Bridgette
Bridgette sat across the table from him, nursing her beer. They hadn’t spoken since arriving back at the house. But it was a comfortable silence. Kyle leaned back a little in his chair, already on his second drink.
She was glad he was sitting here with her. He wasn’t trying calm her down or fill the silence with conversation. It was good, after everything, to just take this time to quietly revel in the fact that her nightmare was really, truly over.
She still could scarcely believe it. Part of her didn’t want to, afraid that there was something the Raging Reapers had overlooked. Afraid that at any moment Kyle would tell her that she had another reason to worry, that one of Martin’s brothers or something was looking for revenge.
But that wasn’t her problem to worry about. Kyle had assured her they had a plan for tying up all their loose ends, and she trusted him.
Part of her was still waiting for some new problem to arise. She just couldn’t believe that her luck would change now. After surviving so much, after her streak of misfortune and unhappy coincidences, she couldn’t believe that the universe didn’t have some other dark twist in store for her.
But she knew, even if this really weren’t finished, Kyle wouldn’t abandon her to face it alone. That much was clear to her now.
And she wouldn’t abandon him. He’d proven his devotion to her tenfold. He’d put his life on the line when he didn’t have to. He’d pulled out all the stops trying to get to her in time. And for all his flaws and rough edges, she knew she could trust him with her life and her daughter’s life. In the end, that was all that really mattered.
She knew she’d been too hasty before. She shouldn’t have told him that she didn’t want him in her life. It had seemed like a reasonable decision at that point, especially with the stress of her failing business and her deteriorating relationship with Gabby bearing down on her. Cutting him and all his baggage out of the picture had seemed like an answer to everything that was going wrong.
But even then she’d known that it wouldn’t be so easy. She loved him. She hadn’t wanted to put it into words, but the moment Martin’s men had led her out to see Kyle and she had laid eyes on him, she realized if she died there, she was happy she at least got to see him one more time.
She didn’t know what to say to him now. She knew she probably should apologize, both for saying that she couldn’t give him a chance and for putting herself in danger. That she should thank him again for saving her life.
Kyle reached across the table unexpectedly, taking her by the hand. “Bridge, are you doing all right?”
She could see he was fighting to hide the concern in his eyes. She squeezed his hand tightly. “Yeah. I’m still in shock, I guess.”
Kyle rubbed small, soothing circles into the back of her hand with his thumb. “I’m sorry you got sucked into this. I promised I’d keep you safe and I didn’t, and because of that I almost lost you. But I swear to God that from here on out that I am going to be there. I’m not going to let any son of a bitch lay hands on you again, I promise.”
It was like his words somehow flipped a switch in her. All the emotion she’d been keeping at arm’s length seemed to rise like a tidal wave and wash over her. She couldn’t stop the tears from pouring down her cheeks. “No, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have gone back to the bakery. It was stupid and careless, and I’m lucky it didn’t get me killed. I should have listened to you. I mean, what the hell was I thinking? What would Gabby do without me?”
“Hey, hey,” Kyle hushed her. He pushed away from the table and moved over to her side. She automatically curled into his arms, letting him shelter her there against his broad chest. “You didn’t know they were waiting for you.”
“You told me to stay away. You told me it was dangerous—“
“Well, sitting here kicking yourself about it isn’t going to do a damned bit of good, is it?” Kyle dipped down to press a quick kiss against her lips. “It all worked out now. And that’s all that matters.”
Bridgette tucked herself against his chest, burying her head and her tears. “I was so afraid of losing you. You were right from the very beginning. I tried so hard to let you go and just move on, but I couldn’t. I thought giving into what my heart wanted was a mistake. That you weren’t good for me. But you’re the only reason I’m still here right now.” Bridgette felt her voice hitch in her throat. Here it was. She was laying all her cards out on the table. “I love you. I always have and I always will. Even if you’re an ass sometimes. Even if you aren’t the perfect father. I don’t need perfect. I just need this.”
Bridgette stretched her arms up and hooked them around his neck, crushing herself against him. The flood of emotions was still coursing through her; her hands were damp with cold sweat, and her heart felt like it was trembling in her chest. But the more she leaned into him, the more she felt like she could just collapse against him, the more those lingering emotions seemed to fade.
“I love you, too,” he murmured to her. “I would do anything for you. And you’re right: I’m not perfect, but I’m going to damn well try to be for you and for Gabby.” Kyle dipped his head down for another kiss, but this one was not chaste. He pressed into her mouth with desperation, communicating the force of his need for her through the deep, possessive strokes of his tongue. Bridgette leaned into the firmness of his lips, surrendering all of herself to the force of that kiss.
She knew she could let go with him. She could just give in. And after the stress of the last week, she was ready to plunge headfirst into this passion with him. He loved her. She loved him. And that was all that mattered.
Kyle’s hands trailed up her sides, leaving goosebumps beneath her shirt in their wake. Bridgette laced her hands in his hair in response, dragging her hands gently through his thick locks, raking her nails lightly over his scalp.
She wanted him now. Her whole body thrummed with a familiar energy, and she could feel her core already coiling tightly in anticipation. The smoke and the beer had taken a little of the edge off, but now she craved something stronger.
The feeling seemed mutual. Kyle’s fingers had already begun to play with the hem of her shirt, lifting it up, darting beneath to slide a quick caress over her bare skin. She dropped her hands from playing with his hair to tug the shirt up and over her head.
As she struggled to pull the clingy t-shirt fabric away from her face, she felt the snap of her bra unclasping and in just seconds, Kyle was sliding the bra from over her breasts.
Bridgette expected him to lavish his attention on them, but he surprised her, instead continuing to undress her. He began working at the button of her jeans. It didn’t take him long to get them undone and drag them down over her waist, leaving her in nothing but her lacey panties. Bridgette stepped out of her jeans and kicked them aside, smiling devilishly up at Kyle.
He gazed down at her, his eyes glazed over with lust, and his hand reaching for her breasts. But she caught him by the wrist, stopping him. He didn’t fight her, but she saw a question in his hungry eyes.
Bridgette knelt down on the kitchen tile, the ceramic cold beneath her. She didn’t mind, though. She was focused on one thing only.
She took her time unbuttoning his pants, knowing the waiting was agony. She wanted him to burn this time. She wanted to see Kyle pushed to that same place of primal, animal need that she always found whenever they did this. So she unzipped his fly slowly, too, knowing his cock, which was already so hard that it was straining against the zipper, would feel every little shudder and vibration.
She could see Kyle’s fists clenched and unclenched at his side, and she could only imagine he was fighting the urge to just take over and get his pants off. He seemed to grow more restless as she spread her fingers lightly over his abdomen and slowly drew them down to the waistband of his boxers.
Apparently close to losing it, Kyle lifted his arms up and laced his hands behind his head, locking them there like a prisoner.
Bridgette smiled to herself at that. He is a prisoner, she thought. My prisoner.
She inserted her hands under his waistband and finally drew down the last layer of clothing that was separating her from his throbbing cock.
She heard the sharp hitch in his breathing as she exposed his erection. The grin on her lips broadened. Experimentally she extended her tongue and, using just the narrow tip, licked all the way from the base of his cock up to the tip. It twitched in response.
“Christ,” Kyle groaned. He shifted his weight a little, another manifestation of his impatience.
Bridgette slipped a hand underneath him, cradling his balls in her palm. She was careful not to squeeze too hard, only applying just the right amount of pressure.
“Bridge,” Kyle panted, “slow down. You’re killing me.”
She could feel the strain in his body and see it in the tautness of his muscles. He didn’t want her to slow down; he wanted her to speed up to find release. But she wasn’t letting him off that easy.
Bridgette blew cold air against his thick tip before going down on him. She started small, swiping her tongue over the tip. She could taste him, salty and musky and just a little bitter. She worked just the tip of him in and out of her mouth, not sucking too hard or working too much with her tongue. She wanted to give him enough to tease, but not enough to satisfy.
But as she continued to work, as his moans grew deeper and louder, she began to take more and more of him in. It had been too long since she’d done this with anyone, and she knew she couldn’t push too far without gagging. She quickly found herself working into a steady rhythm, sliding up and down his shaft, pushing him closer and closer to the point of coming.
At last Kyle dropped a hand to her head, entwining his hand in her curls. “You gotta stop, baby,” he groaned, his voice harsh from his ragged breathing. He pulled her back, gently but forcefully, drawing her head back as he dislodged his cock from her mouth. “You’re going too fast.”
Bridgette let Kyle help her to her feet. He looked a little ridiculous, his shirt and kutte still on but naked from the waist down. She couldn’t help but giggle a little to herself.
Kyle caught her wrists and slowly backed her toward the kitchen counter, trapping her there with his body. The stone countertop was chilly against her back, something she found to be strangely pleasurable. He pushed her back so far that she was trapped against the countertop by his body. His erection pressed into the soft flesh of her belly. “Something funny?”
“Yeah. Take your damned shirt off. Half-naked only works if it’s the top half that’s naked.”
Kyle ground his erection into her playfully. “Are you sure?” he purred. He glanced down at her breasts and exposed body, his scorching gaze raking her over. “It looks damn good on you, but I’m pretty sure I could make this work.”
Bridgette shut him up with another kiss, this time commanding the lead. She dove deep into his mouth, tasting him, tracing her tongue against his. At last she drew back for air. She met his smoldering eyes, holding them. “Meet me in the bedroom. No clothes.”
Kyle didn’t move. She could see amusement playing deeply in his eyes. He pulled his hips back just enough so he could slip a hand between their bodies. He dipped it into the space between her legs, tracing lightly with a single finger against the fabric of her panties. She knew she was already wet and that he could feel it.
“Meet you in the bedroom?” he breathed into her ear. “You think you’re in charge here?”
Bridgette heaved a sigh of mock frustration. At least, she hoped it sounded like frustration. With his hand teasing her like that, she wasn’t so sure it didn’t just sound like desire. “You’ve got a smoking hot woman telling you to meet her in bed naked, and you’re going to argue with her?”
Kyle pressed a kiss to her neck. “You’re right,” he growled throatily. “What am I thinking?”
Kyle moved back, giving her enough space to slip out and hurry down the hall ahead of him. She heard his footsteps not far behind her, and the rustle of leather and fabric as he followed her instructions.
Bridgette hit the bed first. Kyle was right behind her, his chest bare now. She could see every line of his musculature, and every white, angry ridge of the hundred or so small scars that he’d picked up since he’d left. They’d barely caught her eye before, but now she found herself tracing them, trying to make sense of them.
Kyle climbed onto the bed and straddled her immediately. He smoothed his hands down the length of her arms all the way to her wrists and, as he always did, trapped them in his manacle-like hands. He pulled them above her head. Instead of simply lying there this time, Bridgette dragged her right hand out of his grip and lifted it to his chest, where she traced a long hairline half-crescent, a mark that cut his left pec in half.
“Did Martin give this to you, too?” she asked.
Kyle caught her wrist again and pressed a kiss to it. “No,” he murmured, then pressed another kiss against the inside of her wrist before drawing it back up over her head. “I’ve had some close calls in the past couple of years.”
Bridgette continued to study the web of small scars. Most of them were faint enough to be nearly unnoticeable. But it was strange that she hadn’t noticed this before. Her mind drifted back to the confrontation with Martin, his latest “close call.” She didn’t know why she was getting hung up on this now, but it suddenly occurred to her that not every one of those incidents could have gone as smoothly as things had today.
“Did you lose anyone?” she asked. “Anyone you knew?”
“Shit, Bridge.” Kyle released her wrists and rolled over onto the other side of the bed. “Are we doing this now? What happened to this?” Kyle gestured to his hard-on.
Bridgette propped herself up onto her side. She hesitated, then reached over and continued to trace his scars. “It’s just…you seem really close to those guys. And you deal with people like Martin long enough….”
Kyle sighed heavily. “Yeah, we’ve lost a couple of brothers over the years.” He glanced over at Bridgette. “What brought this up?”
Bridgette shrugged. “I just wanted to know. I know those guys risked their lives for me. I just wondered how often things like this happen, and if they ever turn bad.”
“Oh, they turn bad,” Kyle said. “We’ve all lost someone close. You never quite get over it. But it’s blood that binds us together, and anytime our blood gets spilled, it just fires us up. Losing someone just makes you that much more determined to do every damn thing you can anytime you can to make sure you don’t lose another.”
Bridgette let his words settle into her. She knew now that he’d grown so much, but this was the first time she felt it run so deep. A younger Kyle would have sworn vendettas, would have pursued revenge at any cost for revenge’s sake. That’s what she’d thought this affair with Martin had been from the very beginning. She’d been so sure that Kyle was obsessed with ferreting the drug lord out just so he could pay him back for the torture.
But the fierce loyalty Kyle had just described didn’t hinge on blindly defending his honor and paying down all his debts. It was about protection. That was why he’d been so determined and so invested in this.
That was why his automatic instinct had been to dive for her, to protect her, even when he couldn’t have known how Martin would react in the heat of the moment. He’d wanted to end the kingpin and his empire so he could know for sure he and Bridgette were safe.
Bridgette crawled on top of him. She started lightly kissing down his chest.
“I’m not all torn up inside,” Kyle assured her. She could hear the eye roll in his voice. “You don’t have to worry about me.”
Bridgette brushed her fingers lightly over his chest hair as she continued to trail kisses down to this groin. “I know,” she told him between her caresses.
“Then why do I feel like you’re trying to kiss it all better?”
“Because you’re ridiculous?” she suggested. Then she continued, more seriously, “I’ve been too hung up on who I thought you were when you left. On what you did to me and Gabby, on our pain and suffering.” Bridgette swept a hand down his abdomen. “I didn’t even think about how you’ve suffered, too. About what you’ve been through.”
Kyle drew Bridgette up to him, lifting her under her arms until she was laying on top of him, her knees bent on either side of his chest, his cock just barely brushing against her panties. He gazed up at her with his arresting blue eyes. They were filled to the brim with raw emotion—relief and joy and a fierce possessiveness that she could only define as love.
Seeing him look at her like that filled her with the same emotions, and with such sudden, breathtaking force that she could feel her eyes filling with tears again.
“Don’t you worry about me,” Kyle repeated.
Bridgette smiled through the tears and buried her head against his neck.
She felt Kyle’s hands stroking down her body, caressing her, stoking the hot need in her core back to a fever pitch. He ran his hands over her ass, creating a delicious friction through the fabric. She maneuvered her hips against his hands, urging him on, as she continued to press kisses against his neck.
Kyle tugged her panties down and pulled her hips down onto him, pushing deep into her. Bridgette shuddered pleasurably as she felt him enter her, stretching her and filling her. She clenched around him automatically, and her hips thrust back against him, trying to draw him in deeper.
Bridgette pulled away from his neck, arching her back as she felt him bottom out. Her emotions were mixing in with her libido and, in that moment, with him buried so deep inside her, his sturdy body beneath her like a solid foundation, the pleasure she felt running through her seemed like a confirmation that this was right. That they were meant for each other.
Kyle guided her hips forth and back, urging her to fall into an easy rhythm. She slid up and down him, feeling the weight of her breasts swaying beneath her. Kyle’s hands dug into her hips harder and harder as she moved, picking up momentum, changing her slow tempo into a more demanding pace.
She barely needed Kyle’s hands on her hips. Her body was taking over as the desire between her legs turned to a tight, insistent pinch. It was a sharp driving need that her pumping hips instinctively moved to sate. Her breaths grew shorter as she worked to build up enough friction, to find that sweet spot in her that would unravel her and send her tumbling over the edge.
She could feel him getting closer, his cock swelling and expanding so it felt even bigger and stretched her even more. With every upward stroke she felt her body trying to milk him, contracting around him until she could feel his pulse in her, and his own heavy breathing in her ears.
Close to their peaks, in the midst of her frenzied thrusting, Kyle tilted her hips up slightly as she rose off him, and when she slammed back down, the angle just slightly changed and his shaft connected with that sensitive spot of hers. Her world seemed to split apart with that contact, breaking into bright stars and an uplifting swell that carried her off in a rush of endorphins. Her body arched, her toes curled, and her nails dug deep into Kyle’s shoulder.
Her climax was all Kyle needed to come, too. He grunted and emptied himself into her, his hands holding her tightly against him.
She collapsed on top of him, sinking against his chest, waiting for her breathing to even back out. Kyle ran his hands lightly up and down her back, caressing her, as he softened inside her.
They lay there quietly for a while, no sound but their breathing. After a few moments Bridgette gently extracted herself and shifted over to his side, curling in against him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her tight.
Maybe it was just the endorphins rushing through her. But as she lay there next to him, it seemed that for the first time in a long time, all was right with the world.