I WAS BORED OUT OF my brain. I had my lessons with Sam. I saw my therapist. I did my school studies and worked with my tutors. We only left the house to go to work at his gym. Even three adorable puppies couldn’t fully occupy my mind.
Mason stayed busy with work, catching up from the time he had off looking after me. Most nights he fell asleep as we watched something on TV.
Our make-out sessions were hot and heavy, and left me begging him for more, but Mason had a will of steal, or I was doing something wrong. No matter how hard I tried, he wouldn’t go further. I was horny and wished I was more knowledgeable in seduction.
The show droned on in the background, but I wasn’t watching it. I was staring at Mason. If I didn’t know him, I would think he was watching the show, but I could see the spaced out look in his eyes, the slacked mouth, forehead crinkled deep thought and his body tense.
“What’re you thinking so hard about?” I nudged him with my elbow.
Mason shook his head and his Adams apple bobbed as he sucked in his lips and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them he turned his attention on me. “Work and, um, can I ask you something?”
“Sure?” I shrugged. By now I was sure Mason knew he could just ask, and not have to get permission. Making sure I faced him, I raised my brow. “You can ask me anything you want anytime you want.”
He blinked several times in quick succession, like he couldn’t even remember why he’d asked or he couldn’t think of an answer. “Don’t know. Lost in my own thoughts I think.” I nodded for him to continue. “This is my aunt’s house. I, we, have taken over this place. Uncle Lucas and Aunt Evelin stay more in Brisbane than the coast, so it doesn’t matter, but you’re eighteen soon and I wondered if you’ll still want to live here? I mean, what are your work goals? Have you thought of what you want to do?”
“What do you mean by what I want to do?” Did he want me out of here? Maybe that was why he wouldn’t go further than kissing and some groping.
“School? This house? You want to be with me and I want you, God, do I want you . . . ” He groaned and I relaxed a little. The sound said just how he felt for me. “But what do you want? I know you want children and to be with me, but what about a career? Do you want to live in Queensland? We can move anywhere in the world.”
“What about your gym and your dream of being a boxer?”
He shrugged and I straddled his lap wanting to snuggle him. His arms came around my back and I beamed down at him as he caressed me. “I can live my dream anywhere, too. Money talks, bear, and I have a lot of it.”
“Don’t you want to be here when your grandparents move to Brisbane? They’ve lived in America all your life, haven’t they?” If I had family that I hadn’t seen in so long move close, I would jump at the chance to spend any time I could with them.
He shrugged his shoulder. “Meh, I talk to them on the phone and I’ve always had money to go visit them whenever I wanted to. I’m not that close to my grandparents anyway. My parents, Uncle Carl, Ryder’s parents, and even Stephan’s parents have been a bit out of sorts that they didn’t move here sooner and chose to stay with Uncle Lewis in America.”
“I thought you said Dustan lived with them?” I was sure he’d mentioned that.
“Yeah, he moved over as soon as he finished high school and studied and was trained to take over one of the big businesses that our family controls, along with some of our properties. Bennett, Uncle Lewis’s oldest, has taken Dustan’s place now that he’s moved back to Australia.”
My stomach felt like a lead weight the more we spoke of Dustan. Guilt assaulted me as it did anytime he was mentioned. He was in a coma and it was my fault. My therapist and Mason had told me over and over that it wasn’t and that the Silvermans had problems with The Devil’s Queens long before I came along, but the ransom was for me, so I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was to blame, no matter what they told me. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry about the trouble I’ve caused with Dustan.”
“Bear, you have nothing to be sorry about. I’ve told you, over and over, that it isn’t your fault. I can see it in your eyes anytime I mention my cousin Dustan, the guilt you feel. I promise you have nothing to feel guilty about.” He tucked a thick strand of hair that had gotten free of my ponytail behind my ear. “Don’t you worry about The Devil’s Queens. I’ll keep you safe. You need to start to think of your future. What do you want to do once you’ve finished your schooling and are eighteen? I’m so proud of you. You’ve come so far with all your school work. Although from what your teachers and tutors have told me, you’re so smart that it hasn’t taken you much to catch up, even though you’ve been out of school for a couple of years.” He brought my hands to his lips and kissed them both. It was a sweet gesture and had my stomach fluttering. “I’ll tell you something I haven’t told anyone but my parents. I hated school and struggled with almost all subjects. If I was even an iota as smart as you, I would have gone to University or even TAFE.”
Before my family had died, I’d loved school and even though I’d always wanted to be a mum, I wanted to go to university too. But now, all I wanted was a family and to be surrounded by people I loved. Gazing into Mason’s big dark brown eyes I saw the love he had for me shine out of them. I could do both. If Mason ever touched me enough to start a family, that is. “I’ll apply to university, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want a family as soon as you’re willing to give me one. If you ever let us get far enough to make any babies.” I added the last bit in a soft mutter.
His chuckle was deep and sent a shiver of need through my body. No boy, or man, had ever given me the feeling that Mason gave me with just a look or even the sound of his voice. I’d been just a teenager when my family died and hadn’t been into boys yet. As I got older, with my background, I never seemed to get interested in the opposite sex. I wasn’t even attracted sexually to females, either. When I started to get feelings for Mason it was a relief. Now, I was just a horny mess around him.
His chuckle turned into a belly laugh. “You don’t have to worry about that. I want you so damn much, but I want you to be ready.” He touched my head. “Mentally. Not just our body chemistry taking over. I want all of you Alexa. Don’t ever doubt I want you. I’m barely holding it together enough to not ravish you.”
My heart beat so fast my chest hurt and my stomach flip-flopped. I was one lucky girl. My man was amazing. As much as I wanted Mason, I knew he was holding out a little longer until I was legal age and had a few more therapy sessions under my belt. Resting my head on his chest I snuggled into him, content and safe.
SAM HADN’T LEFT MY SIDE in the last couple of days. Even when I went to the toilet he tried to get in, but I managed instead to keep him waiting by the door. When he had his vest on he was in work mode, always alert and wouldn’t play, even when the puppies were annoying him. When the vest was off, Sam still wasn’t a playful dog. He seemed to always be aware and ready to defend me.
Mason didn’t seem bothered by Sam following us everywhere. I thought he would at least say something about having Sam in our room when we slept. When Mason’s fingers started to roam, I’d been putting a stop to it as I wasn’t a fan of having Sam watch us. And did he watch. My nightmares were back, all because of Sam’s eyes watching me.
“I thought being at work would cheer you up.” Mason kissed my forehead before we entered the gym.
“It does. I love being with the children, but I’m tired.” He guided me to his office. “I’m not used to all the security and being watched even when I sleep. It’s creepy.”
He sat in his chair, gathered me to him and stroked my hair. It was a calming notion, but with the little sleep I’d had, it was kind of irritating. I batted at his hand and wiggled off him.
“Bear, I know you’re not sleeping.” He tried to pull me back to him, but I avoided his advances. “I awake to your screaming. I rub your back and talk nonsense to sooth you. Alexa . . . ” He groaned and I let him draw me back to him onto his lap. His lips brushed my cheek and his index finger turned my head and he kissed me.
I let myself go, the kiss consuming me. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I ran my fingers up his neck and through his hair. I loved his hair. It was just the right length and so soft. I felt his body flex and harden against me. In his gym shorts it was hard to miss the large erection. Trailing my hand down I rubbed his member.
When he moaned and slowly eased away from my lips, I knew we wouldn’t go any further. “Why do we have to stop?”
“You know why.’
“No. I don’t.” I did, but I wanted him to tell me. He was holding back and his only argument was that I wasn’t ready.
“You’re not ready for the next move. Your nightmares prove this.”
Pushing at his chest I growled in frustration. “I only started getting the nightmares again when I learned of Dustan being taken. They got worse when we got Sam. I love that dog, but it’s bloody creepy having him watch me twenty-four-seven.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “I don’t like being watched like that. I don’t feel free. I’m trapped. I think that’s why the nightmares are worse.”
His sigh was long and loud. “I know, and I wish we could put our guard down, but . . . ” He rolled his eyes up and leaned back in his chair. “I’ve been putting off telling you, especially with your nightmares getting worse, but I think I can’t hold off any longer. I was hoping to get some more therapy sessions in and wait until you’re more comfortable with Sam, but time is running out.” He sat forward and stared at me. “Some of The Devil’s Queens have been arrested and the information you have will help to prosecute them. In a little less than three months you’ll be required at court to testify.”
The more he spoke, the colder my body felt. My nightmares were of those men in jackets, taking girls away. I’d run into The Devil’s Queens before I’d seen what I had that night and I was damn lucky to get away, let alone untouched. It was because of my great hiding skills and my fight that I would rather die than let anyone touch and take my body that I’d gotten away. Another time, I’d seen them kill men and even a young boy, for not doing what they asked. There were many other things, but they were locked behind my doors. I figured out that they may hurt girls and women, but I hadn’t seen them shoot one pointblank like I had with men. With what I knew about the Devil’s Queens, it would have them going after me if they’d known my hiding spots, but now they knew where I lived, and if they knew I was testifying they would kill me, female or not.
“Shhh, bear, no one will get to you. I promise you. You’re safe. We have a lot of security and this is why you have Sam.” He rubbed my back and I hated to admit it, but he was right. I looked down and saw Sam sitting guard, and as everything I’d just learned settled in, I realized I was a very lucky girl to have found and been accepted by the Silverman family. I had love and people around me to protect me.
THE MOVIE SUCKED. ALEXA SQUEEZED my hand and was utterly captivated by the sappy mess we were watching. I gazed around the cinema and saw I was one of three guys watching this painful movie. I bet they were suckered into this by their girlfriends, too. Alexa had looked at me with such hope and when she nibbled on her lip and begged please, I’d caved like a pussy.
I looked at Alexa and sighed. Even though I hated this movie, for her I’d sit through it and suffer in silence. Her eyes were alit with an almost wonder as she watched the guy on screen dip the woman he loved and kiss her, after he’d just danced with her and everyone around them clapped. The flowery words he gave her before his lips met hers had all the women in the cinema sighing.
It was close to the end of the move, thank God, and the huge smile on Alexa’s face was undeniable. I looked down at Sam to see if he thought the experience had been as awful as I thought it was, but he was currently doing his job of surveying the room. The credits rolled and I spotted Tom and Darren come in, and the fuckers had huge smirks on their faces like they knew the torture I’d just endured and thought it was hilarious.
Darren masked his face before he turned to us, but it was too late, I’d seen his smirk. “Mason. Alexa. The restaurant is ready. Did you enjoy the movie?” The twitch of his lips betrayed how he felt about what we saw.
I shot him my best glare, which only made his lips twitch again. Standing, I held my hand out for Alexa. She took it and I pulled her up. “You ready for dinner?”
“Not really. I ate too much popcorn. I figure by the time we get in and order and dinner comes, I’ll be hungry. So, let’s go.” She tugged on my hand to get us moving and Sam squeezed in so he was walking a little before Alexa.
Sam was alert and ready, but the people around us weren’t giving him much room to do his job. Our security flanked us as we walked to the car. I could see the SUV waiting for us on the curb. The closer we got, the faster we walked. Since the kidnapping we hadn’t been out much. Our biggest outing had been to get the puppies and Sam. I knew Alexa had been going stir crazy so I’d organized this night, and even though we’d watched that shit, I was glad we were out of the house.
DINNER HAD BEEN AMAZING AND as we walked into the house I tried not to watch her arse in the pink skirt as she made her way to our room. My cock was so hard it was painful. I had permanent blue balls. I was going to be awarded sainthood. She had two weeks until her eighteenth birthday and I didn’t think I was going to hold out that long. My excuse for so long had been that Alexa wasn’t ready for sex and the steps that followed, but for a while now I’d known that excuse was bullshit.
One, I was trying to wait until she was eighteen. My brothers and even Divinity reminded me that the legal age for sex was sixteen.
Two, I’d watched my brother, cousin and uncle find their soulmate and I’d seen their struggles and watched their mistakes and I was determined not to make the same ones they did. I wanted our relationship to be solid and built on trust, not just sex.
Three, once I had sex with Alexa, I would want her tied to me in every way. Marriage, kids, the house with the big white fence. I was holding back. The number of times I’d barely stopped myself from picking her up and throwing her over my shoulder, letting myself go like the caveman I was craving to be, was in the hundreds. Controlling my urges was exhausting. I wasn’t stupid. We were young, but Alexa was my one, my soulmate, and we were meant to be.
Four, with what Alexa had been through, I didn’t want to scare her away. I couldn’t be the caveman I was craving to be. Working at my gym was my haven. It was keeping me sane. Some of my men were refusing to spar with me because I was so sexually frustrated I was using my fighting to keep myself from jumping Alexa’s bones.
“I can feel you staring at my arse.” Her giggle had my cock straining in my pants. God, this woman turned me on with just her giggle. She shook her arse and I clung to the wall. It was getting so damn hard not to ravish her and Alexa wasn’t making it easy.
“Let’s play a game. Catch me.”
The little minx threw her shirt and slipped her skirt down and off before I had the chance to realize what she was doing. In a lacy blue bra and underwear set, she ran from me. Frozen for a moment, I tried to calm down and remind myself of my four reasons, but when Alexa was at our bedroom door, she turned and did a shimmy my way before she opened the door, entering with teasing laughter.
Giving up my own fight, I let go and chased my woman.
I WAS BEING NAUGHTY. TEASING Mason wasn’t nice, but it was so good to be wanted. I loved seeing the lust in his eyes as I ate my cheesecake at dinner. I absolutely loved the power I felt flow through my body as I watched him shift on the seat and swiftly adjust himself.
Tonight, I was going to get more from Mason. Sure, we’d made-out, masturbated each other and a couple of times we’d even given oral, but I wanted more. We didn’t have to go the whole way, but showing Mason I was ready to take the next step was my goal.
It had it worked. When he caught me, I was going to set him straight, so once we started there would be no stopping and starting. By the end of the night he would know I was ready. I had found out legal age was sixteen and I knew Mason was waiting until I was eighteen, but he didn’t need to.
Arms circled my waist and Mason lifted me. I squealed when his lips brushed my ear. “I got you. What do I get now?”
His whispered words at my ear had my body shaking with need. His voice was deep, rough, and so sexy. With my history he should scare me, but from the first moment I met Mason he’d had the opposite effect on me. I was sick of fighting and ready to have something good happen in my life again. With Mason I felt safe. I felt horny, too. Very horny and he was a bloody saint because I was the eager one, and he was the one to slow us down.
The last three nights I’d had dreams. Sexual ones. They weren’t my first since moving in with Mason, but the last couple of nights had been the most sexual and they always ended just before I reached my peak. I awoke covered in sweat and not cuddling Mason. It was like my body was telling me if I didn’t jump Mason’s bones soon I was going to combust.
“Me. You get me.” I leaned back against him and he gently lowered me to the ground. I turned to face him. “I want you to let go tonight.” I winked. “What happened to that story you told me about soulmates and men in your family turning all caveman?” Before he could say anything, I held up my hand. “Before you say anything I promise I’ll make sure we stop before we get to the sex.” I wiggled my eyebrows up and down. “You know? The part where you put your cock in my pussy?” He groaned and I ignored him. “Tonight, go for it without asking me if I’m okay and stopping and starting. Once we start I don’t want to hear you talk unless it’s about our pleasure, or until I pass out from our explorations of each other.” His eyes had turned so dark they were almost black. I raised my brow and looked deadly serious for a moment. “Got it?”
His hands on my waist tightened and he studied my face for a moment. He must have liked what he saw because he sighed and nodded. “Okay. No stopping.”
Excited, I grabbed him and yanked him down so I could paste my mouth on his. My fingers ran down his chest and I undid his buttons as I went. His tongue tangled with mine as his hands roamed my body. When I was done with all his buttons I tore my lips from his and growled, “Off. I want it off.” I pulled his pants down and eased away to let him discard them.
His hungry gaze traveled over me and as soon as he was naked my own gaze devoured him. He was built to perfection. His hours at the gym sure did pay off. His body was a piece of art. There was no fat and he had six pack abs above those muscles that formed a lickable V pointing right down to the most important part. So, I did what I’d been dying to do since the first time I saw him naked. I licked them. As I took in my man, I thought that when we stopped tonight because of the no sex rule, it was going to be the hardest thing I’d even done in my life.