Ruthless

by Tory Richards

  I heard mumbling at the door, but didn’t turn around, stirring the pasta until it was covered with water. Next, I stirred the sauce that I’d made earlier, bringing the spoon up to my mouth for a careful taste. Satisfied that it tasted good, I set the spoon aside and covered the sauce.

  “Smells good.”

  I gasped and turned around, surprised to see Rebel standing behind me. I looked beyond him, to the living room, to see that Skipper and Della were heading toward her bedroom. She cast me a smile, her face all but healed from the beating that she’d received. I reluctantly returned my gaze to Rebel, afraid of what I’d see there. So many things went through my mind at once, all of them having to do with him not being in my life. God, I’d missed him so much. It had been almost three weeks since I’d last seen him, and texts hadn’t been enough. I drank him up.

  As sexy as ever in his head-to-toe biker gear, I noticed that his hair was a little longer than it had been when I’d last seen him, and the scruff on his chiseled jaw was a little thicker. He was bad ass all the way, yet he looked at ease standing before me, content almost. I realized that he was waiting for me to say something.

  “Hi.” I felt my heart jump, remaining where I was, unmoving. What I really wanted to do was jump into his arms and kiss him all over. A small smile curved my lips upwards. “How have you been?” I heard the nervous tremor in my voice.

  “I’ve missed you like hell,” he said, surprising me. His sharp gaze moved over me like a slow caress, causing my nipples to harden immediately against the soft material of my tee. Only he could elicit this instant, intense reaction from my body.

  “You’re the one who stayed away,” I pointed out, hearing the slight bitterness in my tone.

  “I had shit to take care of,” he replied in a hard voice. He took a step closer, yet kept the small island between us. “I lied to you.”

  My mouth opened, but nothing came out.

  “You don’t owe me thirty grand.”

  What? That was the last thing I had expected him to say. I wanted to be angry at him, but I couldn’t muster up the emotion. The money seemed so unimportant now.

  “I’ve known from the beginning that you didn’t take the money. I used it as an excuse to stay close to you.”

  “You needed an excuse?”

  He released a harsh breath. “Yeah. I didn’t want to accept that you were different from all the other women, but from the very beginning I knew that you were. You crawled inside my soul until I needed you like I needed air. And I fought that feeling every step of the way.”

  I didn’t have to ask him why, I already knew why. “I should be mad at you,” I said, still unable to bring forth any emotion. Instinct told me that our conversation was going to be instrumental in my future happiness.

  Our future happiness.

  “You should.” His crooked grin sent a sharp jolt of awareness through me. “There are a lot of reasons that you should be mad at me.” He hesitated. “That you should hate me.”

  I couldn’t let that comment go. Even though love and hate was a marriage between every couple, I’d never hated Rebel, not even in the beginning. He hadn’t been the only one who had sensed that there’d been something between us. “No.” I shook my head. “I can accept anger, but I’ll never hate you.” Why couldn’t I say the words that I wanted to say? That I loved him?

  “I want to explain why I stayed away the last three weeks.”

  “You had a job.”

  “That wasn’t the only reason, angel. I was a bastard for taking off right after the ordeal you suffered. I should have stayed to take care of you, to help get you through the aftermath. But the fear of what I was feeling sent me away.”

  “You, afraid?” I tried to make light of it to ease the hardness of what I sensed was coming. Rebel was tense, every muscle in his body locked with the emotion of what he was admitting to. He looked like stone, except for the tic in his strong jaw. It was the only sign that he was trying to hold on to his composure.

  “Baby, if you only knew.”

  “Then tell me,” I encouraged softly.

  He snorted. “It’s hard for a man to expose his weaknesses, and, angel, you’ve always been mine. The intensity of how much I want you is crippling. I’ve never wanted another woman like I want you.”

  “So it’s not just sex?” I smiled, already knowing that it wasn’t. I recognized that Rebel was torn. I could understand why.

  “Fuck no,” he said firmly and sharply, grinning. “But I won’t deny it’s a big part of it. When I’m fucking you, you make me feel content inside. You make me realize that a man like me can have it all. That I already have it all. But what held me back is knowing the danger I put you in. You have to know if we go on from here that there’s always the possibility that there will be more danger, someone else looking for revenge, someone who might want to use you to get to me, or hurt you just to hurt me. I don’t know if I can live with that.”

  “That’s why you stayed away, isn’t it?”

  Rebel nodded. “I know it’s not the first time I’ve mentioned it, but after what happened …”

  “Isn’t that my decision to make?” Since he didn’t seem inclined to approach me, I walked around the counter to him. “I know the risks, Rebel, but life is full of risks. I know you’ll do everything in your power to take care of me, and protect me, but shit will still happen.” He grinned at that. “I’m afraid, too—afraid of not having you in my life.” I stared up at him, close enough to step into his arms if he’d have me.

  “You’re a sweet woman. I don’t deserve you.”

  I shrugged. “Maybe not.” He snorted. “And this is the last time we have this conversation. We either go on from here, or you leave and never come back.” I flinched inwardly, praying that my ultimatum didn’t backfire.

  One brow arched. “You sound awfully bossy, angel.”

  “I’m a strong, fearsome woman,” I responded with a confidence that came from knowing and understanding her man. “You’d be wise to tread carefully.”

  A laugh burst forth from him. “Are you going to be like this in the bedroom?”

  “Would you like me to be?” He stared down at me, his eyes swimming with humor. “What do you want?”

  I didn’t need to ask, because his expression said it all. There was no denying the passion in his dark eyes or the raw emotion on his handsome face. “Right now I want you to turn off that water boiling over on the stove.”

  Oh! I rushed to the stove and turned off the burner, moving the pot of pasta to another spot. I also turned off the sauce while I was there, just in case we didn’t get around to eating right away. By the time I turned back toward Rebel, he had moved up behind me. I gasped. He grasped my shoulders and spun me around, and the next thing I knew he moved us until he had me boxed in against the fridge.

  “I fucking love you,” he growled, right before his mouth slammed down onto mine.

  A thrill traveled down my spine. As soon as our lips touched we turned into animals. We were all over each other, grinding our mouths together, twirling and jabbing our tongues, tasting the heat and passion between us in more ways than just a steamy kiss. And it was hot, so blissfully hot that I was infused with a volcanic heat that was almost unbearable. Rebel’s hands were all over me, over and beneath my tee, shaping and squeezing my flesh with enough strength that I knew would leave bruises. I didn’t care. I loved having his mark on me. I soon joined in, raking my nails down his back until he grunted and I felt his muscles quiver.

  The kitchen filled with the sounds of our hunger as we devoured each other. As soon as Rebel broke away, I cried, “I love you, too!” I kissed his chin. “I’ve always loved you, Michael.”

  His hands slid around to my ass, taking both cheeks into his palms and lifting me against him. His hard cock throbbed strongly against me. “I missed you so fucking much, angel.” He leaned his forehead against mine. “Never again. This is it. You’re it for me. I can’t face life without you in it.” />
  I smiled, the thrill of happiness surging through my blood and soul. “Are you sure this time?”

  “So fucking sure,” he rasped. We were both breathing hard. “I found a house for us. Signed the papers yesterday.” His hands smoothed up and down my back.

  “Really?” I pulled back enough to meet his eyes. “Where?”

  “On the beach. We’ll talk later‒”

  “Can we come out now?” Della interrupted, calling out from her room. “We’re hungry.” I could hear the smile in her voice.

  Rebel and I laughed. He kissed me on the tip of my nose and then stepped away. “We’ll finish this later,” he promised hoarsely.

  I couldn’t wait!

  The man that I loved was back, and life suddenly seemed good again. I’d missed him so much the last few weeks. After he’d cleaned up and left the night of the horrible encounter with the Kings and the Red Devils, I’d known then that the incident had gotten to him, that it had made him re-think things with us. I hadn’t fooled myself into thinking that his leaving hadn’t been caused by what we’d gone through that night.

  What we’d almost lost.

  I couldn’t wait to see the house he’d bought for us, and start our lives together. Della and Skipper walked back into the room and I prepared to drain the cooked spaghetti.

  I was suddenly ravenous!

  Epilogue

  One year later

  Ginger

  I lay there, basking in the orgasmic bliss Rebel had just given me for the third time that morning. We’d both woken up early and had decided that there was time to partake in our favorite past time. The sex between us was great. Even after a year, the intensity and passion felt just as fulfilling as the first time. We came together like animals mating in the wild, any time and any where the urge came upon us, and had practically christened every room in the house. It was a good thing that we lived alone.

  We’d had a wonderful, uneventful—and by ‘uneventful,’ I meant there had been no drama that could have ended up with one or both of us dead—year together. He’d taken a few jobs out of state, one that had left me alone for a full month, but other than that he had tried to stay as close to home as possible. The beachfront home he’d purchased for us was an older house outside of Daytona, hidden by mature palms and lush landscaping. I liked the feeling of being away from it all and secluded from nosey eyes, especially when Rebel liked me to walk around naked. The fact that the ocean was just steps away was an added bonus, and I discovered that there was nothing more peaceful or relaxing than going to sleep with the sound of the surf in my ears and seagulls screeching overhead.

  Being in the arms of the man that I loved didn’t hurt either.

  All in all, life was pretty good.

  Rebel and I got along great.

  He walked out of the bathroom with a towel hanging low on his hips. As always, I let my gaze roam down his hard torso, marveling at the sexy V that led down to his cock. I enjoyed looking at him. He was visually stimulating, and it didn’t matter that we’d just had smoking hot sex, I wanted him all over again. A minute went by before I realized that he’d stopped and was just standing there.

  My eyes traveled up to meet his, seeing the smug amusement there. “What?” I asked innocently.

  He laughed, the sound going straight to my slightly sore pussy. “You keep looking at me like that, and we’re going to miss the service.”

  “Ohmygod!” I glanced at the clock before jumping from the bed. How could I have forgotten about the wedding? “I have an hour to get to the church!” Panic set in that it wouldn’t be enough time, and I knew that Della was counting on me.

  It was her big day, her and Skipper’s. I was so happy for her, for both of them. He’d turned out to be the best thing that had ever happened to her. They’d planned a small service, with just his MC and their women, his parents and sister, and me and Rebel. Of course, I had to be there, I was her maid of honor. I jumped into the shower, jumped out, then began to blow dry my hair that I intended to French braid. I was standing there in all my naked glory when Rebel came into the bathroom, this time wearing boxer briefs.

  I smiled. “I’ve never known you to wear underwear,” I teased, working the blower through my tresses.

  “I do on special occasions,” he grinned, coming to stand behind me. “Besides, dress slacks don’t fit as snug as jeans. My boys need some support.” As he liked to do when I was in this position, he wrapped his arms around me and cupped my breasts. “Have I ever told you I love your tits?” He began squeezing them and plucking at the nipples.

  “Only every day,” I smiled, arching slightly, which put my butt into the cradle of his hips. He leaned in and began to nibble the side of my neck. I closed my eyes and moaned, before reminding myself that I was on a mission. “Rebel, Della will kill me if I’m not on time.”

  I felt him smile against me, and knew what was coming next. “Like you killed her when she was late for our wedding?”

  I shivered against his sensual attack. She had been late, and, as I’d learned much later, for the same reason that I was about to be late to her wedding. The only difference was that Rebel and I had decided to get married at the courthouse, and Della and Skipper were supposed to have been our witnesses. They’d been half an hour late. I’d been a little miffed at my best friend for being late for the most important day of my life, but by the time Rebel had slipped on the platinum wedding band, I’d gotten over it.

  My gaze automatically traveled up to the hand that was holding the blow dryer, seeing how the two-carat, emerald-cut diamond solitaire sparkled in the mirror.

  “So this is all about payback?” My words came out breathily, and I set the dryer down without turning it off.

  He thrust his hard cock against my naked butt. “No.” His hands turned rougher as they glided over my body. “This is about me putting a baby in your belly.”

  His words got to me every time, and I began to push back against his erection. I reached up behind me and wrapped my arms around his neck. The image in the mirror was erotic, his dark, powerful hands caressing me everywhere on my paler body. One hand remained on my breast, the other zeroed in on the thin strip of hair on my pussy. Rebel wasted no time in slipping his finger over my clit. I trembled wildly and began to pant.

  “No … time …” I gasped weakly, moving my hips against his finger.

  “Want me to quit?” he whispered against my ear. He was fucking me with his finger while his thumb flicked over the pulsing nerves at the top of my slit. I could feel how wet I was, I could hear it as he worked another finger inside me.

  “Yes, no,” I gasped, leaning further into him for support. I tried to remind myself about Della’s wedding, I tried to be strong, but all I could think about was how good Rebel was making me feel. “What if I told you that I was already pregnant? Would you stop?” We’d decided to start a family, and had been trying for two months. I’d taken a pregnancy test earlier that morning, but hadn’t planned to tell him the good news until after the wedding.

  I felt his hesitation, but it didn’t last long enough to mean anything. He clearly thought it was just a ploy to get him to leave me alone so that I could continue getting ready. “No. I’m weak where you’re concerned. You could be nine months along and big as a house, and I’d still want to fuck you.”

  My husky laugh echoed throughout the bathroom. “I guess we’ll see in nine months then, won’t we?” He froze. “Well, probably more like eight months.”

  “Are you pregnant, angel?” He was staring at me in the mirror. “Do you have my baby in your belly?”

  “We’ve been fucking like bunnies. It was bound to happen.” He swung me around and kissed me hard. “I was going to tell you after the wedding,” I explained.

  He looked down at my belly, placing his hands there as if in awe. “My son.”

  I laughed. He seemed so certain. “Our daughter.” I raised a brow, challenging him to argue with me.

  “How about we star
t with a boy, and have a girl later?” he joked.

  I thought our conversation was silly, because we had no say over what sex the baby would be either way. Deep down, I knew that Rebel wouldn’t care what we had, as long as our children were healthy.

  “I’ll see what I can do,” I teased back. “Now, are you going to finish what you started?” I reached down and rubbed the bulge of his cock, which hadn’t even begun to diminish during our brief break. “Unless you’re afraid to face Della …”

  He grabbed me to him and fucked me until the bathroom was steamed up again, until my legs were so weak that I had to sit down and wait for the strength to return. With Rebel it was all or nothing, he did nothing halfway. I could count on that. I knew I couldn’t have chosen a better man.

  Jonathan Lee Woods was born on February second, eight months later.

  The End

  Thank you for reading my book, I hope you enjoyed it. Leaving a review where you purchased it would be greatly appreciated. Continue reading for more information about me and my work.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Tory Richards often describes herself as a grandma who likes to read and write smut. Known for her hot erotic romances, she’s also penned erotic paranormals, and contemporary suspense romance. Writing is a hobby for Tory. It thrills her to be able to share her stories, and she loves seeing her characters come to life with each new book cover.

  Tory began writing short stories on notebook paper when she was only ten. At thirteen she received her first manual typewriter, a few years later an electric one, and not until she was forty-five did she get her first computer. For many years writing was a secret hobby as well as therapy for Tory. She didn’t submit to a publisher until her daughter and niece encouraged her to pursue her dreams.

  Originally from Maine, Tory has spent most of her life in Florida. She’s retired from Disney and spends her time between family, friends and writing. Besides writing her likes include: spoiling her grandchildren, traveling, going to the movies, watching Syfy, taking care of her four cats, and naps.