Chapter Seven
Three days later
Kitty rolled over and watched Caleb, who was still asleep. She’d exhausted him yesterday and last night. They were still working on the repairs to the house, but she was also making him clean out the attic. There were several large boxes, all of which had crap inside them, from used, ratty clothes to old pictures.
When the club had purchased the cabin some time ago, the previous owners had left many belongings, and instead of getting rid of them, they’d packed it up with the intent of handing the stuff back. By the time that came around, they discovered the previous owners had passed away during illness, so they’d put the belongings in the attic and left them there.
Caleb had thought about having a bonfire and inviting the club up to have a barbeque on the last day so that they could eat the last of the food, and for them to see the new, improved cabin.
She was happy for the club to come and join them. What she wasn’t looking forward to was their time nearly being over.
It had only been two weeks, but to her it had felt like a lifetime. She’d not wasted her time on her cell phone, making stupid calls, or watching the news, or trying to run away. Each time she’d been close to having a panic attack, she’d forced herself to focus, to concentrate all of her energy on Caleb, on her feelings for him.
In the past three days, Caleb had helped her to achieve orgasm not once a night but multiple times, surprising her with the ferocity of her release. She’d also found herself being more open and honest about her fantasies.
She wasn’t a non-sexual being.
No matter what had happened to her, she wanted that connection. She knew sex and love weren’t what she’d gotten growing up. That was abuse. When she looked at Caleb, watched him touch his cock, to see him come, she didn’t find that disgusting.
Every single night, she felt freer, as if she was cutting through the rope that was holding her back, keeping her locked up. She wanted out of this cage that she’d been placed in.
Caleb held her future. She knew he did, and the only way to be there with him was to stop dwelling on the past, to fight her demons the way Caleb had done his opponents in the ring.
She held her hand above his face, about to touch him, to wake him up, but she stopped herself.
Making her movements so slight, she watched him, fascinated by the man who’d been by her side for so long. She didn’t know the exact point that she started to fall for him or be attracted to him. They came together.
Pulling the blanket back, she stared down his body, taking in every corded muscle and the heavily inked flesh.
He was bigger than she was, stronger. When he held her as he had done these past two weeks, she felt safe, protected, loved.
Tucking some hair behind her ear, her gaze landed on his boxer briefs. He always wore them to bed. She wished he wouldn’t.
The nightshirt she wore was all she had on. Her pussy felt slick, and she reached out, touching his cock. The hard outline pressed against the front of his boxers. Squeezing the length, she glanced up and saw that he was still sleeping.
Withdrawing her hand, she nibbled her lip, wondering what the hell she was doing. She shouldn’t touch him, not while he was asleep.
“I’m not asleep,” he said, making her yelp.
“You’re awake?”
“You don’t touch a man’s dick and expect him to sleep through it, do you?” he asked.
“I’m sorry.”
“You want to touch?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“You don’t want me to interfere?”
She stared at his hands and shook her head.
“There’s rope,” he said.
“What?”
He chuckled. “There’s rope in the drawers. Get it.”
She climbed off the bed and found the rope he was talking about.
“Bring it here.”
Kitty handed him the rope and watched as he secured the bed, then one of his wrists. “You’re going to have to do the other one.”
“You’re tying yourself up?”
“I’ll do anything to make you comfortable.”
“You’re going to have to tell me how to do this.”
“I’ll tell you.”
She stared at his wrist and the rope. Wrapping it around his wrist, she tightened the rope and made sure that it didn’t hurt him, exactly as he told her.
“How does that feel?” she asked.
“Like you’re the one in control, Kitty. I’m at your mercy, and I have never been like this with another woman.”
She crawled onto the bed and placed her hand above his heart. She closed her eyes, loving the rapid pulse against her palm, relishing it.
Sliding her hand slowly down his stomach, she traced the ink that decorated his body. “Why did you get so many different designs?”
“Some were an act of salvation.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know I’ve not been a good man, Kitty. Far from it. Some of the ink I’ve gotten was because of the lives I’ve taken.”
She glanced down his body, and then frowned as she came to a picture of a black cat with white feet. She’d seen him naked plenty of times, but she’d always tried to avoid looking at his ink for long periods of time.
This picture was something though. The cat looked exactly like the one she had as a child. With shaking hands, she touched the ink, tracing her finger across it.
“I looked in your bag,” Caleb said. She didn’t look at him, listening instead. “I saw your name, and the thing about Vegas is it’s filled with people prepared to do anything you want for a price. I had your name, your age, and I got them to fill in the blanks.” Tears filled her eyes. “I went to your house, and I was quite surprised. You lived in a very beautiful, all-American dream house. The white picket fence, the perfect mom and wife. You the little brown-haired daughter with the good grades, only that wasn’t the case, was it? You ran away because the person who put on a front, who pretended to the entire world everything was okay, it really wasn’t, was it, Catherine?” The tears spilled down her cheeks. “I walked into your home, and I saw the picture of you as a little girl with your cat.”
“He killed her,” Kitty said.
“Yes, because you loved your cat more than you loved him. I promised myself that day that no matter what I would do everything in my power to protect you. To make sure you didn’t know that kind of pain.”
“He would come to my room every night. I think Mom knew.”
“She did.”
She finally looked at him. “What did you do?”
“I found out the truth, what they did. She confessed to me that she couldn’t stand him, and if keeping her home meant I had to put up with his touch then she was happy about that.” She gasped. “So, I killed her first. I took my time, made sure she hurt in every way I could imagine, and then I started on him. For a week, I tortured that fucker, taking off his favorite body part, and making him suffer.”
“They’re dead?”
“Yes. To anyone who cares, they died in a fire. I took one last fight to use the money to pay off the necessary people. Your father won’t be coming for you, nor will your mother. There’s no way I could let that happen, not after I knew what you’d been through.”
Kitty straddled his waist and wrapped her arms around him. His cock pressed against her pussy, and she didn’t care.
She’d not tied the rope that tightly, and with a few tugs, Caleb got free. His arms went around her, holding her as she sobbed against his chest.
For too long she’d been embarrassed about her past, ashamed of what she’d gone through. With Caleb’s arms around her, she mourned the girl that had been afraid. Who’d avoided anyone asking her questions. He would hold her down and force her to repeat answers. She became his own little doll that he played with and tried to mold into what he wanted.
The life she had lived was in the past. He was dead, gone, taken care of by Caleb. She wasn’t afraid of the man beneath her. She was fucking safe.
He stroked her back, whispering calming words.
She wasn’t panicking at his touch.
Kitty, Catherine Kite, was free.
No one could pull her back into that world.
She was completely free, and no one was going to hold her back or stop her.
Her life was her own, and she intended to spend it with Caleb.
****
For the rest of the day, Kitty seemed to be in a bit of a daze. Caleb didn’t try to pull her out of it. He’d admitted to murdering her family, and that kind of action didn’t come easily. When he discovered her identity, then where she lived, he truly thought she’d been a spoiled little rich girl having a temper tantrum. Then he’d seen her parents, and he didn’t know what it was. Kitty had fallen asleep one day in the office of the gym where he worked out, and he’d thrown his jacket over her. After hearing her in her sleep beg for him to stop, for her to say that she didn’t want to be daddy’s little girl anymore.
That one look and Caleb had known.
Her father was sexually abusing her. All it had taken was a couple of words.
“I know what you do to your daughter, Mr. Kite.”
That was all he’d said, and he’d seen the evil inside the man. There had been a fight, a short-lived one. After he knocked her father out with a lamp, he’d forced her mother into a chair, silencing her, while he dealt with the unconscious dad.
From that point on, everything became a blur of activity. He’d questioned the mother, found Catherine’s room, seen the evidence in a diary a young Catherine had written in and hidden. The evidence was all mounting up, and then after he killed her mother, the dad had looked at him with that smirk.
“She wanted it. All whores want it.”
Caleb had seen red and unleashed a hell on that asshole unlike anything he’d ever done before. Afterward, he’d burned it all down to the ground, paid the right people off to say it was a candle that had set fire to the curtains, and poof, all of Catherine’s past was erased.
Staring out of the kitchen window, he saw Kitty lying out on the grass. The dress she wore came to her knees. Her arms were stretched out as she looked up at the sky.
He’d killed for her, and he’d do it again in a heartbeat.
This had happened before he’d even loved her. She’d just been a girl, not even on his radar. Time had passed, and she’d grown into a beautiful woman, and only when she’d come to him, did he give himself the luxury of being with her, not that they’d ever been intimate. As a Dom, he knew the deepest, darkest secrets of her mind.
Finishing their sandwiches, he made his way outside and placed them on the ground between them.
Lying down on his back, he held her hand and stared up at the sky. It was such a beautiful blue with white. fluffy clouds, and peace settled over him.
“I thought about killing him,” Kitty said. “So many times. I wanted to take a knife up to bed with me, or something that would make him stop, but nothing seemed to work. I was so scared that he’d kill me, and no matter what happened, no matter what he did, I didn’t want to die.”
He tightened his hold on her hand, trying to tell her with actions that he was there for her. That she didn’t need to fear.
“Do you hate me?” he asked.
“For what?”
“For killing them.”
“No. I don’t hate you.”
She sat up, and before he could ask her what she was doing, she was there, straddling his waist much like she had done that morning.
He put his hands on her thighs, staring up at her.
“Does that make me a bad person?” she asked.
Her hair was wild as it cascaded around her. The strap of her summer dress fell down her arm.
The smile on her lips tightened his gut, and he watched her. Her hands gripped his waist, and she tilted her head to the side.
“No, it doesn’t make you a bad person.”
“Does anyone else know?” she asked.
“No.” He never spoke a word. It was one of the reasons why he did that last fight so he could clear any debts and keep the club out of it. It had been one of the final acts he did before they made Dirty Fuckers MC what they were today.
She covered his hands with her own.
Kitty held them up and then placed them against her tits. At the same time, she ground down against him.
“He wasn’t the only man I was with,” Kitty said.
Caleb stared at her.
“I ran away from home. I had no money, nothing.”
“I know what happened next, Kitty. You don’t have to tell me anything else.”
“You don’t think I’m dirty? Rotten?”
He sat up, pulling his hands away from her tits to cup her face. Tilting her head back, he stared into her eyes, and shook his head. “No, I don’t think you’re dirty. You’re not rotten. That bastard was supposed to protect you. He was the one that was dirty, and I put him to ground. Anyone else you want me to kill, take me to them, Kitty. I will put every single fucker into the ground.”
“I used my body to get away.”
“And now that body belongs to me, Kitty. You belong to me. You’re mine just as I’m yours.”
“You deserve better.”
He pulled her down, claiming her lips. Sliding his tongue across her mouth, he moaned as she opened up, and he plundered her mouth, moaning as she kissed him back.
Breaking the kiss, he stared into her eyes. “I’m a monster, Kitty. I have taken more lives than you can even imagine, and I don’t even care about it. I entered your home, and by the time I was through, I wished I’d taken longer. Not a moment goes by that I don’t wish I made him suffer more. I’m not a good man. I’m not perfect.”
“You’re good.”
“To you, Kitty. I’m good to you. You make me a better man. No one else. I don’t deserve better. I don’t fucking deserve you because you should have someone better than me.”
“I don’t want anyone else.”
“Neither do I, but don’t ever for a second think you’re not good enough. You’re too good for me. I’m the one that’s the bastard here, not you.” He pulled her down to claim her lips once again.
Her hands wrapped around his neck, and she groaned. Running his hands down her back, he gripped her ass. Feeling her against his cock was torture, but he’d gladly go through it every day just to be with her.
“Will you be going back to Vegas?” she asked.
“No. I’m not going anywhere. I want to date you, Kitty.”
“Like … boyfriend and girlfriend?”
“Official, and I don’t want you pretending to be a club whore anymore. We both know that’s not who you are. It never was.” He pushed some hair off her shoulder and smiled at her.
“They’ll hate me. The other girls.”
“It doesn’t matter. You’re not an old lady, or a club whore, or a good time girl. You’re a club member. You’re part of that MC. Just like us. We’re proud to have you with us.”
“I never thought this day would come.”
“What do you mean?”
She giggled. “I feel so happy. It’s like I’m finally awake after being asleep all this time.”
He pressed a kiss to her lips, and then settled her onto the grass. He loved having her rub against his dick, but he also liked to keep his sanity. Counting to ten in his head, he then smiled at her.
“Eat your sandwich.”
“You’re always being bossy.”
“And you love it.” He waited, watching her pick up her sandwich, and only when she took a bite did he allow himself the pleasure.
“Thank you,” she said.
“For what?”
“For doing what you did. For killing them.”
He didn’t say anything in response. There was nothing to be said. He’d done what needed to be done. Men like Kite would have found someone else, another victim. He wouldn’t have put it past him to have other women elsewhere with kids. They were predators, and as he sat watching Kitty, he knew he’d spend the rest of his life protecting her.
“You’ll make a wonderful mother someday,” he said.
She paused. “What?”
He winked at her. “Have you thought about kids?”
She kept on chewing, looking a little past his shoulder. “I can think about it now,” she said.
“Yes, a couple of kids.”
“Maybe a cat?” she asked.
“I could live with a cat.”
“I love cats. They tend to take care of themselves, so you only have to feed and stroke them.” She shook her head. “This is good.”
“I make a good sandwich.”
He finished off his food, watching as she did the same. Afterward, they lay back down on the ground, staring up at the sky.
“Caleb?”
“Yeah.”
“Before we leave the cabin I want you to make love to me.”
He turned to look at her, only to find her already staring at him. “You’re ready?”
“I want to. I want to try. I want to feel you inside me, to rid myself of everything else and it just be you and me.”
Holy shit!
****
Teri left the diner Friday night and came to a stop when she saw Damon waiting for her.
“Are you stalking me?”
“Nah, just looking up at the stars. It’s a beautiful night out.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Did you find the applicant to take the apartment?” Damon asked.
“I’m not sure. I had three options. One of them is a guy called Nate. He’s a college graduate looking for work at the high school. He wants to be a teacher but has to do something else, and I got bored so I zoned out. Everything checks out though. He’s got lots of student loans and stuff. Another is Rachel. She seemed a little uptight to me, and I didn’t think she’d be a good fit.”
“Why not?”
“Too uptight. Kitty and I, we’re part of the club. She didn’t seem to like the thought of the club dropping by at all different hours.”
“We don’t.”
“She doesn’t know that, and you never know what the future holds, so she’s a no.”
“Okay, what’s number three?”
“She is a high school dropout with a kid,” Teri said.
“Oh, wow.”
“Yeah, she’s working at the diner. Her name’s Anna, and she’s a sweet thing. Had a bad run in high school and is just trying to make ends meet. I like her, but the baby puts her in the ‘no’ column.”
“You don’t want kids?” Damon aside.
Teri shrugged. “Kids are not something I think about.”
“What do you think about?” Damon asked.
Teri stared at Damon and knew where this was going. He’d been stopping by more and more, and she knew he wanted something from her. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know he did.
“Damon, look, we can fuck if you want. I’m not this girl.”
“What girl?”
She blew out a breath, hating this. “The kind of girl that has one guy. That does the girlfriend routine.”
“Is this because of Dane?”
“No. This is just who I am. Okay. I’m not the girl that wants a boyfriend just to settle down with a bunch of kids. I’m a good-time girl. I like to fuck and to not be weighed down by all the bullshit that comes with relationships. I’ll fuck your brains out, but I won’t date you.”
She climbed into her car, and without looking back at him, drove off. She didn’t want Damon constantly hanging around. Men were fine until they got what they wanted, but the first sign of real trouble, they left.
There’s no way she was going to allow herself to fall for a man. Her sister had gotten lucky, and Teri was more than happy for her, but that wasn’t in her life, in her future. None of it was.
Even as she kept on repeating the same mantra in her head, she couldn’t help but feel a tug, a sharp pain at the look in Damon’s eyes. He wasn’t one to show much emotion, but his eyes gave him away, and she could read him.
She had hurt him, and now she’d have to wait for his backlash.
Would he take another woman? Rub it in her face?
Whatever happened, she’d deal with it. It was what she did.
****
Damon kicked the gravel beneath his feet. That hadn’t gone how he’d hoped. Damn it. He thought they were really fucking connecting. If all he wanted to do was fuck her, he could have done that months ago, years ago even.
With Teri, it wasn’t a question of fucking her.
Once he put his dick inside her, that would be it.
She was that kind of woman to him.
Kinky, mouthy, damaged as fuck, but he wanted her.
“She’s lying.”
He whirled around to see Dane on one of the benches toward the side of the diner.
“I didn’t see you there.”
“Yeah, well, this is where I come when I need to think.”
Damon walked over to the bench, watching as he lit up a cigarette.
He didn’t smoke.
“How do you know she’s lying?” Damon asked.
“Because, I know her. Teri had big dreams once upon a time. I don’t know when they ended, but there was a time she wanted to be a wife and mother. This was long before she fucked anything with a dick.”
“You think you’ve got something to answer to with regards Teri’s changed mind.”
Dane shrugged. “Probably. It’s already well-known that I’m not the best guy when it comes to relationships. I’m the love ’em and leave ’em type. Or I cheat on them, or I run away.”
“Are you having a pity party, because I don’t need to hear this shit.”
“Don’t give up on Teri. I will have my own fucking pity party, thank you. I know what I lost.”
“You could have stayed,” Damon said.
“Exactly. Like I said, I know it’s all my fault.” He shrugged. “I’m not going to keep defending myself. I’m the big bad man in my story.” Dane chuckled. “Teri, though, she wants it. I don’t know what else has happened in her life, but don’t mistake her bullshit there as her real feelings. She’s scared, and hurting you is easy for her.”
“I’m not going to back down. I’ve just got to wait now.” Damon blew out a breath. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m doing okay. James hasn’t kicked my ass to the curb yet, so I’m working on staying out of his bad books.”
“You think you’ve got it in you to even do that?”
“I am going to try,” Dane said, chuckling. “I missed this. Talking, being part of it.”
“Then why leave?”
“Sometimes you’ve got lose something dear to you before you realize what you had.”
“You were gone a long time.”
“I had a lot to lose, Damon.” He shrugged. “Oh, well, not a lot left, but I’m going to be here for Ryan and my kids. They’re worth it.”
“No matter what?”
Dane smiled. “You’ll have to find out.”