by Piper Stone
Crystal’s mouth hung open. “How dare you. I’m in a shitty motel room with some guy I don’t even know after the place I worked was just bombed, and you have the audacity to ask me about my love life?”
Cocking my head, I waited for her to calm down, refusing to get into a fight with her.
“Why?”
“Because you seemed bothered and if he was a stranger, you would have let me know.”
“Not important,” she said, waving her hand.
“Crystal, a man had been in your house, one who at least knew Zorro well enough not to make the dog afraid.” Seeing the shock then anger on her face, I knew I was right. “Same guy?”
“Yeah. I just... He’s been the repairman for months. I thought he was a nice guy. Why was he in my house?” She had a faraway look.
“You may have been under surveillance for longer than you’ve been aware of. What’s his name?” I was more pissed off than ever.
“Carter. Carter Garris or at least I think so. It was only one date. Not much of a date. I just... Christ. I’m such a fool.” Shuddering, she dragged out a pair of shorts from her case then shot me a harsh glare. “Are you going to watch?”
“I’ve seen you naked.” Still, I turned my gaze, allowing her privacy, and making another mental note of the man’s name. I sensed she was moving closer, creating an inappropriate wave of heat. I inhaled the scent of soot and smoke, along with remnants of her perfume, forcing my cock to full attention. Damn, I wanted this woman. To protect. To honor. To dominate.
To love.
The thought was startling, enough that I shifted again, unable to see even her silhouette. But I continued to hear her as she moved closer still until she stood right behind me. “You’re not a fool. You’re a caring woman. You just need to calm down. I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“I know and I’m sorry. That was shitty of me. I’m just scared and out of sorts,” she said after a few minutes. “I don’t know who to trust, including myself at this point.”
“I got it. You don’t know me, and some terrible shit happened to you tonight.” I closed my eyes, trying to rationalize all the information.
“Not just to me. These freaks threatened you too.” I heard her footsteps and clenched my fist. “I think we both need this,” she half whispered. The old lilt had returned.
Glasses clinked as she lifted her arm, forcing me to look in her direction. “You should get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day.” I accepted one of the drinks, our fingers touching. The possessive man almost took over, pushing her hard against the wall. The rumble in my stomach had nothing to do with a hunger for food. I wanted so to strip her bare, chain her to the bed, and ravage every inch of her body after one long, hard spanking. Forcing myself to break the connection was damn difficult. There was no doubt she felt the same way, her seductive actions meant with purpose.
Crystal dragged the tip of her tongue across the seam of her mouth but even the subtle gesture couldn’t hide the fact her lower lip was quivering. “I’ll handle it. Don’t worry about me.”
Swearing in silence, I brought the rim to my lips, fighting so many words I wanted to say. The smooth liquor was exactly what I needed, even though I would remain awake the entire night, and not just fighting an outside enemy. My inner vision continued to see her naked, writhing underneath me. I was even more disgusted with myself.
Folding one arm, she remained where she was, her eyes full of such a demanding nature. She was one formidable woman, even in her fragile state. “What are we going to do? We can’t stay holed up in a motel.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll find a safe house.”
She laughed half-heartedly then took a sip before swinging the glass. “Then what? Are you going to watch me for days on end, weeks or months? Are you going to keep me your prisoner until maybe they grow tired of the hunt?”
I heard the discord in her voice, the disbelief. I curled my lip when I issued the words, and I meant every one of them. “I’m going to find and eliminate the problem.”
“What?” she laughed again until she noticed I wasn’t joking. “You’re serious. You’re going to kill them?”
I didn’t answer.
“Who do you think you are that you can just erase lives?”
“I’m someone who might just save your life.”
The words rang in the air, but she wasn’t taken aback. In fact, she inched even closer, lifting her chin in defiance. She pursed her lips before shaking her head. “I don’t need to be saved. I’ll just leave town.”
“Your home. You’ll just leave your home. Then they win.”
“You left everything and everyone you know. Right?” When I didn’t answer, she rolled her eyes. “This isn’t my home, Blade, or whatever your name really is. If you really want to know, I ran here thinking this city might be a safe haven. Yep. Me. I left everything and everybody I knew to start a new life. That’s how I know what you’re doing. I picked a place I thought would be warm, far enough away where no one would find me. I have no reason to stay here. None. I care about the bar, but not that much. So, why don’t you just let me go in the morning? You’re disappearing from town anyway. Aren’t you?”
Disappearing. The single word had connotations. The limited information she’d told me had been only issued in anger, but I could see past the bravado into the scared little girl inside, longing to find her place. “I’m not going anywhere.” The decision had been made the moment I’d stepped into the bar a couple of hours before. I couldn’t leave her. I had no right to be in her life, but there was no way I could stay away.
Especially now.
She waited, as if expecting more and turned away sharply, walking toward the bed. “You know what’s funny? I get more comfort and truth out of Zorro. Somehow, he actually cares about me more than anyone ever has, including you. Thank you for saving my life. I’ll relieve your duties in the morning. Period.”
I closed my eyes only briefly as the anger and desire mixed together, a cataclysm of pain and sorrow, longing and even love. “Do you really want to know who I am, Crystal? Do you?”
“Yes, I do. If you’re man enough to tell me.”
God, the woman knew how to push every button, to drive me to the point of absolute insanity. Risking everything, I took giant steps in her direction. “I’m a monster, the same as the predatory beast that’s trying to kill you. That’s all I’ve known for over eight years. Death. Destruction. That’s what I am. Do you really want to learn more?”
With every word, her resolve seemed to increase, until to me she was larger than life. “I don’t believe you. You’re not that man.”
Huffing, I walked further away from the window and away from her, trying to hold back every burning emotion.
“You’re amazing, at least to me,” she whispered as she took decided steps in front of me, a look of rebelliousness on her face.
With my free hand, I gripped her face, pulling her closer as I lowered my head. “What I said is true, every word. I am the nightmare you never want to meet in the daylight. I’m a cold-blooded killer, capable of destroying lives.”
While her lower lip quivered, she rose onto her tiptoes, pressing her lips against mine. And at that moment, at that second in time, I lost my resolve. Somehow, I managed to shove the gun on the dresser before I picked her up into my arms, forcing every inch of her against my body. Our lips crushed together, our mouths moving in perfect unison as she darted her tongue inside, taking everything she wanted.
I was thrown, still on edge but my desire had a mind of its own. Through all the darkness, all the danger that we were both facing, we’d found each other, two beacons in the night. My hunger knew no bounds as I sucked on her tongue, drinking in her sweet essence. There was no time or space around us, only the heated moment, a roaring passion.
She clung to me as I turned off the light, carrying her toward the bed, the dog moving without being told. The kiss continuing, she whimpered in my arms. Joy replaced all the sadness I’d fe
lt for so many years, the blinding pain of living alone and never sharing was swept away. I eased her down, hovering over her as I licked around her mouth, dragging my tongue to her chin. My fingers snagged her shirt, yanking until I freed her from the confines. I wanted every inch of her naked, exposed before me.
There was no hesitation as we undressed, fighting the material, struggling to claw our way back to each other. I wasn’t a patient man, nearly ripping away her shorts and panties, exposing what belonged to me. We fell across the bed, her fingers intertwining with my hair, my hands cupping her face. And in seconds, I was deep inside, my cock shoved into the tip of her womb. We both shivered for a few seconds, electricity skyrocketing to the point I felt like I was floating. I drank in her sweet essence, our tongues entwining.
“Oh, God, yes,” she whispered as the kiss was broken.
She wrapped her legs around me, holding me close as I nipped her lip then kissed the side of her face. With every ounce of my soul, I promised to protect this woman with my life, no matter the recourse.
Crystal intertwined her fingers in my hair, tugging as she arched her back, trying to remain close, as if longing for me to remain buried inside. My past didn’t matter. My damning world didn’t matter. To her, I was just a man destined to become her dom.
With every hard stroke, every time her pussy clenched around my cock, I slipped further into the entangled box surrounding us. She was so wet, her beautiful porcelain skin hot to the touch. Grunting, I buried my head in her neck as she continued to whimper, her fingers floating up and down my back. For a few seconds, I closed my eyes, envisioning everything that could be, a fantasy that should never happen.
Pushing up, I lowered my head until my hair dangled across her face, peppering kisses on her cheek and chin. She held a mischievous glint in her eyes, as if she had the world as well as the man crushing down on her in the palm of her hand. With little effort, I rolled Crystal over, forcing her to straddle my hips.
“So bad,” she purred, palming and kneading my chest.
“Ride me.”
Obeying without question, she tossed her head back as she shifted forward and backward, her knees digging into my sides. Her expression was sublime, her skin glistening in the warm glow. This wasn’t the place she deserved, a shit hole of a motel room located in a rundown section of town. She would have more, everything her heart desired, no matter the price.
I gripped her hip with one hand, smacking her on the ass with the other. The sensations increased, our bodies on fire and losing all control. Her rocking motions increased, moving in an almost frantic fashion as her breathing came in ragged pants. She seemed lost in her own pleasure even as her fingers dug into my skin. When her mouth pursed, I knew she was close to coming. Only then did I strengthen my hold, lifting her until my cock was barely inside before yanking down, the slapping noises only fueling our crazed actions.
“Yes. Yes!” Her head drifted to the side, lolling as if she had no control.
It was all I could do not to shove her down and fuck her tight ass, but this was about making love instead of just fucking. I needed her to feel all of me, every inch of my body and the very essence of my soul. Her pussy muscles tightened even more until I knew I couldn’t take much more. “Come for me. Come with me.” And I wanted nothing more.
Her eyes mere slits, she took several shallow breaths as her entire body began to shake. “Oh... Blade, I...” Every muscle tightening, she opened her mouth to a perfect ‘o’ as the climax ripped through her, one becoming a glorious wave.
Lifting my knees, I jutted my hips and thrust deeper inside as I pulled her down until I was able to cradle her against my body. Only then did I let go, filling her with cum and savoring the tender moment.
But even in the sweet peace of closeness, I continued to rage against the harshness of my life as well as the impending danger. And in those moments, I captured the same vision I’d seen the night before and the night before that.
My death.
Chapter Eleven
Blade
“What do you mean you’re a cold-blooded killer?”
Crystal’s voice rang out in the darkness, only the sliver of light from the exterior hallway sliding in past the dense drapery. I shifted until I was able to see her in the shadows, caressing Zorro’s head as he snuffled his response to being moved. I was surprised the pup had taken a spot on the bed closest to the window, his muzzle positioned on my thigh. I could easily tell the dog would protect her with his life, yet he didn’t seem to mind that I was in the picture.
At least at this point. Subject to change.
Even in the dim lighting, the way her silhouette seemed highlighted was such a powerful draw. God, I craved this woman. I’d required her to stay on the far side of the other bed after pulling myself away from the intense closeness, trying to remember that I’d accepted the job as her protector. For some crazy reason, Zorro’s presence as well as his acceptance was more comforting than I wanted to admit. I rubbed his ear, rolling my finger back and forth as I struggled with any answer that would make her feel less vulnerable.
“I meant what I said. That’s all I’ve been for a very long time.” I had a feeling every answer was going to sound stilted.
Rolling over onto her stomach, she scooted until she was at the edge of the bed, her arms folded, staring directly me. I didn’t need to see the look in her eyes to know she wasn’t going to let this go. “You’re really not going to tell me what you mean by that? I thought you trusted me.”
“I do trust you, Crystal. Certain things aren’t cut and dry.”
She mumbled something under her breath I couldn’t understand and lifted her legs at the knees. Why was a simple body action so desirable in my mind? “Trust implies people tell each other the truth, no matter how much it might hurt. You asked for my trust on several levels. I’m asking for yours. I’m not going to judge you. I have zero right to do that.”
I’d certainly questioned what the hell I’d been doing with my life during the last three, maybe four months, but tonight made my choices seem like a prison sentence.
Then again, that’s exactly what I deserved.
I exhaled and fingered the weapon, remembering the last time I’d used it, I used it to kill. “I trust you more than you know. I just... What I tell you won’t change the past, but definitely will change the future.”
She didn’t move a muscle or utter a word. Her captivation of my presence was daunting. There was no way around this.
“The man you know isn’t the same person from even a few days ago. You were right in that I left everything that I had in order to begin a new life, but I’m not certain there’s anywhere that would free me from the noose around my neck. Unfortunately, my past could put you further in harm’s way.”
“What in God’s name could you have done that was so horrible?” Crystal mused.
“Tyranny. Destruction. Murder. I’ve done it all.” My reaction after the blatant words left my mouth? Relief. Fucking. Relief.
“You say that as if you have no remorse.”
I shrugged, concentrating on a single light that continued to dim over and over again. “I didn’t used to have any, only able to block out my requirements. Now, that’s all I do have.”
A full minute ticked by.
“That’s why you were ready to leave before, because you’re terrified that they’ll find you, whoever ‘they’ are,” she said quietly.
“Yes.” I could hear the disbelief in her voice.
“And that’s why you have a bag full of weapons.”
I gave a half-hearted chuckle, exhaustion starting to settle in. “A product of my profession as well as the conditions I left.”
“And what were you? What kind of profession requires you to need that many guns?”
Twisting my head, I had no decent lie to tell her. When I spoke, I kept my words even and without emotion. “Crystal, for over seven years I’ve been working with the Sanchez cartel out of Miami. My job was
to protect not only the organization but the head of the family. In doing so, I’ve either witnessed or as required by my standing, carried out the elimination of certain individuals who were considered threats.” I allowed the words to hang, waiting for her immediate disgust. When she didn’t flinch, I allowed repugnance to wash over me.
“Cartel. As in mob boss?” There was no quaver in her voice, no accusatory tone. Just a question. “Similar to the Desperados.”
“Yes, but with much more power and influence. Diego Sanchez is a true monster, but everything I’ve done in order to maintain my position has been equally destructive. I am his assassin, or I should say one of. There is no way to sugarcoat my actions, no method of redemption. I knew what I was doing, and I chose to stay entrenched in his organization. And the reason I allowed myself to fall straight into hell doesn’t matter any longer.” The room was quiet. Even Zorro was no longer snoring.
Crystal eased into a sitting position, curling her legs underneath. “The reason does matter. Do you think you’ve been followed? Is there some connection to these assholes in Charleston?”
“I’m not certain what to think, but between the actions of the Desperados, the fact Pappy seems to know more than he’s telling anyone, and now some guy you dated broke into your house, there’s a lot of bullshit going on that I will get to the bottom of.”
“Why did you leave Miami? My guess is you had the finest things money could buy, what all dreams are made of.”
Dreams. I hadn’t allowed myself to dream in years. Why bother? This time my exhale was laced with remorse. “Because my acceptance of a particular direct command would have eliminated an innocent woman and child. That is something I refuse to do. I don’t care the circumstances. I do have some honor left.” Right. Honor? Who was I kidding? I turned my head ever so slowly, trying to gauge her reaction. I wanted to tell her everything, the very truth behind the reason I joined, but at this point, I wasn’t certain it mattered.
“Wow.” Her breath skipped, and she’d pressed two fingers across her lips, but her eyes were unblinking. “What is your name, your real name?”
