.
Some anomalous emotion surged through him, tensing his muscles and narrowing his vision. He was furious, but for insane reasons, equally turned on. His nerves sang. His blood burned.
Urged forward by his own carnal imagination, he reached the closed door of the bedroom. More than a little lost, he sorted through a dozen different things to tell her and without settling on a single one he threw open the bedroom door.
It bounced off the wall, but didn’t distract Rissy, who stood there topless, hurriedly undoing her painted-on jeans. It fried his eyes, seeing her like this, almost frenzied, her body bare down to her hips. Gorgeous.
Her top was on the opposite side of the room, as if she’d thrown it. Her shopping bag had been dropped on the floor, but at the moment he didn’t care what she’d bought.
“I’m not leaving,” she snapped, and almost fell over when she struggled to tug the tight jeans off her ankles. She ended up plopping onto the bed, bounced a little, kicked furiously and finally got the jeans off.
She now wore only low, boy-short panties the same color as her soft skin.
Heartbeat hammering, Armie took a step toward her, and she threw up a hand.
“Wait!”
He halted midstep.
Eyeing him warily, Rissy scooted farther into the middle of the bed, skimmed off her panties and flung them at him.
They hit him in the face and fell to the floor. Still he didn’t move.
After shaking back her hair, she came up to her elbows, one leg straight, the other bent at the knee, and she smiled at him. “Okay. Now you can join me if you want.”
Raw from the inside out, Armie edged cautiously closer. Tonight had been too much, first with Carter telling him his worst fears had surfaced into reality, then seeing a kid abused and having that same kid now distrust him.
Then to know he’d brought Rissy down to his level, that she’d been slumming in some low-class porno dive...
“Yeah,” he whispered through his teeth, his eyes burning and his cock throbbing. “I’ll join you.”
Instead of looking threatened, she breathed a sigh of relief, and this time her voice was gentle when she said, “I’m not leaving.”
At the side of the bed, Armie stared down at her long, toned, sexy body, and damn it, he needed her.
More than he needed his next breath.
More than he needed anything or anyone else. She’d given him a few tastes and now he craved her, like an addict.
Casual as you please, her blue eyes intent on his face, watching his reaction, Rissy parted her thighs.
Hotly provoked, Armie worked his jaw, then smiled at her in warning as he covered each of her knees with a hand and opened her wide.
Her breath caught, but she didn’t fight him.
Damn, she was beautiful, her slim thighs straining, her sex pink and damp. And his.
“I told you to leave me be tonight.”
“And I refused.”
“I told you I wasn’t fit company.” He didn’t entirely understand his purpose, but he felt determined on it all the same. “You wouldn’t listen.” He watched her gaze go heavy and her lips part. Turned on? How long would that last?
Switching gears, he scooped her up and put her properly in the bed, her head on a pillow. Looking her over, he said, “You know what I wanted tonight?”
“Not me,” she whispered, bitterness filtering in. “But I wanted to be here all the same.”
“You’re wrong.” Slowly, giving her time, he lifted one wrist toward the center of the headboard and the Velcro cuffs hanging there.
She jerked her head around to watch as he took his time closing the soft cuff around her very narrow wrist.
“I want you most of all,” he told her, and then clarified, “But I want to fuck you hard.”
She lifted a brow, tested her hand in the cuff, then looked at him. “Okay.”
For only a second he closed his eyes, divided over whether or not he liked her easy compliance. Rissy wasn’t like other women, not in the most important ways. She never had been. He understood that, and now it was past time for her to understand.
He took her other wrist and fastened the second cuff around it. “Right now you have plenty of slack, but I’d like to tighten that some.”
She tugged experimentally, then gave a timid nod of agreement.
Armie straddled her naked body, staying on his knees as he reached for the center of the headboard and the slide loop that pulled her arms up tighter, and tighter still.
He liked this too much, having Rissy stretched out, contained, helpless beneath him.
His to do with as he pleased.
This particular position robbed her breasts of fullness and made her stomach even flatter. He scooted back so that he rested over her long thighs—and could see all of her.
“Armie...?”
“Hush.” Very lightly, he trailed his fingertips from her elbows, paused over her breasts to toy with her now-tight nipples, then down her sides, making her squirm. He continued over her belly until both thumbs moved over her sex.
“Armie,” she said again.
“I have a gag, you know.” Idly he stroked her, parted her to look at her, admired her growing dampness.
“I wouldn’t suggest you try it.”
At her mean tone, his gaze lifted to hers. “Why not?” Calm, quiet and in control, he continued to touch her. “You don’t like the idea of silence? You plan on giving me hell, telling me how you’ll do as you please regardless of what I want?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Maybe.”
The side of his mouth curled. “I’d like to put you in the ankle cuffs.”
“No.” With her face beet red, she insisted, “Not happening.”
“You don’t like for me to look at you?” He cupped his palm over her. “You’re pretty here, Rissy. All soft and, yeah...” He watched her as he moved one finger inside her. “Wet.”
Catching her bottom lip in her teeth, she lifted her hips against him. “Mmm...”
“You like that.” Of course she did. She was getting her way and it excited her.
Hell, it excited him, too.
After two breaths, she said, “I don’t care if you look at me, but you’re not going to—”
He added another finger, making her trail off with a gasp. “I wasn’t asking permission, honey.” He pressed deeper, curled his fingers a little and found just the right spot that arched her body and wrenched a moan from her. “I like this, being fully dressed with you naked and restrained.”
“Get...get naked.”
“Not yet. Not for a while.”
Her heavy eyes focused on him. “What do you mean?”
“I want to watch you come a few times first. And, Stretch? No faking. I’ll know if you do and I won’t like it.”
“I wouldn’t.” She shifted against his hand, then squeezed his fingers. “With you, I don’t have—” she panted, twisted and squeaked out “—to.”
Satisfaction unfurled. “Getting close, huh? Maybe this’ll help.” With his other hand, he touched her breasts, lightly stroking, circling around her nipples without touching them. She turned her head from one side to the other, then pressed it back with a frustrated moan.
Taking her by surprise, Armie closed his fingers around her nipple. Watching her face, seeing every hint of response, he rolled, gently squeezed, then tugged until she started making those stirring, sexy sounds of excitement.
“Armie.”
“Hmm?” New moisture bathed his fingers as he continued the slow, measured glide against her, in her. “You ready to come for me, Rissy?”
She didn’t answer. He wasn’t sure she could. Her body drew taut, heated, then bowed as she ground out a harsh climax, gradually going limp afterward, now with a light sheen glowing on her chest and cheekbones.
Slowly he withdrew his fingers and put them to his mouth.
Rissy lifted her lashes to watch him, her eyes midnight blue and hazy.
“I like how you taste.” Moving to the side of her, Armie pulled off his shirt and dropped it over the side of the bed. Next he pulled off his shoes and socks and tossed them toward the closet. Leaving on his jeans he turned back to her.
“Are you sorry I forced my way in?” she asked.
“I’m sorry for a lot of things.” Not that particularly, but yeah, he regretted how much she affected him—and he regretted that he hadn’t been strong enough to leave her alone.
“Then unhook me.” Expression hurt, she tugged at her arms. “I’ll leave now.”
“Naked?” Again he cupped his hand over her sex. She still throbbed gently. “Soaking wet?”
Twisting her hips away, she said, “You want me to leave, so I’ll leave!”
“Now that you got off? I don’t think so. I’m still on the edge here.”
“So get naked and—”
“Not yet.”
She growled, and again tugged at her arms.
Deciding he’d talked about it enough, Armie shifted around between her knees, lifted her legs over his shoulders and said, “Give me two minutes and you’ll be moaning again.”
She inhaled sharply. “Armie, wait. I’m still—”
“Sensitive? I know.” Gently, he drew his tongue over her and felt her flinch. “Christ, you smell good.” He nuzzled closer, breathing her in while ignoring her small gasps and futile efforts to shy away. He teased with his tongue, lightly at first, laving softly until her breathing changed and she no longer resisted. Cupping her hips in his hands he lifted her, then closed his mouth around her clitoris.
She gave a guttural moan broken by sexy whimpers that grew into sharp cries, and far too quickly she broke again.
Armie was so hard he hurt, and in record time he’d stripped off his jeans and rolled on a condom. He was back over her before she’d even gotten her eyes open. Pressing her knees back, seeing her how she would have looked in the ankle cuffs, he watched as his erection slowly pressed into her. Other than a faint, vibrating moan, she didn’t stir.
“So wet,” he growled. “So soft and slick.” He pressed deep, ground himself against her and knew he wouldn’t last. Not after witnessing her pleasure twice. Maybe with a different woman—but not with her, not with Rissy. “God,” he whispered, because that was better than making admissions he shouldn’t make. “God.”
Amazingly enough, as he came, so did she—a third time.
Luckily, long minutes later when he freed her arms and pulled her against him, she said only, “I’m staying.”
Troubles faded away and Armie smiled. “I know.”
With him holding her close, she snuggled in comfortably and faded off to sleep. Armie, however, stayed awake much of the night.