by Lilly Atlas
“While I appreciate the warning, that’s not at all what I was referring to. I was talking about the bullshit you spouted earlier.”
Rocket couldn’t help it. She was too fucking cute with her nose wrinkled and her pissed off expression that didn’t quite take away her cream-puff look. “What bullshit are you talking about?”
“The bullshit about you leaving DarkOps because they were using you, not because you had a problem killing an innocent man. Or if you don’t want to call him innocent, a man that didn’t deserved to be killed.” She fell silent, just stared at him with those emerald eyes that seemed to see clear into his soul.
Why couldn’t she just buy the damn story, walk away from him, and let him suffer in peace? He steeled his expression. Looked like he was going to have to fall back on plan B: being a total dick.
Her hating him was far better than Esposito getting his filthy mitts on her.
“Little girl,” he practically growled as he loomed over her. Fear flashed for just one second before she schooled it, but it was enough to make him want to vomit. If hell wasn’t his after-life plan before, he’d made it so now. “You think you fucking know me? You don’t know shit about me. I’ve done shit that would make Lefty look like a fuckin choir boy.” Let her chew on that for a while.
Expression so calm it was almost serene, she reached a hand up and covered his mouth. Rocket flinched, the initial contact like fire and silk all at once. “Stop,” she said, but her voice held no fear. More like a teacher scolding a disobedient student. “I don’t know everything there is to know about you. Not even close. And I don’t know the details of your work with DarkOps, but I’ve gathered it’s dark and probably twisted.”
Understatement of the century.
“I’ve spent a lot of time with you recently. My past may be bright and shiny, but my present is pretty damned dark and twisted. Yet there is only one man I can say with one hundred percent certainty I trust to keep me safe. One man I know without a doubt will not hurt me no matter how vulnerable I make myself. And it’s you. I know you, Logan. Your name and Lefty’s should never be spoken in the same sentence, unless it’s to describe the ways you plan to make him suffer.”
He froze, the breath in his lungs seizing. A slow, yet powerful thump sounded in his ears in time with each beat of his heart. She was right. He’d die before hurting her, physically at least. Before this was over, both their hearts could end up flayed.
“So why don’t you try again. Tell me what really eats at you about your time with DarkOps. Tell me why you were upset today. You know my deepest shame and are the only one who has seen me in the very lowest moment of my life. Let me see you in yours. I will not betray your trust. And I will not walk away from you because of it.”
He didn’t dare blink. If he did, the angel lying next to him would surely vanish. How could a woman who’d been raised by a loving, supportive family, one that sheltered her from life’s ugly side, accept him so easily? Sure, she’d gotten an up close and personal view of hell recently, but she should only be more critical of him because of it.
“Please,” she whispered. With a tender touch, she nudged his chest until he was also lying. He faced her, propping up on one hand. Her long auburn hair spilled down her back and over her shoulder, beckoning him to touch. If he was about to crack his soul wide open and lay it bare before Chloe, not touching her no longer seemed an option. Hair was safe. Hair was non-sexual. He fingered a lock, lifting it and letting it sift through his fingers. All at once a powerful image of all that red silk wrapped around his fist as he fucked her popped into his head.
So much for non-sexual.
Chloe seemed as eager to touch him. She inched closer, then closer still until only inches remained between their mouths, and her legs were able to tangle with his. “You’ve made this easy since you’re totally naked,” she said.
Rocket groaned. “And you’re only wearing fucking panties.”
She chuckled. “Yep.” Once again, she grew serious. “Please give it to me.”
Jesus, if that wasn’t a phrase to be misinterpreted, nothing was. Chloe had given him so much of herself. She’d walked miles out of her safety zone and trusted he wouldn’t hurt her. He could give her this—he owed it to her.
Still playing with her hair, he stared straight into her eyes. The patience and understanding he saw shining back at him allowed him to speak. “Discovering the details of my last mission was a fluke. For almost two years, I took the jobs they assigned me without question. Without looking beyond the surface. Esposito knew that. Probably used it to his advantage.”
“You trusted him. Trusted the company.”
Like a fool. “Yes.”
Chloe shifted her thigh. Her buttery soft skin whispered across the head of his cock. Rocket bit back a shouted curse.
“Sorry.”
He huffed out a laugh. “I’ll take any touch from you I can get. Even if it kills me.”
“Keep going. I think I know what you’re going to say, but you need to say it, Logan. You need to purge it.”
The only light was the dim glow shining from a nightlight in the hallway. Rocket always kept some form of light in the halls for security purposes. Never know when he might need a quick getaway.
Old habits died pretty damned hard.
A troubling thought popped into his head. “You never got a chance to purge your demons, did you? Because we asked you not to speak to anyone about what happened.”
She gave him a half smile. “And see what happens when you let things fester? You develop really risky behavior like picking up strange men at the bar.”
Risky wasn’t tame enough a word. Fucking idiotic fit better.
Chloe poked his side. “Logan, I was kidding. It was a joke.”
“Someday I want you to tell me. All the details, no matter how ugly.”
“Okay,” she said softly. “But today we’re working on unburdening your soul. Tomorrow we can do mine.”
Rocket inhaled until his lungs were at capacity. He held it, then said the words he’d never dared to utter. “How many innocent people have I killed because I was too damn complacent to question my missions?”
Silence met the question until he almost begged her to say something. Anything.
“You never went back and dug through the details of your old missions?” she finally asked.
He shook his head. “No. I couldn’t.”
Chloe captured his hand in her much slenderer one. After working her hair free from between his fingers, she placed his hand over his heart, anchoring it there with her own. His heart thumped steady and strong beneath their palms. “Feel that?” she asked.
“I feel it.”
“In there lies the heart of a protector. I may not know all of you, but I know that much is true. You are a man who guards and defends. You’ve built your life around it.”
Nearly the same words had come from Copper’s lips only days before. Apparently, this was the image Rocket portrayed. Not a bad one, but he’d always thought of himself more as an angry vengeance seeker. Not a protector.
“Of course, the idea of harming an innocent got to you. It goes against the very heart of who you are as a man. But, Logan, you have to realize you are as much of a victim here as any innocent person Esposito targeted. You were used, tricked. The details don’t matter.” She pressed harder against his chest. “This does. And it’s not the heart of an evil man. An evil man wouldn’t give a shit. An evil man wouldn’t be torn up over the notion of bringing danger to his family. An evil man wouldn’t give a shit about anyone but himself. And from what I see, the only one you aren’t protecting well enough is you. So I’ll do it for you.”
“Chloe…”
“No,” she said, voice firm and unyielding. “I want you to listen to me. And listen good.”
Despite the heavy conversation, his lips quirked. So feisty.
She leaned in, breathing right against his ear. “You are a good man, Logan. Nuh-uh,” she said w
hen he started to argue. “I’m going to tell you this a lot. Until you start to believe it. You’re a good man. You’re honorable, strong, and you’d do anything for the people who matter to you. You’re a really good man.”
He swallowed. How could one woman’s softly spoken words have the power to break him?
“You don’t believe it, do you?”
He shook his head, afraid if he spoke, he’d beg her to tie herself to him forever. A good man. A good man would have taken better care of his dead friend’s wife. A good man wouldn’t have let her become so depressed, she killed herself.
“Then let me show you,” she whispered, then shocked the hell out of him.
Soft lips pressed against his. At once, he opened for her, allowing her to explore his mouth. And she did, kissing him with more tenderness than he’d have thought possible. But it didn’t remain that way. Seconds into it, her tongue became insistent, her lips firmed against his, and her tits pressed into his chest, pebbled nipples driving him wild.
Chloe canted her hips, dragging her soaking wet pussy into direct contact with his dick.
“Fuck,” he cried out. She was out of her mind if she thought he was strong enough to endure this.
“Touch me, Logan,” she pleaded against his mouth. “Put your hands all over me. I need you, now. I need your skin on mine. I need to be close to you. I need you inside me.”
And with those six sentences, Rocket was sunk. Chloe owned him. If she thought he’d do anything for those he cared about, she was dead wrong. For her, he’d fucking blow up the moon. Too bad the only explosion was going to be his heart when she was healed enough to realize she didn’t want an outlaw biker in her life.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“STRADDLE ME,” ROCKET bit out, desperation bleeding through the command.
Chloe grabbed his shoulder, holding him on his side. “No,” she said.
He grew still. “Sorry,” he said as he started to scoot away.
“No!” she said again. “Don’t move away. That’s not what I meant. I don’t want to cuff you. I don’t want to be on top. I—can we stay like this. Facing each other?” Her cheeks burned so hot, she was beyond grateful for the minimal lighting.
“I want nothing more than to feel you all pressed against me, Chloe. We can do anything you want.”
“I want you like this.”
His erection lay trapped between them, so hard and heavy, Chloe’s sex clenched. Soon it would be inside her, bringing her the pleasure she craved.
Every word out of her mouth was genuine. With her entire heart, she believed Logan was a good man. Sure, he didn’t follow the letter of the law, but his worth couldn’t be judged only by the fact he was in an outlaw MC.
“Can I touch you? I’ve been dying to run my hands all over this gorgeous body.”
“Yes, please,” she breathed out, already anticipating his callused hands coasting over her skin.
He started slow, and so gently tears came to her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. This was the time for pleasure and connection. He stroked down her shoulders, over her stomach, and up the sides of her breasts. Everywhere he touched fizzled where electricity remained, reminding her she was alive.
She was so wet, her juices had coated his thigh as well as her own. Chloe rubbed her slit against him. Tiny shocks of pleasure shot from her pussy all through her body.
“All that cream for me?” Logan asked.
“Yes. Just you. Always for you.”
A rumble sounded in his chest seconds before he smashed his mouth against hers. She met him head on, fighting for control of the kiss. Logan’s hands were everywhere with much bolder pressure than before. Squeezing her ass, stroking her thighs, and running up and down her sides until he finally palmed her breasts. Her nipples ached with a fierce need for attention. Logan must have sensed it. He chuckled into her mouth then pinched both nipples, twisting as he did. “This what you need?”
“Yes,” she said on a groan as she arched into his touch. He didn’t let up, tugging her nipples and rotating them between his thumb and forefinger. His mouth no longer on hers, he trailed a path of hot kisses from her jaw to her shoulder. Chloe’s mind spun at the onslaught of pleasure. Even though she’d had sex with Logan, even though he’d made her come at least once every time, something had been missing. This was it. The connection of two minds and bodies fully engaged with each other. Intertwined and losing themselves in the magic of touch. No handcuffs, no rules, no worry about control. Just need and want.
“More,” she said, running her hands over his abundance of muscles. Rounded shoulders, corded bands along his spine, ridged abdomen. Her fingers dipped into that V of his hips that drove all women bonkers. The man was physical perfection. Unable to resist the tempting offer so close at hand, she curled her fingers around his length and gave a few strong strokes.
Rocket grunted. “So it’s like that, huh?”
His hands immediately left her breasts. The grin he gave when she whimpered was nothing short of wicked. And then he was there, those very talented fingers gliding through her slippery folds. He worked her like no one else had ever come close to doing. Fucking her with his fingers, strumming her clit, teasing her opening, he drove her straight up at lightning speed.
And then his mouth closed around her nipple. When he’d moved to her breasts, she had no idea. Her brain could barely process the combined sensations coming at her from every angle.
“Logan,” she cried out as his teeth scraped over her. Between her legs, his fingers still played her like a treasured instrument. She speared her fingers into his hair, holding him against her. Still, he had so much strength on her, he easily licked his way to the other breast. All at once, he shoved two fingers deep inside her, pressed her clit with his thumb, and sucked hard on her nipple. Chloe bowed into him, a ragged yell leaving her as she came.
Logan gave her no time to recover. He palmed her cheeks, kissing her again and again, as though praising her for being brave enough to let him touch her. “I wanted to make you come at least one more time before I fucked you. Goddammit, I wanted to eat that pussy until you came all over my face.”
With no chance to recover from the hard orgasm, her head was already spinning. The erotic words only made her eyes glaze over more as renewed desire crashed over her. “You can do anything you want,” she said. It wasn’t really true. She wasn’t ready to take his weight on top of her, but Logan was a good enough man to recognize that and respect it.
“I can’t,” he ground out. “I have to be inside you. Right now. I’m gonna fucking lose my mind if I can’t feel that pussy on my cock. I’m clean. Swear it on my life.”
“Me too,” she said. “Tested.” He’d gone back to playing with her nipples and one to two words were all she could string together at once. “IUD.”
“Fuck, yes,” he said as he grabbed her top leg. In one smooth motion, he lifted her thigh over his and entered her, hard and deep.
“Ohmygod,” Chloe cried out as he filled her to capacity.
Logan stopped moving. “You okay?”
She shook her head. “Would be better if you’d start moving.”
“Pretty sure I can manage that.” He hiked his hand higher up the back of her thigh, holding her in place as he started to slowly withdraw. Chloe glanced down her body. Even in the darkened room, she could see just how damn sexy his tanned hand looked on the pale skin of her thigh. He gripped her hard, five fingers denting into her flesh. Chances were, she’d have marks tomorrow. One could only hope. Something to remember the significance of the night. Because it was so freaking significant. She didn’t know how to label it, or if she should even try, but something had shifted between them when Logan opened up to her. It went far beyond just her physical progress. They were connected now. Bonded by their mutual pain and trauma.
“Ready for more?”
She looked at his serious expression most would describe as mean. Funny, she’d never once thought of him that way, even t
hough he hardly smiled. “I’m ready for all you got.”
And there it was. A rare Logan smile. “You got it, ma’am,” he quipped as he started to fuck her with real power. Teasing stopped. Talking ceased. The only sounds in the room were those of their bodies coming together and her frequent mewls of pleasure. His hand moved to her ass, fingers scoring the tender flesh as he held her exactly where he wanted her for his pummeling.
It was then, Chloe realized he was completely in control. Okay, sure, if she yelled “Stop,” he’d drop her like a hot potato, but at that moment, he was fucking her. Not the other way around. And damn did it feel unbelievable to let someone else take the reins for a little while.
“Finger your clit,” he said. His nostrils flared, jaw ticked, and his eyes were slits as though he was fighting like hell to maintain control. “Not gonna last,” he said. “Riding you goddamn bareback is too fucking good. Do it now.”
She complied at once, hand diving between them until she reached her clit. One feather light stroke was enough to make her cry out and her body jolt. Rocket pounded into her, his cock dragging ruthlessly over the sensitive nerve endings in her sex. “You there?” he asked, never breaking from the brutal thrusts.
God was she ever there. “Y-yes.”
“Come now.”
He thrust hard, three more times, before slamming deep and shooting inside her. As he did, he batted her hand away and pressed his thumb to her clit. Chloe went off like a whole display of fireworks.
Without meaning to, she dug her nails into the backs of his arms as she groaned through the epic climax. Her entire body shook, out of control for long seconds. With anyone else, she’d have been fearful of the vulnerable state, but not with Logan. After he roared out his own climax, he wrapped his strong arms around her and held her until the shaking subsided. Even after the most intense tremors died down, an occasional aftershock rippled through her. Might have something to do with the not completely soft cock still inside her.
