by Fall, Carly
So shoot that barrier out of the water.
And he also knew that when those females got together, they were a near unstoppable force. With them behind Liberty, pushing her along, he was in trouble.
He wanted her, and there were no two ways about it.
When he and the other Warriors had been sent to Earth, it had been programmed into their human bodies that if they were to fall in love and make love to that person, they would lose their SR44 forms and begin to age as humans did. Yeah, he liked Liberty, but he was pretty sure he wasn’t in love and doubted he ever would be. Hell, if it hadn’t happened in over a thousand years, he figured chances were slim to none that he would ever experience it. He had been alone for too long, and he couldn’t imagine it any other way. But the thing was, Liberty was different from everyone else. She understood what he was going through, and she had been the one to teach him how to harness the power of his gift.
And damn, he wanted in that girl’s pants.
He had spent most of the flight mentally going over the pros and cons of taking care of that want.
Pro: he wouldn’t be walking around with a semi-erection 24/7 anymore, which turned into a full-fledged bar of steel when they were in close quarters. And taking care of his problem himself was doing nothing to ease the pressure. He was an SR44 male with a need to fuck. End of story.
That was pretty much the only pro he saw. It went downhill from there.
Liberty deserved better than what he could give her. She was a virgin, for God sakes, and she should have someone who loved her be her first, not some loner like him who couldn’t even stand his gift enough to get a haircut because he didn’t want someone’s hands on him.
Not to mention Noah’s threat of beating him into next Thursday. Jovan was kind of attached to the present.
So ruining Liberty and the threat of Noah pretty much sealed the deal for him.
It simply couldn’t happen.
However, those were some weak obstacles he could easily step over.
As they approached the Phoenix airport, he listened to the hushed tones of Faith and Liberty in the back of the plane. Jovan knew that Faith was always one to get what she wanted—hell, she had somehow talked Rayner to taking her on a mission. Jovan hoped that Liberty had kept her whole “I want to have sex with Jovan” thing to herself, because if she was back there getting pointers from Faith on how to bulldoze her way into his pants, he was a goner.
When the plane landed, Jovan stood up with the others, said goodbye to the captain, and headed down the stairs. The man with the salt-and-pepper hair stood a few feet away with the two brown Hummers Jovan requested. Jovan fell in step next to Rayner, with Blake a few feet behind them, and Faith and Liberty trailing behind.
Jovan stopped and turned to Rayner. “Do you know what they’re talking about?”
Rayner shook his head and looked behind him as Blake passed, and Jovan followed his gaze. Both Faith and Liberty were about the same size, which was considered small. Both of them came up to the Warriors’ chests, and both were thin, although Faith had many more curves than Liberty. Jovan and Rayner watched as Faith said something and Liberty threw her head back and laughed.
“I don’t know, man. But I do know this: big trouble comes in small packages.”
Jovan looked at Rayner. “What does that mean?”
Rayner shook his head. “I love Faith as an SR44 male should, but that female is also the biggest thorn in my side. You get me? I try to protect her, and what does she do? Somehow she talks her way into a mission.” Rayner shook his head, looked at the ground, then back at Jovan. “You’ll get it figured out, Jovan, but that little thing back there is your serving of big trouble.”
“There’s nothing for me to figure out, Rayner.”
Rayner rolled his eyes. “Right.”
They moved over to the man with the salt-and-pepper hair, who smiled at Jovan. “You just left,” he said.
“I know. Glad to be back, too. The weather’s much better here.”
“Oh, that’s changing. There’s a big storm on the way. At least two days of rain, my friend.”
Jovan sighed as he got in the driver’s seat of the Hummer, and decided he’d rather be cold than wet, as he was going to be here in Phoenix. He just couldn’t win.
Blake slid in the backseat, and Liberty jumped into the front seat. Rayner and Faith sped off in the other Hummer.
“When shall I learn to drive, Jovan?” she asked.
Oh, hell.
“I don’t know, Liberty. We’ll see.”
“I’ll teach you,” Blake said from the backseat. “I’m a great instructor, Liberty.”
Liberty turned in her seat, excited about the lessons that he promised.
As he listened to them talk, Jovan felt a need to hurt something, or in this case, someone. He rubbed his face and realized that his possessive SR44 male side was waking up and saying hello. He didn’t want to be possessive over Liberty, but he couldn’t help it. Thinking about Blake helping her with anything made him want to rip the spine from the human.
Through his mouth.
This was so not good.
A half hour later, Blake whistled as they pulled up to the mansion Liberty and Jovan had stayed at the first night they met. “Nice pad,” he said.
“Why aren’t we at the missile silo, Jovan?” Liberty asked.
“Because there was some asshole FBI guy trolling around there and we’re afraid the place is compromised.”
Liberty giggled and looked at Blake. “I do believe he is speaking of you.”
Blake mumbled something and got out of the car while Rayner pulled in behind Jovan. Jovan got out, grabbed his duffel bag, and waited for Rayner while Faith and Liberty headed inside.
“Nice digs,” Rayner said.
“Yeah, it is.”
“Let’s get settled and get a plan, okay?”
“I’m with you.”
As Jovan moved to go into the house, Blake grabbed his arm, holding him back. “I’m getting the distinct feeling that I should stay away from Liberty,” Blake said in a low tone.
The guy was smart.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“How is that?”
“The way you’re looking at me when I offered to teach her to drive. The way you step between her and any man you don’t know or fully trust. I don’t even think you realize you do that.”
Jovan thought of his actions, and yes, he had been guilty. The pilot had said hello and smiled at her, and Jovan had wanted to make a necklace of his teeth.
“I think your perception is right on, Blake.”
Might as well warn the guy.
The male didn’t flinch. “That’s fine, Jovan, but just make sure you can provide her what she needs.”
“And what is that?” Damn, he wanted to chain this guy behind the Hummer and drag him for a few miles, even if he did like him.
Blake smiled slightly. “If you can’t figure that out, you’re a sorry sack of crap. And not that I should need to tell you this, but I’m not interested in bedding her. I just like her and I’m being friendly. That’s it.”
Jovan watched Blake walk into the house without looking back, and Jovan gave some thought to his statement.
What did Liberty need?
She needed protection. She was simply too good and pure for this shit swamp of a world.
If she wanted one, she needed a male who wasn’t dealing with his own mind catastrophe, as he was. Even though she had helped him with his gift, he wasn’t as strong as she was with it, and it would take time for him get full control over it.
It was decided that Rayner and Faith would take the upstairs master suite, while the rest of them would sleep in the bedrooms downstairs. Jovan was thankful that he would finally have some space from Liberty now that he wasn’t around Talin and Cohen and their endless, unrepentant grief. There would be no reason for Liberty to stay with him; he could mind his own marbles now.
He walked down the hall and decided that he would also be in the bedroom between Liberty and Blake. Blake said he didn’t have any plans to make a move on Liberty, but better safe than sorry, and all that. Jovan was a light sleeper and would most likely hear the creaking floorboards of anyone walking past his door.
Noting that he had inserted himself into a protective role yet again, he grumbled. What the hell had happened to him being the lone ranger, on his own, minding his own business? That’s right, a little hurricane named Liberty had spun into his life and turned it upside down.
He reminded himself that she had also helped him harness his gift so that he didn’t have to be alone anymore.
Which meant he could be with her, if he chose to.
He stopped at the middle bedroom, not liking where his thoughts were going and pointed to the door on the left. “Liberty, you take that room.” Then he pointed to his right. “You take that one, Blake.”
Blake narrowed his eyes at him, but said nothing.
“This room is lovely,” Liberty called out.
Jovan stepped into his room and shut his door. A red, pink, and green-flowered bedspread greeted him, along with moss green walls. It had to be the most girlie room he had ever been in. Apparently, Noah hadn’t gotten around to ordering the redecorations yet.
He threw his bag on his bed and sat down, putting his head in his hands. He had to get his mind off Liberty and on to the mission that would take place tomorrow morning.
Instead, he thought of the first time he had been with a woman when he could feel her emotions and hear her thoughts. It had been twenty years ago.
He was at a club in Chicago. The Red Hot Chili Peppers were blasting through the speakers as he sat at the bar with Hudson. Two women came up to them, one latched on to Hudson, the other to him.
An hour later he was back at her small apartment, pumping into her, and that was when it hit him. Behind her moans of delight, deep pain rolled in. Not physical, but a despair so deep, so heart wrenching, he stopped. He felt the sadness within him as if it was his own, his heart clenching, his breathing constricted.
“What are you doing?” she had yelled at him in desperation.
He continued, and a moment later he felt her contractions around his cock, which led to the most unsatisfying orgasm of his life. He rolled off her, never taking his eyes from her face, while she stared up at the ceiling.
Her thoughts came through to him, plain as day. She had picked him up at the bar and brought him home because she felt so alone and unloved. And now that the deed was done, she felt dirty. She didn’t feel any better about herself, and felt even more alone than she had before.
“You can go now,” she had said, never meeting his eyes.
Her face was a stone mask, devoid of any emotion. He longed to talk to her about why she felt so alone and unloved, and assure her that she wasn’t dirty.
“Seriously, quit looking at me and go. Lock the door on your way out.”
She turned her back to him, and he got up, slipped on his clothes, and did as instructed.
As he walked back to the bar that night to get his bike, he had sworn that he would never sleep with another woman again. He couldn’t deal with the emotions, or thoughts, of others.
And he had kept that promise to himself.
Hearing a door behind him open, he turned. Liberty stood in his room having come through the bathroom.
“It appears our rooms share a restroom, Jovan,” she said, smiling.
Jovan looked her over. She had on jeans that hugged her thin legs, a white turtleneck sweater, and a pair of high-heeled boots. Her ringlets framed her pretty face that lit up with her grin.
“Don’t worry, though. I have learned the proper etiquette, thanks to you. I will make sure to knock before entering.”
He smiled. Yes, she had come a long way. No longer did she barge in the bathroom and catch him trying to get a little relief from his need to be with her.
As he stared at her, he knew he couldn’t fight it anymore. If Liberty would have him, he would take her. He knew he wouldn’t lose his SR44 form because she was one of his kind, and he wasn’t in love. He felt like an absolute cocksucker for taking her virginity, but if she was offering herself up . . .
He stood and went to her, stopping directly in front of her. She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her gaze to his, tilting her head.
“What is it, Jovan?”
“Come here,” he whispered, and he took her in his arms. Her body was so small, he felt like she would break if he squeezed too hard. She laid her cheek on his chest, and her arms snaked around his waist.
Holding her close, he felt nothing at all, and it was a wonderful feeling. Well, he felt nothing but his cock getting hard. There were no emotions from her, no thoughts, no nothing.
He lifted her chin. “I can't fight you anymore, Liberty.”
"I wasn't aware we were arguing, Jovan."
What in the world was he about to do? "You're driving me crazy, Liberty."
“I’m so sorry, Jovan. What have I done? And what can I do make amends with you?”
He smiled, while thinking of all the things she could do to make amends. “Well, you could start with letting me kiss you.”
Her breath hitched, and he watched shock march across her face. “Jovan, I don’t know what to say.”
“How about yes?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
He bent his head and gently kissed her. And he was pretty certain that someone had infused the stuff they used to propel rocket launchers through his system.
Her lips were soft and unsure of what to do, and he could feel her hesitation. His tongue slid out, and he gently caressed her lips with it. She gasped, and he brought his head up.
“No,” she whispered, “more.”
He was down with more.
Starting where he left off, he softly coaxed her mouth open with his tongue. When she finally acquiesced, he found hers and started the dance.
The girl was a quick study. Her tongue was smooth and silky as it tangoed with his, and within seconds he was jacked so high there would be no turning back.
He pulled away and thought about what he was doing. Noah would be pissed beyond belief, and Jovan had no doubt that he would end up in next Thursday after the beating if Noah found out. The only way Noah would accept this was if Jovan made Liberty his mate.
And he wasn’t going there.
So next Thursday it was. Nothing stayed a secret within the Six Saviors. They were worse than a bunch of gossipy, old women, especially when the alcohol flowed.
However, he would have to make things really clear with Liberty on where they stood. He took her hand, led her to the bed, and sat down, pulling her down next to him.
“Liberty, we need to talk before anything happens.” And with the erection he was sporting, he planned on making it a very quick conversation.
“What is it, Jovan?”
He met her gaze. Her lips were red and a little puffy; her dark eyes glittered.
“Look, if we’re going to do this, there has to be some things said.”
She tilted her head and looked at him. “By this, you mean us doing the sex.”
The sex. Oh God. What was he getting himself into?
“Yes.”
“And what needs to be said?”
“That if this happens, it doesn’t mean . . .” He stopped short of saying “anything.”
Because it did mean something. She was a virgin, so it meant a lot. But he couldn’t have her thinking that they would move on to a mating ceremony and a happy ever after.
He tried again.
“We won’t be mated if we do this, Liberty.”
She looked at him a moment, put her hand on his arm, and started to laugh. He didn’t see what was so funny, but she continued to giggle until there were tears in her eyes.
“Oh, Jovan,” she said between gasps. “I don’t want to mate you. I have too much living to do.” She wiped her
eyes and stared at the floor as if she were trying to pull herself together.
Finally she looked at him. “I am sexually attracted to you. I’m not in love with you. It is . . . a physical response to you. Who knows, maybe someday I will experience it with another male as well. I don’t want to mate you, Jovan.”
He was surprised by the sting of her words, as well as the trail his thoughts were taking. Liberty with another male? He would rather be dragged behind a truck through shards of glass than see that.
Putting his head in his hands, he took a deep breath.
Okay, so she had absolutely no intentions of mating him, and she was thinking down the road to possibly being with other males.
Honestly, that was the response he wanted, so why was he feeling as though he’d just been stabbed?
“You look ill, Jovan. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Liar.
“Well, then, I would like it if you kissed me again. That was very pleasurable.”
Right. Back to the whole getting-into-Liberty’s-pants thing.
He leaned over, and she met his mouth and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down on top of her.
Propping himself up on his elbows, he let his hand run through her soft ringlets, down the side of her face, over the slight swell of her breast, down her ribs, and to her waist.
He hitched her leg up so that he could bury his hips deeper into her pelvis.
As she threaded her hands through his hair, letting her fingertips trail from the roots to the ends, he marveled again at how good it felt not to have to fight someone else’s feelings trying to penetrate his brain. He could simply enjoy the act of getting busy with Liberty—no bullshit to distract him.
After a few minutes, she pulled away from him. “Jovan, I find these fabrics . . . I mean clothes, cumbersome. I would like to remove them. And you remove yours.”
Okay. That was cool.
He helped her to a seated position and lifted the turtleneck above her head. Her small breasts were covered in a lacy skin-colored bra. He pushed her back down to the bed and ran his tongue over her nipples through the soft fabric.
