I willed my hand to stop shaking as I reached for the old rounded knob on the bathroom door and was greeted with a wall of steam. This time Ross was actually making use of the shower drape. I could see his outline through the milky patterned plastic and I was busy trying to drum up some courage, willing myself to be brave enough to drag the drape aside and climb in. Whilst I was in my reverie the drape snapped back and Ross burst out laughing. “Seems like I’ve caught you day dreamin’ again.”
“Uh…” I began, my cheeks flushing with color, not entirely sure that I wasn’t going to collapse from the surprise he’d just given me.
“You got a thing about me in showers babe?”
“Uh…” I still couldn’t get any words out and when he looked down at my hands, I followed his gaze. I was fidgeting with the t-shirt and in danger of letting cold feet get the better of me.
“Don’t be afraid, I heard all that you said last night, includin’ the things you didn’t have to say. I’ll be gentle. We’ll always take this at your pace, OK?” He reached out a hand to me, indicating he was happy for me to join him.
My body reacted on instinct as I placed my palm in his and climbed over the side of the tub. Water was rushing down his body and it did nothing but heighten the magnificence of all that was him. His hair was sopping wet and water seemed to be dropping from it, hitting his cheek bones until it ran and collected in the corner of his lips. Ross was like a magnet I couldn’t resist and my fingers gently played with the water running around his luscious mouth. After a little bit I began to feel more comfortable and as if he could sense it, he licked my fingers with his tongue, encouraging me to move closer.
I desperately wanted to take in the rest of him, but I was satisfied, in that moment to explore his face. I could hear my fingers bristle through his beard as I worked around his mouth, I followed the pattern of his neck tattoos with my thumbs and I could feel him hum and swallow in appreciation. The rushing blood through his neck vein made me feel more alive than I’d ever felt before.
Again I carried on moving my hands, examining with all of my senses, taking in the pure brilliance that his skin was a canvas that came alive on some primeval level. I could feel his eyes on my face, taking me in, whilst I was content to feel my way around him. I didn’t notice that my hair was slowly becoming plastered to my head, or that the water was making it harder to focus when it dripped into my eyes. I also completely forgot that I was still wearing a t-shirt until I heard, “Cara, are you nervous because of what we’re going to do? Don’t be,” he said, not giving me time to answer. “Because it is definitely going to happen, we are going to do it.” His words made me shiver in excitement. “Can I remove my T? It’s sexy as fuck seein’ it stick to your beautiful tits but I’d rather have my skin on yours.”
I nodded and raised my arms indicating he should take control, lead me where we were going, as he dragged it up and over my head. I looked down in embarrassment, barely concealing the urgent need to cover myself with my arms and because he knew me as well as I did at this point, he grabbed my arms to stop me. “You’re beautiful. Never hide from me. Have you finished explorin’ me or do you want to continue?”
God, I desperately wanted to continue, so I did. I traced the swirly pattern on his shoulder and his pectoral muscle until it hit his nipple. Spinning my finger round and round his sensitive bud made his breathing quicken slightly. I loved the effect I was having on him.
“You don’t need to do this or anythin’ else you don’t want to.”
“No. I want to. I want to be able to remember everything about you. I want to be able to close my eyes and see my finger tracing your skin.”
“Fuck me,” he mumbled, understanding that this was important.
I carried on my descent down his body and began to pay attention to his form. The muscles in his abs and waist felt solid and unbreakable, he was like a machine. As soon as I wandered lower to the V area, leading down from his hips, I saw his erection stand taller. The promise and tease of it was giving me untold confidence. I’d never been openly desired, guys either didn’t dare look or if they did risk it, they were sealing their own fate. The best outcome for them was unemployment and a life of poverty, but the unlucky ones disappeared another way.
“I know you’re unversed in all this shit Cara. I want to show you, I want you to grow into who you are meant to be with me. Become your true self. Do you trust me?”
“Yes.” My answer was given instantly and with complete certainty. This man had more than earned every ounce of trust I had for him.
“Good. Get on your knees baby.” I gasped in shock at his request, my understanding of sex was breeding fulfillment only. Any acts for pleasure were not something anyone had ever spoken of in my company. “I promise I won’t hurt you.” Ross took my hesitance as lack of willingness. It wasn’t that, I was just giving my head chance to commit it all to memory and then catch up with my thumping heart.
I dropped down, kneeling in front of him, feeling apprehensive that I’d screw up and get something wrong. The pressure of wanting to be good and not disappoint was a lot to bear. Ross stepped closer to me with his dick firmly in his grasp. The color was indescribable, it looked angry and painful. The hold he had on himself looked like he was restraining himself or attempting to cut off the blood supply to it. “Follow your instincts baby, just keep your teeth behind your gums otherwise the screamin’ I’ll be doing will be the wrong kind and that’s not how I see this endin’.”
I understood what he wanted from me as his hand slid up and down himself, teasing me, whilst the other started to move the wet hair back off my face and tuck it behind my ears where possible. “That’s better, half the fuckin’ turn on with this Cara is the visual. Watchin’ you do it. Knowin’ you have all the control even though you’re the one on your knees.”
This was it, I was really going to do this.
I placed my hand over his and swiped my tongue over the head. The sensation was strange and it had a taste and touch that was out of this world, so much raw power and emotional feeling contained in something so animate, yet smooth. It was delicate, yet hard like forged steel. I was overwhelmed by how something that was so strong and rigid was the most sensitive place on his body.
It didn’t take me long to get into the action, I explored and investigated using the very tip of my tongue, following round the bulbous head ensuring I was committing everything to my memory bank.
My teeth naturally shielded themselves so I could take the top deeper into my mouth and at the first hint of his enjoyment, I felt my own sex spasm. I was intrigued to know how far I could swallow him, I wanted to give myself the pleasure of learning with a patient teacher, but I wanted nothing more than to drive him wild and force him over the edge.
Ross was too big to get all of him fully in my mouth and at the first tonsil touching moment, I retreated quickly. Gathering my breath, I unpeeled his fingers and replaced them with my own so I could get down to business.
“Never have I seen anythin’ so fuckin’ erotic in all my life baby. To know you’ve never done this, that I’m your first, is unreal,” I hear him say, struggling to maintain his composure. I was fully in a rhythm of shucking the base of his dick while bobbing and weaving my mouth over the top, I could sense the effect I was having as his breathing continued to deepen and his quad muscles got tenser and tenser. After a short while he reached for my other hand and prompted me to take hold of his balls, showing me how far I could go in massaging them without pain. “That’s it baby, fuck yeah.”
His words of encouragement were making me wetter and wetter. I don’t remember the last time I was so aroused. Not long after I began the manipulation of his balls he surged forward and slapped his palms on the wall above me. “I’m gonna cum baby, let me go.”
There was no way that was gonna happen, I’d come this far and wanted to finish. I was determined to have all of him, so I doubled my efforts.
“Baby, stop. I’m…” before he coul
d finish, I clamped harder on his balls, obstructing his withdrawal and held him in my mouth. “Fuck!” He exhaled and I felt him swell in the back of my throat and eject everything I’d worked so hard to build up, leave his body. The taste wasn’t particularly pleasant, but it was exciting, knowing that I did it to him, I had the power to make that happen and that demanded I see it through to the end. Swallowing and looking up at him, I could see the effect I’d had, I’d turned him inside out and I was damn proud of myself.
“Shit baby,” Ross said, pulling me to my feet and stroking my face. “That was amazin’ your courage and desire to see a job through to the end is unbelievable.” When he leant in to kiss me, I backed away. He surely couldn’t want to kiss me now. “Kiss me Cara. I’m on your lips now and you’ve already been on mine, it makes no fuckin’ difference. It’s us and it’s sexy as hell, so I’m gonna kiss you.” I immediately went at him, I needed him, I was turned on and I wanted to feel him all around me. “Cara, you amaze me,” he told me between kisses.
My kisses felt feral with desire and it didn’t take long for him to get hard again. In yet another first experience, he picked me up and made love to me slowly against the shower wall. He covered me completely and with every thrust inside me our eyes never left each others. It was the most, the most loving and sensual experience I’d ever had and I was pleased to have something amazing to cherish inside me, those occasions hadn’t happened often in my life.
After we’d both reached our climax, he stayed inside me, we were breathing heavy and enjoying the connection. The water had long gone cold but neither of us cared, we didn’t feel it because of the heat we were both expelling from our bodies.
I was back in my blissful place, tracing his tattoo’s when I heard, “And just so we’re clear baby, I’m about to be your first for a lot of things, but I’m also gonna be your last. Whatever this is, we feel right, we feel good. Fate has given me you to protect and cherish and I promise you I’ll do that. With everythin’ I am and have I will make you safe so we can have a life together. One that we both deserve, out in the open. No runnin’ and no undercover alias’s, enough pretending. OK?”
“OK Ross,” I told him unable to hide the smile on my face, it would be a dream come true and if anyone could give it to me, I knew he could.
The only worrying part was that I knew he took his protection duty seriously, so serious that I suspected he’d die trying to keep me safe and right now that was just as terrifying as jumping in and letting this happen.
Chapter Twenty One
*****
Ross
“Where are you going?” she asks me. Do I lie to her? That’s the question. On one hand I don’t want her to worry about me, but on the other hand, I need to make sure she’s on board with what’s about to happen. I had to make the trip and get things moving, try and get some intel.
“Remember my pal, the one I trust?”
“Yes, Mr. President,” Cara confirms confidently.
I can’t hide the laughter, fancy asking her if she remembers something. “Yes, Mr. President, I did say he had as much clearance as the man himself.” It’s endearing but a very timely reminder that I absolutely can’t lie to her, she’ll fucking remember and trip me up. “Because of his security access there is no need to worry. His name is Jonas Drakeson and he lives on ranch land in a small place called Hawkstown. His house is tucked away on the Hales ranch and his cell number is 734-555-9206.” I can hear her mumbling the numbers and data back to herself inanely, committing it to memory. “I’ll be in touch twice daily. Once at 9am and then again at 7pm. Stay with dad and do your thing, he’s going to teach you some stuff whilst I’m gone.”
“How… how long will you be gone?”
Fuck. Is she going to cry? Not what I was expecting at all. “Hey come on, I won’t be gone long, but these things take the amount of time they take. You know we have to do this, we need to change it up, make our lives work for us and stop being afraid.”
Finally the tears she was trying to hold back, fell and began to dribble down her face. Reaching up to wipe them away I carried on, “Tell me what’s going on in your head.”
“I’m worried you won’t be safe, if I don’t know you are my brain will… it just won’t work for me if you don’t keep in touch. I’m sorry if that’s needy but I can’t explain it. I can’t have you doing dangerous things, especially if you’re putting yourself at risk. I can’t lose you now.”
This girl has the ability to destroy herself with simply worrying about stuff she can’t change or control. I take her in my arms and hug her until I know she’s accepted that I have to leave her and put things in motion. I will not live under virtual house arrest and be afraid. “I’ll be back before you know it and then we can have some fun for a change. Stay with dad, talk to him if things start to get on top of you. Keep runnin’ the routes we’ve mapped out OK?”
“OK,” she whimpers, “Please be safe.”
“Yeah babe,” I agree, kiss her and climb into the cab of my truck. I keep my eyes on her in the review mirror until I hit the gates on the yard. My old man is both amazing and perceptive, I saw him appear at just the right time. He gave us time to say goodbye but arrived when he knew Cara would need support and comfort.
An hour later I dumped my truck in the long stay parking at the airport and brought a plane ticket to Los Angeles, my plan was to start getting the lie of the land with her family as soon as possible. Jonas had sent me a list of business properties and residential addresses that he had managed to uncover, I could have just asked Cara, but I didn’t want her to know that much. As soon as I was through security I made my cover call, “I’m about to hop on a plane to L.A. I’ve given your details to Cara. If she can’t get hold of me and my old man can’t calm her down, you’re her next stop. Cover for me, I’ll be with you as soon as I can, but if she gets in touch, you track me down and warn me. For fuck’s sake don’t worry her OK?”
“Hello to you too motherfucker. I got it. You planning on being social? Wandering out in the open when you get here?”
“Why?”
“Just wondering if I’ve got to give Chris a heads up. He’ll be pissed you’re back in town.”
“Keep it on the down low then brother, your call.” Jonas was already sticking his neck out and I did not need to give him more trouble.
“Understand,” he confirmed. “Be careful, check in here too. This has all the ingredients of fucked up written all over it.”
“Sure.” I hung up as they were calling my flight, I was travelling using one of my ATF legends so if anything did go awry that would delay the Acerbi’s in tying me to Rockton. My theory being it would give someone a chance to give my dad and Cara a head start. I had enough privacy at the back of the plane to go over a few files and photographs, Cara’s father and oldest brother were priority. I’d also booked a room near one of the businesses they owned. I was going to see whether the casino was worth a look and there was a titty bar in the list of holdings, they were usually good for dodgy business.
Hours later I’d rented a bland midsize car that I looked stupid in, but what the hell, needs must and I made my way over to do a drive by of the family mansion.
“Shittin’ hell,” I mumbled to myself, a drive by of this place was not going to happen. It may as well be an island with a moat full of alligators. Saying that crime doesn’t pay is fucking bullshit, it pays big time. The place was amazing, a quick check of the map and another short drive away, I was parked on a hillside vantage spot. I was able to see over the property walls with bino’s and there was no way anyone was getting inside that island without an invitation. The only people visible were gardeners, house staff and the occasional suited heavy. I sat there for a while and there were no comings and goings of note, no cars left that I could tail and on the whole nothing really happened. I was on a tight timescale so it was time to move on and hope for something eventful to happen soon.
The second place was just a business realtor�
��s office and the staff inside were wall to wall bimbo’s. This place wasn’t going to give me much so I grabbed a few leaflets, cut my losses and moved on.
Next I tried the casino; there were more suited goons here and also a lot of security cameras. It all seemed pretty standard and expected for a place that was openly targeted by crooks and card sharks. I didn’t hang around long.
The last place I tried was a small Italian Trattoria and the food smelled heavenly. I hadn’t eaten since Cara had made us eggs for breakfast so I decided to stay. A beautiful woman with a tanned complexion came to wait my table and after I ordered a beer and a plate of penne picante, I pulled out my phone to check in with Jonas via text.
Me:
His reply was fairly immediate.
Jonas:
No small talk from Jonas meant he was on board, understood and was treating it like a job. No distractions. Knowing that someone had my back always gave me a feeling of relief.
The food was amazing and half way through my main course a group of guys entered and headed for the back table. When the last guy walked past me I recognized him instantly, Valentino Acerbi.
He had Cara’s eyes and hair color. It was obvious he was carrying a gun along with everyone else at the table. I finished my meal doing my best to remain inconspicuous. This place was clearly somewhere the family frequented, which meant I could scout the area for a vantage point to watch it for a day or so. The motel at the end of the block proved perfect and after requesting a front facing room, I was able to observe the front entrance to the Trattoria.
With the ballgame from last night on the TV, I was able to sit and watch from a window until I needed to get ready for my visit to the strip club. It became obvious quickly that a variety of different business meetings took place at the trattoria, lots of people left and different people arrived, all apart from Valentino. He was the one constant who remained inside.
Survivor (The Soul Mates Series Book 1) Page 12
