by KJ Dahlen
Wolf spoke up as he got to his upper thigh, “Watch it man. I have plans for that part of my anatomy.”
“Ha- ha,” Viper grumbled. “Man, you know how many times I’ve done this? So shut the hell up.”
Apollo chuckled. “Plans... Like...” He paused and glanced over at Eija.
She blushed.
“Well, I’ll be shutting my mouth now.” The big man looked away from Eija.
Wolf laughed into the pillow. “That’ll be the fucking day!”
“Hmmph!” Apollo grunted.
“Ok, what the hell happened?” Jackal marched into the room and up to the bed.
Apollo moved over, so the pres could get closer to the bed.
“Apparently, he landed on his rifle,” Viper replied.
Jackal looked over at the bed. “You should have taken cover. I mean...” He glanced over at Eija. “She warned us... so I damn well know she warned you first.”
Eija gave him a nod.
“So how did it really happen?” Jackal demanded to know
“He—”
“No way, Uptown,” Wolf cut the big man off. “I will fess up myself. Dammed Tattler.”
Apollo snickered.
“Pres,” Viper spoke up. “Can this wait?” He motioned his head at the wound on the back of Wolf’s thigh as he’d just got the pant leg snipped.
Jackal followed his gaze downward and visibly winced. “Well, shit. Don’t you feel that Wolf?”
“Yeah, but you forget the wounds I’ve had, Jackal.”
The pres nodded. “Yeah, I’ve even forgotten some of my own. Okay, I have a war zone to attend to, so I’ll be back.” He turned and left the room.”
“So Vipe, how bad is the damage?” Wolf asked.
“Fuck if I know. I’ve been mostly trapped in here. My windows are either cracked or busted out. I lost three overhead lights and just had to sterilize a fuck of a lot of instruments. But no one died, so there’s that to ease our souls.”
Wolf merely gave an angry grunt at this and said nothing.
Eija came over to the opposite side of the bed. Pulling up a chair, she sat and took Wolf’s hand.
Wolf turned his head to look at her.
She looked dammed pale and her hands shook.
He was stunned to see her so fragile. “Baby Girl, are you okay?”
Squeezing his hand tightly, she stared at him. “You’re asking me? You’re the one who got injured!”
He let out a sigh. “I’m fine baby. I lived.”
Rolling her eyes, she looked angry now. “Do you always just jump up and dive into a bomb?” Her beautiful blue eyes were like that ice again.
Wolf stared at her. “Babe, it’s gonna be okay.”
“No, it’s not okay. Don’t you get it?” She lowered her head. “I- I can’t do it.”
He wondered at this statement. “Can’t do what?”
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Eija,” he called to her. “Look at me.”
Sniffling, she shook her head.
Wolf then flinched and jumped. “What the fuck are you doing Vipe?”
“My damn job! Hold the fuck still, will ya?” Viper snapped.
“Damn...” Wolf let out a shaky breath.
Eija raised her head while looking concerned. “Um...Viper is he gonna be all right?”
Viper shook his head. “He’s too fucking ornery to die, little girl. I just need to stitch him up and make sure this doesn’t get infected. Then he will be the same asshole he was before.”
Wolf gave a shaky smile.
“Well, that’s bad news,” Apollo piped up.
“Fuck you Uptown,” Wolf retorted through clenched teeth.
Apollo laughed. “Ok, since you got Baby Girl. Am gonna go see what’s happening.”
Wolf replied, “I’ll be there in a few—”
“Oh, no you won’t!” Eija exclaimed.
Wolf stared at her while feeling stunned.
“Sorry there champ, but she’s right... no, you won’t,” Viper told him.
Wolf raised a brow at hearing this.
“You aren’t going anywhere except to our room,” Eija stated firmly as her eyes looked like blue flint. “You won’t be fighting or doing anything else but healing.”
Wolf blinked. Damn he might just make this woman mad, just to see this mesmerize blue fire in her eyes. Maybe get her so worked up in another way, so this fire would burn him so dammed sweetly. But he was also stunned by her absolute will that he had nothing to say.
“Yeah, what she said,” Viper added.
“Well, I’ll be dammed,” Apollo’s voice came to him from the far side of the room. “It’s finally happened. Wolf’s howl has been muted.”
Wolf scowled as he turned his head to stare at the wall behind the bed. “I thought you took your big, ugly black ass outta here?”
Apollo’s laughter could be heard in the room. “I already told ya, I got the prettiest ass—”
“Leave!” Viper seethed at him.
“Damn... you people are touchy as fuck!” Apollo stated as he left finally.
Chapter Thirteen
An hour later, Viper said he’d done all he could for the moment and he sent a man out to get Apollo.
The big man came in. “Y’all kick me out then you miss me and just have to have me back?” He grinned.
Eija looked at him with no smile on her face, “I need you to take him to his room.”
He stared at her emotionless expression and his smile dropped as he came over and hefted Wolf up.
“Take it easy,” Viper warned. “He’s got stitches.”
Eija hurried out and ran down the hall.
“Yeah, yeah like I ain’t ever heard that before,” Apollo retorted as he carried Wolf out to the hall and then carried him to the end. Turning down a second hall, he made it to the room. He stopped in surprise as Eija was already there as she opened the door. “Damn girl, you the female Flash, or something?”
She shook her head. “You okay, Angus?” she asked Wolf.
Apollo gave her a shocked look.
“Yeah, baby, I don’t feel a thing. Vipe numbed my ass.”
Apollo opened his mouth.
“Uptown,” Wolf called out in warning.
Apollo shut his mouth as he wore a grin on his lips and strode in through the door. He headed over to the bed and lowered his cargo from his shoulder.
“No, no, “Wolf told him. “Lay me down on my back, Apollo.”
Apollo stared down at him and opened his mouth to speak.
“And no crap,” Wolf warned.
Eija stepped close to them and opened her mouth to argue.
“And you too. I won’t argue on this.” Wolf glared at them both.
Apollo shrugged and did what he’d ordered. Stepping back, he looked down at Wolf then over at Eija. He could tell tension was high strung between the two of them. So for once, he turned and left the room, without uttering a damn word.
Eija came closer to the bed and sat on the side of it. Then propped two pillows behind him.
Wolf stared up at her. “Baby, we need to talk.”
She bit at her lip. “Not now, you need to rest—”
Grasping her hands, Wolf tugged her closer. “No we do it now,” he insisted.
Letting out a hard sigh, she nodded.
“I need to know the hell you are thinking. What did you mean when you said you can’t do it?”
Lowering her head, she refused to give him an answer.
“Eija, tell me,” he demanded.
Shaking her head, she just didn’t know how to explain it. How to verbalize it without it sounding like she was going to leave him. She was really considering it. It had hit her all at once when she saw that fucking mad man again. He would kill Wolf and take her. She just knew this in her soul. Then—what then? This Bullet would end up taking away the most beautiful thing in her world. Wolf. Angus Stratton. The man she now realized she loved with all her heart. She couldn’
t do it. She just couldn’t go through another loss. He was all she had now.
“Eija!” Wolf repeated even louder now. “Talk to me dammit!”
Raising her head, she knew tears were pooling in her eyes. “I can’t stay with you.”
His brows rose at his as his eyes became dark and stormy. “And why the fuck can’t you stay with me? I thought I’d made it clear. You’re mine...” he sighed. “And I sure as hell belong to you.”
She blinked her eyes at this. “I can’t lose someone else Wolf. I just can’t!”
His features softened as he took her hand.” Babe, you can’t run away from this anymore. And I won’t let you go. I can’t. I feel the same way. I sure as hell do not EVER want to lose you either.”
Letting out a sigh, she shook her head. “W-when I saw you on that roof?” she paused as tears rolled down her face now. “I was so terrified. You didn’t move. Your eyes were closed. I even forgot my dad’s training. Check for a pulse open you eyelids and check for.... I forgot everything in the whole damn world! I felt like I was dying too. I thought you were gone.” She swiped her tears away.
He sat up and wrapped his arms around her. “I was...” he started again, “The blast put me c back there. Back to the night, my unit was ambushed and I couldn’t make it stop. I was trapped in a living nightmare. Then... I heard your voice and it snapped me out of it. Your sweet voice pulled me from hell.” He eased back from her and looked her in the eyes. “I know you are going to think I’m shell shocked crazy, but Eija Savage, I am in love with you. Do you hear me? So, you can’t leave me.”
Eija sucked in a breath at hearing this and she held it. Letting it out, she blurted, “Y-you love me?”
He nodded slowly and firmly. “I already knew this before I was thrown 5 or 6 feet, baby. I knew it for sure. So, please... Please give us this chance?”
Eija could only stare at his face and into those sexy eyes of his. “I-I love you too,” she whispered. “But that’s why I can’t—”
Pulling her close, he grasped her cheeks and kissed the words from her lips. He delved his tongue in and kissed the breath from her. It was a demanding kiss, a powerful and wild kiss. His mouth and lips literally took position of her.
Eija’s mind went blank...just blank. She tried to grasp what she’d been saying, but she couldn’t. Her body heated up and her skin tingled everywhere. And he tasted so dammed good. Like an elixir that she was fast becoming addicted to. Her body went slack as she moaned helplessly into his mouth.
Finally, he broke the fiery kiss and looked into her eyes. “Don’t ever doubt us, or what we have. I want you to be with me for as long as fate will allow. For as long God allows...Till we are grey and old, do you hear me?”
Slowly and breathlessly, she nodded as she gazed into his eyes.
“So, now...I need you to take your clothes off,” he whispered to her lips.
Pulling her head back, she stared at him. “You can’t mea—?”
He pressed his fingers to her lips. “I do mean it.”
Eija let out a shuddery breath. “God, I want to. I need you so badly. But I—”
“Don’t tell me you can’t,” he cut her off. “We just went through a possible near death experience. I won’t be denied this and neither will you.
“But you’ll be in pain!”
Wolf shook his head.” Can’t feel a thing remember? At least on the back of my thigh.” He raised a brow at her. “And I will add this...” His voice went low. “I will remove your clothes myself, even if I have to chase you down. So, think about that.”
Her eyes widened as her mouth popped open in shock. “You wouldn’t!”
He again, nodded ever so slowly. “I would.”
She stood up and glared down at him. “That’s fucking blackmail!”
He now gave her a slow grin. “They don’t call me wolf because I’m a nice guy.”
Her eyes again, rounded.
Grinning, he motioned his head at her. “So give me a slow strip tease. Please?”
Again, her mouth hung open in total shock.
He chuckled at her dumbfounded expression. “Please? I am in love with your curves, your creamy, kissable skin. I don’t care what you think of your body. I love your body. Every inch and every crevice of it.
Eija never ever thought she would hear this from any man... ever and she had trouble answering. Shock again, assaulted her. This man couldn’t be serious about this!
Wolf stared at her. “And...it would ease my pain so very much.”
She stared at him as she scoffed, “But you said you didn’t feel any—?”
He started to rise up from the bed.
She raised her hands up at him. “Ok! Ok...”
He sat back against the pillows.
Taking a huge breath, Eija was at a loss. She had never stripped as he called it. She’d didn’t remember ever even seeing anyone strip. Suddenly, she was mad. Mad at him. How dare he make me—then it struck her. He said and showed her that he was attracted to her, said she was beautiful. That she drove him crazy. Well, she was gonna do just that. He soo deserves this.
But... she needed a plan, she needed to—
“Baby Girl,” Wolf broke into her thoughts.
She snapped her head up to glare at him. “Give me a minute. Do you think I have EVER stripped for a man?”
Wolf looked taken off guard and stared at her as if this thought had never occurred to him. “It’s okay. I’ve seen strippers.” He rolled his eyes as he went on, “So many...” At her glare, he paused. “I can instruct you?”
“No!” she exclaimed. “I will do this my own way!”
He raised his hands up, as he now looked sorry. “Eija... I never meant to make you feel badly by asking this. I’m sorry. I am...if it makes you feel uncomfortable. You don’t have to do anything that makes you feel like that. I would never ask you to—”
“Shut. Up!”
He did immediately while looking humbled.
Her eyes narrowed at him. He is a sneaky Wolf. So, what do you do when the Wolf comes to your door? Suddenly, she remembered that she had actually seen a woman stripping on Youtube, a few years ago. She closed her eyes to recall the video. She had been at a place in her life where she had felt antsy, she did feel like she wanted something, needed something but she didn’t know what. Her dad wouldn’t let her near a guy in fact. Then she’d found herself online and saw this video. Secretly, she had practiced the moves, over and over. It had made her even more antsy but she loved the feeling of being sexy. So many guys had said she was fat, so she had wanted to feel sexy. She popped her eyes open.
Wolf had been watching her.
She said, “I need music and I don’t think you...”
He motioned his head to the other nightstand and stated firmly, “Angel, play a song.”
Her eyes again rounded. “You have an Alexa?”
He scoffed. “No I have an Angel,” he purred the word as he stared at her with an intense look.
“What song?” Angel’s voice asked from the small console.
Wolf raised a brow at her.
She let out a breath and remembered the song, “I Touch Myself.”
Now, Wolf’s eyes widened as he stared at her. Before he could say anything, the song came on.
I love myself, I want you to love me...When I feel down, I want you above me.
Closing her eyes, Eija remembered the moves, and began to move to the song. Her hips gyrating as she stepped into the dance. She lowered her fingers as she turned in a circle and unbuttoned her blouse, then dancing lightly across the carpet, she pulled it off to spin it along with her as she twirled. All in step, as if she’d just done this yesterday. She kept moving her hips back and forth in a sensual motion. Moving and swaying in a world of her own, she unhooked her bra, then did a sexy dip. When she slowly stood up, she dropped the bra.
I search myself, I want you to find me. I forget myself, I want you to remind me.
The music kept playing
and she caught the beat while remembering each move she’d practiced. She felt sexy again, but now she felt eyes on her. She could swear, she could feel the actual burn for them on her skin.
I close my eyes and see you before me...Think I would die if you were to ignore me.
Picturing Wolf as he filled her, nibbled on her nipples and took her to a place she had never been before, her hands roamed slowly down along her body. Imagining it was his hands, she felt so wet, that her thong was soaked. Attempting to keep focused, she turned around and opened her eyes just a teeny bit to confirm that she was facing away from him. Next, she slowly shimmied her jeans down. To the beat and right on que, as the song slowed down.
I close my eyes and see you before me...Think I would die if you were to ignore me.
Taking in a huge breath of courage, she bent over with her ass in full view to Wolf and touched the floor with her fingers...In just her sheer thong. Spreading her thighs further apart, she lifted her hips backward and remembered this move now, as it had been the hardest of all.
A fool could see just how much I adore you...I'd get down on my knees... I'd do anything for you...
Raising up after another minute, she turned around and again, closed her eyes, as she feared it would mess this up if she saw Wolf. She gradually ran her fingers of both hands down to her erect nipples and fondled them from a long minute while swaying her nude hips to the song. Tossing her long red hair back, she lost herself in the moves and her mind remained locked on wolf’s face.
Seductively and just like the stripper had done, she lowered her fingers to her folds and light caressed herself.
I don't want anybody else... When I think about you, I touch myself.
Unexpectedly, she was plucked off the carpet and her eyes shot open.
Wolf carried her to the bed and was entirely nude as well. “Angel, stop the song,” he growled the words through gritted teeth.
The song abruptly ended.
Swallowing heavily, as she was almost out of breath, Eija asked, “D-did I do it right?”
Wolf’s hazel eyes looked almost as green as emeralds as he stared down at her. “If that was the wrong way, then I am in deep fucking trouble.” He crashed his lips down over hers.
