Fire and Sand
(Adrenaline Jake 3)
Louise Collins
Copyright © 2018
All rights reserved
Chapter 1
There were two sides to Maddox’s sexual prowess, one side devoured Jake, and the other savoured him.
The devourer pushed Jake against the wall, shower, desk. The kisses were brutal, and Maddox handled Jake like he owned his body. Jake could only feel where Maddox touched him. Where his fingers dug, where his teeth nipped, and his nails scored. The thrust of his hips, the hard muscles of his body, and the strength of the man ripping his clothes away. Maddox’s flesh burned hot, a muscular furnace that pushed into Jake and forced him to yield. His scent of smoke, and sweat rubbed off on Jake’s flesh, and each deep grunt of pleasure from his devourer's lips made Jake shiver, then moan back.
In the devouring, Jake was more aware of Maddox than himself. He surrendered to the onslaught as Maddox branded himself into Jake’s skin.
The Maddox that savoured him was the opposite.
He tied Jake down, and made him wait for release. In the wait, Jake was only aware of his own body. His desperation to be touched by the man calmly smoking in his chair drove Jake to the point of insanity. Body bare, and wrists cuffed to the bed frame, he could do nothing but wait for Maddox to relieve the tension in his body.
The longer he waited, the more desperate he got, till he grew dizzy with desire. He reached another level of sensitivity. The ceiling spun, his breathing sounded like waves crashing on rocks and he lost the ability to think, let alone speak. Once he was at that point it didn’t take much for Maddox to undo him; a tweak of his nipple, a slow sensual kiss, or lightly rubbing his tongue on Jake's drooling cock. He had no fight for such dirty tactics. Maddox grinned smugly and wiped his fingers through the mess on Jake’s stomach afterwards.
If Jake had to choose between the Maddox who devoured, and the one that savoured, he would choose the devourer, but it was never his choice.
Jake was pretty sure he was about to choke on his own heart. Each contraction felt like it rose in his body, heading towards his throat. Each pant of breath heaved his chest and dried his bitten lips. The hairs on his arms created their own Mexican wave, and his flesh pulled tight with sensitivity. The cuffs clunked against the bedframe, and his wrists ached from his half-hearted escape attempt.
Maddox sat by the bed, lounged in an armchair with his eyes shut. He twirled his lighter in his left hand. A click, a spin and a snap shut, repeated over and over. Maddox’s other hand rested on the arm of the chair, still, apart from his forefinger. He wagged it left to right in a semi-circle, in perfect time with the classical music flowing through the room.
When Jake begged for attention, his hoarse voice cut through both the repetitive movements of the lighter, and the soft classical music. Maddox scrunched his face, then shook his head, and Jake pressed his head back into the mattress. The dizzying need intensified, and the ache of his crotch seemed to spread all over his body. He closed his eyes, knowing he was nearing the state Maddox desired. The point where his consciousness got fuzzy around the edges.
His ascent stopped abruptly when Maddox’s phone rang. Jake didn’t open his eyes, he listened. Maddox got to his feet, took three steps then passed through the door and closed it behind him.
Jake opened his eyes, stared at the white ceiling then swallowed uncomfortably. Maddox never left the room when he was tied down and waiting. Not since they had first met.
The haze of lust lifted, and he pulled himself away from the hypnotic helplessness. Jake rubbed his feet together, twisted his wrists in the restraints, and arched and curled his back but it was useless strapped to the bed. He had been caught, but instead of Maddox having his wicked way with him, he had left the room with no explanation.
The adrenaline stilled in Jake’s body, and he shuddered at the depleting high.
Maddox strolled into the room but didn’t look towards the bed. “Something's come up, I need to go out.”
“Right now?” Jake croaked. He would’ve rubbed at his throat to ease the tightness but couldn’t with his wrists still secured by the cuffs.
Maddox fixed the buttons on his sleeves, then tucked his white shirt into his trousers. He ran his hand through his hair, combing the longer strands into position before testing the length of his beard with probing fingers. He grimaced, then shook his head.
“You’re not gunna tell me where you're going?” Jake whispered.
Maddox paused, then slid his belt through the loops of his trousers. “You don’t need to know.”
Jake shuffled on the bed and swung his leg in Maddox’s direction. “But I wanna know.”
“That’s not how this works.”
Jake pressed his head into the mattress and stared bitterly at the ceiling. “So, you know everything about me, but I can’t know anything about you.”
Maddox exhaled through his nose, then moved to the bed and hovered over Jake. His green eyes were absent of lust, and he pressed his lips together till the skin blanched. Irritation poured from him in waves, and Jake felt his own annoyance fold under the intensity.
“Fine,” he said, turning his head to his bicep. “Don’t tell me, then. You could at least untie me, though.”
Maddox hummed in amusement, and Jake flashed an irritated look his way.
“I could untie you, or I could leave you like this till I get back.”
Jake shook his head. “You wouldn’t.”
Maddox perched on the bed, out of reach of Jake’s swinging feet. “Don’t tell me what I would or wouldn’t do.”
He pressed down on Jake’s chest and spread his fingers. Jake’s breath hitched, and he leaned forward, straining his neck to watch Maddox’s hand roam higher. Maddox grinned, all predatory with shimmering eyes, and caught Jake’s perk nipple in the join of his fore and middle finger. He closed them like scissors, and Jake yelped, lifting his hips from the mattress.
Maddox snorted and stood from the bed. He switched the music off, then ran his hands down his creaseless shirt.
“How do I look?”
Jake huffed, and rattled the cuffs on the bed frame. “Like a cock teasing bastard.”
Maddox narrowed his eyes, then fished in the bedside drawer for the key to the cuffs. He dangled it above Jake’s face, but didn’t move to unlock him.
“Enough,” Jake whined. “Let me go.”
Maddox closed his eyes and popped open his lips. “I do love it when you sound desperate.”
Jake rolled his eyes. “Just undo me.”
Maddox threw the key in the air and caught it. He clacked his tongue and lifted his eyebrow. “You called me a bastard, and then forgot to say please.”
He moved to the bedroom door, gave Jake an appreciative gaze then strolled out.
“Maddox!”
Jake scanned the ceiling as he listened to Maddox’s steps softening. He yanked the cuffs, and pressed his heels into the bed, but he couldn’t escape or get into a more comfortable position.
The front door of the house slammed, and silence rang around him. Jake flung his head back into the bed, growled and struggled, but the cuffs didn’t loosen; in fact, they felt tighter. The pleasant throb in his arms turned into a full-on ache and he grimaced and panted at his stretched muscles.
He lay, chest heaving and anger bubbling. After ten minutes the heat of anger had left, and the cool air of the room prickled his skin. He waited, had no choice but to wait for Maddox to come back to him.
The front door opened and closed softly. Jake sighed, and melted into the mattress. Maddox had returned to relieve him of torment. The adrenaline trickled back into his blood stream, warming his core. Lust replenished in his flagging body, and he ran his tongue alo
ng his lips to wet them.
Jake shivered, and a tingle spread down to his toes and up to his scalp. He closed his eyes, and focused on the sound of Maddox’s footsteps, cock throbbing with each beat of approaching feet.
“Jake?”
He flashed his eyes open at the voice, not Maddox’s deep grumble, but Carl’s higher tone.
“Jake, where are you—”
“Don’t come in!” Jake yelled, twisting his hips to hide his hard-on.
The door swung open, and Carl widened his eyes, before slapping his hands up to cover them.
“Woah!”
“I said not to come in.” Jake shouted.
Carl laughed, then removed his hands and fanned his face. “Was not expecting that.”
“Get lost, I’m waiting for Maddox.”
Carl shook his head and sniggered, then retrieved a familiar silver key from his pocket. “I was with the boss; job's gunna take longer than he expected. He gave me this key, and said it was up to me whether I used it.”
Jake kept his legs angled away from Carl and rattled his wrists. “Could you?”
Carl wiped the smile off his face, then moved up the bed to reach Jake’s hands. He unlocked the cuffs, and they clunked as they landed on the floor.
Jake reached for the sheet and yanked it over himself. His cheeks were hot with embarrassment and anger.
He flicked his chin at the open door. “Right, you can go now.”
Carl blew a breath through his teeth. “No can do.”
“Why not?” Jake snapped.
“He wants me to watch you tonight.”
“Watch me? Like some disobedient dog.”
Carl shrugged. “I do what he tells me. We’re all dogs in this game. He’s just the top one.”
“It’s bad enough that he’s got you working at the stationary store, but now watching me outside of work too.”
Carl pouted, and pinched Jake’s cheek. “Aww, the pup's having a tantrum.”
Jake smacked him away, and Carl laughed.
“It’s not funny.”
“It could be worse; he could’ve asked Tom, or Amber to come check on you.”
Jake shuddered at the thought of Tom strolling in the room, twizzling his moustache and flaring his nostrils.
Carl wagged his finger. “Exactly. Count yourself lucky, coz I guarantee, Amber wouldn’t have unlocked you, and Tom would’ve taken some pictures for blackmail.”
Jake huffed and rubbed his sore wrists. “So where is he, then?”
A slow smile spread Carl’s lips. “Nah, you don’t get around me like that. I’m not telling you anything.” He lifted his wrist and stared at his watch. “And right about now, I’ve got a date with the boss’s fridge.”
Jake narrowed his eyes and glared a hole in the back of Carl’s head as he moved away. He leaned forward to grab his folded joggers off the floor, but Carl poked his head back through the door, and he froze.
“Oh, and where’s the thermostat?”
Jake frowned, and rubbed the creases on his forehead. “What? Why do you want the thermostat?”
Carl smiled and crossed his arms. He leaned on the door frame and clacked his tongue. “Well, by the state of little Jake, I would’ve said you were cold, that or your cock's just really sm—"
Jake snatched up the cuffs and launched them towards Carl’s smug face. He darted back with a laugh, then filled the doorway again.
“Thermostat,” he said, then winked.
Jake hastily dressed, then plodded down the stairs to join Carl in the kitchen. He narrowed his eyes, anticipating more teasing, but Carl had zoned in on the fridge.
He yanked the door open and whistled at the contents. “The boss always has such good food.”
Jake jumped up and sat on the countertop. “So, what exactly did he say?”
Carl turned, frowned, then tugged Jake’s ankle till he dropped to the floor. “No dogs on the furniture.”
Jake stomped further along the kitchen then hopped back up on the counter. Carl glared at him, then the fridge, and then Jake again. He shook his head and continued searching the shelves.
“Well?”
Carl grabbed a pot of mustard, and studied the label. “Told me to keep an eye on you. Stay in the house with you till he gets back.”
“But why? What reason did he give?”
Carl tugged a bottle of brown sauce from the fridge, the same colour as his recently dyed hair. Jake didn’t know why he had suddenly started dying it, and when he asked, Carl just shrugged.
“Boss said you might be a bit jittery, strung up. I didn’t think he meant literally.”
The heat returned to Jake’s cheeks, and he rubbed fiercely at his face. “Whatever.”
He could feel Carl’s eyes on him and glanced up from his hands. His angry shout died in his throat when he saw Carl’s expression. Not mocking, but troubled. He tapped his fingers on the fridge door then glanced down at the floor.
“What?” Jake asked.
“The stuff you do with the boss, it’s all consensual, right?”
Jake dropped his hands and gawped at Carl. He reclaimed his jaw, then his voice.
“What would you do if it wasn’t?”
Carl shuffled foot to foot. “Nothing, but it will sit easier in my mind if I know it's what you want, not just what the boss does.”
Jake swallowed awkwardly, then nodded. “It’s completely consensual.”
Carl lifted his head, smiled, then turned back to the fridge.
“You know there’s a really good pizza place down the road.” Jake said.
“Oh yeah?”
Jake hummed. “Yeah, thick crust, loads of cheese, the steak and barbeque one is amazing.”
Carl froze. “That’s cruel.”
“I’m just saying, it’s really good. A sandwich isn’t late night food, is it?”
“A sandwich is anytime food.”
Jake wrinkled his nose and shook his head. “A pizza, all stringy cheese, soft base, and the smell. I’m drooling thinking of it.”
Carl closed the fridge and pressed his head to it. “You are cruel, and I get it. You want pizza, I’ll get us a pizza. You got the number?”
Jake dropped down from the counter. “They don’t deliver, and I can’t remember the number. We’ll have to go out and get one.”
Carl whipped around and wagged his finger. “No way, the boss said stay here, and here we will stay.”
“We will stay here, after we’ve got our pizza.”
He moved to the door. Carl released a groan then followed.
“This isn’t a good idea.”
Jake punched his arms into his hoodie. “It’s the best idea. You want a pizza, I want some fresh air.”
“He told me to keep an eye on you.”
Jake pointed at Carl’s eyes. “Then watch me as we go get pizza. Besides, if I’m a pup, pups need walkies.”
Carl folded his arms, then huffed. “We’re just going for a pizza. No running off. No angering anyone.”
Jake slapped his hand to his chest and widened his eyes. “Me, would I do that?”
“Yes, you would,” Carl mumbled, then reached for his coat.
Chapter 2
Carl groaned at the dark sky, long and suffering. Jake laughed into the back of his hand and turned his head. Once he composed himself, he forcefully coughed, and blanked his face.
“It’s right around this corner. I promise.”
Carl stopped and pointed down the road they had come. “You’ve said that again, and again. We’ve walked ages.”
“This time I mean it.”
“You think I don’t know what you’re doing?”
Jake shrugged. “I’m showing you where to get pizza.”
Carl shook his head. “You’re challenging the boss through me, proving he doesn’t control you.”
“No, I’m not.”
“You are, and it’s me that’ll get shit for you going AWOL.”
“How can I be AWOL if you’
re with me?”
Jake continued, and after another growl, Carl followed.
Jake knew there was a pizzeria nearby but had never gone inside. This part of the city had wealth etched in every brick, and the restaurants heaved with potential targets. He preyed on the customers that stumbled out with their bellies bloated and their heads swimming with alcohol. That had been before Maddox had steered him down a different path to get his adrenaline fix, but Maddox had left, left him tied to the bed with no hope of release and Jake was forced to find another way.
When the pizzeria came into view, Jake stuck his chin out. “See.”
“This better be the best goddamn pizza I’ve ever had.”
Jake held the door open, and Carl stepped inside. His moody demeanour lifted with the smell of pizza, and he turned to Jake then rubbed his hands together.
“So, I’ll ask them to box two up?”
Jake rubbed at his chin. “They taste better if we eat them in here.”
Carl wagged his finger. “That wasn’t what we agreed. We get them, we go back to the house.”
“I’m just saying, by the time we get back they’ll be cold.”
Carl smacked his lips together and darted looks at each of the tables. Jake glanced at each table too, not to see pizzas, but the customers. There were many options for him to get a small fix until Maddox returned.
A jade hair piece caught his eye, and he thought how easy it would be to pass by and take it. He doubted the woman would give chase, unless she was particularly athletic in her five-inch heels. But her husband looked like he would bulldoze after Jake, spitting, and snorting.
“Oi!” Carl said, jabbing his finger into Jake’s shoulder. “You listening? I said the boss will kill me for this.”
“He won’t even know.”
Jake strolled towards the waiter. He leaned down to see the man’s name badge then straightened.
“Hi Seb, got any spare tables?”
The man scanned Jake’s appearance, then tutted.
Jake followed the man’s eyes and glanced down at his battered trainers, worn joggers and creased hoodie. The customers sat at their tables were dressed smartly and scoffed rather than laughed. Jake couldn’t have looked more out of place if he tried.
Fire and Sand Page 1
