by Walters, Abi
She moaned around my shaft. The vibrations nearly sent me over the edge. Acacia looked up at me with eyes that told a story of desire. All thoughts of being late to my shift went out the window. All I could think about was pleasing my mate. I relished the feeling of magic around my cock for a few more sensational sucks. Her tongue flattened against the underside of my cock and she slowed her pace. She zig-zagged down before flicking her way around my head. I reached down to pull her away when she slurped my length down her throat one last time.
“Shit, Acacia. You’re killin’ me,” I groaned. I nudged her away from me. Her mouth tightened around my cock while she pulled back, filling the room with the lewd noise of saliva around dick. It popped out of her mouth with an animated noise. Her sex eyes were pinned on me again. Her eyes were normally almond shaped and slightly upturned, but from her spot on the ground they appeared wide and sensual. “On your back.”
I kicked one leg out of my pants and dropped to the ground. Still wearing my shirt – though it was pushed up past her breasts while she tweaked her nipples – Acacia waited for me almost impatiently. I knew she was wet, but I spit into my hand and lubricated my cock. I fell over her and claimed her mouth for a kiss while I sank into her. The kiss melted into a clashing of satisfied moans.
She gripped me like a vice. I was so wound up from her mouth that I nearly burst inside her the second I speared into her. I gave myself a second to breath. Acacia gyrated her hips beneath me. She lifted herself, inching my dick in and out of her slowly.
Dropping my head to her neck, I playfully nipped at the spot that already bore a bruise from the night before. My body moved against hers. It wasn’t as quick or needy as it had been the night before, but it wasn’t soft and sweet. “I wish I could stay here and make love to you all day long.”
“Stay. I don’t want you to go,” She breathed.
“It’s just a few hours.” It was thirteen, but who was counting? “You know I have to. I promise I’ll be back. I’d never leave you.”
Acacia touched my face and drew my attention to her eyes. The vixen appeal was gone, and she was looking at me with the most vulnerable expression. “I’m in love with you, Vex.”
The last part of humanity inside of me snapped. A silent beat passed between. And then I fucked her like our lives depended on it. I pistoned in and out of her like a machine. I lowered my head to her ear and growled, “I fucking love you, Acacia. You are mine.”
I pulled away before I could bite her. It wasn’t the right time. She deserved more than a raw fuck on the kitchen floor when we sealed our bond. I leaned back until my ass rested against my heels. Acacia looked like she was floating. With her back arched and her legs wrapped around me; tangling with my own limbs, it was like she was suspended in the air. Her breasts jiggled and bounced from side to side. The shirt had jostled down to partially cover one breast, but the rock hard nipple peeked out from beneath the thin fabric.
Neither of us were going to last. Acacia’s moans were growing and getting higher pitched. Her hand dipped to where our bodies joined and she started rubbing her clit with fervor. It was too much. I didn’t want to come before her, but I couldn’t stop myself. My body tensed as a powerful wave of release hit me. I forced my hips to keep moving, but I was numb to everything except the way Acacia’s sex was tightened around my cock, milking me both physically and mentally. My vision un-blurred just as Acacia shuddered beneath me. She looked like a woman possessed as her body twisted. Her nails pressed into my skin as her heels dug into my back. I felt myself stirring to life again as the arousing sensation of her orgasm surrounded us.
I kissed her jawline what felt like a thousand times. I was a broken record but I couldn’t stop myself. “Mine. Mine. I love you. Mine.” I found my heart half naked and in the middle of a quickie. It was cathartic. It was bliss.
Acacia twirled a strand of my hair between her fingers. “This should be scary, but honestly, I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”
“That’s how it should be.” I nuzzled her softly. My bear hummed a jubilant tune and rattled against my chest. He wasn’t a very vocal bear, but when it came to his mate he was a completely different animal.
Acacia ran her hand over my shoulder and rested her hand on my chest. “Is that normal?” She sighed and looked up at me. “You have to go, don’t you?”
“It’s normal. It’s better than normal,” I said with a wavering smile. “Yeah. I really have to go. Please stay here. If anyone you don’t know comes to the door call me. I don’t care if they say they know me. I don’t care if they say they’re part of the clan. Call me immediately, okay? I mean it.”
She nodded her understanding and whispered a soft, “Okay.”
Neither of us spoke while we untangled our limbs. Acacia stood and tossed her shredded panties in the trash while I hopped back into my pants and re-laced my boots. I pulled my hair out of my face and tied it back with a spare band I kept around my wrist. After a prolonged goodbye, I promised Acacia I’d be back after my extended shift.
I went dangerously fast as I rounded the curves on the mountain. The sky was dark with a foreboding heaviness that told me the day would provide more than just a little rain. I was late. Really late. And the long drive wasn’t helping. If I were able to shift I would’ve made it in less than ten minutes. I whipped into the clearing with tires spinning and dust flying.
“Where were you?” Tucker asked. He wasn’t hostile, but there was a hint of annoyance and relief in his voice. “We were getting ready to drive over and beat your door down.”
Justin piped up with a smirk. “Smells like sex.” He made a few crude gestures. “Rockabilly babe is back? Nice, man.”
“Don’t fucking talk about her like that or I’ll break your dick in half,” I snapped, visibly irritated by his jests. “She’s my mate, not some girl you pick up in a bar, asswipe.”
Justin held his hands up in defense. “I was joking.”
“You don’t joke about a man’s mate. Rule number one.” Deacon appeared out of nowhere. He itched his beard and stalked towards me, cornering me against my Tahoe. “Elizabeth told me Acacia showed up last night. Keep her at your place and we’ll be fine. I hope. I have too many other things to worry about. You’re late, and it seems like you’ve forgotten that shit is hitting the fan around here. Don’t do it again. I get it, but don’t waste our time again. I expect more from you. If this becomes a problem I don’t doubt that you’ll be challenged as the leader of the Enforcers. Now let’s suit up and go.”
“It won’t happen again, Deac.”
He looked right through my lie. We both knew that if it came to my mate or my clan, I’d pick Acacia every damn time.
Chapter Sixteen
Acacia
The prickling, hair raising sensation that I was being watched was one hundred percent due to the horror movie marathon that I had in Vex’s dark living room in the middle of nowhere. Alone. At least that’s what I tried to convince myself as You’re Next played on the big flat screen television. It was the third creepy movie I’d watched in a row and the psychological thrillers were starting to have their dirty way with me. The marathon was a last ditch effort to entertain myself and not worry about Vex.
When he said he’d be gone for a few hours I didn’t know he meant thirteen. That was how many had passed since his departure. I still wasn’t sure when he’d be back, but a lone text message around six in the evening that read ‘Wish I was at home with you. I keep getting caught in the rain. Stay warm, baby. I love you.’ sated my fears that something ghastly had happened. He warned me that they were working long shifts to try to comb the thousands of acres that the clan owned. It seemed like they were trying to find a needle in a haystack.
After Vex left I showered and dressed, opting for one of his oversized (on me, at least) short sleeved Henley shirts and a pair of sweatpants I pulled from my duffle. I felt completely unashamed of the snooping that followed my shower. Vex didn’t have cable
, but he did have a handful of subscription services. I put Family Guy on for background noise and combed through his house like a rookie private investigator.
After nearly two hours of snooping I came to the conclusion that my big bad mate was pretty boring. He didn’t have porn stashed under his bed and there weren’t any satanic shrines in the closet. His taxes were neatly organized in a file cabinet and he kept top shelf liquor stocked in his living room. I did feel a little guilty going through all his family photos, but I wanted to see Vex at a time where the world didn’t seem to be heavy on his shoulders. There were snapshots of a much younger Vex – without his signature long hair – flashing the peace sign while he stood on a dock with a fishing pole. Hakeem and Vex wearing dorky Christmas sweaters. Their mom holding his niece. At the bottom of the photo box were a few faded Polaroid photos of a dark skinned man with a thick mustache and eyes that were hauntingly similar to the dark orbs I often lost myself in. I spread all of the photos out on the living room floor and played Peeping Tom to Vex’s life; and when I was done, I filed them back in in their tidy boxes and returned them to his closet.
I ate an obscene number of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch while I Skyped with Aiden and James. I gave them a tour of Vex’s house through the camera lens of my smartphone and then fended off questions about his abs, our future wedding, and our litter of children. There was no way to tell them that there was a chance Vex and I would never have children, so I played along and hoped my smile didn’t appear too forced. I never considered myself someone who wanted a lot of children. Kids meant marriage, and happily ever after wasn’t really in my books. Vex changed all of that. And I found myself wanting at least one munchkin with him. Having Noah and Ava around didn’t give me baby fever, but day dreaming about a brown skinned baby with Vex’s silky black hair and my elfin ears sent me into overdrive. I didn’t want to wait for kids or marriage. I wanted Vex’s mark and I wanted his cub to be in my belly. Instead of seeing uncertainty when I looked to the future I saw myself happy. I never thought that was possible, but it made my heart do flip-flops.
The minutes began to drag as the hours went by. I called my mom and checked up on my dad. He had another day in the hospital before he was released, but he had already started his cardiac therapy. My mom was pleasant on the phone, and though some of her questions seemed forced, I was glad she was making an effort. When I could think of nobody else to call (Eden and Jade both ignored my attempts), I started working my way through the overflowing hampers in the bedroom and bathroom and sat down to look up the salons in the area.
Vex hadn’t officially asked me to move in with him but I didn’t see myself leaving Brown Bear Valley. I’d attach myself to his back like a blood sucking leech if it meant I’d get forever with him. The prospect of getting back into a salon was both terrifying and exhilarating. I knew my licenses needed renewed and I’d need a refresher course, but while I played out the different fairy tale scenarios in my head, I always saw myself working in the beauty field again. I didn’t want the dirty physical labor that came with a factory, and there was no way I’d ever make it as a waitress. That left me pumping gas or flipping burgers. I’d rather live in a cardboard box and eat grass than contribute to grease buckets that stimulated animal abuse across the globe, and working at a gas station until I died in a fiery explosion didn’t seem that appealing. The salon in the Valley didn’t have an updated website, but there were two in Center Village that caught my eye. They seemed relatively hip and both used cruelty free and vegan products. I took a screen shot of their information and decided to call them when I was feeling a tad braver.
My movie marathon started when Vex texted me. I knew he wouldn’t be home for dinner, but I still made a heaping pot of spaghetti and garlic bread. I watched The Babadook while I cooked and ate, and when it was over I immediately stared The Taking of Deborah Logan. Halfway through the film I started to get the uneasy feeling that I was being watched. I was used to the adrenaline spike and butterflies that came with all things creepy and macabre, but there was something utterly authentic about the anxious tremors that kept me on the edge of my seat. I turned all the lights on and even checked behind the shower curtain, but when I curled back up on the couch with a throw blanket I still had goosebumps.
The perturbed sensation I felt didn’t stop me from putting on another horror flick after the credits began to roll. I wasn’t enraptured by the film enough to miss the headlights that shot through the partially opened curtains in the room. Without pausing the movie or slipping on shoes, I ran out to greet Vex. I didn’t give myself time to think about it being anyone else.
The big black Tahoe settled my nerves and the man who stepped out of it made me feel like I downed five shots of espresso in less than a minute. I threw myself at Vex. I was barely able to contain the squeal of excitement when he wrapped his arms around me and lifted me off the ground like I weighed nothing more than a sack of potatoes.
“What’s wrong?” He questioned automatically. “Are you okay? I told you not to come outside. I could’ve been anyone. You don’t even have shoes on, for fate’s sake.”
I frowned and looked up at him. With an annoyed shove, I worked my way out of his embrace. “Excuse me for being happy to see you.”
“That’s not what I meant, Acacia,” He sighed. His arms shot out and pulled me back against him. I didn’t put up a fight. “I can’t let anything happen to you. Right now I have no idea what the hell is going on, and it makes me nervous. I just want you to be safe. I’m sorry.”
“Way to make me feel like an asshole,” I mumbled.
He tapped at my chin with a finger and lifted my head. Loving eyes the color of bitter chocolate stared down at me. “That wasn’t my intention. Now come on; it’s late and I need food, a shower, and you. Not necessarily in that order.”
We walked towards the house with our fingers locked together. “I made spaghetti. There’s a ton of leftovers in the fridge.” I paused before adding with a half shrug. “I also did laundry, snooped through literally all of your possessions, talked to my mom, Skyped with Aiden and James, and looked up how to get my cosmetology license recertified.”
“Wow. You’ve been a busy little hellcat today,” He chirped with an impressed smile. He locked the door and began to wiggle out of his clunky, mud covered boots. “What are you watching?”
“You’re Next. It’s a slasher about this rich family being terrorized on a weekend getaway. Can we finish watching it while you eat? It’s really good and I don’t want to leave it for tomorrow.”
Vex blanched. “You know how I feel about uh… those kinds of movies.”
“You say it like it’s triple X rated erotica!” I chortled.
“I’m totally okay with erotica. Let’s watch some of that. Way better than whatever the hell it is you have on right now. Yay boobs! Boo creepy masks and weird fucks who stalk down hallways with machetes. I’m not about that.”
I lifted my arms and attempted to flex. “You think guns like these would let any monsters get you? Hell nah! I’m a certified badass, Vex. By association that means that you’re an honorary badass.”
He smirked and pumped his arm up. The bulging muscles rippled. “I eat monsters for breakfast, baby. I’m the certified badass, and you’re my cute little sidekick.”
“Hey, now!” I wagged a finger in his direction and feigned anger. “The only thing monstrous about your breakfast is your calorie intake. And how dare you call me a cute little sidekick! Rude. I’m definitely not going to put out tonight.”
The playful expression on his face turned to panic. He took a step towards me, but I countered his movement by taking a step backwards. “I meant it endearingly! You’re a cute, little, badass sidekick. Is that better?” He reached out for me, but I stuck my tongue out. “Don’t deny me, baby. It’s been a hell of a day.”
“I don’t want to be a sidekick. We can tag team the monsters.” I let him corner me against the couch. He circled my shoulder
s and leaned to kiss my forehead. “So can we watch the movie or not? I’ll hold you extra tight tonight. Promise.”
“When you put it like that.” He nipped at my neck and it felt like electricity. “And for the record, I don’t want you within ten feet of a monster or bad guy or fucking asshole at the bar who doesn’t know to keep his hands to himself. I know that you can take care of yourself and you’re this punk rock goddess, but I want to take care of you. It’s my job. It’s more than that. It’s built into my DNA to protect you, Acacia. We’re partners, but don’t get upset if I do all the heavy lifting. Okay?”
“I don’t look cute when I sweat,” I commented teasingly. I wasn’t sure what else to say. I thought we were exchanging playful banter, but Vex turned the dial up and made me trip over my own feet as I fell even harder for him.
“I’m serious. I would throw myself in front of a moving vehicle for you. I’d take a bullet for you. I’d kill for you. I will do anything and everything in my power and then some to make sure you’re safe and taken care of.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and lifted on my toes to press a kiss to his lips. A tremor in my voice betrayed me. “I love you.”
“And I love you, baby.” His lips were soft against mine. It was a relatively chaste kiss, but that didn’t keep me from seeing stars when he pulled away. His lips quirked to the side and I felt him give my bottom a tiny, playful pat. “Go start your damn movie while I heat up some leftovers.”
I turned the movie on but kept the volume low while he bustled around in the kitchen. I updated him more on my day and told him about everything from my dad’s rehab to the salons I found in Center Village. He handed me a bottled brew before sitting next to me. With a mouth half full of spaghetti he told me that Big Betty was already fixed and ready to be picked up. I had new wheels and presumably, a new home, so I wasn’t sure what to do with her. Nevertheless, I was glad that I’d be able to collect more of my things.
